IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING TROWSERS, BREECHES, AND OTHER GARMENTS, IN ORDER TO REMOVE CREASES OR FOLDS THEREFROM, AND TO RESTORE THEM TO THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE OR FORM
Year: 1877

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LETTERS PATENT to Charles John Guy and Frederick Spencer Guy, both of
South Street, Finsbury Market, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING
TROWSERS, BREECHES, AND OTHER GARMENTS, IN ORDER TO REMOVE CREASES
OR FOLDS THEREFROM, AND TO RESTORE THEM TO THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE OR
FORM."
Sealed the 25th January 1878, and dated the 26th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles John Guy and
Frederick Spencer Guy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
26th July 1877.
"
CHARLES JOHN GUY and FREDERICK SPENCER GUY, both of South Street,
Finsbury Market, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Manufacturers. IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING TROWSERS, BREECHES, AND OTHER GARMENTS, IN
ORDER TO REMOVE CREASES OR FOLDS THEREFROM, AND TO RESTORE THEM TO
THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE OR FORM."
The object of our Invention is to restore to the legs of trowsers or breeches their
original shape or form, after they have become, from wear, what is known as
baggy;" and is also applicable to restore to shape parts of other garments, as for
instance, to sleeves.
"
According to our Invention, the apparatus is composed of two flat boards or
planks, one of which is stationary and the other moveable. They are placed edge
to edge, their surfaces being kept in the same horizontal plane by means of guide
pins, or other equivalent contrivances. Under the stationary board is a support or
block, to which one end of a screw is pivoted, and such screw extends under and
beyond the moveable board, and terminates in a handle, and is kept in position by
a tapped nut or block.
The garment to be stretched is placed on the boards, and is kept securely fixed

page_text: thereto by means of a clamp or lever on each board, which holds the garment
thereon, each such clamp or lever being so contrived as to act on the garment in a
contrary direction on the boards, becoming separated by the revolutions of
the screw, and thus any amount of tension may be brought to bear on the
garment.
The apparatus is also useful for stretching clothes when to be brushed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Charles John Guy and Frederick Spencer Guy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th January 1878.
CHARLES JOHN GUY and FREDERICK SPENCER GUY, both of South Street,
Finsbury Market, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Manufacturers. " IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING TROWSERS, BREECHES, AND OTHER GARMENTS, IN
ORDER TO REMOVE CREASES OR FOLDS THEREFROM, AND TO RESTORE THEM TO
THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE OR FORM."
The object of our Invention is specially to remove creases or folds from the legs
of trowsers or breeches by stretching, and to restore them to their original shape or
form after they have become "baggy" from wear; but it is also applicable for
restoring to shape parts of other garments, such as sleeves, for instance.
We proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings an apparatus
constructed according to our Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan showing it in its closed position, and ready for receiving a pair
of trowsers to be stretched.
Figure 2 is also a plan, but in its open position, and a pair of trowsers (shown in
dotted lines) placed thereon.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line a, 3, of Figure 2.
And Figure 4 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow.
According to our Invention the apparatus is composed of two flat boards or
planks A, A*. The board A is moveable, and A* is stationary. They are placed
edge to edge, as seen in Figure 1, and their surfaces are kept in the same horizontal
plane by means of guide pins a, a. These guide pins may be secured to either of
the boards, and fit into corresponding orifices provided for their reception in the
opposite board. Under the stationary board A* is fixed a block or support b, to
which one end of a screw B is centered, and which extends under and beyond the
moveable board A. This screw also passes through a tapped nut or block g,
secured under the board A, and at its other end it is provided with a handle B*.
By revolving this handle the screw causes the board A to recede or approach. the
board A*.
C, C*, are clamps or levers centered respectively in the supports c, c, cx, cx, fixed
to the boards A and A*. Their lower surfaces are bevelled in opposite directions
to each other, so as to better retain the garment on the boards while being stretched.
I prefer to give these clamps a bevelled lower surface, in order that they shall not
present any sharp edges to the garinent being stretched, as such would be likely to
leave marks thereon after stretching.

page_text: Now, supposing that a pair of trowsers is to be operated on, the clamps C, C*,
are first raised to allow the top and bottom of such garment to be passed under
them, and to lie between them and the surface of the boards; they are then lowered
to retain the garment in place. The handle B is now revolved, and at each turn of
the screw the moveable board A is caused to recede further from the stationary
board A and the clamps C, C*, acting in a direction contrary to that in which the
boards separate (from the fact of the garment tending to pull them round), exert
great pressure on the garment, and retain it in position while it is being stretched.
Thus any amount of tension may be brought to bear on the garment under treat-
ment, so as to remove creases or folds therefrom, and to restore it to its original
shape.
Of course other mechanical means may be employed for causing the boards to
separate, and also to hold the garment, than those shewn in the Drawings.
The garments may be stretched dry, or they may be damped previously.
The apparatus is also useful for holding clothes when the same are to be
brushed.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same may be performed, we declare that we claim, the construction and employ-
ment of an apparatus composed of two boards, each provided with means for
holding the garment thereon, and acting on it in a direction contrary to that
in which the boards are caused to separate in order to effect the tension or
stretching of the garment, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles John Guy and Frederick Spencer
Guy, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fifth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight.
Witness,
0
R. W. MASON.
CHARLES JOHN GUY. (L.S.)
F. S. GUY.
(L.S.)