Improvements in Clasps or Clips, particularly applicable for use with Braces and other Suspenders for Articles of Dress.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clasps or Clips, particularly applicable for use
with Braces and other Suspenders for Articles of Dress.
I, JOSEPH LOUIS FREDLIHP, of Portersville, in the County of Tulare, and
State of California, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in supporters and clasps for the same,
and the objects in view are to provide an improved clasp for securing the suspender
or supporter ends to the trousers or other apparel whereby I obviate the necessity
of employing buttons, with their consequent disadvantages, caused by their coming
off and becoming lost.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following
description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the drawings,
Figure is a perspective of a pair of suspenders provided with clasps con-
structed in accordance with my invention, said clasps being shown as closed.
Figure 2 is a detail in perspective of one of the clasps, the same being shown
enlarged and as open.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the clasp.
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of modified constructions.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, 1 1 designate the opposite diverging
suspender-terminals, which are connected at their rear ends by the usual clip 2, and
are provided near their front ends with the adjustable slides 3, each of which in
this instance has depending therefrom a hook 4, a similar hook 4 depending from
the clip 2. 5 designates metal loops, in which are loosely supported the short
straps 6, usually provided with buttonholes for engaging with the buttons on the
apparel of the wearer. The loops 5 are provided with eyes 7, which are adapted
to removably engage with the hooks 4. The ends of the straps 6 have secured
thereto clips 8 and in each a ring 9 is loosely connected.
I now come to the construction of clasp whereby I obviate the necessity of
employing buttons for connecting the apparel with the straps 6. It will be under-
stood that in lieu of the above-described suspender any other style of suspender
may be employed or any supporter for apparel may be substituted.
The clasp-body 10 may be formed of a block of metal or bent to the shape
shown. In the present instance however, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is of
the former. This block is slotted from its lower end to near its upper, so as to
form a rear wall 11, a front wall 12, and an intermediate space 13, into which the
garment is to be inserted. Both the front and rear walls 11 and 12 are provided
with longitudinal openings or slots 14, the rear wall being reinforced and the rear
side of its opening closed by means of a back piece 15, having a series of
indentations 16. To the lower end of the front wall 12 there is hinged, as at 17, a
swinging leaf or member 18, the same being of inverted L-shape; or in other
words, provided at its free end with a right-angularly bent locking portion 19, the
same having a perforation 20. The swinging member 18 is adapted to fold up
against the front wall 12 and its perforation 20 to be sprung over and interlocked
with a small lug 21 formed upon the upper end of the clasp-body 10. The inner
face of the member 18 is provided with one or a series of needles or spurs 22 (in
this instance three) and the points of the same are coincident with the indentations
or cavities 16 formed in the backing or reinforcing plate 15. Any suitable ring or

page_text: connecting device 23 is located at the upper end of the clasp-body (in this instance
a ring being employed) and the same interlocks with the ring 9, with which the
ends of the straps 6 are provided.
In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modified construction of clasp and in said
construction I employ a clasp-body comprising the rear wall 24 having per-
forations 25 for the reception of needles or spurs, and a front wall 26, the latter
being slotted in the same manner as the front wall 12 of the form of clasp shown in
Fig. 2.
In this instance, however, the slot extends from near the bottom to the
upper end of the front wall, and also at the upper end of the clasp and between the
walls of the said slot there is pivoted by a pin 27 the swinging member 28. This
member is provided with angular faces 29 and 30 and at its inner side with pins or
spurs 31 coincident with the perforations 25 of the back wall 24. A ring 32 has
its terminals connected to the pin 27, and a spring 33 is secured at its lower end to
the rear face of the back wall of the clasp, and at its free end lies against either of
the angular faces 29 or 30, in accordance with the position of the swinging member.
For instance by swinging the lower end of the member outwardly, so that the clasp
is open, the spring lies against the face 29, and by closing said member the spring
lies against the face 30, so that the said member is locked in either position, or
rather is held either closed or open, the latter position serving to lock the clasp to
the garment, while the former position is opened to permit of the insertion of the
garment into the clasp.
In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a further modification, and in this instance the
clasp-body comprises a rear wall 34 and a front wall 35, the former having the
cavities 36, and the latter provided with a slot or opening extending from a
point at its bottom to near its upper end. Pivoted in this opening, as at 38, is a
hinged member 39, provided at its inner side with needles or spurs 40 coincident
with and adapted to take into the aforesaid cavities 36. A curved spring-leaf 41
is pivoted as at 42, to the front face of the clasp-body above the opening in its
front wall and at its lower end is adapted to be swung over the upper free end of
the hinged member 39. This member is provided at its outer face with a screw
or stud 43 with which the free edge of the aforesaid spring engages.
In practice the series of clasps are opened to receive the edges of the garments
to which they are to be applied, and after having been settled in position the
said members of the clasps are swung to a closed position, the needles or spars
being forced through the material and taking into the cavities provided for their
reception. As before stated, the clasps are especially adapted for use upon
suspenders and are designed to obviate the necessity of employing buttons upon
the pants for this purpose, whereby I avoid all the inconveniences arising there-
from, such as frequent loosening, breaking or tearing out under strain etc. When
it is desired to remove the suspenders from the pants it is simply necessary to
disconnect the eyes 7 of the clips 5 from the hooks 4 of the slides 3. It is intended
that a set of clasps and their connecting straps 6 be employed for each pair of
trousers or pants, so that it is simply necessary to remove the shoulder-straps or
terminals of the suspenders in order to change them from one pair of pants to
another.
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 I
claim is :-
1. The herein-described improved clasp, the same consisting of the inverted
U-shaped rigid metal body slotted transversely from its lower end to near its
upper end, forming front and rear walls, the former having a slot in its front face,
the swinging member hinged in the lower end of the slot of the front wall and
provided on its inner face with needles inwardly disposed and adapted to enter
cavities formed in the front face of the rear wall and means for removably locking
said swinging member in a closed position, substantially as specified.
2. The herein-described improved clasp having the inverted U-shaped body

page_text: forming the front and rear walls, each provided with a slot, a reinforcing or
backing wall located in rear of the slot of the back wall and provided with cavities,
and the inverted L-shaped hinged member 18 pivoted, as at 17 to the lower end
of the front wall and having the spurs 22 for engaging the cavities of the back
wall, the upper angular end of the member having a perforation 20 adapted to
spring over a locking-lug 21, located upon the upper end of the clasp-body,.
substantially as specified.
Dated this 19th day of September 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.