Improvements in Dress-pocket Protectors against Pocket-picking.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dress-pocket Protectors against Pocket-picking.
I, BLANCHE WARD, Gentlewoman, of 69, Underhill Road, Lordship Lane,
London, S.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved attachment to pockets, preferably to those
of ladies' dresses, whereby the easy insertion of a hand is obstructed and prevented,
unless a certain amount of pressure and expansion of the hand is used by one
who is aware of the nature of the obstruction, by which pressure and expansion
of the hand the wearer would be notified of any attempt on the part of a thief to
pick the pocket.
I am aware that many devices have been proposed for this purpose but to my
knowledge none have been practically successful. To fulfil such a desideratum
the annliance must be simple and cheap, must be manipulated with ease by the
wearer, must be without appreciable weight and without producing distortion
in the dress, and should not be observable on the outside or at the mouth of the
pocket.
To fulfil these desiderata and to carry my invention into effect I employ a
double spring band joined rigidly, hinged, swivelled or united elastically at one
or both of their ends so that the said double spring band normally closes upon
itself. The double spring band is of such moderate size that it clasps and constricts
the upper part of the pocket an inch or two below the mouth of the pocket and
is preferably situated round the outside of the pocket but under and within the
skirt and forms an obstruction to the further entry of the hand, and cannot be
expanded sufficiently to allow the passage of the hand without some little ex-
pansive pressure of the fingers or hand, and would also prevent easy and quick
withdrawal of the hand after insertion, without a repetition of the same outward
expansive pressure of the fingers or hand.
This attachment provides a complete bar to the insertion of a hand into the
pocket without ample notification to the wearer, whilst at the same time the
wearer knowing the exact nature of the obstruction, can easily effect the entry
and withdrawal of the hand with contents.
The double spring band may be formed of fine spiral spring coils or of plain
band springs covered by leather or fabric if desired, or of vulcanite, whalebone
or any other elastic material relatively united at both ends by links, swivels or
other convenient attachment or one or both of such attachments between the spring
bands may be elastic to allow the hand to readily enlarge the orifice between the
spring bands to allow the hand with contents to pass with sufficient expansive
pressure.
The said pocket protector may be attached about the outside of the pocket by sewing
by safety pins or any convenient mode of attachment and owing to its being
placed some short distance below the mouth of the pocket as above described it

page_text: is not observable externally and does not distort the natural hanging folds of the
dress.
Dusted this 21st don of Manch 1907
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Dress-pocket Protectors against Pocket-picking.
I, BLANCHE WARD, Gentlewoman, of 69, Underhill Road, Lordship Lane,
London, S.E., 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 improved attachment to pockets, preferably to those
of ladies' dresses, whereby the easy insertion of a hand is obstructed and prevented
unless a certain amount of pressure and expansion of the hand is used by one
who is aware of the nature of the obstruction by which pressure and expansion
of the hand the wearer would be notified of any attempt on the part of a thief to
pick the pocket.
am aware that many devices have been proposed for this purpose but to my
knowledge none have been practically successful. To fulfil such a desideratum
the appliance must be simple and cheap, must be manipulated with ease by the
wearer, must be without appreciable weight and without producing distortion
in the dress and should not be observable on the outside or at the mouth of the
pocket.
To fulfil these desiderata and to carry my invention into effect, I employ an
elastic constricting device which is adapted under normal conditions to clasp
and constrict the upper part of the pocket an inch or two below the mouth of
the pocket, and is preferably situated round the outside of the pocket, but under
and within the skirt, and forms an obstruction to the further entry of the hand
and cannot be expanded sufficiently to allow the passage of the hand without
some little expansive pressure of the fingers or hand, and would also prevent easy
and quick withdrawal of the hand after insertion without a repetition of the same
outward expansive pressure of the fingers or hand.
This attachment provides a complete bar to the insertion of a hand into the
pocket without ample notification to the wearer whilst at the same time the
wearer knowing the exact nature of the obstruction can easily effect the entry
and withdrawal of the hand with contents.
The elastic constricting device may be formed of fine spiral spring coils or of
plain band springs covered by leather or fabric if desired or of vulcanite, whale-
bone, or any other elastic material relatively united at one or both ends by springs
or other convenient elastic attachment or the device itself may be an open ring
with an elastic tendency to close on itself, in any case the device must be elastic
so as to permit of an elastic circumferential extension from normal size to allow
the hand to readily enlarge the orifice constricted by the device and to allow the
hand with contents to pass when sufficient expansive pressure has been applied
to it.
The said pocket protector is attached about the outside of the pocket by sewing,
by safety pins or any convenient mode of attachment and owing to its being
placed some short distance below the mouth of the pocket as above described, it

page_text: is not observable externally and does not distort the natural hanging folds of the
dress.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed
to describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts in
the various figures.
Figure 1 is a view of a skirt partly in section showing my invention attached
to the pocket of the same.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the constricting device in various modified forms.
As seen in Fig. 1 I fit about the pocket A under the skirt the constricting
device B which is attached thereto at convenient parts by sewing safety pins or
other similar means of attachment.
In Fig. 2 the constricting device B is formed of 2 spiral springs C united at
their ends by eyes or links D.
In Fig. 3 it is shown as consisting of two flat strips E of elastic material united
at their ends by elastic connections such as spiral springs F.
In Fig. 4 it is shewn as being composed of a divided ring G of elastic material
which can be elastically expanded in apparent circumference by the expansive
action of the hand, this effect being produced by the ring being divided and by
allowing the space between the ends to become greater as the device is expanded.
Figure 5 shows a similar ring but with the ends provided with clips H to en-
gage over the ring at the points of over lap.
In Figure 6 the divided ring is shown with its end formed by the division
joined by an elastic connection such as a spiral spring F. In all of these devices
circumferential extension and contraction can take place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
A pocket protector consisting of an elastic constricting device applied about
and attached to the body of pocket adjacent to the mouth thereof and adapted
to normally constrict the neck of the pocket but to be capable of expansion by the
hand of the person using the pocket substantially as described.
2nd. The arrangement and construction of the various modified forms of con-
stricting devices for a pocket protector as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as
described and illustrated in and by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of Decembe 1007
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.