Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1888
Specification Accepted, 29th June, 1888
I, ALEXANDER ELMER MCDONALD, of 132, Nassau Street, New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 a device for measuring the hand in order to ascertain the
"size" of glove that will fit it.
It is well understood by dealers in, and wearers of, gloves, and especially of kid
gloves, that the measure around the knuckles of the flattened hand, excluding the
thumb, gives the "size" or number of the glove that will fit the hand measured. This
measurement is usually taken with an ordinary tape-measure graduated and marked
in inches or other standard of linear measurement. The improved hand-measure
hereinafter described affords convenient means for taking the measure of the hand,
and is specially designed for use by glove-dealers.
My improved measuring device comprises a support for the band to be measured;
a graduated measuring tape of some suitable material stiff enough to retain a loop-
like form, such as steel, celluloid, or the like; a keeper through which the tape is
drawn and which serves as an indicator to indicate on the tape the measurement of
the hand; and a hoop-like, rigid guard to protect the loop of the tape.
In the accompanying drawings, several variations in the form of the hand-measure
are illustrated; all of which, however, embody the same principles. The invention
will now be more minutely described with reference to these drawings, whereof
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suspended hand-measure embodying my invention,
Figure 2 being a plan of the same. Figures 3 and 3* are detached sectional views,
on a larger scale, of a part of the device. These views illustrate certain features of
mechanical construction that will be hereinafter described. Figure 4 is a side
elevation of a hand-measure similar to that illustrated in Figure 1, but provided with

page_text: a base or foot instead of suspending chains. Figure 5 is a side elevation of another
form or variety of the device, also provided with a base or foot, and having in addition
a space or opening below the hand-support to receive the thumb. Figure 6 shews in
cross-section a modified form of the tape-guard.
In all the principal figures of the drawings, A is the support for the hand to be
measured; this support being usually covered with plush or other soft material. B is
the graduated measuring tape, made preferably of steel and provided with any suitable
handle or thumb-piece B. C is the hoop-like protecting guard for the tape, and is
usually made of sheet metal of suitable thickness and width and bent to the shape the
loop of the tape is designed to take when fully expanded. The manner of constructing
and mounting the tape and guard on the support A is best seen in Figures 3 and 3.
The former of these views is a longitudinal section and the latter a vertical section.
In these figures it will be seen that the end c of the guard Coverlaps the end c*; the
two ends being rigidly connected by a stirrup-plate C in such a manner as to leave
between them a passage d for the tape B to play through. This passage may, however,
be formed in other ways. The end c* of the guard extends outwards and is formed or
provided with a slot-like keeper e through which the tape also passes and plays. This
keeper forms the stationary indicator or marker for the measuring device. In the
end cx of the guard, a spur or stud centers the base or support A and prevents the
guard C from slipping; while a plate y serves to hold the latter firmly upon the said
support or base. The fixed end 6 (Fig. 3) of the tape B is secured to the overlapping
end c of the guard C by forming a slit or recess in the said end c and turning down a
lip on the end of the tape to engage with the said recess, the plate g kocping the lip
engaged. Of course the end of the tape may be secured in any other suitable manner,
but the mode of attachment described will be found both convenient and satisfactory.
Normally, the tape lies in close proximity to the inner face of the guard Cand is
protected from injury thereby. The guard is also given the proper flattened or semi-
elliptical form it is designed to have when expanded, and the loop is thus made to
conform by its resilience to said shape and to lie close to the guard. In Figure 1
the tape is shown, in full lines, as having been partly drawn out, so as to extend_a
little way from the guard at the left. This is merely for purposes of illustration. In
order that the tape may not be drawn out too far, from careless handling, and bo thus
snapped off, a guard-chain or cord D is provided, one end of which is attached to the
handle B of the tape and the other end to the end cx of the guard C, or to some other
part of the device. This chain, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, limits the
extent to which the tape may be drawn out.
Figure 1 illustrates the hand-measure suspended for use. In the crown of the
guard C are fixed two rings hh, or the like, to which are secured chains or similar
suspenders ii attached to a ring j. The hand-support A may be ornamented with a
fringe a, or may be given an ornamental appearance in any other way.
In taking a measure with the suspended device, the hand to be measured is placed
palm downwards on the support A, within the guard, so that the knuckles-excluding
the thumb-lie within the loop formed by the tape. The glove-salesman then takes
the handle B of the tape between the thumb and finger of one hand and steadies
the device by grasping, with the other hand, the thumb-piece C¹ situated on the
opposite side of the guard. He then draws the tape out until it closely embraces the
knuckles of the hand measured, and notes the numeral or graduation appearing at
the indicator e. This numeral designates the "size" of glove that will fit the
hand.
In Figure 4 the tape, guard and support are represented as mounted on a base A*
of some suitable form adapted for placing on a table or counter. In Figure 5, the
hand-support A-which, in this case, may be cylindrical-is represented as fixed to
an open support A' mounted on the base A*. This construction allows room for the
thumb of the hand measured to pass under the support A.
The guard C may serve as a handle for lifting and moving the device when the
same is mounted on a base, as in Figures 4 and 5. This guard may have short,
pendent, marginal flanges, as illustrated in Figure 6, to enclose the tape laterally when

page_text: in its normal or expanded condition; better provision against injury being thus pro-
vided. These flanges are not, however, essential.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1st: A hand-measure for fitting gloves, comprising a hand-support, a loop-like
graduated tape of suitable material mounted on the said support, and a hoop-like guard
also mounted on the said support and serving as a protecting guard for the said tape,
substantially as set forth.
2ndly A hand-measure for fitting gloves comprising a hand-support, a loop-like
tape of suitable material and a tape-guard, the said hand-measure being provided with
suspenders or chains attached to the said guard, substantially as represented in
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3rdly In a hand-measure for fitting gloves, the combination with the hand-sup-
port and the securing plate g, of the hoop-like guard C, having overlapping ends and
provided with a spur c³, a keepor e, and a passage d for the tape, the said tape being
secured at one end to the said guard and arranged within the same, substantially as
set forth.
4thly In a hand-measure of the character herein described for use in fitting
gloves, the employment of a limiting chain or cord such as D, connected to the tape-
handle at one end and to some fixed part of the device at the other end, substantially
as set forth.
5thly In a hand-measure for use in fitting gloves comprising a support for the
hand, a loop-like graduated tape mounted on the said support, and a hoop-like pro-
tecting guard C for the said tape, when said hand-measure is mounted on a base
substantially as represented in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.