US219011A - Improvement in braces - Google Patents

Description

E. C. PAGE. Braces.

No. 219,011. Patented Aug. 26,1879.

N-PETERS, FHOTLITHOGRPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED Sti'nrns yPATENT OFFICE EUGENIA C. PAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRACES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent N0. 219,011. dated August 26, 1879; application iiled l February 11, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENIA C. PAGE, of New York city, county, and State, have invented a certain new and Improved Brace; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the samef reference being had to the accompanying draw'- ings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a rear elevation, and Fig. 27a side elevation, showing the application of my improved brace; and Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of shoulder-braces, so as to render them more efficient, and at the same time more comfortable` to the wearer, than heretofore; and to this end the invention consists in the brace constructed, connected, and rendered adjustable in the manner hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the drawings, A A are twov pieces 0f cloth, suitably padded, lined, and hemmed or bound, each being about thirty-one inches (eX- treme length) along the line a b, twenty-five inches along the line a c, and seven anda half inches along the line d e, or of such approxi-` mately similar dimensions and proportions as shall adapt them to the wearer and enable.

them to perform the functions herein described. These two partsl are provided with vertical stiffening-pieces w fw, of whalebone or its equivalent, secured in place in the usual manner. j

The extremities at m n are provided with eyelets and strings, or the equivalents thereof, for adjusting and fastening them together, and the extremities o are provided with eyelets and strings, or clasps, buckles, safetypins, or other convenient adjustable fastenings.

The extremities m n of each piece are adapted to be fastened together to form an armhole, H. The wide parts cross each other at the back of the wearer, and the long narrow ends pass around to the front side, and are fastened together over the 'stomach and beneath the breasts.

When properly adjusted, .as shown in Fig.

2, the article thus constructed is intended to hold the shoulders back, while the stifteningpieces support the shoulder-blades and hold them'in position, and the effect of the whole device is to straighten the back, expand the chest, and preserve and develop the health of the wearer.

So far as above described, however, the device has already been put on the market, and is not claimed by me independently of the improvements, the character and need of which I will now set forth.

In the use of the device above described, experience has demonstrated that byreason of the absence of a proper support to the two parts A A behind the back, and of their moving independently of each other at that point, and having practically no sufficient limits to such movements, the device does not properly perform the functions for which it is designed, but fails to support the shoulder-blades and shoulders to the desired extent, and is liable to become uncomfortable to the wearer. I have therefore improved it by connecting the said two parts at the points where they cross behind the back, and by making such connection adjustable, whereby the proper support is given to the shoulders and shoulder-blades, and the device can be better adjusted to the person, and when once adjusted will maintain its position more perfectly than when not thus connected and adjusted.

The connection and adjustment may be accomplished by means of a series of eyelets, t t t, and cords at the upper edge, and a similar series, o fr, at the lower edge, of each part A A', about four or five inches from the armholes, as shown in, the drawings, or by any equivalent lacing or other connection that will answer the purpose.

When the two parts are connected they mutually hold each other in place and as sist each other in the performance of their work. When the connection is extended to the bottom as well as the top of the two parts, it serves to hold the straps that pass around in front properly in position and keep them from becoming uncomfortable to the wearer 5 and when the connection is made ad justable the same device can be readily adaptled to Wearers of different sizes and form s, lind can be adjusted at any time to more ef ciently answer its purpose.

As a further improvement, I pad those portions of the brace that come in contact with the front part ofthe shoulder of the wearer, asseen at p p, for the purpose of rendering,` the brace more comfort-able and preventing chafing of the person at those points.

I do not claim the parts A'A/when not connected together at the back 5 but Whitt I do claim as my invention is- The brace consisting of the broad crossstraps A Af, provided with arm-holes, and connected at the back: at the points or angles Q2 t, and rendered adjustable at the upper angie by means of eyelets and strings, or other equivalent devices, substantially :is described, for the purpose speced.

EUGENIA C. PAGE.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. HANKINS, R. H. CRAWFORD.

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