Improvements in Braces or other like Suspenders for Garments.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1890-Accepted, 2nd Aug., 1590
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Braces or other like Suspenders for Garments.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of the firm of Martin and Martins of Great Charles
Street in the City of Birmingham, Leather Goods Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to braces or suspenders for garments, and which is designated
by me, as herein-after described, a "collar brace or suspender."
Heretofore, braces or suspenders, have been made up of webbings or brace lengths,
arranged at back, in manner that the pull is directed diagonally, without taking a fit
upon the shoulders of the wearer.
'
The object of my invention, is to make the body part of the brace circlet form or
continuous from front to back, thereby creating an extended and complete shoulder
and back bearing.
From the fronts and back of this circlet-brace-body, web lengths or tabs, are
vertically directed, and are connected to the front and back of a garment, by suitable
attachments, or means.
In carrying out my invention, I take a collar shaped body part, with the fore ends
or fore parts, which come in front of a person, directed alike unto the ends of an
ordinary band-tie, whilst the back part is shaped of the configuration of the shoulders
of a person.
The back or circlet part, has body tabs, depending at suitable distances apart on the
two opposite sides of its middle, and from these body tabs, vertical webs are connected
and suspended.
To the extreme fore ends of the band front as aforesaid, vertical web lengths are
connected, and with their extreme ends, and the ends of those which come at the back,
provided with button-hole tabs, or other means of connection.
To the extreme fore ends of the band front as aforesaid, vertical web lengths are
connected, and with their extreme ends, and the ends of those which come at the back,
provided with button-hole tabs, or other means of connection.
The band or girth lengths of the front, and also the body tabs at the back, may if
necessary, be extended into web lengths.
The web or other supplementary lengths may be made adjustable, and secured to the
accessory parts of the circlet or collar body part, by buckles, or other suitable
connections.
It will be understood that the body of the collar or semi-circlet lies upon the top of
the back, between the shoulder blades, whilst the band parts proceeding and curving
forwardly from the said back parts pass over the shoulders and depend downwards
upon the breasts.
The collar or semi-circlet, may be made of textile fabric, leather and any other
suitable materials; if made of fabric I propose that the same with its tab lengths or
cognate parts should be woven in a piece, although the same may be made up from
cut-out materials.
By being made of textile material the same admits of being washed, and the
accessory parts afterwards attached in any desired manner.
If made of leather, or stcut material, the same may he ventilated, by being
pierced.
The connections to the semi circlets, may be made direct to it, instead of by tab
connections.
I propose also to make the body part orbicular, or in the form of a roundlet, with
or without band and tab end; so that the front band lengths, proceed from the
roundlet downwards, alike unto that of the back.

page_text: The semi-circlet, or the roundlet as aforesaid, may if necessary be made in the form
of a garment, or a garment may be furnished with a part alike unto a circlet or
round let, and to which the accessory parts are connected.
Dated this 28th day of September 1889
PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Braces or other like Suspenders for Garments.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of the firm of Martin and Martins of Great Charles
Street, in the City of Birmingham, Leather Goods Manufacturer, 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 braces or suspenders for garments, as hereinafter
described.
The object of my invention, is a perfect collar brace, with fore and aft parts, which
lie evenly upon the breasts, and back of a person wearing the same.
In carrying out my invention, I take a semi-circlet or collar shaped body part, and
extend forward from its outer parts, breast lengths, and from its inner and middle
part, or parts, a tab or tabs.
The web, or other supplementary lengths, may be made adjustable, and secured to
the accessory parts of the semi-circlet, or collar body part, by buckles, or other
suitable connections...
The semi-circlet or collar body part, and its shoulder lengths, and back tab or tabs,
may be made of textile fabric, leather, or any other suitable materials.
When made of textile material, it admits of being washed, when the same becomes
soiled.
I propose also to make the body part, orbicular, or in the form of a roundlet.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents a brace, constructed, arranged,
and shaped, according to my invention. It will be seen, that the said brace, is
provided with a semi-circlet shoulder part, with continuous and tortuous-shaped fore
parts, coming on each side.
By so shaping the said fore ends, or fore parts, the same fits or lies evenly upon the
breasts of the wearer, whilst the collar, or semi-circlet part, which is broadened out,
and made somewhat alike in figure to that of a yoke, fits the shoulders, between the
shoulder blades, in manner, that the same sustains the whole of the pull, both back
and front.
Figure 2 shows how the said brace is worn by a person, and how it fits upon the
shoulders, as aforesaid.
Figure 3 represents a plan of the same, or a view showing somewhat the figure
which the same takes, when lain flat.
a is the semi-circlet shoulder part, and breast lengths, or fore ends, made
continuous with the said semi-circlet part. The part a, is broadened out, and is of the
contour of the combined shoulder and back of a person, whereon it seats itself, whilst
the fore parts b, which are suspended on each side of the said circlet or collar part,
are made undulatory or tortuous in figure, so that when hung forward over the
shoulders, they lie perfectly flat upon the breasts, so that the pull of the garment,
comes direct from the shoulder, instead of cross-wise, as in common with braces of
other constructions.
The middle of the inner edges, of the semi-circlet part, is extended downwardly into
a back tab c, to which, runner webs d, d, terminated by loop tabs e, e, are connected,
by the middle part of the continuous length forming the said runner webs, passing
over the bar, of a swivelling loop f¹, of a buckle f, connected to the said back
tab c.

page_text: The tab c, may be if necessary, extended to a longer distance than that shown, and
the buckle may be adjustable upon the said extended end.
The runner webs d, are adjustable, by the combined buckles and slides
9.
The terminal ends of the breast lengths, or fore ends b, are connected with
supplementary runner webs d, with their middles passing over the bars, of jointed
loops, of buckles f, alike unto the runner webs at the back as aforesaid. The
adjustment means of the said runner webs, are like the back ones, consisting of
buckles g,
with the loops d, of the webs, formed by connecting the back end d³, to
the cross bar or bars 92, and passing the front part d, under the prongs g³, and top.
bar.g, so that by tilting the buckles, and turning the prongs away from the material,
the fronts of the web d, run freely, and the loops d, extended or contracted, whereby
adjustment is effected.
The releasing of the buckles g, after adjustment, automatically affixes the parts in
their adjusted positions, by the prongs g³, penetrating into the material.
Figure 4 represents a semi-circlet or collar brace, provided with two semi-detached
back-tabs, instead of one, as in the preceeding figures, and figures 4^ represents the
back part of the same, in plan or straightened out.
The webs or adjustable extensions, directed from the buckles, are made single,
instead of crossing each other, as of the brace, with the single tab.
Figure 5 represents another form of my invention, with the semi-circlet or
collarette part, jointed about its middle, so as to admit of the said part, making a
true fit upon varying shaped shoulders.
a is the semi-circlet shoulder or collarette part, made in two parts a³ and a³,
connected or jointed together by a button or stud a', passing through button holes a³,
although the said connection may be made, by a fixed eyelet, stud, rivet, or the
like.
The parts a², a³, have front-wire breast lengths b, provided with runner webs d,
and other connections as before, and rearwise, back tabs c, and accessory parts, as in
the preceeding arrangements.
Figure 6 represents the inner ends of the parts a³, a³, figure 5, separated.
Figure 7 represents a plan of them, connected together.
The semi-circlet or collarette part, with the rear and front extensions, to wit, the
breast lengths, coming on each side, and the back tab or tabs, may be made in a
single piece, and from textile fabric.
Or the same may be made, or woven in a single piece, in any suitable material;
when produced from textile fabric or like material, the same admits, when soiled,
of being washed, and "got up," alike unto new, which is a considerable advantage,
and is unattainable in ordinary braces.
In order to make the braces as aforesaid ventilated, they may be pierced, slit,
or otherwise made open.
The back tab or tabs, instead of being united, or rigidly affixed to the collar
part, may be connected by a swivelling joint.
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
First A collar brace or suspender, having a semi-circlet or collarette-shaped
shoulder part, with breast lengths, or fore parts, made tortuous, or with the edges
of them, curved inwards, and then outwards, and with the underside of the middle
of the shoulder part, provided with a back tab, all arranged, and shaped, substan-
tially as described and set forth.
Secondly-A collar brace, having a semi-circlet or collarette shaped shoulder
part, made continuous or in one piece with tortuously directed breast lengths, or
fore ends, and a depending back tab; and which said depending front and rear
parts, are provided with adjustable runner webs, terminated by button-hole loops or
tabs, substantially as set forth in figures 1 to 3.
Thirdly Combining with a collar brace, or the body part thereof, of runner web

page_text: or band lengths d, secured to the terminal ends of the three part collar-brace, by
fasteners, and buckles, and means as described and set forth in the several
figures.
Fourthly: Providing collar braces, having tortuous breast lengths, with double or
semi-detached rear tabs, as described and set forth in figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8..
Fifthly Making the shoulder parts of collar braces, in two parts, and uniting
them together, by a joint, or button connection, substantially as set forth in figures 5,
6, and 7.
Dated this 28th day of June 1890
PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN..
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.