A BRACER OR SLING, ACTING BY MEANS OF A CERTAIN SPRING OB SPRINGS MADE OF STEEL, CALCULATED FOR THE BETTER AND MORE CONVENIENT SUSPENDING OR KEEPING UP BREECHES, PANTALOONS, OR DRAWERS
Year: 1799

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOIN
FOSTER, of Oxford Street, in the Parish of Saint Marylebone, in the County of
Middlesex, Breeches Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Second day of December, in the fortieth year of His
reign, did give and grant unto me, the said John Foster, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Jolin Foster, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my and their
deputy and deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said
John Foster, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within that part of His Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, His Dominions of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "A BRACER OR SLING, ACTING BY MEANS OF A CERTAIN SPRING OB
SPRINGS MADE OF STEEL, CALCULATED FOR THE BETTER AND MORE CONVENIENT
SUSPENDING OR KEEPING UP BREECHES, PANTALOONS, OR DRAWERS," in such
manner as to me, the said John Foster, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or any of them, should in their discretions seem meet; and that I, the
said John Foster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should and law
fully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage

page_text: from time to time coming, growing, and arising by reason of the said Inven-
tion, during the term of years therein-mentioned, to have, hold, exercise,
and enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advantages therein-before
granted or mentioned to be granted unto me, the said John Foster, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, for and during and unto the full end
and term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent next and
immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended, according to the
Statute in such case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent there
is contained a provisoe obliging me, the said John Foster, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the
nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar
month next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in
and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said provisoe, I, the said
John Foster, do hereby declare that my said Invention is and consists in
the making a bracer or sling (for the more convenient keeping up breeches,
pantaloons, or drawers) on the principles and in the manner herein-after
described, and in immitation of the Plan drawn in the margin hereto.
Those parts marked with the letter A consist of small straps made of lea-
ther, with a welted worked hole in each for the purpose of fastening the bracer
to the waistband of the breeches, pantaloons, or drawers, by means of buttons
fastened to the breeches, pantaloons, or drawers for that purpos.
Those parts marked with the letter B consist of tubes or pipes, usually
made of kid leather lined with calf skin, the grain of which must be inwards,
in each of which tubes or pipes is contained an extended worm spring made
of steel or iron, usually from four to five inches in length, according to the
size of the bracer or sling, which spring is about the sixth part of an inch in
diameter, up the middle of which spring runs a piece of strong hard cord or
catgut, the length of the spring when so extended, one end of which cord or
catgut is fastened to the body or shoulder strap of the bracer or sling marked C,
which may be made of leather, silk, or any other material sufficiently strong;
the other end of which said cord or catgut is fastened to that end of the
spring next the straps or button-holes marked A, which is inclosed in the
said pipes or tubes, which said ends of the pipes or tubes are to be fastened to
the said straps or button-holes marked A, leaving the end of the spring to
which the cord is so fastened perfectly free. The other end of the spring to
be fastened to and inclosed by the reverse ends of the pipes or tubes, which

page_text: must be so secured as to prevent the spring from coming out, at the same
time leaving a hole sufficiently large for the cord or catgut to come through;
the bracer or sling then becomes elastic, and may be extended to a considerable
length, the cord or catgut being drawn out as the springs become contracted.
The bracer must not be made too long. When on, the springs should be a
little contracted, sufficient for the cord or catgut to appear about one quarter
of an inch out of the tubes. The straps marked A, and coming in front, may
be made with a buckle, which will enable the bracer to be taken up or let
down at pleasure.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Foster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the fortieth year
of the reign of His present Majesty King George the Third, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine