Improvements in Foundations or Formers for Neckties.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Foundations or Formers for Neckties.
I, FRANK SWALES, of 174 Stockwell Road, in the County of Surrey, Veterinary
Dentist, 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 foundations or formers for facilitating the tying of
neckties in what are known as Ascot bows or knots hereinafter termed knots and
for preserving the proper shape of the knot when it is tied.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a front view of the foundation.
Figures 2 and 3 are views illustrating different stages in the tying of the
knot, and
Figure 4 is a view of the knot when tied.
The foundation or former A is made of thin sheet metal, celluloid, or other
suitable material and is slightly curved to properly fit the throat or breast. It is
preferably hollowed at the upper edge a which also bends inwardly and is formed
with two notches b, b at each shoulder. The part c, c between the said notches
projects outwardly and the parts d, d project inwardly so as to produce a fullness
of the knot at the shoulders. The edges e, e are preferably curved as shown, and
long narrow holes f, 9 are provided in the foundation through which the ends of the
tie can be passed. 9 is a slot leading to the lower hole g to facilitate the insertion
of the ends of the tie in the said lower hole. The edges of the foundation and of
the holes are preferably beaded or rounded to prevent injury to the tie.
The knot is formed as follows, that is to say, the tie is passed around the neck
and tied into an ordinary knot, and the foundation having been placed over the said
knot the lower end of the tie is passed through the hole f as shown in Figure 2.
The other end is then brought over the top edge of the foundation to the front and
both ends are inserted in the lower hole g by passing them through the slot g¹ and
the ends are turned up behind the foundation as indicated in Figure 3. The ends
are finally turned over the shoulders of the foundation and crossed at the front as
shown in Figure 4 and are retained by the scarf pin in the usual manner.
In folding the ends over the shoulders the projecting parts c, together with the
outer notches b cause the knot to assume the creased appearance at the shoulders
exhibited by a well tied Ascot knot. By my invention the knot can without
difficulty be tied neatly and with despatch, and it will retain its shape without the
aid of pins.
Besides being useful for personal wear as above described the foundation can be
used by manufacturers for making made-up knots and by shopkeepers and others
for tying knots for exhibition in the window.
An Ascot knot can be formed by the aid of the above foundation with a piece of
plain material not sewn or prepared as are Ascot ties and hence a cheap tie that
will wash may be worn and readily tied in an Ascot knot by my invention.
In some instances the hole can be dispensed with, and in such cases after
bringing one end over the top and passing it through the hole g it is necessary to
tie a double knot at the back of the foundation or to twist the two ends together
before bringing them over to the front.

page_text: 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 1
claim is:-
A foundation or former substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 4th day of December 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.