Improvements in Garment Supporters.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Garment Supporters.
I, REDDIN WEST PARRAMORE, of Asbury Park, in the County of Monmouth
and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 is designed to prolong the life and usefulness of garment and hose
supporters and diminish the wear and tear upon the hosiery, wearing apparel and
other parts to which supporters are generally attached.
The invention aims to provide an interlocking coupling or fastening of novel
construction which will admit of the parts of the supporter being readily separated
and coupled without necessitating the detachment of either part of the hose or
garment.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved garment clasp
especially designed to be used in connection with garment supporters which embody
in their construction a plate or frame having a slot or opening which is enlarged
at its upper end and gradually converges towards the lower end, and a button
or stud to receive a portion of the garment or fabric and act jointly with the
plate or frame so as to secure the same.
For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention
reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following
description.
The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion
and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or
sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention
an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a supporter, showing the invention applied.
Figure 2 is a rear view of the fastening or coupling.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the fastening or coupling showing by full lines
the operative relation of the parts and by dotted lines the relative position of
the parts when it is required to separate or couple them together.
Figure 4 is a detail section of the fastener, the button or stud being engaged
therewith.
Figure 5 is a detail view of a different embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 is a detail section thereof.
Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description
and indicated in the several views of the drawing by the same reference
characters.
The supporter in general appearance is of ordinary construction and comprises
the ends provided at their extremities with any of the usual attaching devices
for securing the device to the hose, garment or other part to be supported,
an elastic strap or tape 2, and the fastening or coupling 3, the latter forming
the essence of the invention and composed of separable parts so as to admit
of the supporter or elastic strap or tape 2 being readily disconnected from the
corset, under-waist, or convenient part of the wearing apparel without neces-
sitating the removal of the supporter from the parts to which it is attached.
The fastening or coupling comprises the separable parts or members 4 and 5,
which are adapted to interlock so as to prevent their accidental separation

page_text: when the supporter is in service. Thes-part, or member 4 is constructed of a
plate at one end and having said end formed, into a roll 6 in which is fitted a
catch or safety pin 7 of ordinary construction, the said pin extending transversely
of the plate. A hook 9 is provided at the end of the plate opposite the roll 6,
and its bill extends about parallel with the plate, whereas its shank curves to one
side of the plane of the plate, as shown at 10 thereby bringing the butt of the
hook about in line with the plane of the plate, which is essential to the successful
interlocking of the parts or members 4 and 5. The roll 6 and hook 9 are integral
with the plate, thereby enabling the latter to be cheaply manufactured in large
quantities.
The part or member 5 is a plate of suitable shape having parallel slots 11 near
one end to receive the upper portion of the elastic strap or tape 2, and having an
opening 12 at the opposite end to receive the hook 9, and a tongue or guard 13
inclining away from the lower end of the opening 12 to engage with the deflected
or curved portion 10 of the hook, thereby retaining the members 4 and 5 in locked
relation when coupled and caused to assume a normal or working position. The
tongue or guard 13 is an integral part of the plate or member 5 and is cut or
punched therefrom, thereby providing the opening 12 through which the hook 9.
is passed.
When the supporter is in service the member or part 4 of the fastening is
secured to the corset, under waist, or convenient part of the wearing apparel by
means of the catch pin 7, and the ends 1 are fastened to the hose or garment to be
supported, and by snapping or connecting the parts 4 and 5 the hose or garment
will be supported in the usual way, and when it is required to lower the hose or
garment held suspended, the supporter can be uncoupled from the part 4 without
requiring the removal of the part 4 or disconnecting the ends 1 from the hose,
thereby obviating the wear incident to the removal and applying of supporters as
generally constructed. When coupling or uncoupling the parts 4 and 5 it is
essential that these parts be folded or turned the one upon the other so as to bring
the guard 13 in front of the hook 9, thereby admitting of the said parts being
disconnected or fitted together by sliding them relatively the one upon the other.
The elastic tape or strap 2 is made double, thereby adding materially to the life
of the supporter without appreciably increasing the cost of manufacture, as the
cost of the extra length of elastic. required to provide the two parts or fold is
insignificant in comparison to the cost of the supporter and the life of the latter
which is more than twice that of supporters using a single elastic.
The fastener or attaching: device at the terminals of the ends 1 is preferably
constructed as herein shown and comprises a plate or frame 1 formed at its upper
end with a loop 2 to receive the tape or elastic 1 to which the plate is attached,
and provided with an opening or slot 4 which is enlarged at its upper end for the
free passage therethrough of ther button or stud. 5, and which opening or slot
gradually diminishes in width as it approaches the lower end of the plate or frame
so as to embrace the shank of the button or stud in the rear of its head. The
lower end of the plate or frame is recurved so as to provide a guard 6, which
extends over the head of the button or stud 5 the protects that portion of the
garment or fabric which is drawn over the head and prevents the same from
wearing by frictional contact with the clothing or other object. The folded end
of the plate or frame is curved to conform approximately to the head of the button
or stud and to obviate projecting corners, and the lower closed end of the opening
or slot 4 terminates a short distance above the bottom of the guard 6 so that
when the button or stud is at the lower end of the opening its head will touch
the bottom of the guard 6ª and its neck or shank will engage with the lower end
of the opening or slot 4. Hence the button or stud engages with the plate or
frame at two points and is capable of withstanding severe strain.
The button or stud 5ª may be of any desired make and is secured to the end of
the tape or elastic 1, the parts being so proportioned that when the said button
or stud is at the lower end of the opening or: slot 4 the end portion of the tape

page_text: or elastic will be taut so as to sustain a portion of the load. When it is required
to attach the fastener or clasp to a garment or fabric the latter is passed over the-
head of the button or stud, after which the said head is thrust through the enlarged
end of the opening or slot 4" and is moved therein to the contracted end, thereby
causing the garment or fabric to be securely gripped between the sides of the neck
or shauk of the button and the edges of the opening or slot 4, as will be readily
understood. The guard 6" inclines away from the plane of the plate or frame, as
shown at 7, whereby a wedging action of the garment or fabric is had between
the said guard and plate when moving the button or stud behind the guard 6ª and
to the lower end of the opening or slot 4°.
The upper or free end portion of the guard is deflected towards the frame, 1",
so as to secure a firm hold or grip upon the fabric or garment. The wedging of
the goods into the angular or flaring space formed between the guard and the
frame precludes any slipping of the said goods, and the latter is gripped pro-
portionately to the strain or pull coming thereon.
In Figs. 5 and 6 the frame 1° has three transverse slots near its upper end, and
the tape 1 is doubled upon itself and receives the lower cross har 8" in its bight or
fold and passes over the upper cross bar 9" and out through the topmost slot,
thereby avoiding stitching of the tape and providing for its adjustment. The stud
or button 5b is secured to or forms a part of the frame 10 comprising two loops 11*
through which the lower end of the tape is passed, substantially as shown, and
secured by a row of stitches or in any convenient way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in whai manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. In a supporter, a coupling or fastening comprising two parts or members, one
part having a hook and the other part an opening to receive the hook, and a guard
to engage with the said hook to prevent accidental disengagement of the parts
when the supporter is in active service, substantially as set forth.
2. In a supporter, a coupling or fastening formed of two parts, the one having a
hook whose shank curves to one side of the plane of the plate comprising the
member, and the other part having an opening to receive the hook and a guard
inclining to one side of the plane of the plate and adapted to engage with the
curved portion of the hook so as to cause the parts to interlock and prevent
their accidental separation when the device is in service, substantially as set
forth.
3. In a supporter, the combination with ends provided with attaching devices,
and a fastening, of an elastic tape doubled upon itself and adjustably connecting
the fastening and the said ends by passing through slots in the said parts,
substantially as described.
4. In a supporter, the combination with ends provided at their terminals with
attaching devices, and a slide or link at the juncture of said ends, of an elastic
tape or strap doubled upon itself and engaged with the said slide or liuk by
passing through a slot thereof and a fastener comprising a plate formed with
parallel slots and having the end portions of the doubled elastic tape adjustably
connected with the fastening by passing through the said parallel slots, substantially
as described.
5. The herein described garment fastener, comprising a frame having a slot
which is enlarged at one end and gradually diminishes in width towards its
opposite end, a guard at the lower end of the frame formed by bending a portion
of the latter, and having the folded end of the plate curved, and having the
lower end of the slot a short distance from the bottom of the guard or folded end
of the plate, and a button or stud adapted to have its head come between the guard
and the plate and to touch the bottom of the said guard and to have its shank or
neck touch the lower end of the said slot, substantially as set forth for the purpose
described.

page_text: 6. A garment fastener comprising a frame having a loop at one end and a guard
at its opposite end formed by recurving a portion of the frame, the guard curving
at its lower end and inclining away from the plane of the frame to form an angular
or flaring space therewith, and said frame having a slot which is enlarged at the
end adjacent to the loop and which gradually diminishes in width towards the
guard and terminates a short distance from the bottom thereof, and a button or
stud adapted to co-operate with the frame and to have its head wedge behind the
said guard and touch the bottom thereof and its neck or shank touch the
contracted end of the said slot, substantially as set forth for the purpose
described.
Dated this 21st day of Mar 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.