Improvements in Retainers for Neckwear.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Retainers for Neckwear.
We, JAMES ARMSTRONG FLOMERFELT, Manufacturing Jeweler, of 1 and 3, Union
Square, New York, in the County and State of New York, and LAURENTIUS
ANDRUS WALDMAR LUND, Gentleman, of the Corner of Washington and Liberty
Streets, in said City of New York, all in the United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:
Our invention relates to retainers for neckties and scarfs in general, but more
particularly for holding a scarf or tie neatly in place upon a standing collar.
One object of our invention is to produce a device of this character which will
clasp and firmly hold the neckband of the scarf or tie at two points upon oppo-
site sides of the knot or bow at the front of the collar.
Another object is to provide a retainer which will hold the tie down by means
of a clasp which engages the neck band adjacent to its lower edge at each side
of the knot or bow; which shall be small and neat, and the part of the retainer
exposed to view shall be highly ornamental in order to obviate the necessity of
using a scarf pin in the knot of the scarf.
Many persons deem the use of a scarf pin as vulgar and others have an aversion
to the use of such pins, owing to the fact that fine and light colored scarfs are
easily soiled and rumpled in properly inserting the pin, while that portion of
the scarf in which the pin is placed soon becomes worn and unsightly. In fact
there has developed recently a high class demand for a retainer for neckwear,
which will dispense with the use of pins, and which will be neat in appearance
and reliable in use.
Heretofore it has been proposed to hold the neck-band of scarfs and neckties in
place by a clasp which overlaps the band; but such a device is obviously objec-
tionable and limited in its usefulness owing to the fact that the neck bands of
scarfs and ties vary in width to some extent, and with the wider neck-bands such
a device would form folds in the band at the point of attachment. On the other
hand, if the clasp is made of sufficient length to allow for a wide band, then an
unsightly appearance is given to it when used with a narrow band.
With a retainer made in accordance with our invention, the width of the neck-
band does not interfere with its appearance or effectiveness. The neck-band is
clasped near its lower edge and held down, and it is equally applicable to all
styles of scarfs-Dejoinvilles, Ascots or bows, and is particularly attractive for
ladies' wear. We attain the objects hereinbefore referred to by the construction
shown in the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification,
and in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of a shirt, a collar and a scarf with our retainers in place
0 at each side of the knot in the scarf.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the collar, and neck-band of
the scarf and showing the retainer clasp open in full lines and engaging the tie
Jed lines

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan view of the retainer showing the clasp open.
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line adjacent to the pintle.
Referring now to the drawing by figures of reference, I indicates the collar clasp,
which is preferably formed from a flat sheet metal blank which is doubled upon
itself to embrace the collar. This blank has a spring tongue 2 cut from it by
forming the slits 3 in the blank. At the upper end of the opposite member, a
projection 4 is formed which is bent at 5 toward the opposite member of the collar
clasp. It will be obvious, however, that this collar clasp could be formed of
spring wire if desired. In vertical section this portion of the retainer is substan-
tially V-shaped and is designed to engage the lower edge of the collar after it
has been buttoned to the neck-band of the shirt. At the opposite sides of the
spring tongue 2 near the bend in the clasp, a pintle bearing 6 is formed by bending
up two ears cut from the metal blank. The retainer clasp consists of a sheet
metal blank comprising the tongue or lever 7, the two side lugs 8, and the end
bearing 9. A pintle passes through the bearing 6 and the side lugs 8, and pivots
the retainer clasp to the collar clasp at its lower edge. Points or prongs 11 are
bent at right angles to the tongue or lever 7, and these points are designed to catch
the necktie or scarf or to pass through it and engage the apertures 12 in, the collar
clasp.
It will be noticed that the tongue or lever 7 is held in its open or closed position
by means of the spring tongue 2 which bears against the portion 9 to hold the
lever or tongue in open position and against the side lugs 8 and the top edge of
the portion 9 to hold the tongue closed to carry the points 11 into or through
the tie and seat them in the apertures 12 of the collar clasp. It will be noticed
that the retainer clasp or tongue 7 is disposed slightly below the lower portion
of the collar clasp, and that the spring tongue 2 projects below the bend of said
collar clasp. The outer face of the lever 7 may be ornamented in any suitable
manner, either by a jewel 13, a gem setting, or by a number of variously colored
stones.
In applying our retainer, the lower edge of the collar is inserted within the
collar clasp at the desired point, either before or after the knot is formed in the
scarf. When the neck-band 14 of the tie or scarf is adjusted to the desired
position below or on a line with the lower edge of the collar, the lever 7 is thrown
upward until the points 11 engage the band and firmly hold it in the adjusted
position. To open the clasp and disengage the tie a finger is caught either behind
the tongue 7 at the top or by a slight outward pressure on one of the jewels.
From the foregoing it will be seen that we form a very reliable necktie retainer
which is capable of ornamentation in a high degree, which will be inexpensive
to manufacture, and in which the only portion exposed to view will be a gem,
jewel or setting. It will also be seen that however wide the neck-band 14 may
be, the retainer will hold its lower edge in the required position without forming
unsightly folds at any point.
Without desiring to be limited to the exact construction shown,. we consider
. ourselves entitled to such changes and modifications as may fairly fall within
the spirit and scope of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A necktie retainer comprising a collar clasp designed to engage the collar
at its. lower edge, and a neck-band clasp pivoted at the lower edge of the collar
clasp, substantially as described.
2. A scarf retainer consisting of a collar clasp, a neck-band retainer jour-
naled to the lower edge of the collar clasp, points on the retainer clasp to engage
the neck-band and a spring tongue on the collar clasp adapted to hold the re-
tainer in its open and closed position, substantially as described.
3. A scarf retainer comprising a collar clasp having a downwardly projecting

page_text: spring tongue, integral pintle bearings formed on said clasp at opposite sides
of said tongue, at the lower edge of the clasp, a retainer lever having side lugs
and an end portion at right angles to the body of said lever, a pintle passing
through the said bearings and lugs, points on the lever and apertures in the
collar clasp to accommodate the said points, substantially as described.
4. A retainer for neck wear comprising a collar clasp and a neck-band clasp,
said retainer designed to be applied at opposite sides of the knot or bow of a
scarf or tie and to clasp the same at its lower edge.
5. A clasp for neckwear consisting of a retainer which clamps the neck-band
near its lower edge upon the outside, and a jewel secured to the outer face of the
retainer to serve as a finger hold to operate the same.
6. A retainer for neck wear consisting of a collar clasp and a neck-band clasp
hinged thereto adapted to close upward upon the neck-band, the exposed face of
the retainer being jeweled and ornamented for the purpose described.
Dated this 31st day of March 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.