The Split-Hand Glove Stretcher: Two Halves Pushed Apart on Parallel Lines

"A A represent the two halves of a longitudinally-split block in the form of a hand and wrist. In each part A is a central longitudinal groove, a, extending from the wrist end inward and terminating in two inclined recesses, b b, one at the wrist and the other in the palm of the hand, as shown." "It will thus be noticed that the glove is stretched evenly and in the same degree in all its parts on account of the two parts moving out on parallel lines; and, further, the entire glove is stretched at one operation."

**Block.** Trace round a glove, fingers together, on two pieces of hardwood board. Cut them out with the coping saw and rasp them into two matching halves of a hand. Hold them together with two dowel pins so they can slide apart but stay in line. **Groove and inclines.** Cut a groove down the middle of each half's inner face for the screw. At the wrist and in the palm, pare an inclined recess at 20° to the groove in each half, checked with the protractor. **Screw and wedges.** Cut two double wedges from hardwood block to fit the recesses and drill them for M8 threaded rod. Epoxy an M8 nut into a square recess at the wrist end, run 25 cm of rod through it and the wedges, and lock each wedge between two nuts. Lock a dowel handle on the rod's outer end. Mark the rod's end with a line to count turns. **Test.** Measure the width of a leather glove's palm and fingers with the caliper. Slide the glove on, turn the handle two turns, leave it an hour and back it off. Measure again, and compare with the notebook's spread per turn.

**Charles C. Wilson** of Washington, D.C., filed US 175,225 on 6 March 1876; it is dated 21 March 1876. He also showed a single wedge worked by a screw of half the pitch, right- and left-handed threads on one shaft, and toggle joints, and wrote that these "all involve the same principle". His claims cover a two-part stretcher that expands on parallel lines and a bisected hand-shaped block moving outward on parallel lines. **Honest limits.** Hardwood, dowel pins, an M8 rod and locked nuts stand in for his block, pins, screw and wedges. The notebook assumes a screw efficiency and ignores wedge friction; its numbers are examples. Your caliper readings are the result.