Ix- PROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter M'Intyre, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "Ix-
PROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter M'Intyre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st December 1870.
I, PETER MINTYRE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention comprises two improvements in shirts one of which
has for its object, by an improved method of cutting or shaping the
material for a shirt, to obtain a better fit than hitherto at that part which
is not only the most difficult to fit, but which also more than any other
part requires accurate fitting in order to secure comfort, namely, the
neck, and it consists in cutting the aperature for the neck in the form of
a circle, or in a form slightly deviating from that of a circle, in the ways
and to the extents herein-after specified.

page_text: The Invention is carried out in such a way that when the shirt is laid
flat, with the front uppermost, a straight line drawn across from one
shoulder corner to the other will pass through or very close to the centre
of the circle to which the neck opening is cut. On account of the "rise"
or the extending of the shoulder and neck parts beyond the cross line
referred to, more than half the neck opening will be upon the front of
the shirt, but a segment of the circlo will, from the folding together of
the front and back, appear to be cut the reverse way from the back part.
This circular form is suitable for all sizes, larger or smaller circles
being taken in different cases, and whilst it is simple and conveniently
applicable it secures a perfect fit and consequent comfort in wear. The
exact circle may be deviated from without losing the contemplated
advantages to the extent of making the opening in the form of an
ellipse, the longest and shortest radii of which do not differ more than
a quarter of an inch. A deviation may also be made at the front of
the opening by making the edge straight across just above the two
middle plaits.
The second improvement consists in forming the wrist of each arm of
the shirt with duplex or reversible cuffs, so that when one cuff is soiled
the other one previously folded inwards may be folded outwards to cover
or replace it. The duplex or reversible cuffs may be formed in a single
piece, and be attached by sewing in the ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter McIntyre in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
MCINTYRE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Peter McIntyre, Her special licence that I,
the said Peter McIntyre, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: or such others as I, the said Peter McIntyre, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter M'Intyre,
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 Peter M'Intyre, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say :—
.
My said Invention has for its object, by an improved method of cutting
or shaping the material for a shirt, to obtain a better fit than hitherto
at that part which is not only the most difficult to fit, but which also
more than any other part. requires accurate fitting in order to secure
comfort, namely, the neck, and it consists in cutting the aperture for
the neck in the form of a circle, or in a form slightly deviating from
that of a circle, in the ways and to the extents herein-after specified.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing.
the same may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of
explanatory Diagrams to be herein-after referred to.
Figure 1 shows the mode of cutting the yoke or saddle or part of
the shirt to be applied to the back of the neck and shoulders; Figure 2
shows the mode of cutting the front skirt, or front body, or the (part to
be applied to the breast and throat; Figure 3 shows the yoke and front
skirt as united and laid flat with the front uppermost.
A straight line A, A, shown in red, being drawn across from one.
shoulder corner B. to the other C, determines the position of the circle
to which the neck opening is to be cut, the centre D of the circle being
placed on or very nearly on that line. The position of the neck and
"the "rise" of the shoulders in ordinary cases require that moro than,

page_text: half the neck opening E, F, G, should be cut on the front skirt as
shown in Figure 2; the blue lines showing the actual cutting lines, and
the black lines the finished ones. The remainder of the neck opening
H, I, R, K, L, is cut on the yoke in the manner shown in Figure 1, and
the parts for the "rise" of the shoulders are cut as shown at H, M, B, |
and L, N, O, in the same Figure, the corresponding parts on the front
skirt being cut as shown at P, E, and G, Q, on Figure 2. The yoke is
folded along the dotted lines B, I, and K, O, and the front skirt being
laid upon it the lines M, H, and L, N, are joined to. or made to coincide
with the lines P, E, and G, Q, as shown in Figure 3. The parts com-
bining together in such a way that the neck opening presents a complete
circle I, H, E, F, G, L, K, R, I, but with a part I, R., K, of it appearing
as though cut the reverse way from the rest in consequence of the
yoke and front skirt being combined with each other as described. The
neck band is not shown in Figure 3, but it is of course to be attached :
by its bottom edge to the circular edge I, H, E, F, G, L, K, R, I, of
the neck aperture. Similarly the front is not shown with plaits nor
with the usual opening down the centre, but it is to be understood
that the front may or may not. be made with plaits or other orna-
mentation, whilst the slit or opening to enable the shirt to be passed
over the head may be made either at the front, back, or side. This
circular form of neck opening is suitable for most sizes of shirt, larger
'or smaller circles being taken in different cases, and whilst it is simple
and conveniently applicable it secures a perfect fit and consequent
comfort in wear. The exact circle may be deviated from without losing
the contemplated advantages to the extent of making the opening in
the form of an ellipse, the longest and shortest radii of which do not
differ more than a quarter of an inch. A deviation from the circle will
generally be made at the front F of the opening by making the edge,
as hitherto, straight across just above the two middle plaits (upper and
under) of the shirt front. The inclination and even the exact form of
the shoulder lines P, E, G, Q, and the rest may of course be varied to
suit different wearers, but I believe that in ordinary cases the best fit
and most comfort in wear will be obtained by following the accom-
panying Diagrams.

page_text: not now make any claim in respect of such improvement, as I have not
found it to possess the anticipated utility or value.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that what I
; believe to be novel and original and claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the cutting of
the neck aperture of a shirt in the form of a circle, or in a form slightly
deviating from that of a circle, the position of such circle being deter-
mined as herein-before described, and as shown in the accompanying.
› Diagrams.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter McIntyre, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.