AN IMPROVEMENT IN DRESS HOLDERS OR SUSPENDERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Leslie Fyfe, of Aldersgate Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN DRESS HOLDERS OR
SUSPENDERS."
Sealed the 24th May 1878, and dated the 5th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Leslie Fyfe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1877.
" AN
ALEXANDER LESLIE FYFE, of Aldersgate Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENT IN DRESS HOLDERS OR SUSPENDERS."
My Invention relates to ladies' dress holders or suspenders, consisting of a pair of
levers pivotted together like a pair of pliers provided with elastic jaws, which hold
the dress, and a collar or link that slides along the upper part or shanks of the
levers, and serves, when drawn up to the top ends of the levers, to confine them
and force the jaws tightly together so as to retain the dress securely when placed
between them. This collar is provided with a ring, or other means of attachment
for the chain or cords, suspended from the waist-belt or otherwise.
In the closed position of the suspender the sliding collar is received in notches
formed on the outer sides of the levers, towards the top; and as the tendency of the
levers is to spread apart, the collar is securely locked in position until released by
pressing the levers together, and sliding the collar along the levers towards the
pivot. The levers at their upper extremities are furnished with spherical or other
shaped knobs or projections, which afford greater facility in releasing the dress,
being grasped by the fingers in forcing the levers inwards, and also serve to prevent
the collar from being drawn off by the weight of the dress, as well as adding to the
ornamental appearance of the holder. These knobs or projections may be made of
any material, and are attached to the extremities of the levers by screwing, or they
may be soldered or otherwise fixed thereon after the sliding collar has been placed
on the levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Leslie Fyfo in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
June 1878.
ALEXANDER LESLIE FYFE, of Aldersgate Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENT IN DRESS HOLDERS OR SUSPENDERS."
"AN
My Invention relates to that kind of ladies' dress holder or suspender, which
consists of a pair of levers pivoted together like a pair of pliers, and provided with
jaws to hold the dress, and a link or runner to confine the levers and force the jaws
together, the said link or runner being provided with a ring or other means of
attachment for the chain or cords, by which the dress holder is suspended from the
waist belt or otherwise.
In one kind of holder the link is fixed to one of the levers, the other being held
in the closed position by a catch on the back of the link. In another kind a runner
is employed sliding along the upper limbs of the levers, and serving also, when
drawn up to the top ends of the levers, to confine them and force the jaws tightly
togother.
In the closed position of the suspender the sliding link or runner is received in
notchos formed on the outer sides of the levers towards the top; and as the tendency
of the levers is to spring apart, the runner is securely retained in the notches until
released by pressing the levers together, and sliding the runner along the levers
towards the pivot.
According to my Invention the levers are furnished at the upper extremities with
spherical or equivalent shaped knobs, which may be readily grasped by the fingers
in order to spring the levers inwards sufficiently to release in one case the lever
from the catch of the link, and in the other case the sliding runner from the catch 2
or notches in which it is retained, as above mentioned, and thus enable the jaws to
be opened to release the dress from between them. The rounded shape of these
knobs adds to the ornamental appearance of the dress holder, and enables the pres-
sule necessary to spring the levers to be applied quite at their extremity where the
leverage is greatest, and the knobs themselves serve also as stops to prevent the 3
sliding runner from being drawn quite off the levers by the weight of the dress. The
knobs may be made of any suitable material, and are attached to the extremities of
the levers by screwing, or they may be soldered or otherwise fixed thereon after
the runner has been placed on the levers, the method of attachment depending,
however, on the material of which the knobs are mado.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated it
in the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a front view of a ladies'
dress holder or suspender, with sliding runner, with the improvement of my In-
vention applied.
Figure 2 shows a back view of a holder with the fixed link, also with my 4
improvement applied, whilst Figure 3 shows one of the knobs in section.
A, A, are the levers of the dress holder pivoted together at a, and B are the
jaws which in Figure 1 are cupped and provided with an india-rubber pad. C is
the runner or link, and D aie the knobs, preferably of metal, and screwed on
the upper ends of the levers A, as shown, although they may be otherwise 4
affixed.
In Figure 2, e is a catch on the back of the link for retaining the levers in the
closed position, as above mentioned.
Having now described my Invention and the manner of performing the same, I de-
clare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the horein-before in part 5
recited Letters Patent is, providing the levers of a dress holder or suspender of the

page_text: kind herein mentioned, with knobs at the upper extremities, as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Leslie Fyfe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
A T TVER (ra)