Cycling Habit Skirt.
Year: 1895

page_text: CHARLES HENRY HART 24 Terminus Road Eastbourne and 23 Sackville
Street London W. Ladies' Tailor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This skirt is cut from any material with shaped breeches or trousers seat and
fork which may be applied to the figure before, when, or after mounting a bicycle
or tricycle by drawing a strap cord or similar instrument attatched to the back
fork or under part of skirt (inside) inside the skirt and passing between the legs to
the front of waist, and held there either by being fixed to the waist-band or held
in position by a clasp hole & button or any other meaus, the end of the said cord
or strap may pass through a hole in the skirt or fastened to the under garments,
after dismounting the wearer may if she wishes by releasing the fastening in front
and by taking hold of the back of skirt draw back the seat and fork when the
skirt will fall into gracefull folds and form a back drapery.
Deted this 7th day of December 1895.
Cycling Habit Skirt.
I, CHARLES HENRY HART, of 24 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, Tailor, 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:―
My invention relates to an improved cycling skirt arranged to give the wearer
the advantages of a divided skirt when seated on the cycle, and to assume the
appearance of an ordinary skirt when the wearer is dismounted. The skirt is cut
from any suitable material and sufficiently full to fold gracefully at the back to
fulfil the purpose for which it is designed. At the back the skirt is formed into
what may be termed a "saddle seat to which is attached a strap passing between
the limbs of the wearer, and adapted to be drawn up in front in such a manner
that the saddle seat is thereby drawn up close and forms a comfortable seat whilst
the folds of the skirt are drawn inwards so that the back seam comes between the limbs
and the garment becomes practically a divided skirt. The strap may be drawn up
to any desired tightness in front and fixed to the waistband or held by a clasp,
hooks or other suitable means. As soon as the said strap is released the skirt
returns to its original shape and resumes the appearance of an ordinary full cut
skirt. In order more fully to describe my invention I will now refer to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent diagrams of the skirt when cut out ready for
making and
Figure 4 is a view of the finished garment ready for use, a portion of the top
being cut away to show the internal arrangement of the same.

page_text: In these drawings
Figure 1 represents the side gore and the line A B the back seam.
Figure 2 represents the side of the skirt, the piece C D E being cut out, the
line FG represents the centre back seam which is drawn forward between the
limbs of the wearer when mounted. G H represents the seat line on which
the rider sits when in the saddle. The belt or strap J has buckles or hooks,
button holes, or fastenings of any suitable kind attached to it at the proper intervals
for the different lengths according as it is required to be adjusted for walking or
for riding.
In Figure 3 which represents half the front the line K L is the centre front
crease edge of the material.
The seam marked A. B. in Figure 1 which forms the other half of the front
is sewn to Figure 3 along the line K. L. The back piece shewn in Figure 2 is
double, and the line H G F represents the back seam which in use is drawn inward
by the strap J as more clearly shewn in Figure 4.
The other seam of Figure 3 indicated by the letters QR is sewn on to one side
of Figure 2 along the line S T, the cuts DC E having been previously sewn up,
and the piece folded over at U V to form a pleat. The other seam of Figure 1
is then joined to the free side of Figure 2 on the line S T. At about the point K
is arranged a slit or similar device through which the adjustable strap J passes.
M indicates an elastic strap about thirteen inches long with a loop at the end,
through which the foot is passed and fitting round the ankle. OP represents cut
arranged to facilitate opening the upper part of the skirt in dressing.
The advantages of my improved skirt are chiefly that the wearer can adjust
the same at will to any desired extent, that mounting and dismounting are
facilitated and deprived of danger as the skirt can never hang on the saddle, and
the arrangement described having no aperture in the front prevents the skirt from
blowing out or open when in the saddle. It is moreover comfortable, sightly, and
not different in outward appearance to an ordinary skirt.
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. The improved cycling skirt substantially as described.
"
2. In a skirt adapted for use by lady cyclists the construction of the back of the
""
"saddle
skirt, to form a
66
or breeches seat as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In combination with a lady's skirt, the strap or belt J fixed at the one end
to the back part of the skirt and adjustable at or near the other end as desired
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Dal 1
T
2000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.