Improvements in Dress-cutters' Scales.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1889-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
Improvements in Dress-cutters' Scales.
A communication from abroad by REBECCA HURDLE, and MARY B. MANYPENNY,
both of the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the saine
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of implements called "dress-cutters' scales,"
which are used as guides in drawing the various outlines of dress-patterns; and its
object is, first, to produce a scale of such form that the different portions of its edge
will serve to guide a pencil to form the proper lines, both curved and straight, to
outline every portion of a dress-pattern, and, second, to provide a printed diagram
upon or to accompany the said scale, showing at a glance the exact manner in
which it is to be located to form every portion of the curved outline of a dress or
pattern.
To this end the invention consists in a dress-cutters' scale of peculiar form and
having peculiarly-located measures marked upon it, and, further, having printed upon
it or accompanying it a diagram of a dress-pattern and of the scale itself in various
positions for service in forming the said pattern, as hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure I represents a dress-cutter's scalo according to the invention.
Figure Il represents a portion of the reverse side of the same.
The scale is made of paper-board or other suitable material. It is straight on one
edge, A, for a length of two feet, and it is marked along that edge with inches and
fractions thereof, numbered from 1 to 24. Beyond the twenty-fourth-inch line the
body of the scale extends about five inches, and is rounded at the end in a neat
semi-elliptical curve, the said twenty-four inches of straight edge being in a line
tangent to the said curve. Its greatest width is six and three-quarter inches, and
that is at B, opposite the twenty-third-inch line. From point B the edge recedos on
a long sloping curve to a point, (, opposite to inch-line 12, where the width of the
scale is two and three-quarters inches. From C to the end D) of the scale, the two
edges of the scale are parallel with each other. From a point F, the inch-marks are
numbered each way from 1 to 7 on one side of the scale, as shown in Figure II; but
on the other side they are numbered from 1 to 14, beginning at the end of the
twenty-fourth inch, which is at the end of the straight edge A, and numbering
around the elliptical end of the scale, as shown in Figure 1.
On one side of the scale are printed diagrams, GH, of a dress-waist pattern, having
its lines numbered to correspond with reference-numbers in printed instructions for
cutting dresses, which are furnished to be sold with each scale; and on each of these
diagrams is shown in dotted lines J the position in which the scale is to be placed
to serve as a guide to the pencil of the dress-cutter in giving the exact curve
required for every line to make a perfectly-fitting dress. Thus the curved edges of
each dart K, the arm-size L, the neck M, the back N, and the side O have each and
all of them corresponding portions in the curved outline of the scale, whereby the
said lines may be instantly and accurately drawn, and the straight edge A is long
enough for any of the straight lines in a dress-waist.

page_text: DRESS CUTTER'S SCALE.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FRONT OF WAIST.
Great care must be taken in measurements.
After measuring, make your calcu-
lations. Allow for all seams, except for neck and arm's-eye.
Take one-half of the bust measure, from which deduct width of back at line 5,
D' to E, then proceed to draft. lining.
g
Draw
For waist, or pointed basque, lay the lining double on the table, drawing line 1 A
to to for waist, or from a to k for pointed basque, and full length of scale or longer
for a garment, allowing one inch or more for hem. Make a dot eight inches from
end of lining for neck at a. Draw waist line 2, which measure must be same as bust
measure until the darts are deducted, making the required measure for bottom of
waist, then another line, almost parallel, from w to h, three-quarters of an inch
higher at h, as per diagram. Draw line 3, to to b, at shoulder seam at neck. Draw
line 4, e to, length of waist, under the arm. Draw line 5 height of darts.
line 6, i to j, which must be one-half of the bust measure, less the width of the back
at line 6, g to f. Draw line 7, a to d. Draw line 8, y to h, second side of seam.
Curve three-quarters of an inch from top of line 8 to g, as per diagram. Draw arm's
eye, line 9, to e, and from d to c. Draw line 10, shoulder, 6 to c. Draw line 11,
neck a to b. Deduct from line 1, a to i, one-half inch, as per diagram.
Notice curve
on line 1 for large bust. Nothing now remains but to draft the darts. As an example,
we give 36-inch bust and 24-inch waist. Take one-half of bust measure, which is 18,
and one half of waist, measure, which is 12. The measure of the bottom of the waist
must be the same as bust measure, until the darts are deducted, making the required
measure wanted for bottom of waist. For the back deduct 3 inches, for the under-
arm gore 2 inches, (just one-third of half the bust measure, which is 18,) giving 6 inches
to dispose of in darts; 14 inches for curve, or dart on line 4; inch in curve on line 1
at w, leaving 4 inches for the two front darts and 6 inches for spaces. The second
dart should be from to inch fuller than the front dart; the distance between
according to taste or style, and height of darts from waist line to point desired. The
perpendicular measurements, in front of waist, must be drafted from upper horizontal
line at bottom of waist. This upper horizontal line is an important improve-
ment. Use the different parts of the scale for the curves of the waist, as per
diagram.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BACK OF WAIST.
.
Place the lining double on the table and draw line 1 from a to w for waist, or
from a to k if for pointed basque. Draw line 2, w to h, bottom of waist, and
calculate width of back on line 2, according to instructions. Draw line 3, w to b, at
shoulder seam at neck, one-eighth of entire neck measure from line 1. Drawn line 4
at neck, a to b. Draw line 5, length of waist, second side seain. Draw line 6, f to g,
bust measure, on line 6 at 9; allow the three-fourths of an inch taken from top of line 8
at g in front of the waist as per diagram. Draw line 7, d to e, width of back. Draw
line 8, c to g, which should be one-fourth of the whole arm's-eye. Draw line 10
according to taste or fashion. Lines 11 and 12 indicate the bottom of a pointed
basque. After basting waist, test measurements. This system can be used for any
age or size if the measurements are taken accurately, and it will be found absolutely
perfect in every particular. A child of 12 years can as easily learn it as an
adult, and a close examination into its symmetry and simplicity is requested.
By it can be cut French or English long or short waists, and garments of any
length

page_text: By means of this scale and the diagram printed on it any person skilled in the art
of dress-making may be enabled to cut a dress accurately and with great expedition.
The above instructions represent only the method of making measures, while the scale
hereinbefore described may be used by many other methods. The edge from U to D
is made straight and parallel with the opposite edge A, because there is no especial
use for this portion, and that is the easiest way to make it. Any other form may be
substituted for this portion. If a dresscutter's scale having the curved edges
described were combined with a diagram on another paper, showing a dress-pattern
and the outline of the said scale in various positions partly coinciding with the pattern,
it would be an equivalent of a part of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. A dress-cutter's scale of semi-elliptical form at one end, and having one edge
extending in a straight line tangent from one side of the said semi-ellipse and the
other edge sloping inward on a long graceful curve from the other side of the said
semi-ellipse to a narrow point about midway the scale, the remaining portion of the
scale being narrow, substantially as shown and described.
2. A dress-cutter's scale baving curved edges, substantially as described, and
provided with a diagram of a dress-pattern printed on it, and showing the outline of
the said scale in various positions partly coinciding with the curves of the pattern,
substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination of a dress-cutter's scale having curved edges and a printed
diagram showing a dress-pattern and the outline of the said scale in various
positions partly coinciding with the curves of the pattern, substantially as shown
and described.
131
T. 1990
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.