CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE, MAKING, OR CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
BECKETT, of Northwich, in the County of Chester, Draper, and SAMUEL
POWELL, of Witton, in the same County, Foreman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
March, in the twelfth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said William Beckett and Samuel
Powell, our exors. adñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said William Beckett and Samuel Powell,.
our exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as we, the said William
Beckett and Samel Powell, our exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the terin
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the Island
of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE, MAKING, OR CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN ARTICLES OF WEARING
APPAREL;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that we, the
said William Beckett and Samuel Powell, or one of us, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's

page_text: High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being had thereto, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
William Beckett and Samuel Powell, do hereby declare that the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and carried
into practical effect, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
We divide our improvements into two parts; firstly, the production by
machinery in known use of a material or cloth suitable for the purpose of
fashioning reversable garments, or garments so made as to permit of their
being worn inside out, or reversable at pleasure. We are well aware that
garments have been made formed of two or more pieces of cloth or other
material of different colors or texture, to be worn turned or reversed as aforc-
said, but the fabric we employ is essentially a single fabric or piece of cloth
so manufactured as to permit of one side thereof being of a different color or
colors or texture to the other side, as hereafter fully explained and set forth,
and so applicable to the second part of the Invention, which has for its object
the making and construction of garments from the fabric aforesaid with the
necessary arrangements to render them reversable, or so to be worn on either
side, or inside out, as aforesaid. And we do not consider it necessary to annex
Drawings or give descriptions of the machinery employed in producing the
fabric or cloth herein-before mentioned, because such machinery or apparatus
is not new, and a description of the mode of operation by which the threads
are (in the cases where different colors are required on each side of the fabric)
placed in the loom will be found sufficient to enable any person usually em-
ployed in the manufacture of cloth to produce the article required for the
purposes before and herein-after stated. The manner in which we purpose to
carry out an improved method of manufacturing cloth or cloths made of wool
or other material is as follows. But it is first necessary to describe the
quality or pattern of the fabric, which we will do by taking four examples
(that is to say) :-
Firstly, where it is desired to make both sides of the cloth or fabric of onc
make or pattern, the only difference being that the one side will shew a
different color to the other side of the same cloths, or both sides can be alike
in make, color, and finish.
Secondly, another pattern of the same make as No. 1, but with this
difference, that one side thereof will shew two or more colors therein, while
the other side has only one color on its surface, and such color may be the

page_text: same shade as any of the colors on the other side, or the shade of color on one
side can be totally different from the colors or colors of the other side, or cach
side of the cloth or fabric can be composed of several different shades of color
at pleasure.
Thirdly, another pattern of the same make as No. 1, embracing, if desired,
the different arrangements of No. 1 and No. 2. In this case one side of the
cloth or fabric may be made of a different quality or description of material to
the other side thereof.
Fourthly, another pattern of the same make as No. 1, comprising all
the different arrangements of the first, second, and third, herein-before men-
tioned. By this arrangement a greater or less number of warp threads are
used to form one side of the cloth or fabric than are required to form the other
side of the said cloth or fabric. The threads of the warp may be thicker on
one side than those used to form the other side, or the threads of warp forming
one side of the cloth are made of two or more colors of thread and twisted
together, while the threads of warp forming the other side of the cloth are all
of one color; or, when preferred, both sides are made of twisted threads of
different colors. The process of making and producing the herein-before
mentioned description of cloths, designated as Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, is by making
various and different arrangements of warp and weft, so that when they are
made and finished they form one complete piece of coth with two faces
(each being dressed and finished), either alike or different in color, quality, or
finish..
As the warping, putting into the healds, or weaving is not confined to one
mode or arrangement, but varies according to the pattern or style required to
be manufactured, we deem it only necessary, for the purpose of complying
with the proviso in the said Letters Patent herein-before in part recited, to
describe one mode or arrangement fally, as it is evident that such arrangements
must in part be altered to suit any other pattern or style so required as afore-
said; but a careful attention to the following directions will enable any work-
men so to understand the process, that with a little practice he will easily make
the alterations necessary upon the change from the manufacture of cloths of one
pattern or style to others of different patterns, styles, or qualities. To make the
cloth designated No. 1 with both sides of one and the same pattern, but the color
on one side of the cloth being of a different color to that on the other side, we
divide the whole of the warp threads into two equal parts, one part being all of
one color or pattern, the other all of another color or pattern. These threads
are put into the loom alternately, a single thread of one color, then a single
thread of another color throughout, the twist of the one colored thread
warp
warp

page_text: 'being open band and the twist of the other colored warp thread being cross-
band; the warp is flushed on both sides four picks, and each colored warp is
'bound in or made fast by the same shoot of weft, and every shoot of weft
passing through the middle of the warp, there being as many warp threads
above the weft as below it. To make the cloth designated as No. 2 requires
'no alteration in the loom or machinery, the difference being in the placing of
the warp threads, as a pattern of cloth, one side of which. is all one or blue
color, and the other side of three colors, say red, green, and brown; one half
.the warp threads are blue, and the other half of the warp threads are of three
colors required, and may be placed thus:-Six threads of red, six of green, six
of brown, alternately, and so on, till the whole are disposed of in the loom, and
then weave as directed for No. 1; the production is a piece of cloth one side
of which is blue, the other of red, green, and brown colors, in stripes for the
cloths designated No. 3, where one side is to be of a different quality to the other
side or face. Suppose a piece required, one side of which is to be of fine the
other of course wool, we make one half the warp threads of fine wool, the
other half of coarse wool; the fine wool threads are used only in forming one
side of the piece of cloth, and the coarse wool threads only in forming the
other side of the same piece of cloth, in manner precisely similar as described
in using different colors.
We will now proceed to describe the second part of our improvements in
the making and construction of certain articles of wearing apparel, premising
that all the garments hereafter mentioned and in part described are to be
composed of the various cloths or fabrics described or mentioned in the first
part of this our Specification, having the peculiarity before mentioned, namely,
that each piece of cloth is complete with two faces, either alike or different in
color, quality, or finish. It is also to be observed that the garments herein-
after mentioned are usually cut out in the ordinary manner, and that our
improvements do not apply to the shaping thereof so much as to the addition
of certain parts or portions of materials thereto which renders them capable
of being worn reversed as aforesaid, and appearing on both sides entire and
perfect garments. We make the articles of wearing apparel usually denomi-
nated the frock coat or the dress coat, such garments being made of fabrics of
light texture, in the following manner :-We will take, for the example, a pieco
of cloth made according to method herein-before described in reference to
the article of cloth No. 1, one side of such piece of cloth having a plain blue
face and the other side or face being of a black color. We cut out and make
or put together a frock coat of this cloth in the ordinary manner, so as to
have the appearance of a plain black frock coat, with the exception of the

page_text: collar and lappels, the outside or covering of which (whatever the covering
may be composed of) goes to the top or crease edge only, and is there joined
to the top or crease edge of the outside or covering of the collar on the
other side being blue. The said other or blue side is formed by the scams
being lapped one over the other, so as to form a narrow stripe or orna-
mental seam; the pocket mouths to be bound, and the pockets made and
sewn to the binding, so as to turned in and out when the coat is reversed, and
being efficient pockets whichever way the coat is worn. The breast is formed
by laying on a piece of the same color as the coat from the side body to the
front and round the shoulder, under which is placed the necessary canvass and
stays; the sleeve being made with or without cuffs (as may be desirable), as
on the black or plain side of the coat; the collar and lappels on the blue side
being formed in exactly the same way as the collar and lappels on the black
side. Dress and other similar coats or garments are made as above described.
For every style of overcoat, or articles of wearing apparel composed of heavy
or stout fabrics, the seams are to be lapped, so as to form a stripe or ornamental
seam; the pocket mouths to be bound, and the pockets made and sewn to the
binding, so as to be turned in or out when the coat is reversed, with or without
flaps, at pleasure. We suppose one side or face of an overcoat to be drab, and
the other side or face of the cloth from which the said overcoat is to be made,
green: the front on the drab side is made in the ordinary way, with the
exception of the collar, which is made in the manner firstly above described in
reference to frock or other coats; and the front on the other or green side is
formed by laying on a piece from the front edge to the back of the buttons,
either to form an ornament or otherwise, and to cover the requisite canvas
and stays for the buttons and buttonholes. The sleeve may be made with or
without cuffs, according to the taste of the wearer. The collar on the green
side is made exactly in the same manner as on the drab side. In single-
breasted coats the buttons are sown inside the fly, care being taken to sew a
button on each of the inner sides of the fly alternately, which, preventing the
fly from spreading open, keeps the buttons concealed from sight, each alternate
button being in some instances of a different make or color, or both. In the
making up of waistcoats, we will take, for example, one of which one face of
the cloth of which it is made shall be of a mixed color and the other side of a
purple. Such waistcoat or vest is made and put together in the ordinary man-
ner, with the exception of the collar, the difference in which has already been
herein described and set forth in the description of the coats, and is made in
exactly the same manner. The purple side or face has a piece laid on, either
by way of ornament. or otherwise, to cover the front stays, and give the requisite

page_text: strength; the pocket mouths to be bound and the pockets fastened to the
binding, so that they may be turned in and out at pleasure.
To make reversable trousers, we will take, as an example, a pair made from
the cloth already herein-before described, having two faces, one black and the
other grey, and made with a fly front. The one side (black) is made in the usual
manner, and presents the appearance of an ordinary pair of trowsers; but on the
other or grey side, an imitation fly of the same size as the fly on the black side
is laid on to give the appearance of the pricking of a fly on the grey side, and to
cover the stays for buttons and buttonholes. The pockets, if any, may be put
in the frog mouth catches, the pocket mouths being bound and the pockets
sewn to the binding, so as to allow of being turned inside out. The frog mouth
catches are bound along their bottoms, and a piece of the binding is allowed to
shoot upwards into the side seams to give them strength. The frog mouths
are also bound round, and the binding allowed to shoot downwards into the
side seams, which answers the purpose of a stay, and gives them additional
strength, the seams on the grey side being lapped to form either a broad or
narrow stripe. The bottoms of the trowsers are to be made in the following
manner:-
Firstly (if required), to be made with one, two, or three buttons, the bottoms
on the black side are made in the ordinary way, but on the grey side a piece
of grey cloth is put on to give the appearance of a turn-up, under which the
buttons are placed.
Secondly, if made with straps to button under the foot, the buttons on the
black side are quite plain, but on the grey side a seam is raised all round to
correspond with the seams of the trousers by first turning up the bottom,
sewing it round, and then turning it back again, so that the strap can be laid
under and then sewn in.
When trousers are to be made with a whole fall the bearer is constructed
precisely in the same manner as the frog mouth catches in the fly front
trousers. As regards the pockets and binding, the falldown on the black side
is made in the usual way, quite plain, but on the grey side a piece is sewn
on to represent a top welt, under which are placed the necessary stays for the
buttonholes. The same method is pursued in the making of breeches as is
herein-before described in reference to the construction of trowsers.
Our improvements are applicable to cloaks, ladies' palėtots, and other similar
garments. The neck and collar is to be bound round with braid or other
binding; the collar may be made of any suitable material to correspond in color,
if desired, with the different sides of the cloak or other garment, the collar to
be fastened to the neck by sowing the two bindings together. The same

page_text: method is adopted with regard to the seams of cloaks and other garments
aforesaid as has been herein-before described in reference to the seams of
coats.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the various modes
and manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into practical
effect, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves
to the precise details of the mode of manufacturing said cloth or of using the
same for making reversible garments, as such details must and may necessarily
vary without departing from the principle of our said Invention, which we
declare to be, and we claim,―
Firstly, the sole manufacture, make, or use of the cloth or fabric or fabrics
herein-before described and set forth, having, possessing, or shewing in each
piece complete two faces or surfaces either alike or different in color, quality,
or finish.
Secondly, the application of the aforesaid cloths or fabrics to the making or
construction of certain articles of wearing apparel as described, by which such
garments are rendered reversible, or capable of being worn as a perfect
garment with either side or face outwards, at the option of the wearer.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Beckett and Samuel Powell,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
forty-nine.
WILLIAM (L.s.) BECKETT.
SAMUEL
(L.S.) POWELL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid William Beckett and Samuel Powell
came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.