A New or Improved Attachment to Ladies' Dresses for the Purpose of Protecting Bands or Wreaths of Flowers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1893—Accepted, 30th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Attachment to Ladies' Dresses for the Purpose
of Protecting Bands or Wreaths of Flowers.
We, FLORENCE MARY FLETCHER of Cambury House Clarendon Park Road
Knighton, CHARLES EDWARD WHITMORE and CHARLES DUNDAS PRICE both
of Halford Street, Leicester, Wholesale Grocers all in the County of Leicester do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to an attachment to ladies dresses for the purpose of
protecting ornamental wreaths or bands of flowers, and prevent them getting
crushed or broken when a cloak, shawl or other article is thrown over the
wearer.
This invention is especially applicable to those bands of flowers frequently used
extending across the chest from the shoulder to the hip, and consists in fastening to
the dress at a suitable number of points, a bent piece of wire or other material, in
such a manner that it will project slightly above the flowers. A number of these are
connected together with cord or other material fastened at each end, the whole being
of such a length as will stretch almost from one end of the band to the other, those
at the middle being of larger diameter than those at the end, as the flowers increase
in the size generally towards the centre. These protecting pieces are stitched,
fastened by an ordinary or safety pin or otherwise fixed to the dress so that they
will project in an upright manner, and are preferably covered with silk, so that
they will not disfigure the flowers. When a cloak or shawl is thrown over the
wearer's shoulders, instead of resting on the flowers as at present, it will lie on top
of these protecting arches and thus leave the flowers free.
Dated this 30th day of September 1892.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Attachment to Ladies' Dresses for the Purpose
of Protecting Bands or Wreaths of Flowers.
FLORENCE MARY FLETCHER of Cambury House, Clarendon Park Road,
Knighton, Spinster, CHARLES EDWARD WHITMORE and CHARLES DUNDAS
PRICE both of Halford Street, Leicester, Wholesale Grocers, all in the County of
Leicester 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 an attachment to ladies dresses for the purpose of
protecting ornamental wreaths or bands of flowers, and prevent them getting crushed
or broken when a cloak, shawl, or other article is thrown over the wearer.
This invention is specially applicable for covering and protecting bands or sprays
of flowers frequently used extending across the chest from the shoulder to the hip,
and consists in fastening flowers or wires or arches connected either together, or to
a frame or base, and provided with chains, brooch fastenings, cord or ribbon or
similar means of attachment the whole length of such being that it will stretch
almost from one end of the band or spray to the other, such arches may be
graduated because in large bands the flowers increase in size generally towards the
ID 17

page_text: centre, or upper portion, therefore the straight or crossed arches have to be larger
or smaller accordingly.
This attachment is secured by safety pins, brooch fastenings or other equivalent
means secured to the ends of the bent wires forming the arches, or by cords, ribbon
or the like, and secured to the dress so that the arch or arches will project in an
upright manner. The arch or arches may be covered with, or have secured thereto
if necessary a gauze net, silk or other fabric cover "not shown," so that it does not
press upon the flowers when a coat, jacket or shawl is over it, or thrown over the
shoulders of the wearer, instead of resting on the band or spray of flowers as at
present, such cover will lie on top of the projecting arch or arches and thus leave
the flowers free from being crushed or becoming broken or disarranged. We attain
these objects by constructing the appliance or attachment as illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a top view of the appliance stretched out ready for covering the band
or spray of flowers.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same closed after use.
Figure 3 shows the appliance in another form, the arches A going across from
one side to the other transversely, and opened out as when in use, and Figure 4 is a
view of the same closed after use.
Such wreath or spray of flowers are arranged frequently for evening dress, or
upon other occasions either as shoulder knobs or sprays, breast knobs or sprays, or
extending across the chest from the shoulder to the hip of the wearer. When the
appliance is out of use it can be carried in a pocket or reticule.
Similar letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures.
To
In carrying out this invention a variety of different metals or other suitable
material can be employed, of a flexible nature, plain or ornamental, and consisting
of one or more crossed or straight arches to cover the length of the band of flowers;
if constructed as illustrated in the drawings Figures 1 and 2 which consist of several
sets or series of arches A centrally pivotted at B, so that several sets can be folded
well within the larger arch "as seen in Figure 2," each bent wire is flattened at its
outer ends b, and rivetted together at C, to the outer ends are attached either
chains D, or may be, a brooch pin, ribbon or the like to fasten it to the dress or
other article of wearing apparel. When chains are employed safety pins E are
secured thereon to fasten the appliance securely to the dress of the wearer.
determine to what extent each set of arches shall be opened we affix thereto at any
desired point, or points, chains D, either at the bottom as shown, or any other part,
for at the bottom pins may be used to fasten like a brooch pin, or silk cord ribbon
or the like. If the attachment is made as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, two or
four arches A are by preference employed which are secured firmly to the pivotted
levers D¹ the ends may carry chains D, brooch fastenings, ribbon and the like to
secure the article, the joints D" allow of the appliance or attachment to be fixed
in any desired position or angle, whether worn across the chest, or as shoulder
knobs, sprays, breast knobs, or sprays, or wherever flowers are worn, the arches
meanwhile retaining their upright position, which of course is essential, and keeps
them from the flowers that is to say; the flowers thereunder are quite free. The
levers D¹ may telescope if desired. A. various assortment of designs may be
produced by graduating the arches, and ornamenting them, and by slight modifications
the attachments may be employed to protect flowers in gentlemens coats, or other
ladies or gentlemen's wearing apparel without departing from the essence of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. As a new article of manufacture, a flower-protecting dress attachment, con-
sisting of two or more arches, so connected as to be expanded or folded together at

page_text: 2. The combination with a flower-protecting dress attachment, consisting of two
or more arches, so connected as to be expanded or folded together at will, of a
cover of any suitable fabric secured thereto, substantially as described.
3. As a new article of manufacture a flower-protecting dress-attachment, con-
sisting of two or more arches, connected at base by a set of pivoted levers,
substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of June 1893.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Registered Patent Agent,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicants' Agent.