IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Woodrow, of Wood Street, Cheapside, in the
City, of London, Shirt Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHIRTS."
Sealed the 15th February 1856, and. dated the 20th October 1855..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Woodrow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
October 1855.
I, HENRY WOODROW, of Wood Street, Cheapside; in the City of London,
Shirt Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS" to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to manufacture these garments in such a
manner that they may be made to fit better than shirts cut and made up in the
ordinary way, and may be put on with greater facility. The sleeves, are cut in
such a manner that I am enabled to dispense with the ordinary shoulder strap,
and the front is also made to fit more neatly and closely to the person than
usual. One method of effecting this object consists in cutting the sleeve of
such a shape at the upper end thereof as to cause this part when attached to
the body of the shirt to reach up to the collar band, or the sleeve may be cut
with a rounded end, and the opening made in the body of the shirt to receive
the end of the sleeve, cut out in such a manner as to fit round the arm, and
thereby when the sleeve is attached will give greater freedom, or the end of the

page_text: sleeve may be cut out concave and fitted to a rounded hole. Manufacturers
will easily understand the nature and object of these improvements when it is
stated that these parts of the garment are cut to measurement, as is the case
for outer garments, such as coats. The back of the shirt instead of being cut
nearly straight, as in the ordinary shirt, is shaped somewhat like the back of a
coat, so as to-fit-the-body-of-the-wearer.
To facilitate the putting on of the shirt, I propose to cut the shirt in such a
manner that it may be made to open at the front or side, so that it may be put
on in the same way as a coat. When the shirt is made to open at the side I
adapt buttons and button holes or other fastenings at this part, and therefore
I am enabled to dispense with any fastenings in the front for securing the
garment. If it be desired, the front may be made to fasten at the side, but
not be cut down from top to bottom. In such a case the shirt must of
course be put on in the ordinary manner.
Another improvement consists in adapting to a shirt with a plain front a
removeable ornamental front, made of linen or other material, and which may
be buttoned or otherwise fastened on to the body of the shirt. The body of the
shirt in this instance may be made to open at the back, so that the front may
be attached to the shirt before being put on. The wristbands may also be
made removeable, so that they may be easily detached and attached without
taking off the shirt. I would observe that the removeable ornamental fronts
and wristbands may be adapted. to any shirt of the ordinary make, as well as
to my improved shirts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Woodrow: in. the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WOODROW, of Wood Street, Cheapside, in thé City of London; Shirt Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Woodrow, Her special license that I, the said Henry Woodrow;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Woodrow, my executors, adininistrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: 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 SHIRTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Woodrow, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Henry Woodrow, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of my Invention of "Improvements in Shirts" is to manufacture
these garments in such a manner that they may be made to fit better than
shirts cut and made up in the ordinary way, and may be put on with greater
facility.
In the accompanying Drawing, I have shewn various views of different
plans, whereby I am enabled to accomplish the objects of my Invention.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a shirt in which several improvements are com-
bined; but in order to avoid confusion I will refer to these several improvements
separately. Fig. 2 is a view of the back of the same shirt; and Fig. 3 is a side
view thereof. It will be seen that the sleeves are cut in such a manner that
I am enabled to dispense with the ordinary shoulder strap, and the front is also
made to fit more neatly and closely to the person than usual. The method I
adopt for effecting this object consists in cutting the sleeve of such a shape at
the upper end thereof as to cause this part when attached to the body of the
shirt to reach up to the collar band, as seen at a, a, Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The
mode of cutting out the sleeve will be best understood by referring to Fig. 1º,
which represents the piece for the sleeve with the pointed end a to reach the
collar band; Fig. 2ª represents the shirt cut in a corresponding manner at 6
to receive the sleeve.
A similar object may be effected by cutting the sleeve with a rounded end,
as shewn in Figs. 4, 4, and 4b. Fig. 4 represents the piece intended for the
sleeve, spread out and cut to the required form; Fig. 4° represents the sleeve
folded ready for insertion into the arm-hole b, of Fig. 4b, which represents the
parts which form the back and front of the shirt. The arm-hole or opening
made in the body of the shirt to receive the end of the sleeve must be cut
"

page_text: out in the manner shewn in Fig. 4b, so as to fit round the arm, and when the
sleeve.is attached, greater freedom than usual will be given to the arm. Fig. 5
represents a front view of one of the shirts made up complete.
Manufacturers will easily understand the nature and object of these improve-
ments when it is stated that these parts of the garment are cut to measurement,
as is the case for outer garments, such as coats. The back of the shirt instead
of being cut nearly straight, as in the ordinary shirt, is shaped somewhat like
the back of a coat, so as to fit the body of the wearer, as will be clearly under-
stood by referring to the Figures 4ª and 4b.
In order to facilitate the putting on of the shirt, I propose to cut the shirt in
such a manner that it may be made to open at the front or side, as shewn in
Figs. 1 and 5, already referred to, so that it may be put on in the same way as
a coat. When the shirt is made to open at the side I adapt thereto buttons
and button holes, as seen in Fig. 5, or other fastenings may be employed at this
part, and by this means I am enabled to dispense with any other fastenings in
the front, or prevent the necessity of disarranging the ornamental front for
securing the garment. If it be desired, the front máy be made to fasten at
the side, but not be cut down from top to bottom, as seen in Fig. 7. In such
a case the shirt must of course be put on in the ordinary manner.
Another improvement consists in adapting to a shirt with a plain front a
removeable ornamental front, made of linen or other material, and which may
be buttoned or otherwise fastened on to the body of the shirt. This improve-
ment is shewn in Fig. 8, Fig. 8, and Fig. 8: Fig. 8 is a front view of the
shirt without any front, but shewing the buttons or fastenings, whereby the
front (shewn detached at Fig. 8 and 8b) is attached thereto. The body of
the shirt in this instance may be made to open at the back, as shewn in the
back view, Fig. 9, so that the front may be attached to the shirt before being
put on, and not afterwards interfered with. The wristbands may also be made
removable, as shewn at Fig. 10, so that they may be easily detached and
attached without taking off the shirt. I would, observe, that the removable
ornamental fronts and wristbands may be adapted to any shirt of the ordinary
make, as well as to my improved shirts.
Fig. 11 is a front view of a shirt, to which a running waistband or strap is
adapted, for the purpose of drawing the same in at the waist, and making it
fit the body better than heretofore. This improvement may be adapted to
shirts of the ordinary kind, as well as to my improved shirts, as shewn also
at Figs. 1 and 5. This waistband may also be buttoned on, if preferred.
Fig. 12 is a front view of another shirt, in which the waist is contracted by
means of a band or strap, so as to make it fit the person of the wearer. In

page_text: this case, however, the shirt is itself shaped out or cut to fit the person, and is
open down the front.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Shirts," and
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would observe, in conclusion,
that I lay no claim to making shirts to open behind at the back, nor yet the
employment of removable shirt fronts which are tied round the neck over a
shirt; but that which I consider to be new, and therefore wish to claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, is,―
First, cutting the parts of a shirt in such a manner that I am enabled
to dispense with the ordinary shoulder strap, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and
Figs. 1 and 2. I also claim cutting the several parts in the manner shewn
at Figs. 4, 4, and 4b, and Fig. 5, so as to give greater freedom to the arm.
I further claim making the shirts to fit the shape of the person by cutting
the several parts of the shirt to measurement, in a similar manner to that
adopted by tailors in making a coat or other outer garment, the different
parts being shaped out as shewn in Figs. 42 and 4b, and also in Fig. 12. I also
claim as new making shirts to open at the front, or the side, as shewn in the
various Figures, so that they may be put on in the same way as a coat.
I further claim adapting to shirts with plain fronts removable ornamental
fronts, and removable ornamental wristbands, both or either of which may be
buttoned or otherwise fastened on to the body of the shirt.
And, lastly, I claim the use and application of a running waistband, whereby
the shirt may be made to fit round the waist of the wearer.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Woodrow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
HENRY WOODROW. (L.S.)