Improvements in Braces or Suspenders.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Braces or Suspenders.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM POST, of Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.A., Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this my invention is to provide suspenders which will permit a
more free movement of the body & which will not strain the trousers when the
wearer bends or stoops.
My improved suspenders consist of two shoulder-straps which are each provided
at both ends with a pulley. Two cords each having a button-hole at both ends
pass over and slide upon the pulleys. When in wear, the shoulder-straps are
crossed on the back of the wearer, and each cord-on each side of the wearer,–
passes over one pulley on one shoulder-strap, and one pulley on the other one, and
is buttoned to the trousers in the usual manner.
Dated this 12th day of January 1894.
-
W. H. MUNNS,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Braces or Suspenders.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM POST, of Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.A., Inventor,
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:—
The object of this my invention is to reduce to a minimum the number of straps
or cords and buckles required in the construction of braces or suspenders, and also
the number of buttons necessary for their attachment to the garment, and to
provide suspenders which may be more readily and conveniently attached, than
heretofore, and will permit of free movement of the body without discomfort to the
wearer.
Reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed,
Fig. 1, is a perspective view from the side, shewing my improved braces or
suspenders in position on the wearer. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, and
Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the complete device.
In constructing a pair of braces according to my invention, I employ but two
shoulder straps A, A, which are crossed at the back and held in place, preferably
by two loops B, C, one on each of the said straps. These loops are elongated so as
to permit the straps to be crossed at a point convenient and suitable to the wearer;
the loop B being secured to one strap A and crossing the strap A', while the
strap A', while the loop C is secured to the strap A' and 'crosses the loop B, thus
bringing both loops on the inside and yet avoiding the formation of a bunch or
lump which would be uncomfortable to the wearer. The forward end of the
straps A, A' form the front straps, a, for the right and left sides respectively, while
their rear ends constitute the right and left back straps a'. Each strap A, A¹ is
provided at one end with a slide, or other well known and suitable adjusting
device D, and at both ends with pulleys, or other suitable anti-friction devices E, E,
which retain and support the button-hole cords F, F, both pulleys on each side
being arranged between the two button-holes of the same pair, as clearly shewn,

page_text: whereby both pulleys will be free to go and come throughout the whole length of
the cord between such button-holes.
With braces constructed according to my invention, it is only necessary to
employ four buttons in all, which are located on the waist band as shewn in the
drawings, two on each side of the pantaloons the forward ones being about an inch
forward of the side seam, x, and the rear ones being about four inches to the rear
of said seam, thus bringing the buttons on each side of the pantaloons about five
inches apart. When in use the pulleys E, E, assume the position shewn in Fig. 1,
in which position they hold the ends of the button-hole cords apart and effectually
support the pantaloons both at front and back without producing the objectionable
dragging sensation so common with contrivances heretofore employed. It will be
understood that this fault is obviated in my invention, by reason of the fact that
when the body is bent forward in the act of stooping or otherwise, the angle at
which the button-hole cord is held, changes, and both pulleys shift forward on the
cord as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 1, transferring the centre of suspension from
the point G, in the rear of the side-seam, to the point O, thus permitting the waist-
band to remain in substantially its original or normal position.
Ordinary braces are attached in front at H, and in the rear at I, the pivot of the
body being at L. In the act of stooping or sitting, the body swings forward on the
pivot L, and the back describes an arc, say from I to K and therefore the band of
the pantaloons must either be drawn upward from I to K, or the material of the
pantaloons or braces must stretch that distance. In either case great straining of
the parts is produced. With my invention, even if the centre of suspension did not
shift as described, a very slight stretch of its material would be sufficient to
compensate for the movement of the button from M to N, without straining; but in
view of the fact that the point of suspension invariably moves from G to O, any
upward pull at M is practically obviated.
I am aware that it is not broadly new to connect the front and back straps of the
braces to a button-hole cord passing from the front to the rear brace buttons, but
such is not a single button-hole cord in the sense in which the term "single" is
herein employed, that is to say, not to that portion of the cord which extends
between the two adjacent button-holes.
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. A pair of braces or suspenders consisting of two shoulder straps each provided
at both ends with a pulley, and two button-hole cords having a button-hole in each
end thereof only, one of said cords working over the pulleys and connecting one
end of each strap and the other cord working over the other pulleys and connecting
the other ends of said straps substantially as described.
2. A pair of braces or suspenders consisting of two shoulder straps each provided
at both ends with a pulley, and a single integral continuous button-hole cord of
uniform thickness throughout its length, having a button-bole in each of its
extremities only, arranged at each end of each of said straps, each of said cords
passing through one of the pulleys on each of the straps, so that both pulleys at
each end of the straps will be located between the two button-holes of the same
pair and will be free to slide on said cord from one button-hole to the other,
whereby the braces or suspenders may be attached to the pantaloons slightly
forward of each side-seam about four times as far therefrom as the distance
between the aforesaid points of attachment and the side-seam substantially as
set forth.