An Improvement in Ladies' Dress Pockets.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Ladies' Dress Pockets.
I, SAMUEL JOSEPH, of 38, Middlesex Street, Aldgate, E. Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention has for its object to render ladies' pockets self-closing and thus to
make it more difficult for a thief to pick the pocket than is at present the case
owing to the tendency of the mouth of the pocket to gape.
To this end I insert spiral springs in sheaths or hems extending along the edges
of the pocket mouth, the ends of the springs being connected to jointed end pieces
situated at the ends of the pocket mouth.
The springs tend by their own tension to always keep close together and may be
maintained in that position by a clasp connecting them together at about the
middle of their length, the elasticity of the springs allowing of the easy passage of
the hand through the opening, when the clasp is unfastened.
Dated July 4th 1894.
I, SAMUEL JOSEPH, of 38, Middlesex Street, Aldgate, E., Manufacturer, 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 has for its object to render self closing the mouth of a lady's dress
or skirt pocket so as to more effectually conceal the position of the pocket without
preventing legitimate access thereto, and it consists in the application to the mouth
of the pocket of springs whereby gaping of the pocket mouth is prevented.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 represents the springs as applied to the mouth of the pocket, the latter
being indicated by dotted lines.
Figure 2 shews the form of the springs when the pocket mouth is distended by
the insertion of the hand.
Figure 3 shews a modification of the end pieces by which the springs are
connected at the ends of the pocket mouth.
The invention consists of a pair of spiral springs a, a, placed parallel to one
another and their adjacent ends being rigidly united by end pieces b, b, which hold
the springs close together side by side. The springs correspond in length to the
length of the slit in the dress which forms the. pocket mouth and when applied to
the pocket mouth they are enclosed in sheaths or hems extending along each side
thereof. The springs are preferably made of steel wire and are wound in the form
of a close spiral so as to normally tend to assume the straight form and have

page_text: sufficient rigidity to cause them when united by the end piece 6 to lie close
together throughout their whole length and so hold the pocket mouth closed, whilst
they are highly flexible so as to readily adapt themselves to the contour of the
figure or of the dress should the wearer happen to sit upon the pocket or otherwise
bend them, this flexibility admitting of the springs bending in opposite directions,
as shewn in Figure 2, to allow of the passage of the hand between them so as to
permit easy access to the pocket. The end pieces may either be caps of sheet
brass drawn or stamped up to the form shewn and closed upon the ends of the
springs after the latter have been inserted therein, the union being effected by
pressure alone or by soldering or sweating; or the end pieces may be made of
stout wire bent to a U-shape and their limbs inserted in and soldered to the ends
of the springs, as shewn in Figure 3.
b
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein described means of closing the mouth of a dress or skirt pocket, said
means consisting of a pair of spiral springs united side by side by means of end
pieces, substantially as specified.
Dad thin 21
A 100K
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
58, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
58, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.