Year: 1886

page_text: I, CAROLINE SHREVE PUSEY of No 3902 Girard Avenue, in the City and County
of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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 this invention is to facilitate the cutting out of stuffs for
garments, from paper patterns.
The invention consists in the combination with the patterns, of diagrams
representing on a reduced scale the length and breadth of the material of which
the garment is be cut, with the several patterns laid down thereon in suitable
predetermined positions, directions and relations, whereby the material may be
cut out from the full size patterns in accordance with the disposition of the said
patterns as laid down on the diagrams.
The ordinary patterns for garments, which, as is well known, are an extensive
article of manufacture and sale, are usually made up of a number of separate
pieces of paper of suitable form, and sometimes the several parts of a pattern
are printed in outline, in broken lines crossing each other, on a single sheet of
paper from which tracings are to be made with what is known as a tracing or
copying wheel.
Now it requires considerable time and the exercise of judgment in order to lay
down these patterns on the material so that they will in the first place, when cut
out, use the material economically; and, secondly, so as to avoid mistakes in
laying the pieces, or certain of them in the proper position and direction, such as
the nature of the material shall require; whether owing to the latter being
figured, or presenting different appearances when viewed from different directions.
It is necessary in practice, for the manufacturers of these patterns, in stating
(as is usually done) the number of yards required for the several widths of
material, to allow a liberal margin for lack of judgment and forethought and for
-the possible, if not probable mistakes of those who may use the patterns in
cutting out the material for the garment to be made. It is indeed not an
unusual occurrence when mistakes are made in laying down the patterns, for the
necessity to arise of procuring a further quantity of stuff than was stated to be
or thought to be sufficient in the first place. By means of my invention these

page_text: objections are obviated, and the purchaser of a particular pattern is thereby
enabled to know precisely the exact quantity of material required for making up
the particular garment.
In Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings a, b, c &c., represent the several parts or
pieces of a basque-and-skirt pattern, which I have selected at random to illustrate
my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent these parts as printed or laid down in
suitable positions with relation to each other and the length and width of the
material, and with the greatest economy of space, in diagrams upon a reduced
scale upon a card or sheets of paper.
In carrying out my invention in an expeditious manner, I measure off a space
upon the floor or a long table, the width of which space is equal to that of one of
the usual widths in which dress material is made-say 36 inches. I next arrange
upon the said space, beginning at one end thereof, the several pattern-pieces,
a, b, c &c., in proper position, bearing in mind also the directions in which the
pieces should run when the pattern is cut out from the material; and when all
said pattern pieces have been arranged properly and to the best advantage and
economy, I then make a small diagram, such as Ỷ, Fig. 2 representing the material
and the patterns so arranged. The length of the material required for this width
(36 inches) is four yards or four times the width. I then proceed and measure
out another width upon the floor, say 54 inches (Fig. 3) or the half of the same Z,
(Fig. 2) in like manner, and proceed in a similar way and so on as may be
desirable as .to other widths. Y, Fig. 2 is substantially the same as Z, Fig. 2,
except that in the latter case only one of each of the duplicate patterns is used,
the material being supposed to be doubled over lengthwisc.
As is well-known by those familiar with the art to which my invention apper-
tains, the "back-width" (a) of the skirt and the "front-width" (b) thereof are
not cut on the line of folding of the material when doubled over, nor are they
cut out when not doubled over, that is to say, these two pieces in the latter case,
are not on the dotted line tt, Figs. 2, Y and 3, but are cut double the width of the
one pattern-piece.
I finally print the diagram or diagrams on a card J, Fig. 2, as shown, adapted
to accompany the particular pattern, and to be used as a reference in connection
therewith; or I sometimes print said patterns upon one of the pattern pieces. The
length of the material required for the 54 inch width Fig. 3, and Z Fig. 2, is
2 yards.
It will be observed that the arrangement of the patterns of Y differs considerably
from those of Z-such difference of arrangement is necessary for the foregoing
various stated widths in order to secure the shortest possible length of the material
for those widths, and for other widths which I have not deemed it necessary to
illustrate in like manner.
In this way a person having the diagrams before her or him, is enabled to learn
at once, exactly how much stuff is required for making up the garment, and how
the patterns are to be laid thereon without any reasonable danger of any but
inexcusable mistakes. Also by using my invention the pattern and the required
amount of stuff may be supplied to the dressmaker or tailor, and thus avoid a not
unfrequent occurrence-that is the dressmaker being unable or unwilling to take
the time to properly arrange the patterns to the best advantage, uses considerably
more material than the pattern really requires. By the use of my device one
can purchase the separate pieces with accompanying diagrams, and the precise
number of yards of material known to be requisite, and supply the same to the
dressmaker with the knowledge that the latter cannot properly require a greater
or further quantity of material in order to make up the particular garment.
It will, of course, be understood that in the annexed drawings, the pattern.
pieces, a, b, c &c., Fig. 1 although substantially correct as to shape and relative
proportions, are greatly smaller in dimensions proportionally to those laid down
in the diagrams, Figs. 2 and 3 than the full size patterns. The several pieces in
said diagrams are drawn substantially to a scale, as also, of course the rectangles

page_text: representing the length and width of the material; although it may be observed,
it is not essential that the diagrams should be strictly to a scale, the purpose
being to serve as a substantially correct index, so to say, to direct how the pattern-
pieces are to be laid, the number of yards in length of the particular width being,
of course stated on the patterns or the accompanying diagrams.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
A compound pattern for cutting out garments, consisting of the full size pattern-
pieces necessary to cut out a garment, and a second sheet having a diagram thereon
showing the proper positions to be occupied by the said pieces upon the length of
fabric to be cut, substantially as described.