IM- PROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN ARTICLES OF DRESS AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Kosminski, of No. 36, New North Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Furrier, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN ARTICLES OF DRESS AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH
"
Sealed the 13th July 1875, and dated the 10th May 1875.

page_text: that by simply opening the ends of that portion of it, passing that
portion on to the neck, and allowing the ends to come together again by
the simple action of the spring, the boa will be securely held in position
without the necessity for other fastening.
I apply a victorine or tippet to the neck portion of this boa, or the
spring formed as stated may be applied to victorines and other articles
for the neck.
To the hanging ends of the boas, victorines, or other dress collars, I
apply swivel or such like connections by which, aided by suitable rings
or such like connections, to suspend muffs, muff bags, or other bags to be
readily removeable at pleasure. Such internal. spring may also be
applied to other neckties and other appliances to the neck.
The opening of the mouth of the bag may be effected as usual from
the exterior by the action upon a stud or other connection to the spring,
externally of the bag; but according to another part of my improvements
the spring catch for holding closed the mouth of the muff bag is acted
upon only from the interior of the muff by studs, or projections, or such
like means for the purpose of releasing the holding means, so that the
mouth of the bag may open. By these means increased protection is
afforded against illicit opening.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Martin Kosminski in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARTIN
KOSMINSKI, of No. 36, New North Road, in the County of Middlesex, 2
Furrier, send greeting.
WHEREÁS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give 3
and grant unto me, the said Martin Kosminski, Her special license, that
I, the said Martin Kosminski, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Martin Kosminski, my executors, admini.
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN
ARTICLES OF DRESS AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Martin Kosminski, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Martin Kosminski, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
―:
The improvements relate to what are commonly called boas, victorines,
and such like protectors for the neck, muffs, and muff bags, or other
bags.
According to my Invention I in the case of boas form that portion of
them which is intended to surround the neck of the wearer with an
internal spring plate bent to a part circle or shape corresponding with
that of a neck, so that by simply opening the ends of that portion
of it, passing that portion on to the neck, and allowing the ends to come
together again by the simple action of the spring, the boa will be securely
held in position without the necessity for other fastening.
I apply a victorine or tippet to the neck portion of this boa, or the
spring formed as stated may be applied to victorines and other articles
for the neck.
To the hanging ends of the boas, victorines, or other dress collars, I
apply swivels or such like connections, by which, aided by suitable rings
or such like connections, to suspend muffs, muff bags, or other bags to be
readily removeable at pleasure. Such internal spring may also be applied
to other neckties, and other appliances to the neck.
.
The opening of the mouth of the bag may be effected as usual from
the exterior by the action upon a stud or other connection to the spring,
externally of the bag; but according to another part of my improvements.

page_text: the spring catch for holding closed the mouth of the muff bag is acted
upon only from the interior of the muff by studs, or projections, or such
like means for the purpose of releasing the holding means so that the
mouth of the bag may open. By these means increased protection is
afforded against illicit opening.
But that the Invention may be better understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
in carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows my Invention applied; a, a, represents by blue lines in
outline, one form of an ordinary boa, and b a plate or other spring
applied therein for the purpose of keeping that portion of it which is to
surround the neck in close contact therewith. The size and form of
these springs may be varied to the size and form of the neck of the
wearer. Boas formed with such springs are applied to or removed from
the neck by simply opening out the two parts of them at a', a¹, and the
simple elastic force of the spring when set free is sufficient to hold such
boas on the neck without the necessity for other fastening. The outline c
represents a victorine or tippet applied to the boa.
Springs such as referred to may be used with boas only, or the
boas may have such or other additions to them to surround the neck, or
such springs may be applied at once to the victorine, tippet, or other
article of dress applied around the neck.
To the hanging ends a³, a², I in some cases apply swivel springs
or other hooks d, d, to act with corresponding rings or loops e, e, applied
to muffs, muff bags, or other bags f for their support, and which are
thus readily removeable at pleasure when any suitable handle, such as
that shown by Figure 2, similarly provided at its ends may be applied
and used with such muff, muff bag, or other bag for its use as a separate
article.
According to another part of my Invention the knobs for withdrawing
the spring bolts are applied to muff bags, so as to be acted upon only
from the interior as indicated at g, g, Figure 1, and separately in two
different positions at Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 3, the bolts h, h,
applied to one side of the mouth of the bag for retaining the catches
applied to the other side of the mouth of the bag, and thereby keeping
the mouth of the bag closed are shown as shot, and the knobs g, g, thereto
are free. In Figure 4 the bolts are shown withdrawn as when the

page_text: knobs g, g, thereto are acted upon for that purpose. When the fastening
is released a spiral spring ; applied over the hinge joint of the frame of
the mouth of the bag acts to effect the opening of the mouth as indicated
by the side and transverse sectional views, Figures 6 and 7. The dotted
lines in Figure 7 show the one side of the mouth of the bag opened by
the action of these springs.
The character or form of the fastening and of the springs so employed
may be greatly varied, as may be the means of operating upon the
fastenings to release them, but the object of this part of the Invention is
to arrange or apply such fastenings so that they may be operated for the
opening of the mouth of the bag alone internally, and so as thereby to
obtain increased security.
Figure 5 shows a spring fastener applied to the neck band i of a
gentleman's scarf, so that the same may be held in position on the neck
simply by the elastic force of such spring.
In like manner may such springs be applied to other forms of neck
bands or ties for the purpose of holding them in position without the
necessity for other means of fastening thereto.
Having thus described my Invention, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details indicated as the same may
be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention;
but what I claim is,―
The application of springs to certain articles of dress, so that the same
may be held in position on the neck of the wearer simply by the elastic
force of such spring without the necessity for other fastening thereto,
substantially as described.
Secondly. I claim the arranging the fastenings of muff bags, and
such like bags, so that they may be acted upon for releasing the mouth
of the bag only internally, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martin Kosminski, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
MARTIN KOSMINSKI. (L.S.)