IMPROVEMENTS IN WEARING APPAREL
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Singer, of Mabledon Place, Burton
Crescent, in the County of Middlesex, Tailor, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEARING APPAREL."
Sealed the 10th June 1853, and dated the 30th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Singer, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th December 1852.
I, JULIUS SINGER, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEARING APPAREL" to be as fol-
lows:.
The improvements which constitute the present Invention relate
to a novel mode of supporting gentlemen's trowsers; one of the
principal objects being to dispense with the use of the ordinary
braces or suspenders, the trousers being supported by means of
straps attached to the shirt.
Another object of the Invention is to adapt these straps in such a
manner to the shirt, that the front may also be kept flat on the

page_text: chest, and be made to fit the body perfectly. The straps may be
made of linen or strong calico, and are passed over the shoulders
and sewn on to the shirt, the ends of the straps being loose and
furnished with button holes, whereby elastic pieces or brace ends
may be attached thereto, which elastic pieces or brace ends have
button holes for the purpose of being attached to the brace buttons
of ordinary trousers. Every shirt of a set has the straps attached
thereto, but the elastic ends are removeable, so that one set of elastic
ends may be used for several shirts or trousers..
In making trousers expressly in accordance with my improve.
ments, I, however, propose to attach the brace buttons to elastic
pieces connected with the trousers, thereby preventing the necessity
of having separate elastic pieces, which require to be removed every
time the shirt is changed.
The brace buttons of the trousers may then be buttoned direct
onto the ends of the straps which are attached to the shirt, and
which should be made somewhat longer than when the elastic ends
or pieces are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Julius Singer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JULIUS SINGER, of Mabledon Place, Burton Crescent, in the County
of Middlesex, Tailor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Julius Singer,. Her
special license that I, the said Julius Singer, my executors, admi-

page_text: nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Julius Singer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEARING APPAREL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Julius Singer, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Julius Singer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to a novel mode of supporting trowsers
and breeches, without the use of the ordinary braces or suspenders
now employed for that purpose. This is effected by means of straps.
attached to and forming part with the shirt, and thus the wear and
tear at the shoulders, produced by the constant friction of the braces
against the shirt, is avoided, and greater comfort is ensured to the
wearer, by avoiding the slipping of the braces down the shoulders,
as is the case with ordinary braces. Another advantage consequent
on the use of this Invention, is to keep the shirt front flat against
the chest of the wearer, and improve the fit of the shirt. The straps
may be made of linen or strong calico, and are passed over the
shoulders and sewn onto the shirt, the ends of the straps being
loose and furnished with button holes, whereby they may be con-
nected through elastic pieces or brace ends, provided with studs or.
buttons to the brace buttons of the trowsers.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1, represents in front view,
and Fig. 2, in back view, a shirt provided with shoulder straps
according to this Invention. a, a, are the straps secured by stitching
(as shewn) to the shoulders and breast of the shirt, and having their
ends free. The hinder ends (see Fig. 2) are provided with a button
hole, which takes onto a stud or button carried by an elastic piece b,
secured to the back of the trowsers by brace buttons affixed to the
inner face thereof. The forward extremities of the straps a, are
connected in a similar manner to the front part of the trowsers by
elastic webbing c, c, or its equivalent, and they are provided with
two or more button holes, one above the other, to allow for the
adjustment of the trowsers to the proper height. Elastic pieces b,
might be employed in front of the trowsers as well as the back, in
lieu of the webbing c, c. In addition to the buttons affixed to the
inner face of the trowsers for taking the elastic webbing c, c, or its
equivalent, it will be convenient to provide the trowsers with the
ordinary brace buttons on the outside thereof, to take the ordinary
braces when such are required to be used in the absence of the
straps applied to the shirt. It will be understood that every shirt
has the straps a, attached thereto, but the elastic ends b, c, arc
removable, so that one set of elastic ends may be used for several
shirts or trowsers. In making trowsers expressly in accordance
with my improvements, I, however, propose to attach the brace
buttons to elastic pieces permanently connected with the trowsers,
and thereby prevent the necessity of having separate elastic pieces,
which require to be removed every time the shirt is changed. The
brace buttons of the trowsers may then be buttoned direct on to the
ends of the straps attached to the shirt, but in such case the straps
should be made somewhat longer than when the loose elastic ends
or pieces are used.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent, I claim the manufacture of shirts
with suspending straps attached thereto, as above described; and

page_text: also fitting trowsers or nether garments with suitable attachments;
as above described, for receiving the ends of the straps a.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Singer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
S. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
JULIUS SINGER. (L.S.)