An Improved Support for Dolls and other articles.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Support for Dolls and other articles.
I, ALFRED BUCKINGHAM WILLCOX, a citizen of the United States of
America, residing at 512 Washington Boulevard, Chicago. Cook County, Illinois,
United States of America, Gentleman, 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:—
My invention relates to certain improvements which have been made with special
reference to their use in doll supports; but which may be found useful in a great
many other devices of a similar nature.
These improvements are illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings by
means of two figures, both perspectives, showing a doll support embodying my
improvements in two positions.
The particular class of doll supports to which the invention is best applied is
that in which the doll is grasped about the waist by a spring clasp supported by a
suitable post or standard, having an enlarged base to give it the necessary stability.
As dolls vary greatly in sizes, these supports have been made extensible to adapt
a single one to quite a range of sizes. A difficulty has arisen, however, because
of the fact that the dolls vary in size laterally as well as longitudinally, so that a
clasp, which will fit tightly about the waist of one of the shorter dolls, is not
adapted to the greater proportions of the taller ones.
It is to the overcoming of this difficulty that my invention is directed, and the
devices, by means of which I accomplish this, are illustrated in the drawings
presented. Applying reference letters to the latter, A is a flat base plate, pre-
ferably circular, having a post, B, rising from the edge thereof and terminating in
a slotted head or eye b. A piece of wire C, is bent to form a double portion c,
adapted to slide readily through the eye, and two curved arms c', adapted to
encircle the waist of a doll. As these arms are pressed downward, the eye or head b,
slides up the double portion of the wire, and as it approaches the arms hold them
tightly together and contracts the broken circle which they form. When, however,
the arms are drawn upward, the bent portion of the wire above the head or eye
can expand by the separation of the wires, allowing the arms to spread apart to
receive a greater bulk. This makes the support self-accommodating within the
limits for which it is adapted and renders it equally satisfactory for all sizes within
such limits. The use of a single post or standard, rising from the margin of the
base plate, avoids interfering to any considerable extent with the clothing of the
doll and enables the doll to be so arranged that the entire support will be concealed
from view.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
:-
1. The combination with a suitable base and a standard thereon provided with
fixed guide, of a pair of vertically movable spring arms extending upward
through said guide and adapted to be sprung away from each other above the same,
whereby the upward movement of said arms to extend them vertically makes them
capable of a wider separation laterally; substantially as described.
2. The combination with a base and standard supported thereby provided with
suitable guide, of a spring clasp composed of a piece of metal bent upon itself
o form a double portion adapted to slide up and down in said guide, and two

page_text: oppositely arranged arms, extending from the tops of the respective members of
said double portion; substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of July 1892.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.