Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN HENRY CHORLTON of 17 Church Street, Manchester, Wholesale Clothier,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
-
The object of this invention is the application of improvements whereby the size
around the waist of trousers or pants can be adjusted-either taken up or let out
according to the size of waist of the wearer.
In performing my invention instead of sewing up the side seams of the trousers
to the waist as heretofore-I leave an inlay of material on the under side at the
waist so as to allow of an opening of say from 2 to 5 inches in length-from the
waist downwards.-Across this opening I arrange a strap and buckle whereby to
adjust the size of the waist and thus am enabled with the assistance of the inlay as
aforesaid to produce an adjustable waist and this without inconvenience to the
wearer and invisible from the outside.-The strap in some cases forms one piece
with the bearer and thus a neater appearance is produced than when a separate
strap is employed.

page_text: Improvements in Trousers or Pants.
I JOHN HENRY CHORLTON of 17 Church Street, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Wholesale Clothier do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TROUSERS OR PANTS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying drawings:-
My Invention relates to the articles of wearing apparel well known as trousers
and has for its object to facilitate the adjustment of the trousers to the require-
ments of the wearer by providing means whereby the degree of tightness of the
part which encircles the waist can be readily regulated by the wearer whilst the
trousers are upon his or her person. To this end I provide means whereby
the waist-band or bearer of the trousers that is the part encircling the waist can be
let out or taken in at each side over or about over the hips of the wearer.
The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect will be more clearly
understood when my invention is described with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein Fig. 1 represents the upper part of a pair of trousers formed and
provided in accordance with my Invention. In the said Fig. a is the back part of
the trousers and b. represents one of the ordinary side seams. This seam is not
closed all the way up to the top but a portion-represented by the part from b¹ to c.
in the drawing-is left open in the case of each side seam. The portion thus left
open may vary according to the age or size of the wearer or to the taste or require-
ments of the same. By way of example I may state that the distance from b¹ to c.
may vary from two and a half to five inches but I do not confine myself within
these limits. A part d. of the back portion of the trousers extends past the seam
for a distance of one to four inches or more or less so as to form. what is sometimes
termed an inlay this part extending to the point 61 or a little below the same.
This inlay may consist of an extension of the back part of the trousers left in the
operation of cutting out or may be a piece sewn on as preferred. On one side of
the opening or slit thus left I provide a strap or tab e. and on the other side a
buckle f. The said strap or tab may be of cloth leather or other suitable material
and may be of the same material as the trousers either separately formed and
attached to the waist band or formed as in the example illustrated by Fig. 2
wherein the said strap is formed in one piece with the waist-band being left thereon
in the operation of cutting out. The same Fig. also illustrates the appearance
when the opening is closed by drawing the strap through the buckle. By means
of this strap and buckle the waist-band can be drawn in or let out to the taste of
the wearer, and this adjustment can be effected without difficulty by the wearer
when the trousers are being worn so that the tightness of the trousers can be
adjusted to suit special circumstances as for example the wearer can tighten the
waist-band before mounting a horse, my invention being very well adapted to the
requirements of riders, cricketers and of all persons who take active exercise. In
the cases of young people who are growing fast the trousers so formed can to a
great extent be adapted to the increasing size of the body, without the necessity for

page_text: alterations. A great advantage possessed by trousers so formed is that the reduc-
tion in width is effected by a contraction of the parts over the hips which are well
adapted to sustain the pressure whereas when the trousers are tightened by means
of a strap at the back as is the usual custom when any means are provided for the
purpose a pressure is put upon the abdomen whereby discomfort is produced and at
the same time the trousers are not so well sustained by the hips whereas in my
invention the comfort of the wearer is increased and the trousers are so well
sustained as that in many cases the ordinary braces may be dispensed with.
I may apply more than one buckle and strap to each opening or I may use any
other suitable gripper or substitute for the buckle or I may use buttons and
button-holes or laces or other suitable means for closing the opening and for
adjusting or regulating the waist band or bearer.
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. The improvement in the formation of trousers and the provision for the
adjustment of the same upon the wearers substantially as and for the purposes set
forth and indicated hereinbefore and by the accompanying drawings.
2. In trousers or pants the opening or unclosed part b¹ c. on each side at the
upper end of each side seam and the strap and buckle or other suitable appliances
for closing such opening and for taking in or letting out the upper part of the
trousers substantially as set forth and indicated.