Improved Means for Taking Measurements for Dress-making and similar purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1890;
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Taking Measurements for Dress-making and
similar purposes.
1 GRACE FRANKLAND of 154 Bolton Street Bury in the County of Lancaster
Costume Designer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention is designed to simplify and accelerate the operation of taking
measurements such as are required for dress-making and similar purposes, and to
provide means by which a person can take the required measurements with the
greatest accuracy and without being an expert.
The invention consists of a number of strips or bands of leather or other suitable
material all connected together (somewhat in the form of a skeleton garment or
flexible frame) and all placed in such positions as to coincide, when put upon the
person to be measured, with the points at which the various dimensions are to be
taken.
For example in measuring for the body of a lady's dress, there are five horizontal
or nearly horizontal strips, corresponding with the collar, bust, and waist and width
of chest and back.
"
22
Two strips or bands forming shoulder pieces to measure the length of shoulder
connect the collar band to a strip which measures the arm skye or arm hole to
which is also connected the chest and back straps.
From each arm "
skye" measure a side strip or band passes in almost a vertical
direction connected with the bust and waist bands for measuring the side to the
tip. A front and a back strip are also connected to the horizontal strips before
named.
These connections are all made so that one strip will slide over the other and be
adjustable to the figure and the strips are marked with inches or other measurements,
so that, when the flexible frame is put on and adjusted, each measurement is at once
seen and can be taken by even an inexperienced person.
I prefer to make the loose ends of the strips pass through self-acting clasps which
will hold each in position as it is adjusted.
The loose ends are preferably provided with metal tips of suitable shape to pass
through the clasps easily when putting the frame on the person.
"
Loose strips are also attached to the arm skye" and waist strips for measuring
the length of the arm and, when required, the length of the skirt respectively.
The clasp which I have adopted for the above purpose consists of a metal strap or loop,
fast to one of the strips, and provided with a bent spring which bears against the
strip which passes through the loop and holds it firmly, but so that it can be adjusted.
It will be understood that should the bodice be required to have three or more pieces
on each side, the measure will be made accordingly and other provisions can be made
for any special measurements which may be required.
Dated this 7th day of February 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Taking Measurements for Dress-making and
similar purposes.
I GRACE FRANKLAND of 154 Bolton Street Bury in the County of Lancaster
Costume Designer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My invention is designed to simplify and accelerate the operation of taking
measurements such as are required for dress making and similar purposes, and to
provide means by which a person can take the required measurements with the
greatest accuracy and without being an expert.
The invention consists of a number of strips or bands of leather or other suitable
material all connected together (somewhat in the form of a skeleton garment or
flexible frame) and all placed in such positions as to coincide when put upon the
person to be measured, with the points at wbich the various dimensions are to be
taken.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood I have annexed here-
unto a sheet of drawings and have marked the same with figures and letters of
reference corresponding with those in the following description.
Fig. 1. represents for the sake of example an appliance to be used in taking
measurements for the "body" of a lady's dress.
From the drawing it will be seen that in this appliance there are five horizontal
or nearly horizontal strips of which a is used for measuring the collar, 6 for the bust,
c for the waist and d for the width of the chest and e for that of the back.
Two strips f. and f1 forming shoulder pieces to measure the length of shoulder
connect the collar band a respectively to a strip or band y or y' which measures the
arm skye" or arm hole; the chest and back straps dande are also connected or
fastened to these bands g, g'.
«
From each " arm skye
measure g, y a side strip or band h, passes in almost a
vertical direction connected with the bust and waist bands bande for measuring the
side to the top.
A front strip and a back strip are also connected to the horizontal strips a,
c d, e.
b
These connections are all made so that one strip will slide over the other and be
adjustable to the figure and the strips are marked with inches or other ineasurements
so that when the flexible frame is put on and adjusted, each measurement is at once
seen and can be taken by even an inexperienced person.
I prefer to make the loose ends of the strips pass through self-acting clasps as
seen at m Fig. 1. which will hold each in position as it is adjusted as hereafter
described.
The strips may be made to slide over each other through ordinary leather or other
loops attached to one or other of the said strips or they may be connected together
where they cross by being passed through rings as shown at n on Fig. 1.
When the end of one strip slides along another the said end may be formed into a
loop as shown at o Fig. 1.
The loose ends may if required be provided with metal tips of suitable shape to
pass easily through the clasps m when putting the frame upon the person.
Loose strips may also if preferred be attached to the "arm skye" and waist strips
for measuring the lengths of the arm and skirt, but generally an ordinary tape-measure
can be employed for these measurements.
The self-acting clasp m may be made in a variety of forms, for example it may
consist of a metal strap or loop fast to one of the strips (say the waistband c as shown
detached and on a larger scale at Figs. 2 and 3) and provided with a bent spring m¹
which bears against the strip or end c¹ which passes through the loop m and holds the
said end e firmly, but so that it can be adjusted.

page_text: The vertical strip i passes through a loop c², in the end c of the band.
Or instead of the spring m¹ the metal loop m may be stamped or indented as shown
at mx (Figs. 4 and 5) for the purpose of holding the end c.
Where a vertical or other strip is fixed to the end of a band as shewn at m* *
Fig. 1 (the attachment of the strap i to the neck band a) the fastening is made as
shown at Figs. 6 and 7 by rivetting the looped end a¹ to the end, the clasp m**
being attached to this connection for the passage of the loose end of the band a.
It will be evident without further illustration that should the bodice be required to
have three or more pieces on each side the appliance will be made accordingly
and other provisions can be made for any special measurements which may be
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
The improved means or appliance for taking measurements for dress-making and
similar purposes substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 7th day of November 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.