IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOAKS AND OTHER GARMENTS, AND FOR THEIR APPLICATION TO PURPOSES TO WHICH THEY HAVE NOT HITHERTO BEEN APPLIED
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Nicoll, of the Firm of H. J. and D. Nicoll,
of 114, Regent Street, and 22, Cornhill, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOAKS AND OTHER GARMENTS, AND
FOR THEIR APPLICATION TO PURPOSES TO WHICH THEY HAVE NOT HITHERTO BEEN
APPLIED."
Sealed the 5th April 1859, and dated the 7th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Nicoll at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
October 1858.
I, DONALD NICOLL, of the Firm of H. J. and D. Nicoll, 114, Regent
Street, and 22, Cornhill, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOAKS AND OTHER
GARMENTS, AND FOR THEIR APPLICATION TO PURPOSES TO WHICH THEY HAVE NOT
HITHERTO BEEN APPLIED," to be as follows:--
My Invention consists, firstly, of manufacturing cloth, by power or by hand-
looms, for cloaks and other garments, in separate circular forms or webs with
a finished edge, salvage, or border.
I prefer to weave a piece of cloth about sixteen yards in circumference,
which is about the size of ladies' cloaks; but this circular piece or web of
cloth would for short persons be less in circumference, and for horsemen,

page_text: sporting and travelling purposes, it would occasionally be of greater circum-
ference.
The loom must be adjusted so as to weave a circular and distinct web of
cloth with a finished edge, border, or selvage, in place of the customary
arrangement for weaving square, or a continuous web or piece of cloth.
My Invention consists, secondly, of cutting these and other garments by
steel stamps or knives, actuated by the pressure of a heavy weight or spring;
these stamps or cutters are made partly of wrought iron or of other hard sub-
stances, to which edges or cutting surfaces made of steel are fastened and
bent to any required shape, as, for instance, to the complete shape of a coat,
waistcoat, or a shirt, and as now cut out by hand labor with shears. Several
folds or lengths of cloth may be placed under this shape thus prepared, and
pressure being exerted by means of any suitable arrangement of machinery,
clean cuts (where such are desired) are made through the several folds, and as
many garments as folds are produced ready for the needle workers. When
used for completing the circular cloaks herein-before described, the stamps or
cutters are made so as to cut an oval or a small circular opening in the
garment that has been partially formed, and the stamps or cutters will be also
arranged to cut a slit extending from the oval or small circular opening which
is chiefly intended to admit the neck of the wearer of the garment, and thus
without any further making, with the exception of sewing the openings herein
described, a complete and serviceable cloak is produced, avoiding the necessity
for the seam or seams of ordinary cloaks; and as the outer edge, selvage, or
border herein-before described also does not require to be sewed, increased
strength to the garment and an important saving of labor and cost are secured
by my Invention.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of the application of these garments to
purposes of covering in lieu of tents in the field. This is effected by attaching
rings or loops to, or by making holes in the outer edge, selvage, or border of
the cloak, and by fixing to or in the opening made for the wearer's neck,
sticks, rods, or guns, or other supports, so as to hold and retain the material
in the bell-like form and position under which sportsmen, emigrants, soldiers,
photographic artists, and others may obtain shelter; and the central opening
may either admit of the insertion of the supports herewith described, or may
be wholly or partially closed by a cape, hood, or collar.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of the application to cloaks and other
garments of strong stays composed of flax or some strong fibre, such stays to
be either introduced in the process of weaving the circular forms or webs of
cloth, or subsequently by being attached to the same, and in parts where

page_text: additional strength is required to resist pressure from wind, snow, or other
These stays will be required for tent purposes, to be placed chiefly at
the outer edge, selvage, or border, and so as to hold with firmness the necessary
rings, loops, or holes; and for the purposes of a garment, the stays will be
placed so as to aid in drawing up a portion of the material by a cord or cords
running through small loops or rings sewn to such stays; the cord or cords
run inside, and are attached to the bottom edge of the garment, and come
through small eyelot-holes to the outside near to the wearer's elbow, who may
easily draw up sufficient material to free the bridle on either arm, and form at
the same time a graceful semi-sleeve or covering, which may be as easily
undrawn, and the cloak made to resume its original shape.
This novel arrangement I call the Mecanique, and it will be found very
serviceable, and at the same time elegant in appearance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Donald Nicoll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DONALD
NICOLL, of the Firm of H. J. and D. Nicoll, of 114, Regent Street, and
22, Cornhill, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOAKS AND OTHER GARMENTS, AND FOR
THEIR APPLICATION TO PURPOSES TO WHICH THEY HAVE NOT HITHERTO BEEN
APPLIED," 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

page_text: 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 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:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of manufacturing cloth, by power or by hand
looms, for cloaks and other garments, in separate circular forms or webs. with
a finished edge, selvage, or border.
I prefer to weave a piece of cloth about sixteen yards in circumference,
which is about the size of ladies' cloaks; but this circular piece or web of
cloth would for short persons be less in circumference, and for horsemen,
sporting and travelling purposes, it would occasionally be of greater circum-
ference.
The loom must be adjusted so as to weave a circular and distinct web of
cloth with a finished edge, border, or selvage, in place of the customary
errangement for weaving square, or a continuous web or pieces of cloth; but
the latter mode of making cloth I also claim, so far as it is applicable, for the
manufacture of a cloak or tent without a seam or join, and as herein-after
described.
My Invention consists, secondly, of cutting these and other garments by
steel stamps or knives, actuated by the pressure of a heavy weight or spring;
these stamps or cutters are made partly of wrought iron or of other hard sub-
stances, to which edges or cutting surfaces made of steel are fastened and bent
to any required shape; as, for instance, to the complete shape of a coat,
waistcoat, or a shirt, and as now cut out by hand labor with shears. Several
folds or lengths of cloths may be placed under this shape thus prepared, and
pressure being exerted by means of any suitable arrangement of machinery,
clean cuts (where such are desired) are made through the several folds, and
as many garments as folds are produced ready for the needle workers. When
used for completing the circular cloaks herein-before described, the stamps
or cutters are made so as to cut an oval or a small circular opening in the
garment that has been partially formed; and the stamps or cutters will be
also arranged to cut a slit extending from the oval or small circular opening,
which is chiefly intended to admit the neck of the wearer of the garment, and
thus, without any further making, with the exception of sewing the edges of the
openings herein-before described, a complete and serviceable cloak is produced,
avoiding the necessity for the seam or seams of ordinary cloaks; and as the

page_text: outer edge, selvage, or border herein-before described also does not require to
be sewed, increased strength to the garment and an important saving of
labour and cost are secured by my Invention. The cloth so made I call
Nicoll's patent Frome cloth.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of the application of these garments to pur-
poses of covering in lieu of tents in the field; this is effected by attaching
rings or loops to, or by making holes in the outer edge, selvage, or border of
the cloak, and by fixing to or in the opening made for the weaver's neck,
sticks, rods, or guns, or other supports, so as to hold & retain the material in
the bell-like form and position under which sportsmen, emigrants, soldiers,
photographic artists, and others may obtain shelter; and the central opening
may either admit of the insertion of the supports herewith described, or may
be wholly or partially closed by a cape, hood, or collar.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of the application to cloaks and other
garments of strong stays composed of flax or some strong fibre, such stays to
be either introduced in the process of weaving the circular forms or webs of
cloth, or subsequently by being attached to the same, and in parts where
additional strength is required, to resist pressure from wind, snow, or other
causes. These stays will be required, for tent purposes, to be placed chiefly at
the outer edge, selvage, or border, and so as to hold with firmness the
necessary rings, loops, or holes; and for the purposes of a garment, the stays
will be placed so as to aid in drawing up a portion of the material by a cord
or cords running through small loops or rings sewn to such stays. The cord
or cords run inside, and are attached to the bottom edge of the garment, and
come through small eyelot-holes to the outside near to the weaver's elbow,
who may easily draw up sufficient material to free the bridle on either arm,
and form at the same time a graceful semi-sleeve or covering, which may be
as easily undrawn, and the cloak made to resume its original shape. This I
call the "Highland cloak," and the novel arrangement for forming semi-
sleeves the Mecanique," which will be found very serviceable, and at the
same time elegant in appearance.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 6th day of April 1859.
DONALD NICOLL. (L.S.)