Improvements in Suspenders or Braces.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Suspenders or Braces.
I, HUGH GORDON MACWILLIAM, Manufacturer, No. 190, Fourteenth Street, St.
Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements in suspenders, its object being to relieve
the strain upon the suspender caused by the varying positions assumed by the
wearer in the bending of the body, and to cause an easier working of the parts
of the suspender, and a greater elasticity than in the ordinary constructions.
To this end the invention consists in the improved construction hereinafter
specifically described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification;
Fig. 1 is a view of a pair of suspenders fitted with my improvements, and
Fig. 2 is a modified construction thereof.
In the drawings the suspender is provided with the ordinary shoulder straps 2,
and the sliding loops 3, adapted to be buttoned to the front of the trousers. The
rear ends of the shoulder straps are provided with the metallic eyes 4, through
which passes the cord 5, adapted to be buttoned to the rear of the trousers, and
forming the connection between the same and the shoulder straps. B represents
a band, preferably of elastic, which is provided at its lower end with an eye 6,
through which the lower portion of the cord 5 passes, and is provided with eyes 7
and 8 at its upper end forming supporting guides for the top and side portions
respectively of the cord. The band B is formed with a looped end 9, provided
with a clamp 10 adapted to slide upon the body portion of the band, whereby
the same may be adjusted in length.
In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the eyes 8 are removed, and the shoulder
The con-
straps connected by a band 11, preventing spreading of the same.
necting band 11 preferably has a detachable button connection 12 with the
shoulder straps, whereby its height may be adjusted, where necessary, to fit the
suspender to the wearer.
It will be evident that other modifications may be made without departing from
the idea of the invention. For example, the cord 5, after passing through the
eye 7 at the upper end of the band B, and through the eyes 4 of the shoulder
straps 2, may be connected with the upper end of the strap, instead of passing
downwardly to the lower end of the strap, to be there buttoned to the trousers.
In this form a separate cord would pass through the eye 6 at the lower end of the
strap, to connect the same with the trousers. With such a modification there
would be the same vertical elasticity of the cord B and sliding action through the
loops 4, to conform to the movements of the body.
In the use of this improved suspender the cord 5 will slide freely through the
eyelets upon the shoulder strap and central band B, and adapt the shoulder straps
to the different movements of the wearer, without strain, the band B giving
any elasticity that is necessary. It will be evident that this combined sliding and

page_text: 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:
1. A pair of suspenders comprising the shoulder straps, the means of connection
between the same and the rear portions of the trousers consisting of an independent
band, the eyelets carried by said band, and the cord passing through said eyelets,
having a sliding connection with the shoulder straps, and the means for detachable
connection with the troasens.
2. A pair of suspenders, comprising in combination the shoulder straps, the
cord having sliding connection therewith, and detachable connection with the
trousers, and the vertically extensible band for said cord.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.