AN IMPROVED FABRIC SUITABLE FOR LADIES' GARMENTS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman,. of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
FABRIC SUITABLE FOR LADIES' GARMENTS."-A communication from Mar-
guerite Constant, of Paris.
Sealed the 5th August 1856, and datéd the 4th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th March 1856.
r
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Pátent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
AN IMPROVED FABRIC SUITABLE FOR LADIES' GARMENTS," (communicated to me
by Marguerite Constant, of Paris, a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as
follows:-
The particular garments for which this fabric is applicable are petticoats and
bustles. It is intended to take the place of the fabrics from which "stiff""
petticoats are now, made... Crinoline and ribbed fabrics, from which "stiff"
petticoats are generally made; do not allow of the attainment of that light
fullness of dress which women are so desirous of obtaining, unaccompanied by
the defects common to all fabrics of like nature, such as too great rigidity, which
prevents them following the undulations of the body, then too great flatñess
at parts arising from wear, whereby all the desired graceful effect is destroyed.
Now, petticoats and bustles made from this improved fabric are distinguished
by the gradations of the stiffness or force of the stiffening agents, cane, whale-

page_text: bone, cord, straw, horsehair, braid, horn, gutta percha, vulcanized caoutchouc,
&c., according to the position they are to occupy, and the form of the wearer,
by the absence of any stiffening agent in parts of the fabric, by the addition of
flounces or extra stiffening pieces where necessary, and by their suppleness and
graceful appearance arising from the fabric following the undulations of the
bedy, and imparting to the dress a graceful and elegant fullness.
The fabric is to be designated "tissu imperial," and is manufactured of wool,
cotton, or linen. Cords are laid in the warp to impart a certain resistance,
vertically, and these cords may be laid regularly or in interrupted series. In
a horizontal direction, stiffness is imparted to any desired extent by whalebone,
cane, bristle, or other like agent, laid in entirely or partially across the breadth.
The above agents may be used separately or in conjunction, that is, they may
be combined in the same fabric to produce different degrees of stiffness at
different parts, according to the effect to be produced in the petticoat or bustle.
Thus, for example, at that part of the fabric which is to form the base of the
petticoat, where the fullness should be greatest, one, two, or three layers of
whalebone may be used, and towards the upper part of the petticoat the whale-
bone or cane placed in three rows should be reduced to two and one, and still
nearer the top less resisting or stiff agents may be substituted for the whale-
bone or cane. Thus, a fabric of varying stiffness is produced, well calculated
for the effect to be attained. This gradually decreasing resistance may be
produced, not only by the employment of agents of different degrees of stiffness,
but also by the distances between these agents, and these distances or spaces
increase from the base upwards, or may be arranged irregularly. The stiffening
agents may be inserted in the loom, or they may be applied after a fabric has
been produced. They must be so arranged as to insure fullness in that part
of the petticoat under which a bustle is generally placed, and that part of
the fabric in which there is little or no stiffening must be used for the front.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
:
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office 3
on the 29th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in. the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3

page_text: Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my.executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED FABRIC SUITABLE FOR LADIES' GARMENTS," (com-
municated to me by Marguerite Constant, of Paris,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of an improved fabric, which is to be designated
"tissu imperial," and which is manufactured of wool, cotton, or linen. Cords
or braids are laid in the warp to impart a certain resistance vertically, and
these cords or braids may be laid regularly or in interrupted series, or in an
irregular manner. Stiffness is imparted to the fabric to any desired extent,
in a horizontal direction, by horsehair, braid, gutta percha, caoutchouc, elastic
ribbons, whalebone, cane, bristles, or other like stiffening agent, laid in entirely
or partially across the breadth.
The particular garments for which this fabric is applicable are petticoats,
skirts, and bustles. It is intended to take the place of the fabrics from which
stiff petticoats are now made. Crinoline and other ribbed or corded fabrics, from
which stiff petticoats are generally made, do not allow of the attainment of that
light fullness of dress which women are so desirous of obtaining, unaccompanied
by the defects common to all fabrics of like nature, such as too great rigidity,
which prevents them following the undulations of the body, and too great flatness
at parts arising from wear, whereby all the desired graceful effect is destroyed.

page_text: Now, petticoats and bustles made from, the improved fabric, which, forms the
subject of the present Invention, are, distinguished by the gradations of the
stiffness or force of the stiffening agents. (such as cane, whalebone, cord, straw,
horsehair, braid, horn, gutta percha, vulcanized caoutchouc, elastic ribbands, &c.)
according to the position they are to occupy, and the form of the wearer, by
the absence of any stiffening agents in certain parts of the fabric, by the
addition of flounces or extra stiffening pieces where necessary, and by their
suppleness and graceful appearance,, arising from the fabric following the
undulations of the body, and imparting to the dress a graceful and elegant
fullness. The stiffening agents may be employed in one or more rows, at
different parts, and they may be used separately or in conjunction, that is to
suy,, two or more different descriptions, of, stiffening, agent may be combined
in the same fabric to produce different, degrees of stiffness at different parts;
according to the effects to, be produced in the petticoat or bustle... Thus, for
example, at that part of the fabric which is to form the base of the petticoat
where, the fullness, should be greatest, one, two, or three rows or layers of
whalebone may be used, and towards the upper part of the petticoat the whale;
bone or cane placed, in three rows, should be reduced to, two, and one, and still
nearer, the top, less resisting, or less stiff agents may be substituted for the
whalebone or cane, such as horsehair, for example. A fabric, of, varying stiff-
ness is thus produced, well; calculated for the effect, to be attained... This
gradually decreasing resistance may be produced not only by, the employment
of agents of different degrees of stiffness, but also by the difference of the
distances between these agents, and these.distances or spaces, may increase, from
the base upwards or otherwise, as desired, or they may be arranged, irregularly;
good, effects would be produced by so arranging, the stiffening agents, that
in certain places they may only extend, partially round the breadth or in certain
parts, thereof... The stiffening agents may be inserted in the loom, or, they may
be applied after a fabric has been produced. For bustles and certain descrip.
tions of petticoats they must be so arranged as to insure fullness in that part
of the, petticoat under which a bustle is generally placed, and that part of the
fabric in which there is little or no stiffening must be used for the front. Pieces
of crinoline or other resisting, fabric. may be introduced, in parts, between the
stiffening agents, or the fabric. may be stiffened or made thicker, either on the
loom or after being woven by the addition of extra stiffening pieces, or flounces
And having now, described the nature of the, said Invention, and, in what
manner the same is, to be performed; I declare that I claim the, improved fabric
herein before described, in the warp of which cords or braids are laid, and to

page_text: which stiffness is imparted by whalebone, cane, horsehair, gutta percha, or
other suitable stiffening agent, or by additional stiffening pieces or flounces, in
such manner and so placed and arranged as to impart a graceful appearance
to garments manufactured from the said fabric, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.s.)