IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIRTS."-A communication
from abroad by Oliver Hildreth Keep, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 6th September 1872, and dated the 11th July 1872.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 11th July 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
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.

page_text: requires but little skill, and as the article of manufacture can be
furnished at a less cost than would be possible if each was made
separately and by hand, its sale enables any person to have well fitted
shirts, and also materially reduces the cost of the same by rendering
available comparatively unskilled labor. If desired, the back, may be
added to the parts named, but it is believed that as shown, the article
will prove most useful.
In Figures 3 and 4 are shown an additional improvement by means of
which dealers are enabled to keep a full stock of these articles upon a
very small capital, so as thereby materially to increase their profits or
correspondingly reduce the selling price of such articles. The shirt
front, yoke, and bosom having a sufficient size for the largest person are
combined as before; the neck band D is omitted and the neck open-
ing E made to correspond in diameter to the smallest size of neck.
Upon or immediately within each edge of the front are a number of
dotted lines 6 placed at equidistant points from each other and from the
said edge, and which while conforming to the shape of the latter are
parallel with each other. Each of the lines 6 indicates the precise point
to which the sides of the front must be reduced in order to produce a
certain size of shirt, and if desired each may be numbered to denote the
exact size represented. Around the neck opening E are arranged a
number of dotted lines e, which show the exact lines of enlargement
necessary to cause the said opening to correspond to the different sizes
indicated by the lines b, the sizes of neck opening being arranged in the
reverse order from those of the body.
The neck band D is made separate from but is loosely connected with
the other parts, and has a length sufficient for the largest size of the
opening E. Extending inward from each end of the band is a series of
size lines d, which correspond in degree with the lines e around the
opening E, so as to enable the said band to be accurately adjusted in
length to the circumference of the said opening after the same has been
cut to the proper size.
The especial advantages obtained by these improvements are,-
First. It enables dealers to keep a full stock of the articles upon a
very small investment, as but one size is required, while of ordinary
shirts a full assortment of different sizes and grades must be kept in
stock in order to supply the demands of trade.

page_text: Second. A seamstress capable of doing the simplest kinds of sewing
can, by the use of these improvements, make a perfect fitting shirt for
any person, as the portions of the work which require any skill are
either completed or so mapped out as to render a mistake very
- difficult.
Third. The expense of the finished article is materially reduced by
thus furnishing at a comparatively small cost the portion which requires
the use of skilled labor, and enabling the remainder of the work to be
done by cheap unskilled labor.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to:
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, a shirt bosom, front, yoke, and
neck band (either with or without the back) combined substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Also a shirt bosom, front, and yoke (either with or without the neck
band) combined in the usual manner and provided with suitable guide
marks or lines whereby the dimensions of the same may be varied to
cause the article to fit any person, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have:
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
CHAS. J. GoоCH.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)