Improvements in Ladies' Cycling Dress Protectors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
Improvements in Ladies' Cycling Dress Protectors.
I, ALEXANDER MCKINLAY, of 1 Lancashire Buildings, Water Street, Manchester,
in the County of Lancashire, Inventor, 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 object of my invention is to prevent the bottom of ladies dresses while bicycling
catching the podals, wind disarranging or blowing it up and the ungainly appearance
of the skirt whilst a lady is working the pedals.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawing thereof, reference being had to letters and figures
marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a plan of the girdle open.
Fig. 2, is a plan of the girdle closed.
Fig. 3, is a view of three of the girdles fitted with steel supports for a skirt.
The girdles are made of steel or any inflexable light substance and in shape almost
a circle when closed. The girdles aro composed of two parts 1 which connect by a
hinge e and whon closed forms almost a circle as in Fig. 1, each end of the circle
griping the dress and bolding it firmly by means of the clasp 2. The girdles when
open form two half circles or rings through working in the centre on a hinge e.
The clasp 2 is made of steel attached by a hinge f to the centre of the half circle 1
of the girdle and has eyelet holes 7 at the other end, and about the centre of the.
other half circle is a hook 3 corresponding to a glove hook as in Figs. 1, and 2.
To close tho girdle push the two sides together until it grips the dress firmly then
put the clasp 2 on the hook 3 tightly which keeps it closed round the leg keeping
the dress in whatever manner required.
The supports a, b, c, and d, are made of steel or any light substance and are four in
number running parallel with the legs. One is attached to each end of the girdle
where it grips the dress and the other two are attached one on each side of tho
hinge of the girdle as in Fig. 3. The supports are for the purpose of keeping the
girdles the required distance apart.
The inside of the girdle and the two ends are padded to prevent chafing the
dress.
The girdles and supports form the invention of the dress protector and will be
covered with any kind of cloth or leather and made to any shape to meet the required
stylo in force.
It is necessary to have at least three girdles 1", 1%, and 1°, one above the calf of leg
and under the knee, griping the dress next above the ankle griping the bottom of the
dress and third below the ankle and resting on the foot. To put the dress protector
on pull the dress a little to the front as it is necessary to have enough of the skirt in
front to allow perfect freedom of the legs to move to whatever position required.
Then place the protector below the knee on the outside of the leg with all girdles open,
1° girdle being in a line with the bottom of the dress above the ankle then close the
girdle by pushing it together round the leg until the ends of the girdle come firmly
against the dress one end from behind the leg and the other over the front where the
two ends are tight against the dress connect the clasp to the hook which keeps
the dress fastened by the two ends of the girdło pressing towards each other and the
dress being between 1ª girdle fits round the leg the same as 1° and is below the knee
ID 077

page_text: and above the calf of the leg and grips the dress the same way. 1° girdle does not
grip the dress but merely clasps round the leg below the ankle and rests on the instep.
It fastens in the same manner as 12, and 1, by a clasp 2 and hook 3 and is for the
purpose of keeping the protector up in its position.
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
1. In ladies cycling dress protectors, the combination of the two half circle rings 1
clasp 2 hook 3 hinges e and f and eyelet holes g, substantially as herein described and
according to the accompanying drawing.
2. In ladies cycling dress protectors, the coinbination of the girdles 12, 1, and 1°
with the supports a, b, c, and d, substantially as herein described and according to the
accompanying drawing.
3. In ladies cycling dress protectors, the combination of the various parts above
described in this specification for the purpose specified.
J. P. BAYLY,
18 Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.