Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Stretching and Drying Articles of Clothing.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 23rd July, 1900-Accepted. 22nd Sept.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Stretching and Drying
Articles of Clothing.
I, ELIZABETH BIDDLE, of Sutton-in-the-Elms, Broughton Astley, in the County
of Leicester, Married Woman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is specially
applicable for the stretching and drying of knitted underclothing, after it has
been washed and which unless some special precaution is taken is very liable
to shrink after washing as is well known and generally deprecated.
My invention consists of an apparatus comprising in its construction two
uprights with suitable bases or splayed feet to enable them to stand firmly.
Assuming that it is a shirt to be stretched and dried the latter in a damp
condition is pulled over the two uprights which are then moved sufficiently
wide apart to stretch the shirt and the two uprights are then fixed in this position
by preferably two adjustable cross-pieces stretched across the lower and upper
parts respectively of the uprights and connected to them so as to keep them
wide apart, by means of pegs, cottars or equivalents passing through the same.
The upper cross-bar may be let into grooves in the upper ends of and extend
beyond the uprights and such extensions (detachable or otherwise) may be of such
a width as to admit of the shirt sleeves being stretched thereover.
When a shirt has been placed over the stretching and drying apparatus herein-
before described and stretched both in the direction of its length and width by
the hand of the individual, it will when dried be of its normal size.
The cross-bars for stretching apart the uprights may be of any suitable
construction and either separate from the uprights or hinged thereto, so that
when they are pressed in opposite directions, to force the uprights outwardly,
they may either overlap one another with their free ends and be fixed by pegs
passing through the same or be passed through slots in the uprights or placed
against them and fastened in position by the pegs and the like aforesaid.
For stretching pants and combination garments the apparatus may have
combined with it shapes to fit the leg parts of such garments over which they
may be stretched for drying purposes.
Dated this 20th day of October 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Stretching and Drying
Articles of Clothing.
I, ELIZABETH BIDDLE, of Sutton-in-the-Elms, Broughton Astley, in the County
of Leicester, Married Woman, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is specially
applicable for the stretching and drying after washing, of knitted or woollen
underclothing, which unless some special precaution is taken is very liable to
shrink after washing as is well known and generally depreciated.
The invention comprises an apparatus over which the goods can be drawn and
stretched while in a damp condition and allowed to dry thereon to prevent
shrinking.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure is an elevation of an apparatus for undershirts and analogous woollen
garments constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of an apparatus for knitted combination garments.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line X X of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the diagonal rods.
Figure 5 is an alternative construction of the latter.
An apparatus constructed according to my invention, consists essentially of
two uprights A A¹ provided with suitable bases A2 A3 or if desired splayed feet
or equivalent supports.
Each of the said uprights, is provided with an open ended groove or bifurca-
tion A in the upper part of the same and a through slot A5 near to the bottom
for the reception of crossbars B C located at the upper and lower ends respec-
tively of the two uprights.
Each of the crossbars is provided at each end with a series of perforations I
for the reception of pegs E or the like, which are inserted in the latter so as to
abut against the uprights and prevent them closing in or moving towards each
other by the pressure of the garment when the latter is placed in position to
dry thereon as hereinafter described.
The upper crosspiece B is designedly arranged so that its ends extend beyond.
the uprights A A¹ for the purpose of entering the sleeves of the garment and in
addition auxiliary plates G are inserted in the sleeve and under the said exten-
sions as shown so as to impart the necessary stretch to the sleeves.
To use the apparatus the procedure is as follows:-
The knitted shirt (indicated by dotted line), while in a wet or damp condition
after washing is placed over the two uprights A A¹ which may be placed
sufficiently close together to permit of this being readily done.
The upper crossbar B may then be inserted into one of the sleeves of the shirt..
then into the groove in the upper end of one of the uprights, then into the groove
in the other upright and out through the sleeve on the opposite side of the
garment.
The two uprights may then be pressed sufficiently far apart to tighten the
garment whereupon a pin or cottar E may be inserted through the next adjacent
hole to the inner side of each of the uprights A A¹ so as to keep the latter pressed
apart, and the garment in a stretched condition while it dries.
The crossbar C is then inserted through the slots in the lower parts of the

page_text: aprights and the latter are then pressed apart and fastened in such extended
condition.
The front F of the garment may then be buttoned up as shown.
The auxiliary plates G may next be inserted in the sleeves with their straight
edges under and in contact with the lower edges of the crossbar extensions B.
The under edges of the said plates are inclined as shown, to conform to the
normal shape of the sleeve. For long sleeved garments correspondingly longer
crossbars and plates are employed.
After inserting the sleeve plates, the garment may be pulled or drawn down-
wards upon the uprights by taking hold of the bottom edge F¹ thereof, after
which it may be allowed to remain upon the stretcher until dry when it will be
found that shrinking has been obviated.
In Figure 2 a stretching and drying apparatus for a combination garment
(shirt and drawers) is shown.
The construction and mode of using the apparatus is substantially the same as
described in reference to Figure 1 with the exception of diagonal cross rods H H
which are additional and the uprights A A¹ which are longer on account of the
increased length of the garment.
The lower ends H2 H3 of the rods H H are bifurcated or open-ended to pass
over the lower cross bar C and the two rods are arranged diagonally as shown,
the point at which they cross meeting the fork of the garment (the latter being
shown in dotted line) thus allowing the lower parts of the said rods to meet the
inner edges of the legs of the drawers.
It will be observed that the upper ends of the rods are located on opposite
sides of the crossbar B and that they are thinned as they proceed upwards. This
latter is necessary because if the full width of the lower ends were maintained
throughout, the rods at the point where they cross would press one another
outwards and away from the crossbar B at the upper ends.
It will be found preferable to insert the diagonal rods in the garment after it
has been placed over the apparatus and the uprights fixed apart as herein before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An apparatus for drying and stretching knitted and woollen garments con-
sisting of two uprights, and two crossbars constructed in such a manner that the
said crossbars may be arranged in fixed or adjustable positions relatively to each
cther for the purpose described.
2. An apparatus for drying and stretching knitted and woollen garments, con-
sisting of two uprights, two crossbars each provided with a series of perforations
and pegs for the latter. to maintain the said uprights in fixed positions apart
and to permit of their adjustment relatively to each other, as and for the purpose
described.
3. An apparatus for drying and stretching knitted and woollen garments.
consisting of two uprights, two crossbars, and two diagonal bars, constructed and
arranged and substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The improvements in apparatus for drying and stretching knitted and
woollen garments substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
1
J
T... 1000
BOULT. WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.