IMPROVEMENTS IN PATTERNS FOR DRAUGHTING OR CUTTING OUT ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, AND A NEW APPLIANCE FOR FACILITATING THE FASTENING SUCH PATTERNS TOGETHER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PATTERNS FOR DRAUGHTING OR CUTTING OUT ARTICLES
OF WEARING APPAREL, AND A NEW APPLIANCE FOR FACILITATING THE
FASTENING SUCH PATTERNS TOGETHER."—A communication from abroad
by the Firm of Ebenezer Buttrick and Company, of New York,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th June 1874.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PATTERNS FOR DRAUGHTING OR CUTTING OUT
ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, AND A NEW APPLIANCE FOR FACILITATING THE
FASTENING SUCH PATTERNS TOGETHER," a communication to me from abroad

page_text: .
by the Firm of Ebenezer Buttrick and Company, of New York, United
States of America, to be as follows :-
This Invention has for its object the so arranging patterns to be
employed for the purpose of facilitating the cutting out of dresses
and other articles of wearing apparel as to enable garments to be cut
out to suit any standard size, and basted for trying on or fitting
without the necessity for personal measurement, a certain amount of
margin or excess being allowed at suitable parts at which an increase
or diminution in the size of the garment may be readily made should
any alteration be found necessary on trying on the same without its
being requisite to alter the whole of the seams.
According to this Invention it is proposed to employ to suit the
component parts of garments a series of patterns corresponding to
various standard sizes of busts for example. These patterns are pro-
vided with notches in order to indicate the manner in which the
component parts are to be combined, and the position of plaits and
other ornamentations, and also with a series of perforations for the
purpose of denoting the line of basting, and the parts at which alterations
are to be made..
.
In employing these improved patterns their profile and the position
of the perforations are marked or draughted out upon the cloth or
material of which the article of dress is made, the parts are then
cut out and sewn or basted together in accordance with the line of
perforations, and the garment is ready for trying on or fitting, when
should any alteration be found necessary it may be readily effected
at the indicated portions of the garment at which the excess of material
has been allowed without the necessity for interfering with the other
portions, whereby a considerable saving in time and labor is effected.
It is also proposed to employ an additional series of perforations
at the side of or parallel with the other series for the purpose of
denoting the line in which the cloth is to be cut from the piece,
that is to say, whether it is to be cut longitudinally or transversely..
In preparing these patterns for sale complete series of patterns for
each distinct garment are sold together, and it is useful to have them
so fastened that they cannot be readily disunited without shewing that
the series have been interfered with. For this purpose the series of

page_text: patterns is fastened together by means of a pin turned or bent round
upon itself by means of a thin piece of metal set in a wooden handle,
the free end of the metal being grooved, and the metal being open
at the point so as to resemble a needle eye with an open head. The
pin being inserted in the patterns in the usual way is seized by this
instrument, and by a slight turn of the hand bent round upon itself.
whilst the instrument is readily withdrawn from the bend or look which
has been made in the pin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 18th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special.
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry;
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PATTERNS FOR DRAUGHTING OR CUTTING OUT ARTICLES OF WEARING
APPAREL, AND A NEW APPLIANCE FOR FACILITATING THE FASTENING SUCH PATTERNS
TOGETHER," a communication to me from abroad by the Firm of Ebenezer
Buttrick and Company, of New York, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors or administrators, 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 per-.
I

page_text: formed, 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 John Henry Johnson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
The said Invention has for its object the so arranging patterns to be
employed for the purpose of facilitating the cutting out of dresses,
and other articles of wearing apparel as to enable garments to be cut
out to suit any standard size, and basted or stitched for trying on or
fitting without the necessity for personal measurement, a certain amount
of margin or excess being allowed at suitable parts at which an increase
or diminution in the size of the garment may be readily made should
any alteration be found necessary on trying on the same without its
being requisite to alter the whole of the seams.
According to the said Invention a number of sets or series of
patterns are employed composed of paper or other suitable material,
and corresponding respectively to various standard sizes of busts (for
example), or of any other part of the human figure, each set or series
of such patterns being arranged to suit the component parts of a
garment or portion thereof of a particular standard size. These patterns
are provided with notches or other signs in order to indicate the. manner
in which the component parts are to be combined, and the position
of plaits and other ornamentations, and also with a series of perforations
for the purpose of denoting the line of basting or stitching, and the
parts at which alterations are to be made.
In some cases also an additional series of perforations, arranged either
at the side of the other series, or at any other required place, or a notch
or notches or other indications is or are employed for the purpose of
denoting the line in which the cloth is to be cut from the piece, that
is to say, whether it is to be cut longitudinally, or transversely, or
otherwise.
In preparing these patterns for sale a complete number of patterns
forming a set or series for the different parts of each distinct carment

page_text: are sold together, and it is useful to have them so fastened that they
cannot be readily disunited without showing that the set or series has
been interfered with. For this purpose the set or series of patterns
is fastened together by means of a pin which, after insertion, is turned
or bent round upon itself by means of a piece of metal set in a wooden
handle, the free end of the metal being grooved, and the metal being
open at the point so as to resemble an open needle eye. The pin having
been inserted in the patterns in the usual way is seized by this instru-
ment and by a slight turn of the hand bent round upon itself, by
which means the patterns are firmly retained together, whilst the
instrument may be readily withdrawn from the bend or hook which
has been made in the pin.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood,
I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for
that purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet
of Drawings.
Figures 1 to 7 represent a set or series of patterns for one half
of a ladie's "polonaise," the other half being formed in a similar
manner.
Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views shewing respectively the front
and back of the garment in its finished state.
Figure 10 shews the mode of fastening together the patterns com-
posing one set or series, and Figure 11 is a perspective view of the
instrument employed for bending or securing the fastening pin.
5 The set or scries of patterns, Figures 1 to 7, is composed in the
example illustrated of seven parts, of which Figure 1 represents the
pattern for the front of the garment; Figure 2, that for the side back
shewn overlapping Figure 3; Figure 3, that for the side front gore;
Figure 4, that for the back; and Figures 5, 6, and 7 respectively show.
O the patterns for the collar, sleeve, and pocket.
The front (Figure 1) is provided with perforations a, c, e, and f,
and notches b, d, d', f¹, and ƒ for the purposes hercin-after mentioned.
The series of perforations a correspond to a similar series of per-
forations.a formed in the back (Figure 4), and the two series denote
5 the line along which the front and back are to be basted together,
and the part at which alterations if necessary are to be made. The

page_text: notches correspond to notches in the side back (Figure 2), and
indicate the poiut at which the front and side back are to be combined
together, the perforations c (Figure 1) denoting the line along which
such parts are to be basted, so as to allow sufficient margin for any
alterations that may be requisite. The notches d, d¹, Figure 1, corre-
spond respectively to notches d², d³, (Figure 3), and shew the points
of junction of the front with the side front gore, the perforations e, e,
(Figure 1), and e¹, Figure 3, indicating the line of basting, allowing|
an excess of material as before. The perforations ƒ denote the position
and extent of." darts" or vertical plaits in the front. The notches f, f',
shew that the front is to be turned in at the part and to the extent
indicated. The notch f will be herein-after referred to. In Figure 2
gare notches corresponding to notches ¹ (Figure 4), and indicating
the points at which the side back and back are to be connected together.
In Figure 3 h are notches corresponding to notches ¹ (Figure 4), and
denoting the point of junction of the side front gore with the back;
i are perforations shewing the line along which the side front gore
and the back are to be basted together, the back being taken or plaited
up in accordance with the series of notches k, and turned in at the
parts indicated by the notch and perforations 1 (Figure 4).
The perforations m, Figure 3, shew the position of the pocket
(Figure 7). The point of attachment for the collar (Figure 5) to
the front (Figure 1) and back Figure 4 does not require any special
indication. In Figure 6 n are perforations denoting the form of the
under part of the sleeve; f³ is a notch indicating that that point in
the sleeve is to be placed opposite the line of basting a, a', (Figures
1 and 4), the corners f and f³ respectively meeting the notches f
(Figure 1) and fo, Figure 4.
In addition to the notches and perforations herein-before referred to
the component parts of the set or series of patterns are provided with
indications denoting the line in which the several parts of the garment
are to be cut from the piece in order to prevent waste and avoid
unnecessary seams. For example, the straight edge o of the front
Figure 1), the perforations p of the side back (Figure 2), the notch d³
of the side front gore (Figure 3), the straight edge q of the back
Figure 4), and the notch of the collar, Figure 5, all denote that those
indications, or the edges on which they occur, are to correspond to the
longitudinal direction of the piece.

page_text: In employing these improved patterns their profile and the position
of the perforations, notches, or other indications is marked or draughted
out upon the cloth or other material of which the article of dress is to
be made, and the parts are then cut out and stitched or basted together
in accordance with the indications, and the garment is ready for trying
on or fitting. Should any alteration then be found necessary it may
be readily made at the parts of the garment at which the excess of
material has been allowed, as for example, where the perforations
a, a¹, c, e, c¹, and ȧ occur, the material being let out or taken up at
those portions, according as an increase or diminution in the size is
found requisite without the necessity for interfering with the other.
portions, whereby a considerable saving in time and labour is effected.
The before-mentioned indications, both of the mode of combining
the parts, the line of basting, the position of ornamentations, and the
line of cut, which are merely given as examples, may be varied to an
indefenite extent, according to the size and description of garment to
be made, each set or series of patterns being accompanied with, an
explanatory label describing the conventional signs adopted for that
particular set or series.
It should also be observed that the pattern of a polonaise" has
been merely selected as a suitable specimen for illustrating the nature
and mode of carrying out of the Invention, as the Invention is equally
applicable to the production of patterns for any other article of wearing
apparel, the number and arrangement of the parts being modified
accordingly.
. In some cases also a single pattern only may be employed having one
or more of the indications herein-before mentioned.
The complete number of patterns 's forming a set or series for a
garment, or portion thereof, are connected together by the pin t, as
shewn in the Diagram (Figure 10), which pin, after having been
passed through the patterns, is secured by being bent round upon
itself so as to form a hook u by means of the instrument, Figure 11.
This instrument consists of a piece of metal v, one extremity of which
is set in the handle w, whilst its opposite extremity x is grooved or
fluted, and formed with an open eye or slot. In fastening the pin t
the operator having hold of the handle wo seizes the pointed end of
the pin with the extremity x of the instrument (the groove or fluting

page_text: acting as a guide), and giving a slight turn of the hand bends the pin
round upon itself, thereby forming the hook u, Figure 10, after which
the end x of the instrument may be readily withdrawn longitudinally
from the hook so made.
It is obvious that as the patterns are composed of paper or similar
slight material the act of withdrawing the pin without the aid of a
special instrument will furnish an indication that the patterns have been
disunited, and hence any attempt on the part of the purchaser to induce
the seller to accept the return of such patterns by fraudulent mis-
representation will be at once detected.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First. Forming patterns with perforations, notches, or other indi-
cations for the purpose of facilitating the draughting or cutting out
and fitting of articles of wearing apparel, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Fastening or uniting a set or series of patterns by means
of a pin bent or turned round upon itself for the purpose of preventing
or detecting its fraudulent withdrawal, and the application and use of an 1
instrument having an open eye or slot at its extremity for effecting the
bending or turning of such pin, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of
December One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.