A Combined Bicycling and Walking Skirt.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Bicycling and Walking Skirt.
I, EMMA GRIMES, of Knapton Hall, North Walsham, in the County of Norfolk,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to a combined bicycling and walking skirt for ladies' wear
and it has for its object to provide a skirt which whilst specially designed to give
perfect freedom of movement when riding a bicycle, without displaying the lower
limbs, presents no peculiarity of appearance (such as that which stamps the ordinary
bicycle skirt) when the wearer is walking, so that the skirt of my invention is
equally well adapted for either purpose.
The skirt is provided with slits towards each side, said slits extending upwards
from the hem to a point at or above the level of the knees and within the skirt
opposite these slits loose leggings are provided which extend down to the hem and
which whether the wearer be walking or riding present the appearance of what
are known as "panels" in dressmaking, the leggings being of cloth, silk, or other
fabric, pleated in such manner as to clothe the limbs loosely and so disguise their
appearance that the slits are apparently made for the express purpose of exhibiting
panels of a similar or different material to the skirt whereas they are in fact made
to enable the front of the skirt to fall gracefully when the wearer is riding and afford
the necessary freedom of motion.
In order to enable the leggings to adapt themselves to the different positions
assumed in riding and in walking they are connected to the front width of the skirt
by a running connection formed of rings attached to the leggings which run along
a stiffened cord extended transversely across the front width of the skirt so as to
afford the necessary freedom for walking without causing the front of the skirt to
fall into ungraceful folds. The back part of the. skirt is cut with the necessary
fulness to enable it to be folded in a nuinber of overlapping or box pleats extending
from the waist to the hem, so as to present the ordinary appearance of the tail of a
walking skirt and to enable the superfluous amplitude of the skirt to be disposed
of neatly for riding purposes a system of draw cords is provided running through
guide rings at the inner folds of the pleats whereby the pleats may be drawn closely
together and caused to present a neat appearance when the rider is in the saddle
without the possibility of the superfluous fulness of the skirt being blown about
by the wind or disarranged by the movements of the bicyclist.
In order to permit of this contraction of the pleats by the tightening of the
cords without festooning the skirt, suitable stiffeners might be provided in the pleats.
For the purpose of putting on the skirt there would be provided at either side placket
holes which would preferably be in line with the panelled slits at the lower part of
the skirt.
T: TELL law of Tul., 1805
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: I, EMMA GRIMES of Knapton Hall, North Walsham, in the County of Norfolk,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This-invention relates to a skirt specially designed to allow the wearer perfect
freedom of movement when riding a bicycle without displaying the lower limbs and
which presents no peculiarity of appearance (such as that which stamps the ordinary
bicycle skirt) when the wearer is walking so that the skirt of my invention is equally
well adapted for either purpose.
The skirt is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification wherein
Figure 1 represents a side view of the skirt and
Figure 2 represents an inside view of the back of the skirt as it would appear
were the front or apron portion removed, and the side portions spread out.
The same reference letters denote like parts in both figures.
tr
The skirt which is preferably composed of a front or apron-like portion A, side
portions B, and a back portion C, is provided with open slits between the front and
side portions, said slits extending upwards from the hem of the skirt to a point at or
above the level of the knees. Within the skirt opposite these open slits loose
leggings D are provided which extend down to the hem of the skirt and which
whether the wearer be walking or riding present the appearance of what are known
as panels" in dressmaking, the leggings being of cloth, silk, or other fabric, and of
such size as to clothe the limbs quite loosely and being so pleated at the outer side
next the slits as to disguise their purpose completely the appearance of the leggings
being such that the slits are ostensibly made for the express purpose of exhibiting
what appear to be panels of a similar or different material to the skirt whereas the
slits are in fact made to enable the front or apron portion A of the skirt to fall
gracefully when the wearer is riding and to afford the necessary freedom of motion
for the legs in pedalling.
In order to enable the leggings to adapt themselves to the different positions
assumed in riding and in walking they are quite separate from each other and as
'complete tubes do not extend higher than the knees and they preferably have
elastic bands stitched into them at d in order to somewhat contract the upper
portions about the legs of the wearer and thereby prevent them working or blowing
up when pedalling. They are stitched at the upper ends to supporting tabs d' which
are stitched to the back portion of the waist band of the skirt and are held in position
by the leg portions being stitched to the front A at d² and to the sides B of the skirt
at d these points d² d³ being situated at some distance from the hem of the skirt and
from the edges of the slits so as to allow the slits to gape and exhibit the pleated
legging.
The back part C of the skirt is cut with the necessary fulness to enable it to be
folded in a number of overlapping or box pleats c¹ c² c³ extending from the waist to
the hem so as to normally present the ordinary appearance of the tail of a walking
skirt. To enable the superfluous amplitude of the skirt to be disposed of neatly
when riding, draw cords E are run through guide rings e stitched to the inside
of the skirt at the inner folds of the pleats as shewn in Figure 2 by means whereof
the pleats may be drawn closely together so that they shall not encumber the wearer
in mounting and will present a neat appearance when the rider is in the saddle, the
contraction of the pleats by the cords preventing the superfluous fulness of the skirt
being blown about by the wind or disarranged by the movements of the bicyclist.
In order to permit of this contraction of the pleats by the tightening of the

page_text: cords without festooning the skirt, a whalebone or other suitable stiffener is inserted
in a sheath at the middle pleat as indicated at f in Figure 2 this stiffener extending
from the hem upwards but terminating some distance below the waistband so as not
to cause the back of the skirt to bulge when the wearer is in the saddle. The
cords E pass out through eyelet holes in the back of the skirt in order that the
cords may be readily drawn up or slackened as required.
To enable the skirt to be put on, the waistband is divided towards either side,
placket holes or slits extending down the skirt at g between the front A and the
sides B and being secured by buttons as shewn, the placket holes being preferably in
line with the panelled slits at the lower part of the skirt, a pocket h being attached to
the inside of the skirt so as to be accessible through the placket hole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
1. The herein described skirt provided with slits towards the sides extending
upwards from the hem and with loose pleated leggings within the skirt visible as
panels at the slits substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The herein described skirt provided with slits towards the sides extending
upwards from the hem, with internal leggings as described, and with a box-pleated
tail portion in combination with draw-cords applied to contract the pleats substantially
as specified.
Dated this 15th day of April 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.