Improvements in Clasps, applicable for Ladies' Belts, Skirts, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clasps, applicable for Ladies' Belts, Skirts, or
the like.
A communication by CICELY DREW SAULEZ, of St. Paul, in the County of
Ramsey and State of Minnesota, United States of America, Capitalist.j
1, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND M. Inst. M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street Birmingham in the County
of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent 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 the construction of clasps for ladies'
belts and skirts, its object being to hold the skirt, waist of dress and outside belt in
perfect position.
To this end the invention consists in providing a clasp which is made up of a
strip of sheet metal having its ends preferably folded over toward each other so as
to extend each about one third the length of the main body of the strip, or if
desired one end may be folded over and extend the entire length of the body of the
strip. The exterior face of the folded end or ends may be ornamented or
embellished as desired. This forms the clasp for the belt which is slipped into
place between the folded end or ends and the main body of the strip.
Upon the reverse or back side of the body of the clasp means for securing it
both to the skirt band and waist are arranged. This consists of a clasp pin or
hook at the lower end of the strip adapted to be inserted through the band of the
skirt to support the same, and of a downwardly projecting hook upon the upper
end of the strip adapted to engage the waist or body of the dress, thus holding
both garments in place.
The invention further consists in the construction hereinafter more particularly
described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the clasp showing the ornamented folded ends;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown with a clasp pin for engaging the
skirt band;
Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the device showing an upwardly
projecting hook for the skirt band, somewhat longer than the waist hook;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified construction showing one end folded over
and extending the entire length of the body of the strip;
Fig. 5 is a similar view of this modified construction provided with a clasp pin
for the skirt band;
Fig. 6 is a rear view of the construction shown in Fig. 4; and
Fig. 7 is a front view of the same.
In the drawings 2 represents the body of the clasp, of a length equal to the
width of the belt, and 3 and 4 are the folded ends which may be ornamented as
indicated in Fig. 1. On the rear face of the body 2 at the top, is arranged the
depending hook 5 adapted to be inserted into the body of the waist. A clasp pin 6
is connected by the hinge 7 to the lower end of the rear face of the clasp and is
adapted to engage the catch 8, by which it is held in closed position after having

page_text: been inserted through the skirt band or belt. In the construction shown in Fig. 3
in lieu of the clasp pin an upwardly extending hook 9, preferably somewhat longer
than the hook 5 is provided.
In Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 is shown a modified form of this device. In this
construction one end 10 of the strip is folded and extends approximately the length
of the body of the strip 2, thus forming the clasp for the belt. Where hooks for
both skirt band and waist are used, the construction can be simplified and the cost
lessened by either stamping the hooks out of the body of the clasp as shown in
Fig. 3, or by cutting them in the clasp and turning them over toward each other,
as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
Io use the skirt clasp or hook is inserted into the band of the skirt and, the
depending hook 5 into the body of the waist. The belt is then slipped into place
between the body of the strip and the ends 3 and 4 or the end 10, as the case may
be, and the belt fastened in the ordinary way. The advantages of this improved
belt clasp are that it holds the skirt, waist of dress and outer belt in perfect
position. It can be inserted in the skirt band before the skirt is put on, and when
the same is placed in position, the hook in the upper end of the rear part can be
hooked in the waist, and afterwards the outer belt applied and adjusted without.
the necessity of pinning or otherwise defacing the belt as is commonly done, thus
making it easier of application, and also furnishing a convenient device for the
garments themselves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven!
tion 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:-
1. As an improved article of manufacture, the belt clasp having a plane
surfaced body, the ends being folded over toward each other and standing parallel
with the body with sufficient intermediate space to receive the belt, the, depending
hook on the back of the body at the top and the upwardly projecting hook on the
back of the body at the bottom.
2. As an improved article of manufacture, a combined belt clasp and skirt
support, made up of the straight main body or bar, the folded, ends, parallel
therewith for engaging the edges of the belt, the hook for engaging the waist and
the pin or hook for engaging the skirt band.
3. As an improved article. of manufacture, the clasp consisting of the plane
surfaced body, the folded end or ends for clasping the belt parallel therewith, the
downwardly depending hook for engaging the waist and the upwardly extending
pin for engaging the skirt band.
Dated this 10th day of July 1005