CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKINGS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Jerram Pratt, of Long Eaton, in the
County of Derby, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKINGS."
Sealed the 16th August 1853, and dated the 6th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jerram Pratt
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th April 1858.
I, JAMES JERRAM PRATT, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKINGS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in dispensing with the seams formed
at each side of the foot of stockings, as hitherto manufactured, for
the purpose of rendering them more comfortable to the wearer; and,.
secondly, by engrafting the heels of stockings with stronger material
than the other part thereof, to render such part more durable than
hitherto; and this may be effected in the following manner :-
The stocking (excepting the heel) part, is made on a circular or round-
about frame of the ordinary construction, and the heel is ran on, and
made by the stitch on a straight frame of the ordinary construction; and

page_text: the foot of the stocking is attached to the heel thereof by stitching the
sides of the heel thereto in the usual manner. And in order that
this Invention may be better understood, drawings are attached to
this Provisional Specification, and letters of reference placed thereon,
explanatory of those parts of the stocking which are improved as above
stated.
The description of the drawing is as follows:-The blue color marks
the heel of the stocking, or that part thereof which is formed with
stronger material; and thé réd line denotes the position of the seams at
each side of the foot of a stocking as hitherto constructed or manu-
factured, but which, by this Invention, are entirely dispensed with; and it
is this, in conjunction with the thickening of the heel part of the stocking,
as above-mentioned, which constitutes this Invention of improvements
in the manufacture of stockings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Jerram Pratt, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 6th October 1853:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES JERRAM PRATT, of Long Eaton, in the County of Derby, Gen-
tleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Jerram Pratt, Her special licence that I, the said '
James Jerram Pratt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Jerram Pratt, my 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
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-

page_text: TURE OF STOCKINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Jerram Pratt, 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 James Jerram Pratt, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists, firstly, in manufacturing the feet of stockings
and socks without seams at the side thereof, as hitherto practised; aud,
secondly, in engrafting the heels of stockings and socks to the feet and
legs thereof, and in using stronger material at such part during such
operation to render the same more durable than hitherto; and this I
effect in the following manner and by the following means, that is to
say:
I form the stocking or sock, excepting the heel and toe thereof,
in a circular or roundabout frame of the ordinary construction; and
having made a piece of work of sufficient length in accordance with the
size of the stocking or sock to be made, I then turn down about one
inch at one end of such said piece of work, so as to form a hem or welt
for the top of the leg of the stocking or sock, or I sew on ribbed tops,
elastic webbing, or a button-hole stitch; the other and opposite end of
such said piece of work is to form the toe of the stocking, which may
be effected in the manner usually practised. I next cut an incision in
the work at a suitable distance from the toe part, to form the foot of the
stocking, and into the space formed by this incision I engraft the heel
of the stocking in the manner herein-after stated.
In order, however, to point out in what respects the mode of
manufacturing stockings and socks according to my said Invention
differs from that hitherto commonly practised, I would remark
that a mode hitherto practised of manufacturing stockings made in
a circular or roundabout frame has been to cut off a piece of

page_text: work so made of the required length to form two entire stockings,
after which incisions are made, and the work is divided or cut in
the manner exhibited by the diagram at Figure 1, where A, marks
the leg, foot, and heel part of one stocking, and B, is the leg, foot,
and heel part of another stocking. The foot is connected to the
heel of the stocking by sewing by hand. The edge a, is turned under
and sewed to the edge b, and the edge c, is sewed to the edge d, as at
Figure 2, by which the foot and heel of the stocking is formed as exhibited
at Figure 3; and thus it will be seen that there are of necessity seams
at the sides of the foot of the stocking, which are found objectionable;
and the object and intention of my said Invention is to obviate these
objections by dispensing with such seams by manufacturing stockings
and socks in the manner herein-after stated. And in order to explain
my said Invention as completely as possible, I will proceed to describe
the best means I am acquainted with for carrying my said Invention
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a diagram illustrative of the mode hitherto practised of
manufacturing stockings in circular or roundabout frames. Figure 2,
shows a stocking in course of manufacture or seaming; and Figure 3, the
stocking when finished. Figure 4, is a diagram illustrative of the mode
of manufacturing stockings according to my said Invention. Figures 5,
and 6, represent a stocking in course of manufacture; Figure 7, the
stocking when finished. At each of these Figures I employ similar
letters and figures of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far
as such parts appear or can be seen at each of the Figures respectively.
At Figure 7, from No. 1, to No. 5, denotes that part where the stocking
is cut or divided halfway through, before the heel is engrafted therein.
The part No. 1, is run on to a straight frame, and is worked to No. 8,
to form the heel, both sides of which may be made either in one or two
pieces of work, as at Figure 6; but I prefer making the same in one piece,
so as to dispense with the necessity for a seam at No. 2. The divided

page_text: parts of the heel, between No. 3, and No. 8, may be joined together
by twining off, or taking up, or sewing over, or by a button-hole
stitch. The selvage of the heel, marked No. 4, and the loop of the
stocking, marked No. 5, may be connected together by running the
same on a straight frame, and then working a few courses, after which
such joined parts may be pressed off or stitched together with a
needle, but I prefer the latter.
And I would remark, that this mode of engrafting the heels of stock-
ings or socks to the legs and feet thereof applics also to the manufacture
of stockings in which the legs and toes thereof are narrowed in the
manner and by the means usually practised.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, I claim as of my
Invention of "improvements in the manufacture of stockings,"
Firstly, the mode set forth of manufacturing stockings and socks,
whereby the seams at the sides of the feet thereof are entirely dispensed
with.
Secondly, the mode set forth of engrafting the heels of stockings and
socks to the legs and feet thereof, whereby they are rendered more
durable at such part, as herein-before particularly described, set forth,
and represented at Figures 4, 5, 6, of the illustrative drawing hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jerram Pratt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES JERRAM PRATT. (L.S.)
Witness, ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square.