A New and Improved' Method of Making Shirts and other Articles of Clothing.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 25th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 9th July. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved' Method of Making Shirts and other Articles
of Clothing.
I PATRICK DOUGLAS KENNY, Manufacturer, of 10 Claremont Road Alexandra
Park Manchester in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The body of a shirt is now formed by a sewing at either side of the shirt from
the armpit down to the hip, leaving the laps open on either side at the bottom.
My invention is to have the sewings in front and behind, leaving the laps
open in front and behind accordingly. One of the laps will thus be on
either side and can be lapped round either leg of the wearer. At the lower
ends of the back and front sewings the back and front of the shirt can be
joined between the wearer's legs by a button and button-hole. The following
advantages will thus be apparent :-(1) Each leg of the wearer will be
covered by the corresponding lap of his shirt. (2) By fastening the back and
front of the shirt between the wearer's legs the shirt will be prevented from rising
up out of its place as it does when the wearer exercises or runs. (3) The laps can
be made long enough to meet the wearer's stockings so as to avoid the need for
drawers. (4) By fastening the shirt laps to the stockings there would be no need
to injure the leg by wearing garters; and thus the shirt would be kept down by
the stockings while the stockings would be kept up by the shirt. (5) The shirt
can be shaped to suit the wearer's back by having the sewing up the back. (6) A
shirt of a given size can be made from less cloth by this method.
Some of the other articles of clothing to which this invention applies are chemises
and night-dresses.
Dated 24th day of Mauch 1000
PATRICK DOUGLAS KENNY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Method of Making Shirts and other Articles
of Clothing.
I, PATRICK DOUGLAS KENNY of 10 Claremont Road, Alexandra Park,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,-Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
As shirts are now made the body is formed by sewing the cloths upon either
side of the shirt from the hips to the arm-pits, leaving the openings of the laps on
either side of the shirt at the hips. This old method leaves parts of the hips and
parts of the outer sides of the wearer's legs uncovered by the shirt. When the
wearer takes considerable exercise, especially riding, lawn tennis and walking, or in
case of soldiers, marching, the shirt works up out of its place, often gathering in
lumps upon the wearer's back in a very uncomfortable manner. My invention is
meant to remedy these and other drawbacks; and the principal feature of my
invention is to put the sewings forming the body in front and behind instead of at
the sides as now.
This new method will have the laps opening in front and behind accordingly;
aud it will leave a lap on either side to cover either leg of the wearer, instead of
having the laps in front and behind as now. The laps can be made as long as the
wearer thinks convenient or necessary, and the wearer's legs will be covered by
Price 8d 1

page_text: the laps lapping round them. The laps can be left made long enough to meet
the wearer's stockings, for the purpose of avoiding the need of drawers. The shirt
will be prevented from rising up out of its place (1) by fastening the corresponding
laps round the wearer's legs, (2) by putting a button and button-hole, or india
rubber loop, or other form of fastener, between the back and front sides of the
shirt & between the wearer's legs, and (3) by connecting the laps of the shirt with
the wearer's stockings, which would also avoid the need of garters. And by this
method, too, the laps of the shirt can be sewn up to form legs like the legs of
drawers, with the back of the shirt open for the putting on, and the neck closing
behind. This arrangement would have the back adjustable through the whole
length of the body. By having the sewings that form the body put in the front
and in the back, the front and back of the shirt can be shaped accordingly, to suit
the form of the wearer. The 3 ways above described for keeping the shirt down
in its place are separate processes each of which suffices to achieve the purpose in
view. This invention applies to not only shirts but to such other articles of
clothing as night-dresses and chemises.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. By putting in front and behind, the sewings that form the body of a shirt,
instead of putting them at the sides as shirts are now made, the following features
of novelty and improvement are attainable :-
2. The openings in the laps of the shirt will be in front and behind; and the
laps will be on either side, to correspond with the wearer's legs:
3. Either leg of the wearer will be covered by the corresponding lap or division
of shirt, instead of leaving the outer sides of the legs uncovered by the shirt as at
present made :
4. And by the two divisions or laps of the shirt lapping round the corresponding
legs of the wearer, the shirt will be prevented from rising up out of its place:
5. And the same object of keeping down the shirt can be achieved (a) by
fastening the back and front of the shirt between the wearer's legs at a point to
suit the size of the wearer's body (the fastener may be india rubber); or (b) by
fastening the shirt-laps to the stockings, thus keeping up the stockings, keeping
down the shirt and avoiding the need for drawers and garters:
6. The two divisions or laps can be sewn to form two legs to the shirt.
PATRICK DOUGLAS KENNY.