Improvements in Braces or Suspenders.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Braces or Suspenders.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM OFFIN Junior, of Turret House, Hockley, Essex,
Gentleman, 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 construction of braces or suspenders for
trousers, and has for its object to provide a device of that kind which will be more
easily manipulated and which will also be stronger and more durable.
Instead of employing the ordinary buckle with the tabs attached, I fix on the
end of the elastic strap a metal plate stamped or otherwise formed with rectangular
perforations. The plate thus consists of a number of cross bars connected together
by side pieces having a ladderlike appearance. This plate may be stitched to the
strap, or fixed by small tongues pushed through the material and bent over, or the
strap may be cut away and the plate inserted gripping the strap at the edges of
the holes. The tabs are attached to this by means of a small spring hook fitted to
a metal loop from which the tabs are suspended, or to any other well known device
for the same purpose.
When the suspenders are to be used, the spring hook is caused to engage with
one of the cross bars, thus hanging the tabs from that point. To make the tabs
themselves stronger and more durable, I employ a strip of thin and flexible metal
cut to the proper shape and perforated in the same manner as the leather tab.
The leather is preferably made double and the metal strip inserted between the two
layers and fixed by stitching or by a suitable cement.
The metal will thus take a
considerable portion of the strain and wear.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front and a side elevation of the end of the
elastic strap and tabs according to one arrangement,
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a longitudinal and a cross section of a modified
arrangement,
Fig. 5 is a front view of a plate with other means of attachment, Fig. 6 shows
the same applied, and
Fig. 7 is a section of one of the tabs, showing the application of the metal
strip.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the ordinary elastic strap, on which is fixed the
perforated or panelled plate B having the cross bars 6 at small intervals. The
plate is stitched on the face of the strap by means of the side bars. The tabs C
are connected to a loop c, to the upper end of which is hinged or otherwise fitted
the spring hook D of ordinary construction, but made of considerable strength to
bear any strain likely to be put upon it. As shown this is hooked on to one of the
bars b and can be attached easily to any one, thus regulating the position of the tabs.
As the position of the plate and bars is the same on both side straps, the height of
the tabs on each side is made equal.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 & 4, the strap is perforated with a hole
corresponding in size and shape to the plate, and the latter is fixed in the hole, the
edges of the plate clamping the material of the strap.
According to Figs. 5 & 6, the side bars of the plate are formed with a number of
tongues which serve to connect the plate to the strap, the tongues being bent at
right angles and passed through the latter, and then turned over, fixing the plate
firmly in position.

page_text: With this arrangement to release the braces, instead of unbuttoning the tabs, as
is commonly done the tongue of the spring hook is simply pressed back and the
hook lifted off, a single action only being required both for attaching and detaching.
The tabs need not be unbuttoned from the trousers and thus the wear of the tabs
which are always the first to give way, is greatly reduced. The arrangement is
applicable to the back of the braces as well as to the side straps.
Instead of a plate stamped with holes, an equivalent arrangement may be used,
in which the cross pieces consist of separate pins fixed in the side bars.
Referring to Fig. 7, the tab C is made of double tongues of leather, between
which is fixed the metal strip or tongue C¹ by cement or otherwise. The usual
perforation c¹ is furnished for attachment to the button.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In trouser suspenders, the combination with tabs having a strong hook at top,
of a perforated plate or equivalent fixed on the ordinary elastic strap, the tabs
hooking on to any one of the cross bars, substantially as described and for the
purposes specified.
2. In trouser suspenders, the combination with a perforated or panelled plate or
equivalent fixed on the ordinary strap, of tabs fitted at their upper end with spring
hooks which can be hooked on to any one of the cross bars of the plate,
substantially as described and shown, and for the purposes specified.
3. In trouser suspenders, the combination with tabs having a strong hook at top
of a perforated or panelled plate, fitted in the end of the ordinary elastic strap,
substantially as described and shown in Figs. 3 & 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In trouser suspenders, the combination with tabs having a strong hook at top
of a perforated or panelled plate fixed on the end of the elastic strap by means of
small tongues passed through the strap and bent over, substantially as described
and shown in Figs. 5 & 6 and for the purposes specified.
5. In trouser suspenders, a leather tab provided with a strip of metal fixed to
the leather by suitable means, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 20th day of March 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.