Improvements in and relating to Stockings or Nether Garments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Stockings or Nether Garments.
I, SARAH ANNIE WINTER, residing at Number 5, East Genessee Street, in the
City of Buffalo, County of Erie, State of New York, United States of America,
Spinster, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for stockings or
nether garments, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in stockings
or nether garments.
The object of the invention is to provide a stocking or nether garment that will
be self-supporting, that is, one which can be secured in such manner to the body
of the wearer that garters or attachments to other garments are entirely unneces-
sary. This I accomplish by providing a stocking with an upper extension of
length sufficient to surround the lower body portion of the wearer. Any suitable means
may be employed for holding the end or ends of such extensions of the stocking,
such securing means being preferably located on the side of the body opposite
from the leg on which the stocking is worn. This upper extension or elongation
of the stocking extends across the front and rear of the lower body portion of the
wearer, such extensions of a pair of stockings, conjunctively, forming a space or
opening between them.
The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in
the claims.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 shows the general outline of a figure with my improved stockings or
nether garments thereon. Figure 2 shows the two members of a
pair removed.
Figure 3 is a side view of one of the stockings with its upper portion distended.
Figures 4 and 5 show slight modifications.
Referring to the drawing, A designates a pair of stockings or nether garments,
each member a or a¹ of which is formed in the ordinary way, like stockings in
general use, up to what normally constitutes its upper end, that is, adjacent to
the thigh of the wearer. With this upper end of each stocking or member is
formed an elongation or extension of approximately triangular form, the front
edge 6 of which, however, being slightly curved inward, following a concaved
line, while the rear edge 62 is slightly curved outward, in convex form. The front
portion of this elongation or extension is designed to extend over the abdomen
of the wearer, while the rear portion 6 is passed across the lower portion of the
wearer's back or hips. The extreme ends 65 of this elongation or extension are
connected together by any suitable fastener, indicated at C, preferably at the side
of the body opposite to the leg on which the stocking is fitted. But I do not con-
fine myself to any special means for fastening or securing this elongation or exten-
sion, nor to the point of location thereof. It is obvious that by widening the ends
of this elongation a series of fasteners may be employed, as shown at D, Figure 5.
Then, again, the elongation may be in the form of a band or sash, which, after
being made to encircle the waist or lower body portion of the wearer, is fastened
at d to the inner portion of itself. (See Figure 4.)