Improvements in Waterproof and other Garments.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Waterproof and other Garments.
I, JOSEPH JOHN BYERS. of Stewart Building, New-York in the United States of
America, President of a Public Company, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
The invention relates to that class of waterproof and other garments which are
provided with ventilating means at the shoulders or epaulets, and consists, firstly, of
an improved method of forming the air chamber or shoulder form, and, secondly, of
means, used in connection with the ventilating apertures, for regulating the amount
of ventilation in the shoulders of such garments.
My invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1
represents a perspective view of the shoulder form, the cover piece being omitted.
Figure 2 a plan view of the complete shoulder form.
Figure 3 a sectional view showing the arrangement of the slide, the shoulder piece
of the garment forming the base piece of the form.
Figure 4 a view of the shoulder form applied to the shoulder of a coat.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is a perforated base piece of linen, muslin, silk, or other material, of sufficient
length to reach from the arm hole of the garment to, or nearly to, the neck, and
of width sufficient to cover the shoulder, and so cut that it will not stretch sideways
or across the shoulders. The general form of the base piece A is that shown in
Figure 2, but it may be varied to suit the form of the shoulder of the garment in
which it is to be used. On to this base piece A is fastened the shoulder form proper B,
which may consist of a piece B₁ of hair-cloth, buckram, crinoline, hard rubber,
or any other elastic stiff material, of such size and shape that its outer width, or
that at the arm hole, is greater than the width of the base piece A at the points
at which it is fastened, whilst the width of the form B is the same as the base piece
at the points to which it is fastened at the inner portion of said base piece A, the
two pieces A and B being the same length and being fastened together at the
lengthwise edges of the form B. The form B being fastened as described, and
the width, as before stated, at the outer edge of the form B, being greater than the
width between the points of the piece A, to which it is fastened, it necessarily follows
that this outer edge of the form B will be forced to take the form of an arc of a
circle, and the two pieces together will form a section somewhat similar to that of a
truncated cone.
The form B may be fastened at a small distance from the side edges of the
piece A.
The form B may be strengthened by one or more strips B¹¹ B¹ of whalebone,
steel, hard rubber, or other elastic material, fastened either directly to the base
piece A, or to base pieces B₁ of the same material, and being part of the strips
themselves, which in turn are fastened to the base piece A, the outer strip being of
greater length, between the points at which it is fastened, than the base piece A at.
the same point, other strips, if used, decreasing in such relative lengths until the
strip at the inner end of the form is of the same length, between the points at
which it is fastened, as the base piece A at that place, or the inner strip may be
dispensed with; and strips of material may be fastened to the top and sides of the
arches so formed, to strengthen them if desired; or the strip may be used to keep
the hair-cloth etc., in shape and reinforce it in strength; or other equivalent means
may be used to form an elastic stiff cap or brace with an arched mouth and flat
end, forming, as before described, a section somewhat similar to that of a truncated
Cone

page_text: Or the base piece A may be omitted entirely and the form B so constructed that
its lower edges can be attached directly to the perforated lining or material A of the
garment itself. To regulate the amount of ventilation I place upon the top of the
base piece A, a piece C, having similar perforations to those in the base piece A, so
arranged as to slide back and forth on said base piece A within the form B, so
that the holes or perforations in the slide C can be made to coincide with the holes
or perforations in the base piece A, or the solid portion of said slide C can be made
to cover over the perforations in the base .piece A. This slide C is provided with
tapes, cords, or projections D passing through the base piece A, or between it and
the form B, by means of which the slide C can be moved backward or forward.
In the drawings, Figure 4, cords D. D are shown passing through holes C¹ in
the base piece A.
"
This shoulder form is especially adapted for use in ventilating garments in the
method previously patented by B. J. B. Mills for Improvements in ventilated
waterproof and other garments," dated July 27, 1886 No. 9672 as it will be readily
seen that the epauletted cap with its stay piece, therein described, can be formed by
means of this shoulder form by using the base piece A of the shoulder form for the
perforated portion of said garment, and forming the epauletted cap over the top of
the form B.
In use in coats or other similar garments, the perforated piece A, being made part
of the lining of the garment, the lining of the sleeve would be attached or sewed to
the outer edge of said piece, while the cloth of the shoulder of the garment is passed
over, and fastened to, the form B, and the upper edge of the sleeve of the garment
is attached or sewed to the outer edge of the arch of the form B.
And these perforations may be surrounded or covered loosely with braid, fringe
or other like material.
In cases where it is desirable to apply my invention to a coat or garment requiring
to be washed from time to time, I make the garment complete without the shoulder
forms, but leaving ventilating apertures on the shoulders. I then removeably attach
the shoulder forms or epaulettes by buttons or other means in the required position
over the ventilating apertures in the shoulders, and in such case I apply the
stiffeners B. B" B, to the shoulder forms by inserting them in suitable spaces
formed therein, in such manner that when in position, the stiffeners will maintain the
arched shape of the shoulder form, but, when it is required to wash the latter, it is
removed from the garment and the stiffeners taken out therefrom.
Dated this 18th day of September 1888
JOSEPH JOHN BYERS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Waterproof and other Garments.
1, JOSEPH JOHN BYERS, of Stewart Building, New-York, in the United States of
America, President of a Public Company, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to that class of waterproof and other garments which are
provided with ventilating means at the shoulders or epaulets, and consists, firstly, of
an improved method of forming the air chamber or shoulder form, and secondly, of
means, used in connection with the ventilating apertures, for regulating the amount
of ventilation in the shoulders of such garments.
My invention is represented in the drawings accompanying my provisional
specification, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the shoulder form,
the cover piece being omitted.
Figure 2 a plan view of the complete shoulder form.

page_text: Figure 3 a sectional view showing the arrangement of the slide, the shoulder
piece of the garment forming the base piece of the form.
Figure 4 a view of the shoulder form applied to the shoulder of a coat.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is a perforated base piece of linen, muslin, silk, or other material, of sufficient
length to reach from the arm hole of the garment to, or nearly to, the neck, and of
width sufficient to cover the shoulder, and so cut that it will not stretch sideways or
across the shoulders. The general form of the base piece A is that shown in figure 2,
but it may be varied to suit the form of the shoulder of the garment in which it is
to be used. On to this base piece A is fastened the shoulder form proper B, which
may consist of a piece B¹ of hair-cloth, buckram, crinoline, hard rubber, or any other
elastic stiff material, of such size and shape that its outer width, or that at the arm
hole, is greater than the width of the base piece A at the points at which it is
fastened, whilst the width of the form B is the same as the base piece at the points
to which it is fastened at the inner portion of said base piece A, the two pieces A
and B being the same length and being fastened together at the lengthwise edges of
the form B. The form B being fastened as described, and the width, as before
stated, at the outer edge of the form B, being greater that the width between the
points of the piece A to which it is fastened, it necessarily follows, that this outer
edge of the form B will be forced to take the form of an arc of a circle, and the
two pieces together will form a section somewhat similar to that of a truncated cone.
The form B may be fastened at a small distance from the side edges of the piece A.
The form B may he strengthened by one or more strips B11 B1 of whalebone,
steel, hard rubber, or other elastic material, fastened either directly to the base
piece or to base pieces B1111 of the same material, which in turn are fastened to
the base piece A, the outer strip being of greater length between the points at which
it is fastened, than the base piece A at the same point, other strips, if used, decreasing
in such relative lengths until the strip at the inner end of the form is of the same
length between the points at which it is fastened, as the base piece A at that place,
or the inner strip may be dispensed with and strips of material may be fastened to
the top and sides of the arches so formed to strengthen them if desired; or the strip
may be used to keep the hair-cloth, &c. in shape and reinforce it in strength; or
other equivalent means may be used to form an elastic stiff cap or brace with an
arched mouth and flat end, forming, as before described, a section somewhat similar
to that of a truncated cone.
Or the base piece A may be omitted entirely, and the form B so constructed that
its lower edges can be attached directly to the perforated lining or material A of
the garment itself. To regulate the amount of ventilation I place upon the top of
the base piece A, a piece C, having similar perforations to those in the base piece A,
so arranged as to slide back and forth on said base piece A within the form B, so
that the holes or perforations in the slide C can be made to coincide with the holes
or perforations in the base piece A, or the solid portion of said slide C can be made
to cover over the perforations in the base piece A. This slide C is provided with
tapes, cords, or projections D, passing through the base piece A, or between it and
the form B, by means of which the slide C can be moved backward or forward.
In the drawings, figure 4, cords D. D. are shewn passing through holes C¹ in the
base piece A.
This shoulder form is especially adapted for use in ventilating garments in the
method previously patented by B. J. B. Mills for "Improvements in ventilated water-
proof and other garments," dated July 27, 1886, No. 9672, as it will be readily seen
that the epauletted cap with its stay piece therein described, can be formed by
means of this shoulder form by using the base piece A of the shoulder form for the
perforated portion of said garment, and forming the epauletted cap over the top of
the form B.
In use in coats or other similar garments, the perforated piece A being made part
of the lining of the garment, the lining of the sleeve would be attached or sewed to
the outer edge of said piece, while the cloth of the shoulder of the garment is passed

page_text: over, and fastened to, the form B, and the upper edge of the sleeve of the garment
is attached or sewed to the outer edge of the base of the form B.
And these perforations may be surrounded or covered loosely with braid, fringe,
or other like material.
In cases where it is desirable to apply my invention to a coat or garment
requiring to be washed from time to time, I make the garment complete without
the shoulder forms, but leaving ventilating apertures on the shoulders.
I then
removably attach the shoulder forms or epaulettes by buttons or other means, in
the required position over the ventilating apertures in the shoulders, and in such
case I apply the stiffeners B, B", B, to the shoulder forms by inserting them in
suitable spaces formed therein in such manner that when in position, the stiffeners
will maintain the arched shape of the shoulder form, but when it is required to
wash the latter, it is removed from the garment and the stiffeners taken out
therefrom.
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. A shoulder form for garments comprising a base piece having ventilating
perforations, an arched form secured to the base piece and open at the outer end,
and a sliding piece on the base piece having ventilating perforations coinciding with
the ventilating perforations in the latter, substantially as described.
2. A shoulder form for garments comprising a base piece having ventilating
perforations and cord holes, an arched form secured to the base piece and open at the
outer end, and a sliding piece on the base piece having ventilating perforations
coinciding with the ventilating perforations of the latter, and provided with pull cords
extending through the cord holes, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a garment having a perforated shoulder piece and_cord
holes C, of the perforated longitudinally sliding piece C, having end cords D, an
arched form B over the shoulder open at the outer end, and a covering B¹ over the
form, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of June 1889.