Improvements in Ladies' Costumes adaptable for either Cycling, Riding, or Walking Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Loft 6th Lon 1000
Mononted 26th Feb
1000
Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Loft, 6th Jan
1000
Accepted, 26th Fob
1808
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ladies' Costumes adaptable for either Cycling,
Riding, or Walking Purposes.
We, WILLIAM HOWARD SWINGLER, of 15, Hotel Street, Leicester, Ladies' Tailor,
and HENRY VAN HOOYDONCK, of the same address, Ladies' Tailor's Cutter, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to ladies' habits or costumes and is designed with the
object of producing a dress skirt particularly applicable for cycling or riding and
which may also be used for ordinary walking purposes without the particular
provision made therein to adapt it for cycling or riding being at all observable.
The invention consists in the novel and peculiar formation of the skirt which at
the back is cut or drafted with additional fulness or width which when the skirt is
made up is arranged in such a manner that it is hidden by or between two or more
folds or pleats which extend downwards from or near the top to the bottom of the
skirt.
The additional fulness or width of the fabric lies over the saddle of the machine
and under the lady when she is cycling and allows her to mount and dismount the
machine and to pedal it with absolute freedom and without tightening the garment
over the knees or at the back of the legs and gives every facility to the movements
of the legs during cycling.
The skirt thus constructed automatically divides itself upon the rider getting into
the saddle and hangs evenly and gracefully down each side of the machine.
Upon the rider getting off the cycle the fulness or extra width in the skirt imme-
diately falls into the rear thereof next to the person and behind the pleats before
mentioned, which hide the extra width and impart the appearance of an ordinary
walking skirt.
The extra width or fulness of the skirt renders the latter also equally applicable
for horseback riding and gives the required looseness of garment to fit over the
pommel of the saddle so as to secure the greatest possible comfort and convenience to
the rider.
Improvements in Ladies' Costumes adaptable for either Cycling,
Riding, or Walking Purposes.
We, WILLIAM HOWARD SWINGLER, of 15, Hotel Street, Leicester, Ladies' Tailor,
and HENRY VAN HOOYDONCK, of the same address, Ladies' Tailor's Cutter, do hereby.
[Price 8d1

page_text: declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has reference to ladies' habits or costumes and is designed with the
object of producing a dress skirt particularly applicable for cycling or riding and
which may also be used for ordinary walking purposes without the particular
provision made therein to adapt it for cycling or riding being at all observable.
The invention consists mainly in the novel and peculiar formation of the skirt.
which at the back is cut or drafted with additional fulness or width which when the
skirt is made up is arranged in such a manner that it is hidden by or between two
or more folds or pleats which extend downwards from or near the top to the bottom
of the skirt.
The additional fulness or width of the fabric lies over the saddle of the machine
and under the lady when she is cycling and allows her to mount and dismount the
machine and to pedal it with absolute freedom and without tightening the garment
over the knees or at the back of the legs and gives every facility to the movements
of the legs during cycling.
The skirt thus constructed automatically divides itself upon the rider getting into
the saddle and hangs evenly and gracefully down each side of the machine.
Upon the rider getting off the cycle the fulness or extra width in the skirt
immediately falls into the rear thereof next to the person and behind the pleats
before mentioned, which hide the extra width and impart the appearance of an
ordinary walking skirt.
The extra width or fulness of the skirt renders the latter also equally applicable
for horseback riding and gives the required looseness of garment to fit over the
pommel of the saddle so as to secure the greatest possible comfort and convenience
to the rider.
The invention will be fully understood from the following further description in
reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is an elevation of a combined cycling, riding or walking skirt made in
accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of same taken immediately below the waist band.
Figure 3 represents a pattern of one half of the dress skirt in the flat, and
Figure 4 represents a plan of the front piece of the skirt.
A skirt made in accordance with this invention consists of a front part A, shown
per se in Figure 4 and in part in Figure 3, connected along each of its two sides to
a side piece B.
Each of the side pieces is connected to a back piece C which is folded as
hereinafter described, and attached to each of the latter is an additional or auxiliary
back piece D.
The meeting edges D¹ of each of these two auxiliary back pieces are sewn together
and the two said pieces, when the skirt is made up, are located inside towards the
centre of the skirt and are hidden from observation by the folds or pleats of the
side pieces C.
The side pieces are folded or doubled along the dotted lines C¹ C², the former
representing the folded line nearest the side piece B and the latter the folded line
against the back opening F as shown in Figure 2.
Near the upper part of each of the auxiliary back pieces is attached one end of a
bridge E, both of which latter are connected together along the side edges E¹ E² and
at their opposite ends E3 to the band or upper part of the interior of the skirt as
indicated in dotted line in Figure 1.
This bridge passes between the wearer's legs and keeps the auxiliary back pieces
drawn well into the back of the skirt as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and the whole
forms a seat for the wearer when on the saddle of a cycle or horse.
The openings 1, 2, 3, 4 in the front and side pieces are seamed up and a strap G
fixed round the upper part of the garment in the usual manner.
H represents the pocket opening.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
A combined walking and riding skirt consisting of the parts constructed, arranged
and connected together substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
10 Witness:
E. N. LEWIS,
WILLIAM HOWARD SWINGLER.
HENRY VAN HOOYDONCK.
Berridge Street Chambers, Leicester.
Boult & Wade,