Improved Means for Raising and Holding Ladies' Dresses.to Prevent Dragging in the Dirt or the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Raising and Holding Ladies' Dresses.to Prevent
Dragging in the Dirt or the like.
I WILLIAM QUINE, Junior, of Nunnery Mill, Douglas, Isle of Man, Corn
Merchant and Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a ready meaus for raising and holding
up the backs of ladies dresses when desired as for instance when crossing a muddy
street or in wet weather and consists essentially of an elongated piece of stiff
material which is secured at the back under the skirt and near its top, to the
underskirt or other garment of the wearer and which is provided at its lower
edge with ribbons cords or tapes extending round the waist of the wearer to the
front.
When desired to raise the dress, the ribbone cords or tapes are drawn forward'
which causes the stiff material to turn outwards on its upper edge as a hinge and
raise the dress in a double fold. The dress is also first, pushed outwards from and
afterwards again pulled in towards the skirt. The dress is raised at the back a
height equal to double the breadth of the stiff material which gradually diminishes
towards the sides.
If desired the stiff material is secured to the dress itself and is turned' inwards
instead of outwards. The ribbons or tapes are tied or are provided with fasteners
for securing them in the two positions or they are held as for instance when crossing
a street and then released.
:
Dated this 28th day of August 1891.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London; Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Raising and Holding Ladies' Dresses to Prevent
Dragging in the Dirt or the like.
1, WILLIAM QUINE Junior of Nunnery Mill, Douglas Isle of Man, Corn
Merchant and Miller, 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:-
This invention has for its object the provision of a ready means of raising and
holding up ladies' dresses when desired as when crossing a muddy street or when
traversing wet or dirty pavements or at other times. It consists essentially of an
elongated piece of stiff material which is secured at the back or side or both
underneath the skirt near the top to the under skirt or dress material of the
wearer.
Referring to the accompanying drawings a Fig. 1. is the piece of stiff material
which may be of any convenient material such as cardboard papier maché, vulcanito
or it
may
be a mere wire frame as shewn at a, in all cases being preferably attached
by sewing or otherwise to the inside of the dross skirt.
It may be curved
horizontally to suit the dress. The tapo b is attached to the frame a and is
continued upwards as a means of gaining a strong support for the weight carried by
the frame and so relieving the dress itself of strain. It is preferably secured at its
upper end to the waist-band d of the dress.
At its lower edge the stiff material or frame is provided with a tape or ribbon c.

page_text: To this other tapes cords or ribbons may be attached passing round the wearer's
waist whereby to raise the frame, but the form I prefer is that shewn at c the tape
being quite short and having a loop, button-hole or hook formed in or attached to
it, and either itself projecting through the dress material to the outside or having
the loop, hole, or hook formed externally and attaclied to it through the dress
material. At on the tape a button, hook or "eye" is attached externally
through the dress material. This is so placed that the loop, hole, or hook on tape c
shall reach to it when the frame-carrying a double fold of the dress with it-shall
be turned upwards by raising the taper, the loop, hole or hook on which is then
attached to the button, hook or "cye" b¹.
The dress is thus raised a distance equal to twice the vertical width of the frame.
One or two additional buttons or hooks or eyes may be placed at a higher lovel.
One or more of the complete invention may be attached to any one dress so that
it can be raised at the back or either side as desired.
Fig. 2 shews my invention applied to a dress. The dotted lines indicate the
position of the apparatus and dress when not raised and the full lines shew them
when raised and so fixed by means of hooking or attaching the loop e to the button b¹.
A portion of the dress is supposed to be cut away so as to give a part sectional view
of the apparatus.
In Fig. 3 the apparatus and dress are shewn partially raised and held by
hand as may be done temporarily while crossing a street or at other times.
The book is also shewn on to which the loop c can be easily slipped at any
moment.
I do not confine myself to any particular form, size, or material of the apparatus
or frame which may be even a mere horizontal rod of any suitable material, but
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 -
:-
L
1. The stiff plate, frame or rod placed or attached inside a dress skirt aub-
stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. The stiff plate, frame or rod for raising dresses having a loop or hook attached
externally for fixing it in position when raised, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The suspending tape having the upper button or buttons, hook or hooks, eye
or eyes or other attachment whereby the weight of the dress and frame when
raised and fixed is taken and so the dress material is relieved of weight, substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1892.
EDGAR CONISTON MILLS,
Agent to the Applicant.