US704042A - Skirt-retainer. - Google Patents

Description

No. 704,042. Patentgd m 8, I902. M. C. HUFFMAN.

SKIRT RETAINER.

- (Application M May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2v Sheets-Sheet I.

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No 704,042. Pa tented Jilly 8, I902.

M. c. HUFFMAN. SKIRT RETAlNER'.

(Application filed May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES VATENT FFICE.

MARY C. HUFFMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,042, dated July 8, 1902.

Application filed May 15, 1899. Serial No. 71 6,5306. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY C. HUFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Skirt-Retainers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to that class of skirtretainers adapted to attach the back of the skirt at its upper edge or band to a waist or belt. Many devices have been employed for this purpose; but so far as I am aware there is not in use any that is entirely satisfactory, and a safety-pin is more commonly used than any device especially designed for the purpose.

My invention embodies a construction which overcomes the disadvantages of other,

devices for accomplishing the same purpose and is cheap and simple in construction and readily understood and applied.

It comprises two supports, preferably in the nature of balls or studs, which are connected with each other by a flexible connection and by means of which they are suitably spaced, properly sustained, and readily attached by sewing to the back of a'shirt-waist near its lower edge or to a belt, if one be used.

The invention further comprises two attaching members which are independent of each other and each of which comprises a device having an attachable relation to each of said studs or balls to be attached thereto ordetached therefrom and each of which also has a short downward -extending flexible tongue, by means of which it is adapted to be attached to the skirt immediately below the waistband and uponeachside of a vertical line extending centrally through the back thereof.

I have ascertained that by providing the waist and skirt or the belt and skirt with two points of attachment, one upon each side of the center of the back of the waistband of the skirt, and that by supporting the skirt at the back upon flexible connections bearing portions of the attaching devices and by making the points of attachment between the skirt and these flexible connections slightly below the waistband the skirt and the waist or the skirtand the belt are so attached to each other that the skirt hangs evenly and uniformly, does not gap at the back, and is held from gaping. These attaching devices may be secured to the inside or outside of the garments, as desired. For example, that memberof the attachment carrying the balls or studs may be fastened to the back of the waist or to the belt on the outside of the garment, in which case the skirt connections or socket-carrying tabs of the attachment would be secured to the inside of the skirt. This arrangement may be reversed, if found desirable, and the socket-carrying tabs secured to the outside of the skirt, and in this case the stud or ball carrying member of the attachment would be secured to the inside of the waist or belt.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents my retainer in its commercial form, but not attached to the Waist or skirt. Fig. 2

shows the two suspended members separated from the upper member.

Fig. 3 shows the upper member as attached to the back of a shirt-waist. Fig. shows the lower member as attached to the inner surface of the back of a skirt. Fig. 5 represents the skirt and the waist as secured together at the back by the upper and lower members, the position of the upper and lower members being represented by dotted lines. Fig. 6 represents my device as attached to a belt and the lower members not being secured to a skirt. Fig. 7 represents the lower member as provided with a loop for receiving a bar of a safety-pin,

by which it may be easily and detachably secured to a skirt.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the upper member of my retainer or the upper part, which is attached to the shirt-waist, as shown in Fig. 3, or to the belt, as represented in Fig. 6. It comprises the flexible section a, preferably of firm tape, having bound ends a at, and the balls or studs B: B, attached thereto near each end thereof. The'member is preferably attached to the waist by sewing and as represented in Fig. 3 to bring the main central lines a a of the connection upon a line with the center of the back of the waist and at a suitable distance from the lower edge thereof. This will bring the studs or balls B B upon either side of the center of the back of the waist and at a uniform distance from said center, and the balls or studs will be held to the waist by a flexible and firm connection, which strengthens the waist at this point and maintains the balls or studs in the positions indicated and properly spaces them apart before they are attached to the waist.

O O are the suspending members of the device. They are separated from each other, are counterparts, and are attachable to the waist. Each consists of aclasp or engaging device 0 in the nature of a socket to engage one of the studs or balls B and maintain engagement therewith of a separable nature, however. To accomplish this, the ball or stud B may be resilient or the socket may be resilient. The socket is secured to the upper end of the member, as represented in Fig. 4, and the memberis preferably of firmly-woven tape, having each end 0 c bound. Each of the members is attached to the garment in any desirable way. In Fig. 4 I have represented them as attached by sewing, and in Fig. 7 I have represented a safety-pin D. I prefer to attach them to the skirt immediately below the waistband of the skirt rather than to the waistband itself and also at a uniform distance from the back central line 0 c of the waistband or substantially as represented in Fig. 4, although the points of attachment to the skirt may be nearer the waistband than therein shown. They are also attached to the skirt at a distance apart equivalent to that at which the studs or balls B B are separated and so as to present their socket-entrances to the studs or balls. For instance, if the studsor balls are presented as in Fig. 3, then the socket-entrances will be presented as in Fig. 4. the member A, carrying studs or balls, is

placed upon the inside of the waist, the members O C will then be placed upon the outside of the skirt to face in the proper direction'for engagement with the studs on said first-namedmember. When a safety-pin D is used, I prefer that each member 0 C have a loop for receiving and holding one of the bars of the pin. (See Fig. 7.) In Fig. 6 I

have represented the upper member as at tached to a removable belt. The balls or studs may, however, be secured directly to the belt, if desired, provided they are located as above specified.

By this device both the skirtand waist are provided with permanent means for attachment and detachment at the back, whereby when attached the upper edge or waistband of the skirt is connected to the shirt-waist and maintained in a manner not to gap and is maintained in that position so longas the attachment continues.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A skirt-supporter and placket-opening retainer comprising a flexible strip adapted to be sewed or otherwise secured to a belt or shirt-waist at the waist-line in a horizontal position said strip having parts of separable fasteners secured thereto with the separable fasteners one on either side of the line of the skirt-opening or placket; and two verticallydisposed flexible strips having the companion parts of said separable fasteners secured to their upper ends for engagement with the fastener members on said horizontally-placed strip, said vertically-disposed strips being adapted to be secured at their lower ends to a skirt below the waistband, one on either side of the placket-opening.

2. A skirt-supporter and placket-opening retainer comprising a flexible strip A adapted to be attached in a horizontal position to a belt or other article of apparel at the waistline, said strip A having parts B, B of separable fasteners secured thereto, one on either side of the line of the skirt-opening or placket; two flexible strips 0, 0, provided at their lower ends with a detachable fastening device by which they may be secured in a vertical position to a skirt at points just below the waistband thereof, one on either side of the skirt-opening or placket; the companion pants 0, c, of said separable fasteners secured to the upper ends of said verticallydisposed strips 0, C for engagement with the said fastener members 'B, B, whereby the said strips 0, C may be separably connected to the strip A, the skirt upheld, the placketopening maintained in closed position, and strain upon and sagging of the waistband prevented.

MARY C. HUFFMAN.

In presence of J. M. DOLAN, F. 1*. RAYMOND, 2d.

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