IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HOOPS OF LADIES' SKIRTS, AND IN 19 THE COVERING OF STEEL SPRINGS FOR THE O BAME AND ANALOGOUS USES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sylvester Judson Sherman, of the City of Brooklyn,.
in the State of New York, in the United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HOOPS OF LADIES' SKIRTS, AND IN
19
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Sylvester Judson Sherman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 9th April 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
5 TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SYLVESTER
JUDSON SHERMAN, of the City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, in the
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS, I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE HOOPS OF LADIES' SKIRTS, AND IN THE COVERING OF STEEL SPRINGS FOR THE
O BAME AND ANALOGOUS USES," and have petitioned Her Majesty .to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am-the true and first.
Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sylvester Judson Sherman, do hereby
5 declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,

page_text: fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to the use of suitable joints or hinges in the hoops of
skirts, as will be fully explained, and also to the covering or protection of the
spring. This latter feature of my Invention may be employed with or without
the other features, and consists in an adhesive coating which is insoluble and
adapted to prevent oxydation applied in a thin layer under another suitable
covering of any approved character, such as cotton braid or metallic wire, or a
combination of the two. The adhesive covering is protected from friction and
wear by the braided or wound covering exterior thereto, and the spring itself
is prevented from being injured or from inflicting injury to other objects by
both the adhesive covering and the wound or braided covering.
I will proceed to describe what I consider the best means of carrying out
each part of my Invention, and will afterwards designate the points which
I claim as new. The accompanying Drawings form a part of this
Specification.
Figure 1 is a plan view of nearly an entire hoop provided with three
hinges, according to my Invention; Figure 2 is an exterior view of one of the
hinges on a larger scale, showing its condition before it is secured on the end
of the spring; Figure 3 is a cross section thereof; Figure 3 shows. in cross
section the means by which the hinge is secured to the spring; Figure 4 is a
top view of the same hinge before it is attached to the spring; Figure 5 is a
longitudinal section thereof; Figure 6 is a view of the same hinge from the
inside of the hoop. In each of the above Figures the joint or hinge is repre-
sented as straight, except that in' Figure 1 red outlines are employed to
indicate the position of one of the hinges, and also the position of the adjacent
portions of the hoop when the hinge is pressed inward by any force.
Figure 7 is a top view of the hinge when partially bent or turned inward;
Figure 8 represents a plate of brass or other suitable material cut by dies or
otherwise in a proper shape to form one of the parts of the hinge; Figure 9
represents a top view of the same after the sides have been raised; Figure 10
is another view of the same; Figure 11 is a longitudinal section thereof;
Figure 12 represents a plate of brass or other suitable material cut by dies or
otherwise in a proper shape to form the opposite part of one of the hinges;
Figure 13 is an outside view; Figure 14 a horizontal section, and Figure 15
a vertical section of a modified form of the hinge which is intended to be
attached at the same points in the skirt, and to serve in lieu of the hinge
represented in the preceding Figures. Figure 16 is a side elevation, and

page_text: Figure 17 a plan view of a different construction of hinge which may be used
in the same situation, but which I esteem much inferior to the one first
described. Figure 18 is a side elevation or outside view, and Figure 19 is a
plan view of still another form of hinge which I esteem inferior to either of
the others represented. The remaining Figures relate to the second portion
of my Invention, to wit, the covering of the springs.
.
Figure 20 is a magnified side view, and Figure 21 a corresponding end
view of one of my springs enlarged. The steel in Figure 21 is indicated in
blue, the adhesive coating in red, while the covering is white. Figure 22
shows in outline the general construction of the apparatus which I prefer for
applying the adhesive covering; Figure 28 is a corresponding outline indi-
cating the ordinary arrangement for applying the remainder, the wound or
braided portion of the covering. Similar letters of reference indicate like
parts in all the Figures wherever they occur.
My hinges provide for the bending inward of the hoop at the front and
also at the sides of the skirt when required, and thus allow the wearer to
contract her dress into very moderate dimensions, and involves no difficulties
of any considerable importance either in its construction or use. I believe
there would be no especial advantage in employing hinges at the back of the
skirt; the hinges at the sides allow the wearer to walk in close contact with
a companion by the yielding inward of the hoops at the side against which the
companion touches, and the binge at the front is particularly useful in allowing
the dress to be gathered together by folding the hoops inward between the
feet in a crowded place or in assuming a sitting posture.
I so construct the best form of the hinges that they will yield readily
inward but not outward, and not up or down, as will be obvious to any good
mechanic on inspection of the Drawings (Figures 1 to 12). On this account
the form represented in Figures 1 to 12 inclusive is preferable to any of the
other forms represented. The form represented in Figures 13, 14, and 15
will allow the hoops to bend or yield upward and downward as well as
inward, but will forbid their yielding outward. This is a very useful form of
hinge, and may be preferred by some ladies; but I esteem it, in practice,
inferior to the form shown in Figures 1 to 12, because the freedom to yield
upward and downward induces a liability to derangement and entanglement
of the parts. But both these forms are preferable, as above observed, to the
form shown in Figures 16 and 17, or to that shown in Figures 18 and 19.
Both these latter forms allow the joints to yield in every direction, that is to
say, outward as well as upward and downward. The protrusion of the hinge

page_text: outward. so as to form a salient angle is very objectionable in its effect on the
appearance of the dress when the skirt is in use; it tends to produce a ridge
extending up and down the dress along the line of each series of hinges..
>>
Referring to Figures 1 to 12, A, A, A, are the several portions of the hoop
seen edgewise in Figure 1, and which may be of thin tempered steel covered a
in the ordinary manner, or in the improved manner which forms the second
part of my Invention. B and C are the two portions respectively of the
several hinges. The hinges may be all made alike, as represented. The
part B is cut by dies or otherwise into the form represented in Figure 12
where B' is the back and B2, B3, the sides adapted to be turned up as shown
in Figure 3, and ultimately folded over, as shown in Figure 3*; B³ is the
loop or tongue, an extension of B', and is ultimately folded over by machinery
or otherwise into the form shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7.
The part C is cut by dies or otherwise into the form represented in
Figure 8, where C¹ is the back, and C³, C, the sides adapted to be bent up by
-dies or otherwise, and ultimately to be folded over upon the hoop and clasped
firmly thereon, as shown in Figure 3*, C³ is an extension of C¹; C, C', are
rears which are bent upward by dies or otherwise, and are folded inward and
-confined within the loops B³, as represented in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7.
The metal of which the parts B and C are formed is sufficiently thick and
strong to enable the loops B³ and the extension C, and the ears C' to endure
all the strain which is thrown on them in all ordinary exigencies. The
extension Cs of the part C applies under or within the part B, as indicated in
Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7, so as to offer no obstruction to the folding or
bending of the hinge inwardly towards the person, but to forbid its bending s
outwardly; while the ears C standing in the loop B³, as also the reception
of the loop Bs and, the parts B1, B2, within the part C and between the parts
*C, C, protect the joint against any possibility of working in the vertical
direction; the hinge, therefore, cannot bend upward or downward, but main-
tains a rigidly plane or nearly plane condition, while it can bend inward freely
but not 'outward.
Referring to Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23, I should remark that this portion
of my Invention relates to steel springs made in a continuous length to be
cut off as required, as is usually practiced in the manufacture of hoop skirts,
corsets, hats, and other articles of dress containing flat slender springs.
It is a universal practice to cover the hoops of skirts and springs used in
other articles of clothing with a winding or braid of cotton or other material,
and recent modifications have been made public in which metal wire has been

page_text: substituted in whole or in part therefor. The protection afforded by such
cover is very effective to diminish friction and destructive abrasion between
the spring and adjacent objects, but it does not sufficiently protect the steel
from oxydation. I have had large quantities of such goods destroyed or
seriously damaged by a single accidental wetting, and the exposure of such
springs to moisture when in use, particularly in wet weather, is unavoidable.
:
D is the steel in the form of a flattened wire of the thickness and width
ordinarily employed for the hoops of skirts, and of any length required; E is
a varnish of the character known as japan; H is a covering of cotton braid
which may contain a portion of fine metallic wire in order to increase its
durability under severe usage as when the springs are used for the bottom.
hoops of skirts; J is a pan or tank in which the varnish E is maintained at a
proper consistency by the application of heat or otherwise; K is a reel on
which is coiled the ordinary tempered wire to be coated; Lis a roller partially
or entirely immersed in the varnish, and free to rotate like the reel K; M, M,
are rollers of india-rubber or other elastic material which serve to compress,
the spring and remove from it the superfluous varnish, the spring being led
from the reel K down into the varnish where it passes under the roller. L
and thence rises and passes between the rollers M, M, which may be turned
at a proper rate by any convenient power. The superfluous varnish removed
from the wire D by the rollers M, M, is returned by gravity into the tank J.
The wire after having been by this operation covered with a very thin and
uniform coating of varnish is carried through a drying room or oven for a
sufficient distance to allow the varnish to dry or bake to the proper extent; it
may then be wound on a reel or other device to be stowed away or transported
to any place desired previous to the covering, or it may be conveyed directly,
to either a braiding or other covering machine, as indicated in Figure 23,;
where the wire receives its outside covering of braid in the well known
manner. The position of the braiding machinery is indicated by P., in
Figure 23; the wire after passing through this machine, which may be any of,
the approved machines for covering skirt springs, may be again coiled in con-
venient packages R for use.
I can if preferred convey the thinly-coated spring directly to the machinery
for covering it with braid, and mount the machine in close proximity to the
squeezing rollers M, M, so that the braid shall be applied before the varnish
is dry; in such case the varnish will serve the additional function of cementing,
the wound or braided covering to the spring. The proportions of the duplex.
ring, or rather of the parts which connect the internal with the external ring

page_text: in Figures 13, 14, and 15, may be varied so as to allow a greater or less
yielding of the hinge in the vertical direction. The precise construction repre-
sented allows the joints to yield upward more than downward; this I esteem
as an advantage.
Some of the advantages due to certain features of my Invention may be
separately enumerated as follows:-
First, by reason of the fact that my hoops have three hinges, one at the
front and one at each side, it follows that the dress may be compressed in
front as when a lady is leaning against a counter or table, or at either side as
when walking with a companion without disturbing the position of the dress
at other points.
Second, by reason of the fact that the hinges are adapted to yield inwardly
but not outwardly I obtain with the freedom of the several hinges to yield
inwardly to any extent required the absence of the ridges or projections along
the lines where the joints are introduced which form an objection to the more
ordinary style of hinges shown in Figures 15 to 19.
Third, by reason of the specific construction of hinges shown in Figures 1
to 12 I secure not only the freedom to yield inward and a reliable restrainst
against yielding outward so as to form ridges, but also a rigidity against
yielding in either direction vertically, that is, I obtain a hinge which is strong
and reliable and yields inward alone, and this avoids all the liability to entan-
glement and derangement which is due to a freedom to yield vertically, and
at the same time presents no points projecting outward to injure the dress or
affect its appearance, and while the joint is straight presents no points pro-
jecting inward. It will be observed that in this hinge one part extends past
the axis of the joint so as to bear against the inner side of the other part, and
thus defends the joint against yielding outward, while it makes no difference
in the condition of the joint in other respects, except when the joint is bent
inwardly, and the extent of this bending inward past the hinge in that con-
dition is no serious evil.
Fourth, by reason of the fact that my adhesive covering E is insoluble in
water, and is applied between the spring D and the ordinary covering in the
manner specified, I may ensure a very efficient protection of the spring against
oxydation from the contact of moisture therewith, and also obtain the
enclosure both of the spring itself and of the said coating within an ordinary
covering with but a moderate increase of expense.
Having now fully described my Invention, what I claim as new, and desire
to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:-

page_text: First, I claim the arrangement of three flexible joints or hinges in the hoops
of skirts, substantially as herein set forth.
Second, I claim so constructing the hinges for the hoops of skirts that the
hinge will yield inwardly but not outwardly, substantially as shown in Figures
1 to 15.
Third, I claim the specific construction of hinge for hoop skirt shown in
Figures 1 to 12, the same allowing the hinge to yield inward but not out-
ward or upward or downward.
Fourth, I claim the adhesive and insoluble coating E applied between the
spring D and the ordinary covering H, so as to form an impervious defense
against oxydation of the spring while the said defense is itself protected by a
different coating on the exterior thereof, in the manner substantially as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sylvester Judson Sherman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March, A.D. 1866.
SYLVESTER JUDSON SHERMAN. (LS.)
Witnesses,
THOMAS DREW STELSON,
Patent Solicitor,
New York,
And JoHN NOBLE.