Improvements in or relating to Trousers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Trousers.
1, SAMUEL ELIOT LEVY of Market Street, Manchester, Clothier, 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 :-
Our invention has for its object to afford means whereby long trousers may be
readily converted into knicker-bocker trousers, or tightened round the ankle, for
cycling, golfing, and other purposes, and still for such means to be out of view and
not to affect or alter the appearance of the trousers in ordinary wear. To this end
therefore my invention consists. essentially of a strap and buckle attachment,
applied to the inside of each trousers leg and at or near. the bottom end thereof,
so that on turning up the trousers bottom, raising the same to a point immediately
below the knee, and drawing the said strap through its buckle, the said trousers
may be converted into a pair of knicker-bockers.
And in order that 'my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon:
Fig. 1 illustrates my improved strap and buckle attachment, separate and removed
from the trousers, and Fig. 2 a transverse section.
Fig. 3 illustrates a front view of the bottom end of a trousers leg turned up and
shewing our improved strap and buckle applied thereto.
Fig. 4 illustrates a rear view of the trousers leg and shewing how our improved
strap also serves the purpose of protecting the trousers bottoms from wear.
Fig. 5 illustrates the trousers bottom raised to the knee and secured by the strap
and buckle, and
Fig. 6 shews how the "fulling" of the trousers is brought over the strap to
hide it from view and to give the trousers an ordinary knicker-bocker appearance.
In accordance with my invention (A) is a strap of leather or other suitable
material, provided with a buckle (B), formed of extra width at (A¹) and secured
at the said wider part by stitching or other suitable means to the inside face of the
trousers leg. In ordinary wear the trousers bottoms are turned down and to prevent
the strap falling on to the boot of the wearer a series of guides or loops (C) are
employed through which the strap is threaded.
In converting the trousers into knicker-bocker, the trousers bottoms are first
turned up as shewn more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The trousers are then raised
or pulled up until the turned up bottoms come directly beneath the knee, when the
strap (A) is withdrawn from one or all of the guides (C), and the material of
the trousers is folded or pleated over so as to lie compactly against the leg.
The narrower and free end of the strap is then passed through the buckle (B)
until it is sufficiently tight, when the prong of such buckle is passed through one
of the holes in the strap, and thus the trousers bottoms are effectually secured in
position.
By making the strap of extra width at (A¹) it serves to protect the trousers
bottoms from wear. As shewn in the drawing the extra width is folded in two to
give a great wearing thickness, and to facilitate the attaching of the strap, but if
desired such extra width may be used to bind the cloth edge.

page_text: If also, desired the strap may be of one uniform width, with buckle to match, or
it may be in two or more portions with two or more buckles, or two straps and
buckles may be employed.
The strap, is, by preference so made and fixed as to cause the buckle to come
at the "off" side of each leg. In lieu of the strap being made entirely of leather
it may partly be made of elastic webbing or textile material, and other forms of
fastenings may be employed for securing the ends thereof.
Being inside the trousers legs the attachment does not affect the appearance of
the trousers when in ordinary use.
Having thus 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 and desire, to secure by Letters Patent is :-
7.
1st. The application of a strap and buckle to the inside face of trousers legs
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
".
2nd: A strap with buckle and holes applied to the inside face of trousers, legs,
in combination with loops or guides at the bottom end thereof, and serving as a
preventative against wear and as a means for converting such trousers into
knicker-bockers as set forth.
3rd. The strap (A), having extra width (A¹), and buckle (B) substantially as &
for the purposes set forth.
D
ST... 1905'