Improvements in Ladies' Cycling Skirts and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ladies' Cycling Skirts and the like.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM FLETCHER, of The Square, Barnstaple, in the County of
Devon, Ladies' Tailor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in skirts to be worn when cycling,
and has for its object to provide a skirt of this class, in which many inconveni-
ences peculiar to the skirts at present in use, are overcome.
One of the chief drawbacks in a cycle skirt as heretofore constructed, consisted
in the inside arrangement which necessitated the letting down of the whole
skirt from the waist when the wearer wished to perform the usual functions of
nature. By my invention, this inconvenience is obviated, and an arrangement
provided whereby the wearer simply has to unbutton and lower the interior
portion of the skirt which passes between the legs.
In carrying my invention into practice, I fashion the skirt with an inner
dividing portion, terminating at the top in a saddle peak which, when in wear
goes between the wearer's legs and maintains the skirt in a correct and com-
fortable position upon the saddle of the cycle. The upper or saddle peak portion
of the interior part of the skirt through practically dividing the interior of
such skirt, is not fastened to the front of the latter, but is provided with two
diverging straps preferably formed integral with the said dividing portion,
which straps button upon lappets formed by continuing the back of the skirt
inwardly and beyond the point where the front part of the skirt proper buttons.
These diverging straps and the lappets aforesaid, to which they are buttoned
together, form a species of waist-belt which is situated within the skirt, so that
when the straps are un-buttoned from their supporting lappets, the dividing or
saddle-peak portion of the interior of the skirt is let down without the necessity
of having to unbutton the skirt itself from the waist.
Dated this 4th day of November 1898.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM FLETCHER, of The Square, Barnstaple, in the County of
Devon, Ladies' Tailor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
[Price 8d.1

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;.
-
This invention relates to improvements in skirts to be worn when cycling,
and has for its object to provide a skirt of this class in which many inconveni-
ences peculiar to the skirts at present in use are overcome.
One of the chief drawbacks in a cycle skirt as heretofore constructed, consisted
in the inside arrangement which necessitated the letting down of the whole
skirt from the waist when the wearer wished to perform the usual functions of
nature. By my invention this inconvenience is obviated, and an arrangement
provided whereby the wearer simply has to unbutton and lower the interior
portion of the skirt which passes between the legs.
In carrying my invention into practice, I fashion the skirt with an inner
dividing portion, terminating at the top in a saddle peak, which in wear
goes between the wearer's legs and maintains the skirt in a correct and com-
fortable position upon the saddle of the cycle. The upper or saddle peak portion
of the interior part of the skirt though practically dividing the interior of
such skirt, is not fastened to the front of the latter, but is provided with two
diverging straps, preferably formed integral with the said dividing portion,
which straps button upon lappets formed by continuing the back of the skirt
inwardly and beyond the point where the front part of the skirt proper buttons.
These diverging straps and the lappets aforesaid to which they are buttoned
together, form a species of waist-belt which is situated within the skirt, so that
when the straps are unbuttoned from their supporting lappets, the dividing or
saddle-peak portion of the interior of the skirt is let down without the necessity
of having to unbutton the skirt itself from the waist.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying
sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein :-
Fig. 1, is a back view of the skirt.
Fig. 2, a perspective view of the skirt unbuttoned.
Fig. 3, is a side view of the skirt shewing parts broken away to more clearly
illustrate the interior thereof, and, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, are diagram views of one
half of the skirt.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corres-
ponding parts throughout the figures, a represents the outer skirt, which is
provided with an inner dividing portion b, open at the back, and constituting a
species of pocket or cover to fit over the peak of the cycle saddle, while at the
same time it passes between the wearer's legs and practically forms a divided
skirt, which while being worn presents the appearance of an ordinary cycling
skirt, arranged to hang in pleats at the back (Fig. 1).
The upper front part of the dividing or inner portion 6 of the skirt is provided
with two diverging straps e, which are adapted to button or buckle upon lappets d
formed by continuing the back of the skirt inwardly and beyond the point
where the skirt a buttons, as clearly shewn by Fig. 2.
The said diverging straps e and the lappets d, together form a species of
waist-belt, which is situated within the skirt so that when the straps c are un-
buttoned from the supporting lappets d, the dividing or saddle peak portion b
of the skirt falls down and so obviates the necessity of the wearer having to
unbutton the skirt a itself from the waist.
e represents the front flap of the skirt, which may be of the usual form, such
flap being buttoned at el to the sides of the skirt a, and fastened to the ends f
of the waist-belt f by means of hooks and eyes f² or their equivalents.
Referring to the diagrams shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which illustrate the
manner in which one half of the skirt is cut out, Fig. 4 represents the back
portion of the skirt, Fig. 5 the side gore and, Fig. 6 the front part.
(Fig. 4) is half of the inner dividing portion, and
one of the diverging

page_text: straps. d (Fig. 5) is one of the supporting lappets on the upper part of the
side gore, while e (Fig. 6) is the front flap in the front width.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvements in skirts for cycling, consisting in an outer skirt proper
fastened around the wearer's waist, by a waist-belt and having an inner dividing
portion, which, while forming an integral portion of the back of the skirt, passes
between the wearer's legs and constitutes a saddle peak cover, said inner portion
being fastened at the top to lappets formed by continuations of the back of the
skirt, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In skirts for cycling, the inner dividing portion b, forming an integral
part of the back of the skirt, constituting a saddle peak cover and passing between
the wearer's legs, said inner portion having diverging straps c which button
upon supporting lappets d at the top of the skirt proper, in combination with an
outer portion or skirt proper a arranged to hang in pleats behind and having
a front flap e adapted to fasten to the waist-belt f, substantially as described.
and as illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 30th day of March 1899.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for Applicant.