Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM EDWARDS of Queens Hotel, Queens Road, Battersea in the County
of Surrey, Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to my invention I make the stretchers preferably of metal and in
such manner that the whole apparatus can be folded up and packed so as to
occupy very little space.
The clip between which the two ends of a pair of trousers, for example, are held,
is made of two strips of metal hinged together by preferably a double hinge at one
end, the two metal strips being at such a distance apart as to be capable of taking
between them the thickest pair of trousers; on one plate say the upper there are
screw threaded studs and in the lower portion of the other plate there are thumb
screws free to turn in a collar attached to the said plate a washer holding the
thumb screw to the collar or in any other convenient way; by pressing the two
plates together the screwed studs pass through corresponding apertures in the
metal strips and by turning the studs the latter are screwed down on the screwed
studs until the trouser ends are sufficiently held or clipped. At or about the
centre of say the lower plate I provide a pin stud having an aperture through
same which pin is supported on a bed on or in which it is free to rotate. Through
the aperture a rod passes one end of which has a handle attached. On the rod
there is a traveller or arm and a swivel, to which traveller, connecting rods or
guide arms are pivotted, these arms have several holes made in them to hook on to
studs on one of the clip plates the holes are for adjusting the position of the frame
in accordance with the article to be stretched. The end of the rod opposite to the
handle passes through a hollow stud similar to the other one described and this
stud is also free to turn on its frame in like manner. This stud frame carries two
bent arms at each end in which there are slots in which the axes of a roller are
free to travel whereby the roller can have a lateral motion within certain limits,
and a rotary motion imparted to it. That portion of the rod which passes through
the rotating studs on the roller frame is screw threaded.
The action of the apparatus is as follows: The trousers to be stretched are
passed round the roller and between it and the frame the ends being brought up
to the clips which hold the trouser ends; on turning the handle the rod is revolved
and the trousers are stretched by the frames at the end of the apparatus being
distanced from one another according to the degree of stretching required.

page_text: When the apparatus is not required for use the frames are all folded up and lie
alongside one another without detaching any of the parts and the apparatus thus
occupies very little space and can consequently be carried with facility in a
portmanteau.
I am aware that attempts have been heretofore made to make trouser or
breeches stretchers wherein the trousers or other articles are stretched while or
when folded but no provision has heretofore been made in such stretchers for
folding up the apparatus when it is not required for use into a small space neither
has there been any means provided for regulating or adjusting the position of the
surface round which the trousers are passed whereas by my invention, amongst
other things, provision is made for these important features.

page_text: I, WILLIAM EDWARDS, of Queen's Hotel, Queen's Road, Battersea, in the County.
of Surrey, Agent, 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:-
According to my invention I make the stretchers of wood or metal, or partly of
wood and partly of metal, and in such manner that the whole apparatus can be
folded up, and packed, so as to occupy very little space; and the invention will be
best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, all as hereinafter
described.
Figure 1 is a back elevation of one end, and Figure 2 is a similar view of the
other end of a trousers or breeches stretcher constructed according to my invention,
the central or extension rod being broken away in the middle portion; Figure 3 is
a plan of the hinge end of the lower clip; Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in
section of the stretcher complete, and in its extended position; Figure 5 shews the
same closed or packed up for transport; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the
stretcher as in use shewing a pair of trousers being stretched on same.: Similar
letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures.
The clip between which the two ends of a pair of trousers, for example, are held,
is made of two strips of metal or wood A A, preferably having curved or bevel
edges hinged together by preferably a double hinge B at one end, in order that the
two plates A A¹ may expand or move parallel to one another. On the plate A
there are screw threaded studs C, and in the front of the other plate A¹ there are
thumb or fly nuts C¹ C¹, free to turn in collar brackets c attached to the said
plate A¹, suitable washers holding the thumb or fly nuts to the collar, or other
convenient means may be employed: the two strips A A¹ being at such a distance
apart as to be capable of taking between them the thickest pair of trousers. By
pressing the two plates A. A¹ together, the screwed studs C pass through corre-
sponding apertures D, and which are opposite the before mentioned flynuts C¹ in
the front of the plate A', and by turning the thumb or flynuts C₁, the plates A A¹
are brought together or towards one another until the trouser ends are sufficiently
held or clipped. At or about the centre of the plate A I provide a revolving
stud E having an aperture through same, which stud E is supported by a bracket F
on or in which it is free to rotate. Through the aperture of the stud E a rod G
passes, one end of which is provided with a handle H. On the rod G there is
fitted a swing arm I which is pinned to plate A by, for example, a loose pin a.
The rod G may also be fitted with a traveller or arm to which connecting rods
or guide arms may be pivotted, and when such arms are used they have apertures
made in them to hook on to studs or to one of the clip plates, the apertures are for
adjusting the position of the frame in accordance with the article to be stretched.
The end of the rod G opposite to the handle passes through a revolving stud K,
similar to the stud E before described, this stud K being also made free to turn on
its frame L in like manner. This frame L carries, or is formed with, two bent
arms L' L' (one at each end) having apertures or bearings M in which the axes of
a roller N are free to travel, or in cases where apertures or slots are formed therein
the said roller is free to have a lateral motion within certain limits as well as a

page_text: rotary motion; the end of the rod G passing through the rotating studs K on the
roller frame L is screw threaded as shewn, as also the stud itself.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The trousers to be stretched are passed round the roller N and between it and
the frame L the ends being brought up to the clips A A¹ which are thus caused to
hold the trouser ends as before described. The rod G is caused to revolve by
turning the handle H, and the trousers are stretched by the frames at the end of
the apparatus, being distanced or separated from one another according to the
degree of stretching required.
When the apparatus is not required for use the frames are all folded up and lie
alongside one another without detaching any of the parts, and the apparatus thus
occupies very little space and can consequently be carried with facility in a
portmanteau.
To fold the apparatus, as above, when not required for use, the rod G is revolved
till the screw part thereof has passed through the stud K and the pin a withdrawn,.
the studs E and K being revolving studs, allow the rod G to be turned to occupy a
position lengthwise with the frames, as shewn in Figure 5.
I am aware that attempts have been heretofore made to make trouser or
breeches stretchers wherein the trousers or other articles are stretched while or
when folded, but no provision has heretofore been made in such stretchers for
folding up the apparatus when it is not required for use, into a small space, neither
has there been any means provided for regulating or adjusting the position of the
surface round which the trousers are passed; whereas by my invention amongst
other things, provision is made for all these important features.
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.
First. In trouser and breeches stretchers the clip which holds the two ends of a
pair of trousers, being formed of two strips of metal or wood, hinged together by
hinge B, arranged and acting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Second. In trouser and breeches stretchers the revolving studs E and K through
which the stretching rod G passes, fixed upon the frames L and A, together with
the swing arm I and pin a for enabling the stretching apparatus to be folded,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The arms L¹ on the frame L with apertures or bearings M as, and for the
purpose set forth.
Fourth. The general construction and arrangement of Trouser and Breeches
Stretchers consisting of clips A A¹ hinged at B having revolving stud E fixed
upon one of such clips through which the stretching rod G passes; arm I for
securing the end of rod G to clip A; frame L upon which is another revolving.
stud K into which the rod G aforesaid is screwed; and the roller N having its
axes in arms L of frame L, and the swing arm I and pin a; all arranged to allow
of the apparatus to be folded in a compact manner so as to occupy but little space
and to be easily carried in a portmanteau or other case; substantially as herein-
before described.