IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCARFS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Ward, of Bradford, in the County of York,
and Charles George Virgo, also of Bradford, in the County of York, for
S"
Sealed the 21st June 1867, and dated the 2nd January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Ward and Charles
George Virgo at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd January 1867.
We, ALFRED WARD, of Bradford, in the County of York, and CHARLES
GEORGE VIRGO, also of Bradford, in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SCARFS," to be as follows:-
The objects of our Invention are so to construct scarfs that they may be
much more serviceable than those in ordinary use, and also (if desired) combine
a variety of distinct patterns or designs and colours in each scarf so that a
single scarf may be equivalent to four scarfs as from the nature of the
construction we are enabled to present four different surfaces and consequently
as many designs with any desired ground colour; or if desired a plain scarf
only or one with a uniform design may be produced on the same principle of
construction which shall present four different surfaces. The scarf is constructed
as follows: Where a plain scarf is required, for example, taking a parallel
piece of the material of which it is to be composed, and having cut it the

page_text: required length we then cut two semi-hexagons on either side of the piece
of material in the centre of its length, and regulate the double width of the
scarf from the inner corners of the semi-hexagons; we also cut out of the
centre of the length of the scarf a diamond-shaped piece, the longer axis of
which is in the direction of the width; the scarf is then doubled, and a
hexagonal centre piece of stiff substance and covered with similar material
to that of which the.scarf is composed (the sides of which equal in measure-
ment the transverse or shorter diameter of the aperture in the centre of the
scarf) is inserted in such a position that its centre falls just below the bottom
of the diamond aperture, thus filling up the exposed portion of the aperture;
the centre having been secured to the scarf and the hexagon being free to
rotate, its upper sides form a support over which the ends of the scarf may be
turned. An ordinary neckband may be used in conjunction with the above
by passing the ends through elastics (fastened to the top of the scarf) and
securing eyelets and catches, or a cycle-shaped piece (well known) may be
substituted for the neckband at the pleasure of the wearer. Where various
patterns and colours are required the same shape of scarf is used. The
patterns may be either woven or printed in one piece or on various pieces,
and joined together by sewing, care being taken that each pattern occupies
its proper position to produce the desired result, viz., four distinct designs
when that number is required, although of course in some cases three or two
designs only may be required. The hexagonal centre piece is of course covered
with corresponding patterns and colours, and turned on its centre
required, dependant upon the pattern wanted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Ward and Charles George Virgo in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
WARD, of Bradford, in the County of York, and CHARLES GEORGE VIRGO, also
of Bradford, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Alfred Ward and Charles George Virgo, Her special licence that we, the
said Alfred Ward and Charles George Virgo, our executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred Ward and Charles
George Virgo, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times theré-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCARFS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Alfred Ward and Charles George Virgo, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Alfred Ward and Charles George
Virgo, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:―
The objects of our Invention are so to construct scarfs that they may be
much more serviceable than those in ordinary use, and also (if desired)
combine a variety of distinct patterns or designs and colours in each scarf, so
that a single scarf may be equivalent to four scarfs, as from the nature of the
construction we are enabled to present four different surfaces, and consequently
as many designs with any desired ground colour; or if desired a plain scarf
only or one with a uniform design may be produced on the same principle of
construction which shall present four different surfaces. The scarf is con-
structed as follows:-Where a plain scarf is required, for example, taking a
parallel piece of the material of which it is to be composed, and having cut it
the required length we then cut two semi-hexagons on either side of the piece
of material in the centre of its length, and regulate the double width of the
scarf from the inner corners of the semi-hexagons; we also cut out of the
centre of the length of the scarf a diamond-shaped piece, the longer axis of
which is in the direction of the width; the scarf is then doubled, and a
hexagonal centre piece of stiff substance and covered with similar material to
that of which the scarf is composed (the sides of which equal in measurement
the transverse or shorter diameter of the aperture in the centre of the scarf)
is inserted in such a position that its centre falls at the apex of the diamond
aperture, thus filling up the exposed portion of the aperture; the centre of
the bexagon having been secured to the scarf, and being free to rotate, its

page_text: upper sides form a support over which the ends of the scarf may be turned.
An ordinary neck band may be used in conjunction with the above by passing
the ends through elastics (fastened to the top of the scarf), and secured by
eyelets and catches, or a cycle-shaped piece (well known) may be substituted
for the neck band at the pleasure of the wearer. In some instances in place
of the ordinary cycle generally used we prefer to use what we term a reversible
double-winged cycle with the above-named construction of scarf, that is to
say, consisting of two side pieces connected together by a transverse rectan-
gular tie piece, which keeps them (when they are not in use and are opened
out) parallel to each other. The points of connection between the tie piece
and the side pieces are so made as to allow the side pieces to rest flatly upon
either side of the tie piece, and thus form in consequence of the shape in
which they are cut a double reversible cycle, so that when used in connection,
for instance, with a scarf having four distinct patterns, the exposed portions of
the cycle may match the same. One end of each of the cycle wings is passed
through the elastic at the top of the scarf, and it is secured to the shirt button
by an elastic band passed through three eyelet holes in the rectangular tie
piece, and loop-knotted on either side of the centre eyelet hole. The patterns
may be either woven, embossed, or printed in one piece or on various pieces,
and joined together by sewing, care being taken that each pattern occupies its
proper position to produce the desired result, viz., four distinct designs, when
that number is required, although of course in some cases three or two
designs or one only may be required. The hexagonal centre piece is of
course covered with corresponding patterns and colours, and turned on its
centre as required dependant upon the pattern wanted.
Another of our improvements in the construction of scarfs consists in a
centre or filling-in piece (occupying the same position as the exposed portion
of the hexagonal centre in the previously described scarf) which may by
preference be of rectangular formation and reversible. The pieces forming
the scarf itself are detached from the centre, and are also doubly reversible,
that is to say, although they have only two sides they furnish one reversion,
and being detached the lower ends may be used as upper ones when the
former become soiled as the connection is formed by passing the ends of the
reversible cycle (when an ordinary one is not used) through the elastic bands
secured to each end of the scarf pieces, and then inserting them in the centre
piece in recesses made for them. A neat scarf is thus made, and a fresh
effect may further be obtained by doubling the ends of the scarf pieces
through which the ends of the cycle are passed, causing the upper ends of the
same to fall at a different angle upon the centre piece to the previous one.

page_text: Two different effects may thus be obtained by this construction in the relative
angles of the scarf pieces to each other, two distinct designs may also be
exhibited.
In order, however, that our Invention may be the better understood,
reference is made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say: -
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
°
Figure 1 shows the shape of the body of the scarf opened out flat, having
the diamond E cut out of the centre and the semi-hexagons on either side;
when doubled down the centre line z and creased in the lines x it will readily
be seen by reference to the letters that the ends may be turned over so as
each to produce two separate patterns or designs (where four in number are
supposed to be required) or plain or variegated colours; in Figures 2 and 3,
for instance, which show a scarf partially folded, if the end c were brought
over in front of 6 the part marked a in the upper left-hand corner would
correspond with the central portion marked a, so that it will be seen that
when the scarf is in proper position one section of the central portion presents
a corresponding appearance to the reverse side of the opposite end of the
scarf, whilst the hexagonal centre piece E1, E2, (the alternate sides of which
are seen in Figures 7 and 8) may be turned round on its axis (when the scarf
is opened out) to suit the various patterns, being itself sectionally covered to
correspond. Letters G (Figures 1 and 2) represent the elastics through
which a loose neck band may be passed, the ends being secured by a hook
and eye in the ordinary manner, or a plain cycle a, as in Figure 4, which is
fully folded; Figure 5 shows our reversible double-winged cycle in per-
spective, and detached from the body of the scarf, showing the wings a, b, and
c, d, the tie piece e, and the elastic and eyelet holes for suspension; Figure 6
shows the same in the position it assumes when applied to a scarf, the various
letters answering to the various patterns or designs constructed on our second
method, applicable to the construction of scarf shown in Figure 2, as also to
our alternate construction seen opened out and in perspective in Figure 9,
where F forms the detached centre portion, E, E, the doubly reversible side
or folding pieces fitted with elastics G; letters H indicate the wings of our
reversible winged cycle with the lower portions of such wings passed through
the upper elastic of pieces E, E, and between the centre pieces E, F, (the two
sides of which are seen in Figures 10 and 11) which may be sewn together;
when folded the appearance is as presented in Figure 12; Figure 13 shows
a scarf partially folded without a cycle; Figures 14 and 15 show a front and

page_text: back view of our second mode of construction, the ends of the sides being
doubled before having the lower wings of the cycle passed through the
elastics G; Figure 16 is a view before the wing of the right-hand side and
the side E are turned over, the bottom end of the former being inserted in the
centre piece F, and the latter falling on to side F and presenting on the
reverse side of E a corresponding side F. We may here mention that the tie
piece of the winged oycle may be hinged to the wings simply by a con-
tinuation of the covering of the material which forms the cycle (which for
convenience may be of cardboard).
Having now stated the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we would have it understood that what we claim
as and of our Invention is the construction of scarfs in such a
that two or more different surfaces or patterns may be presented when in use in
one and the same scarf by the first method, and two by the second or alternate
method, thereby making one scarf answer the same purpose as several scarfs,
whether the scarfs be of a uniform or of variegated colours, or of uniforin or
variegated patterns or designs, such scarfs being folded and arranged in any
of the methods shown and described in conjunction either with an ordinary
neck band secured by eyelet and hook, the ordinary cycle, or our winged cycle,
as shown and described, without confining ourselves to the precise details
shown.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Ward and Charles George Virgo,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-seventh day of
June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
seven.
Witness,
ALFRED WARD.
(L.S.)
CHARLES GEORGE VIRGO. (L.S.)
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Agent to the Patentees,
Leeds and Bradford.