IMPROVEMENTS IN CRINOLINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Leetch, of 315, Oxford Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention. of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CRINOLINES."
Sealed the 19th January 1866, and dated the 24th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Leetch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
July 1865.
I, JAMES LEETCH, of 315, Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CRINOLINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements in the construction of crinolines, by
which they can be made to expand or to collapse at the option of the wearer,
thus preventing much of the annoyance and danger that so often results from
wearing the ordinary crinoline.
The nature of these improvements will be at once seen by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front view, and Figure 2 a'
side view of the crinoline expanded; Figure 3' is a front view, and Figure 4
a side view shewing the crinoline drawn close to the person.
In place of the ribs forming. a circular band or hoop I bring them round

page_text: only sufficiently far in front as to insure a bearing for the drapery, which
extends all round. Attached to the ribs are tubes a (Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4),
into which are fitted steel rods 6, moved up and down in the tubes by means of
cords c, passing through eyelet holes attached to the crinoline, so as to insure
easy action. Now it will be easily understood that by pulling the said cords e
the skirt will be drawn up close to the person; or if one cord only is pulled,
one side of the skirt only will be drawn up, and on releasing the said cord or
cords the crinoline at once resumes its original form. I obtain a somewhat
similar action by using the cords without the tubes and rods, although I
prefer the use of the latter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Leetch, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LEETCH, of 315, Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight bundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Leetch, Her special licence that I, the said James Leetch,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Leetch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CRINOLINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Leetch, 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 Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Leetch, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
ollowing statement :—
My Invention consists of improvements in the construction of crinolines,
by which they can be made to expand or to collapse at the option of the
wearer, thus preventing much of the annoyance and danger that so often results
from wearing the ordinary crinoline.
The nature of these improvements will be at once seen by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 a side
view of the crinoline expanded; Fig. 3 is a front view, and Fig. 4 a side
view shewing the crinoline drawn close to the person; Fig. 5, modification of
this Invention. In place of the ribs forming a circular band or hoop I
bring them round only sufficiently far in front as to insure a bearing for
Attached to the ribs are tubes a
the drapery, which extends all round.
(Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4), into which are fixed steel rods 6, moved up and
down in the tubes by means of cords c, passing through eyelet holes attached.
to the crinoline, so as to insure easy action. Now it will be easily understood
that by pulling the said cords c the skirt will be drawn up close to the person;
and
or if one cord only is pulled, one side of the skirt only will be drawn up,
on releasing the said cord or cords the crinoline at once resumes its original
> form. I obtain a somewhat similar action by using the cords without the
tubes and rods, although I prefer the use of the latter.
5
0
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I declare that what I
claim and desire to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
Firstly, the improvements in crinolines, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated on Drawings.
Secondly, the principle of collapsing by means of tubes and such other
contrivances as will enable them to be made smaller or larger at the option of
the wearer.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Leetch, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JAMES LEETCH. (L.S.)