CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES' DRESS SUSPENDERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edkins, Button, Manufacturer, of Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES' DRESS SUSPENDERS."
Sealed the 28th February 1862, and dated the 5th September 1861.
...!
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
September 1861.
I, CHARLES EDKINS, Button Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES' DRESS SUSPENDERS," to be as follows (that is to
say):-
My improvements, whether realized in wire or sheet metal, or partly sheet
metal and partly of wire or other material, have for their objects the better
securing or holding without injury the material of the dress desired to be held
up, as also to simplify the action and movement of the parts for effecting this
object; as, for instance, if made of wire, and the parts for holding the dress
are secured in position by a link in the form of a figure 8, I form the top or
spring end so as to prevent the said loop or link from readily getting out of
position, the parts for gripping or holding the dress being formed of a centre
bar terminating with a broad flat eye, the bar pressing between a fork formed
at the other corresponding part of the suspender. And this general description
may be diversified by forming the spring of an additional twist or turn of the

page_text: wire at the spring end; nor do I purpose confining myself to the link being of
the shape of a figure 8, as a link parallel on its side and round at its ends may
be used, and in some instances I purpose terminating the one end of wire sus-
penders for holding the dress with a round loop or eye, and the other in the
same way but smaller, so that it shall press and hold the dress in the larger
eye, by being partially pressed in or through it by the elastic force derived
from the form of the top or spring end. A modification of this I also purpose
forming by enlarging the wire, into a head at its extreme end, that the said
head, so formed shall press into an eye formed on the other part, or the one
end may be formed into a broad planished loop and the other forming a bar
pressing on the same. And in making dress suspenders of sheet metal, I
prefer forming the stem or shank of the suspender parallel for receiving a
slide terminating at both parts downward in such a way, that by placing tho
slide at the bottom, projections or openings on the slide and counter projections
or openings at the bottom end of the suspender shall slightly pass one in the
other so as to be capable of gripping and holding with convenience the
material of the dress desired to be held. And, again, in some instances
the slide may be formed of wire, if preferred, and as an equivalent for the
slide I purpose forming the shank or body of the suspender into a tube, into
which a plunger may be fitted, acted on by a helical spring, which presses the
plunger down through a suitable angular opening formed in the bottom end
of the suspender, between which and the end of the plunger the fabric is
intended to be held when in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, liled
by the said Charlos Edkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL, COME, I, CHARLES
EDKINS, Button Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
(send greeting.)
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 5th day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself,, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Edkins, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Edkins,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Edkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES DRESS SUSPENDERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Edkins, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe an and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within
six calender months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Edkins, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the sanie was to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My improvements, whether realized in wire or sheet metal, and partly of
wire or other material, have for their objects the better securing or holding
without injury the material of the dress desired to be held up, as also to
simplify the action and movement of the parts for effecting this object, as, for
instance, if made of wire, and the parts. for securing the dress are held in
position by a link in the form of a figure 8,. I form the top or spring end so
as to prevent the said loop or link from readily getting out of position, the
parts for gripping or holding the dress being formed of a centre bar termi-
nating with a broad flat eye, the bar pressing between a fork formed at the
other corresponding part of the suspender. And this general description may
be diversified by forming the spring of an additional twist or turn of the wire
at the spring end; nor do I purpose confining myself to the link being of the
shape of a figure 8, as a link parallel on its side and round at its ends may
be used, and in some instances I purpose.terminating the one end of wire
suspenders for holding the dress-with a round loop or eye, and the other in the
same way, but smaller, so that it shall press and hold the dress in the larger
eye by being partially pressed in or through it by the elastic force derived
from the form of the top or spring end. A modification of this I also purpose
forming by enlarging the wire into a
g its extreme end, that the said
head so formed shall press into an eye formed on the other part, or the one
end may be formed into a broad planished loop, and the other forming a bar
pressing on the same. And in making dress suspenders of sheet metal, I
prefer forming the stem or shank of the suspender parallel for receiving a
slide terminating at both parts downward in such a way, that by placing the

page_text: slide at the bottom, projections or openings on the slide and counter projections
or openings, at the bottom end of the suspender shall slightly pass one in the
other so as to be capable of gripping and holding with convenience the
material of the dress desired to be held; and, again, in some instances the slide
may be formed of wire, if preferred. And as an equivalent for the slide, I
purpose forming the shank or body of the suspender iuto a tube, into which a
plunger may be fitted acted on by a helical spring, which presses the plunger
down through a suitable angular opening formed in the bottom end of the
suspender between which and the end of the plunger tho fabric is intended to
bo held when in use.
But in order that I may be well understood as to the nature and character
of my Invention, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed,
reference being made to the figures and letters inarked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A, A, Fig. 1, represents a dress suspender bent up of ono continuous piece
of wire in an expanded state, terminating at the part B with an enlarged eye,
which may be of any desired shape; and the part C terminates with a branch
or double loop, so that the dress intended to be held shall be pressed against
the part marked a, a, and the base of the forked loop marked b, b, and when
these parts are pressed together, the are intended to be retained by the sliding
down of the loop c, shown detached at Fig. 2. The outer edges of the sus-
pender encompassed by the loop c, I prefer to rough or tooth, to prevent the
loop from voluntarily sliding up, and thereby freeing the dress. D is the same
as A, but the position of the suspender in this Figure represents its condition,
when in use, by its sides being compressed and held by the loop c; and E is
an edge view of D, representing the part d'in front. The form of the loop.c
as, represented in Figure 2 is somewhat.important, as being, so hent it cannot
disengage itself from the suspender; but it would be quite as efficient if bent
up of wire in the angular form exhibited at Fig. 3, or cut out from sheet
metal, if so preferred.
Before passing to the next Figure, it may be necessary to explain the pur-
pose and mode of using these suspenders, which are intended for elevating, at
the pleasure of the wearer; the skirt of her dress, using for this purpose in a
general way, four, attached to or wreathed over a cord, so arranged around the
waist, that by pulling two strings, and the suspenders being attached to the
dress, the skirt will be raised, and by a reversed action, when it is desirable to
lower the dress, the cords that were before tightened have only to be freed,
and the dress will again descend.

page_text: Fig. 4 is but a general modification of Figure 1, but by bending the wire
into a circular eye, as shown at F, F, F, I obtain greater strength of spring' at
this part, as it is,desirable that when the slide is elevated the parts forming the
loops of the suspender should expand, and thereby readily free and disengage
itself from the material of the garment.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are also simple and economic modifications, but the
strength obtained by the extra coil of the wire at the top affords sufficient force
for securely holding the dress, simply by bringing the parts at the bottom.in
contact. The part e, Figure 5, which terminates with a round or other suit-
ably formed loop, is moved laterally between the barf and the head g, which
.enters concentrically through the loop e, as exhibited at I, so that in use a
portion of the garment would be forced. in through the loop e by the broad
head or end of the other part marked g.
At Figure 6, I have represented a suspender opened and closed at J and K.
In this case one end of the wire terminates with a head, which may be flat,
round, or of a plain or ornamental shape, and the part h terminates with a
horizontal open hook' for 'the part i to rest in when in use, as seen at K, or the
end of the part h may be bent into an open hook or eye, as shown at k, k,
Figure 7, and which part may be planished or flattened, if required.
.
Fig. 8 is a furthur modification of the former Figures represented in a side
and edge view, both closed as when in use, and differs but slightly from the
suspender described at Figure 5; the ends m and n are constructed, the former
into a large circular loop or eye, and the latter into a smaller one to pass
through it, carrying the material of the garment with it when in use.
The description of my Invention thus far exhibits my improvements in dress
suspenders as made of wire; and before proceeding, I will observe that by
means of suitable tools and pressure, such suspenders may be wholly or par-
,tially planished, indented, crankled, or otherwise treated, to generally heighten
or improve their appearance.
Fig. 9 represents a back edge and front view a suspender as made of
thin sheet metal, and which may be bent into a round, oval, square, or rect-
angular form, the latter of which I prefer, and have so chosen in this Figure.
The metal may be impressed with an ornamental surface, or subsequently orna-
mented by engraving or other suitable process, and of a proper thickness, to
afford sufficient rigidity to the hook marked o, which has a hole formed in it
for the plunger to pass through, and which plunger may be of stained ivory,
bone, or other suitable material, and drawn up by being attached to the belt q,
until stopped by a projection shown in the edge view M, marked 2, which will
afford sufficient room for the material of the garment to be placed between

page_text: the bottom of the plunger and the open or pierced hook O, when by freeing
the belt 7, the plunger will descond by means of a suitable.spring placed
within, and hold the garment securely, by pressing it through the hole or orifice
formed in the book. The top of the suspender is fitted with a loop and ring
for the convenience of suspending it to a cord or belt around the waist. I
have not thought it necessary to exhibit the spring or means of exerting the
necessary amount of elastic or expanding force to give effect to the plunger
further than in dotted lines at k, as the same is well understood by liandi-
craftsmen used to such kind of work, but by preference I use a simple helical
spring, winding the wire upon a rectangular mandrel, the same shape as the
body of the suspender here exhibited, but smaller, so as to allow the spring,
.when formed, to fit loosely within it.
Fig. 10 is another modification of a dress susponder made from sheet metal,
.represented in a front, edge, and back view, marked O, P, and Q; the part s
is mádo parallel, in order that the part t, which is formed with ears at the top;
as indicated by the dotted lines at Q, shall be bent around for clipping the
part s on which it slides; tho bottom end of the part (, by preference, I shape
.somewhat as here shown, in order that the projections at u, u, shall pass down
behind the projections: u, v, which are formed at the bottom of the part marked
s; and the centre part of the slide t I. shape into a hook, as shown in the edge
view P, as I find these irregular shapes are better calculated for holding
without injury the material. of the dress desired to be held. The ring at the
top marked w, w, is for suspension, as stated in the former Figures, and the
dotted lines a, a, in tho edge view P., represents the position of the slide t
when elevated, for permitting the material of the dress. to be laid in, so as to
be caught and held by the parts in contact when the slide t is pushed down.
Fig. 11 is also a front, edge, and back view of .a suspender, marked R, S,
and T, constructed very similar to the last Figure in its mauner of working,
differing only in the form where the parts are brought together for holding the
dress, and although this description of suspenders is represented plain, never-
-theless they are susceptible of any desirable ornamentation, which may be
.effected by embossing, engraving, or piercing, neither of which will interfero
with the sliding action of the moveable part, and furthur finished by japanning,
enamelling, electro-plating, or otherwise, so as to be unique in character to the
dress to be used with them.
Having now given a general description of my improvements in dress sus-
penders, and the manner in which the same may be generally carried into
effect, I wish it understood that I do not purpose confining myself to any pro-
portion, configuration, er design as exhibited, as the same may be greatly

page_text: diversified without effecting the object of my Invention; but what I claim and
wish to protect by these my in part recited Letters Patent is, the general con-
struction of dress suspenders as well as the slide exhibited at Figures 2 and 3,
or any modification thereof as connected with dress suspenders, as herein
described and exhibited.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edkins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 4 day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
CHARLES EDKINS. (L.B.)