A Placket Fastener or Placket Closer for Dresses or other Wearing Apparel.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
A Placket Fastener or Placket Closer for Dresses or other Wearing
Apparel.
I, ISAAC NORD WEITZEL, of Savoy Hotel, 196 State Street, Rochester, State of
New York, United States of America, Inventor, 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.
The skirts of women's dresses are formed with what is known as a "placket hole"
or divide at the back, this opening consisting of a slit extending from the band
vertically downward nine or ten inches, more or less, the band also being vertically
divided to correspond with the slit. The ends of the bands, where divided are com-
monly provided with simple fasteners as hooks and eyes or pins for holding them
together, no other provision being made for keeping the placket hole or divide
closed. As a resnlt it frequently occurs that when the wearer sits or draws the skirt
to one side while passing over mud or other matter liable to soil the skirt, this
opening is caused to gape contrary to the wish of the wearer of the garment.
To remedy this difficulty and provide means whereby said opening may always be
kept closed while the garment is worn is the object of my invention. This invention,
which I style a dress safety consists of a two-part metal clasp to be secured to the
meeting ends of the band, each part of the clasp being provided with a thin pendant
strip of metal or similar firm material extending downward along the sides of the
placket hole or divide, and pivotally connected at their lower ends. These pendant
strips are perforated and stitched to the cloth of a garment at the edges or sides of
the placket hole or divide so that the latter becomes, as it were, metal bound.
When the ends of the band are brought together and secured by the clasp one strip
laps or rests upon the other, the two thus holding the edges of the cloth at the
placket hole securely together and so preventing the gapping of said opening.
The invention is hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in
the claims.
Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 shows the device spread at the top. Fig. 2 shows
the same when closed. Fig. 3 shows the reverse faces of the clasp. Fig. 4 is
an edge view of the device, with some parts omitted, seen as indicated by arrow in
Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6
shows one part of the clasp detached. Fig. 7 shows the application of the device to a
dresss skirt.
Fig. 5 is drawn to a scale larger, and Fig. 7 to a scale smaller, than that of the
remaining figures.
Referring to the drawing, A B are the two parts of the clasp, adapted to be secured
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page_text: respectively to the meeting ends of the divided band C, of the dress skirt D.
These parts of the clasp are equal and alike as to size and outline, and are
preferably made of sheet metal, one part A being formed with a hook or tongue a,
Figs. 3 and 5, to catch upon or engage the other part, B to hold the ends of the band
together. The part B is preferably formed with a down-turned part b, serving to
re-enforce and round the edge of the part B in contact with the hook or tongue.
The parts of the clasp are formed with openings or eyelets c by means of which
they may be fastened to the skirt band, either by stitching through the opening or
by means of the eyelets themselves, in a manner that is common.
Each part of the clasp is formed with a horizontal opening d, Fig. 6 near its
lower edge in which to receive a thin, pendant sheet-metal loop e, having its ends
bent down parallel with each other, as shown in Fig. 5. Between the ends of
these U-shaped loops are placed the upper ends of equal and similar thin narrow
strips fg preferably of metal secured to the respective loops by eyelets h h or other
simple pivotal fasteners. The lower ends of these strips are also brought together so
as to lap one upon the other and joined by an eyelet i or other simple device allow-
ing a pivotal motion of the parts upon each other. The strips thus connected with
the loops pend from the latter, the whole being supported by the parts of the clasp.
The strips fg are curved as shown in Fig. 4, to correspond to the form of the
wearer; and when the device is constructed as above described the strips may be
swung laterally to the right or the left, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the
motions being made upon the fasteners or eyelets h h as pivotal centers. Also these
strips may be swung in directions toward or from the wearer, as indicated by dotted
lines in Fig. 4, these motions being permitted on account of the loops turning upon
the parts or bearings of the clasps. Also the pivot connection at i, between the
strips allows the device to be spread or opened at the top, as shown in Fig. 1 or
closed, as shown in Fig. 2.
In applying this device to a dress skirt D, as shown in Fig. 7, the part B of
the clasp is secured on the outer surface of the band at one end, while the part
A is secured to the inner face of the band at the opposing end. The two strips
fg, which are perforated along their edges, at n n, are secured to the respective
edges of the cloth at the sides of the divide by being stitched through at said
perforations. The overlapping strip f is secured on the inner or under surface of
the cloth and covered by the latter, and the underlapping strip g being secured
on the outer face of the cloth. When the two ends of the band C are brought
together and clasped the hook or tongue a passes in under the part B, at -see
also Fig. 5-between the band and said part B. The clasp is so formed that when
the parts are thus brought together and fastened the part A exactly covers and
hides the part B, as shown in Fig. 2, while the overlapping strip f exactly covers
and hides the under strip g, the placket hole or divide being thus effectually closed.
And as the cloth of the skirt and of the band covers the strip f and the part A
of the clasp respectively, all parts of the device are covered and out of sight when
the placket hole is closed as stated.
The edges m of the plates or parts A and B of the clasp may be ornamented to
suit taste.
Having now particularly described my invention and in what manner the same
is to be used, I declare that what I claim is :-
A device for closing the placket hole or divide of a dress skirt, consisting of a
two-part clasp or fastener for the band of the skirt, and strips of metal or similar
firm material supported pivotally by the respective parts of said clasp or fastener
in such manner that they may be swung either luterally or forward and back,
and secured to the edges of the cloth at the sides of the divide, substantially as
shown and described.
2A-device-fer-closing-the-placket-hole-or-divide-of-a--dress-skirt;-consisting-of
a-two-part-elasp-or-fastener-for-the-band-of-the-skirt, and-strips--of--metal-or-other
firm-material secured-to-the--edges-of--the--eleth-at-the-sides-of--the--divide-and

page_text: supported-by-the-parts-of--suid-elasp-or--fastener;--said--strips--lapping--upon--ench
other-at-their-lower-ends-and-joined-there-at-by-a--pivotal-connection,
as-specified.
substantially
2. 3 A device for closing the divide of a dress skirt, consisting of a two-part clasp
or fastener for the band of the skirt, a pendant loop joined pivotally to each part of
said clasp or fastener, and strips as of metal secured pivotally to said respective loops
and joined to the edges of the cloth at the sides of the divide, said strips being
pivotally connected with each other at their lower ends whereby they may be turned
either laterally or forward and back, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A device for closing the divide of a dress skirt, consisting of a two-part clasp
or fastener for the band of the skirt, a pendant loop joined pivotally to each part of
said clasp or fastener and strips as of metal secured pivotally to said respective
loops and joined to the edges of the cloth at the sides of the divide, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
4. The improved device for closing the divide of a dress skirt, all constructed,
arranged and adapted to operate substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
4.-A-device-for-closing-the-divide-of-a-dress-skirt-consisting of a two-part-olasp
or-fastener-for-the-band-of-the-skirt,-and-similar, pendant strips as of metal-sup-
ported-by-the-respective-parts-of-said-clasp-or-fastener,-and-joined-to-the-respective
edges-of-the-eleth-at-the-sides-of-said-divide, said-strips-lapping-upon-each-other-nt
their-lower-ends-and-joined-therent by a pivotal connection said two parts-of the-elnop
being-equal-and-similar-us-to-size-and-outline;-so-that-one-may-exnetly
cover-the
other-when-they-are-brought-together-and-joined, one-metal-strip-also-covering-the
other;-substantially-as-and-for-the-purpose-set-forth.
D
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