IMPROVEMENTS IN TROUSERS TREES AND PRESSERS
Year: 1884

page_text: ALFRED TURNER SAXELBY Tailor of 8 Castle Street Shrewsbury in the County
of Salop do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TROUSERS TREES AND PRESSERS to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an arrangement of parts constituting an apparatus
herein before described as Trousers Trees and presser.
I provide a stretcher frame, or board, which may be in one piece, or which may
be hinged at the centre or elsewhere so as to fold up into two or more short lengths
for convenience of packing this stretcher frame or board may be made as a frame
like a door without pannels or it may be made with a continucous flat surface; it
can be made of wood; metal; cardboard; or any other solid rigid suitable
material.
On the under side of stretcher frame I provide one or more presser ledges
projecting from each side of the frame.
At the top end of stretcher frame I provide a cramp, formed and arranged to
slide on the frame, or adjustable in one place the said cramp being for the purpose
of griping the top part of trousers (or where preferable, the bottom part) to be
Treed or Pressed.
At the bottom end of the stretcher frame I provide a second cramp sliding on
the frame or board.
In using my improved trouser trees or presser, I fix (by preference the top part
of the trousers in the top cramp and adjust that cramp securely on the stretcher
frame. I then fix the bottom part of the trousers in the bottom sliding cramp,
I then provide an expander consisting of a frame or board hinged in one or more
places in such a manner that it can be arched or contracted so that when one end
of the expander is placed against the top cramp and the other end placed against
the bottom cramp, the trousers will stretch until the expander straightens out from
the arched shape, to an horizontal position. Instead of connecting the parts of the
expander by means of binges I can where preferable connect them by means of
a screw or screws when the expander is so constructed, it would be placed flat on
the trousers, the two extreme ends bearing against the top and bottom cramps of
... 01

page_text: stretcher frame the screw, or screws would then be operated so as to lengthen the
expander and thus move the sliding cramp to stretch the trowsers.
Presser ledges
are provided, on the expander corresponding with the presser ledges on the under
side of stretcher frame, suitable screws are then provided, by means of which the
top and bottom pairs of ledges are drawn together tightly, the result being that
one pair, or several pairs of baggy or wrinkled trowsers having been fixed in the
stretcher frame and stretched by the action of the expander are by the action of
the presser ledges drawn together as berein before described.

page_text: I, ALFRED TURNER SAXELBY Tailor of 8 Castle Street Shrewsbury in the
County of Salop do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN TROWSERS TREES AND PRESSERS and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention consists of an arrangement of parts constituting an apparatus
hereinbefore described as Trousers Trees and Presser.
I provide a stretcher frame, or board which may be in one piece, or which may
be hinged at the centre or elsewhere so as to fold up into two or more short lengths
for convenience of packing, this stretcher frame or board may be made as a frame
like a door without pannels or it may be made with a continueous flat surface; it
can be made of wood; metal; cardboard or any other solid, rigid, suitable material.
On the under side of stretcher frame I provide one or more pressure ledges
projecting from each side of the frame.
At the top end of stretcher frame I provide a cramp formed and arranged to
slide on the frame, or adjustable in one place, the said cramp being for the purpose
of griping the top part of the trousers (or where preferable the bottom part) to be
treed or pressed. At the bottom end of the stretcher frame I provide a second
cramp sliding on the frame or board.
In using my improved trouser trees or presser (I fix by preference) the top, part
of the trousers in the top cramp and adjust that cramp securely on the stretcher
frame. I then fix the bottom part of the trousers in the bottom sliding cramp.
I then provide an expander consisting of a frame or board hinged in one or more
places in such a manner that it can be arched or contracted so that when one end
of the expander is placed against the bottom cramp, the trousers will stretch until
the expander straightens out from the arched shape to an horizonal position.
Instead of connecting the parts of the expander by means of hinges I can where
preferable connect them by means of a screw or screws, when the expander is so
constructed it would be placed flat on the trousers the two extreme ends bearing
against the top and bottom cramps of stretcher frame, the screw or screws would
then operate so as to lengthen the expander and thus move the sliding cramp to
stretch the trousers.
Pressure ledges are provided on the expander corresponding with the pressure
ledges on the under side of the stretcher frame; suitable screws are then provided
by means of which the top and bottom pairs of ledges are drawn together tightly,
the result being that one pair or several pairs of baggy or wrinkled trousers having
been fixed in the stretcher frame and stretched by the action of the expander are
by the action of the pressure ledges drawn together as herein before described.
It will be obvious from the description herein before given that my invention is
for the purpose of stretching wrinkled and baggy trousers also (where preferable
for stretching and pressing the trousers at one and the same time.
When I simply wish to stretch one pair of trousers I prefer to dispense with the
stretcher frame and use the top and bottom cramps only in conjunction with the
expander the said expander not then needing pressure ledges. When I wish to
stretch more than one pair of trousers at a single operation,
2

page_text: I prefer to use the stretcher frame together with the expander and cramps, as
being a more rigid and substantial arrangement suitable for use by dyers and
clothes-cleaners; when not intended for pressing I should dispense with the pressure
ledges.
When I wish to stretch and press either one pair of trousers or several pairs of
trousers at one operation I use the stretcher frame together with the cramps and
expander.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my invention is constructed and the variety of ways in which it
is intended to use it.
Figure 1 represents a stretcher frame hinged near the centre for convenience of
packing, the top parts of clamp disconnected so as to allow the trousers to be
quickly laid on the frame.
Figure 2 represents a stretcher frame with a pair of trousers fixed by the clamps
ready for the expander.
Figure 3 represents a vertical view, showing the expander in position stretching
the trousers after they have been placed in position as represented at Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3..
Figure 5 represents a vertical view of stretcher frame, cramps and arched
expander, the expander and cramps being hinged in three places and provided with
three pressure cramps.
Figure 6 represents a plan of figure 5 with the expander extended, and all the
pressure cramps tightened.
Figure 7 represents an end elevation of Figure 4 at A, showing the sliding cramp
made in this case partly of metal.
Figure 8 shows a sliding cramp without the stretcher frame.
Figure 8 shows a sliding cramp similar to Figure 7 excepting that it is all wood,
the centre part of the bottom slide being.removed.
'Figure 9 shows a section of Figure 6 at xx, very similar in form to Figure 7
excepting that it is all wood.
Figure 10 shows the expander connected to the top and bottom cramps the said
cramps connected to a pair of trousers, an ordinary door bolt is shown as the means
of fastening the expander.
Figure 11 represents the expander and cramps in position stretching the trousers,
in this view a simple catch arrangement is shown as the means of fastening the
connector.
Figure 12 shows a plan of figure 11.
Figure 13 represents a side elevation of the expander connected by means of a
screw.
Figure 14 is a plan of figure 13.,
Figure 15 represents the expander made as a frame instead of in the solid.
Figure 16 represents a side elevation of figure 15.
Figure 17 represents the stretcher frame made as a frame like a door without
pannels.
a Figure 1 is the stretcher frame formed of a continueous flat surface of wood or
other suitable material, 661 are the folding hinges, c is the central pressure ledge.
It will be observed that the pressure ledge overlaps the joint e, in the stretcher
frame to strengthen the said joint, ff is the top cramp.
gg is the bottom sliding cramp. hh¹ h² h³ h4 h
purpose of drawing together the pressure ledges.
f2g² are the moving top parts of cramps placed in
of the adjusting screws n..
Figure 3 and j' figure 4 shows the expander in
against the cramps.
are the adjusting screws for the
a¹ Fig 2 is the stretcher frame,
position and secured by means
position at full-length pressing
[:
kkk Figure 5 are the pressure. ledges and are the hinges for the purpose
of folding the expander in small.compass for packing-m-m¹ Figure 5.shows how
the expander presses against the cramps.. The difference in the position of the

page_text: moving cramps as represented. at n Figure
and as represented at m¹ Figure 6
clearly demonstrate the fact, that the expander when forced from the arched shape
represented at Fig 5, to the horizontal flat shape shown at Figure 6, moves the
sliding cramps, and thus stretches or trees the trousers., op Figure 7 are metalic
bars sliding on the web
Figure 8 and 2 Fig 8a represents in wood a similar sliding plate or bar
to that represented at o Figure 7 excepting that the middle part is cut away to
lesson the friction.
q.
:
r
st Figure 9 are wood bars answering exactly the same purpose as the metal bars
or plates o p Figure 7.
•
Figure 10 is a pair of trousers not stretched. vv are the cramps, both top,
and bottom, secured to the trousers by means of the moveable part of the said
cramps, as more fully shown at ff' & g g' Figure 1. w is the hinge joint. of
expander, & is an ordinary bolt for the purpose of fastening the expander when it
has been forced into an horizontal position pressing against the cramps to tree or
stretch the trousers. y are the mortice and tenon connections by which the
expander is kept in position while horizontal. Fig 11 are the trousers in a state
of tension being stretched or treed by the action of the expander on the cramps.
a a is a catch to answer the same purpose as the bolt x. bb is a plate of metal
with a hole in it for the purpose of hanging the trousers connected to the stretcher
onto a nail or hook fastened to a door or wall, or wardrobe. cc figure 12 represents
the expander in plan. d d represents a plan of the catch a a. ee and el el repre-
sents the moveable parts of cramps marked v and v' at figure 10 and are shown
screwed tightly down on to the trousers. .
The expander and cramps as shown at figure 10 11 12 represent the method
preferable to use in stretching or treeing one pair of trousers, the trousers when so
stretched could be hung in a wardrobe, on a door or elsewhere by means of the
clip b b.
ƒƒ and ƒ ƒ¹ Fig 13 is the expander without hinges. gg. fig-13 and g' g¹ Fig 14
represents the screw for the purpose of operating the seperate parts ƒ ƒ and ƒ`ƒ³ to
press against the cramp as shown at h h and h¹ h¹.
¸¸ª¹ƒª²—j³ j²—j³ j³—jª¸j*—j¨³ j³—jª jª—-—-figure 15 represents the seperate
pieces forming a skeleton expander which can be so made where desirable for
convenience of packing (when the trousers-trees-presser-or stretcher are used
by military men and other travellers).
kkkkk³ k³-kª k-k³ ke-k ke®—k k³—k³ k³—k³ k³—10 10 represents the
various parts of the stretcher frame, when the said frame is made like a door
without pannels.
It will be apparent that the cramps used as illustrated at Fig 10-11-12 are
composed of a top and bottom ledge between which the trousers are cramped or
griped ready to receive the expander It will also be apparent that when using the
stretcher frame the trousers are in a like manner griped between two surfaces at
one end of the stretcher frame The cramps used on the sliding end of stretcher
frame are of necessity provided with an extra bar which bar is sometimes partly
cut away leaving two projections as represented at n² n³ Fig 8 a.
I am aware that the mere fact of providing two sets or pairs of cramps between
which to grip a pair of trousers, is not particularly new or original, but my
invention consists in the noval method of utilizing such cramps when they are
provided.
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
1st The combination of an expander and two pairs or sets of cramps, for the
purpose of stretching trousers one pair or set of cramps being secured or cramped
to the upper portion of the trousers, the other pair or set of cramps being secured
or cramped to the lower portion of the trousers, the ends of the expander when

page_text: .
arched resting against the cramps; the expanding or stretching or treeing of the
trousers being accomplished by compressing the expander from the arched shape to
an horizontal or flat form.
2nd The combination of a stretcher frame "on which is fixed one or more pressure
ledges" with two pairs or sets of cramps and an expander frame or board, on which
is fixed one or more pressure ledges the said expander frame or board being hinged
at one or more places to enable it to be arched or forshortened in such a manner
that when the ends of the expander are placed one against each pair or set of
cramps and the expander pressed down from its arched and foreshortened position
to its horizontal or full length, one of the pairs or sets of cramps would slide on
the stretcher frame carry the material constituting the trousers with it, and thus
stretching or treeing the trousers.
3rd The combination of a stretcher frame (on which is fixed one or more pressure
ledges) with two pairs or sets of cramps and an expander frame; or board, on
which is fixed one or more pairs of pressure ledges screw pins and nuts being
connected to the pressure ledges on the stretcher frame in such a manner that when
the expander is pressed horizontally on the stretcher frame with the pressure ledges
of the said expander lineable with the pressure ledges on the stretcher frame, the
screw pins can be placed in position to connect the pressure ledges of the expander
to the pressure ledges of the stretcher frame so that the one or more pairs of
trousers having been stretched can in addition by the action of the nuts on the
screw pins be pressed or compressed together.
'
4th The making and using of an expander composed of two or more pieces of wood
or other suitable material, hinged at one, or more places and provided with a bolt;
a catch or other fastening so that when the expander is flatened out from its arched
or foreshortened position the said expander can be retained in its flat position by
means of the bolt; catch or other suitable: fastener.