An Improved Method of Commercially Folding and Assembling Stockings in Pairs and Boards for Boarding the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Commercially Folding and Assembling
Stockings in Pairs and Boards for Boarding the same.
I, WILLIAM HANSON HOWARD, of 27 Arlington Street, in the City of Lowell. in
the County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
It is the object of my invention to provide such improvements in the art of
commercially folding and assembling stockings in pairs as will secure those portions
exposed to view when on the foot against being soiled or otherwise harmed
through handling by, or exhibition to, would-be purchasers or otherwise, and which
will enable the trade-marks and stamps to be placed entirely upon the sole portion
of the stocking where they will be least objectionable to the wearer, with which
points of advantage may also be combined that of permitting ready, thorough,
and comprehensive examination of each stocking of the pair, and which will also
permit the stockings to be arranged upon a line in a store or elsewhere for
exhibition to the trade.
L
It is also the object of my invention to provide improved means whereby a
stocking may be so boarded as that the foot portion shall represent the form in
outline of the sole of the foot, or substantially such form.
Heretofore in boarding stockings it has been common to construct a board
having the form in outline of the human leg and foot when viewed sidewise, and
to place such board in the stocking in such position as that the edges of the board
will extend along the centre of the front of the leg, top, and bottom of the foot, and
rear of the leg. By my improvements the board is adapted to be placed in the
stocking in such position that the edges of the board may extend along the sides of
the foot and, if desired, along the sides of the leg also, so that the foot portion of the
stocking, aftor the latter shall have been boarded, will have a form in outline
resembling the outline of the sole of the human foot.
The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing,
forming a part of this Specification, and then be pointed out in the claims.
Of the drawing,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved board.
Fig. 2 is a like view with the stocking stretched upon the board.
Figs. 3 and 4 are modified forms of the board.
Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a boarded stocking.
Fig. 6 represents a pair of stockings, boarded and folded in accordance with my
invention and arranged upon a line for exhibition to the trade.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a pair of stockings, assembled in accordance with
my invention, showing how the stockings may be held to examine the same.
The same letters of reference designate the same parts or features, as the case may
be, wherever they occur.
My improvements are specially adapted for use upon "Waukenhose" stockings, so
called, that is, stockings knit or fashioned as rights and lefts, so as that, in a pair, one
stocking may be shaped to fit the right foot and the other shaped to fit the left foot,
and the invention is herein shown as applied to this kind or class of stockings, though
it will appear obvious that it may be employed upon other kinds or shapes of
stockings.
In carrying out my invention 1 provide boards a for the foot portion of the

page_text: stockings having a form in outline resembling the outline of the sole of the human
foot, constructing such boards in pairs as "rights" and "lefts."
These boards a I attach to boards b, suitably constructed to remove the wrinkles
from and shape the leg portion of the stockings, such attachment being so made that
when the stocking is being dried on the board the foot portion will extend at an angle
to the leg portion, as shown in Fig. 2. I prefer though it is not essential to hinge
the foot portion a to the leg portion & so that the two parts may be adjusted in the
same line, as shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1, in order to facilitate the
drawings of the stockings on the board, and so that when the stocking is drawn on
the foot portion may be adjusted or turned out at right angles to the leg portion.
I prefer to form the foot portion of the boards as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that
when said portion of the board is placed in the foot of the stockings its edges will
extend along the sides of the foot and along the sides of and around the toe and heel,
though the boarding of the heel may be provided for by extending the leg portion of
the board below the point where the foot portion is connected therewith, the foot
portion proper and connected toe portion extending at an angle to the leg and heel
portion, as shown in Fig. 4. In all instances I propose to board the heel and too of
the stocking, as well as the foot proper, in such manner that after the stocking shall
have been removed from the board, and the top of the foot folded against the forward
part of the leg, the bottom will have a form in outline resembling the outline of the
sole of the human foot.
The board for the leg portion of the stocking, when the same is to be employed in
the boarding of half-hose, I prefer to construct as shown in Figs. 1. and 4, and to
arrange it so that the edges of the board will extend along the sides of the leg portion
of the stocking; but in some instances, for example, in some classes of ladies' hose,
I prefer to construct the board for the leg, as is shown in Fig. 3, arranging it so that
the edges of the said board will extend along the front and rear of the leg, while the
board for the foot will be arranged so that its edges may extend along the sides of
the foot and around the toe and heel.
After boarding the stockings as before described I fold each stocking of a pair with
the creases extending along the sides of the leg, around the points of the heel,
along sides of the foot, and around the toe, as at u, and then fold the upper or top
portion of the foot against the forward portion of the leg part, so as to cause the sole
portion and rear portion of the leg part to face outward, as is clearly represented
in Fig. 5.
I next proceed to assemble the stockings in pairs by arranging each of the two
forming the pair with the faces of the rear portion of the leg part in juxtaposition,
which arrangement will cause the sole portion of each stocking to face outwardly, one
on one side, and the other on the other side.
I finally tack the pair together at the hecl point, as at v, tagging them at the same
time at said point, as shown.
By this mode of procedure I am enabled to make the sole surfaces constitute,
for the most part, the exposed portions, so that all stamping or marking may be made
thereon and where it will be least objectionable, and at the same time protect the
portions of the stocking that will be exposed when on the wearer's foot, against
likelihood of being soiled by the handling of the stockings in the course of trade.
I am furthermore enabled by tacking and tagging the stockings at the heel point,
to keep the stockings of a pair together, and also to afford an arrangement which
will permit of their most ready and thorough inspection, since a would-be purchaser
may hold the pair of stockings between the thumb and fingers at the tagged-and-
tacked or heel point, and by turning over the parts, somewhat similar to turning
over the leaves of a book, may fully examine all portions of each stocking by
the pair.
Another advantage of my invention arises from the readiness with which the pairs
of stockings may be arranged on a line in a store or show window in the exhibition of
the goods to the trade.

page_text: 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. The art of commercially folding and assembling stockings in pairs, which
consists in creasing each stocking along the sides of the leg, and around the point of
the heel, along the sides of the foot, and around the toe, folding the top or instep
portion of the foot against the forward part of the leg, and pairing the stockings so
folded by laying the face of the buck leg portion of one against or in juxtaposition
with the face of the corresponding portion of the other stocking, and tacking and
tagging the pair at the heel point, as set forth.
2. A stocking board consisting of two pieces, namely, a flat leg board and a flat
board, the latter shaped at its edge to resemble the outline of the sole of the human
foot, said boards being hinged together, the end edge of one upon the surface of the
other, as set forth, and with one of the boards projecting beyond the other at the heel
part, as described.
Dated this 11th day of June 1890
WILLIAN HANSON HOWARD.