IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES' TROWSERS, DRAWERS, OR OTHER UNDERCLOTHING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Hood, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Clothier, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LADIES'
TROWSERS, DRAWERS, OR OTHER UNDERCLOTHING."
Sealed the 4th December 1860, and dated the 8th October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter. Hood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the 8th
October 1860.
I, WALTER HOOD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Clothier, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LADIES TROWSERS, DRAWERS, OR OTHER UNDERCLOTHING," to be as follows,
that is to say-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and mode of cutting, shaping, or
forming ladies trowsers, drawers, or other underclothing, and is based to a
certain extent on an Invention for which provisional protection was granted to
Mr. Walter Hood, bearing date on or about the 5th day of July, 1860,
No. 1628. According to the ordinary mode of cutting or forming trowsers,
drawers, or other underclothing for ladies, both the fore parts of the garment
are cut, shaped, or formed to a corresponding size, so also the back parts are
in this respect alike.
Now, according to the present Invention, a variation is made in respect to
the size of the right and left sides of the garment, that is to say, the front and

page_text: back parts of the one side of the garment may be cut smaller, as regards width
at the lower part of the body than the corresponding parts on the other side of
the garment. The effect of this mode of cutting, shaping, or forming the
parts is that the ordinary centre or junction or adjoining edges of the garment
at the lower part of the body is no longer central, but is thrown more to the
one side of the wearer, and the irritation consequent upon the ordinary mode
of forming the central part of the garment is avoided.
To avoid the chafing and irritation which arises from the leg seams
being placed in the ordinary way as in gentlemen's trowsers, the upper sides
of those made on this principle are cut narrower at the upper part of the thighs
or top of the leg seams, and a corresponding portion is left on the under side
to make up the deficiency. This arrangement brings the upper part of the
leg seams round to the front of the thigh, the absence of the ordinary seams
preventing irritation. The upper part of the trowsers is shaped to conform to
the contour of the wearer, and to have the same supporting effect as a riding
belt or other similar support under all circumstances. Trowsers, drawers, or
other underclothing cut upon this principle are exceedingly easy in wear, fit
automatically correct, and have many advantages over those of the ordinary
shape.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent 2
filed by the said Walter Hood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
HOOD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Clothier, send
greeting.
Q
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Walter Hood, Her special license that I, the said Walter Hood, my 3
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter
Hood, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the 3
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: LADIES' TROWSERS, DRAWERS, OR OTHER UNDERCLOTHING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Walter Hood, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand
and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Hood do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and mode of cutting, shaping,
or forming ladies' trowsers, drawers or other underclothing, and is based to a
certain extent on an Invention for which British Letters Patent were granted
to me on or about the Fifth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty. According to the ordinary mode of cutting or forming trowsers,
drawers, or other underclothing for ladies, both the fore parts of the garment
are cut, shaped, or formed to a corresponding size, so also the back parts are
in this respect alike.
Now, according to the present Invention a variation is made in respect to
the size of the right and left sides of the garments, that is to say, the front
and back parts of the one side of the garment may be cut smaller as regards
width at the lower part of the body than the corresponding parts on the other
side of the garment. The effect of this mode of cutting, shaping, or forming
the parts is, that the ordinary centre or junction or adjoining edges of the
garment at the lower part of the body is no longer central, but is thrown
more to the one side of the wearer, and the irritation consequent upon the
ordinary mode of forming the central part of the garment is avoided.
To avoid the chafing and irritation which arises from the leg seams being
placed in the ordinary way, as in gentlemen's trowsers, the upper sides of
those made on this principle are cut narrower at the upper parts of the thighs
or top of the leg seams, and a corresponding portion is left on the under side
to make up the deficiency. This arrangement brings the upper part of the
leg seams round to the front of the thigh; the absence of the ordinary seams
preventing irritation. The upper part of the trowsers is shaped to conform
to the contour of the wearer, and to have the same supporting effect as a
riding belt or other similar support under all circumstances. Trowsers,,

page_text: drawers, or other underclothing cut upon this principle are exceedingly easy
in wear, fit anatomically correct, and have many advantages over those of the
ordinary shape.
And in order that my said Invention of "Improvements in Ladies' Trowsers,
Drawers, or other Underclothing" may be properly understood, I shall now
proceed to describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings,
which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing certain modifica-
tions under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice,
that is to say:-
Figures 1 and 2 represent the patterns or outlines of a pair of trowsers, or
drawers laid down upon a scale, so that the Figures of the patterns may be
readily enlarged to the natural size; Figures 3 and 4 represent the front and
back parts of the garment, as they would appear when made up. The
rectangular spaces which are enclosed by the lines of the scales in Figures 1
and 2 represent areas of three inches by two. The front or fore parts A of
the trowsers are cut alike or very nearly so, the upper part at the side seam is
curved inwards to the point B to fit with accuracy the contour of the wearer's
figure. A V-shaped piece of the material is cut out at the place marked C
to give the necessary contraction at the upper part to fit the waist of the
wearer. And towards the top of the front seam of the fore parts A, the
material is curved outwards at the part A', so as to give the necessary convexity
to this portion of the garment that it may fit accurately to the figure below
the waist. The back part of the trowsers cut according to this system are
shaped in such manner as to bring the leg seams of the garment round towards
the front portion of the limbs of the wearer. Thus in the back part D the leg
seam E is cut to the shape delineated in Figure 1, and when this is made up,
it is obvious from the part E being so much wider than the part A that the
seam is thereby brought round towards the front part of the garment. The
back part D is cut with an extending portion F, which forms a continuation
of the leg seam and the central seam at the back of the garment.
edge E is folded over to the inner edge G of the fore part, the part F extends
upwards to the top of the fore part, as is shown in Figure 3 of the accompany-
ing Drawings. This portion of the garment is so arranged in the cutting of
the two back parts D and H that the junction seam at the front part of the
garment is brought over either to the right or left side of the wearer, as may
be preferred. To meet this arrangement the leg seam E of the back part D
is cut more hollow and consequently smaller than the corresponding seam I in
the back part H, Figure 2. A different configuration is also given to the
extended portion J, which corresponds to the part F, in the back part D,.
When the

page_text: and in this manner the junction seam is brought over to the side of the
wearer. In shaping out the back parts of the garment they are cut with an
inwardly extending curve, as shown at H', this part is stretched out to form a
straight line, and is joined on to the fore part, the seam terminating at the
point B. This configuration of the hind part. at H' has the effect, in con-
junction with the parts taken out at N, of forming the necessary convexity to
fit smoothly over the hips of the wearer, and in this way any required degree
of roundness may be given to this part of the garment without interfering with
the proper position of the waistband. In making up the garment the junction
or body seam K is completely closed from end to end, and a waistband L is
fitted to the upper part. The back parts are cut across below the waistband
and downwards, as shown at M, in Figure 3, and this opening extends as far
down as may be found convenient. The opening K above M extends up
through the waistband L, and buttons or fastenings are used for attaching the
parts together. Two, or other number of gusset pieces may be cut out of the
back parts at N to assist, in conjunction with the curvature at H', in giving the
necessary convexity for fitting accurately to the figure of the wearer. The
waistband of the garment is cut of a curved figure, and the hollow part
is sewn on the garment, so as to give to the wearer a degree of support
similar to that afforded by a riding belt. A strap O is sewn to the back
part of the trowsers, which in conjunction with the buckle admits of any
required degree of tightness being given to the waist. One or more straps
and buckles may also be adapted to the front part of the garment for the
purpose of affording support, where such an addition is required. Trowsers
or drawers cut and made according to this system may be conveniently
combined with a vest or other article of underclothing for protecting the upper
part of the body.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and mode of shaping, forming, and making
ladies' trowsers, drawers, or other underclothing in which the junction seam, or
that which unites the two sides of the garment together, is completely closed
from the front waistband downwards, and as far as the transverse opening
at the back, due provision being made for opening when required, as herein-
before described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings, an important

page_text: advantage attending this arrangement of the garment is, that it specially
provides both for the health, as well as the perfect comfort of the wearer.
Second, the system or mode of shaping and making ladies' trowsers, drawers,
or underclothing in such manner as to cause the leg seams to be brought round
to the front part of the figure, and the junction seam, which unites the right
and left parts of the garment, to be brought over to the right or left side of the
wearer as required and away from the central position, as herein-before
described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of shaping and making ladies' trowsers,
drawers, or underclothing, in which the upper portion of the back parts
are more or less curved inwards, as shown at the part marked H¹ in the
accompanying Drawings. This curvature on being brought out to
straight line in the making up serving to give the necessary degree of
convexity to the back part of the garment so as to fit the figure with accuracy
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Hood have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one.
WALTER HOOD. (L.S.)