AN IMPROVED SHIRT
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for AN IMPROVED SHIRT,
a communication to me from abroad by William Mortimer Spence, of Carson,
United States, Manufacturer, and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention is an improved shirt; and it consists in the construction and
manufacture hereinafter explained.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a
front view of improved shirt illustrating the same as it appears when adjusted for
wear. Fig. 2 is a like view illustrating the manner of securing the bosom-section
when it is desired to expose a portion of the wearer's body. Fig. 3 is a front view
illustrating a modification.
As ordinarily constructed, wearing-shirts are of two general classes, those that
open in front and shirts having a vertical opening in the rear which is closed by
buttons and button-holes located near the top of the saine. In the improved
construction the opening is located at one side of the bosom proper, and is secured
by a series of buttons along its length and at the fastening adjacent to the neck.
portion.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the bosom of the shirt, which is secured
at one side to the shirt-body B, the same as in the manner of open-back shirts, but
at its other side has attached a vertical section, a, formed by obliquely cutting or
severing the body of the shirt. The vertical edge of the section a is hemmed or
bound in any suitable manner, and the said section is provided adjacent to said
edge with a series of button-holes, b. The edge portion c of the body proper of the
shirt is suitably bound or re-enforced, and has attached thereto a series of buttons, d,
designed to engage the button-holes of the section a.
To provide for the proper fitting and adjustment of the parts at and near the
neck band e of the shirt, the vertical slip terminates at the horizontal seam ƒ, and
is intersected at the point of its termination by a slit, which also severs the neck
band. This latter arrangement provides the sections a and part of the bosom A
with an upper horizontal edge h

page_text: Buttons i, secured to the shirt proper, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, are
adapted to engage button-holes ; therefor, formed, respectively, at the upper corner
of the sections a of the shirt and in the neckband of the same.
A diagonal re-enforced welt or seam, k, has secured thereto a series of buttons, l,
which are designed to engage the button-holes b when the bosom A and sections a
are folded over, as illustrated in Fig. 2. By forming the opening at the side of
the bosom oblique, as before referred to, the opening is covered by one of the
suspender-sections of the wearer when the suspenders are in position upon the body
of the wearer.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the vertical slit is formed parallel with
the centre of the bosom, in lieu of being disposed obliquely, which form is preferable
under some circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The improved shirt herein described, provided with a vertical opening located
at one side of the bosom and a second opening or slit intersecting said first opening
near the top of the shirt and severing the neckband, and buttons and button-holes,
located substantially as described.
2. The improved shirt herein described, provided at one side of the bosom with a
vertical seam or welt having secured thereto buttons, and at the other side of said
bosom with a vertical slit or opening intersected at its top by a second slit or
opening arranged at right angles therewith and severing the neckband, and
suitable buttons and button-holes located adjacent to said slit or openings,
substantially as set forth.