Improvements in Capes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1895
Improvements in Capes.
1, ELIZA JANE WARD, of Beaufort Lodge, Lloyd's Place, Brompton Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Married Woman, 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 :—
My invention relates to capes for personal wear and chiefly to Mackintosh capes
although it is applicable to ordinary capes made of cloth or other fabric.
The chief feature of my said invention is the provision in such capes of sleeves
of sufficient length to cover the fore arm the same being applied to the sides of the
cape at points about on a level with the elbow of the wearer in such a manner that
they can be withdrawn inside the cape when not required for use, and can be
pushed out through slits or openings in the cape when they are to be used. The
cape is preferably furnished with flaps to cover the said slits or openings to prevent
unsightliness when the sleeves are not in use and to keep out the rain.
In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown a cape constructed according to my
invention.
Figure is a front view of the cape with the sleeves pushed out in the position
they would occupy when in use.
Figure 2 is another view of the cape with the sleeves drawn in, one half of the
cape being thrown back to show the inside thereof.
The cope A is made very full and has a slit or opening at each side at about the
level of the elbow of the wearer and preferably in line with the shoulder. It is
fitted with sleeves B, B stitched or otherwise secured thereto around the edges of
the slits or openings. In the case of a Mackintosh cape the sleeves will be
made of waterproof material and will preferably be secured in place by means
of solution.
The sleeves are sufficiently long to cover the fore arm and are preferably
furnished with elastic bands at their extremities to fit more or less tightly around
the wrists of the wearer.
When the sleeves are desired to be worn the wearer pushes them out through
the slits or openings in the cape and passes his or her arms into them. The act
of inserting the arms in the sleeves pushes the sleeves out through the aforesaid
slits or openings, and similarly the act of withdrawing the arms from the sleeves
pulls the latter back within the cape.
The arms will be effectively protected from rain and wind when inserted in the
sleeves and at the same time they will have substantially the same amount of
freedom as that afforded by ordinary long sleeves and arm holes at the shoulders.
Such a cape will be exceedingly useful for ladies and gentlemen when driving,
riding, cycling or the like as it enables a longer cape to be worn than is practicable
when the wearer in order to use his or her hands must pass them out from
underneath the bottom of the cape. It also affords complete protection to the
arms whether they be inside the cape or passed through the sleeves and avoids the
accessity for passing the hands through the opening at the front of the cape as
adies frequently have to do with ordinary sleeveless capes when they are carrying
an umbrella for example. The cape will be found to be especially useful for ladies
is it can be worn over the large dress sleeves now so fashionable without fear of
lamaging such large sleeves, and can be thrown on or taken off with the same
acility as an ordinary cape. The cape also affords perfect ventilation under the

page_text: arms without the necessity for providing perforations such as those usually made
for this purpose in ordinary mackintoshes with elceves.
C, C are scroll shaped flats for covering the slits or openings and thereby hiding
the sleeves when the latter are inside the cape.
I do not confine myself to forming the slits or openings in line with the shoulder
as they may for some persons be found more advantageous if placed a little further
back or a little further forward.
The cape may be furnished with a collar and pockets and other accessories such
as those applied to ordinary capes.
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
A Mackintosh or other cape for personal wear provided with slits or openings at
about the level of the wearer's elbows and with sleeves intended to cover the
wearer's fore arms, with or without scroll shaped flaps to cover the slits or openings,
and with or without elastic bands at the extremities of the sleeves, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and for the purpose
specified.
The 10th day of Ontobar 1895
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.