A New or Improved Device for Retaining Stockings and similar Articles of Clothing in Place.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left. 19th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Retaining Stockings and similar
Articles of Clothing in Place.
I, ALFRED JOHN HEYS, of John Street, Sale, in the County of Chester, Buyer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved fastening or retaining device for
articles of clothing which is simple and cheap in construction and efficient in use,
and which may be easily applied to and detached from the article of clothing
without effecting any damage.
A retaining device constructed according to these improvements consists of a
plate of metal or other suitable material preferably curved to conform with the
curvature of that part of the limb or body against which it will be placed when in
use and furnished with two or more slots which may be parallel but are preferably
divergent. In use the edge of the article of clothing to be held in place is passed
within the slots formed in the plate and is then tightened round the limb or body
by a half revolution of the fastening device around an axis approximately parallel
to the slots. The fastener is then held in place by passing another part of the edge
of the article of clothing into one of the slots. In fasteners formed with more than
two slots a regulatable degree of tightness may be obtained by passing the edge of
the article to be secured into slots nearer to or farther from one another.
If desired the retaining device instead of being formed by slotting a plate may
consist of a bar or plate furnished with teeth or projections the spaces between which
are the equivalents of the slots.
Dated this 94th das of July A.D. 1894.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
A New or Improved Device for Retaining Stockings and similar
Articles of Clothing in Place.
I, ALFRED JOHN HEYS of Milton Cottage, John Street, School Road Sale in
the County of Chester, Buyer, 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 a new or improved fastening or retaining device for
stockings and similar articles of clothing, which is simple and cheap in construction
and efficient in use, and which may be easily applied to and detached from the
article of clothing without effecting any damage.
A retaining device constructed according to these improvements consists of a
slotted metal plate or its equivalent, preferably curved to conform to the curvature
In applying
of that part of the body or limb against which it will be placed in use.
the device, the edge of the article of clothing to be held in place is passed within
the slots and it is then tightened around the limb or body by a half or a complete
rotation of the device around an axis approximately parallel with the slots. The
7

page_text: fastener is then held in place by passing another part of the edge of the article of
clothing into one of the slots. In fasteners formed with more than two slots, a
regulatable degree of tightness may be obtained by passing the edge of the article
to be held, into slots nearer to or farther from one another.
If desired, the device may be formed of wire, but it is preferred to form it of
sheet metal, such for example of aluminium on account of its lightness.
The accompanying drawings, reference to which is hereinafter made, illustrate
various modifications of the fastening device and the method of its application.
Similar letters of reference are employed to denote similar parts in each of the
figures.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the fastening device in its first and final positions
respectively, as applied to half-hose.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the fastener shewn in the Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 4 and 5 shew another form of fastener as applied to a stocking.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively an elevation and a plan view of the fastening
device illustrated by Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 8 represents one form of the fastener as constructed from wire.
Figure 9 represents a further modification of the fastener.
As will be seen by reference to the drawings, the fastening device consists of a
slotted metal plate or its equivalent. The slots need not however be straight
slots, and are preferred to be either smaller at the open ends, sinuous or
irregular.
As illustrated by Figure 3, the fastener consists of a suitable plate B having two
slots formed therein producing the three teeth C. In application the centre tooth
is inserted behind the edge of the hose A, as in Figure 1. The fastener is then
turned around an axis parallel with the slots until it is in the position shewn by
Figure 2. Now, the tooth which is outside the hose is inserted also behind the
edge and the fastening will be completed as shewn by the figure. In the case
described and illustrated one half of a complete turn has been given to the fastener,
but if the degree of tightness attained thereby is insufficient, another half turn may
be taken.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the application to a stocking of the fastener shewn by
Figures 6 and 7. This fastener has five teeth and by its use a greater degree of
regulation as respects tightness may be attained by inserting more or fewer teeth
behind the edge of the stocking and by inserting teeth which are at a greater or
less distance apart. As shewn by Figure 4, where the fastener B is represented in
its first position, the third and fourth teeth are inserted behind the edge of the
stocking A. A half turn being given to the fastener to the position shewn in
Figure 5, the former first and second teeth are now outside and the fifth or outside
tooth' is inserted behind the edge of the stocking to finally fasten it as shewn by the
figure.
If desired, instead of forming the fastener from a plate of metal or analogous
material; I may construct it of wire bent to the required shape so as to form the
necessary teeth, as shewn by Figure 8. Both in this form of fastener and in that
shewn by Figures 6 and 7, the teeth are broadest at their free ends, because the
increasing widths gives a better hold. The same object may be attained by giving
the teeth sinuous forms or by returning the ends of one or more of the prongs.
A very simple and effective form of the fastener is shewn by Figure 9 which has
three prongs only of which the central one spreads outwards.
Fastening devices constructed according to this invention may be cast or moulded,
or be pressed out of any suitable metal or material and may be ornamented to any
desired extent.
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 :-
A fastening device for stockings and similar articles of clothing, consisting of a

page_text: slotted metal plate or its equivalent, the teeth of which engage with the edge of the
article, constructed and used substantially as herein before described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of December A.D. 1894.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.