IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS SUSPENDERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alfred Bancroft and Walter John Bancroft, both
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS SUSPENDERS."
Sealed the 16th September 1879, and dated the 18th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alfred Bancroft and
Walter John Bancroft at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
18th March 1879.
WILLIAM ALFRED BANCROFT and WALTER JOHN BANCROFT, both of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS SUS-
PENDERS."
Improved grippers, and method of opening and closing the same.
Each gripper,
of which there are two to each suspender, we make with two plates of sheet metal
cut pear shaped, or in other suitable form, stamped with two raised circular projec-
tions, one in the wide end on one side of the plate, and the other a little out of
centre, and nearer to the opposite or smaller end on the other side. In each of
these projections we pierce through the centre round holes of convenient size. We
also pierce a hole at the small end of the plate. We then take an india rubber ring
of suitable diameter and thickness, with a hole in its centre of the same size as the
circular projections at the wide end of the plate. We then place a plate on each
side of it, the raised projections at their ends entering the hole in its centre and
meeting, in which position face to face they are secured together by means of a rivet
through the holes pierced in the plates for that purpose.
Between the opposite ends of the gripper we attach a lever or connection of
suitable length cut from sheet metal, and pierced with a round hole at each end,
and this we do by means of a shouldered pin through the holes in the small end
of the gripper and one of the ends of the lever, and riveted so as to leave the joint
thus formed free in its action. Having made the gripper and connected the lever
we next cut out of sheet metal two plates of the same size and shape, the form
being that of a horseshoe, mason's square, or other convenient or similar convenient
Povice 6d1

page_text: configeration. These plates we pierce at the extremities with a round hole, and at the
apex with a vertical slot of suitable length and width. We also cut from the sheet a
piece of metal pear shaped, which we pierce with a small round hole at the small end,
and a large one at the large end. The parts now being made we proceed to put the
suspender together, for which we require two of the grippers with the levers or
connections attached, two of the plates, and one of the pear shaped pieces of metal.
In each of the three holes in one of the plates we place the end of a pin shouldered
down at both ends in such a manner as to leave the middle or thick portion a little
longer than the width of the grippers, and on each of the pins at the extremeties of
the plate we place a gripper with the ends containing the india rubber ring meeting
under the vertical slot, the pins passing through the middle holes of the grippers,
and allowing free action. Then on the pin in the slot hole we first place what we will
call the outer end of one of the levers, the other being attached to the gripper, after
which on the same pin the pear shaped piece of metal is threaded through its small
hole, then the outer end of the lever attached to the second gripper; and, lastly,
we place the second plate over all, the pins being placed in its three holes as with
the first plate, and these rivitted over, with the exception of that in the slot hole,
which is headed over sufficiently to keep the plates together without being so tight
as to check its freedom in working up and down the slot. Having now put the
suspender together it will be seen that the levers being connected at their outer
ends with the pin in the slot hole by pulling or pushing we are enabled to work
the grippers, closing by pulling, and vice versa, the pear shaped piece of metal,
which was also threaded on the slot pin between the two levers, being used as a
handle or lever, through the large hole of which the cord securing the suspender to
the person is passed.

page_text: Figs. 8 and 9 represent detached front views of the gripping levers A, A', and
arms E, E', with the projection b, b, for receiving the top end of the helical spring
M, Figure 2.
Having thus mentioned the various parts of our improved suspender we will now
describe its action when in use, which is as follows:-The suspender being con-
nected to the waist band or cord the dress can be inserted or passed between the
gripping-lever A, A', carrying the rubber rings J, J¹, forcing them open more or
less, according to the quantity of dress to be held up when the contracting force of
the helical spring M and weight of the dress will cause the gripping levers to press
more closely together and thereby firmly and securely suspend the dress, to release
which the loop H has only to be pressed forward, causing the gripping levers A, A,
to expand, as shown at Fig. 3, when this object will be readily and easily
effected.
Having thus given a general description of our improvements, and the manner of
giving effect to the same, we wish it understood that we do not purpose confining
ourselves to the general details herein described and exhibited, as the same may be
varied considerably without departing from the spirit of our Invention, but what
we claim and wish protected by these our in part recited Letters Patent is, the
general construction and combination of arms and gripping levers and parts with the
rubber rings acting edgeways against each other, as herein described and exhibited,
or their equivalents, for forming a dress holder or suspender, whereby additional
security is obtained.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Alfred Bancroft and Walter John
Bancroft, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy
nina
WILLIAM ALFRED BANCROFT. (L.S.)
WALTER JOHN BANCROFT.
(L.S.)
Witness,
MM. LOACH.