US2894669A - Device for putting on and removing hosiery - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1959 L-SILKEN 2,894,669

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13, 1955 IT e [/4 INVENTOR.

IRVING S/LKEN ATTORNEY;

July 14, 1959 l. SILKEN 2,894,669

DEVICE FOR PUTTING on AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed June 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. lRV/NG S/LKEN ATTORNEY l. SlLKEN DEVICE FOR PUTTING on AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed. June 15, 1955 July 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTbR. mum/a S/L KEN d A T TORNE Y July 14, 1959 y l. SILKEN 2,894,659

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY Filed June 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/G. Z5

z l LL fl v l '1 W W I I 1 INVENTOR. IPV/A/G S/LKEN Arm/2N5 Y July 14, 1959 SlLKEN v 2,394,659

DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING Hosmw Filed June 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. [PW/V6 S/ZKE/V BYl ATfdZ/YEY United States Patent DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON AND REMOVING HOSIERY Irving Silken, Astoria, N.Y.

Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,071 13 Claims. (Cl. 223-111) This invention relates to a device for putting on and removing hosiery and is particularly devised as an aid to persons, both male and female, who cannot bend over sufliciently to remove or put on hosiery with their hands,

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which includes a handle,

on one end and apparatus on the other end for handling hosiery, a tubular body between said handle and said apparatus, said tubular body including swivel joints enabling portions of the tubular body to be offset to clear the curves and/ or deformities of the legs of a user of the device.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a device for putting on and'taking off hosiery, comprising a handle on a tubular body with Bowden wire controls,- a pair of spaced apart hoop-like holders for the hose, the smaller of which is engaged by a womans stocking intermediate its length, and the larger holder of which isadapted to be engaged by the upper or larger end of said :stocking, said larger holder being adapted to be swung .to one'side or the other (right or left) to facilitate the application of said stocking' Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus which will not only apply or remove hosiery, but which carries cooperative elements to engage the heel of .a shoe and enable the user also to take off and put on :shoes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be :apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study .of-this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved devicev ifor applying and removing hosiery which carries accessories for handling stockings of any length;

Figure 2 is a view similar to the device shown in Figure ll, except that it carries accessories for handling mens hosiery and also mens shoes;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown linFigure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevation taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure ing fittings thereon for putting on and removing mens hosiery, and a cooperative fitting for handling both hosi- Figure 5, except that the coopera- 5 is a view of the lower end of the device showice I Figure 8 is a cross-sectional elevation of thehandle end of my device showing the upper handle clamping the Bowden wire control, the secondary handle having one of its plungers in engagement with certain elements within the conduit body;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, except that certain elements controlled by the secondary handle have been released and the effect of this release;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing both the primary and the secondary plungers of the secondary handle;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 8,.showing the release of the Bowden wire control of fittings by the rotation of the upper handle;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a.

Fig. 15 is a side view of the C-shaped attachment, partly in section and with some parts omitted;

Fig. 16 is a schematic view showing a ladys stocking gripped by the device preparatory to insertion of the foot;: Fig'. 17 is a view similar to-Fig. 16, showing the stocking part way on; V i 7 Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17, showing the tube released from the ring;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18, showing the ring ready to be released, and

Fig. 20 shows the ring in its open position.

Referring now to Figure 1, I show a perspective view of a species of the invention which was devised principally by use for women, while in Figure 3, I show a side elevation of the device of Figure 1.

Primarily the device is comprised of a shaft or column which carries a Bowden wire and one end of the shaft has a pair of handles which might be termed control handles and on the other end is carried attachments to which hosiery may be secured to facilitate their being put on or taken off the users legs.

In Figure l, I show aperspective view of a form of the invention which is particularly adapted to be used by women for putting on and taking off stockings, while in Figure 2, I show another form which is particularly adapted to be used by men for putting on and taking off hosiery. However the first mentioned form of the invention, shown in perspective in Figure l, and in side elevation, Figure 3, will be described first. Referring to Fig ures 1, 3 and Figures 7, 8, 9, l0, l1 and 12, the latter group of which illustrate elements common to both forms,

' a main tubular body 20 has a Bowden wire 21 therein,

from the upper extremity of the body 20, and said wire is secured in said portion by means of set screws 34. In said portion 33 between a point where the wire 21 terminates and the upper end thereof, I provide a elongated slot 35.

The reciprocable portion 33 has aligned lateral holes 37 and 37a therein, and normally in alignment with the holes 37 and 37a is a hole 38 formed in a tongue portion 31 of a second reciprocable portion 30 which has an internally threaded hole 16 therein.

Engaging the threads of the hole 16 is a screw 29 which a Patented July 14, 1959 .3 is preferably formed integral with a cap portion 23. The cap portion fits over, or spans the end of the tubular body 20, the upper end of the internally threaded sleeve portion 30, and it also extends over the upper extremity of a ring 27 carried on the upper fixed end of the tubular body 20, the cap having a counterbore 28 therein. A fitting 19 having a tubular portion 22, which forms a working fit on the tubular body 20, has opposed extensions 17 and 18 with threaded holes therein engaged by nipples 39 and 40, which are in turn capped by screw caps 41 and 42 respectively and form a handle.

Extending inwardly from a fiange 24 on said cap 23 are radial screws 25 which secure the cap 23 to the upper end of the fitting 19 and insure that the handle and the cap, together with the screw 29 move in unison.

A fitting 43, Figure 8, which is carried on the main tubular body 20, has aligned threaded holes 44 and 45 therein which are engaged by threaded nipples 46 and 47, respectively. The nipple 46 has a cap portion 48 the inner surface of which fits on the outer end surface of the nipple 46. Secured in the cap portion 48 is a plunger shaft 49, one end 50 of which is fixed in the cap end 43 and the other end 52 of which forms a plunger adapted to enter holes 37 and 38 when they are aligned as will be hereinafter explained.

A disc 51 is secured on the shaft 49 and is abutted by one end of a helical spring 53, which embraces the shaft 49, and the other end of this spring is in contact with a second disc 54 which is secured into the end of the nipple 46 and is free on the shaft 49. A pin in said nipple has a head 55 against which the skirt or bottom edge of the cap 48 cams as the cap is rotated, and thereby the plunger 52 is moved into or out of the aligned holes 37 and 38. In Figure 8, the plunger is in said holes, while in Figure 9, the plunger is partially in the hole 37 and the tongue portion 31 has been released and the fitting 43 with the plunger 52 still projecting part way into the hole 37 may be moved up or down on the main tubular body 20 within the limits bound by a longitudinal slot 56 formed in the main tubular body 20. The overall effect of this will be presently described.

The nipple 7 engages threaded hole 45 of the fitting 433 and it also carries a cap 58 similar to the cap 48, with the exception that the cap 58 is fixed on the nipple 47 and with the latter forms a fixed handle for the user to pull against by grasping the handle 40 and the fixed handle 47 with one hand and grasping the handles 39 and 46 with the other hand, powerful leverage may be exerted urging one set of handles toward the other set. The plunger 52 is always engaged with the hole 37 in the reciprocable member 33, and it may engage the hole 38 in the portion 31, or be disengaged therefrom.

In Figure 10, I show a screw 62 which extends through the wall of the fitting 43, through the slot 56 formed in the body 20 and into a threaded hole formed in the element 33. Now in order to prevent the fitting 43 from being deformed inwardly and clamp itself to the element 33 with the portion of the wall 20 therebetween, I provide on the screw 62 a distancing sleeve 63 which is of such length that neither of the elements 43 or 33 can be clamped to wall 20 and thus bind on the latter. With this arrangement, the fitting 43 and the element 33 may be moved freely in either direction within the length defined by the slot 56.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be noted that the elements described in connection with Figures 8 to 12, inclusive, appear in the upper portion of Figure 3 denoted by the section line 8-8. Now I contemplate one form of the invention wherein the main tubular body is formed of one piece of tubing and extends from the upper end of Figure 3 to the lower end and another form of the invention actually shown in Figure 3 contemplates the formation of the main tubular body into series of sections which are swiveled together. For example, the main tubular body 20 of Figure 3 may carry on its lower end threads 66 which are engaged by a threaded cap nut 67 which has a central hole therethrough to accommodate a tubular member 68 and which has a suflicient interior bore to accommodate the Bowden wire 21. The tubular member 68 has a ball on each end thereof and in Figure 13 I show a fragmentary crosssection wherein the tubular member 68 carries a ball 69 on the lower end thereof and it carries a light ball on the upper end thereof Which sockets in the lower end of the tubular body 20 and the cap nut 67. These balls may be secured on the tubular member 68 in any suitable manner, for example by sweating, brazing or by riveting. The ball 69 is socketed between a cap nut 70 and the upper end 71 of a second tubular body 72. To adjust the device, the cap nuts may be loosened and the body may be set with a desired clearance and then secured in the desired adjusted relation by means of the cap nuts.

The lower end 73 of the second tubular body 72 is threaded and is engaged by a cap nut 74. A second tubular member '75 is substantially identical with the tubular member 68 and it has balls on the order of the balls 69 on each end thereof and the upper one is clamped to the second tubular body 72 and its lower end is clamped to a third tubular body 76 by means of a cap nut 77. In the modified device (as shown in Figs. 13 and 14) having the adjustable features described above, I provide the novel feature of having the device so it can be folded to substantially half its length by the provision of a link 78 having a hole 79 therein through which the Bowden wire 21 extends and is twisted back on itself as designated by the numeral 80. The other end of the link has a second hole 81 therein and a continuation of the Bowden wire 21a has its upper end extending through the hole 81 and wound back upon itself 82. Now when it is desired to pack the device, for example, for traveling the cap nut 70 may be loosened to the point of disengagement from the threads 71 and then the upper end of the body may be folded back upon itself in a manner sug gested by the fragmentary view of Figure 14. To restore it to its original length the reverse is the case and the upper portion is brought upwardly to its normal position and the cap nut 70 is re-engaged with the threads 71.

The third tubular body and the elements within and associated therewith may best be seen in Figure 7 wherein the second tubular member 75 has on its lower end a ball 83 which may be clamped between the upper end of the third tubular body 76 and the cap nut 77, threads 84 being provided to be engaged by corresponding threads in the cap nut 77. Within the interior bore 35 is a helical compression spring 86 through which the Bowden wire 21a extends, and abutting the lower end of the spring 86 is a sleeve member 87, the outer diameter of which forms a working fit within the bore 85. The sleeve member 87 also has an interior bore 88 which includes suflicient clearance for the Bowden wire 21a. The sleeve member 87 carries in a threaded hole therein a set screw 89 which may be of the Allen type, for example, and it, in assembly, is tightened through a hole 90 formed in the wall of the third tubular body 76. The member 87 also has a second threaded hole 91 therein which is engaged by threads 92 on a stud 93 having a rectangular head 94 thereon. This stud may also clamp the Bowden wire 21a to element 87. It will be understood that the head 94 does not necessarily have to be rectangular since it could have any other desired form. This will be better understood when the real function of the stud 93 is described hereinafter. The third tubular body also has an elongated slot 95 through whioh the stud 93 extends and its inoperative position is in the position shown in dotted lines at 931;, its intermediate position (the position when the handle is as shown in Figure 9 as shown in dot-dash lines at 93c) and of course the solid lines show the position of the stud 93 when the handle 39, 40 is in the relation shown in Figure 8. Within the bore 85 near the lower end 96 of the third tubular body is a stop ass gees member 97 against which the lower end 98 of the sleeve member 87 comes to rest under the urge of the spring 86 when the handle 39, 40 is rotated to loosen and detach any fixtures therefrom as will presently be described.

The lower end of the third tubular body 76 is provided with threads 99 which are engaged by corresponding threads formed in a nut 100, and the nut 100 carries a locking screw 101 for retaining it inany desired position on the threads 99. Formed integral with the nut 100 is a sleeve portion 102 upon which a fourth tubular body 103 is swiveled. The fourth tubular body 103 has a cross pin 104 secured therein and this pin has a central hole 105 therethrough for the passage of the Bowden wire 21a. This pin also has a head portion 113 which may best be seen in Figure 4. The sleeve portion 102 of the nut 100 has notch means 106 and this is comprised of two arcuate portions in lateral alignment which ride over the cross pin 104 in the tubular body 103. On the lower end of the body 103 I provide a cap 107 which has a clearance hole 108 therein for the wire 21a.

Slidably mounted within the lower end of the body 103 is a disk-like member 109 which carries a set screw 110 by means of which the disk 109 and the wire 21 are clamped in a fixed relation. Abutting the lower end of the tubular extension 102 is a washer 111, and between the washer 111 and the disk 109 I position a helical compression spring 112 which urges the end of the tubular portion against the fiat surface 100a of the nut and the washer 111against the lower end of the sleeve extension 102 thereby havinga restraining. effect on'the body 103 and causing the latter to more or less smoothly swivel on the tubular extension 102. U

The tubular bodyportion 103 has secured thereon rectangular boss 114, and extending laterally. through this boss is a threaded stud 115- which is threadedly engaged by a latch member 116 which hasv a threaded interiorhole with threads matching the threads on the stud 115. This arrangement may best be seenin Figures 3 and 4. I The purpose of this arrangement will presently be described.

The tubular body .76 has secured thereto a bracket 117 which has a long leg portion 118 and a shorter leg portion 119 extending 90 degrees with respect thereto the legportion 118 has therein an elongated slot 120 paralleling the slot 95 formed in the body-76.. The bracket portion 119 has a slot or notch 121 formed therein and this slot functions as a guide for attachments to'be applied to the device as will presently be described. Secured on the leg 119 and depending therefrom is a fixture 122 which as seen in plan is substantially O-shaped, and this fixture has a lower surface which is comprised of an insert 123 comprising resilient material which preferably has a high coefiicient of friction. Adjacent to the upper.

end of the leg 118 is a stud 124 mounted in a suitable opening in the wall of the third tubular body 76 and which has fixed thereon a disk-like member 125 and this disk-like member is spaced apart from the surface of the leg 118 a distance sufiicient to accommodate, with clearance, diiferent attachments for use in connection with the device.

One example of. the above is a pressure imposing element generally designated by the numeral 126 and comprised of a generally C-shaped body 127 as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 to which is secured by welding or the likea bracket member having a vertical portion 128, a horizontal portion 129 and a second verticalportion 130, the upper end of which has a slot 131 formed therein. The portion 127 may be formed of frictional material or it may be formed of other material and covered with fri'ctional material so that as a mans sock or' a womans stocking has a portion thereof disposed between the surface of theelement 127 and that of the insert 123 the sock or stocking is engaged with-more than 'sufiicient friction to prevent it from slipping when 'a mans foot or a womans foot respectively'is inserted into the portion of the sock or stocking below the element 123 and 127' (which is the foot and angle portion of the hosiery).

When the attachment 126 is to be applied to the device;

the handle 39, 40, is screwed in a direction to ease the compression of the spring 86 and thereby the sleeve member 87 is moved downwardly, say to the point where the stud 93 appears in the dotted position 93b or 930, then the attachment 126 may be positioned with the portion 130 in contact with the portion 118 of the bracket 117 quently 'to'move the stud 93 up to the position shown in solid lines, whereby the attachment is fixed on the device due 'tothe pressure of the stud against the portion 129 of the bracket and the pressure at the bottom of the slot 131 against the 'stud 124. A loop attachment over which the large end of the stocking is passed, is generally desig nated by the numeral 133,- in Figures 1, 3 and 4 and it is comprised of a split ring having a hinge 134 and a second hinge (not shown) and afastener 135. Adjacent to the hinge 134 as shown in Fig. 4 is a depending portion 136 of a bracket. Joining the portion 136 is a horizontal portion 137 which is secured to a second vertical portion 138 which has a rectangular slot 139 formed therein and this slot forms a Working fit on the rectangular boss 114. and the vertical portion 138 also contacts the head 113 previously described.

In applying the-attachment 133. the rectangular slot 139 is positioned over the rectangular boss 114 and the vertical part .138 is supported by. the head 113 and by turning. the latchmember 116 and thereby causingit to crossthe surface of the portion 138 and at the same time to tighten itvagainst the rectangular 'boss' 114, due to theafact that the threaded hole in the latch cooperates to push the'latch inwardly as the latch is rotated.

With the attachment 133; mounted as above, the device has an appearance similar to that shown in Fig. I.

The stocking 146 is gripped between elements 122 and I 127 at a point approximately midway between the ankle and knee thereof. The upper end of the stocking is fitted over the ring 140 and an elastic band or the equivalent is applied to hold said upper end on ring 140. After the foot is inserted into the stocking, elements 122 and 127 are separated from each other, thus releasing the stocking;

The calf of the leg is then slipped out of the embrace of said elements and the elements are turned either to the right or left. vRing 140 is then drawn up the leg, carrying the upper, end of the stocking with it.

Now referring to Figures 2 and 5, I show a modification of the device to be used by men in putting on and taking off'socks and even shoes. The upper portion of the device also includes tubular bodies like the first, second and .third tubular bodies, and thesev are designated as- These have already been described-" in detail inconnection with Figures 1 and 3, and this 20a, 72a and 76a.

description employs the same numerals followed by the letter a, and this description need' not be repeated. In Figures 2 and 5 I employ instead of the nut 100, the swivel feature, and a nut 141 which is screwed onto the thread 99a on the lower end of the member 76a and this nut 141 has a tapered extension 142 extending axially downward, a horizontal portion 143 formed integral:

through. and an angular portion 144which. constitutes the extremity of the extension 142. The portion144 terminates in a wedge-shaped end 145. The Bowden wire 2112 within the lower portion of the tubular body 76a may terminate in the sleeve member, not shown,

but identical with the one shown at 87 in Figure 7. The

element 117a carrying the C-shaped member 122a and the frictional member 123a is fixed on the third tubular body 76a and the member 127a for clamping the stocking or sock firmly against the insert 123a is urged upwardly by the stud 93a and thereby prevents the sock from slipping. The elements having the same numeral followed by a are identical with those described by the same numeral, or the same numeral followed by a, relate to identical parts in the modifications. This arrangement is shown in Figure 6, the sock being shown at 146. With the sock on the foot and/or when it is desired to put a shoe on the foot, an arrangement such as that shown in Figure would be employed, wherein in addition to the nut 141 with its portions 142, 143 and 144 would be employed, and cooperating with the nut and its extensions I employ an attachment generally designated by the numeral 147 (Figure 5) which has a substantially vertical portion 148, a second vertical portion 149 which is offset and has a horizontal portion 150. The portion 149 is provided with a slot 151a which is similar to the upper portion of the bracket of the pressure imposing element 126 wherein a slot 131 (see Figure 7) is formed so that the slot 131 will ride over the stud 124. So in this case the upper portion 151 is of substantially the same form. Joining the lower end of the vertical portion 148 is an angular portion 152 which extends at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the vertical and joining this portion is a short horizontal portion 153 which is adapted to and tries to establish contact on a horizontal plane with the lower surface of the portion 143 and the lower end 154 of the element 147 extends downwardly and at the same time it is curved so that it may cooperate with the portions 143 and 144 of Figure 5. For removing a sock from the foot of the wearer the attachment 147 is partially released, for example by allowing the stud 93 to snap to the position 93b by rotating the cap portion 48 and thereby a space is provided between the horizontal portion 143 and the horizontal portion 153. With these elements separated the device is pushed downwardly while engaged with the top of the sock with the result that the sock follows the curve between the two surfaces and ends up in a horizontal plane or at least between the two fiat surfaces 142 and 143 and these may be clamped with the sock therebetween by means of the handle 39, 40, then the device is pushed endwise, thereby carrying the sock over the heel, thence off the foot.

Where it is desired to put on or remove a mans shoe, the elements would be released as described above, so as to provide a space between the horizontal portions 143 and 153, then the device would be pushed over the heel of the shoe so that the web of the heel per se would follow the curve between the two members and have at least a portion thereof land between portions 143 and 153 above described. Following this the elements 143 and the portion 153 of the element 147 are clamped together with the portion of the shoe heel therebetween by means of the handle 39, 40, and to put the shoe on, the user would place the shoe and while joined to the device on the floor, place his foot in the shoe, push the foot down at the same time pull upwardly the device and the shoe is put on with the greatest facility. After the shoe is on, the heel is released from between the portion 143 and 153 by operating the plunger 152, by rotating the cap 48 and thereby camming the plunger endwise to the right as seen in Figure 9. This releases the stud 93 and permits a space to appear between the surfaces 143 and 153.

Operating the form of the device shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 7 for putting on and taking 0/} womens stockings or surgical house Before applying the attachment 133 onto the device, the user, holding the attachment 133 in the hands applies the large end of the stocking over the ring 140. Then an elastic band (not shown in the drawing), preferably of substantially the same width as that of the ring 141 is applied to hold the stocking in positive engagement of the surface of the ring 140, said surface being preferably covered with felt so that the portion of the stocking about the ring and over it is engaged between the surface of the felt on the ring and the surface of the said elastic band and thereby the stocking is prevented from slipping. The next step is to take the attachment 126 and with the bracket portion uppermost the C-shaped body 127 thereof is pushed downwardly into the stocking until it is just a little above the normal position of the ankle in the stocking then it is pulled through the ring 140 (toward the hand end), then the extension 130 of the bracket on the attachment 126 (Figure 3) is slipped under the disk-like member straddling the stud 124 and the bracket is then secured in such position by means of the stud 93. In applying the attachment 126, as just described, a portion of the stocking lies between the C-shaped body 127 and the C-shaped member 122 which carries the frictional insert 123 to prevent that portion of the stocking from slipping when the extension is inserted under the disk member 125. It is desirable to have the stud 93 in its half-way position, namely, the position 930 shown in dot-dash lines in Figure 7 so that the stocking may be straightened and so that the user may make sure that there is sufficient portion of the stocking left to catch.

While the use and operation of this phase of the invention has been described with reference to the use of an elastic band to secure the ladies stocking to ring 140, this does not constitute a part of this invention but may be omitted if desired. Very frequently it will be found that the resiliency of the upper end of the stocking will be sufficient to cause it to grip ring with suflficient force to hold without the necessity of an elastic band. Both of the handles on the upper end of my device are pulled toward each other to effect the movement of the stud 93 to the position shown at 930 (Figure 7).

Then the attachment 133 is applied in the manner shown in Figure l by positioning the rectangular hole 139 (Figure 3) over the boss 114 and then rotating the latch 116 and thereby clamping the vertical portion 138 thereof against the boss 114 and the head 113 as may best be seen in Figures 3 and 4. Then the ring 140 is centered or aligned with the C-shaped elements 122 and 127 so as to provide a clear path through the array. Now having completed the setting just described, it is necessary to lock the elements and this is done as follows: Both handles (Figure 8) are pulled toward each other and in order for the plungers to lock the tongue portion 31, it must be engaged by the plunger 49, (Figure 8) so that the elements are in the proper position to be tightened or clamped by the action of the screw 29 pulling on the internally threaded sleeve 30 and thence via the Bowden wire 21 to the sleeve member 87 which carries the stud 93 and thereby the stocking is clamped between the elements 127 and 123 and the second vertical portion is held central by the engagement of the cross pin 104 with the notch means 106 formed on the sleeve portion 102 of the nut.

Thus with the elements in alignment the user may then push her foot through the portion of the stocking clamped between the C-shaped elements 122 and 127 up to her ankle then she unscrews the handle 39, 40, (Figure 8) and moves the ankle forward within the ring 140 so that the ankle clears the C-shaped elements and then said elements may be swiveled to the left or right as shown in Fig. 20. With the C-shaped elements out of the way the leg may be pushed through or into the stocking until the portion held by the ring 140 is up to or at least nearly up to the hip then the latch is turned and the attachment 133 is allowed to leave the boss 114 free of the device. Then the said elastic band is removed and the stocking top is pulled off of the ring. Following this she releases-the catch 135 and allows the ring to flop open so i that it can be easily removed. 7 I

T remove the stockingtfr om thelleg She applies the ring 1 40about the thigh with it open and above thetop of thestocking then she closes the ring and locks it and then the top of the stocking is slipped over the ring 140 until a substantial portion of the hem at the top overhangs the edge of the ring and then the said elastic band is reappliedto firmly hold the top of the'stocking onto the ring without slipping. The attachment 126 carrying the C-shaped body v127 is detached from the device and then the attachment 133 is applied to the device with the top of the stocking secured to the ring 140 and this is done by placing the slot 139 over the rectangular boss 114 and/then it is locked on by turning the latch 116 in a clockwise direction (Figure 3).

Following this she pushes the device and the ring 140 p bodiment of the invention and modifications thereof, it

will be understood that I am not to be limited by the exact showing, as many changes may be made in the arrangements shown and described, within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, a generally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacent to the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support said hosiery between the extremities of said hosiery, hosiery engaging means detachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, guide means for said last means, clamping means within said body for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, screw means for forcing said clamping means axially within said body, handle means cooperating with said screw means for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, or for moving said engaging means away from said holder to release said hosiery.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which a second handle means is provided on said body adjacent to said handle means and having at least one retractable plunger cooperating with one element of said clamping means for quickly releasing the same, after the user has applied the hosiery to his or her foot.

3. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, a generally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacent to the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support said hosiery between the extremities of said hosiery, hosiery engaging means detachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wire actuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, screw means for forcing said Bowden wire axially within said body, handle means cooperating with said screw means for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, or for moving said engaging means away from said holder to release said hosiery, said body being divided into several spaced portions with threaded socketed nuts cooperating therewith, and intermediate tubular sections between said portions and having ball-like end portions adapted to cooperate with said socketed nuts to form swivel joints, whereby the device may be set in accordance with shape of the user.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said Bowden wire has a link member mounted intermediate the ends thereof in a position to be folded by loosening one of the socketed nuts, thereby permitting the device to be folded into substantially half of its initial length when it means for moving the Bowden wire, axially is comprised of a cylindrical member having a threaded hole therein and a screw member having external threads cooperating therewith, one of said members being secured to the Bow-. den wire and the other being secured to said handle.

6. In a device of the character described, an elongated body, an arcuate hosiery holder on said body adjacent to one end thereof, said holder being adapted to engage a piece of hosiery intermediate the ends of said hosiery, hosiery clamping means also carried on said body adjacent to said end in cooperative relation with said holder with said engaged portion therebetween, other means carried on said body in spaced apart relation with said holder for effecting the clamping of hosiery between said holder and said clamping means and for effecting the release of an article of hosiery from between said holder and said first means, a swivel section on the lower end of said body, a split ring substantially larger in diameterthan the periphery of said holder and adapted to receive the upper portion of said hosierythereabout, means to detachably support said ring on said swivel section secu'r ing said upper portion of said hosiery in non-slip relation to said ring.

7. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, a generally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacent to the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support said hosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging means detachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wire actuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, handle means on the upper end of said body operatively connected to the Bowden wire clamp, whereby a user may effect the clamping and the release of said hosiery, swivel means carried on the lower end of said body, a quickly detachable bracket carried on said swivel means, a split ring mounted on said bracket and adapted to accommodate the upper portion of an article of hosiery and hold said upper portion in non-slip relation with said split ring. 1

8. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, a generally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacent to the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support said hosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging means detachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wire actuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, screw means for forcing said Bowden wire axially within said body, handle means cooperating with said screw means for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, or for moving said engaging means away from said holder to release said hosiery, a swivel section on the lower end of said body and carrying latch means, a bracket detachably engaged by said latch means, a split ring or hoop mounted on said bracket, said ring being adapted to accommodate a piece of hosiery near the large end thereof preventing said hosiery from slipping.

9. A device according to claim 8 in which a second handle means is provided on said body adjacent to said first handle means and having at least one retractable plunger cooperating with one element of said Bowden wire clamp for quickly releasing the same after the user has applied the hosiery to her foot, swivel means on said body adapted to swing laterally in either direction, a split ring bracket latched onto said swivel means, and stops on said swivel means to define the extent that said ring may be bodily swung to extreme right and left positions.

10. In a device of the character described, an elongated hollow body, a generally C-shaped hosiery holder fixedly carried on said body adjacent to the lower end thereof, said holder being adapted to support said hosiery between the ends of said hosiery, hosiery engaging means detachably mounted on said body adjacent to said holder, a Bowden wire actuated clamp for forcing said engaging means toward said holder and clamping said hosiery therebetween, handle means on the upper end of said body operatively connected to the Bowden wire clamp, Whereby a user may efiect the clamping and the release of said hosiery, swivel means carried on the lower end of said body and including a swiveled sleeve means, a noncircular boss carried on said sleeve means, latch means carried on said b'oss, a bracket having a hole formed therein to match and fit over said non-circular boss, a split ring or hook mounted on said bracket, said ring being adapted to have the upper end of a piece of hosiery mounted in embracing relation thereon holding said upper portion of said hosiery in non-skid relation to said split ring.

11. A device according to claim 8 in which a second handle means provided on said body adjacent to said first handle means has at least one retractable plunger, and in which the upper end of said Bowden wire clamp has a cylindrical element detachably secured thereto, said cylindrical element having a lateral slot formed therein,

and a second cylindrical member having a tongue forming a working fit in said slot, said last mentioned member having internal threads engaged by screw means connected to said first mentioned handle means, said tongue and said first mentioned member having aligned holes therein normally in alignment with said retractable plunger.

12. The invention according to claim 11 in which said second handle means has in addition to said first retractable plunger, a second retractable plunger which engages the opposite hole of said aligned holes and retains said first mentioned cylindrical body in a pre-determined position and oriented with said tongue means on the other cylindrical body.

13. The invention according to claim 12 in which said second handle means carries sleeve-like caps connected to the respective plungers and having the edges thereof opposite the cap means configurated to form cams for re tracting said plungers and for maintaining them in a retracted state.

Deiley Sept. 2, 1919 Park June 8, 1948

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