AN IMPROVED OVERCOAT, PAR- PAR- TICULARLY ADAPTED TO MILITARY PURPOSES, TO BE CALLED 'NICOLL'S LACERNA
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Nicoll, of the Firm of Henry John Nicoll
and Donald Nicoll, of Regent Street, in the City of Westminster,
Merchant Tailors, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED OVERCOAT, PAR-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Nicoll at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
September 1860.
I, DONALD NICOLL, of the Firm of Henry John Nicoll and Donald Nicoll,
of Regent Street, in the City of Westminster, Merchant Tailors, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED OVERCOAT, PAR-
TICULARLY ADAPTED TO MILITARY PURPOSES, TO BE CALLED 'NICOLL'S LACERNA," " to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forming overcoats and capes in such a manner
that they may be worn by military men during the time of drill or rifle practice
in wet weather, the arms of the wearer being quite at liberty, while at the
same time the cape itself is kept secure around the body. The cape is cut in
two halves, each of a semicircular form, with an A-shaped piece taken out of the
centres thereof or at nearly right angles; at the point of this opening is formed the

page_text: arm-hole, material enough being left above the arm-hole to form the shoulder
piece. The two sides of the opening are sewn together, thus forming one half
of the cape; the cape is secured to the upper part of the coat, immediately
beneath the collar of the coat, in which also is an arm-hole cut, and the edge
sewn to that of the cape, after which the sleeve is inserted. Thus, it will
appear evident that the cape can be fastened down the front and round the
body, while the arms are left at liberty, such garments being well adapted to
military purposes or rifle corps, as the butt and lock of the rifle can be placed
beneath the cape in wet weather without the wearer's arms being confined.
The principal feature in this Invention being that the cape is so formed that
the sleeves are invariably on the outside of the garment, instead of being under
the cape, as is the case with cape overcoats ordinarily in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Donald Nicoll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DONALD
NICOLL, of the Firm of Henry John and Donald Nicoll, of Regent Street, in
the City of Westminster, Merchant Tailors, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Donald Nicoll, Her special licence that I, the said Donald Nicoll, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Donald
Nicoll, my executors, administrators, and 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
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED OVER-
COAT, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO MILITARY PURPOSES, TO BE CALLED 'NICOLL'S
LACERNA," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Donald
Nicoll, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.

page_text: Patent Office within six calender months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Donald Nicoll, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say:-
This Invention consists in forming overcoats and capes in such a manner
that they may be worn by military men during the time of drill or rifle practice
in wet weather, the arms of the wearer being quite at liberty, while at the
same time the cape itself is kept secure around the body.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows:-
The coat is to be formed of any shape suitable for the purpose intended, and
supplied with a circular cape, which is to be secured to the coat beneath the
collar by stitches, in which case the sleeves of the coat pass through holes
pierced in the cape, the edges of such holes being sewn down to the coat, or
the cape may be buttoned or otherwise attached by suitable fastenings beneath
the collar of the coat, so as to detach it from the coat in fine weather or when
otherwise desirable; in this case the cape is pierced for the sleeves of the
coat to pass through, the edges of said holes being either turned in or bound,
as desired.
Another mode of using a cape and coat together is by placing two fore
parts only of a cape on to a coat either by fastenings or stitches, so that the
top parts thereof shall have semicircular pieces taken out to fit the front part
of the arm or shoulder, and secured beneath the arm in a downward position,
this description of cape being intended more to protect the chest against wind
or rain, either in riding, driving, or walking, or when the back does not
require additional protection, the arms of the coat in all instances being outside
of the cape instead of beneath, as hitherto.
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention of "An
Improved Overcoat, particularly adapted to Military Purposes, to be called
Nicoll's Lacerna,"" and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I do not confine myself to any particular
form of coat or cape, nor to any precise mode or method of attaching them
together, as many other ways of so doing might be adopted without at all
departing from the principle of my Invention; but what I claim as my Inven-
tion, intended to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent,

page_text: is, the manufacture of coats with capes attached or detached, pierced for the
coat sleeve to pass through, so as to give freedom to the arms of the wearer, in
the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
DONALD NICOLL. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.