IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRT COLLARS
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE JOHN GISSING of Well Street Falcon Square in the City of London
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHIRT COLLARS to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is so to improve the construction of shirt collars as to
provide simple and efficient means for retaining the necktie in place, without the
necessity for attaching to the collar separate tabs or holding-down pieces in the
manner now commonly known and practised.
The invention more particularly relates to what are known as
collars.
"stand up"
In constructing a collar of this description according to my invention I take the
"front," and having hemmed it in the usual way, 1 stitch around a space of some
2 inches by inch at the centre and towards the lower edge of the "front," with
double rows of button hole or lock stitches, subsequently separating or dividing the
material with a cutter or chisel between the rows of double stitching at the sides
of the said space, and forming by so doing, a flap or tab midway of the "front,"
which flap or tab when separated at its sides will be ready stitched around, as also
will be the edges of the main portion of the "front."
I then take the "back" which usually consists of a single thickness of linen, and
having reinforced by an additional thickness of material, that portion of the
"back" which will coincide in position with the flap or tab above named when the
"back" and "front" are united to form the collar, secure the said strengthening
piece in place by some adhesive substance or by stitching around it. I then attach
the back to the front by stitching around the collar and also around the space above
named in the usual manner, taking care however to leave the tab or flap in the
"front" free at its bottom and sides and I form a button hole in the centre of the
"back" below the flap.
It will be seen that by this method of manufacture both back and front of the
collar are completely shaped before being brought together, and each forms an
integral part of the collar when united together.
At the same time a flap for holding down the tie at the back of the neck is
provided, which flap does not interfore in any way with the fastening of the collar
to the back stud or button of the shirt by means of the button hole beneath the
said flap.

page_text: CESTRY
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The tab or flap it will be understood is in one with the "front" and is detached
from it only at the sides.
It is however stitched along the line of fold parallel with the edge of the collar.
Similarly formed flaps in one piece with the "front," may also be provided at each
side of the collar.
By this method of manufacturing collars, great simplicity and economy are
effected, and a collar of extremely neat appearance results.
Collars thus constructed have all the conveniences of the best plain stand up
collars, and none of the inconveniences and unsightliness of collars to which
separate flaps or tabs are attached, which tabs are moreover liable to come off at
the wash.

page_text: I, GEORGE JOHN GISSING of Well Street, Falcon Square in the City of London,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHIRT COLLARS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of collars for
shirts, whether separate from the shirts or attached thereto, or to what are known
as "Shirt fronts," and refers more particularly to the plain deep "stand up"
collars such as are at present largely worn.
The object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the collar and to
provide more simple and efficient means than heretofore for retaining the necktie
or cravat in place and preventing its riding up around the collar.
To this end the invention consists in a novel method of manufacturing such a
collar, whereby I am enabled during its manufacture, to provide it with a tab or
holding down piece, in one with the "front" of the collar, and without the
necessity for subsequently attaching a separate tab or holding down piece thereto.
The invention further relates to the combination with the "front," during the
manufacture of the collar, of the "back" of the collar provided with an eye or
button hole, and like the "front" forming an integral part of the said collar, and
the uniting together by sewing around the edges of the collar, and around the
tab or holding down piece, of the said "back" and "front" to form the complete
collar.
The invention will be understood on reference to the accompanying drawing in
which Figure 1 is an outside view of the "front," and Figure 2 is an outside view
of the "back" before they are united together. Figure 3 is an outside view of the
complete collar formed by the uniting in a special manner of the separately formed
"back" and "front"; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the complete collar,
showing the tab, in one with the "front," as raised to allow the neck to be placed
beneath it and the button hole in the "back" below or behind the said tab.
A is the "front," B the "back," C the "tab" made in one with the "front," and
D the button hole in the "back." It may be here observed that in this collar there
is no "band "properly so called, distinct from the "front" and "back."
In constructing a collar according to my invention I take the "front" A and
having hemmed it in the usual way, I stitch around a space or at both sides of a
space of some 2 inches by inches more or less, at the centre and towards the
lower edge of the "front," with double rows cc of button holo or lock stitches
and I subsequently separate or divide the material between the double rows of
stitches at the sides of the said space by means of a suitable culter or chisel
I thus form out of the "front" a flap or tab such as C in Figure 1 which tab is
integral with the "front" at its top part, and is bound around at its edges, as are
also the adjacent edges of the "front" of the collar by the button hole or lock-
stitching cc above referred to.
I then take the "back" B which usually consists tho' it need not necessarily
consist, of a single thickness of linen, and having reinforced it (if it consists of a
single thickness and requires local strength) with an additional thickness of
material at that portion of the "back" b, Figure 2 which will coincide in position
with the flab or tab C above named when the "back" and "front" are united to
form the complete collar, I temporarily secure the said strongthening pieco in place

page_text: by some adhesive substance or by stitching, and form a button holo D in the
centre of the strengthened portion at b, or in a corresponding position in the
"back," when a strengthening piece is not used.
I then unite the "back" to the "front" by stitching around the collar and also
around the space b above named, as indicated at a a a in Figure 3, taking care
however to leave the tab or flap C, forming part of the "front" free at its bottom
and side edges. I thus secure the "back" to the "front," and at the same time
permanently fix in place the strengthening piece at b, when such is used.
By this mode of manufacture both the "back" and the "front" of the collar, are
'completely shaped before being brought together and united, and each forms an
integral part of the collar when so united. At the same time a flap C for holding
down the necktie at the back of the neck is provided which flap does not interfore
in any way with the fastening of the collar to the button or stud by means of the
button hole D beneath or behind the said flap C.
This flap or tab it will be understood although stitched across the top (as shown
in Figure 3) is not a separate flap, but is in one with the "front" and is formed
out of the front during the manufacture thereof thereby ensuring greater simplicity,
economy and accuracy of manufacture and giving to the finished collar an extremely
neat appearance. Similarly the button hole D is not formed in a separate picco and
subsequently attached to the back or to the band of the collar as is the case in some
collars of which I am aware.
Collars thus constructed have all the convenience and simplicity of the best plain
"stand up" collars, and none of the inconveniences and unsightliness of collars
to which separate flaps or tabs are subsequently attached, which tabs are moreover
liable to come off at the wash, and project from the collar during wear.
I would remark that I am aware of the British Patent N° 2315 dated 11th June
1879 granted to Frank Jaques and am aware that collars before the date of my
invention have been made with flaps or tabs in one piece with the "front," and
also that tabs have been separately made and attached to the "fronts" of collars,
but in such collars separate" bands" have been used and the "back" has not been
united to the "frout" by stitching arranged in the same manner and serving the
saine purpose as in my collar.
It is a special object of my invention to simplify the manufacture by avoiding
the necessity for separately attaching to the collar either the flap or that part in
which the button hole is formed.
I am also aware that the completed collar has been cut through by V shaped cuts
to form stops for the edge of the tie and prevent its rising, but I lay no claim to
any such arrangement and I have found that such V shaped pieces will not lie flat
over a scarf, as my flap C does; and are apt to project over the waistcoat and be
both inconvenient and unsightly; but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is
1. The herein described method of manufacturing collars for Shirts, which
method consists first in doubly stitching the front as at cc, next in dividing the
material of the "front" between the double rows of stitches to form a divided
portion or tab C united to the front at its upper part and integral therewith, and
next in uniting it to a "back" such as B provided with a button hole D, by
stitching along a line as at a aa around the edges of the collar and around tho
portion of the said "back," whereby "bands" are rendered unnecessary and the
manufacture of the collar is simplified.
2. A shirt collar in which the "front" A is provided with a flap or tab C in one
piece with the said front and is united to the back B in which is a button hole D),
by stitching around the edges of the "front" and "back" and also around that
portion 6 of the back which coincides or corresponds in position with the said tab
or flap as set forth.

page_text: 3. The combination with a collar "front" A having a tab or flap C, not separately
attached, but integral therewith and formed by cutting or dividing the material
between double rows of button hole or lock stitches as at c c, of the "back" B
provided with a button hole D and stitches uniting both "back" and "front" along
the lines aaa substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with the front A, divided to form the tab C and double rows
of stitches cc along the edges of the divided portion of the said "front," of the
"back" B provided with a button hole D, and stitches as at a a a uniting both
"back" and "front" substantially as described.
5. The combination with the front A, divided to form the tab C, and double rows
of stitches cc along the edges of the divided portion of the said front, of the
"back" B provided with a strengthening piece b, and a button hole D, and
stitches as at a a a serving to unite both back and front and to retain said
strengthening picce in place.