Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June. 1997
I, MARTHA KATE ROSE WHITE of 20, Wellesley Road, Croydon, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with ladies' skirts and has for
its object to provide an arrangement which can be easily altered from an ordinary
skirt into a divided skirt and vice-versa.
In carrying out my invention the lower part of the skirt is divided vertically at the
front and back this division extending for a suitable distance up the skirt preferably
about 18 inches. At each side of the division fasteners are employed and I prefer to
use the well known form of glove fastener in which a spring projection or button on
one side projects into a socket on the other. These fasteners are so arranged that the
two sides can be connected together at the front and at the back so as to form an
ordinary skirt or the front and back of each side may be connected together so as to
divide the skirt at the bottom into two legs.
The skirt can be rapidly changed by pulling open the fasteners and fastening them
in the other positiou. The skirt is thus especially applicable for cycling purposes
allowing the wearer to use an ordinary skirt when off the machine and to have a
divided skirt while riding.
The upper part of the skirt is also preferably provided with fasteners of the kind
described to allow the skirt to be secured or unfastened in a most rapid manner.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the skirt
showing it arranged in the divided manner, Fig. 2 is a similar view with the skirt
arranged in the ordinary manner for walking purposes and Fig. 3 shows the
skirt open.
A is the body of the skirt open at the top at a, this part being provided with the
glove fasteners B. The skirt is formed with the divisions or pins C and C¹ at the front
and back, these openings extending for some distance above the bottom of the skirt.
The edges of the skirt at these openings are furnished with the fasteners B¹, these
fasteners being arranged so that the socket is placed at one side of the skirt at the
front and the button or projection on the same side at the back. This allows the
fasteners to be secured at the front and at the back to form the ordinary skirt as shown
in Fig. 2 and also allows the front and back to be connected together at each side to
make the divided skirt as shown in Fig. 1.
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.) An improved skirt especially intended for cycling purposes having a division
at the front and the back with fasteners arranged along the sides of the division or
opening so that the parts can be connected together at front and at back or the sides
can be connected to form a divided skirt, substantially as described and for the purposes
specified.
(2.) An improved skirt especially intended for cycling purposes having a division
or opening at the front and back, fasteners of the kind commonly employed for gloves

page_text: placed along the openings allowing the skirt to be connected together so as to form
either a divided or an ordinary skirt, substantially as described and shown in the
accompanying drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 13th day of May 1897.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.