IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOPED SKIRTS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Whitehead, sen., John Whitehead, jun'.,
David Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead, of the Firm of John White-
Sealed the 20th October 1864, and dated the 9th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Whitehead, sen*.;
John Whitehead, jun"., David Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
9th May 1864.
We, JOHN WHITEHEAD, sen., JOHN WHITEHEAD jun., DAVID WHITEHEAD,
and HENRY WHITEHEAD, of the Firm of John Whitehead and Sons, Manu-
facturers, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOPED
SKIRTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the making of the bands or tapes which connect
the steel ribs or other substance employed as hoops, and to the method of
fastening them thereto. In our mode of. manufacturing the tapes or bands

page_text: we take the calico or other material we employ, and make it adhesive by
passing it over a plate covered with adhesive solution, which plate can be
made to spread the solution to any required thickness as may be necessary.
When the solution is perfectly dry on the material we put on at whatever
distance apart may be suitable rows of "cases" or pieces of calico or other
suitable material doubled over so as to form a case or covering through which
to pass the hoops. Over these we lay another piece of solutioned cloth and
pass the whole through pressure rollers which causes it to adhere together,
forming a sheet of double material. The material thus prepared we cut at
right angles to the rows of "cases" above mentioned into strips of the required
width to form the tapes. The inside of the "cases" not being solutioned they
form loops in the tapes through which the steel or other elastic hoops can be
easily passed. In fastening the tapes thus prepared to the hoops we use
eyelets, rivets, or studs, which we pass completely through both tapes and
hoops, thus we effectually prevent their shifting or altering their position and
dispense with stitching. This method of connection is especially valuable
when the hoops are of Brown's patent hoop steel No. 3077, dated 7th Decem-
ber 1863. In connecting the ends of the hoops we use a tape broad enough
double row of the eyelets, rivets, or studs above mentioned. The
ends of the hoops are brought to lap one over the other so as to meet within
the "cases" in the broad tape. We then pass two rows of eyelets, studs, or
rivets through the whole which forms a neat and secure connection.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Whitehead; sen., John Whitehead, jun., David
Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOBN
WHITEHEAD,, sen.,, JOHN WHITEHEAD, jun"., DAVID WHITEHEAD, and HENRY
WHITEHEAD, of the Firm of Whitehead and Sons, Manufacturers, of Leicester,
in the County of Leicester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her. Letters
Patent, bearing date, the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord. One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Whitehead, sen., John Whitehead, jun., David Whitehead, and
Henry Whitehead, Her special licence that we, the said John Whitehead, sen.,
John Whitehead, jun., David Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead, our execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
Whitehead, sen., John Whitehead, jun., David Whitehead, and Henry
Whitehead, our 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 HOOPED SKIRTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Whitehead, sen., John Whitehead, jun"., David White-
head, and Henry. Whitehead, our executors or administrators; by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said John Whitehead, sen., John.
Whitehead jun., David Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead, do hereby declare ·
the nature of our said 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 the bands or tapes which connect the steel ribs or
other suitable material employed as hoops, and to the method of fastening
them thereto. In our mode of manufacturing the tapes or bands we take the
calico or whatever other. material we may employ, and make it adhesive by:
passing it over a plate covered with adhesive solution, which plate can be:
made to spread the solution to any required thickness as may be necessary.
When the solution is perfectly: dry. on the material, we put on at whatever
distance apart may be suitable, rows of "cases" or pieces of calico or other
suitable material doubled over so as to form a case or covering through which
to pass the hoops. Over these we lay another piece of solutioned cloth,.and.
pass the whole through pressure rollers which causes it to adhere together,..
forming a sheet of double material. The inside of the "cases.".not being
solutioned, they, form: loops in the tapes through which the steel or other:
.

page_text: hoops can be easily passed. In fastening the tapes, thus prepared, to the:
hoops we use eyelets, rivets, or studs which we pass completely through both
tapes and hoops, thus we effectually prevent their shifting or altering their
position and dispense with stitching.
But that the nature of our improvements, and the means which we adopt in
carrying the same into effect may be fully understood we will proceed to
describe the Drawing annexed.
Fig. 1-represents front, back, and edge views of tapes formed of solutioned
cloth with "cases" encased between the two thicknesses of the material, and
showing the mode of fastening by means of eyelets which are passed through
hoop and tapes. Fig. 2 shows front, back, and edge views of a method of.
fastening by laying the metallic strips or ribs which form the hoops in proper"
position across the tapes, and passing one or more eyelets, rivets, or studs:
through both, and is applicable both to tapes made as herein described and
to tapes woven in the ordinary way.
Another method of preparing the tapes.we take single sheets of the solutioned
cloth and cut them into strips twice the width of the tapes required, we then
double them by folding, causing the edges to meet down the centre of the
tapes, and pass them through pressure rollers. In the tape thus prepared
we cut two rows of slits, the slits in each row being parallel with and
opposite to one another, forming a series of loops through which to pass the
hoops. Fig. 3 shows back, front, and edge views of tapes prepared by this
method. The plan of cutting rows of slits is also applicable to tapes woven.
in the ordinary way, the hoops being fastened to the tapes by means of eyelets
or studs. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a hooped skirt showing the application
of the various methods herein described, the tapes b, b, are made and
fastened in manner illustrated at Fig. 1; c, c, are tapes which being placed
at proper intervals on the hoops are fastened thereto by passing eyelets
through both without either loops or "cases" as in the method shown at
Fig. 2.
The tapes a, a, have rows of slits cut at proper intervals forming.
loops through which the hoops are laced as at Fig. 3, and fastened thereto
by eyelets.
+
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of improvements in the
manufacture of hooped skirts, and explained the manner of carrying the same.
into effect, we wish it to be understood. that we claim,-
First, the method herein described of making the supporting tapes of double-
material having loops or cases inserted. between the two thicknesses.

page_text: Secondly, the passing the hoops through slits cut in the tape or web.
Thirdly, we claim the fastening by means of eyelets, rivets, or studs passed
ompletely through both hoop and tape.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Whitehead, sen., John White-
head, jun, David Whitehead, and Henry Whitehead, have hereunto
set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
(L.S.)
JOHN WHITEHEAD, SEN".
JOHN WHITEHEAD JUNB (1.8)