Year: 1899

page_text: I, ROBERT SKELTON, of 40 and 41, Aungier Street, Dublin, Ireland, Tailor
and Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object a lady's cycling skirt which can be worn also
as for walking and like purposes.
To carry my invention into practice I affix to the inside of an ordinary or im-
proved skirt a cord or tape which I rove through rings or like appliances, the
free end of such cord or tape being passed through a suitable opening for out-
side drawing to bring the back fairly close to the legs at the rear of the wearer
for cycling and also a portion of the front so that those parts fit loosely like
riding breeches above the knees leaving the lower part of the skirt somewhat
full to fall well over the rear wheel guard without the usual tendency for the
lower front of the skirt to rise from the instep of the feet while pedalling, the
seat of the skirt remaining full and without drag or producing inconvenient
tightness around the hips of the rider.
The inner end of the running cord or tape is preferably attached to one eye
of a double eyed ring at or near the front said cord or tape being carried to the
back where it is rove through a plain ring or its equivalent back to the front
ring through which it is rove and from thence through the opening to the out-
side where its free end can be drawn upon and secured to a button or other
attachment.
By this invention a lady can step into her skirt and fasten it round her waist
and just previous to mounting the cycle she can draw on the cord or tape and
distribute the skirt equally from both sides inwardly and then take her seat
without the necessity of afterwards rising from the pedals to adjust the garment.
1 1000
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 106, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said R. Skelton.
I, ROBERT SKELTON, of 40 and 41, Aungier Street, Dublin, Ireland, Tailor
and Outfitter, 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 has for object a lady's cycling skirt which can be worn also
for walking and like purposes.

page_text: To carry my invention into practice I affix to the inside of an ordinary or im-
proved skirt a cord or tape which I rove through rings or like appliances, the
free end of such cord or tape being passed through a suitable opening for out-
side drawing to bring the back fairly close to the legs at the rear of the wearer
for cycling and also a portion of the front so that those parts fit loosely like
riding breeches above the knees leaving the lower part of the skirt somewhat
full to fall well over the rear wheel guard without the usual tendency for the
lower front of the skirt to rise from the instep of the feet while pedalling, the
seat of the skirt remaining full and without drag or producing inconvenient
tightness around the hips of the rider.
The inner end of the running cord or tape is preferably attached to one eye
of a double eyed ring at or near the front, said cord or tape being carried to the
back where it is rove through a plain ring or its equivalent back to the front
ring through which it is rove and from thence through the opening to the out-
side where its free end can be drawn upon and secured to a button or other
attachment.
By this invention a lady can step into her skirt and fasten it round her waist
and just previous to mounting the cycle she can draw on the cord or tape and
distribute the skirt equally from both sides inwardly and then take her seat
without the necessity of afterwards rising from the pedals to adjust the garment.
My invention is represented on the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 face view of a double holed ring for attachment to the inner front
of a skirt and to which one end of a runner cord is to be attached.
Figure 2, elevation of the double holed ring of inner front of skirt, the runner
cord and the plain ring which I attach to the inner back of the skirt.
Figure 3 elevation of skirt in an expanded form for ordinary walking or pro-
menade purposes.
Figure 4 sectional elevation of the skirt with the rear lower portion drawn
towards the front by the runner cord and leaving the seat portion very full, the
front being also drawn somewhat close such as to the body of the wearer so that
the upper front may be well over or upon the knees and the lower part to fall
close to the legs down to the insteps of the feet, the sides of the skirt which
are free falling and lodging gracefully outside the rear wheel guard when the
lady is sitting on her bicycle.
Figure 5, an elevation corresponding to Figure 2 except that the ring affixed
to the back of the skirt has a hook connection for the ready attachment to said
back ring, the hook being part of or as a link hook through which the cord or
tape is rove.
In the accompanying drawings the letter A indicates a cord-guide secured to
the inside of the centre part of the front of the skirt B and D a cord guide se-
cured to the inside of the centre part of rear E of the shirt. A cord hole F is
formed in the side of the skirt at a point in juxtaposition to the skirt waist band.
The cord guides A and D and cord hole F are located at different heights
or levels above that part of the skirt which is normally on the line of the knees
of the wearer. The cord guide A is a double hole ring best seen in Figure 1
and the cord guide D is preferably a plain single ring, best seen in Figures 2
and 5.
The runner cord C is secured at one end in one of the holes of the double hole
ring A and is led through the plain ring D affixed to the inner rear portion E
of skirt at a lower level than the front ring A. The runner cord C is led back
from ring D and passed through the open eye of double ring A from whence the
free end of the cord C passes through the cord hole F in the skirt, which hole
can be covered by a facing piece G to give it the appearance of a pocket, the
free end of the cord being secured to a button H or otherwise as desired.
I have shown the cord guide D as a plain ring at the back inner portion of
the skirt B for the passage of the cord, as at Figure 3, but it may be fitted with

page_text: a pulley like roller, or a link hook I may be attached to the ring D for the
cord C to run through the eye D¹ of the hook I as at Figure 5.
It will be understood that the rings are so arranged to the front and rear of
the skirt that the runner cord C has its position between the legs of the wearer
and when the cord is drawn the central rear portion of the skirt follows somewhat
close up under the knees at the back but leaves the back upper or bustle por-
tion J unaffected, which enables a lady wearing such a skirt to take her seat
direct on a bicycle without the necessity of arranging her skirt afterwards as
at present.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is: -
1. Providing a lady's cycling and promenade skirt with double and single
holed rings at the front and rear inner parts respectively, as specified, the rings
having a runner cord in such position that the rear lower part of the skirt can
be drawn close towards the legs and the upper front down for the lap portion to
lie upon the knees, and the lower front to fall freely, as described and substan-
tially as shown.
2. A cycling and walking dress-skirt having the cord guide ring D secured at
the rear directly below the bustle portion, the cord guide ring A secured to the
centre of the front, the cord hole F at one side near the waist band, and the
continuous single cord C secured at one end to the front ring, passing back
loosely through the rear ring, thence passing forward through the front ring and
thence ascending to and through said cord hole all as shown, whereby the central
rear part of the skirt is drawn forward, and a central front part below the
abdomen is drawn rearward, by pulling said cord.
Dated this 14th day of September 1809
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said R. Skelton.