Improvements in Breeches, Knickerbockers, and analogous Garments for Cycling and Riding Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16th Feb.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breeches, Knickerbockers, and analogous
Garments for Cycling and Riding Purposes.
I, JAMES CORNES of 37 Melbourne Street, Leicester, Professional Tailor and
Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to effect such an improvement in the
manufacture or construction of breeches, knickerbockers or analogous garments as
will render them particularly applicable for ladies' use for cycling, riding and
similar pursuits.
Breeches of ordinary construction are inconvenient for the use of ladies for
the purposes named, on account of the necessity to lower or partially remove them
to comply with certain natural needs and the present invention is mainly designed
to obviate the necessity for so interfering with the garment under the circumstances
stated.
According to this invention breeches and analogous garments are provided with
greatly increased width at the seat portion and a flap, prolongation, extension or the
like which may pass preferably between the legs and be fastened on the front of the
garment by any suitable means and which can be opened or turned back to give
access to the body for the relief of the person as required.
It is obvious that the seat and back portion of the breeches may be drafted or cut
in various ways to afford the additional width and provide the opening herein
referred to.
Dated this 12th day of April 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Breeches, Knickerbockers, and analogous
Garments for Cycling and Riding Purposes.
I, JAMES CORNES of 37 Melbourne Street and 46 Belvoir Street, Leicester,
Professional Tailor and Cutter, 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 :-
The object of the present invention is to effect such an improvement in the
manufacture or construction of breeches, knickerbockers or analogous garments as
will render them particularly applicable for ladies' use for cycling, riding and
similar pursuits.
Breeches of ordinary construction are inconvenient for the use of ladies for
the purposes named, on account of the necessity to lower or partially remove
them to comply with certain natural needs and the present invention is mainly
designed to obviate the necessity for so lowering the garment under the circumstances
stated.

page_text: According to the present invention breeches and analogous garments are provided
with greatly increased width at the seat portion and a flap, prolongation, extension
or the like which may pass preferably between the legs and be fastened on the front
of the garment by any suitable means and which can be opened or turned back to
give access to the body for the relief of the person as required.
It is obvious that the seat and back portion of the breeches may be drafted or
cut'in various ways to afford the additional width and provide the opening herein
referred to.
The invention will be fully understood upon reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein
Figures 1 and 2 show. front and back diagrammatic views, respectively, of a
pair of breeches-made in accordance with my invention and as fitted upon the
person.
Figures 3 to 6 are representations on a reduced scale of one form of pattern and
the mode of folding it prior to sewing together the different edges to produce the
complete garment.
As will be noticed from Figure 1 my improved breeches, as regards the front
part, present no feature uncommon to ordinary breeches. The essential feature of
the invention is however sufficiently indicated in the back of the breeches represented
in Figure 2, and consists of an opening, hereinafter further mentioned, in the seat
of the breeches, normally covered by a flap, B, which may be pulled under the
fork of the legs and fastened to a button C or equivalent by a loop B' attached to
the said flap.
The flap B as is obvious can be easily unfastened from the button and raised at
the back for personal convenience as before referred to.
In Figures 3 to 6 is represented one draft of a pattern and the mode of folding
it to produce a pair of breeches embodying my improvements.
Referring to Figure 3, D D and E E' represent the parts forming the legs
of the breeches and R the flap for covering the opening formed in the seat
thereof.
-
a
The dotted lines indicate where the folding is to take place.
In Figure 4 which shows one half only of the pattern, the part F has been folded
along the dotted line F' of Figure 3 and laid over on to D and the flap B has
been folded along the line B' so as to lay on the part F.
The part F now being interposed between D and B.
In Figure 5 the folding is carried a step further and the other part of the pattern
folded in a similar manner, viz. the part G is folded on the line G and laid over on
to E and the other side of the flap B is folded along the line B³ and laid on to G so
that G is now located between B and E.
The leg picce D' is then folded along the line 'D' and brought flat against D
and the other leg piece E¹ is folded along the dotted line E' and laid close
against E.
Figure 6 shows a front view of the completely folded pattern and the opposite
side to that represented in Figure 5.
The opening A indicated by the arrow is formed between the legs D¹ and E¹ and
is kept normally closed by the flap B being drawn under the fork of the wearer's
legs as before described.
The sewing together of the folded pattern shewn in Figure 6 to form the complete
garment will be so obvious to anyone versed in the art of making similar garments
as not to need further description.
The invention is not limited to the construction of breeches or analogous garments
according to the pattern herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings but includes any modification or variation thereof which comprises an
opening in the seat of the breeches and a flap or its equivalent for closing the said
opening.
The invention is also applicable to under-clothing such as drawers as well as to
breeches and the like for external wear.

page_text: 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 :-
1. In breeches, kuickerbockers and analogous garments, an opening in the seat
thereof and a flap or its equivalent to close the said opening substantially as
described.
2. In breeches, knickerbockers and analogous garments the combination of an
opening in the seat thereof and a flap or equivalent adapted to pass under the fork
of the legs and be secured in position on the front of the garment substantially as
described.
3. The manufacture of breeches, knickerbockers and analogous garments having
an opening in the seat and a flap or equivalent for closing the said opening forming
an integral part of the garment substantially as described.
4. The manufacture of breeches, knickerbockers and analogous garments having
an opening in the seat and flap to close the said opening formed of an entire piece
of fabric substantially in the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. The improvements in breeches, knickerbockers and analogous garments sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 11th day of January 100.
Witness-
E. N. LEWIS,
Leicester.
c
JAMES CORNES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.