IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERPROOF GARMENTS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE VENTILATION
Year: 1884

page_text: I BERNARD BIRNBAUM of Nos 48 to 50 New Broad Street in the City
of London Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERPROOF GARMENTS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE VENTILATION
to be as follows :-
The object of the improvements is to enable the better ventilation of waterproof
garments to be effected and thereby the wearing of such garments to be rendered
more healthy and comfortable.
In the construction of waterproof garments various attempts have been made to
provide means for access of air to those parts of the inner surfaces of the water-
proof garments where perspiration most accumulated so as to enable air to carry
off the moisture and relieve the wearer from the inconvenience arising from its
retention, but these attempts have so far as I am aware been unsuccessful, or
only very partially successful.
Waterproof material being impervious to air, when of the character generally
known as india rubber waterproof clothing; has a tendency to cling closely to the
person of the wearer, or to the tight fitting garments on the wearer's body and this
is owing to the partial vacuum produced between these surfaces, and air to carry.
off the accumulating moisture is prevented from gaining free access thereto.
In carrying out my invention I provide at the back, front, sides, or other
suitable parts of the garments, or beneath the arms thereof, suitable openings in
the waterproof material and these openings I fill, or enclose, with material of the
character of netting, or knotted cords, or string, so as to form a reticulate part of
the garment there. This net, or openwork part should be formed with the knots,
or enlarged projections, where the cords or lines cross of a sufficient size to afford
clear-way, or passage, for air currents induced by the motion of the wearer to pass
between the coat, or other garment, and a waterproof part, flap, cape, or cover,
thereto provided.
:
This netting and knots, or enlargements, should not be of too hard a nature so
as to cause undue wear to the underlying wearing apparel..
The edges of the netting, or knotted openwork, may be secured to the edges of
the opening of the garment by being cemented between the thicknesses thereof
before the "curing" or otherwise in manner well understood by those acquainted
with the manufacture of india rubber waterproof clothing.
Dated this 20th day of March 1884

page_text: I BERNARD BIRNBAUM of Nos 48 to 50 New Broad Street in the City
of London Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERPROOF GARMENTS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE VENTILATION
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the improvements is to enable the better ventilation of waterproof
garments to be effected and in consequence that the wearing of such garments may
be rendered more healthy and comfortable.
off
In the construction of waterproof garments, various attempts have been made to
effect thorough ventilation of such garments which are also air proof in their
texture by providing various means for access of air to those parts of the inner
surfaces of the waterproof garments where moisture from perspiration accumulated
the most, and to permit of the free exit of air again therefrom so as to carry
with it that moisture and 'thereby dry the inside of the garment and cool it, whilst
relieving the wearer from the excessively inconvenient effects of such moisturė
being retained. I am aware that various devices have been proposed, or adopted
for effecting this end and amongst them the use, of tubes both to raise the
garment from the back of the wearer and to provide conduits from the inside to the
outside, and. vice versa, of the garment adapted to conduct air. and moisture whilst
keeping out.external wet; of perforated openings covered by flaps; of pervious
material at parts protected by impervious, flaps; of linings with and without ribs
and, with and without openings to the outer air but these have all been attended
by inherent defects by reason of their not operating to effect ventilation efficiently
under the varying conditions of use or wear of such garments, as for instance when
the parts where the ventilating device is inserted are in a condition of tension or
strained tight on the wearer causing the apertures of ingress and egress to be
choked or more or less closed and the carrying of the warmth and moisture
checked or prevented, the impervious surfaces of the fabric closing together
sufficiently tightly under the influence of the suction inwards of air induced by the
wearer's motion to detrimentally interfere with the currents of air also the means
of communication with the air were too circuitous or insufficient or the passages
only intermittently operative and generally these devices have so far as I know
been unsuccessful or only partially, successful.
In carrying out my invention I remove or omit at a part or parts of a waterproof
garment the impervious fabric and in lieu thereof I provide or insert therein
knotted reticulate material of the character of knotted netting or knotted cord or
string of silk or other suitable material of a nature not too hard, so as to cause
undue wear or abrasion of the underlying wearing apparel and this reticulate
knotted netting or openwork with enlargements or projections thereto adapted to
my purpose, may be secured to the openings or spaces left in the impervious
portions of the garment by being cemented. between thicknesses or layers of
waterproof fabric or otherwise in manner well understood by those acquainted
with the manufacture of india rubber waterproof clothing.
The knotted net or openwork with projections should have the knots or enlarge
ments where the cords or lines cross sufficiently large to separate the impervious
surfaces of the garment between which the currents are to be induced sufficiently
for their unobstructed and free passage whatever may be the motions of the wearer
and these knotted nets or openwork with enlarged parts may be provided at the
back, front, sides, or other suitable parts of the garments or beneath the arms

page_text: thereof and I find that such openings are particularly advantageous applied in the
interior wall of the pockets or openings of the character of pockets and such
openwork parts I protect against the ingress of water running down the garment
by means of an over hanging part, cape, flap, or cover closed above but open below.
between which and the under garment's surface the air channels are maintained by
the enlargements of the openwork, whilst the movements of the garment on the
wearer, or of the wearer, act naturally in effecting such currents as shall carry off
moisture collecting on the inner side of the waterproof owing to its imperviousness.
For instance in the case of an openwork piece such as described applied under
a cape in the back of the garment the greater thickness or projection of the knotted
openwork inevitably keeps isolated, raised or apart the cape from the adjoining
waterproof portion and secures the permanence of the channels for air against any
tight overlapping of those parts even when strained tightly on the wearer, whilst
the openwork lying next the wearer, any chilling deposit of moisture on the
waterproof part is kept off from contact; and the elasticity and adaptability of the
garment is preserved unimpaired by rigid or semi rigid tubes or lips.
A further and great advantage attendant on the use of the knotted reticulate
material or openwork is that the knotted net besides being itself absorbent and
exposed to the current or movements of air to take off the perspiration as
accumulated serves by its knotted structure to raise the waterproof fabric it
ventilates from off the body its object is to cover and by so raising and insulating
the waterproof and unabsorbent fabric of the garment prevent perspiration
condensing thereupon and running or dripping down as frequently happens with
waterproof garments of present construction, to the discomfort and inconvenience
of the user.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that whilst
I do not confine myself to any particular part or parts of garments or to any
particular descriptions of garments of waterproof material, to which to apply my
improved ventilating means or to any particular material for the knotted network
or openwork with enlargements so that it be adapted to the object stated what
I claim is
In the ventilation of a waterproof garment the employment of knotted network
or openwork fabric with enlargements thereon inserted in an opening or openings
in the waterproof material of such garment adapted to keep apart superposed parts
of such garment so as to constantly preserve free channels of inter-communication
for air between the interior and exterior of the garment as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of Druh 1001