Improvements in Skirts.
Year: 1896

page_text: neng date of rst Foreign Application (in 20th July, 1895
United States of America)
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 20th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 20th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
Improvements in Skirts.
1, FRANK ASA JOHNSON, of R. 1027. No. 260 Dearborn Street Chicago, in
the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman,
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 improvements in skirts or suits worn by ladies, and
while it may be employed in their dress for various occasions and purposes, yet it
is more especially adapted for use in athletic costumes, such as are worn when
riding bicycles, and generally that class of such costumes known as "knicker-
bocker-suits"; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel
arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter
more fully set forth and specifically claimed.
The objects of my invention are first, to provide a skirt which may be worn as
an ordinary skirt for street or house wear; and second, such a skirt to be worn
over knickerbockers, trousers, or bloomers, and which may be readily drawn up
into graceful flounces or gathers near the waist of the wearer, and at the rear
thereof, and also partly drawn up in front to about the knees or a little above
them, so that the skirt will offer no hindrance or obstruction to the motion of the
legs when operating the pedals of the wheel or bicycle. Another object of my
invention is to provide a means whereby the aforesaid results may be accomplished
with the greatest ease, and in a short period of time, and also to enable the wearer
to quickly drop the skirt so as to fully cover the figure and to present the
appearance of an ordinary dress, thus converting the costume into one of a
different style. Still another object of my invention is to so weight the lower
portion of the skirt that it will cause the garment to hang in graceful folds when
in either a drawn-up position or a lowered one, and to so arrange the weights that
they may be quickly removed if desired.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to
make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the
accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lady mounted on a bicycle showing the
position of the skirt when drawn up for use while riding.
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the figure of a lady, showing her
dismounted and the position the drop-skirt will occupy when drawn up.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a like figure showing the drop-skirt lowered and in
position to be worn as a walking or ordinary dress.
Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the rear inside portion of the drop-skirt.

page_text: Figure 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the skirt showing the method of
securing the guide rings thereto.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the hem or lower part of the skirt,
showing the method of securing the weights therein.
Figure 7 is a view in elevation, partly in section of a portion of the hem or
lower part of the skirt, illustrating the method of retaining the weights in position
and allowing them to be easily removed when desired, and
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a belt and chatelaine bag attached thereto
adapted to be worn with the skirt.
Similar letters refer to like parts. throughout the different views of the
drawing.
A represents an over or drop-skirt, which may be made of any suitable size,
form and material, but preferably of cloth and of the form or pattern to reach
from the waist of the wearer to near the ground. This skirt is secured around
the waist in any desired or suitable manner, and is preferably covered at the waist
band with a belt B, to which may be attached by means of a hook b, and chain b¹,
a satchel or chatelaine-bag B', for the reception of handkerchiefs, gloves,
visiting cards and like articles of feminine use. This belt may be of any desired
material such as leather, silk, metal or other ornamental designs, and is provided
with a connecting device or buckle 6, of the ordinary or any preferred kind. Near
the waist band the skirt A, is provided on each side just above the hips of the
wearer with an opening a, around which is secured a protecting or guard piece a',
of leather or other suitable material. Through each of these openings is passed a
cord C, which is bifurcated or formed into two strands c, and c', which strands
are loosely passed through a series of rings E and E', secured to the inner
surface of the skirt at proper points, and are permanently attached at their
lower ends to the garment, as at e, so that when the cords C are drawn through
the openings a, in the upper portion of the skirt that portion of the garment to
which the lower ends of the cords are secured, will be raised to the lower series of
rings, which will cause the cloth to be formed into substantially a horizontal or
circumferential fold or gather f, when by drawing the cord still further other folds
or gathers f, will he formed just below the waist line and in such a manner as to
conceal the rump or buttocks, that portion f, of the skirt below the line upon
which the ends of the cords are secured depending somewhat below the saddle, as
shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. When the garment is drawn up as above
described, the front part of the skirt will also be raised by reason of the
shortening of said cords, to about or little above the knees of the wearer, as
is shown at g, in Figures 1 and 2, thus leaving the legs free and unimpeded and
showing the knickerbockers H. When the cords are drawn up so as to raise the
skirt at the rear, as above stated, the cords C may be passed around the body
or waist of the wearer, and there secured by being tied together in a suitable
knot.
By reference to Figure 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that the series of
rings E, through which the strands pass, are in a line longitudinally on the
garment, and that the rings E' are likewise located for the reception and
operation of the strands c of the cord, but as the strands c¹ extend more
vertically than the strands c, a less number of rings is usually required therefor.
Besides using fewer rings or guiding devices for the strands c¹, or inner cords,
than for the strands c, or outer cords, forms the skirt when drawn upward into
more symmetrical folds or gathers than would otherwise be accomplished, besides
adding attraction to said folds by reason of the upward curve which is produced.
The rings E and E' are usually made of metal, but other material may be used, or
other guiding devices for the cords may be employed and may be secured to the
skirt in any suitable manner, but I generally secure them by means of a thread or
cord D, which is passed through the cloth or skirt A, and looped as at d, to engage
the rings. In the bottom or hem of the skirt are located a series of weights I,
which are placed between the folds i, of the garment forming the hem, and are

page_text: secured in position by means of the cord or thread D', which thread or cora is
passed through suitable openings in said weights, and is looped as at d', in
Figure 6 of the drawing, through the cloth of the skirt thus securing the
weights in a permanent position from which place they may be removed by
withdrawing the cord or thread D, after which the weights may be removed
from the hem through an unstitched portion thereof, as at , which is left
unstitched for said purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. As an improved article of manufacture an adjustable drop-skirt, consisting of
a skirt adapted to be secured on the body of the wearer, and a number of cords
connected to the skirt near its lower portion, and passing through guiding
devices located at proper points on the garment to cause the same to gather or
form into folds when the cords are drawn, substantially as set forth.
2. As an improved article of manufacture an adjustable drop-skirt, comprising
a skirt having in its upper portion openings for the operation of the cords, a
number of guiding devices arranged in a series of rows on the skirt and a
number of cords secured at their lower ends to the lower part of the skirt and
passing through said guiding devices and openings, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the skirt A, having the protected openings a, in its
upper part, of the rings E and E', attached to the skirt in substantially vertical
rows respectively, the rings E', being fewer in number, and the cords C, in the
openings a, and having the strands and c', located in the said rings and
attached to the lower portion of the skirt, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a skirt of a scries of weights or pieces provided with
openings, and a securing cord looped through the cloth and engaging said weights
or pieces, substantially as described.
100th day of February 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.