Improvements in Braces.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
Improvements in Braces.
I, WILHELM HALSTENBACH, of Barmen, Weiherstrasse, No. 11, Rhenish Prussia,
Germany, Merchant, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in braces, and it has for its object to prevent
the adjusting buckles to come in direct contact with the body so that it can not
cause any pressure upon the body, but in the contrary to have always a layer of the
holding strap or belt between the buckle and the shirt below the braces; at the same
time the adjustment, that is the lengthening or shortening of the strap shall be
made very easy and in such a manner, that the holding strap will never be injured
by pins or claws and the like holding means.
I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing in
which:
Fig. 1 shows a front view of a part of the new braces;
Fig. 2 is a side view;
Fig. 3 is a cross section along line I-I of Fig. 1.
As will be best seen from Figs. and 3 the holding or bearing strap of the new
braces consists of a combination of one broad or main strap A and two small
straps B, B connected each of them in any suitable manner to the bottom strap A at
the outer edges D) of the latter, whereas the inner edges E of the small straps B,
which do not quite meet in the middle, are free. At certain distances in the length
of the combined strap the main part A, and the two small webs B B, are connected
together by transverse bindings or joints F, so that small pockets are formed opposite
each other and closed at top end bottom and also at the outer edges, whereas in the
middle these pockets are open.
Now these pockets serve to take up the buckle G to which the buttoning straps H
are fixed. The buckle G, which by preference is made of wire, but which might just
as well be stamped out of sheet metal, has a peculiar shape like two W's in Gothic
type; but placed horizontal and meeting at their upper sides with the middle and one
of the outer legs, the two other outer legs being left open as seen in Fig. 1. Between
the upper and lower double legs g¹. g2 thus formed, there is left a free space K open
at both sides, so that the buckle can be stuck upon the strap as shown in Fig. 1, the
free spaces K reaching over the bindings F, leaving the legs g¹ above and the legs g²
From the
below the bindings, to the leg g² are fixed the buttoning straps H.
description given and from Fig. 1 of the drawing it will now be easily understood
how the shifting of the buttoning strap can be performed conveniently and from
Fig. 2 and 3 it will also be seen, that the buckle is always enclosed partly between
the straps A and B, B and that it is quite impossible for it to come in contact with
the body or with the wearing apparel below the braces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1\ In combination with a strap A. strans B. B each of a width somewhat narrower

page_text: than half the width of the strap A, said straps B, B being connected to the main
strap A lengthways along the outer edges and crossways at certain distances by bind-
ings F so as to form pockets open along the center of the straps and closed at top
and bottom and at the outer edges of the same, the whole as described and illustrated
and for the purpose set forth.
2.) In combination with a broad strap A and two small straps B, B, so connected
to the broad strap lengthways at their outer edges and crossways at certain distances
as to form pockets, a buckle G, having double legs g¹, g² so shaped as to leave an
open space K at both sides allowing the sticking it upon the bindings F between the
straps A and B, B, said buckle having buttoning straps H fixed to it, the whole as
described and illustrated and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of September 1898.
WILHELM HALSTENBACH,
Per Karl J. Mayer, Agent.