AN IMPROVED COMBINATION GARMENT FOR THE USE OF MECHANICS AND OTHER WORKMEN
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED COMBINATION GARMENT FOR THE USE OF MECHANICS AND
OTHER WORKMEN." A communication from abroad by Alexander Peschel, of
Berlin, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED COMBINATION GARMENT FOR
THE USE OF MECHANICS AND OTHER WORKMEN." [A communication from abroad
by Alexander Peschel, of Berlin, Germany.]
This Invention relates to an improved garment designed to be worn during work
for the purpose of saving other clothing, that is to say, it is designed to be used for
the same purposes as "overalls," blouses, and aprons are employed for.
The novelty of the said Invention consists essentially in the combination of an
apron having a "bib" with a pair of trousers. Aprons are very inconvenient for
most kinds of work, such for instance as turning, working on a roof, and the like,
as they impede free movement of the legs, or imperil the workman by reason of
the liability of their ends to become entangled in machinery. As trousers and an
apron, or trousers and a blouse, are either too expensive or are not suited for all
kinds of work, this Invention has been designed to produce a cheap garment which
will satisfy all requirements.
"
In carrying the said Invention into practice, and for the purpose of combining
the advantages of an overall and of a "bib or flap-apron, and to avoid the
disadvantages attending the employment of both of these garments separately, I
construct a garment as follows, that is to say:-I extend the two front upper parts
of the trousers so far that they completely fulfil all the purposes of a bib, as they
quite cover the chest nearly up to the neck. The two back parts have the same
cut or shape as those of ordinary trousers. The two front parts are completely

page_text: united by a central seam, and without any opening or flap, so as to prevent any
entanglement which might otherwise occur. The two back-parts and the two front
parts of the said garment are sewn together up to a certain point on each side, and
there are two openings at the sides, as in ordinary flap trousers; the two back
parts are provided with belt like flaps extending in a forward direction, whereby
the two back parts are held in position without requiring the front-parts to be
buttoned or otherwise attached to the back-parts upon the hip. To these belt like
extensions or flaps are sewn strong linen bands or straps of leather, which can be
buckled together on the back like the strap and buckle of ordinary trousers. To
these straps are sewn buttons or eyelets, and the front parts are correspondingly
provided with button holes or hooks, so that the two front parts can be buttoned
to the straps at the right and left, and tightened by a buckle.
The bib or chest flap is supported by a neck strap or by shortened braces, and to
prevent the said chest flap from protruding when the workman is doing work
which requires stooping, two nickel plated steel or brass spiral springs are provided,
to which the neck strap or the braces are attached. It is obvious that the springs
may, if desired, be attached to the neck straps or to the braces, and be hooked in
the apron. Likewise all the buttons might be replaced by hooks, and the buckle
by an apron chain.
Workmen who are not accustomed to work in tightly belted trousers may
attach braces in front to the straps, and at the back in the usual manner. The bib
or chest flap in this case will have to be worn with a neckstrap.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th October 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED COMBINATION GARMENT FOR
THE USE OF MECHANICS AND OTHER WORKMEN." A communication from abroad
by Alexander Peschel, of Berlin, Germany.
This Invention relates to an improved garment to be worn by mechanics and
other workmen for the purpose of saving other clothing, that is to say, it is designed
to be used for the same purposes as "overalls," blouses, and aprons.
The novelty of the said Invention consists essentially in the combination of an
apron having a breast-covering or "bib" with a pair of trousers. Aprons are very
inconvenient for most kinds of work, such for instance as turning and similar
operations, or such as slating a roof and the like, as they impede the free movement
of the legs, or imperil the workman by reason of their liability to become entangled
in machinery or with other objects. A dress consisting of trousers ar an apron,
or trousers and a blouse, is either too expensive or is unsuitable for mat kinds of
work. This Invention has therefore been designed to produce a che.. garment
which will satisfy all requirements.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a back-view.
Figure 2, a side view; and
Figure 3, a front view, illustrating the use of my improved garment by a
workman.
For the purpose of combining the advantages of an overall, and of breast-covering
or flap apron, and to avoid the disadvantages attending the employment of both of
theso garments separately, I make a garment as follows, that is to say:-I extend
the two front upper parts of the trousers so far that they completely fulfil all the
purposes of a bib, as they cover the chest nearly up to the neck, as shown in
Figure 3. The two back parts have the same cut or shape as those of ordinary
trousers, as shewn in Figure 1. The two front parts are completely united by &
central seam (see Figure 3), and are made without an opening or flap, so as to
prevent any entanglement which might otherwise occur. The two back-parts and
the two front parts of the legs of the said garment are sewn together on each side
up to the points marked b¹ and 63, and there are two openings at the sides, as in
ordinary flap trousers. The two back-parts are provided with belt-like flaps G,
extending in a forward direction around the waist, whereby the said back-parts
are held together without requiring the front parts to be buttoned or otherwise
fastened to the back-parts upon the hip. To these belt like extensions or flaps
are sewn (as shewn in Figures 1 and 2) strong linen bands or straps of leather
B, R, B, R, which can be buckled together at the back in the same manner as with
the strap and buckle of ordinary trousers, and which are of triangular form, so that
they may cover the pocket A.
In another modification of this trouser-fastening upon the front parts, another
belt-like extension is fastened, which is held together at the rear by buttons, chains,
hooks, strings, or straps.
The bib or chest covering or flap, which in some cases may be of leather, is
supported by a neck-strap H, or by shortened braces, and to keep the said covering
stretched so as to prevent the said chest flap from protruding when the wearer is
performing any work which requires him to stoop, two nickel plated, steel, or brass
spiral springs F1, F2, are provided, to which the said neck strap or braces may be

page_text: attached. It is obvious that the springs. may, if desired, be attached to the neck-
strap or to the braces, and be hooked in the apron. Moreover the buttons may be
replaced by hooks, and the buckle S by an apron chain.
In some cases, instead of forming the breast covering in one piece with the front
portion of the trousers, the said covering may be made separate therefrom, and
attached thereto by buttons.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
A garment consisting of trousers, whose front part is formed to serve as a breast
covering, or has a breast covering buttoned upon the same, either with or without
the springs for keeping the said covering properly stretched, all substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.