AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF COVERING OR APRON
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM WEBSTER WATTS, of Bagshot House, Athlone, in the county
Westmeath, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my snid invention for
"AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF COVERING OR APRON to be as follows:-
ور
This Invention has reference to an improved covering or apron for protecting the
fork and legs (especially the fork, thighs, and knees), against rain, wet, and cold,
when riding, (horse or machine), walking, or driving.
"
The covering or apron is composed of a piece of mackintosh, or other suitable
material, cut in such a shape that, when it is wrn, it completely shelters the fork
and legs. This piece of material is provided with a suitable strap or fastening and
buttons by which it is attached to the sad lle flap, pommel, or girt, for riding
purposes.
When used in connection with tricycles the same strap serves to secure
it to the standard of the machine, or, when used for walking purposes, to the legs
of the wearer.
To the top edge of the apron are fixed three or more mechanical devices
resembling looks, having their tongues or free ends slotted so as to catch on
buttons arranged round the waist of the wearer, in such a way that, through their
agency, the apron will be kept in its proper position under all ordinary circum
stances, but will allow the user to get free from it in an instant in case of a full or
other danger. Or, it can be disengaged almost instantaneously by a slight pull
should the rider desire to dismount quickly, or discontinue its use after a shower.
For bicycling and tricycling the apron can be secured to the waist in the same
manner as in the case of riding.
The shape of the apron admits of its being conveniently and easily rolled up in
a neat and compact form, and carried across the withers of the horse, or back-bone
of a bicycle.
Amongst the advantages of my improved apron may be mentioned the
following:-
(1), Being secured to the saddle the front and sides of which it entirely covers,
it keeps the saddle as well as the fork and legs of the rider perfectly secure
from wet.

page_text: (2) Owing to the method whereby it is secured to the waist of the rider, it
cannot be displaced by wind or the action of the animal when travelling fast.
(3) Although attached to the waist of the rider in a secure manner it will
instantly free itself in case of a fall, or at the will of the wearer, thereby in no way
imperilling the safety of the rider.
(4) When required for use it can be unrolled with one hand and without
dismounting, and may be restored to its rolled position again as easily.
Dated this Coveruth dow of Aunt T001.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
Agents for Applicant,
10, Leinster Street, Dublin.

page_text: I, WILLIAM WEBSTER WATTS, of Bagshot House, Athlone, County Westmeath,
Ireland, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
COVERING OR APRON, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
WATERPROOF
statement:-
This invention has reference to an improved waterproof covering or apron for
protecting the fork and legs (especially the fork, thighs, and knees), against rain,
wet, and cold, when riding animal, velocipede, cycle, or other machines, walking, or
driving.
The covering or apron is composed of a piece of mackintosh or other suitable
material, cut in such a pattern that when it is worn it completely shelters the fork
and legs (especially the fork, thighs, and knees).
This apron is provided with suitable straps by which, in the case of riding, it is
attached to the saddle flap, pommel, or girth. When used in connexion with
velocipedes, cycles, or other machines, these straps serve to secure it to the standards
of the machine; or when used for walking, driving, or other purposes, round the
legs of the wearer. To the top edge of the apron are fixed three or more mechanical
devices resembling hooks, having their tongues or free ends slotted so as to catch
on buttons attached to the person using the apron, The mechanical devices or
hooks serve to retain the apron in its proper position under all ordinary circum-
stances, but will allow the user to get free in an instant in the event of a fall or
other danger: or it can be disengaged almost instantaneously by a slight pull
should the rider desire to dismount quickly, or to discontinue its use. For cycling,
the apron is secured to the waist of the rider in the same manner as in the case of
riding; and for pedestrian, driving, or other purposes it may be secured to buttons
round the waist by the ordinary button holes shown in 1, 2, 3, fig. 1.
The shape of the apron admits of its being conveniently and easily rolled up in
a neat and compact form, and carried across the withers of a horse, or back-bones,
standards, or other convenient parts of velocipedes cycles, or other machines.
The general construction or arrangement of the apron will be more readily
understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 shows the
apron with its accompanying straps and fastenings complete; fig. 2 shows its
application to riding purposes; fig. 3, the apron folded up when not in use; and
fig. 4, when used as a saddle-cover: fig. 5 illustrates its application to velocipedes,
cycles, or machines; and fig. 6, to walking purposes; figs. 7 and 8 show in detail
the self-releasing hook or fastener; and figs, 9 and 10, fastening straps hereinafter
more fully described.
In using the apron for riding purposes the long ends a. a. of the straps are
attached to the girth, or girth-straps, as may be found most convenient, and the
spring-hook or other contrivance b which is on the under part of the apron to a
D or other contrivance in the pommel of the saddle. The free ends a' a¹, which
aro partly elastic, are then brought round the apron when rolled up, and attached
to the buttons a² a². To unfold the apron these ends are simply undone, and the
apron drawn over the knees, and attached by means of the self-releasing hooks -
the centre one to the ordinary vest buttons, and the side ones to buttons specially

page_text: provided round the waist. The apron will then effectually shelter the body in
manner shown in fig. 2.
For cycling, the ends a. a. of the straps are wrapped tightly round the standards
of the machine, and buttoned to the buttons a3 a. It is rolled up and unrolled for
use as in the case of riding.
The mode of using the apron for walking purposes will be obvious: being
attached to the waist as in the above cases, the straps are buttoned to the
buttons a³.
When applied as a saddle-cover a button d is attached to the outside of apron to
enable it to be buttoned over the saddle as shown in fig. 4.
Instead of the fastening straps above described, I may use a fastening strap and
buckle as illustrated in fig. 9; or I may use a spring-hook, or strap, as shown in
fig, 10, in which case tho spring hooks are attached to rings or D's fixed to the
saddle-flap or padding.
Amongst the advantages of my improved apron may be mentioned the
following:
(1) Being secured to the saddle, the front and sides of which it completely
covers, it keeps the saddle as well as the fork, thighs, and knces of the rider,
perfectly free from wet.
(2) Owing to the method whereby it is secured to the Saddle and to the waist
of the rider it cannot be displaced by wind or the action of the animal when
travelling fast.
(3) Although attached to the waist of the rider in a secure manner, it can be
immediately disengaged at the will of the wearer; or it will instantly disengage
itself in the case of a fall, thereby in no way imperilling the rider's safety.
(4) When required for use it can be unrolled with one hand only, while the other
is otherwise employed, and without dismounting.
(5) Since it does not encircle the leg, but merely covers it and the saddle, it is
not subject to that friction which exists between the rider's legs and the Haps of
the saddle.
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
The use of a waterproof apron provided with fastening straps and self-releasing
hooks, constructed and applied in the manner, and for the purpose substantially as
herein shown and described, whereby the apron is primarily secured to the saddle,
or velocipede, cycle, or other machine, and then to the body of the user; and
readily disengaged from the wearer by a fall, or by a slight pull at the will of the
wearer.