Improvements in and relating to Means for Securing Trousers to the Person in Wear, applicable also as a Bandage, Sling, or Stretcher.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Securing Trousers to
the Person in Wear, applicable also as a Bandage, Sling, or
Stretcher.
I, LOUIS DAUM of Loschwitz near Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and the
German Empire, Major, 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:-
This invention relates to means or devices for securing trousers in place upon
the person during wear and its objects are to supersede the braces commonly in use,
increase the comfort of the wearer and to enable such devices or part of them to be
readily removed and be applied to other purposes.
In carrying this invention into effect the trousers are secured by a removable
back band or strap and by being fastened to the waistcoat or coat, the band or strap
when removed being applicable to other purposes such as forming a sling or a
bandage. The strap is easily separated from the trousers which are then carried
by the waistcoat or coat so that the wearer is in no way incommoded by its
removal.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I have hereto
appended a sheet of drawings reference to which is hereinafter made.
Figures 1 to 4 inclusive illustrate the application of the strap to the trousers and
the means by which the trousers are secured to the waistcoat or coat.
Figures 5 to 7 inclusive represent the removed strap in front elevation side
elevation and section respectively.
Figures 8 and 9 shew how the detached strap may be applied to form a bandage
or a sling.
The trousers strap consists of a strip of elastic material a which can be quickly
and easily lengthened or shortened by the ordinary buckle 6 or equivalent device.
For this purpose the buckle 6 is provided with a hinged or moveable wire loop d to
which is attached the lug c. The trousers strap has fastening pieces or tabs e e¹ at
its end, one of the tabs e being on the trousers strap itself, whilst the other'e', on
The
the contrary, is fastened in a suitable manner to the moveable ring e³.
tabs e and e¹ may be advantageously made of leather, and are provided with button-
holes or other suitable devices by means of which the strap may be fastened to the
trousers above the hips, Figure 3, in such a way that it encircles approximately
half the body of the wearer.
If the construction of the tabs is such as shewn in Figure 5 of the drawing, two
buttons, Figure 3, on the trousers in the region of the hips suffice to fasten the strap
to the trousers. The trousers may also with advantage be supplied in the middle of
their back part with a metal hook'g; the short projecting part of which extends
over the strap and is no impediment either when loosening the strap from the
trousers or when tightening or extending it. By means of this hook
part of the trousers rest upon the strap, and are prevented from being drawn too
much downwards when the wearer sitting. The hook however is not absolutely
nécessary.
g
the back
As already mentioned, the strap can be easily separated from the trousers in
cases of necessity and used as an arm-sling or bandage.
Figure 9 shews its application as an arm-sling the fastening part e being buttoned
to a coat-button, so that the arm can lie in and be supported by the doubled part
of the strap.
· In order that the strad may be used as a bandage a hook is arranged upon the

page_text: The
ring inside of the tab e¹, and in such a manner that it lies completely within the
part e, and can therefore neither press upon nor shew itself on the exterior of
the coat or waistcoat in any way when the strap is worn upon the trousers.
strap is provided with several eyes gl at short distances from each other, into one
of which the hook e is easily placed after putting the strap on the part to be
bandaged, Figure 8.
The trousers strap may be lengthened to such extent that it can be wound several
times round that part of the body to be bandaged.
By simply hooking several of the straps together a stretcher for transporting
wounded persons or articles may readily be formed, poles or the like being pushed
through the loops so that the whole may be borne by several people.
As soon as the strap is separated from the trousers in order to be applied to any
of the above-mentioned uses, the trousers are borne by the coat or waistcoat. For
this purpose the waistcoat is provided with two button-holes at the sides. by means
of which the waistcoat and trousers are connected, either by the fastening buttons
for the strap, or, and preferably, by two buttons specially sewn on to the trousers.
A connection in this manner between trousers and waistcoat is shewn in Figure 1,
and between trousers and uniform coat in Figure 4, by the buttons hand button
holes. The buttons fare for the purpose of fastening the strap to the trousers.
The best position for the buttons h and fis that shewn in Figure 1.
The back part
of the waistcoat, on which the ordinary strap and buckle are rendered unnecessary
just as on the trousers, is shaped to the form of the waist, so as to comfortably
encircle the back, and cover the strap at the same time, so that the latter, even when
the coat is taken off, is not to be seen.
This connection between trousers and waistcoat or coat has two different purposes
to fulfil. It will, while the trousers are borne by the trousers strap, secure the
smooth fitting of the parts connected with each other, so that the rows of buttons
on the waistcoat will always remain in the direction of the centre of the body, and
also ensures that the waistcoat cannot slip into the trousers so that on raising the
arms the shirt cannot appear between the trousers and the waistcoat. Should
moreover the strap be taken off the trousers, the latter will be borne by the article
of clothing to which they are attached, and prevented from sliding down.
Many advantages are attendant upon the use of these improvements, not only in
the application of the removed strap but in the manufacture and wearing of the
clothing.
As regards the manufacture the ordinary strap and buckle on the trousers and
waistcoat are rendered unnecessary. The numerous buttons previously required on
the trousers for fastening the braces are dispensed with and the braces themselves
are rendered superfluous. The back part of the waistcoat is made to the form of the
waist and the trousers can cease immediately above the strap, and be cut exactly to
it. A considerable saving is thus effected in wages and material.
While the clothing is in wear the waistcoat or coat sit better by being connected
in the previously described manner, to the trousers, than by the use of the old strap
and buckle, and the formation of wrinkles is avoided. By dispensing with braces
the numerous evils and inconveniences are obviated which arise from the pressure
of the braces, such as the interference with the freedom of the upper part of the
body, and especially the injuries caused to soldiers' shoulders by the weight of their
pack. The trousers strap on the contrary in no way interferes with the movement
of the upper part of the body, and is also superior to the previously much used
body-belt, which encompasses and compresses the whole body. In sitting too, the
braces up till now in use are also troublesome, the result of their being considerably
more strained when the wearer is sitting than when he is in an erect position.
The trousers strap gains very considerably in importance by its capability of use
as a bandage and the like. In battle the soldier is enabled even without undoing
his waist belt to take off the readily accessible strap from the trousers in an instant
and employ it for the purposes set forth. All other arrangements previously
invented to serve these purposes fulfil their object in but an inefficient manner.
[

page_text: Besides, injuries often occur to workmen, gymnasts, cyclists and others, who then
find welcome first aid in the trousers strap taken off from the trousers.
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 :-
A removable strap for the back of trousers constructed and arranged substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.