AN IMPROVED KIND OF CLASP OR DRESS PRESERVER TO PREVENT LADIES' DRESSES FROM TRAILING ALONG THE GROUND
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,.
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED KIND OF CLASP OR
DRESS PRESERVER TO PREVENT LADIES' DRESSES FROM TRAILING ALONG THE
GROUND." A communication from abroad by Marie Louise Changeur,.
of Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 15th May 1866, and dated the 20th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th December 1865.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED KIND OF CLASP
OR DRESS PRESERVER TO PREVENT LADIES' DRESSES FROM TRAILING ALONG THE
GROUND," to be as follows:-
Various methods of holding up dresses have been employed, one of them
consisting of a nipper, between the jaws of which the material is held.
This has been found very inconvenient, inasmuch as after a certain amount
of use the nipper gets bent and the dress will slip away therefrom and fall
on the ground. This system has given place to an arrangement of cords.
which will loop up the dress and will effect the intended object, but to the
detriment of the elegance of the dress.

page_text: The object of this Invention is to construct and arrange a clasp in such
a manner that it will answer the purpose, and yet not produce an inelegant
effect.
The Invention consists in the employment of brooches, either straight
or bent, arranged vertically or horizontally, and destined to unite in one or
many points the several folds of the dress. A very important point is that
the point of the pin of the brooch should be hidden to prevent it from
catching and tearing any light material that may be employed. To effect
this a small box is used, as in the case of the pins known as safety pins,
instead of the ordinary catch. This brooch holds up the dress, and is
attached by a chain or cord to another brooch or hook, which fastens it to
the girdle or belt. Any number of brooches may be fastened round the
girdle or belt, but two will generally be found sufficient. In cases where
the material employed is likely to be injured by the pin of the brooch
small rings can be placed at proper intervals round the dress.. The lower
brooch may be dispensed with, and small chains with hooks or brooches
may be used instead.
It will now be understood that by raising the cord or chain to which
the brooches or fasteners are attached and supporting it from the girdle,
the dress may be looped up and prevented from trailing on the ground.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her special licence that
I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED KIND
OF CLASP OR DRESS PRESERVER TO PREVENT LADIES' DRESSES FROM TRAILING ALONG
THE GROUND," a communication to him from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to he performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
All the arrangements that have been proposed hitherto for holding up
ladies' dresses and preventing them from trailing in the mud or dust have
more or less attained the desired result.
The arrangements which have hitherto been employed (one of which
consists of a nipper, between the jaws of which the material is retained)
have been found very inconvenient, inasmuch as after a certain time the
jaws of the nipper become bent, and the dress will slip away therefrom and
fall on the ground. This system has given place to an arrangement of
cords which will loop up the dress, and will partially effect the desired
object, but at the same time with detriment to the elegance of the dress.
The object of the present Invention is to attain all the desired results,
and it consists in the employment of brooches, either straight or bent,
arranged vertically or horizontally, and intended to unite in one or many
points the several folds of the dress.
In the accompanying Drawings are shown several methods of attaining
the desired result. A very important object is that the point of the pin
should be hidden so as to prevent it from catching and tearing any light
material that may be worn. To effect this a small box is used, as in the
case of the "safety pins" instead of the ordinary catch. When the "safety
pins" are used, the form is modified slightly as shown at A, Fig. 1. This
brooch or safety pin holds up the dress and is attached by a chain or cord
to another brooch or hook C, which fastens it to the girdle. or belt. Any.
number of brooches may be fastened round the girdle or belt, but two will

page_text: generally be found sufficient. In some cases, where the material employed
is likely to be injured by the pin of the brooch small rings can be placed
at proper intervals round the dress. The lower brooch may be dispensed
with, and small chains with hooks may be used instead, as shewn at Fig. 4.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the brooches are represented in an ornamental form, but
this is not absolutely necessary. Fig. 5 represents the application of this
system and the effect produced. It will be understood that by raising the
cord or chain to which the brooches or fasteners are attached, and sup-
porting it from the girdle, the dress will be looped up and prevented from
trailing on the ground.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the application of
brooches in general for dress preservers, and their application to this purpose
by means of the arrangements of parts herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
H. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)