Improvements in Braces or Trousers Suspenders.
Year: 1888

page_text: Communicated from abroad by THOMAS OTIS POTTER, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in Braces or Trousers Suspenders.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent. Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 braces, shoulder straps or trousers suspenders.
The object of my said invention is to provide an improved brace, shoulder strap or
trouser suspender intended for supporting pantaloons, breeches, or similar articles of
wearing apparel having an elastic device affording considerable elasticity or give,
and being at the same time strong and durable, in use, comfortable to wear, and
pleasing in appearance.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the front of a brace or trouser suspender
showing my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the rear portion of the said brace or trouser
suspender.
of
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2 showing a slight modification
my said invention hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A A are the shoulder straps, B, B are the loops or suspender ends of the attachment
device.
The shoulder straps A are formed of suitable web or other material preferably
non-elastic, or only slightly elastic, and are each provided with an elastic device,
hereinafter described.
The loops or suspender ends B are formed of woven or textile fabric and are
provided with a triangular piece a formed of one or more pieces of India-rubber or
other elastic material covered with woven fabric. The extremities of the triangular
ID 1

page_text: piece a are connected by means of a metal socket b. A distance piece c is moreover
provided to maintain the said triangular piece a in its triangular form. The
triangular piece a is attached to the loops or suspender ends B by means of a piece d
of web or other suitable material. The said triangular piece a is moreover connected
by means of a metal ring or eye e to a buckle for other suitable device for securing
and adjusting the position of the loops or suspender ends B relatively to the shoulder
strap A.
In the rear attachment device the triangular piece a is secured to the rear
extremities of the shoulder straps A by means of a piece e¹.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification wherein the shoulder straps A are each
provided with an elastic device in which the loops or suspender ends B are connected
to a piece y which is formed of a similar material to the triangular piece a, by means
of metal sockets h. i is a distance piece formed of metal or other suitable material
and arranged to move freely upon the piece 9 for purposes of adjustment. A ring
or eye e² connected to the piece g by means of a socket e³ is moreover provided for
connecting the said piece g of the front attachment device to the buckle f, or other
suitable device for securing and adjusting the position of the loops or suspender
ends B relatively to the shoulder strap A; and for connecting the rear attachment
device to the piece e' at the rear extremities of the shoulder straps.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat modify the
construction of my improved brace or trouser suspender without however in any way
departing from the nature of my said invention. For instance instead of forming the
loops or suspender ends, of woven or textile material I can employ leather or other
suitable material. Or instead of forming the hereinbefore described elastic device of
one or more pieces of India-rubber covered with woven fabric I employ, to form the
said elastic portion of the attachment device, spiral springs covered with some suitable
material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First An improved brace or trousers suspender having attachment devices each
of which is provided with an elastic device comprising a triangular piece formed of
India-rubber or other elastic material having a socket and distance piece, and suitably
connected to the shoulder strap and to the loops or suspender ends substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
Second The modification substantially as described with reference to Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.