Improvements in means for Measuring and Cutting Skirts.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
.Improvements in means for Measuring and Cutting Skirts.
I, ALMEDA AGUSTA PINKHAM, residing at 40, Summer Street, North Adams,
in the County of Berkshire, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Dress Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
he same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to adjustable patterns or charts for drafting skirts, and
the object thereof is to provide an improved device or devices for this purpose by
means of which the front, side and back of a skirt may be quickly and easily
drafted; a further object being to provide a device or devices for the purposes
herein specified by means of which any one may easily draft a skirt, without
material instruction or information on the subject.
The invention consists of three separate scale frames which are substantially
of the same form, and each of which consists of the same number of parts, and
the invention is fully disclosed in the following Specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which:-
Fig. 1, is a plan view of the scale frame by which the front of the skirt is
drafted.
Fig. 2, a similar view of the frame by which the sides are drafted; and
Fig. 3, a similar view of the frame by which the back of the skirt is drafted.
In the drawing forming part of this Specification the separate parts of my
improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the
views, and in the practice of my invention, reference being made to Fig. 1, I
provide a scale frame which consists of a separate side composed of two parts 5,
and 6, one of which is provided with a longitudinal slot 7, and the other with a
scale 8, and that part which is provided with the scale 8, is provided with pins
or screw 9, which pass through the slot 7, and one of which is adapted to serve
as a set screw.
The scale 8, as shown in the drawing, runs from 36 to 46 inches, and the lower
end of the part 6, is provided with an angular extension 10, which is formed on
or secured thereto, and connected with said extension 10, is a bar 11, which is
provided with a slot 12 and said extension 10, is provided with pins or screw 13,
which pass through said slot, and one of which is adapted to serve as a set screw,
and formed on the bar 11, at one side of the slot 12, is a scale 14.
The extension 10, and the bar 11, constitute the bottom of the scale frame for
drafting the front of the skirt, and said extension and bar when connected, are
slightly curved, and the outer end of the bar 11, is provided with a slot 15,
through which passes a screw 16, which is adapted to serve as a set screw, by
means of which said bar is connected with an inclined side piece consisting of a
bottom part 17, and an upper part 18, in which is formed a longitudinal slot, 19
and the lower part 17, of the inclined side piece of the frame is provided with
screws or pins 20, one of which is adapted to serve as a set screw, and the upper
ends of the side pieces of this frame are connected by an inwardly directed
extension 21, on one of said pieces, which is provided with pins or screws 22,

page_text: which pass through a slot 23, formed in a similar inwardly directed extension 24,
on the upper piece of the opposite side piece, and adjacent to the slot 22, is a
scale 25.
The lower part 17, of the inclined side piece is also provided with a scale 26,
which is similar to the scale 8, and the outer side of the upper part 18, of said
inclined side piece is perfectly straight for a short distance as shown at 27,
while the outer side of the part 5, of the straight side of the frame is preferably
inwardly inclined slightly as shown at 28.
By means of this device the front of the skirt of the length and the width
thereof, at the top and bottom may be quickly and easily measured, and the
scales 8, 14, 26, and 25, may be of any desired character, and in practice the
material from which the front of the skirt is cut is first preferably folded, and
the straight side pieces of the scale frame is laid along the folded edge and the
opposite or inclined side, and the top and bottom of the front piece of the skirt
is then marked out and cut in the usual manner.
It will also be understood that the opposite sides of the frame, and the top
and bottom thereof, are adjustable, and the scale frame for drafting the side or
sides of the skirt is substantially the same as that for drafting the front, this
frame being shown in Fig. 2, the only difference being that the straight part 27
of the inclined side is omitted, and the top and bottom pieces of the frame are
longer; and the inclined side may be provided with a straight portion at the top
thereof as shown at 27, in Fig. 1, if desired.
The scale frame for drafting the back of the skirt is shown in Fig. 3, and is
substantially of the same form and construction as those hereinbelow described.
The straight portion 27, and the inclined portion 28, at the top of the frame are
both omitted in this form however, but this is not absolutely necessary, although
prefer it, and in this form of construction the top and bottom portions of the
frame are longer than in either of the others, and it will be apparent that though
the side pieces in each of said forms of construction may be of any desired length,
it will also be seen that in Fig. 3, the slotted portion 11, of the bottom of the
scale frame, and the slotted portion 24, of the top thereof, are secured to or formed
on the straight side instead of being connected with the inclined side, as in the
other figures, but this arrangement is immaterial and the exact construction
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be employed.
It will also be seen that scales are formed on the opposite sides of the slot 12,
in the part.11, and on the opposite sides of the slot 23, in the part 24, but this
arrangement is not essential, and may or may not be employed.
In drafting the back part of a skirt, the material is folded as herein before,
and the straight side of the scale frame shown in Fig. 3, is placed along the fold,
and the form of one half of the back of the skirt is marked out as herein before
described on the material, and after the material has been cut, it is spread out
along the fold, and the entire back of the skirt is thus formed.
It will be understood however, that the back may be composed of two separate
pieces, each of which is cut separately by means of the scale, and the front of the
skirt may also be similarly formed if desired.
My improved scale frames for drafting skirts may be composed of any desired
material, and an entire skirt may be measured, and cut by means of a single frame
constructed according to my invention, and the object of showing and describing
three separate frames for this purpose is only to show the separate styles of frames
which I prefer to use in drafting the separate parts of the skirt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The herein described pattern or chart for drafting skirts comprising a side
consisting of two parts 5 and 6 one of which is provided with a longitudinal

page_text: slot 7 and the other with a scale 8, set screws 9 secured to said part provided
a scale and adapted to move in the said longitudinal slot 7, the lower end of said
part 6 being provided with an angular extension 10, a bar 11, connected there-
with, said bar 11 being provided with a longitudinal slot 12, set screws 13
mounted in said extension 10 and adapted to engage said longitudinal slot 12,
said bar being also provided with a scale 14, said bar 11 and extension 10 being so
constructed that they will be slightly curved when connected, the outer end of
said bar 11, being provided with a longitudinal slot 15, a side piece consisting of
a bottom part 17, and an upper part 18 provided with a longitudinal slot 19,
screws 20 mounted in said part 17 and adapted to move in the said slot 19, a set
screw 16, mounted in the lower end of said part 17 and adapted to engage said
longitudinal slot 15 of the bar 11, the said part 5 being provided with an angular
extension 21, at the upper end thereof, set screws 22 mounted thereon, the said
part 18 being provided with an angular extension 24 provided with
slot 23 which said set screws are adapted to move, said extension 24 being pro-
vided with a scale 25, and the said part 17 being provided with a scale 26,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
1. 1908
a
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40. Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.