Improvements in Garment Patterns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL
Improvements in Garment Patterns.
We, SAMPSON SIMMONS START Jr., School Superintendent, and MAY ANN
START JOHNSON, Dressmaker, both of Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota, United
States of America do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The garment pattern or template of this invention is more especially adapted for
the laying out of dresses and other ladies' garments. It is composed of a number
of metal bars or strips or hollow frames capable of adjustment on pivots and by
slots in some of the bars or strips taking on to thumb screws passing through other
bars or strips. Some of these are provided with scales and figures marked upon
them in such an order that either the ends, or the side edges of the same sliding
thereon, either end wise or sidewise, may readily be adjusted to said figures according
to measurements previously taken.
Dated this 20th day of February 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Garment Patterns.
We, SAMPSON SIMMONS START Jr., School Superintendent, and MAY ANN
START JOHNSON, Dressmaker, both of Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota, 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 :-
This invention has for object to produce an adjustable pattern that may readily
be adjusted to the size and shape of any garment but is specially adapted for the
laying out of ladies' and childreu's dresses and. garments.
The metallic bars in each pattern are joined together by thumb screws. passing
through slotted holes in one strip and are screw threaded into the other strip, thus
forming an adjustable pivot joint that may be shortened or lengthened as well as
swivelled to form different angles or curves as the case may be. These joints may
also be formed by passing the thumbscrew through a round hole in the solid strip
and then let it enter the screw thread of a screw nut provided with projections that
fit and slide in the slot of the adjacent slotted strip. The thumbscrews are so
arranged that when screwed up tight they hold firmly in position the two or more
strips through which they pass. Some of the strips are provided with scales and
figures marked upon them in such an order that either the ends or the side edge of
the strips sliding thereon, either endwise or sidewise, may readily be adjusted t.
said figures according to the measurements taken of a person either by a tape line
or by any other suitable measuring device.

page_text: Tg. IS the Dack Torm.
Fig. 4 the side back form.
Fig. 5 the under part of the sleeve.
Fig. 6, the front waist and under arm pattern which for greater convenience are
connected together as shewn.
Fig. 7 is the pattern for the front gore of the skirt.
Fig. 8 the pattern for the side gore.
Fig. 9 an enlarged sectional top view of Fig. 6 on line a-x.
Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, are enlarged detail views of the thumb screws
indicated only by black dots all the other views of the patterns except in Fig. 9.
Referring to Fig. 1, the collar pattern consists of the upper segment shaped solid
bar 2 adjustably secured to the segment shaped slotted scale bar 3 both of said bars
having their outer ends L shaped or with angular extensions 4 to which are
adjustably secured the short radial slotted scale bars 5, of which the lower ends are
pivotted at 6 to the outer ends of a shorter segment shaped solid bar 7 and a segment
shaped slotted scale bar 8, the inner ends of which are adjustably secured together,
so that in operation, the size of the pattern may be adjusted both horizontally and
vertically.
Referring to Fig. 2 the upper section of the sleeve pattern consists of the outline
bar 10, having three rigid and substantially parallel arms 11, 12, 13, to which are
adjustably secured the extensible slotted scale bars 14, 15, 16. 17, 18 are two solid bars
pivotted together and to the bar 15 by a pivot 19, and to the bars 14, 16, by the
pivots 20, 21. To the lower ends of the bars 18, 10, are adjustably secured the
slotted scale bars 22, 23, to the lower ends of which are pivotted the outer ends of
a transverse wrist bar consisting of the solid section 24, and the slotted and scaled
section 25 adjustably secured together. It further consists of the longitudinal
slotted scale bars 26, 27, adjustably secured at 28, 29, to the solid bars 10, 17, and
having their upper ends adjustably secured to the slotted and scaled transverse
bars 30, 48, by thumb screws 31, 32. Upon the pivot screw 31 is further pivotted
the bar 33, and on the pivot screw 32 slides the slotted and scaled segment shaped
shoulder bar 34, which is pivotally connected at 35 to the slotted and scaled bar
section 36 adjustably secured to the upper end of the bar 33 by a thumb screw 37.
The bar 26 has its upper portion 38 bent inward and provided with a pivot or peg 39
guided in the slot 40 of the bar 34. The two curved and slotted bars 41, 42, the
long scale bar 30 and the slotted scale bar 43 constitute an attachment to this
pattern section and is used for the laying out of high shouldered sleeves and is
accordingly termed the high sleeve attachment. The three bars 41, 42, 43, are
pivotally secured together at 44 and are adjustably secured to the long transverse
bar 30 by screws 45, 46, 47. If high sleeves are out of fashion, this attachment
may be removed and a shorter transverse bar 48 (partly shewn) takes the place of
the long bar 30 which together with bars 41, 42, 43, are detached and removed.
The construction of the under section of the sleeve pattern shewn in Fig. 5 is the
same as that of the upper section just described except that in this under side
section the upper ends of the bars 26, 27, are pivotally secured to the outer ends of
a curved lower arm hole gauge or bar consisting of the solid section 49 and a slotted
and scaled section 50), adjustably secured together by the screw 51.
Before describing further the patterns we will describe the thumb screw and bar
in Figs. 10 to 15 in which 75 is the thumb screw. In Fig. 10, this screw is passed
through the slotted strip 76 and screwed into the solid strip 77. The screw has a
shoulder 78 wide enough to act as a washer upon the slot in the strip 76, for holding
said strip firmly in trictional contact with the slotted strip 77. This shoulder 78
further serves to keep the head of the screw slightly away from the strips so that it
may be more readily handled.
Fig. 14 is a plan view of a joint with the solid strip 77 nearest to the head of the

page_text: screw and the slotted strip 76 place underneath. Fig. 15 is a side view of Fig. 14.
Where it is necessary or preferable to place the strips in the position of Figs. 14, 15,
we use a nut 79 into which the end 80 of screw 75 is screwed. Fig. 11 is a blank
from which said nut is formed into the shape shewn in Figs. 12, 13; 81 being the screw
'readed hole and 82 the lugs projecting into the slot of strip 76 to prevent the nut
from turning. The purpose of having these two kinds of joints is mainly to be
able to turn the heads of the screws in opposite directions where two joints come in
close contact with, or even have to pass over each other as in Fig. 9.
Referring to Fig. 6 which is the pattern for draughting the front of the waist,
the longitudinal outline bar for laying out the front centre line of the garment
consists of the twelve inch long solid bar 83 with a slotted scale bar 84 adjustably
secured to its upper end by screw 85. The number on the scale 84 that comes to
the upper end of the twelve inch scale 83 is added to the twelve inches and the sum
is the height of the front of the garment. The upper end of the bar 84 has a rigid
curved slotted and scaled extension 86 to which is adjustably secured by the
screw 87, the solid curved section 88 to the upper end of which is adjustably secured
by the screw 89, the curved and slotted scale bar 90, which together with the
section 88 and arm 86, forms an adjustable side of neck pattern. This front of
waist pattern further consists of the solid longitudinal side seam bar 92 and
the slotted scale bars 94, 95, adjustably secured to its upper and lower ends
respectively.
Rigidly secured at the upper end of the scale bar 94 is a triangular plate 130 of
which the rear edge has a curve 201 serving as an under arm gauge.
In the upper
corner of the plate is a slot 99. 96 is the front of arm hole gauge, scaled and
provided with a slot 98, through which and the slot 99 in the plate 130 is placed an
adjustable screw 202, making the bar 96 adjustable both horizontally and vertically.
The longitudinally adjustable front and side bars thus described are connected
together by the solid transverse bars 100, 101, 102, (the latter being formed of the
plate 30) 103, 104, which have their outer ends secured to one of the longitudinal
bars and their inner ends adjustably secured by thumb screws 203 to the inner ends
of slotted and scaled bars or extensions 105, 106, 107, 108, 109 of which the outer
ends are secured to the opposite longitudinal bar. The upper cross bars 100, 105,
are slightly curved and serve to give the length of the shoulder seam.
The cross
bars 101, 106, give the measure across the chest. The bars 102, 107, the bust
measure. The bars 103, 108, the waist size and the bottom bars 104, 109, the hip
measure. To this pattern is further adjustably attached the adjustable darts 110, 111.
Figs. 6 and 9 shew the dart gauge 110 secured upon the slotted scale arm 112,
which is rivetted at 113 to the front outline bar 83. The other dart gauge 111 is
fastened upon the slotted scale arm 115, also extending out from the rivets 113 in
the bar 83. Each of said dart gauges consists of two curved and slotted scale
bars 123, the two solid bars 117, 118, pivotted together at 119 and having their
lower ends adjustably secured to bars 123, and the bottom bars 120, 121, pivotted
together at 122, and having their upper ends adjustably secured to bars 123. By
means of the slots in the latter and thumb screws 124 both the upper and lower
ends of the darts are adjustable up and down. The width and the location of the
darts are also adjustable by means of slots 205 in the arms 112, 115 and thumb
screws 204 passed through the same and through slots 126 in bars 123. The dart
or breast piece 127 which is provided near its middle with longitudinal graduation
marks is secured to the end of the slotted. scale bar 107 and is adjustable both
horizontally and vertically by screw 128 in slot 129 of bar 84 and the slot of bar 107.
The use of the plate 127 and the triangular plate 130 is so obvious to dressmakers
that no further explanation is needed. By a thumb screw 131 is attached and
adjustably secured to this pattern, the under arm pattern consisting of the solid
longitudinal outline bars 134, 135, to the upper ends of which are adjustably secured
by thumb screws 207, the scale bars 139, 140, and to the lower end of the bar 134
s adjustably secured the curved and slotted scale bar 138. The said logitudinal
bars are connected together by the transverse bottom or hip bar 132 and the waist

page_text: bar section 136 secured with their outer ends to one of the longitudinal bars and
having their inner ends provided with the adjustable slotted scale bars 137, 141, of
which the outer ends are secured to the opposite longitudinal bars in such a manner
that the section 141 forms a transverse rigid arm of the bar 134 while the section 137
may preferably be pivotted to bar 135. To the upper end of bar 140 is pivotted
at 208 a curved under arm gauge bar 142 provided with a scale and a slot 144 by
which it is adjustably secured upon the thumb screw 145 in the upper end of the
bar 139.
Referring to Fig. 3, the back pattern consists of a triangular plate 146 having a
slotted scale arm 147 with an adjustable extension 148 to which is pivotted at 209
the curved and slotted scale bar 149, in the slot of which a thumb screw 150 holds
adjustably the solid bar 151 to the lower end of which is adjustably secured the
extension scale bar 152 the lower end of which is again adjustably secured to the
slotted scale bar 153 which is a rigid extension of the longitudinal bar 158. To
the arm 154 of plate 146 is at 210 adjustably secured a slotted scale bar 155 of
which the outer end is secured to the upper end of bar 158. To the lower end of
the latter is adjustably secured the partly slotted and scaled bar 159 which extends
to the bottom end of the pattern and together with the bar 158 forms a single
segmental curve. To the lower arm 156 of plate 146 is adjustably secured the
upper end of the bar 157 which extends to the bottom end of the pattern and is
connected to the bottom end of the bar 159 by a segment shaped transverse bar,
consisting of a slotted scale bar 162 and a solid bar 161 adjustably secured together
and having their outer ends pivotted to the lower ends of said bars 157, 159.
Bar 157 is provided with a slotted and scaled arm 160 to which the bar 159 is
adjustably secured by a screw 211. It is also provided with rearwardly projecting
lateral projections 212, 213 which are provided with a scale as shewn.
Referring to Fig. 4, the side gore pattern consists of the longitudinal solid
bars 168, 169, and the slotted scale bar 165 adjustably secured at 214 to the bar 168
and having a lower solid extension 166. The slotted scale bar 164 is adjustably
secured at 215 to the bar 169 and extends upward. These longitudinal bars are
connected at their lower ends by the transverse bar consisting of the solid section 171
and the slotted scale bar 167 which are adjustably secured together at 216 and have
their outer ends secured to the lower ends of the bars 169 and 166. The side bars
are further connected by a slotted scale bar 170 which is pivotted at 217 to the
bar 169 and has its slot 218 embracing an adjustment screw 219 in the bars 165, 166.
To the upper end of the bar 164 is further pivotted at 220 the segment shaped
scale bar 163 having a slot 221 engaging an adjustment screw 222 in the upper end
of the bar 168.
Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the small and large skirt patterns are so nearly alike
Each of said
in construction that one description will suffice for the two.
patterns consists of a solid outline bar 172, from which extend vertically three
substantially parallel arms 173, 174, 175, having adjustably secured slotted and
scaled extensions 179, 180, 181, secured with their outer ends to another longi-
tudinal outline bar 178. 177 is a graduated hip dart gauge adjustably secured by the
screw 176 to the upper bar 175 which for that purpose is provided with a slot 223
registering with the slot 224 in the scaled bar 181 so that the same screw may
secure the dart gauge and the two bars 175, 181 together, engaging a nut on the
rear side of bar 181. The division lines on the scales are at different distances
apart but all the numerals denote inches as bereinafter described.
The patterns are adjusted as follows:-If the neck measure is fourteen inches the
longitudinal bars 2, 3, 7, 8 of Fig. 1 are adjusted to 14 and the height of the collar
pattern is adjusted to suit the taste or fashion. The scale 106 of Fig. 6 is adjusted
to the number of inches of measure across the chest. Scale 107 is adjusted to the
Scale 105
number of inches of measure across the bust immediately below the arms.
If
of Fig. 3 is set to the number of inches across the back between the shoulders.
the tape line or other measuring device shews that from neck to bust down the front
is five inches, then the scale 84 in Fig. 6 should be so adjusted on the scale 107 that

page_text: the number 5 of scale 84, touches the side of scale 107. If from the neck. to waist
shews twelve inches then the lower end of scale 84 is adjusted to 12 on scale 83.
The scales 94, 139, 140 of Fig. 6 are adjusted to the number of inches measured
from under the arm to the waist. Again if the measure gives ten inches from
elbow to wrist then the scale 23 in Fig. 2 is to be adjusted to 10 and the thumb
screw 225 tightened up, and so with all the patterns and scales thereon. The size
of darts 110, 111, is found by subtracting the waist measure from the bust measure..
If for instance the difference be ten inches, then the darts are adjusted to the
number 10 upon the scales 112, 115 in Fig. 9. Next, adjust the length of the dart
to the number obtained by measuring above the waist line -. In making the
patterns the scale 112 is provided with a mark for setting the adjacent sides of the
two darts by, so as to have them in a certain place for medium measurements.
The "French" dart 250 is obtained by adjusting the parts 92, 95, 134 and 138 t
The front of skirt
the same figures that gave the length of the darts 110, 111.
pattern (Fig. 7) is adjusted as follows:-The scale 181 is adjusted to the sam
figure as the waist measurement. The scales 179, 180, are both set by the hip
measurement. This done, the length of the skirt is taken with tape line in front
and slanting seam. The slanting seam is obtained by laying a straight edge even
to the side of the piece that joins the cross bars 179, 180, together and by subtracting
the waist measure from the hip measure the number is obtained that is the size of
the dart in the skirt. The side gore or large skirt pattern (Fig. 8) is adjusted
in the same manner as already described for Fig. 7. In Fig. 6 the scales 94, 139,
140 are alike.
All other proceedings regarding the application of the garment patterns will be
obvious to those skilled in using garment patterns.
From the above description it will be seen that we produce a complete system of
solid and slotted metallic strips or bars connected into sections for the various parts
of a garment each section being adjustable both longitudinally and vertically
except the skirt patterns of Figs. 7, 8, which are adjustable only as to their width.
It will also be observed that the construction is such that the ends of the adjustable
bars are as much as possible turned inward and not projecting out over the outline
bars where they would be in the way of the marking or cutting tool which is one
of the disadvantages of the metallic garment patterns hitherto used.
We are aware that prior to our invention garment patterns have been made with
adjustable strips or plates combined into sections so we do not claim such combination
broadly.
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. The garment patterns consisting of a series of slotted and solid curved and
straight metallic bars adjustably secured together in sections by thumb screws
passed through boles in the solid bars and screwed into nuts having projections
guided and sliding in the slots of the slotted bars, for the purpose specified
substantially as described and shewn.
2. In a garment pattern the combination of the slotted and solid bars adjustable
upon each other, the slotted bars being provided with nuts having projections
engaging the slot to keep the nut from turning, the solid bars having holes and
shouldered thumb screws passing through the same and engaging the nuts in the
slotted bars, for the purpose specified, substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a pattern for the upper side of a garment sleeve, the general construction,
arrangement and combination of parts constituting the same, substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing.
4. The combination with an adjustable sleeve pattern, of the high sleeve attach-
ment consisting of the slotted scale bars 30, 43, and the curved bars 41, 42, pivotted
together at 44 and having their lower ends adjustably secured to the bar 30,
substantially as described with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing.

page_text: 5. In a pattern for the under side of a garment sleeve, the general construction,
arrangement and combination of parts constituting the same, substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 5 of the drawing.
6. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts_constituting
the front of waist pattern substantially as described with reference to Figs. 6 and 9
of the drawing.
7. In combination with the front of waist pattern referred to, the under arm
pattern constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to Fig. 6
of the drawing.
8. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the back body pattern, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the
drawing.
9. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the side gore pattern, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 8 of the
drawing.
10. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the collar pattern, substantially as described with reference to Fig. of the
drawing.
11. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the pattern for the front gore of the skirt, substantially as described with reference
to Fig. 7 of the drawing.
12. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the adjustable dart gauge, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 6 and 9
of the drawing.
Navambo 1901
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.