Improvements in Combination Trousers and Leggings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combination Trousers and Leggings.
I, MAURICE ARON of No. 58 West Ninety-second Street, in the City and State of
New York, United States of America, Salesman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to provide a garment especially adapted to
cycle riders which combines comfort and elegance and is adapted to be worn either
by men or women and in which the lower portions of the legs will be protected and
the garment will not be liable to become injured by contact with the bicycle, and
great freedom of movement is given to the person without risk of displacing any
portion of the garment. The upper or body portion of the garment may be varied
in size and make to suit the rider, as the present invention is not limited to this
portion of the garment. The leg portions are cut longer than required for ordinary
trousers, so that they hang loosely from the knee upward and generally fall loosely
around the knee. The leggings portions of the garment are made as continuations
of the fabric composing the upper or leg portion of the garment, so that seams
around the garment at or near the knee are avoided, and each leg portion is made
of a front and back fabric joined together by a seam running down the inner leg
portion of the garment, and the seams at the outer portions of the trouser legs
terminate a little distance below the knee so that each is open similar to a legging,
and lacing hooks or eyelet or other fasteners are provided upon the surfaces of the
garment adjacent to the opening so as to draw this portion of the garment as tightly
as desired around the lower limb, and the lower ends of the leg portions are cut
and pressed so as to extend over the instep, similar to the upper of a shoe, and
there is an incision in the middle portion of the back fabric at and above the ankle so
that the fabric is drawn in by the seam at this place to fit snugly below the calf, and
the whole of the lower portion of the garment around the lower limb is stiffened by
a lining so that it retains its shape and form when in use and also becomes a pro-
tection against injury to the limb by contact with any portion of the cycle, and
fitting closely and being smooth, no part of the garment around the lower limb is
liable to become entangled in the cycle when the person wearing the garment is riding,
and the upper part of the trousers above the knee being quite locse, gives ample room
for the movements of the limb in propelling the cycle and the same hangs gracefully
when a person may be standing or walking.
This combined trousers and leggings may be worn with a jacket by men, or by
females with a skirt of any desired character, especially the short or bloomer skirt
may be worn with the aforesaid improved garment.
Straps applied at the lower ends of the leggings portions passing under the feet
keep the parts in place, and sometimes a lining of woollen fabric is applied-inside
the stiffening material for warmth or to prevent the condensation of perspiration.
Dated this 30th day of June 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combination Trousers and Leggings.
I, MAURICE ARON, of No. 58 West Ninety-second Street in the City and State
of New York, United States of America, Salesman, 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 :-
The object of the present invention is to provide a garment especially adapted to
cycle riders which combines comfort and elegance and is adapted to be worn either
by men or women and in which the lower portions of the legs will be protected and
the garment will not be liable to become injured by contact with the bicycle, and
great freedom of movement is given to the person without risk of displacing any
portion of the garment. The upper or body portion of the garment may be varied
in size and make to suit the rider, as the present invention is not limited to this
portion of the garment. The leg portions are cut longer than required for ordinary
trousers, so that they hang loosely from the knee upward and generally fall loosely
around the knee. The leggings portions of the garment are made as continuations of
the fabric composing the upper or leg portion of the garment, so that seams around
the garment at or near the knee are avoided, and each leg portion is made of a front
and back fabric joined together by a seam running down the inner leg portion of the
garment, and the seams at the outer portions of the trouser legs terminate a little
distance below the knee so that each leg is open similar to a legging, and lacing
hooks or eyelets, or other fastenings are provided upon the surfaces of the garment
adjacent to the opening so as to draw this portion of the garment as tightly as
desired around the lower limb, and the lower ends of the leg portions are cut and
pressed so as to extend over the instep, similar to the upper of a shoe, and there is
an incision in the middle portion of the back fabric at and above the ankle so that
the fabric is drawn in by the seam at this place to fit snugly below the calf, and the
whole of the lower portion of the garment around the lower limb is stiffened by a
lining so that it retains its shape and form when in use and also becomes a protection
against injury to the limb by contact with any portion of the cycle, and fitting closely
and being smooth, no part of the garment around the lower limb is liable to become
entangled in the cycle when the person wearing the garment is riding, and the
upper part of the trousers above the knee being quite loose, gives ample room for
the movements of the limb in propelling the cycle, and the same hangs.gracefully
when a person may be standing or walking.
This combined trousers and leggings may be worn with a jacket by men, or by
females with a skirt of any desired character, especially the short or bloomer skirt,
may be worn with the aforesaid improved garment. Straps applied at the lower ends
of the leggings portions passing under the feet keep the parts in place, and some-
times a lining of woollen fabric is applied inside the stiffening material for warmth
or to prevent the condensation of perspiration.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view representing the garment in the form adapted to
a man.
Fig. 2 is a section in larger size at the line 2, 2, of Fig. 1, illustrating the stiffening
and lining to the leggings portion of the garment.
Fig. 3 shows the pattern in larger size by which the fabric can be cut out up to
and above the knee portion, the upper part of the fabric not being shown, as this
may vary according to the size and shape of the wearer; and
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the pattern by which the back fabric of the leg
can be cut out.
1 have represented the waist portion of the garment at a, and there may be a
flap 6 buttoned down the front in the garment for a male, and there may be straps c

page_text: for a belt at the waist and pockets at d and e, but these parts may be omitted in a
garment for a female. Each piece of fabric employed is advantageously cut in one
from the waist to the extreme lower ends of the leg portions, and there is a front
piece g, and a back piece to each leg of the garment, and these are united by the
inner seams 4 that extend down to the bottoms of the leg portions and by the outer
seams 5 that extend down to a little distance below the knee portions of the garment,
and the shapes of these front and back pieces y and h are indicated generally in the
Figs. 3 and 4. That is to say, the lower portions of these front and back pieces are
much narrower than the upper portions, so that the upper portions of the legs above
the knees will hang loosely and the lower portions will fit the lower limbs with
reasonable closeness, and in cutting out the fabric, the edge 6 of the leggings portion
should lap upon the part 7, and lacing hooks 9, eyelets, or other fastenings are
provided, and the lace 10 may be made use of to draw the parts reasonably tight
around the lower limb.
The lower ends of the front pieces g are preferably cut wider and rounding, as
represented in Fig. 3, so as to come above the instep and correspond generally to
the uppers in shoes, and an incision or opening is made at 3 in the back above the
ankle portion to allow the fabric to be drawn in to fit the back part of the leg below
the calf.
The leggings portions of the garment up to the knee, or nearly so, are to be lined
with a stiffening fabric i, which is advantageously cut bias so as to be partially
elastic both longitudinally and transversely in the garment, in order that the
outer fabric may not be drawn into wrinkles by the lacing operation. The lines of
stitching t are used to attach the top edges of the linings, and it is advantageous
to apply a strap k and buckle to pass beneath the hollow of the foot and hold the
leggings down in position, and a strap may also be provided at the upper part of
the legging and near the knee portion of the garment to tighten the same previous
to lacing.
After the fabrics have been sewed together, it is preferable to block or hot press
the front and back portions at the lower ends of the legs to give shape to the
parts to cause them to fit over the instep and around the heel, the dotted lines in
Figs. 3 and 4 indicating approximately the shapes given to the parts, and the
portions that comes over the instep is more clearly shown in Fig. 1. The leggings
portions of the garment below the knees are usually lined with a woollen fabric, as
indicated at o, Fig. 2, for warmth or where condensation of perspiration is to be
prevented.
This garment has been found to be very comfortable for the wearer and well adapted
to the purposes for which it has been made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. The combined trousers and leggings having the fabric of the front and
back pieces extending the entire length of the legs and united by inner seams that
extend down to the lower part of the leg portions, and by outer seams that extend
down below the knee to leave openings similar to leggings with lacings or other devices
for drawing the parts around the lower limb, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combined trousers and leggings having the fabric of the front and
back pieces extending the entire length of the legs and united by inner seams that
extend down to the lower part of the leg portions, and by outer seams that extend
down below the knee to leave openings similar to leggings with lacings or other devices
for drawing the parts around the lower limb, a stiffening lining. applied within the
legs and below the knee portions for keeping the leggings portions smooth and also
protecting the wearer, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combined trousers and leggings formed of fabric that extends from the
waist portion to the lower ends of the legs and united throughout by inner seams and
by outer seams extending down below the knee, the garment being loose at and above

page_text: the knee and the lower ends of the front fabrics being cut to form uppers over the
instep, a stiffening fabric within the lower portions of the legs and lacings and eyelets
or similar devices for tightening the leggings portions around the lower limb, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combined trousers and leggings formed of fabric that extends from
the waist portion to the lower ends of the legs and united throughout by inner seams
and by outer seams extending down below the knee, the garment being loose at and
above the knee and the lower ends of the front fabrics being cut to form uppers
over the instep, a stiffening fabric within the lower portions of the legs and lacings
or similar devices for tightening the leggings portions around the lower limb and a
lining of fibrous material for the leggings portions, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combined trousers and leggings made with front and back fabrics united
down the inner parts by seams and down the outer parts to below the knee, and
provided with lacings or similar devices for tightening the leggings portions around
the lower limbs, the lower ends of the front fabrics extending over the insteps, sub-
stantially as specified.
Sixth. The combined trousers and leggings mado with front and back fabrics united
down the inner parts by seams and down the outer parts to below the knee, and
provided with lacings or similar devices for tightening the leggings portions around
the lower limbs, the lower ends of the front fabrics extending over the insteps and
the back fabrics being contracted at incisions or openings to come below the calves
of the legs, substantially as specified.
Dated this 28th day of September 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.