Year: 1888

page_text: 1, ALFRED ERNEST GOSNELL of 7 Philip Lane in the City of London, Manu-
facturer, 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 suspenders or braces and has for its object to combine
shoulder braces or suspenders in such a form that for securing them to or disengaging
them from the trousers or garment only three clip attachments need be engaged with
or released from the ordinary button-bole tags instead of buttoning or unbuttoning six
buttons as hitherto, thus saving the ordinary wear and tear upon the buttons and at
the same time facilitating the operations; further to produce wholly or partly of
elastic or inelastic material a brace which, even when made wholly or partly of inelastic
material shall preserve sufficient elasticity to ensure freedom to the body in any position.
In the accompanying drawings, at fig. 1, I have represented a suspender constructed
according to my present invention, at figs. 2 and 3 a detached portion of the same in
edge or side view and vertical section respectively and at figs. 4 and 5 two different
forms of existing suspenders.
Throughout the drawings like letters' of reference indicate like parts.
With reference to fig. 1, A, A, indicate curved inclastic straps or bands which, as-in
braces of ordinary construction pass over the wearer's shoulders. A', A', indicate
short bands of similar material united to the front ends of the bands A by the.
connecting pieces A² A² which are formed of leather or equivalent material, the
bands A' serving to connect the bands A with the buckles B as hereinafter explained.
CC indicate straight inelastic straps or bands which pass under the arms of the wearer
the ends of each of which straps are connected respectively to one connecting piece A³
and to its band A so as to form complete loops H, H as shown. D, D, indicate pieces
of elastic webbing or other suitably flexible material or equivalent (such as springs) each
of which is connected at its upper end to the part where the bands A and C unite and
at its lower end each such piece is pivotted by a pin or rivet D' in the connecting
piece E (which, as shown, is common to both of the said pieces D, D,).in such manner
that the parts D, D and their connections can readily move to any position to

page_text: accomodate themselves to the back of the wearer; but although I prefer to use
pivots for connecting the parts D and E together I may connect them together by
stitching or other equivalent means. I indicates an elastic or inelastic horizontal strap
formed in two parts each of which is secured to one of the bands A and which are
united by the buckle J. F indicates an inelastic strap or band which at its upper end
is secured into the connecting piece E and engages with the buckle B. G, G indicate
leather or equivalent tags for attachment by the button holes G¹ G¹ to the trousers of
the wearer.
G³ indicates a leather or equivalent loop in which the upper ends of the
tags G are pivotted by the pin or rivet G*. G² indicates the ring which passes through
the loop G³ and by means of which the tags are coupled to the buckle B.
Each of the buckles B, B, B may be of ordinary construction but I prefer to employ
one which, while affording ready means for connection to and disconnection from its
ring G also prevents any accidental disconnection therefrom. Such a buckle I have
represented in the accompanying drawing in which B' indicates a hook over the point
or end of which the ring G2 is passed and B² indicates a spring tongue which yields
while the ring is being placed in position and resumes its normal position after the
ring has passed it. To again remove the ring it is obviously first necessary to press
upon the tongue so as to allow room for the ring to pass between the tongue and
hook.
Kindicates a leather or equivalent pad or shield for preventing the back buckle B
and its attachments from rubbing on the spine of the wearer. This shield is preferably
formed of a strip of leather doubled over and stitched or sewn at K. The tags G are
so secured to this shield by the rivet G that their lower ends are free to move to
accomodate themselves to the movements of the body and distance of the buttons on
the trousers. The loop G³ it will be seen passes to the outside of the shield through a
slit formed in the leather thereof.
To put on the braces the tags G are first affixed to the buttons of the trousers in the
ordinary manner the intending wearer then passes his arms through the loops H, the
joints and band I being at the back and he then hooks the three rings G³ on to
the buckles B.
I am aware that with braces hitherto made with loops in the manner shown on the
drawings it has been necessary to use a horizontal strap I and buckle J at the back
for connecting the two loops and for preventing them from slipping off the shoulders
but these have been placed so low down (this is shown in figs. 4 and where I directly
joins the bands C, C) that besides being a great restraint upon the body they have
proved uncomfortable in wear and have not proved successful in preventing the loops
from slipping off the shoulders. To remedy these defects I place the horizontal back
strap I higher up on the bands A nearer to the shoulders and by this means provide
an effectual remedy against the slipping of the loops, the joints D' allowing the two
arms of the fork D to freely approach or recede from each other according as the
length of I is diminished or increased by the adjustment of the buckle J. It will thus
be seen that a perfect adjustment of the loops H according to the requirements of the
wearer can be obtained in this brace without crumbling the pieces D which would be
the case if they were not able to turn upon their pivots D¹.
I may also state that I am aware that prior to this application for Letters Patent
ordinary braces have been connected with leather button-hole tags by a single strap
at the back but these braces it is to be observed were without the loops H which as
will be apparent from a reference to figs. 4 and 5 could not have been connected by a
single strap F. In fig. 5 no back strap at all was used as the two side straps S were
connected to long metal clips T so that the trousers were supported at the sides, while
in fig. 4 two separate straps U U were employed, each adapted to be fastened to its
respective button.
The peculiar construction of the fork D D at the back of the brace besides giving
elasticity to the whole of the brace even when all the rest is made of inelastic material
assists in preventing and with the strap I does prevent the loops H from falling off
the shoulders without any feeling of restraint such as is the case with the usual strap 1
when in the positions shown at figs. 4 and 5,

page_text: It will be seen that the brace described is of such construction that when the tags G
are disconnected the bands A will have no tendency to slip over the shoulders, or
otherwise to alter their position.
I desire it to be understood that while preferring to construct the parts A, A¹ C
and F of inelastic material and the parts D, D, of elastic material I may nevertheless
use elastic material for the parts A, A¹, C and F and for the parts D, D, inelastic
material or for both the parts D and F in cach brace or suspender I may use either
elastic or inelastic material.
I desire it to be understood that I make no claim to the pivotting of the tags G to
the loop G³ per se as I am aware that that has been before done, but by so pivotting
them at that part and pivotting the straps D to the part E connected to F a very
considerable amount of flexibility is secured for even if the strap F is moved out of
the vertical the pull between the tags G G and straps D D is still in a direct line.
In braces of the ordinary pattern without the loops H the fork D D would be
formed by the ends of the two shoulder straps which would be pivotted at D¹ D¹ just
the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mannor the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a suspender or brace the combination with the two loops H of a single
vertical back strap F substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a brace or suspender the employment of the pivotted fork D D¹ substantially
as described
3. In a brace or suspender the combination with the fork D D of the single vertical
back strap F substantially as described.
4. In a brace or suspender the combination with loops such as H of a fork such
as D D substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a brace or suspender the combination with loops such as H of a fork such
as D D and single vertical back strap F substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a brace or suspender the combination with loops such as H of a fork such
as D D, single vertical back strap F and horizontal back strap I substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a brace or suspender the complete fastening consisting essentially of the
tags GG loop G³ pivot G ring G² and pad or shield K substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
8. In a brace or suspender having a single vertical back strap the combination
with the two joints D¹ of the joint G substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of September 1888.