Articles of Wearing Apparel and Analogous Articles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
Articles of Wearing Apparel and Analogous Articles.
We GEORGE WHITAKER and JOHN DUNCUFT both of 43 Conduit Street, Regent
Street in the County of Middlesex Tailors, and LLEWELLYN LEONARD BULKELEY
WILLIAMS, of Caerleon, Shortlands, in the County of Kent, Surgeon do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus, designated "Repressus," which is intended
more particularly for domestic use for pressing trousers and other articles of wearing
apparel in order to preserve and restore their normal shape and set, and to remove
creases when such exist, but it is also applicable for pressing analogous articles such
for example as linen and the like.
viz.
In carrying out this invention, the apparatus is constructed in the following manner
A frame is provided, carried on legs or supports, which may be hinged in order to
be capable of folding up so as to reduce the apparatus into a small compass for the
convenience of transit. In suitable bearings in this frame are mounted one or more
shafts, (by preference two) capable of rotatory motion, and provided with levers or
handles (which may be removable) for the facility of rotating such shafts. On each
shaft are fixed two or more cams or eccentrics, and one or more ratchet wheels with
which latter engage detents pivotted to the frame. One or more vertical bars (by
preference removable) are provided at each side of the frame, each bar containing
a series of holes for the reception of rods or bars for a purpose hereinafter
explained.
A board or plate is employed on which are to be placed the articles to be pressed;
this board or plate is placed upon the cams or eccentrics and suitably secured in position
either by engaging with the vertical bars or otherwise so as to be prevented from
lateral or longitudinal motion whilst free to move vertically.
Assuming that a number of pairs of trousers or other articles are to be pressed at
one and the same time, they are placed upon the board or plate, with the interposition
of a piece of cardboard or other suitable material between each two superposed articles,

page_text: and an upper pressing board or plate is placed on top and firmly secured in position
by passing rods or bars into and through the lowermost exposed holes of the vertical
bars on one side and causing their opposite ends to engage in the corresponding holes
of the vertical bars at the opposite side. The shafts are then caused to rotate, whereby
the lower board or plate under the action of the cams or eccentrics is forced up
towards the upper stationary board or plate, the ratchet wheels and detents
preventing any retrograde motion, and the articles interposed between the boards
or plates receive the requisite amount of pressure to effect the desired object.
The details of the apparatus may be varied whilst retaining the same principle.
Dated this 9th day of December 1887.
THOS. J. HANDFORD,
50, Bedford Row, London, W.C.,
Agent.
Articles of Wearing. Apparel and Analogous Articles.
We GEORGE WHITAKER and JOHN DUNCUFT both of 43 Conduit Street, Regent
Street in the County of Middlesex, Tailors, and LLEWELLYN LEONARD BULKELEY
WILLIAMS, of Caerleon, Shortlands in the County of Kent, Surgeon 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 an apparatus designated "Repressus" which is intended
more particularly for domestic use for pressing trousers and other articles of wearing
apparel in order to preserve and restore their normal shape and set, and to remove
creases when such exist, but it is also applicable for pressing analogous articles such
for example as linen and the like.
The apparatus consists of upper and lower boards or plates for the reception between
them of the trousers or other articles to be pressed; cams or eccentrics for imparting
pressure, carried on one or more shafts, rotating in bearings in a frame, the lower

page_text: part of which may be hinged or jointed so as to be capable of folding up a rod or
bar or rods or bars engaging with uprights forming part of or fitted detachably to the
frame, for providing the necessary abutment or resistance; and a ratchet wheel or
wheels and a detent or detents or equivalent means for preventing retrograde motion
and maintaining the pressure.
And in order that the said Invention may be perfectly understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the accompanying sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation of an apparatus
constructed according to this invention, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, Figure 3 a
plan and Figure 4 an end elevation of the same.
A is the frame of the apparatus, which, in the example illustrated, consists chiefly of
two side standards, each formed in two parts a, a', hinged or jointed together at 1, 1,
and of two end stays or supports b, b, bolted to the parts a, a, at 2, 3, respectively, the
arrangement being such that by removing the bolts 3, the end stays or supports b, b,
may be turned upon their bolts 2, as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 2, and the
parts a may also be folded under, turning on their hinges or joints 1, 1, as indicated
by dotted lines in Figure 4, and the apparatus be thereby reduced into a small compass
for the convenience of transit.
In suitable bearings in the upper part a of the frame A, are mounted one or more
shafts B, capable of rotatory motion and provided with a lever or levers C (which may
be removable) for the facility of rotating such shaft or shafts. Two of such shafts B
are shewn in the drawings and are by preference employed. On each shaft are fixed
two or more cams D, D, and one or more ratchet wheels E, with which latter engage
detents e pivotted to the frame. One or more uprights F (two being shown in the
example) are provided at each side of the frame, each upright containing a series of
holes 4, for the reception of a rod or bar e, for a purpose herein after explained. The
uprights may form part of the frame a, but in the present case are preferably bolted
thereto as shewn at 5, so as to admit of their being readily detached when required
for transit.
C
G is a board or plate on which is or are to be placed the article or articles to be
pressed; this board or plate (which may be loosely attached to one of the
shafts B by a strap 6) is placed upon the cams D, I), and if necessary may be
suitably guided either by engaging with the uprights F or otherwise, so as
to be prevented from lateral or longitudinal motion whilst being free to move
vertically.
Assuming that a number of pairs of trousers are to be pressed at one and the same
time, they are placed upon the board or plate G as shewn at d (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), with
the interposition of a piece 7 of cardboard or other suitable material between each two
superposed pairs, the legs or bottoms of the trousers resting on the board or plate,
whilst the upper parts or iops by preference hang over, and the tops and bottoms being
preferably alternately reversed. An upper pressing board or plate G¹ is then placed
on top and firmnly secured in position by passing a rod or bar e into and through the
lowermost exposed hole 4 of each upright F on one side and causing the opposite ends of
such rods or bars to engage in the corresponding holes of the uprights F at the opposite
side. (In the example illustrated the rods or bars e are each represented as engaging
in the top holes of its respective uprights.) The shafts B are then caused to rotate,
either simultaneously or successively, by the aid of the lever or levers C, whereby the
lower board or plate G under the action of the cams D, D, is forced up towards the
upper stationary board or plate G¹, as indicated in the drawings, the ratchet
wheels E, E, and detents c, c, preventing any retrograde motion, and the trousers
interposed between the boards or plates receive the requisite amount of pressure to
effect the desired object.
In lieu of pressing a number of pairs of trousers simultaneously a single pair may
be pressed at a time. Other articles of wearing apparel and analogous articles may
also be pressed in like manner either singly or a number together.

page_text: In place of the apparatus being mounted on standards, it may be so arranged as to
stand on a table or like support.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for pressing trousers and other articles of wearing apparel and
analogous articles, such apparatus consisting of upper and lower boards or plates for
the reception between them of the trousers or other articles to be pressed, cams or
eccentrics for imparting the pressure, a rod or bar or rods or bars engaging with or
carried by the frame for providing an abutment or resistance, and means of maintaining
the pressure, all substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination of a frame A, carrying a shaft or shafts B, having cams D, D,
theroon a board or plate G, resting on such cams, and bearing the trousers or other
articles to be pressed; a board or plate G¹, covering the trousers or other articles ;
an abutment rod or bar or rods or bars e, engaging with the frame A or with
an attachment or attachments thereto; means of imparting motion to the shaft
or shafts B; and a ratchet wheel or wheels E and a detent or detents
c, or their
equivalents, for preventing retrograde motion; all substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination of pressing boards or plates G, G₁; a cam shaft or shafts B,
for imparting pressure, mounted in a hinged or jointed frame A ; and a rod or
bar or rods or bars e, engaging with uprights F, removable or not, for providing the
necessary abutment or resistance; all substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
THOS. J. HANDFORD,
50, Bedford Row, London, W.C.,
Agent.