Improvements in Stockings.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stockings.
I, ADA HARVEY LANGDALE, 6, Berners Street, Leicester, Married Woman', do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to stockings and has for its object to combine therewith
improved and effective means by which they may be tightened on the leg of the
wearer and kept in position thereon without independent auxiliary aids such as garters
or suspenders.
According to my invention I attach to each side of the front upper part of the
stocking a short strap one of which may be provided with a buckle through which
the other strap may pass to admit of the stocking being tightened in position.
The buckle may be detachably connected to its strap so that it can be removed
when the stocking is to be washed.
The buckle-strap for this purpose may be provided with a hook and eye or a button
and buttonhole or any other detachable fastening which will allow the buckle to be
readily removed from its strap when desired.
Instead of the buckle I may employ a suitable clasp fastening or strong spring
clip or like readily detachable fastener for the purpose named.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, ADA HARVEY LANGDALE, 6, Berners Street, Leicester, Married Woman, 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:-
This invention relates to stockings and has for its object to combine therewith
improved and effective means by which they may be tightened on the leg of the
wearer and kept in position thereon without independent auxiliary aids such
as garters or suspenders.
According to my invention I attach to each side of the upper part of the stocking
a short strap one of which may be provided with a buckle through which the other
strap may pass to admit of the stocking being tightened in position.
The buckle may be detachably connected to its strap so that it can be removed
han the stocking is to be washed.

page_text: The intention will be fully understood from the annexed drawing showing the
upper part of the leg of a stocking with my improved fastening arrangement applied
thereto.
For facility of illustration the gartering attachment in the drawing is shown as
applied to the side of a stocking, but in actual practice it is preferred to connect
the attachment to the stocking so that the gartering takes place centrally above or
below the knee of the wearer according to the custom or taste of the latter.
Referring to the drawing, A, represents a strip of strong tape or other suitable
material connected either behind or at one side of the stocking by one or more rows
of stitches A¹ and extending round to the front of the stocking, and B represents
another strap similarly attached behind or to the opposite side of the stocking and
extending round to the front so as to meet or nearly so, the end of the other
strap A.
The strap B has attached to its free or loose end a buckle C through which the
other strap A may be passed and drawn tightly and forced over the prongs of the
buckle to fix it in position and keep the stocking from working down the wearer's
leg.
An important feature of the present invention consists in attaching the buckle to
the strap in such a manner that it can be easily and readily detached from the
stocking when the latter is to be washed, or otherwise, as will be readily understood,
the buckle would be crushed and mutilated when passing between the rollers of a
wringing or mangling machine, in addition to which, the pressure of the latter
would cause the buckle to cut the fabric.
A most convenient method of construction for this purpose consists in attaching
to the back of the strap near to its end a button D, preferably of the linen-
covered type, so that when the end of the said strap is turned back or folded
over against itself, as shown, the said button can be passed through a button-
hole E in the strap, and having been previously passed through the loop C¹ in
the buckle, will attach the latter thereto so that it can be readily detached when,
and as required.
The button and button-hole are only mentioned as one and a most convenient
means of securing the detachability of the buckle, it is obvious however that other
methods may be employed but such would fall within the scope of the present
invention.
I wish it also to be understood that many of the well known glove or boot, clasp,
solitaire, or other similar fastenings may be employed with the said straps, the
essential condition being that they should be detachable from the straps and this
could be effected in each case by constructing such fastening devices with a loop
such as C¹ on the buckle for the straps A and B to pass through.
In cases where a clasp or solitaire fastening device, instead of the buckle, is
employed it would be necessary to have shorter straps A and B so that the latter
would be in tension when the two parts of the clasp or solitaire were locked
together.
It is obvious that by the use of a fastening arrangement such as hereinbefore
described the employment of separate and independent garters may be dispensed
with and further as the said gartering arrangement does not pass wholly round the
leg of the wearer pressure on the larger veins and arteries at the back of the leg is
avoided, which as is well known is a valuable consideration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, that what
I claim is
1. A gartering device for stockings, consisting of two straps one of which has a
buckle attached thereto substantially as described.
2. A gartering device for stockings, consisting of two straps one of which has a
buckle detachably connected thereto so that it can be removed from the stocking at
the will of the wearer substantially as described.

page_text: 3. A gartering device for stockings, comprising two straps and a clasp, solitaire or
similar fastening device detachably connected thereto substantially as described.
4. A stocking having a gartering device detachably attached thereto substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1897.
ADA HARVEY LANGDALE.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.