A New Workholder for Dressmakers and others.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New Workholder for Dressmakers and others.
I, MAUD WARDLE, of 37 Ship Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Dress and Mantle Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Dressmakers and others before commencing the actual stitching of a garment
have to prepare their work by basting, tacking, or pinning. During the course of
such preparation the work is generally held in position by being pinned to the
knee of the operator who crosses the legs so as to bring the work to a higher level.
Notwithstanding this, the body has to assume a stooping position which when long
continued is very tiring and unhealthy.
Now the object of this invention is to remove these inconveniences by providing
a device adapted to hold the fabric so firmly as to greatly facilitate the operation
of basting, tacking, or pinning, or the making of a running stitch.
In carrying this invention into practical effect, I provide a clip or vice, the
jaws of which are normally closed by the action of a spring, so as to securely hold
the cloth or other fabric placed between them. This clip or vice is mounted so as
to be free to rotate upon a vertical pivot so that it may adjust itself to the direction
of the pull upon the fabric, and is supported by an upright or standard at a con-
venient height from the floor. The lower part of the said standard is formed as a
footstool upon which the operator may rest her foot or feet and is provided with a
treadle so connected to the moveable jaw of the clip or vice that when it is depressed
by the foot of the operator the said jaws are opened to release or insert the
fabric.
Owing to the firm and steady manner in which the device hereinbefore described
holds the material, it is found that the work is much better done than has hitherto
been the case.
Dated this 24th day of February 1892
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Workholder for Dressmakers and others.
I MAUD WARDLE of 37 Ship Street Brighton in the County of Sussex Dress
and Mantle Maker 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 :-
Dressmakers and others before commencing the actual stitching of a garment
have to prepare their work by basting, tacking, or pinning. During the course of
such preparation the work is generally held in position by being pinned to the knee
of the operator who crosses the legs so as to bring the work to a higher level.
Notwithstanding this the body has to assume a stooping position which when long
continued is very tiring and unhealthy.
The object of this invention is to remove these inconveniences by providing a
device adopted to hold the fabric so firmly as to greatly facilitate the operation of
basting, tacking or pinning or the making of a running stitch.

page_text: To enable this invention to be properly understood I will proceed to describe
the same with aid of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side view of the fabric holder attached to a stand.
Figure 2 front view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 a perspective view drawn to a larger scale of the fabric holder.
The holder consists of the two jaws A and B the jaw A being shown as a fixture
to the arm C connected to a bed plate D carried on top of standard E attached to
a ground pedestal F. The lower jaw B is held normally closed against the upper
jaw A by springs H on pendant guides J which pass through plate D. To the
underside of jaw B is attached a rod K which passes through plate D and bed of
same projecting below and at its extremity is formed with an eye L to attach a
cord M to the lower end of which is connected to a treadle N which when pressed
by the foot separates the jaws to admit of the work being inserted to be held which
it is, when the pressure is removed from the treadle N, the springs at once lifting
up the lower jaw and so securing the work.
The jaw A may be pivotted to the underside of arm C so that it may turn
round and the pendant guides J may be dispensed with and the bottom of the
springs H bear direct upon the bed plate D so as to admit of the jaws A and B
being turned round to assist movement of the work in any direction.
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: :-
The device for holding and releasing a fabric constructed and operating sub-
stantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of November 1892.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.