Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 188
Complete Left, 11th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec., 1887
I JAMES HERBERT JOHNS of 287 New North Road Islington in the County of
Middlesex Clerk do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention the clamping device consists of one moveable and one
fixed piece or bar of any required shape the two being placed parallel and the ends of
the moveable piece having bearings in arms which arms are hinged to the fixed piece at
its ends so that when the two pieces are close together the arms are in a diagonal
position across the ends of the two pieces. By drawing the moveable piece away from
the closed position already indicated a space is left between the bars, said bars being
kept always parallel to one another while controlled by the arms at their ends, which
space allows the trousers to be introduced; and the clamping is produced by the
action of the two pieces upon the trousers the hinging arms being so arranged that
the stretching of the trousers draws the moveable piece closer to the trousers &
consequently to the fixed piece and so effects the desired object. The moveable bar
may be either connected to or removeable from the hinged arms.
The stretching device consists of an eccentrically pivotted or journalled roller or
cylinder or equivalent, and a fixed piece, the two being placed parallel and the roller
suspended over or extended from the fixed piece by any convenient means, the
suspending devices having holes therein as bearings for the journals or pivots of
the rollers. When a pair of trousers is to be stretched it is folded, at about the
neighbourhood of the knee, over the stretching roller, which then has that part of its
periphery which is farthest from the journals or pivots at the nearest position it can
reach to the clamping device. The trousers being clamped the roller is, in order to
effect the streiching, turned over away from the clamping device and is then fixed in
any desired position according to the amount of stretching required.
The clamping & stretching devices are each placed at the opposite ends of a rod
or bar to which they may be fixed, or they may be made removeable therefrom

page_text: In place of the fixed pieces forming part of the clamping and stretching devices
respectively and the last mentioned rod or bar, a simple base-board may be used; or
the above mentioned hinged arms & suspending devices carrying the moveable piece
of the clamping device & the stretching roller respectively may be attached to the
wall roof or floor (say of a cupboard or wardrobe) or in any convenient situation in
which a flat surface will enable the trousers to be clamped, & the hinged arms snd
suspending devices to be attached.
The parts of the apparatus may be of wood or metal.
There may be either one or two clamping devices in a stretcher which is
unconnected with any wall roof or floor as above mentioned.

page_text: I JAMES HERBERT JOHNS of 287 New North Road Islington in the County of
Middlesex Clerk 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 :-
According to this Invention the clamping device consists of one moveable and one
fixed piece or bar of any required shape, the two being placed parallel; and the ends
of the moveable piece having bearings in arms which arms are hinged to the fixed
piece at its ends, so that when the two pieces are close together the arms are in a
diagonal position across the ends of the two pieces.
By drawing the moveable piece away from the closed position' already indicated a
space is left between the bars said bars being kept always parallel to one another
while controlled by the arms at their ends, which space allows the trousers to be
introduced; and the clamping is produced by the action of the two pieces upon the
trousers the hinging arms being so arranged that the stretching of the trousers draws
the moveable piece closer to the trousers, and consequently to the fixed piece; and so
effects the desired object. The moveable bar may be either connected to or removeable
from the hinged arms.
The stretching device consists of an eccentrically pivotted or journalled roller or
cylinder or equivalent and a fixed piece the two being placed parallel and the roller
suspended over or extended from the fixed piece by any convenient means, the
suspending devices having holes therein as bearings for the journals or pivots of
the rollers. When a pair of trousers is to be stretched it is folded, at about the
neighbourhood of the knee, over the stretching roller, which then has that part of its
periphery which is farthest from the journals or pivots at the nearest position it can
reach to the clamping device. The trousers being clamped the roller is, in order to
effect the stretching, turned over away from the clamping device and is then fixed in
any desired position according to the amount of stretching required.
The clamping and stretching devices are each placed at the opposite ends of a rod
or bar to which they may be fixed or they may be made removeable therefrom. More
than one such rod or bar may be used if required.
In place of the fixed pieces forming part of the clamping and stretching devices
rospectively and the last-mentioned rod or bar, a simple base-board may be used; or
the above-mentioned hinged arms and suspending devices carrying the moveable piece
of the clamping device and the stretching roller respectively may be attached to the
wall roof or floor (say of a cupboard or wardrobe) or in any convenient situation it
being of course necessary in such case to provide in connection with the clamping
device a fixed piece to which to attach the arms carrying the moveable piece which
fixed piece shall be an equivalent for the bar as hereinafter described in reference to D
Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters are applied to corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one complete arrangement according to this
Invention Figure 2 is a part end view; & Figure 3 a plan of the same
Figures 4 and 5 represent a side elevation and part end view respectively of another
modification of the stretching device.
With reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is an eccentric roller journalled at bin
the standards or suspending devices B which are firmly secured to the fixed piece of
the stretching device C.
In Figures 4 and 5 the roller A of small diameter there shewn and the hinged
arm a carrying such roller form an equivalent for the larger roller A shewn in
Figures 1, 2 and 3. In this modification the fixed piece Cis. widened -somewhat in
order to admit of the pawl a² which engages the ratchet teeth on the arm a being
fitted thereto.
D) is the base or fixed piece of the clamping device to which the arms d² are pivotted,
which arms hinge the moveable piece d in such a manner that the strain of the trousers
when placed between the pieces D) and d and being stretched tends to draw such
pieces nearer the one to the other.
E is a rod or bar for keeping the stretching and clamping devices apart into which
it fits (and is removeable when the stretcher is not in use) as shewn by the dotted
lines in Figures 1, 3, and 5. There may be either one or (as shewn in Figure 3)
more in number of the bar E.
In stretching garments with this invention such garments are folded round the
roller A when in the nearest position to the clamping device (indicated in Figure 1)
and the ends passed between the bars D d. On then turning the roller A over to
some position analagous to that shewn by the dotted circle Figure 1 the stretching is
effected.
In using a base board or wall, as before mentioned, in connection with the
Invention the fixed piece C of the stretching device and the rod or bar E are dispensed
with.
To make a trousers stretcher in which it is possible to clamp each end of the trousers
or garment separately it is only necessary to place the stretching device (Figures 1, 2 and 3)
at the end of the extending bar E in such a manner that that part of the plates or
suspending devices B, which is shewn in the drawings in a vertical position, is
horizontal to add at the bottom of the fixed piece D of the clamping devico a similar
rounded and extended edge to that at the top thereof (Figure 1); and to duplicate
the arm and the moveable piece d.
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 a trousers stretcher the use of a stretching device in which an eccentrically
pivotted or journalled roller or equivalent produces the stretching substantially as
described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings.
2. In a trousers stretcher the use of a clamping device consisting of a moveable
piece attached to the arms which armis are hinged to the fixed piece D
substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the
drawings.
Dated this 11th day of November 1887.