IMPROVEMENTS IN GAR- MENTS, AND IN POCKETS, BAGS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY JOHN
NICOLL, of No. 114, Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, Tailor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-second day of May, in the
tenth year of Her reign, did give and grant unto me, the said Henry John.
Nicoll, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Henry John Nicoll, my exors, admors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said Henry John Nicoll, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein men-
tioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in
the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her
Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAR-
MENTS, AND IN POCKETS, BAGS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso requiring that I, the said Henry John
Nicoll, shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as reference being thereuntohad, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry John Nicoll, do hereby. declare the nature of my Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by this present Specification or Instrument in writing,
reference being had to the several Drawings hereunto annexed, and in which
said several Drawings similar parts are marked and referred to by similar
letters or figures (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists,
Firstly, of a mode or modes of making or constructing garments for various
parts of the human body; and,
Secondly, of a mode or modes of making or constructing pockets,..bags,
and other receptacles.
The said first part of my Invention being a mode or modes of making or
constructing garments for various parts of the body, consists in making such
garments with extra folds or linings, constructed in such manner that they
maybe unfolded from the interior parts of the garments, so as to form coverings
for other parts of the body; or, in other words constructing certain parts of
garments in such manner that they may be folded within the other parts
thereof, as if forming (when so folded) extra folds or linings of such other
parts of the garments.
I have in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the said Drawings shewn one mode or
application of this part of my Invention in the making of an outside garment,
usually called a top coat. Figure 1 is a side view of the coat as
will appear
when its extra folds or lining have been folded and fastened within the coat or
upon its inner surface. Figure 2 is a view of the interior of the coat when it is
spread open, and has its extra folds or linings folded and fastened as before
mentioned, the fastenings used for that purpose being flat buttons of a well
known.description. Figure 3 is also a view of the interior of the coat when
spread open, but having the upper folds or linings partially lifted up or folded
back, and portions of the lower folds or linings turned down. Figure 4 is a
view of the interior of the coat with the whole of its extra folds or linings
spread out, the lower folds or extra linings being made to hang down, for the

page_text: purpose of covering or protecting the knees and legs of the person who wears
the garment. Figure 5 is a view of the interior of the coat with the lower
extra folds or linings hanging down, for the purpose just mentioned, and the
front edges of the coat partially turned over, the upper folds or linings being
arranged and buttoned together, so as to form a hood or covering for the head
of the wearer. Figure 6 is a side view of the exterior part of the coat, with
the upper folds or linings formed into a hood, as before mentioned, and the
lower folds or linings forming a covering for the knees and legs of the person
wearing it.
In making the extra folds of a garment of this description, these extra folds
or parts must be so constructed that they shall be capable not only of forming
such extra folds or linings of the garments or of parts thereof, but also of
filling or covering those parts of the body which they are intended to cover"
when unfolded. And for this reason it will frequently be necessary to make
the extra parts so that, when folded within the garment, they will overlap
each other; but this is of little consequence, for the parts may be held
securely in their proper positions by buttons, hooks, or other proper fastenings,
placed in positions convenient for that purpose. And the most important
object being to make these extra parts or folds of a proper form to fit or cover
such parts of the body as aforesaid, the person cutting out of the garment
must, in cutting the cloth for those folds, have regard to that object rather
than to the accuracy with which the folds may fit against or over each other
(if at all) when they are folded within the-garment. And it is by no means
necessary that those extra folds or parts should fit against or over each other
when so folded, or that they should form, when so folded, a complete lining to
all parts of the garment.. And with respect to the buttons, button-holes, hooks,
and other fastenings placed upon such extra folds or parts as aforesaid, such
fastenings should be placed in such positions as to be most convenient for
fastening the folds together when they are used to cover parts of
the body, extra fastenings being, when necessary, put upon such extra folds
or parts, or within the other parts of the garments, for the purpose of holding.
such extra foldings in their proper positions when folded up within the
garment. The coat shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, is made of an
exterior woollen cloth and a lining (of surge) in the usual the extra folds
way,
or parts a, a, a, a, and b, b, b, b, being made of a similar cloth and lined with
a similar material, and those parts are lined in such a way that when they are
folded the woollen cloth similar to the rest of the garment will be outwards.
The upper folds a, a, a, a, of the top coat, when folded as shewn in Figure 2,
overlap the lower folds.b, b, b, b, and those upper folds are cut and constructed

page_text: of the size and form.which fits them when unfolded, as shewn in Figure 4,
to be put together and fastened into such a shape as to form the hood shewn
in Figures 5 and 6. The upper edge or edges of the folds a, a, a, and a, or a
portion thereof, may be annexed to the coat by sewing or in any other
convenient. manner, or may be held merely by buttons or other fastenings in
such a manner that they may, when desired, be disannexed or severed from
the coat and formed into a separate hood. The lower folds b, b, b, and b,
of the coat fold with the upper edges under the lower edges of the folds
a, a, a, a, and all those folds are secured within the garment by means of
buttons arranged as shewn in the Figures. The lower folds b, b, b, and b, are
shewn as fastened (by sewing) at their upper edges, but they may be attached
to the garment by means of buttons or any other convenient fastenings, and
when turned down, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, they form a convenient
covering for the legs and knees of the person wearing the garment. Lower
folds or linings such as just described may be made of various forms, and may
"be attached to many descriptions of great coats, top coats, or over coats, so as
to form (when unfolded) coverings for the knees and legs, in manner before
mentioned. Such lower folds or linings may also be attached in various
ways to other descriptions of coats. Thus extra folds may be attached at or
near to the sides or edges of the laps of dress or body coats, so that the same
may be unfolded and form a covering for the front parts of the thighs and
abdomen of the person wearing the coat.
"In Figures 7 and 8* of the said Drawings I have shewn a mode of apply-
ing this part of my Invention to a description of garment usually called a
paletot or over coat, this garment being furnished with a hood or extra fold or
lining a, a, a, a, capable of being formed into a hood for the head of a person
wearing it. Figure 7 is a view of the exterior of this coat when open, and
the hood a, a, a, a, folded within the coat. Figure 8 is a section of the
upper part of the same coat, shewing the interior of the left side of the said
upper part, and one half of the hood a, a, as folded within it; and Figure 8*
is an external side view of the same coat, but with the extra fold or
lining before mentioned formed into a hood. This coat is made in the usual
manner, except that it is furnished with a hood so constructed that it may be
folded down within and against the back of the coat, as shewn at a, a, a, a, in
Figure 7. In Figure 9 is shewn the shape which this hood assumes when
opened out and spread upon a flat surface, and in Figure 7. is shewn the
appearance which it has when placed within the coat: In Figure 8* is
shewn a side view of the hood when unfolded from the interior of the coat
and put together, and Figure 10 is a front view of the same hood when so put

page_text: or fastened together. The hood has button-holes made in it, as shewn in
Figures 7 and 9, and by means of buttons fixed upon the interior of the back.
of the coat the hood when not in use may be secured in the position shewn in
Figure 7. A frock coat may be constructed with a hood in the same way as
the paletot just described.
In Figures 11 and 12 of the said Drawings I have shewn a mode of
applying this part of my Invention to a dress or body coat, which is fur-
nished with a hood in the same way as the paletot shewn in Figures 7 and 8*
just described. The hoods of these garments may be secured to the coat
cither by sewing them at their upper edge near to the collar (as shewn
in the Figures), or by buttons or other fastenings, as may be deemed most
convenient.
In Figures 13 and 14 I have shown views of a cloak made with a hood
according to this part of my Invention. Figure 13 is a view of the interior
of the cloak as it would appear when spread out (a corner of it being merely
turned up for the sake of the space); and Figure 14 is a view of the cloak as
it would appear when worn by a lady or gentleman. The hood when not in
use is placed or held against the inside of the cloak, as shewn at a, a, a, a,
Figure 13, and it may either be attached to the cloak at its upper edge by
sewing, by buttons, or other convenient fastenings, as before mentioned. The
hood is shewn in Figure 13 to be secured against the back of the cloak
by means of buttons, but of course any other convenient mode of fastening
may be adopted. In Figure 14 is shewn the mode in which the fold or
piece of material a, a, a, a, is put together so as to form a hood, and the
appearance that the hood has when worn together with the cloak.
it
The said second part of my Invention, being a mode or modes of making or
constructing pockets, bags, and other receptacles, consists in making such
pockets, bags, and other receptacles with small but elastic orifices, for the
purpose of better or more easily securing the contents thereof from loss. For
the purpose of effecting this object I partially cover the opening or make a
portion of the pocket, bag, or other receptacle, with, an elastic material (india
rubber rendered permanently elastic being the best that I know of,) in which
is made a small orifice; or I apply a spring or sphincter of such elastic
material to the orifice of the pocket, bag, or receptacle, so as to keep such
orifice closed, or nearly so, when not in use. The portion of a pocket, bag, or
other receptacle, so made of elastic material, may be either the top, the side,
or any other part in which it may be most convenient to have the orifice
placed; and when an elastic ring or sphincter is used I make. the parts of the
pocket, bag, or receptacle, adjacent to the orifice of a thin flexible material, so

page_text: constructed that the orifice may be extended or contracted at pleasure, and
the elastic ring or sphincter is to be applied to the lips of the orifice, and is to
be made of such a size as to contract the orifice to the size-which may
be desired that it shall possess. In the several Figures numbered from 15
to 32, both inclusive, I have shewn several modes in which I carry this part
of my Invention into effect.
In Figures 15 and 16 I have shewn the way in which I apply this
part of my Invention to the pocket of a pair of trowsers, the ordinary
flap or covering c, c, of which is shewn as turned down. In both of
those Figures the usual opening of the pocket is shewn as covered with
a thin piece of india rubber d, d, rendered permanently elastic by any of the
processes used for that purpose, this piece of india rubber being sewed or
fastened in any convenient manner to the mouth or entrance of the pocket,
and when not extended this piece of india rubber forms a portion of the outer
side of the pocket. In Figure 15 is shewn the pocket with this elastic
covering, and its orifice e in the contracted state; and, in Figure 16 is.shewn
the same pocket, but with the orifice e extended for the purpose of intro-
ducing money or any other article into or extracting it from the pocket.
In Figures 17, 18, and 19, I have shewn the mode in which this part of my
Invention may be applied to the pocket of a waistcoat. In Figure 17 is a side
view of an ordinarywaistcoat, a portion of the pocket and of thewelt f,f,being
shewn as removed, for the purpose of exhibiting the interior of the pocket and
its contents, and the means of applying one of my elastic orifices to it. Figure 13
is a cross section of the same waistcoat, as taken through the dotted line y, z,
in Figure 17, and exhibiting both of its pockets, the pocket on one side being
shewn as closed, or nearly so, and the other shewn as having its orifice dis-
tended. Figure 19 shews the same pocket as in Figures 17 and 18, and the
mode in which the orifice may be distended for the purpose of introducing a
piece of money, a watch, or any other article into it. This pocket is furnished
with a piece of india rubber d, d, which forms a portion of the outside of the
pocket, and in this elastic material the orifice of the pocket is made. This
piece of india rubber and the orifice are, when not distended, covered by the
ordinary belt or covering f, f.
In Figures 20, 21, and 22, I have shewn the mode in which this part of
my Invention may, be applied to a lady's reticule, or any similar description of
receptacle. Figure 20 merely shews a receptacle of this description, and of
which it is a side view: Figures 21 and 22 are top or plan views of the
same receptacle, the mouth or top of which is covered with a piece of india
rubber d, d, and in which is made an orifice e, as in the pockets herein-before

page_text: described. Figure 21 shews the orifice e in its contracted state, and
Figure 22 shews the orifice as distended for introducing an article into or
extracting it from the receptacle; and also shews in dotted lines the extent to
which the orifice may be further extended if desired.
In Figures 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 1 have also shewn the mode in which
this part of my Invention may be applied to a pocket book, bill case, or
similar receptacle. Figure 23 is a side view and Figure 24 an end view of a
pocket book. Figure 25 is a top view of the same pocket book, the flap
being turned back so as to exhibit the piece of india rubber d, d, which covers
the mouth of the pocket book and its orifice e, which is shewn in the con-
tracted state. Figure 26 is another top view of the same pocket book, but
with the orifice e and the pockets of the book distended for the purpose of
introducing or extracting any paper or other article. Figure 27 is an end
view or section of the same pocket book, in the state in which it is shewn in
Figure 26. The piece of india rubber used for covering the mouths of any
of these receptacles is to be secured at its edges by sewing, or any other con-
venient means, according to the nature of the material of which the receptacle
may be made.
In, Figures 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, I have shewn the manner in which I
tise or apply an elastic- ring or sphincter for the purpose of contracting the
orifice of any pocket or other receptacle. Figure 28 is a top view of an
orifice to which such a ring or sphincter has been applied, and showing the
orifice in a contracted state. Figure 29 is an edge or side view of the orifice
shewn in. Figure 28; and Figure 30 is a section of the same, shewn as if taken
through the dotted line l, m, Figure 28. Figure 31 is also a top view of the
sand orifice, but shewing. it in a distended state; and Figure 32 is a side
view of the saine orifice when in a distended state. In Figures 28 and 31
g, g, is the side end or other part of the pocket, bag, or receptacle to which
niy elastic orifice is applied; h, h, are the lips of the orifice, made of silk,
cotton, or other suitable flexible material, and made in such a manner that
the same may be contracted in manner shewn in Figure 28, or be distended in
manner shewn in Figures 31 and 32. These lips are secured to the receptacle
as shewn in the Figures by any convenient means, and tlie elastic ring or
sphincter is secured to the edges of the lips, so as by its contractile power, when
unrestrained, to draw the edges.of the lips together; and contract them into a
small orifice, as shewn in Figure 28. The lips h, h, of this description of
elastic orifice may be placed either at the side of the pocket or other recep-
tacle, as shewn in Figures 28 and 31, or at the edge or and other part thereof,

page_text: If the lips h, h, be placed at the edge of a pocket or receptacle in this way,
they will form a part of each side of the pocket or receptacle in like manner
as if the side and lips of the pocket or receptacle shewn in Figure 28 were
folded or doubled at the part indicated by the dotted line l, m, and as shewn
in dotted lines upon the tail of the coat seen at Figure 12.
This description of elastic orifice may be applied to the pockets of coats,
waistcoats, and trowsers in like manner as the other elastic orifice herein-before
described; and the mode in which this description of orifice (with an elastic
sphincter) may be applied to the pockets of coats is shewn in Figures 7, 8, 11,
and 12 of the said Drawings. Figures 7 & 8 shews an application of the orifice
to an inside breast pocket of a coat, and Figure S* an application to an outside
cash pocket of a coat. Figure 1.1 shews an application of the orifice to an
inside flap pocket of a dress or body coat, and Figure 12 an application of the
orifice to an outside flap pocket of a dress or body coat. In Figure $ the
size and position of the pocket g, g, is indicated by dotted lines, and the
lips h, h, of the orifice are partly seen through the opening in the coat and
partly indicated by dotted lines. In Figure 8* the position of the lips of the
orifice and the size and position of the pocket are indicated by dotted. In
Figure 11 the position of the lips of the orifice, and the size and position of
the pocket, are also indicated by dotted lines, as in Figure 8*; and in
Figure 12, the orifice being doubled, as before mentioned, one half of it, and
the shape of the pocket, are indicated by dotted lines p, p. The orifice of
constructing pockets, bags, and receptacles with any of such elastic orifices as
before described is the better to secure the contents thereof, in manner before
mentioned.
Having now described the several parts of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing it, I hereby declare that I claim as of my Invention,―
Firstly, the mode or modes of making garments with such extra folds or
linings as aforesaid, or with certain parts of such garments constructed in such
manner that they may be folded within other parts thereof, in manner herein-
before described; and
Secondly, the mode or modes of making pockets, bags, and other receptacles,
with small but elastic orifices, in manner and for the purposes herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry John Nicoll, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
HENRY J. (L.8) NICOLL.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, tha on the Twenty-second day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid Henry John Nicoll came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifica-
tion aforesaid, and all and every thing therein, contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the. Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.