A Duplex Comb for Mounting and Retaining Ladies' Hair.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Duplex Comb for Mounting and Retaining Ladies' Hair.
We, SETH WATSON HERRICK, Manufacturer, of 6, Westbourne Terrace, Chiswick,
in the County of Middlesex, and CALEB RAMSEY LUNGER, Gentleman, of St. George's
Club, Hanover Square, London, W., do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention consists substantially of two combs used together so that the
teeth engage with each other, and the lower one is held in position on the other
partly by friction and partly by the pressure of two spring arms on the upper
comb.
If desired, wings may be formed on these arms and bent into any required shape.
Also the top part of the upper comb may carry a projecting piece with a curved
end.
The combs can also be used so as to engage with one another horizontally or
approximately so.
Dated this 17th d
1
1007
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicants.
A Duplex Comb for Mounting and Retaining Ladies' Hair.
We, SETH WATSON HERRICK, Manufacturer, of 6, Westbourne Terrace, Chiswick,
in tue County of Middlesex, and CALEB RAMSEY LUNGER, Gentleman, of St. George's
Club, Hanover Square, London, W., 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 an improved appliance for holding ladies' hair in
position, and consists substantially of two entirely separable combs, so designed
as to be capable of interlocking.
Hitherto the duplex combs employed in hairdressing have been permanently
attached to each other by means of a rivet or hinge, and have been opened or
folded apart on this joint for the reception of the hair enfolded between them.
Experience has shown that this mode of jointing the two constituent portions
of the duplex comb is open to practical objections: the adjustment of such
DQ77

page_text: appliances in the hair being a matter of difficulty by reason of the small degree
of separation possible to the jointed sides, as well as by reason of the uncertainty
which is experienced in placing the comb exactly upright after folding the hinged
arms together for the purpose of fastening.
Our invention has for its purpose to obviate these disadvantages, and to provide
a comb in which the two constituent portions, although unattached and entirely
separable, may be secured together with a sufficient degree of firmness
by sliding or otherwise fitting the one into the other, the appliance being retained
in position by the conformation of the interlocking grooves, aided by the springi-
ness and friction of the parts brought into contact.
To the end that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect by those skilled in the art, we will now describe, with reference to the
appended illustrations, that mode of carrying into practical effect which our ex-
periments have shown to be the most advantageous. In the accompanying
drawings Figure 1 is a face view, and Figure 2 is a side view or edge view of our
improved duplex comb, which may be made of horn, tortoise shell, celluloid, thin
sheet metal or other suitable material. Each comb consists of two entirely
separable parts, which are shown in the drawings as withdrawn from contact, and
are indicated by the letters of reference A and B. One of these parts, and
preferably the upper, shown at A, is provided with projecting arms, folds or
slides, 1, 1, into the inner grooves of which, 2, 2, (more distinctly shown in the
top edge view of the upper comb depicted in Fig. 3), the other portion of the
appliance, B, may be so slipped or fitted as to be retained by the closeness of
the contact of the slide. and by the springiness of the material of which the comb
is made. The security of this interlock may be further increased by corrugating,
striating or roughening the surfaces of contact, as is shown upon the entering
blades of the portion B, 3, 3, Figs. 1 & 2.
The method of employing our improved duplex comb will be readily understood.
The two portions of the appliance, being separated, are pushed, from opposite
sides, through the hair to be dressed, being thereby so interlocked as to hold the
hair together in one tail or switch, which is thus so firmly retained that it may
be twisted up, over the comb, in any desired form of coiffure. To facilitate this
further dressing of the hair over and around the appliance, a number of suitable
projections or wings may be formed upon the comb, such as those designated
by 4, 4, Figs. 1, 2, & 3; around these wings the switch of hair may be easily
and securely wound.
Among the notable advantages of our improved duplex comb may be mentioned
the fact that its entire separation and sliding interlock enables it to be adjusted
with equal tightness upon either a very thick or a very thin head of hair; also
the fact that, as the separate combs are not rotated or deflected in the act of
fitting together, it may readily be inserted into the hair in a perfectly straight
or upright position. Furthermore it may be noted that our method of interlocking
two entirely separable combs does away with hinges, rivets or similar joints of
any kind, which joints are, from their necessarily small size, liable to be broken
by the strain of adjustment and fastening.
It is obvious that our improved duplex comb may be inserted into the hair
not only vertically, as heretofore described, but horizontally, or indeed at any
desired angle of inclination to the axis of the head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. An improved duplex comb for retaining and dressing ladies' hair, consisting
of two entirely separable portions, which are so formed as to interlock with one
another, substantially as, and for the purpose herein before described.
2. An improved duplex comb for retaining and dressing ladies' hair constructed

page_text: and operating substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 11th dow of February 1808
SETH WATSON HERRICK,
CALEB RAMSEY LUNGER.