Improvements in Stands or Supports for Dresses and other Articles of Wearing Apparel.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM HENRY KNAPP, of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer of wire goods.]
Improvements in Stands or Supports for Dresses and other Articles
of Wearing Apparel.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 that class of garment stands, which are
made expansible to adapt the stand to garments of various sizes, the object of the
invention being, to provide a stand which can be cheaply constructed with means for
simply and quickly adjusting the same.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a side view of the stand complete.
Figure 2 a vertical central section enlarged, showing the neck adjustment and. the
brace adjustment.
Figure 3 a top view or a stand in the closed position.
Figure 4 a view illustrating the expansion of the segments by the rotation of the
discs.
A represents a central tubular post, which is supported upon legs at the bottom, of
any desirable form. Within the tubular post A, a spindle B, is arranged to slide up
and down, so as to be adjustable to various heights, and is set at any desired point by
means of a collar C, provided with a set-screw D, by which it may be bound to the
spindle B, so that the collar resting on the upper end of the post A, will support
spindle at that elevation.
the
To the upper end of the spindle a head E is fixed, by which the spindle may be
rotated. Around the upper end of the spindle, below the head, is a sleeve F, loose on
the spindle, but supported thereon, say by a pin G passing transversely through the
spindle; to this sleeve the adjustable neck is applied. This adjustable neck is illus-
trated in Figures 2, 3 and 4; and consists of two concentric plates H and I, one above

page_text: the other, the lower one made fast to the sleeve F, so that each may have a rotation
around the same axis, independently of the other, and in parallel planes.
The rim surrounding the discs, as here represented, is composed of four seg-
ments J, K, L and M; these segments are each connected by a link N to the lower
disc, the link being hung to the segment near one end, as at a and extends diagonally
to the lower disc, where each is hung to the disc by a pivot b. From the opposite
end of each segment a link O extends in the opposite direction to the other disc H;
these links O are hung at the outer end to the segments, as at c, the links each
crossing the links N, and hung upon a pivot d on the other disc H. As here repre-
sented, the segments in the closed position, Figure 3, form a complete circle. In
closing, the links pass in between the two discs. When one segment is drawn
outward, the tendency is to bring the pivots, by which its links are connected to the
discs, together, the result of which is to rotate one disc in one direction, and the other
disc in the opposite direction, as indicated in Figure 4; this rotation of the discs forces
all the segments outward, because the discs impart to the segments the same move-
ment which the discs receive from the drawing out of one segment. The movement of
all the segments is equal and simultaneous. If one segment be forced inward, then
a rotation of both discs in the opposite directions is produced, which draws the
other segments inward until the completely closed position, as seen in Figure 3, is
reached.
The segments are firmly supported by their connection with the disc, and may be
adjusted to any position from their extreme inward, to their extreme outward
movements. The movement may be imparted to the segments by turning the discs,
but the most natural movement in a garment stand, is to take hold of one segment, to
make the adjustment of all the segments, and when the proper adjustment is reached,
a nut P on the slide F, which is correspondingly screw-threaded, may be forced down
upon the discs, and clamp them together, so as to hold the segments in the position to
which they may be adjusted.
The frame of the stand is made from wire, forming a series of vertical ribs, extending
from the neck downward; these ribs are preferably made of U-shape, the two legs e, f,
extending upward from the bend g at the bottom, the legs are secured in the segments
at the top, but in so securing them one leg e of one rib is secured to one segment, as M,
Figure 1, the other leg fis secured to the next adjacent segment as L, so that one rib
extends from the adjacent ends of two segments. In the case of four segments, in
illustrated, an intermediate rib is introduced for each segment, which rib is of the
same U-shape as before described, the legs h, i extending upward from the bend, and
fixed to the segment. The ribs are thrown outward to expand the frame, and this is
done by means of a collar R adjustable on the spindle B, preferably by means of a
screw-threaded portion S of the spindle, the collar being correspondingly screw
threaded. To this collar braces T are hung by one end, the braces extending
downward, the other end is hung to a bar / across the respective ribs, the said bars
connecting the two legs of each rib. If the spindle be turned in one direction, it will
force the collar downward, and consequently expand the frame, if the spindle be turned
in the opposite direction, it will draw the collar upward, and consequently contract the
frame. The ribs being made of U-shape, as I have described, are strong and may be
made of very light material, and yet possess sufficient strength for the purpose.
I have represented the adjusting device as applied to the skirt portion of a garment
stand, but it may be applied at any point where radial expansion is desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is ;
First. The combination of two concentric discs, a spindle forming a common axis for
said two discs, and upon which they may independently rotate, two or more segments
surrounding said discs, a link hinged by one one end to each segment, and extending
diagonally in a plane parallel with said discs, hung by the other end to one disc, the
other link hinged by one end to said segment, and running diagonally in the opposite

page_text: direction, but in a plane parallel with said discs, hung by the other end to the other
disc, substantially as described.
Second. In a garment stand, the combination of a neck, composed of several
adjustable segments, ribs of U-shape extending from said segments, one leg of the U
secured in one segment, and the other leg of the same U secured in the next adjacent
seginent, a vertical spindle within said segment, a vertically adjustable collar on said
spindle, braces extending radially from said spindle, and hung to the respective ribs,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Third. The combination of a vertical spindle B, a sleeve F loose on said spindle,
two concentric discs H. I, one fixed to said sleeve, and the other loose thereon, two or
more segments substantially concentric with said discs, links N. O. hung by one end to
each segment, the said links running diagonally in a plane parallel with each other and
with said discs, said links crossing each other, secured by their other end, one to one
of said discs, and the other to the other disc, U-shaped ribs extending from said
segments, one leg e of the ribs secured to one segment, and the other leg to the next
adjacent segment, a vertically adjustable collar R on said spindle, with braces extending
from said collar to said ribs substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of November 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.