IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES OR SUSPENDERS, AND IN WAIST BELTS, BANDS, OR STRAPS FOR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crawford, of the Town and County of Dum-
barton, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES OR
SUSPENDERS, AND IN WAIST BELTS, BANDS, OR STRAPS FOR ARTICLES OF
CLOTHING."
Sealed the 5th February 1878, and dated the 8th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crawford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th August 1877.
WILLIAM CRAWFORD, of the Town and County of Dumbarton, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES OR SUSPENDERS, AND IN WAIST BELTS, BANDS, OR
STRAPS FOR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in braces or suspenders, and in
belts, bands, or straps for contracting or retaining at the waist or other parts of the
body articles of wearing apparel, consists in constructing braces or suspenders,
belts, bands, or straps of metal in the form of a coil of steel, iròn, brass, or other
wire.
Wire of a suitable gauge is first wound upon a turned or truly cylindrical metal
rod, tube, or mandril, so as to form a coil similar to a spiral spring. After a sufficient
quantity of wire has been so coiled the mandril is withdrawn, and a piece of thin
crinoline steel or other equivalent flat and flexible gauge having a breadth equal to
the diameter of the mandril is preferably introduced into the coil.
>
The coil is next passed under a revolving pressure roller, or between a pair of
such rollers, by which each successive ring or spiral is bent or pressed down upon
the preceding one, the whole length of the coil being thus caused to assume the form
of a flattened chain.
The steel or other flexible gauge when employed at the inside of the coil maintains
it of an equal breadth throughout.
In undergoing the process of rolling, the coil stretches considerably in length, and
a very light and flexible spring is thus produced, whose elasticity and smoothness

page_text: render it especially applicable for employment as herein-before set forth, the elas-
ticity ensuring freedom of motion to the wearer, whilst its open nature permits free
egress of perspiration.
After being rolled the coils are preferably electro-plated, and they are then made
up into braces, belts, bands, or straps consisting of one, or of two, or more coils laid
side by side, and connected by couplings at their interiors.
It is also preferred to place at the interior of each coil a length of coloured woollen
braid or other web fabric whose elasticity is not so great as that of the spring,
which is thereby prevented from being overstretched, whilst the colour of the fabric
imparts an improved appearance. Tags, buckles, or their equivalents are then
attached to the springs by suitable hooks, the spaces between the rings or spirals of
the springs affording means of easy adjustinent to the height of the shoulders or
circumference of the waist.
Under a modification of the Invention the springs constructed as described,
instead of constituting the entire length of the belt, brace, or band, may be used as.
front and back springs attached to ordinary web or leather braces, or as springs
attached to the ends or inserted into the length of belts or bands.
Under another modification of the Invention spring coils constructed as herein-
before described, but made of finer wire, are woven or introduced into ordinary web
fabrics for the purpose of rendering the same elastic, such fabrics being then employed
in making braces, belts, bands, or straps.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Crawford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
February 1878.
WILLIAM CRAWFORD, of the Town and County of Dumbarton, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES OR SUSPENDERS, AND IN WAIST BELTS, BANDS, OR
STRAPS FOR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING,"
My said Invention relates,―
Firstly. To improvements in braces or suspenders for trousers or other articles of
apparel which are hung or suspended from the shoulders of the wearer.
And, Secondly. To improvements in belts, bands, or straps for contracting at the
waist, trowsers, drawers or pants, petticoats, waistcoats, or other articles of clothing
which are, for purposes of suspension or otherwise, made to fit closely to the body at
that part..
The Invention is also applicable to belts worn for ornament, and it consists in
constructing braces or suspenders, belts, bands, or straps of metal in the form of a
flattened coil of steel, iron, brass, or other wire.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or carried out in practice, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
To produce the flattened metal coil herein-before referred to, wire of a suitable
gauge is first wound upon a turned or truly cylindrical metal rod, tube, or mandril,

page_text: so as to form a coil similar to a spiral spring, as is illustrated at Figure 1 of the
Drawings. This may be conveniently effected by fixing the mandril between the
heads of a turning lathe, and by inserting one end of the wire into or through a
recess or hole made in the mandril, after which, on the lathe being set in motion so
as to rotate the mandril, the wire becomes coiled up. Any other convenient method
of coiling into the form shewn at Figure 1 may however be adopted, it being here
explained that the machinery or apparatus herein-before and herein-after described
as adapted to the manufacture of the improved braces or suspenders, belts, bands, or
straps constitutes no part of my said Invention. After a sufficient quantity of wire
has been wound up, and which quantity is regulated by the length of flat coil
desired to be produced, the coil of wire is withdrawn from the mandril. A piece
of thin flat steel or an equivalent flat and flexible gauge having a breadth equal to
or approximately equal to the diameter of the mandril is then introduced into the
coil, which is thereafter subjected to pressure so as to Hatten it in the direction of
its length.
The flattening of the coil may be effected by placing it on a level and hard
surface, an iron or other metal plate, for example, and rotating a roller over it,
pressure being exerted on the roller; or the coil may be flattened by passing it
between a pair of revolving pressure rollers of ordinary construction. The effect of
so rolling the coil is to flatten each successive ring or spiral down upon the preceding
one, whereby, as is shewn at Figure 2 of the Drawings, the coil is caused to assume
the appearance of a flattened chain, whose length is considerably greater than that
of the original spiral produced on the mandril.
It is preferred to employ a pair of pressure rollers of equal diameter in flattening
down the spirals, but if a single pressure roller and a flat plate or surface, or if a
pair of pressure rollers whose diameters are unequal are used, the coil is rolled on
each side, that is to say, after being rolled in one direction, as indicated at Figure 1^,
it is turned round end for end, with the same side uppermost, and rolled in the con-
trary direction, as indicated at Figure 1B. The coil is then turned over and again
rolled, with the other side uppermost, commencing at the same end as the first
rolling. The first rolling gives the coil a set in the proper direction, the second
rolling flattens it into the condition shewn at Figure 2, and the third rolling is to
prevent the coil when finished from having a bias or disposition to curve in the
direction of its length,
A similar course may be adopted when rollers of equal diameters are used.
The thin steel or equivalent flexible gauge at the interior of the coil maintains it
of an equal breadth throughout whilst being rolled, and after the flattening of the
coil has been completed the said gauge is withdrawn.
A light and flexible spring is thus produced, whose elasticity and smoothness
render it especially applicable for employment as herein-before set forth, the elas-
ticity ensuring freedom of motion to the wearer, whilst the nature of the coil
permits free egress of perspiration.
After being rolled and flattened, as herein-before described, the coils may be
electro-plated with silver, nickel, or other metal, or without being so plated they
are made up into braces, belts, bands, or straps consisting of one, or two, or more
coils laid side by side.
It is preferred to place at the interior of each coil before so making it up a length
of coloured woollen braid or web fabric into which india-rubber has been woven,
but whose elasticity is not so great as that of the coil, which is thereby prevented
from being overstretched, whilst the colour of the fabric imparts an improved
appearance.
Figure 3 of the Drawings represents a pair of braces constructed in accordance
with my said Invention, and as shewn thereby each brace consists of two coils a
connected at intervals throughout their lengths by thin steel, brass, or other metal
couplings b, one of which is illustrated in enlarged detail at Figure 4. The cross piece c
of each coupling is slightly bent in the direction of the arrow to adapt it to the incli-
nation of the spiral, and so prevent irregularity in the flatness of the brace at that part.

page_text: Each coupling is also preferably provided with spikes or teeth d, made by punching
pieces of the metal outwards; these teeth grip the elastic or web fabric at the
interiors of the coils, and assist in preventing the coils from being overstretched.
Instead of connecting the coils by flat couplings placed at their interiors they may
be connected by rivets, as seen under two arrangements at e and f, Figures 8 and 9
of the Drawings, or they may be connected by sewing or other equivalent means.
The ends of the braces are finished with metal or leather tips g, to the back ones of
which the rear tags h are secured, the front tags being connected or hooked to
buckles, which are capable when open of sliding on the coils. A convenient form
of buckle to employ is illustrated at Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the Drawings. The coil
passes through between the front and back parts of the buckle, which closes with
the spring of its own sides, and is held in position by spikes or teeth k gripping into
the web or elastic fabric.
Instead of such a buckle the front tags may be connected to a hook, the spaces
between the rings or spirals of the spring affording means of adjustment; or other
equivalent means may be used to render the front tags adjustable.
When the brace or belt is composed of two coils one coil is wound on the mandril
in a right-hand and the other in a left-hand direction.
Under a modification of the Invention, the springs constructed as described,
instead of constituting the entire length of the brace, belt, or band, may be used as
front and back springs fitted to leather or web braces, belts, or bands of ordinary
construction; or they may be inserted into the lengths of such articles.
A suitable gauge of wire, especially steel wire, to employ for the purposes of this
Invention, when two or more coils are to be laid side by side, is No. 22 wire gauge,
and when a single coil only is to be used No. 18 wire gauge; but it is to be under-
stood that I do not confine myself to wire of these gauges.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or carried into practical effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved braces or
suspenders, waist belts, bands, or straps composed of one or more flattened coils of
wire with or without a length of web or elastic fabric placed at the interior of each
coil, and otherwise constructed substantially as herein-before described, and in part
shewn on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crawford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM CRAWFORD. (L.S.)