IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MEASURING THE HUMAN BODY FOR GARMENTS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkinson, of Cross
Hills, near Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MEASURING THE HUMAN
BODY FOR GARMENTS."
Sealed the 11th June 1869, and dated the 12th December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cain Ellison and Edwin
Parkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th December 1868.
We, CAIN ELLISON and EDWIN PARKINSON, of Crosshills, near Leeds,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MEASURING THE
HUMAN BODY FOR GARMENTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction and use of a
machine or apparatus by means of which measurements of the human
figure or body can be readily and accurately taken for the purpose of
shaping and cutting out cloth or fabric for clothing or garments to fit
the said human body. The apparatus consists of a stand in form of a

page_text: cross, the stem or upright being in two parts so as to be adjustable in
the height of the cross piece to the armpit or under the arm of the
person to be measured, the bottom of the stand resting on the ground
or floor. The cross piece is flexible, and with a strap having eyelet holes
attached to one end, and with a stud or pin in the other so that it may
be bent around and secured to the body. An upright piece is attached
to the cross so as to be adjustable to the centre of the back, and also
to the height of the back of the neck or collar. On this upright are two
other parts at right angles thereto, one capable of being set to the back
of the shoulder, and the other to the waist of the person being measured.
On the other arm of the cross piece is an upright capable of being set or
adjusted thereon and to the front of the neck of the person, and also on
the said cross are two adjustable bosses or collars to which are attached
tape measures to measure the shoulder and waist. On the lower part of
the stem is also an adjustable cross piece to lay across the thighs, on
which is a boss carrying a plummet line, and an upright picce to adjust
to the front centre of the body on which is a cross piece to adjust to the
fork or between the thighs of the person.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkinson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CAIN
ELLISON and EDWIN PARKINSON, of Cross Hills, near Leeds, in the
County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us the said Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkinson,
Her special licence that we, the said Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkinson,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkinson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN MEASURING THE HUMAN BODY FOR GARMENTS." upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Cain Ellison and Edwin
Parkinson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, 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 Oflice within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Cain Ellison and Edwin Parkin-
son, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Sheet
of Drawings (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention has for its object the construction and use of a
machine or apparatus by means of which measurements of the human
figure or body can be readily and accurately taken for the purpose of
shaping and cutting out cloth or fabric for clothing or garments to fit
the said human body. The apparatus consists of a stand in form of a
cross, the stem or upright being in two or more parts so as to be
adjustable in the height of the cross piece to the armpit or under the arm
of the person to be measured, the bottom of the stand resting on the
ground or floor. The cross piece is flexible, and with a strap having eylet
holes attached to one end, and with a stud or pin in the other, so that it
may be bent around and secured to the body. An upright picce is
attached to the cross so as to be adjustable to the centre of the back and
also to the height of the back of the neck or collar. On this upright
are two other parts at right angles thereto, one capable of being set to
the back of the shoulder and the other to the waist of the person being
measured. On the other arm of the cross piece is an upright capablo
of being set or adjusted thercon, and to the front of the neck of the
person, and also on the said cross are two adjustable bosses or collars
to which are attached tape measures to measure the shoulder and waist.
On the lower part of the stem is also an adjustable cross piece to lay
across the thighs on which is a boss carrying a plummet line and an
upright piece to adjust to the front centre of the body on which is a
cross piece to adjust to the fork or between the thighs of the
person.

page_text: same, and shewing the manner in which it is put into. practical
operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
Fig. 1 represents in rough outline a front view of the human figure
with our apparatus applied thereto for measuring the same or taking
particulars for shaping cloth or fabrics for garments to fit the said human
body. Fig. 2 is the side view and Fig. 3 is the back view of same. A is
the stand or stem of the apparatus, which is made telescopic or in four
Sliding parts so as to be adjustable to the stature or height of the person
to be measured, and also to afford portability. The stem is fixed in a
plate B, upon which the person to be measured stands, and thereby
holds the apparatus firm during the operation. C is the cross piece or
belt which is of steel (by preference), but otlier flexible material may be
used, so as to be bent and fit to the body, and attached to one end is a
leather strap 0, with eylet holes to fit a pin in the other end for holding
it in position. Another flexible belt D. is fixed to the stem to be bent
and secured around the waist in like manner to the formor. An upright
piece E is attached to these cross pieces by slots so as to slide thereon,
and be adjusted and set by screws F to the centre of the back, and
this upright is in two parts, one upon the other with a screw boss F¹ to
fix them together at any desired length or distance apart of the cross
pieces. On the top of the said upright is another slide part F, which
can be set to the height of the collar or nape of the neck by screw F³,
and on this part is another at right angles F for the purpose of getting
the back stretch. F is a strap to get the shoulder seam. On the other
arms of these cross belts C and D is another upright G in two parts and
slidable so as to be set to the centre of the front of the person and to any
length or distance as with the back upright, and to the top is a slide part
G', which can be set to the front of the neck of the person. To the
lower part of the stem A or attached to the plate B is another telescopic.
or slide stem H, carrying a cross I, which passes betwixt the thighs,
and is adjustable to the fork or seat of the person, having also an
upright part J adjustable to the front, and another J adjustable to the
back part of the person. This stem H may be set in suitable relative
Iosition on the plate B. A flexible belt K is also attached to the
stem H which can be bent around the thigh, and the end fixed to a pin

page_text: in the stem at K' by an cylet hole K. The whole of these belts are
divided into inches and eighths of inches.
The method of using this apparatus is as follows, it being applied to
the person as shewn :-An ordinary inch tape measure is attached so as
to swivel on a slide box M, and with this tape measurements are taken in
the direction of the dotted lines from the several points indicated, which
are accordingly recorded. Another tape is swivelled at N; also another
at P, (which carries an upright to place against the front of the shoulder
to get the front of scye); and also another at Q, for like purposes.
From these measurements I proceed to lay down the coat. I first draw
lines on paper corresponding to a, b, c, the angles a being made one in
five more than a right angle, and c marked off the dimension as taken
from the body; next make the distance from a, M, per measure on the
body, M to F length of waist; add below F any distance according to
taste or fashion; next square F³d with a, b, and then draw the shoulder
seam from c to d, according to measurements. Draw the side seam
giving any width to taste or fashion to back bottom and also to back scyo;
next square M, C, mark M, N, per measure, run the side seam, and cut
out the back; next place the back pattern in thc samo place, then make
bottom of back seye a pivot bringing in Funtil M, N, P, P, F, and m, F,
agree per measures on the body; next make N a pivot and bring a, b,
into the square with O; then run the top of side seam of side body;
next from P to c cast arc of circle to measure, from P to e cast arc of
circle to measure, and from P to d cast arc of circle to measure; next
make two and a half inches more than measure; then cast arc of
circle from Q to c one quarter inch less than measure; where these arcs
of circles intersect each other is the neck point of fore part; next mark
the distance from c to e, and from c to d, as per measures; then
complete the draft in the common way.
In measuring for trousers let A be the side line, from B to K the leg
measure, from K to D the rise; square j, D, g, K, r, and B, with A;
next g to T to measure; next take off one and a half inches of the
distance T, I, then half of the remainder add at T for fork; next from
to S to measure, and from T to s to measure, and from g to e to
measure, and from 9 to 1 and T to r to measure, and from g to E to
measure, and from g to r, and large T to r to measure; next strike the
plummet line by placing one edge of square on line T, K, and the other
at the intersection at r, give half width of knee measure on each side

page_text: of r, and half width of bottom on each side of the bottom of plum lino;
then complete the top side through all points. To form the under side
lay the top side down, and from points g to T cast the measures of the
behind parts as to & and S, letting the are of circle cross the square line D;
next add the one and a half inchs at fork, then square up to from
K, T; next cast are of circle g tot per measure taken on the body;
then complete the pattern through all points. s is placed at one-fourth
of waist measure.
The measures of the coat are used to form the vest, and the process is
similar, which will be readily understood by the trade or those who are
conversant with tailoring.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cain Ellison, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Edwin Parkinson, have hereunto set my hund
and scal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight-hundred-and sixty-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within-named Cain Ellson
in the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax and Bradford.
CAIN ELLISON. (L.S.)