IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES FOR SUSPENDING ARTICLES OF DRESS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Boultbee Brooks, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES
FOR SUSPENDING ARTICLES OF DRESS."
Sealed the 12th September 1879, and dated the 15th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Boultbee Brooks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1879.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES FOR SUSPENDING ARTICLES OF DRESS."
In braces used for suspending trousers and other like articles of dress the brace
ends are ordinarily attached to the buckle, which is adjusted on the web or band of
the brace, the strap or connecting piece between the brace ends passing through a
loop secured to the buckle. The said brace ends consist of two pieces of leather
having button holes, and connected together, the ends carrying the button holes,
and the connecting part being sometimes formed from one piece of leather.
In using braces of the ordinary construction the connection of the brace at the
front of the person to the trousers or article of dress is effected by passing the button
holes in the brace ends over the buttons on the trousers, there being four button
holes and buttons in front to be thus connected.
My Invention has for its object to save the time and trouble attendant on the
ordinary method of connecting the brace with and disconnecting it from the trousers
or article of dress.
To the lower part of the buckle of the brace, or the substitute for a buckle, or in
case of sliding fastenings to the loop made by the folding of the web or band, I
attach a short flexible band, by preference of leather, and near the free end of the
said band I attach by eyeletting or otherwise the body of a solitaire. Near that
end of the said band attached to the buckle I affix the stem or other part of the
solitaire. When the free end of the said band is doubled upon the fixed end, the
body of the solitaire may be engaged with the stem, and a loop formed. The con-
nection between the brace ends is passed through this loop, and when the brace
ends are buttoned to the trousers the brace acts as an ordinary brace. When
however it is wished to detach the brace from the trousers it is not necessary to
unbutton the brace ends from the buttons. It is only necessary to push the pushers
of the solitaire, when the end of the band carrying the body of the solitaire becomes

page_text: detached from the other end. The loop formed by the folding of the said band is
thereby opened, and the connection between the brace ends is detached from the
buckle of the brace. The said brace ends remain buttoned to the trousers, and
when it is wished again to support the trousers by the brace it is only necessary to
pass the end of the band carrying the body of the solitaire under the connection
between the brace ends, and engage the body of the solitaire with the stem to effect
the connection of the brace with the trousers.
The operation of connecting the brace with the trousers and disconnecting it
therefrom is effected with great ease and rapidity.
"
Braces made according to my Invention may be used exactly as ordinary
braces.
Although I have described the connection and disconnection of the lower end of
the band of which the loop is formed with its upper end by the use of a solitaire,
yet I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of a solitaire
for that purpose, as any snap fastening, or hook-like or button-like fastening may
be used in place of a solitaire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Boultbee Brooks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
September 1879.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES FOR SUSPENDING ARTICLES OF DRESS."
In braces used for suspending trousers and other like articles of dress the brace
ends are ordinarily attached to the buckle, which is adjusted on the web or band of
the brace, the strap or connecting piece between the brace ends passing through a
loop secured to the buckle. The said brace ends consist of two pieces of leather
having button holes, and connected together, the ends carrying the button holes
and the connecting part being sometimes formed from one piece of leather.
In using braces of the ordinary construction the connection of the brace at the
front of the person to the trousers or article of dress is effected by passing the
button holes in the brace ends over the buttons on the trousers, there being four
button holes and buttons in front to be thus connected.
My Invention has for its object to save the time and trouble attendant on the
ordinary method of connecting the brace with and disconnecting it from the trousers
or article of dress.
To the lower part of the buckle of the brace, or the substitute for a buckle, or,
in case of sliding fastenings, to the loop made by the folding of the web or band, Í
attach a short flexible band, by preference of leather, and near the free end of the
said band I attach by eyeletting or otherwise the body of a solitaire. Near that
end of the said flexible band attached to the buckle I affix the stem or other part
of the solitaire. When the free end of the said band is doubled upon the fixed end
the body of the solitaire may be engaged with the stem, and a loop formed. The
connection between the brace ends is passed through this loop, and when the brace
ends are buttoned to the trousers the brace acts as an ordinary brace. When
however it is wished to detach the brace from the trousers it is not necessary to
unbutton the brace ends from the buttons; it is only necessary to press the pushers
of the solitaire, when the end of the band carrying the body of the solitaire becomes
detached from the other end. The loop formed by the folding of the said band is
thereby opened, and the connection between the brace ends is detached from the
buckle of the brace. The said brace ends remain buttoned to the trousers, and
when it is wished again to support the trousers by the brace it is only necessary to
pass the end of the band carrying the body of the solitaire under the connection
between the brace ends and engage the body of the solitaire with the stem to effect
the connection of the brace with the trousers.
Although I have described the connection and disconnection of the lower end of
the band of which the loop is formed with its upper end by the use of a solitaire,
yet I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of a solitaire
for that purpose, as any snap fastening, or hook like or button like fastening may
be used in place of a solitaire.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, and Figure 2 in side elevation, a portion
of a brace containing my improvements; and Figure 3 represents a portion of the
brace detached.
In Figures 1 and 2 the brace ends are represented fastened in their place for use.
In Figure 3 that portion of the brace to which the brace ends are connected is shown
open for disconnecting the brace ends.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3. a is the web or
strap of the brace, and 6 is the buckle by which the length of the web or strap is
adjusted, as usual. Instead of the buckle represented a substitute for a buckle may
be used: c, c, are the brace ends of the ordinary kind. To the lower part of the

page_text: buckle ba short flexible band d, d², is connected in the manner represented. On
the free end of the said flexible band d, d², the body e of a solitaire is fixed, and
near the upper fixed end of the said band the stem fof the solitaire is fixed. The
flexible band consists of a folded piece of leather, the two branches of which are
marked respectively d, d², the outer part d² carrying the body e of the solitaire,
constituting a loop which is capable of being raised parallel to the other part d
carrying the solitaire stein f, as represented in Figure 2; or of being separated from
the said inner part d, as seen in Figure 3. In the bottom of the loop part d³ of the
flexible band d, d², the middle or connecting piece c² of the brace ends c, c, rides
when the brace is in use. When the looped part d² of the flexible band is open, or
in the position represented in Figure 3, the middle part c² of the brace ends c, c,
may be passed into the loop d², and by lifting the said looped part so as to close it
upon the other part d, the body e of the solitaire may be brought opposite to and
engaged upon the stem fon the said part d, as represented in Figures 1 and 2, and
the brace ends c, c, thereby securely connected with the brace, and when the brace
ends are buttoned to the trousers the brace acts as an ordinary brace. To detach
the brace from the trousers (the brace ends being left buttoned to the buttons) the
pushers g, g, of the solitaire are pressed between the thumb and finger. By this
pressure the solitaire is unfastened, and the loop d² of the flexible band of the brace
is detached from the other part & and opens the loop, as represented in Figure 3,
and permits the body of the brace to become disconnected from the brace ends c, c,
which remain buttoned to the trousers.
To refasten the brace ends to the body of the brace it is only necessary to pass
the loop d² of the flexible band under the middle part c² of the brace ends c, c, and
engage the body e of the solitaire with the stem f to effect the connection of the
brace with the trousers, as will be understood by an examination of Figures 1
and 2.
The operation of connecting the brace with the trousers and disconnecting it
therefrom is effected with great ease and rapidity.
Braces made according to my Invention may be used exactly like ordinary braces,
that is, the brace ends c, c, may be unbuttoned from the trousers, instead of opening
the flexible band d, d², as before described.
When the web or strap of the brace is adjusted by a slide instead of by a buckle,
or substitute for a buckle, the flexible band d, d2, is affixed to the web itself.
This arrangement is represented in front elevation in Figure 4, with the brace
ends fastened, and in side elevation in Figure 5 with the brace ends unfastened.
h is the adjusting slide on the web a, and i is a metallic loop situated in the
flexible loop a² of the web a. To the metallic loop i the fixed side or part d of the
flexible band is affixed, as represented.
By moving the slide h on the web a the loop a² may be lengthened or short-
ened, and the length of the web a of the brace adjusted, as is well understood.
Figure 6 represents in front elevation and side elevation the arrangement of my
Invention, in which a button or stud is used in place of a solitaire; and Figure 7
represents the arrangement of my Invention in which a hook is used.
The stud or button of the fixed side or part d of the flexible strap d, d², is marked
k, and the hook on the side or part d is marked l. In the arrangements Figures 6
and 7, the free end or loop part d² of the flexible band is provided with a button
hole m, which after the brace ends have been passed into the folded or looped part
of the flexible band is engaged with the button or stud k, or hooked upon the hook l,
as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6.
Figure 8 represents in front elevation, and Figure 9 in side elevation a modifi-
cation of my Invention, the brace ends being represented fastened to the brace.
Figures 10 and 11 represent parts of the brace.
In this arrangement the body of the solitaire is connected to the brace ends, and
the stem to the body of the brace. a is the strap or web of the brace, having along
its middle a series of holes n. On the strap or web a is a slide p, to the middle
bar of which the flexible band d is affixed. To the free end of the said band & the

page_text: stem fof the solitaire is affixed. The holes n in the strap or web a are of a size
proper for the stem f of the solitaire to pass through. The body e of the solitaire
is connected to the joined ends of the loop d², through which the connecting piece c²
of the brace ends c, c, is passed. The brace ends c, c, and solitaire body e are thus
inseparable, and form one article. By removing the stem f from the hole n in the
strap or web a, and moving the slide p on the said strap or web, its length may be
adjusted. After adjustment the stem ƒ of the solitaire is passed through one of the
holes n in the strap or web, and projects from the said strap or web ready to receive
the body of the solitaire. The strap or web is thereby fixed in its adjusted position.
In order to fasten the brace ends c, c, to the brace the body e of the solitaire is
brought opposite the stem f, projecting through the brace a, and the solitaire body e
engaged with the said stem in the usual way. The brace ends c, c, are thereby
secured to the brace. To unfasten the brace ends it is only necessary to press upon
the pushers g, g, of the solitaire, when the body e of the solitaire and the brace ends
are completely disconnected from the brace, as seen in Figure 11.
I do not limit myself to any particular construction of solitaire, or to any par-
ticular means for fastening it to the parts to be connected to and disconnected from
one another, neither do I limit myself to a solitaire, as other spring or snap fastenings
may be used in place of solitaires.
My Invention may be applied to the connection and disconnection of the brace
ends at the back of the brace, as well as at the front of the brace.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention
of "Improvements in Braces for Suspending Articles of Dress,"-
. First. The construction and combination of parts herein before described, and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawing, for connecting
the brace ends of braces to and disconnecting them from the brace, that is to say,
connecting to the buckle, or substitute for a buckle, or to the loop of the brace, a
flexible band, the free end of the said band being furnished with the body of a
solitaire, or one part of a spring or snap fastening, and the fixed end of the said
band being furnished with the stem of a solitaire or the other part of a spring or
snap fastening, the said flexible band when folded or doubled constituting a loop,
into which the connecting piece of the brace ends may be passed, the free end of
the said flexible band being connected to and disconnected from the fixed end of the
said band, and the brace ends fastened to and unfastened from the brace in the
manner and substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The modification herein before described and illustrated in Figures 6
and 7 of the accompanying Drawing, in which a stud, or button, or hook is used
in place of a solitaire, or spring, or snap fastening.
Thirdly. The modification herein before described and illustrated in Figures 8, 9,
10, and 11 of the accompanying Drawing, in which the body of the solitaire, or
spring, or snap fastening is connected to the brace ends, and the stem of the solitaire
or the other part of the spring or snap fastening is connected to a flexible band
secured to the slide of the brace, the solitaire, or spring, or snap fastening serving to
fasten the brace in its adjusted position, as well as to connect the brace ends to and
disconnect then from the brace, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Boultbee Brooks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS. (L.S.)