ROVEMENTS IN MEASURING THE HUMAN FIGURE
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LESLIE, of Conduit Street, Hanover Square, in the County of Middlesex, Tailor
to Her Majesty, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Ninth day of December, in the third year of Her reign, did, for
Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Leslie, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said John Leslie, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Leslie, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MEASURING THE HUMAN FIGURE," commu-
nicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Leslie, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date

page_text: of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Leslie, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:-
The Invention relates to a mode of applying a series of double elastic
spring bands or straps, combined into apparatus suitable for measuring the
human figure, and which will be found particularly applicable for tailors, habit
makers, dress makers, stay makers, and others requiring facility in the
measuring of the human figure with accuracy. In carrying out the Invention
there are to be a series of double spring bands or straps which slide one on
the other in such manner as to contract or expand the lengths of the various
bands used for a particular apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows one pair of spring bands or straps; Figure 2 shewing a
pair of spring bands or straps in combination with a curved and bent plate
for going under the arm; Figure 3 shows a concave plate, such as is used for
covering projecting parts of the human figure, such as an elbow or a knee, and
from such concave plates several pairs of springs may proceed. In one of each
pair of the spring bands or straps is affixed a stud a, whilst through the other
are formed a series of holes, through which the stud will pass and become
the means of attachment or fixture for the time being, and I prefer that the
holes should be at equal distances, which, if desired, may be numbered, and
thus allow of being read off with facility. b, b, are guide sockets respectively
affixed to the two spring bands by which the two parts of each double
spring band may slide on each other, and by their stud a and one of the
holes to be held at any set length desired. It should be stated in making
the front and back and side spring straps or bands, which may be called
the main straps or bands, I prefer that they should be somewhat wider
and stronger than the other, which may be called the branch straps or
bands, though this is not absolutely necessary.
In fixing or attaching each
pair of spring straps or bands one to the other, or to the plates, I use
a small screw and nut, as is shown at c, and where it is desired to open
out the other end I have a slit or slot formed in the end of one spring band
or strap, and a button which will pass through the slit or opening, and

page_text: when through, by turning half round, prevent the button coming through the
opening, as is shewn at d. Figure 4 shows the front view of a figure having
an apparatus over the whole person. Figure 5 shows partly a back view of a
figure with an apparatus for the whole figure, and Figure 6 shows a front
view of an apparatus suitable for habit makers, dress makers. In these
Figures e, e, represent what I have called the main spring bands or straps, and
ff, are the branch spring straps or bands, and it will be evident that the more
numerous the branch spring straps or bands are the more complete will be
the measure obtained, at the same time the apparatus may have more or less
of such spring bands or straps, according to the accuracy required, and the
apparatus may be used in parts only, such, for instance, for a coat or for
trowsers, or for other garments. In using the apparatus I prefer that
whatever garment the apparatus is designed for, the parts should be all com-
bined together at the back, and to the main spring bands or straps e, and
capable by the joints d readily to open in front, by this means the apparatus
will in fact represented a skeleton of the coat or garment desired; and in
putting the apparatus on to a person, I put it on to large, and then having
adjusted the main spring bands or straps correctly as to length, I successfully
proceed to adjust the branch spring straps or bands, and when all are adjusted,
by opening the various attachments d, the skeleton measure may be readily
removed from the figure, and the fastenings a and c will retain the spring
bands or straps correct to the adjusted lengths to which they have been set.
In making the apparatus I prefer the spring bands or straps to be of steel
similarly tempered to the main springs of clocks and watches, and I would
bave it understood that although I prefer the modes of attaching the spring
straps or bands which I have shown in the Drawing, I do not confine myself
thereto, as they may be varied, so long as they are rendered suitable for
the objects of the apparatus; and I would also remark, that the number and
direction of spring straps or bands, for a particular apparatus, may be varied,
provided each spring band or strap is suitably arranged for elongation and
contraction, as herein described; and I would have it understood, that what I
claim as the Invention secured by the present Letters Patent is, the mode
herein described of combining a series of double spring straps or bands into
apparatus for measuring the human frame, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Leslie, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Fourth day of June, One thousand eight bundred and
JOHN (L.S.) LESLIE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid John Leslie came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and
all and every thing therein contained and specified in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty.