Improvements in Leg Coverings, applicable for Cycling, Touring, Shooting, and other purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Leg Coverings, applicable for Cycling, Touring,
Shooting, and other purposes.
We, GILBERT HENRY FINGER of 81 and 83 Franklin Street, New York,
America, and WILLIAM JAMES FORD, of Albany Villa, West Humberstone,
Leicester, Hosiery Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to leg coverings such as are now used for cycling,
touring, shooting and other purposes and relates to that class of leg covering made
without a foot, but provided with a strap which is passed under the foot of the
wearer to maintain it in its proper position during wear.
The said covering, so far as it relates to that part thereof which is worn over
the leg, as contra-distinguished from the foot, may be made upon straight bar or
circular knitting machines of any of the well known types and of any of the large
variety of ornamental or patterned fabrics which are characteristic of stockings or
leg coverings for any of the purposes named.
The present invention embodies improvements in the means adopted for securing
the said covering to the foot of the wearer.
In leg coverings of the character referred to, a knitted strap or band passes
under the foot to keep the said covering in position, but in actual wear the
selvedges of the said strap or band have a tendency to curl up and come together
and instead of a flat strap a thick rope like band is formed under the foot and is
uncomfortable in wear.
One part of our invention is designed to remedy this defect which is effected by
lining the strap or attaching thereto a layer of chamois leather or any other
suitable non-elastic material which will maintain the flat condition of the strap
before stated and render it more comfortable in wear.
The said non-elastic lining may be attached a short distance up the leg part of
the covering and thereby strengthen the strap or band.
Another disadvantage in connection with the before mentioned strap made in the
ordinary way is that in wear it becomes stretched or elongated and thereby permits
the instep part of the covering to work upwards and show the ordinary half-hose or
foot covering of the wearer. By means of the inextensible lining before mentioned,
this objection is obviated.
A further part of the invention relates to an improved formation of strap for
passing under the foot and by the use of which the stress or tension on the strap is
more evenly distributed over the whole width of the stocking.
According to this invention the two sides of the strap where they join the leg
covering are each commenced to be knitted on one half or thereabouts of the full
complement of needles employed in the knitting of the lower part of the leg, and
narrowings are made at intervals on the back selvedge only of the strap so that a
shaped opening is made for the heel to project through, and which is absolutely
perfect in fit.
The said strap may be of other than knitted material and cut and shaped by
hand to form the opening for the heel to pass through.
Additional strength is also obtained by the application of a chamois gore or
gusset located both in the front and back of the within described leg covering at

page_text: the juncture of the strap thereby evenly distributing the strain in front and back
thereof and protecting the stitches against breakage or unroving.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Leg Coverings, applicable for Cycling, Touring,
Shooting, and other purposes.
We, GILBERT HENRY FINGER of 81 and 83 Franklin Street, New York,
America, and WILLIAM JAMES FORD, of Albany Villa, West Humberstone,
Leicester, Hosiery Manufacturer 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 :-
This invention has reference to leg coverings such as are now used for cycling,
touring, shooting and other purposes and relates to that class of leg covering made
without a foot, but provided with a strap which is passed under the foot of the
wearer to maintain it in its proper position during wear.
The said covering, so far as it relates to that part thereof which is worn over
the leg, as contra-distinguished from the foot, may be made upon straight bar or
circular knitting machines of any of the well known types and of any of the large
variety of ornamental or patterned fabrics which are characteristic of stockings or
leg coverings for any of the purposes named.
The present invention embodies improvements, as hereinafter described, in the
means adopted for securing the said covering to the foot of the wearer.
In leg coverings of the character referred to, a knitted strap or band passes
under the foot to keep the said covering in position, but in actual wear the
selvedges of the said strap or band have a tendency to curl up and come together
and instead of a flat strap, a thick rope like band is formed under the foot and is
uncomfortable in wear.
One part of our invention is designed to remedy this defect which is effected by
lining the strap or attaching thereto a layer of chamois leather or any other
suitable non-elastic material which will maintain the flat condition of the strap
before stated and render it more comfortable in wear.
The said non-elastic lining may be attached a short distance up the leg part of
the covering and thereby strengthen the strap or band.
Another disadvantage in connection with the before mentioned strap made in the
ordinary way is that in wear it becomes stretched or elongated and thereby permits
the instep part of the covering to work upwards and show the ordinary half-hose or
foot covering of the wearer. By means of the inextensible lining before mentioned
this objection is also obviated.
A further part of the invention relates to an improved formation of strap for
passing under the foot and by the use of which the stress or tension on the strap is
more evenly distributed over the whole width of the stocking.
According to this invention the two ends of the strap where they join the leg
covering are each commenced to be knitted on one half or thereabouts of the full
complement of needles employed in the knitting of the lower part of the leg, and
narrowings are made at intervals on the back selvedge only of the strap so that a
shaped opening is made for the heel to project through, and which is absolutely
perfect in fit.
The said strap may be of other than knitted material and cut and shaped by
hand to form the opening for the heel to pass through.

page_text: Additional strength is also obtained by the application of a chamois gore or
gusset located both in the front and back of the within described leg covering, at
the juncture of the strap, thereby evenly distributing the strain in front and back
thereof and protecting the stitches against breakage or unroving.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a leg covering of the character described
made in accordance with this invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are views of two forms of non-elastic lining shown detached from
the knitted footstrap for the sake of clearness.
A represents the leg covering formed of any of the well known patterned fabrics
and B the knitted strap which passes under the foot.
To prevent this strap stretching or curling up as hereinbefore described it is
provided with a chamois leather or other non-elastic lining which may be sewn
thereto.
The said lining may be of the same length and width as the foot strap or slightly
longer so that its ends extend into and may be sewn to the inner side of the lower
part of the leg covering A, or the said non-elastic lining C may be formed as
indicated in Fig. 2 viz. of the same width but slightly shorter in length than the
foot strap B and provided with a narrow upwardly extending strip or continuation C¹
of similar material which may be attached to the marginal edge of the strap and
form a gusset at the juncture of the leg covering A and strap B as shown most
clearly in dotted lines in Figure 1.
In this formation a separate gusset C 3 of non-elastic material is also attached at
the juncture of A and B on the opposite side or back of the leg.
In Figure 3 the non-elastic lining is shown as having two side continuation
strips CC2 which are sewn to C at C4 C5 respectively and extend into the leg
covering so as to form a gusset and strengthen the two parts where the ends of the
foot strap B are attached to A.
The improved formation of strap as hereinbefore mentioned is effected as
follows:--
The foot strap may be knitted to the bottom of the leg covering for which
purpose the latter is run on to the needles of a circular knitting machine of the
reversible type; or the strap may be knitted separately and subsequently sewn or
otherwise attached to the bottom of the said leg covering, in either case the knitting
of the strap is commenced upon one half or thereabouts of the full complement of
needles employed in the knitting of the lower part of the leg by reciprocating the
thread carrier over such needles.
Then one or more end needles are placed out of action at each or every other
subsequent course so that a shaped or fashioned selvedge C6 Fig. 1 is formed at
the back of the strap which will fit closely against the side of the wearer's heel.
A number of courses is then knitted upon the minimum number of needles to
form the narrower part of the strap which passes under the wearer's foot and is
continued until one half of the entire length of the strap is knitted.
If the complete strap is to be finished at the one operation a further number of
courses is knitted upon the minimum number of needles and then the needles
previously rendered inactive are again brought into work in the inverse order to
that in which they were placed out of action.
When the knitting of the strap is completed the latter is run off the needles and
sewn to the leg covering A and the two fashioned selvedges C6 then form a
shaped opening for the reception of and which fits the wearer's heel.
The method preferably adopted is to knit the two halves of the strap separately
as before described commencing at the part which is connected to the leg and
continuing until one half of the strap is knitted, the ends of the two halves are
then linked or otherwise connected together to form the centre of the strap which
in wear is located under the foot.
If the knitting of the strap is carried out upon a straight bar knitting machine
the shaping of the selvedge Ċ 6 of the fabric may be effected by transferring the

page_text: loops upon the back selvedge needles on to adjacent needles as will be understood
by those versed in the art of knitting.
In cheaper classes of goods it is obvious that the shape of the back selvedge C6
to form an opening to fit the wearer's heel may be produced by cutting the material
by hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a leg covering of the character described the combination with the foot
strap of a non-elastic lining substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a leg covering of the character described the combination with the foot
strap of non-elastic lining, attached thereto and also to the lower part of the leg
covering substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
3. In a leg covering of the character described the combination with the foot
strap of non-elastic gussets at the juncture of the leg covering and the foot strap
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The improved leg covering of the character described which comprises a foot
strap shaped to form an opening for the reception of the heel and provided with a
non-elastic lining substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawing.
W. J. FORD.
Witness-
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers, Leicester.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.