IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MATERIAL FOR AND MANUFAC- " TURE OF LADIES' SKIRTS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Mason, of the City of Manchester, Manufacturer,
for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MATERIAL FOR AND MANUFAC-
"
TURE OF LADIES' SKIRTS."
Sealed the 29th April 1878, and dated the 1st November 1877.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Mason at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1877.
JOHN JAMES MASON, of the City of Manchester, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MATERIAL FOR AND MANUFACTURE OF LADIES' SKIRTS.”
This Invention relates to the production of a special and improved description of
material for ladies' skirts, and to a novel method of manufacturing the same into
ladies' skirts, whereby such articles are much improved in appearance and are
produced in a simpler and less expensive manner than has hitherto been
practicable.
In carrying out my Invention I manufacture a special width of material, sufficiently
wide between the selvidges or edges to allow the gores forming the skirt to be cut
transversely out of such material instead of being cut in the direction of the length,
which has been the only practicable direction hitherto, and thus I am enabled, by
presenting the weft in a woven material perpendicularly instead of horizontally, as
heretofore, to considerably enhance and improve the appearance of the skirt when
made up, and which has previous to this Invention been a great desideratum.
My Invention further consists in the production of ladies' skirts from such especially
manufactured material, by cutting the same transversely across in alternate direction
and at such an angle that when each alternate piece or gore so cut off is reversed
and sewn by each of its edges to the edges of the neighboring piece, a skirt is
produced with the front and back of exactly the same shape, and out of two pieces
of material sewn together by only two seams, instead of using three or more pieces
of varying form cut out of material in the direction of its length, with a corresponding
increase in the number of seams, as heretofore.

page_text: In accordance with the present Invention I am enabled to effect a considerable
saving in material, and to produce ladies' skirts with less labor, and of a handsomer
appearance than has hitherto been possible.
Whilst I prefer that the two pieces forming the skirt shall be of the same shape,
as herein-before described, it should be understood that a corresponding effect might
be produced by varying the two pieces, more or less, in shape,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John James Mason in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
May 1878.
JOHN JAMES MASON, of the City of Manchester, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MATERIAL FOR AND MANUFACTURE OF LADIES' SKIRTS."
This Invention relates to the production of a special and improved description of
material for ladies' skirts, and to a novel method of manufacturing the same into
ladies' skirts, whereby such articles are much improved in appearance, and are
produced in a simpler and less expensive manner than has hitherto been
practicable.
In carrying out my Invention I manufacture a special width of material, sufficiently
wide between the selvidges or edges to allow the gores forming the skirt to be cut
.transversely out of such material, instead of being cut in the direction of the length,
which has been the only practicable direction hitherto, and thus I am enabled by
presenting the weft in a woven material perpendicularly instead of horizontally, as
'heretofore, to considerably enhance and improve the appearance of the skirt when
made up, and which has, previous to this Invention, been a great desideratum.
This Invention further consists in the production of ladies' skirts from such specially
manufactured material, by cutting the same transversely across in alternate directions
and at such an angle that when each alternate piece or gore so cut off is reversed
and sewn by each of its edges to the edges of the neighbouring piece, a skirt is
produced with the front and back of exactly the same shape, and out of two pieces
of material sewn together by only two seams instead of using three or more pieces
of varying form cut out of material in the direction of its length, with a corresponding
increase in the number of seams, as heretofore.
On the accompanying Drawing,―
Fig. 1 represents a portion of material of special width, say, for instance, 40 inches,
manufactured in accordance with this Invention, and the dotted lines thereon repre-
senting the manner of cutting up the same.
Fig. 2 represents a method of hooking up the whole length of a piece of my
improved material in folds, ready to be cut transversely across in the direction of
the dotted line, and whereby I am enabled to cut up the entire length of a piece of
such material at one operation, and Fig. 3 represents one of the cut off pieces or
gores for forming my improved skirt.
It will thus be seen that the material is, in accordance with this Invention,
.manufactured of the exact width to give the length of skirt required; and that each
alternate piece cut off, when reversed, is sewn by its edges, marked A in Fig. 1, to

page_text: the edges of the previously adjoining or neighbouring piece, the partially formed
skirt thus produced being afterwards banded and otherwise completed in the
ordinary manner.
In accordance with the present Invention I am enabled to effect a considerable
saving in material, and to produce ladies' skirts with less labor and of a handsomer
appearance than has hitherto been possible.
Whilst I prefer that the two pieces forming the skirt shall be of the same shape
as herein-before described, it should be understood that a corresponding effect might
be produced by varying the two pieces, more or less, in shape.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions herein-before
described, and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be con-
siderably varied without departing from the Invention, and that I claim,―
1st. The improved manufacture of and material for ladies' skirts, substantially as
herein-before described.
2nd. The manufacture of ladies' skirts from two pieces of material with the weft
arranged perpendicularly, and having only two seams, as herein-before described,
and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The novel method of cutting ladies' skirts, as herein-before described, and
illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Mason, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 30th day of April 1878
JOHN JAMES MASON. (L.S.)