Improvements in and connected with Fastening-devices for Wearing Apparel.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 28th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fastening-devices for
Wearing Apparel.
I, ELISABETH SCHWANK, of 16, Bodauplatz, in the City of Constanz, in the
Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire, 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 improvements in fastening or securing devices for
wearing apparel, the device being more especially adapted for ladies clothing.
The invention can however be employed in such cases, where up to now, buttons,
hooks and eyes, and lacing, (by means of strings,) have been used.
The object of the present invention is to obviate various disadvantages in
lacing-devices hitherto in use; articles of wearing apparel secured or fastened by
means of my improved device, being caused to continuously retain their proper
position and furthermore by the construction hereinafter more fully described,
any strain upon one point of the fastening is prevented from causing the entire
fastening to become loose for the reason, that such strain is prevented from
extending beyond fixed limits, that is to say, is prevented from extending over the
entire length of the fastening.
I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings in two
modifications, both of which are however based upon the same principle.
Figure 1 shows one form of my invention, in which I have employed a link
chain;
Figure 2 shows a modified form in which the chain is provided with pearl-like
ornamentation for the same purpose.
As shown in Figure 1, the article of wearing apparel is provided at its two sides
in the usual manner with hooks b.
In conjunction with the said hooks b, I employ, as hereinbefore indicated, a
chain c said chain being composed of alternate, successive, long and short
members or links. The distance between any two of the said long links of the
chain is approximately equal to the distance between two opposite hooks b.
To employ my improved device, as will be clear from the drawing, each
successive hook is at the beginning brought into engagement with a long link of
the chain, in such manner, that the first long link passes over the first hook of
the one side, and the next long link over the first hook upon the opposite side
of the article of apparel.
The lacing need, however, not be continued in the above described manner, viz.,
that each successive long link engages with the next following hook, but, as
will be clear, only every second or third long link may be brought into
engagement with the successive hooks.
It will thus be clear, that, as compared with ordinary lacing-devices, the
important advantages is attained, that the lacing at different points may be tight
or loose at will, or more precisely, that the tightness of the lacing is optionally
adjustable.
More especially must be mentioned, that in the present invention, as hereinbefore

page_text: indicated, no changing or varying of the tightness of the lacing can take place as
in the case of ordinary lacing.
I will proceed to substantiate this statement.
In the ordinary form of lacing (by means of strings) any loosening of the lacing
causes the entire lacing to become more or less loose, whereas, in my improved
construction, as will be at once clear, this is impossible, as the links which are in
engagement with the successive hooks, as hereinbefore described, prevent any
strain which may arise at any one point to be conveyed along the entire length of
the chain; it will also be clear, that such local strain or strain at any one point
cannot extend further than the hook nearest to the strain and thus the entire
fastening remains unaltered in shape or what perhaps is more important, the proper
sit or adjustment of the wearing apparel remains unaltered.
Figure 2 shows, as indicated, a modified construction but based upon the same
principle.
In this construction (Figure 2), instead of a chain composed of wide links, a pearl
or fancy-chain is employed, that is to say, a chain provided at certain distances
with ornamentations in the form of a small pearl, ball or the like, which' pearl or
ball e engages with the hooks b and prevents any further movement of the chain
beyond the said pearl.
These pearls e are also mounted upon the chain at distances corresponding to the
length of the space between two opposite hooks.
If now the ornamental chain is wound upon or around the successive hooks b, the
pearls e, in a similar manner as described with reference to the links of the chain of
the previous construction, these said pearls e would also prevent any strain arising
at any one point, from becoming distributed over the whole of the fastening.
Thus in this construction, also, the fastening would be prevented from assuming a
different position in consequence of the strain, that is to say, the pearls, (just as in
the previous instance, mentioned as regards the links,) would prevent the fastening
from becoming loose and would cause the article of wearing apparel to still remain
unaltered in position.
The exact form of the chain (Figure 2) may of course be varied without departing
from the principle of the invention.
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. An improved fastening-device for wearing apparel, said device consisting of
a lacing-chain and hooks, by means of which, the greater or less distance apart
of the article of apparel (fastened by such device), is regulated by the omission of
one or more links of the lacing chain upon the said hooks, for the purpose and
substantially as described.
2. A modified form of the fastening-device for wearing apparel as characterised
in Claim 1, said device also consisting of a lacing-chain and hooks, the lacing-chain
however being composed of small members of any suitable form, with, or upon
which, larger ornamental pearls or the like are mounted at fixed distances along
the said chain, for the purpose and substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of April 1898.