Improvements in Garment Supporters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 11th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1894--Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
Improvements in Garment Supporters.
1, FRANCIS GORDON DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at
Watertown, in the County of Jefferson and State of New York, 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 my improvements is to provide a spring clasp or clamp for
supporting drawers or other under-garments by attaching them, by means of such
clasp, to the trousers, or other outer garments, which are supported by other
means.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents my improved supporter before being folded to form the
finished article. It is an elongated strip cut from a sheet of elastic brass or other
metal, in substantially the form shown. In one end are cut certain serrations, or
teeth, as seen at a, intended, when the article is in use, to engage the fabric with
It will be observed
which they are brought in contact, as hereinafter described.
that the row of teeth does not extend directly across the blank, but obliquely with
reference to the sides of the blank.
Figure 2 represents the article after the toothed end has been turned up for a
short distance, so as to stand at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the main
body of the blank.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view, and
Figure 4 a perspective view of the device in its complete form; a second fold
having been made in the blank, about midway of its length, doubling the ends
nearly upon each other, and forming a clasp baving an inner limb, A, and an outer
limb B; the end of said outer limb being also preferably turned slightly outward,
and extending somewhat farther than the inner or toothed limb.
The device is designed especially for supporting gentlemen's drawers by attaching
the waistband of the drawers to that of the trousers, any requisite number of the
clasps being used, usually two, one on each side.
In use the clasp is first applied to the waistband of the drawers at the desired
The outer limb B is then
point, the teeth a, a, engaging the fabric of the drawers.
passed over the corresponding portion of the trousers, completing the adjustment.
Or the upper edges of the two garments may be held closely together, and the
clasp applied over both of them at once. In removing the clasp the steps first
mentioned are reversed; the edge of the trousers being first withdrawn, and the
clasp then removed from the drawers. When in position the elasticity of the metal
prevents the drawers from becoming disengaged from the teeth and dropping down
out of their proper position.
The object of setting the row of teeth in a line oblique to the sides of the blank
is to facilitate the removal of the device from the drawers; and this construction

page_text: is claimed to constitute an improvement in devices of this character. The points.
of the teeth being necessarily quite sharp, and the outer and inner limbs of the
clasp quite close together, the row of teeth, if set in a horizontal or vertical line,
will, when removal is attempted, catch in the fibrous material of the drawers and
cause delay and difliculty in detaching the clasp, thus materially affecting its
usefulness; but if the teeth are set in an oblique line, in the manner shown, and if
in detaching the clasp is moved sidewise, in the direction of the downward slope of
the row of teeth, and brought to the edge of the waistband gradually, no difficulty
will be experienced in detaching it. The teeth should preferably be bevelled in
the manner shown in Figure 3, so that their points will project inwardly, thus
acting as barbs to more efficiently engage and hold the fibres cf the fabric. I do
not however regard any special direction of the bevel or cut of the teeth as
absolutely necessary to their successful operation.
I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-
1. A garment-supporter consisting of an elongated body of elastic material
folded upon itself to form two opposed limbs or jaws, one of said limbs having its
inner bearing face provided with an obliquely set row of teeth adapted to engage
the fabric interposed between said limbs, substantially as set forth.
2. A garment-supporter consisting of a body of elastic material folded upon
itself to form two opposed limbs or jaws, one of said limbs having its end turned up
inwardly, and a row of teeth cut in the edge of such turned up end, extending
obliquely across it, and adapted to engage the interposed fabric, substantially as
set forth.
3. A garment-supporter consisting of an elongated body of elastic material
folded upon itself to form two opposed limbs or jaws, one of said limbs having its
end turned up inwardly and a row of inwardly bevelled teeth cut in the edge of
such turned up end, extending obliquely across it, and adapted to engage the
interposed fabric, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of May 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.