Improvements in Skirts, Skirting, and Dress Improvers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Skirts, Skirting, and Dress Improvers.
I, GEORGINA BROWN 55, Parliament Street, London, Married, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what mauner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a new or improved make of skirt and dress improvers,
and to means for stiffening the bottoms of skirts, and has for its object to provide a
simple means by which skirts may be effectually stiffened and kept in proper shape
without the stiffening material being injured by crushing.
The ordinary stiffening materials employed for the bottom of skirts are liable to
get injured and to lose their shape by the material being crushed, crumpled, or
broken.
The arrangements I propose to employ allow the skirt or improver to be crumpled
or crushed in any way without losing their shape the material returning to its
original shape when free.
In carrying out my invention I propose to employ strong cords or ropes of various
thicknesses to serve as the stiffening material.
1 propose to employ for the body of the skirt hemp canvas, or strong and heavy
materials of a kindred nature.
The skirt at the bottom is piped or formed by a number of rows of the cord or
rope inserted in the pleating. Any suitable number of rows of the piping may be
formed according to the nature of the skirt, and various thicknesses of cord or rope
may be employed.
In the same skirt, a thicker cord or rope may be preferably placed at the edge.
This form of stiffening after crushing immediately resumes its original shape, the
nature of the rope or cord giving it sufficient resistance. The upper part of the
skirt is made of lighter material so that the greater weight at the bottom causes it
to hang better and keep its proper shape.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is
directed to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a skirt provided
with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a section of the skirt showing the stiffening
material.
The skirt consists of a deep linen belt A shaped to the figure. The lower part B
forming the body of the skirt is made of canvas and gored, this part being consider-
ably heavier than the upper part.
The material of the skirt is folded so as to form pleats or pipings 6 at suitable
distances apart, the lower edge of the skirt being preferably folded over to form the
lower piping. In these pleats the cords C are placed, cord or rope of any thickness
and construction being used.
This arrangement I may also apply to dress improvers consisting of a stiffened
piece of material placed under the ordinary skirt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
laim is,
(1.) A new or improved skirt or dress shane in which the lower next in modo

page_text: from heavier material and stiffened by means of cord or rope placed in rows on the
skirting, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2.) Improvements in the means for stiffening skirts and dress improvers
consisting in forming a number of rows of piping in the lower part of the skirt, or
in the improver and inserting lengths of cord or rope of various thicknesses in the
said pleats substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(3.) The improved skirting in the piece or dress improver provided with
stiffening cords adapted to regain the proper shape after crushing substantially
as described and shown in the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 30th day of November 1896.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.