Improvements in or relating to Rain-proof Garments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, Suth July, 7897
Complete Specification Left. 30th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
Date of Application, Suth July, 1897"
Complete Specification Left. 30th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rain-proof Garments.
We, ROBERT BEATY, WILLIAM BEATY, and DAVID BEATY, trading as Beaty
Brothers, of 3 and 5, Market Street, and 18 to 22, Oldham Street, Manchester,
and of Birmingham, Bolton and Oldham, Clothier, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention to be as follows:-
With so called porous rain-proof garments as at present manufactured great
complaints are made by those who wear them of the rain being able to penetrate
the seams, or divisions, and especially when the garments are worn in driving or
riding and exposed to the direct impact of the rain, and as a consequence the
garments are not absolutely rain-proof as it is intended they should be. Now
our invention has for its object to make an absolutely rain-proof garment, or to
overcome the objections aforesaid.
In carrying out our invention we make the garment with what we will call
"double lapped 'notch' seams," i.e., each seam with a 'strap' of rain-proof
material of a width which permits of its being folded into a double channel in
cross-section, and into one groove or channel of which the respective edges of
the garment fabric take. Within the space between the two channels, and on
the opposite side of the 'strap,' we introduce a fine cord or like object, and when
all the parts are fixed in their proper relative positions, the same are passed through
a sewing machine and the stitches caused to pass transversely through the walls
of the channels, and behind the cord, and thus secure all the parts at one operation
and by one row of stitching. With the strap so stitched and spread out the seam
is rendered absolutely water-proof,-the channels of the strap' in which the
edges of the fabric lie serving to intercept all moisture which may pass through
the stitching.
To aid in adjusting, holding and guiding the strap in its folded form, and to
feed the cord automatically beneath the needle of the sewing machine we provide
a device of sheet metal (hereinafter called the holder,'") which is of a tapered form
longitudinally, and in cross-section represents the form in which the strap' is
gradually folded until it meets and embraces the two edges of the fabric to be
joined together; which travel in the grooves or channels on the reverse side of the
holder' also produced by the peculiar cross-section.
"
Upon the face side of the holder is a tube for guiding the cord into the inner
fold of the strap,' and on the 'nose' or narrower end of the holder is a small
spring plate, which dips downwards and by gently pressing in the fabric serves
to retain the strap in its folded form whilst passing under the needle.
To further ensure of all the several thicknesses passing forward uniformally
beneath the needle we cause the usual presser-foot or feeder to move up and
down simultaneously with the needle, and in such way allow the upper thicknesses
of the fabric to readily travel forward. We also employ a presser-foot with a
groove form in it to allow room for the notch or cord of the seam.

page_text: When all the parts are sewn the strap is ironed out in the ordinary way upon a
grooved board, and thus we complete our improved rain-proof seam.
Dated this 29th day of July 1897.
Improvements in or relating to Rain-proof Garments.
We, ROBERT BEATY, WILLIAM BEATY, and DAVID BEATY, trading as Beaty
Brothers, of 1, 3 and 5, Market Street, and 18 to 22, Oldham Street, Manchester,
and of Birmingham, Bolton and Oldham, Clothiers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:-
With so called porous rain-proof garments as at present manufactured great
complaints are made by those who wear them of the rain being able to penetrate
the seams, or divisions, especially when worn in driving or riding and exposed to
the direct impact of the rain, and instead therefore of such garments being absolutely
rain-proof, as it is intended they should be, they are only partly rain-proof.
Now our invention has for its object to make an absolutely rain-proof garment,
or to over-come the objections aforesaid, and in carrying our invention into effect
we make the garment with what we will call double lapped notch seams,' i.e., each
seam with a strap' of rain-proof material of a width which permits of its being
folded into a double-channel in cross-section, and into the respective grooves or
channels of which the edges of the garment fabric take. Within the space between
the two channels, and on the opposite side of the 'strap' we introduce a fine cord
or like object, and when all the parts are fixed in their proper positions, the same
are passed through a sewing machine and the stitches caused to pass transversely
through the walls of the channel behind the cord, and thus secure all the parts at
one operation and by one row of stitching. With the 'strap' so stitched and
spread or ironed out in the usual way the seam is rendered water-proof, as the
channels of the strap,' in which the edges of the fabric lie, serve to intercept all
moisture which may pass the stitching.
To aid in adjusting and guiding the strap in its folded form and to feed the cord
automatically beneath the needle of the sewing machine we provide a device of
sheet metal (hereinafter called the 'holder') which is of a tapered form longi-
tudinally and in cross-section represents the form in which the strap' is gradually
folded until it meets and embraces the two edges of the fabric to be joined together,
which travel in the grooves or channels on the reverse side.
Upon the face side of the 'holder' is a tube for guiding the cord into the inner
fold of the 'strap,' and on the 'nose' or narrower end of the holder,' is a small
spring plate, which dips downward and, gently pressing on the fabric, serves to
retain the strap in its folded form whilst passing under the sewing needle. To
further ensure of all the several thicknesses passing forward uniformally beneath
the needle we cause the usual presser-foot or feeder to move up and down simul-
taneously with the needle, and in such way allow the upper thicknesses of the
fabric to readily travel forward:
We also employ a presser-foot with a groove formed in it to allow room for the
'notch' or cord of the seam.

page_text: And in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and
will now proceed to describe the same with the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon.―
Fig. 1 is a transverse section (on an enlarged scale) of our improved rain-proof
seam. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification. Fig. 3 is a transverse view of
the strap only. Fig. 4 is a side view (full size) of the 'holder' for folding the
strap and leading the several thicknesses of fabric beneath the sewing needle.
Fig. 5 is an end view. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views of the
'holder' at three different points, a-a, b-b and c-c.
,
In accordance with our invention, we employ a "strap' of rain-proof
material (A) which is of a length and shape suited to the seam to be formed, and
of a width which permits it to be folded to the form shewn in Fig. 3. Within
the channels (B) and (B) we introduce the edges of the garment fabric requiring
to be joined together, and within the inner channel (C) we introduce the cord (D).
When so placed we stitch the several parts together, causing the stitches to
pass transversely through the strap' and fabric at (E), and in such way secure
all the parts together at one operation. The strap is then ironed and flattened
down on to the fabric as shewn in Fig. 1, and in such way we complete my improved
seam, which, by reason of the ends of the fabric terminating in the channels (B)
and (B), or in being 'lapped' by the strap, is entirely water-proof, any moisture
passing the stitching at (E) being effectually intercepted by the folds of the strap.
To facilitate the folding and manipulation of the strap (A), and to guide the
several folds and fabrics beneath a sewing needle we employ the device shewn in
Figs. 4 to 8. This device is made of sheet metal or other suitable material, and
consists of a plate (F), more or less of rectangular formation at first, and then
shaped or folded at one end as shewn in Fig. 8, and its intermediate portions and
opposite end as shewn in Figs. 7 and 6 respectively, the top and lower edges being
turned over and joined by strips (G), which produce the several cross-sections
shewn in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.
In lieu of separate strips (G) they may be in one piece with the plate (F), or
the plate may be double, but for convenience in introducing the strap' we prefer
to leave one side open. The strap is introduced at the wider end and when
drawn through the narrower end is of the cross-section shewn in Fig. 3. Whilst
the curves of the holder' on one side serve for folding the strap, they serve on
the reverse side for guiding the two edges of the fabric to be joined together, and
for leading such edges (H) and. (H) between the folds of the strap, as shewn in
Fig. 8. When the strap (A) is inserted, and the edges to be joined are placed in
position and drawn beneath the needle the same are readily stitched together as
shewn in Fig. 5.
To prevent the strap' loosing its form after leaving the 'holder' we provide the
spring plate (I), which gently presses upon the fabric at a point about half-way
between the end of the 'holder' and the needle. The presser-foot (J) of the sewing
machine is formed with a groove for the 'notch' of the seam to pass through, and
such presser-foot rises and falls with the needle, and in conjunction with the usual
feed plate (K) enables the fabric to travel forward beneath the needle. To guide
the cord (D) within the folds of the strap we provide the tube (L) fixed within
the folds of the 'holder,' and, whilst serving to guide the cord, also helping to
retain the folds of the strap (A).
'
Although we have described our invention as adapted for corded 'notch seams
we may, when a fine or small seam is necessary, or the strap' fabric is sufficiently
thick of itself to form the 'notch,' dispense with the cord, as shewn in Fig. 2.
Whilst chiefly applicable to water-proof cloaks our invention is also applicable to
all kinds of waterproof garments, including animal clothing, leggings or gaiters
and the like, and may with advantage be applied to vehicle covers, umbrellas, and
other objects requiring a waterproof seam.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-
1:A rain-proof seam, consisting essentially of a strap of rain-proof material
folded in double-channel form longitudinally, and engaging with edges of fabric
to be joined, substantially as set forth and illustrated on the accompanying
drawings.
2: The holder' shewn in Figs. 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawing, and
herein described for the purposes set forth.