An Improvement in Riding Skirts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1892-Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Riding Skirts.
We, GEORGE SKINNER and JULES ARMAND MATHEISSEN, trading under the
firm or style of J. B. Höhne, of 90, Great Portland Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Tailors and Habit Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to a further improvement in the safety-riding skirt
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to our predecessor in
business, J. B. Höhne, dated December 13th 1884, No. 16421
The principal object of that skirt, which is especially suited for use in the hunting
field, is to avoid liability of the skirt catching on the pommel of the saddle, in the
event of the rider being thrown, and the object of the present further improvement
is to so construct and arrange the skirt that whilst retaining all the advantages of
the safety-skirt above referred to, it will present in a more perfect and complete
manner than was possible with the safety-skirt above referred to, or with other
safety-skirts which have since been devised, the appearance of an ordinary habit
skirt when the wearer is on foot.
In carrying out the present improvement the apron-like skirt such as described
in the former Letters Patent above referred to, is combined with the breeches or
trousers somewhat as has been heretofore proposed with other similar skirts but it
is so shaped and so attached to the breeches or trousers that a portion of the skirt
which is folded back inwards beneath the remainder when the wearer is mounted is
available when the wearer is dismounted for the purpose of completing the skirt at
the rear and so covering and concealing the gap in the skirt and the legs of the
wearer.
The one edge of the apron-like skirt, namely that towards the right hand side, is
brought round towards the back and stitched to the back and seat of the breeches
or trousers along the central back seam from the waistband down as far as the
crutch; thence it is stitched to the right leg of the breeches or trousers along the
inner or leg seam down to about the knee, the part of the skirt below this point
being left free so that when the wearer is in the saddle this part of the skirt
will lap round the right leg and present the appearance of an ordinary skirt.
On the left side the skirt is fastened at the upper part to the left side. of the
breeches or trousers and is provided below and beyond this point of attachment
with an extension flap of sufficient breadth to envelop the legs of the wearer at rear
and to be held in that position by being fastened to the outer seam of the right leg
when the wearer is dismounted.
This extension tlap extends nearly the whole depth of the skirt, that is to say
from the bottom or hem upwards nearly to the waist band so that when in use its
upper edge will be concealed by the tails of the jacket.
When the rider is mounted, this extension flap is folded back inwardly and
is secured in this position by being hooked or buttoned at its upper corner to the
upper front part of the apron-like skirt, accessibility to this fastening being
provided by the usual slit at the upper part of the skirt on the left side, which is
closed by buttons in the usual way.
Dated this 22nd day of Anxil 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Riding Skirts.
We, GEORGE SKINNER and JULES ARMAND MATHEISSEN, trading under the
firm or style of J. B.. Höhne,. of. 90, Great Portland Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Tailors and Habit Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 a further improvement in the safety riding skirt described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to our predecessor in business
J. B. Höhne dated December 13th 1884, No. 16421.
The principal object of that skirt which is especially suited for use in the hunting
field, is to avoid liability of the skirt catching on the pommel of the saddle in the
event of the rider being thrown, and the object of the present further improvement
is to so construct and arrange the skirt that, whilst retaining all the advantages of
the safety skirt above referred to, it will present (in a more perfect and complete
manner than was possible with the safety skirt above referred to, or with other
safety skirts which have since been devised) the appearance of an ordinary habit
skirt when the wearer is on foot.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of. this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 represents the skirt as it appears when the rider is mounted and viewed
from the near side by which it will be seen that it does not differ in outward
appearance from a riding skirt as usually made.
Figure 2 represents the skirt and the legs of the rider as they would appear
could they be viewed from the off-side through the body of the horse.
Figure 3 shews a rear view of the rider dismounted with the skirt closed at back.
Figure 4 is a view shewing the appearance the skirt would present if the skirt
were not closed at back by the extra flap piece hereafter described.
In carrying out the present improvement, the apron-like skirt such as described
in the former Letters Patent above referred to, is permanently combined with the
breeches or trousers so as to form therewith but one garment somewhat as has been'
heretofore proposed with other similar skirts but it is so shaped and so attached to
the breeches or trousers that a portion a of the skirt which is folded back inwards
beneath the skirt when the wearer is mounted is available when the wearer is
dismounted for the purpose of completing the skirt at the rear and so covering the
gap in the skirt and concealing the legs of the wearer, as shewn in Figure 3. The
right side portion of the apron-like skirt is brought round towards the back so as to
encircle the right leg of the trousers or breeches and its edge 6 is stitched to
the back and seat of the breeches or trousers along the central back seam from the
waistband down as far as the crutch; thence this edge b is stitched to the right leg
of the breeches or trousers along the inner or leg seam thereof down to a point b
at about the knee; the part of the skirt below this point being left free, so that
when the wearer is in the saddle, this part of the skirt will lap round and wholly
conceal the right leg of the trousers, and present the appearance of an ordinary
habit'skirt.
On the left side the skirt is stitched at the upper part from a to d to the left rear
side of the seat of the breeches or trousers. Below the point.'d the skirt is quite
free, but instead of being cut straight down from this point it is provided below this
point of attachment with the extension or flap-portion.a which when the rider is
mounted, is. to be folded back inwardly, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 4, and
is secured in this position by being hooked or buttoned at its upper corner e to the
upper front part of the skirt, accessibility to this fastening being provided by a side slit f
provided at the upper part of the skirt which is closed by buttoning in the usual
way, the lower part of the folded extension flap being secured by the heel of the
T

page_text: left foot being inserted in an elastic loop g attached to the lower corner of said flap,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 2. This folding inwards of the extension flap may
be performed either before mounting or after mounting as the rider may prefer.
The purpose of this extension portion will be evident by comparing Figures 3
and 4 from which it will be seen that the said extension is of sufficient breadth to
admit of being brought round behind and hooked or otherwise fastened by its
corner e and at any other points down the edge a² to the right hand side of the
skirt so as in that position to completely envelop the legs of the wearer at rear. In
this position it will be apparent, from Figure 3, that the top edge a³ of this
extension flap will be concealed by the tails of the jacket and the skirt will then
present the appearance illustrated in Figure 3, namely that of an ordinary habit
skirt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we do not claim
the combination in one garment of the apron-like skirt and breeches, our invention
residing essentially in the extension flap of the skirt, we declare that what we
therefore claim is-
The herein described safety riding skirt consisting in the combined breeches and
apron-like skirt provided with an extension flap adapted to be folded back beneath
the skirt when the rider is mounted and to be brought round behind the wearer
so as to complete the skirt at rear, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 21st dex of Lune 1800
Dated this 21st day of June 1800
G. SKINNER,
J. A. MATHIESSEN,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents..