NEW OR IMPROVED WEARING APPAREL FOR FEMALES, THE SAME BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR MALES
Year: 1881

page_text: ⚫ LETTERS PATENT to John Ramsay, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED WEARING APPAREL
FOR FEMALES, THE SAME BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR MALES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ramsay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th April 1881.
JOHN RAMSAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
OR IMPROVED WEARING APPAREL FOR FEMALES, THE SAME BEING
APPLICABLE FOR MALES."
<< "NEW
PARTLY
This Invention, which relates to new or improved wearing apparel for females,
has for its object to dispense with the ordinary process or operation of cutting out
such articles of apparel as skirts, bodices, jackets, dresses generally, and other
analogous articles of dress which are used by females generally for external wear.
The Invention also includes improved head coverings or caps, suitable for being
worn either by females or males.
The Invention consists in the production on the stocking frame in the manner
and by the means hereinafter described of the several articles of dress hereinbefore
mentioned. For example, in manufacturing a dress according to this Invention, it
may be commenced in the stocking frame either at the lower or broadest part, or at
the neck or narrowest part, and it is broadened from the narrowest end or narrowed
from the broadest end, and intermediately broadened and narrowed to meet the
requirements of the figure by the employment of "ticklers," which in broadening
put on the needles at each successive course or line of knitting a number of loops
corresponding to the rate of increase in width of the fabric, or on the other hand,
that is to say, when narrowing, put off the needles a number of loops corresponding
to the rate of that narrowing. In this manner the skirt and body of a dress is
manufactured to fit any required figure, and by the use of "pressers" the character
of stitch or knitting may be varied as required to produce variation in the
ornamental appearance of the knitting or loops. At such places as those where
button-holes are required, or openings for the attachment of sleeves, or pocket-holes,
or for gussets, the loops at these places are taken off the needles and the threads
[Price £dl

page_text: are split, so that one half passes through and knits in the loops at one side of the
said holes or openings, and the other half passes through and knits in the loops at
the other side of the said holes or openings, thus leaving the said holes or openings
equally strong at their edges with the other parts of the fabric. The sleeves are
also made in the stocking frame in the manner hereinbefore described, but
separately from the body and skirt of the dress, to which they are subsequently
attached by means of knitting or sewing.
By working the stocking frame in the manner and by and with the means
hereinbefore described with reference to a complex shaped article, such as a
combined body and skirt, other articles of apparel of less complex forms may be
produced, and it is to be understood that the Invention applies equally for the
manufacturing of articles of wearing apparel, either of silk, wool, cotton, or other
fibrous materials.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent. filed by
the said John Ramsay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th October
1881.
JOHN RAMSAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "New
OR IMPROVED WEARING APPAREL FOR FEMALES, THE SAME BEING PARTLY
APPLICABLE FOR MALES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved wearing apparel for females, and
has for its object to dispense with the ordinary process or operation of cutting out
such articles of apparel as skirts, bodices, jackets, dresses generally, and other
analogous articles of dress which are used by females generally for external wear.
The Invention also includes improved head coverings or caps, suitable for being
worn either by females or males.
"
-
The Invention consists in the production on the stocking frame in the manner
and by the means hereinafter described of the several articles of dress hereinbefore
mentioned. For example, in manufacturing a dress according to this Invention, it
may be commenced in the stocking frame either at the lower or broadest part, or
at the neck or narrowest part, and it is broadened from the narrowest end or
narrowed from the broadest end, and intermediately broadened and narrowed to
meet the requirements of the figure by the employment of "ticklers," which in
broadening put on the needles at each successive course or line of knitting a
number of loops corresponding to the rate of increase in width of the fabric, or on
the other hand, that is to say, when narrowing, put off the needles a number of
loops corresponding to the rate of that narrowing. In this manner the skirt and
body of a dress is manufactured to fit any required figure, and by the use of
pressers" the character of stitch or knitting may be varied as required to produce
variation in the ornamental appearance of the knitting or loops. Figure 1
represents a dress, Figure 2 a jacket, and Figure 3 a cap made by knitting
according to this Invention. The whole body of the dress and jacket are made on
the stocking frame, as hereinbefore described. At such places as those where
button holes are required, or openings for the attachment of sleeves or pocket
holes, or for gussets, the loops at these places are taken off the needles, and the
threads are split so that one half passes through and knits in the loops at one side
of the said holes or openings, and the other half passes through and knits in the
loops at the other side of the said holes or openings, thus leaving the said holes or
openings equally strong at their edges with the other parts of the fabric. The
sleeves are also made in the stocking frame in the manner herein before described,
but separately from the body and skirt of the dress, to which they are subsequently
attached by means of knitting or sewing. The parts of the articles where necessary
are made double in the knitting process. The parts marked a in the Figures being
so made, the dotted lines representing the parts at which the doubled fabric merges
into the single fabric.
By working the stocking frame in the manner and by and with the means
herein before described with reference to a complex shaped article, such as a
combined. body and skirt, other articles of apparel of less complex forms may be
produced, and it is to be understood that the Invention applies equally for the
manufacturing of articles of wearing apparel, either of silk, wool, cotton, or other
fibrous materials.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I

page_text: consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The new or improved wearing apparel for external wear, that is to say, dresses,
skirts, bodices, jackets, caps, and other analogous articles of dress formed on the
stocking frame as herein before described, whereby the ordinary process of cutting
out such articles is dispensed with.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ramsay, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN RAMSAY. (LS.)