Year: 1898

page_text: I, EVA MOLESWORTH, Spinster, of Manor House, Bexley, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention has reference to ladies' skirts suitable for use when the
wearer is engaged bicycling, playing tennis, or taking part in similar out-door
exercises, where ease and freedom of movement is requisite.
Usually, skirts of this description are worn in conjunction with knickerbockers.
According to this invention, however, the skirt is so constructed as to be in itself
a complete substitute for the latter, while fully retaining, when worn, the
appearance of the ordinary skirt.
In carrying out this invention, the back part of the skirt is cut in a peculiar
way, and is provided with an added portion, which is to be drawn forward through
the wearer's legs, and fastened around the waist, before the ordinary waist-band
is fastened.
The effect of this arrangement is to produce, at the back, a kind of divided
skirt or trousers, which can be fastened around the ankle by buttons or otherwise.
At the same time, the sides of the skirt, when the back part is drawn in, as
described, fall together towards the back, and give the all-round appearance of
the ordinary skirt, so that the difference cannot be detected when the skirt is
worn.
The added portion before mentioned may be of the same material as the skirt,
or it may be of any suitable material, since it is completely hidden when in use.
To prevent the skirt from blowing up in a wind, the front is provided with
an arrangement consisting of an elastic band inside the skirt, parallel to, and
a little above, the hem. This band passes through runners, and is furnished with
loops at either end, for the reception of the wearers' feet. This arrangement
is only required for bicycling at other times, the loops may be attached to the
skirt by buttons provided for the purpose.
1900
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Cycling Skirts.
I, EVA MOLESWORTH, Spinster, of Manor House, Bexley, in the County of
Kent, 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:-
The present invention has reference to ladies' skirts suitable for use when the
wearer is engaged bicycling, playing tennis, or taking part in similar outdoor
exercises, where ease and freedom of movement are requisite.
Usually, skirts of this description are worn in conjunction with knickerbockers,
and I am aware that knickerbockers have been combined with skirts in various
ways to form a single garment. According to this invention, however, the skirt
is so constructed as to be in itself a complete substitute for knickerbockers, while
fully retaining, when worn, the appearance of the ordinary skirt.
In carrying out this invention, the back part of the skirt is cut in a peculiar
way, and is provided with an added portion, which is to be drawn forward through
the wearer's legs, and fastened around the waist, before the ordinary waist-band
is fastened.
The effect of this arrangement is to produce, at the back, a kind of divided
skirt or trousers, which can be fastened around the ankle by buttons or otherwise.
At the same time, the sides of the skirt, when the back part is drawn in, as
described, fall together towards the back, and give the all-round appearance of
the ordinary skirt, so that the difference cannot be detected when the skirt is
worn.
The added portion before mentioned may be of the same material as the skirt,
or it may be of any suitable material, since it is completely hidden when in use.
To prevent the skirt from blowing up in a wind, the front is provided with
an arrangement consisting of an elastic band inside the skirt, parallel to, and
a little above, the hem. This band passes through runners, and is furnished with
loops, at either end, for the reception of the wearer's feet. This arrangement
is only required for bicycling in-windy weather; at other times the loops may be
attached to the skirt by buttons provided for the purpose.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side view of the skirt, ready for putting on.
Fig. 2 is a section from front to back, shewing half the skirt only, as it would
appear in position on the wearer.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the skirt, a portion being raised, to shew part of the
inside.
Fig. 4 is a fragment of the skirt, shewing the straps for holding down the dress
at the front.
A is the front of the skirt, provided with waistband a and plaquet holes a¹, as
is usual. B is the back portion, cut in a peculiar manner, and C is an extension
thereof, which may or may not be of the same material as the rest of the skirt.
The extension C is composed of two similar parts (one only of which is shewn
in the drawing) joined together at cc, and individually secured to the divided
back portions B of the skirt at bb. At d d are button-holes and buttons for
joining the two halves of the extension C at that part. c d is the waist-band of
the extension, and at de the two halves of the extension are entirely divided
and unconnected.
To put on the skirt, after the front part A is placed upon the wearer, and
before the plaquet holes are closed, the back part B and extension C are drawn

page_text: forward between the wearer's legs, until the part between the waist-band a and
the point c becomes a kind of seat, and the part c c being reversed, takes up a
position in front of the wearer's waist. The waistband c d will then be in position
to be secured by buttoning the part d d at the wearer's back.
The waistband a is then buttoned over the waistband c d, and the skirt is in
position.
It will be observed that the back of the skirt being passed between the legs,
the two portions of the part C turn outwards, and lap around the latter, in the
manner best indicated at Fig. 3, so as to form a kind of trousers, which may be
buttoned at the ankle at be, and are entirely hidden by the sides of the skirt.
F is the running footstrap for keeping down the dress. This strap is preferably
an elastic band of suitable length, threaded loosely through eyelets f, sewn in
the skirt near the hem. f f are loops at the ends of the band, through which
the feet may be passed, but which may be buttoned to the skirt, when not in use,
as indicated above.
. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad, I would have it understood that I am aware that cycling skirts
have been made with shaped parts at the rear which can be drawn forward
between the legs to form a kind of trousers' seat and divided skirt, but I declare
that what I claim is:-
-
1. A skirt for cycling and similar exercises in which the trouser-like legs are
formed by the turned in free edges of the rear extension C substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing.
2. The application to a cycling skirt of a running band arranged and operating
as described, and shewn in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawing, and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1899.