IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS PROTECTORS OR DIAPERS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS PROTECTORS OR DIAPERS."
-A communication from abroad by Frederick Wittram, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th August 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS PROTECTORS OR
DIAPERS," & communication, to be as follows :-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th August 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declaro the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESS PROTECTORS OR
Diapers,” a communication, to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to an article of dress chiefly intended as a sub-
stitute for the ordinary diapers used for infants, but which may also be

page_text: used by adults to protect their clothing and bedding and the clothing of
those who nurse or have the care of them.
I take any suitable cloth or fabric and cut out two pieces of tho
required shape and size. These pieces are united at two of their edges
by a solution of india-rubber or other similar adhesive material. The
edges of the fabric at the front of the diaper are provided with buttons
or other suitable fastenings. I strengthen the button-holes by placing a
cord around them, otherwise the strain would soon tear the material, and
to give additional strength to this part of the diaper I place an extra
piece of material over the cord. At the back or around the upper part,
as well as at the parts which form the legs, the diaper may be provided
with elastic bands or buckles, buttons or tapes, or may be made with
plaits or with string cases to draw it tight and thus make it fit closely
upon the wearer, if desired. I turn the edges and thereby make them
smooth, so that they will not irritate or in any way cause discomfort to
the wearer and at the same time will prevent the ravelling of the
material, or if desired the edges may be bound with any suitable
material. The form and size of the aforesaid pieces must be such as
will ensure an easy and convenient fit, and although I prefer to use two
pieces as above described the diaper may be made of any number of
separate pieces, provided they are of such a shape that when all joined
together they will give the required exterior form to the diaper. The
said dress protector or diaper may be made of any suitable waterproof
fabric or of other material; I prefer however to cut the diaper out of
unvulcanized rubber cloth and to vulcanize it after the pieces are joined.
This improved dress protector or diaper may also be made of linen or any
other material suitable for an ordinary diaper, or of flannel or other
material to serve as a diaper cover to assist in giving warmth or in
retaining the inner diaper in place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licenco
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, 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 DRESS PROTECTORS OR DIAPERS," a communication to me
from abroad by Frederick Wittram, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to an article of dress chiefly intended as a sub-
stitute for the ordinary diapers used for infants, but which may also be .
› used by adults to protect their clothing and bedding and the clothing
of those who may nurse or have the care of them.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a diagram of one of the pieces or sections of which the
said improved dress protector or diaper is formed; Figure 2 represents
5 a diaper formed by uniting two of the sections shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows the diaper as it appears when fastened and in use;

page_text: Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3. Like letters indicate the same
parts throughout the Drawing. The material or fabric, which may be-of
any suitable kind, is cut or formed into pieces of the shape shown in
Figure 1, the same being of any desirable size. Two of these pieces A
are united at the edge B, as shown in Figure 2; the edges Cand D are
then secured together as shown in Figure 3. I prefer to use buttons at
O and D, but other fastenings may be substituted for the same if desired.
I form corded button-holes, as shown at a, by placing cord or other
suitable material around the holes in order to strengthen them, otherwise
the strain would soon tear the material. Moreover to give additional
strength to this part of the diaper I place an extra piece of material
over the cord. One fastening or button may be used at the edge F, F,
to secure the edges G, G, but I prefer to have two and thus divide the
strain on the fastening., At the back or around the upper part, as well
as at the legs, I use, elastic bands or buckles, buttons or tapes, or I form
plaits or make a string' case to draw the material together and thus make
it fit more closely if desired. I turn down the edge H and thereby
secure a smooth edge, which when in contact with the body will not
irritate or in any way cause discomfort, and at the same time this turned
edge will prevent the ravelling of the material; if desired the edges H
may be bound with the same or other material. The form and size of the
aforesaid pieces A when they are combined as shown in Figure 2 will
insure an easy and convenient fit, and although I prefer to use two pieces.
as above described the diaper may be made of any number of separate
pieces, provided they are of such a shape that all when joined together a
will give the required exterior form to the diaper, as shown in Figures 2,
3, and 4, which form, whether the diaper is composed of one, two, or more
pieces, is one of the essential features of my Invention. The said dress
protector or diaper as herein shewn may be made of material already
waterproof, or the diaper may be made so after it is formed, but I prefer a
to cut it out of unvulcanized rubber cloth and to vulcanize the diaper
after the pieces are joined. This improved dress protector or diaper may
also be made of suitable material and used in place of an ordinary linen
diaper, or it may be made of flannel or other material and used as a
diaper cover to assist in giving warmth or in retaining the inner diaper a
in place. The pieces composing the diaper are joined by adhesion, and
I prefer the use of india-rubber for that purpose, but other means and
substances may be used.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim the improvements in dress
protectors or diapers as herein'set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February,.
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.
Witness,
E. O. JACKSON.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)