An Improved Shoulder Pad.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1893—Accepted, 24th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Shoulder Pad.
WILLIAM HENRY SLADDIN Brighouse in the County of York Woollen
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is, for the improvement of coats, jackets, or other
garments, by the production of an artistic shoulder pad, so made as to be produced
concave, the advantages claimed by this concave pad are, that by sewing on the
pieces with a little ease or fulness, we get the pad to act as a spring when fixed into
the coat, and by this simple contrivance, the effect of lifting the shoulder point is
attained with permanant efficiency, and, as the pad diminishes at, and does not go
beyond the middle of the shoulder we get at the same time, a beautiful hollow
shoulder, the very thing, which has hitherto been found so difficult to produce.
. Dated this 23rd day of November 1892.
W. H. SLADDIN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Shoulder Pad.
I, WILLIAM HENRY SLADDIN Woollen Merchant Brighouse Yorks 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 for the improvement of coats, jackets, or other
garments at the shoulders. By the production of an artistic pad, so constructed, as
to be produced concave. The advantages claimed for this concave pad are, that by
sewing the graduated pieces together with a little ease, or fulness we get the pad to
act as a spring, when fixed into the garment, and by this simple contrivance, the
effect of lifting the shoulder point, at or near the top of the sleeve is attained
with permanant efficiency. And as the pad terminates, or is diminished at the
middle of the shoulder, we get at the same time, a beautiful hollow shoulder the
very thing which has hitherto been found so difficult to produce.
This pad is made in different shapes, and is made from bits of woollen or other
cloth, and is thickened by adding other pieces until sufficient thickness is obtained,
these are equally graduated and the steps or ridges are equi-distant.
I claim to be the original inventor of this cloth pad, as a seperate comodity
appertaining to the tailoring, and clothing trades, and an article which has created
a new industry.
The advantages of this concave pad are
1st. Better results.
2. The object aimed at, more certain to be attained, by having a ready made pad,
the master is not so much at the mercy of his workman.
3. By making the pad concave, then letting the concave side come uppermost,
the effect claimed is, that this formation does act as a spring, from the thickest part
of the pad, on, to the middle of the shoulder, and at the same time makes a clean
shoulder as the graduated steps or ridges are underneath, and all extra thickness by
introducing wadding next to the steps or ridges, & by adopting this method, we do
away with the possibility of the top of the shoulder shewing lumpy, as is the case
where wadding only is used.
Fashion changes, & tastes vary, some aiming at a hollow shoulder, and some
1 Price Q11

page_text: objecting to the hollowness. Where the object is to get a hollow shoulder this
concave pad is the best for the purpose, but where the fancy is different and the
desire is for a more ordinary shoulder, then, the opposite or more round effect is
attained by using the convex pad, the position of the pad in the garment, is partly
a matter of fancy, but it should be far enough back, so as not to be felt as it
would be, if placed too near the front, owing to the prominence of the shoulder
bone, and the activity of the joint: by swinging the arm,. it will be evident what
is here meant, if, whilst swinging one arm, you feel at the action of the joint, with
the finger of the other arm. One shape we have which is cut so as to project
into the sleeve top a half, or three quarters of an inch, for the purpose of widening
the appearance of the shoulders. This is a very desirable thing where the shoulders
are very narrow, or the subject is a little man.
The recognized object of modern ideas, or art tailoring, being to cover any, or
all disproportions, and improve the figure by artificial means, I claim that the
firmness of this cloth pad & at the same time its extreeme pliability, together with 1
the manner of its construction, makes it a most desirable article for use in con-
nection with the tailoring and outfitting trades. It is of great service to the ready
made trade, both wholesale and retail, as, by the use of these ready made pads,
proportionately cut coats could be sold to low shouldered men without the customary
alterations, and thus two important objects would be gained
1st. Not near so much bad stock left unsold.
2nd. You improve the appearance at the same time.
ILLUSTRATIONS (21409).
No. 1 represents one of these concave pads: shewing eight layers of cloth;
equi-distant, this pad is not cut to fit the scye or arm hole, but when placed in
position it will be seen at once that it is intended that this pad is cut for the
purpose of projecting into the sleeve top, about three quarters of an inch, so as to
make the coat appear wider at the shoulders, the firmness of this well constructed
pad, and at the same time its pliability, makes it the best pad for the purposes
thus described.
No. 2 represents another of the most popular shapes, this pad is cut to fit the
scye or arm hole of the coat or jacket, and is cut with a long bill hook formation
at one end to accomplish quite another & different purpose, it is often found, that
when a coat jacket or other similar garment is tried on that there is almost
invariebly too much material, a pap, or looseness, which often has to be taken in,
by cutting a portion off with shears, a better and more modern plan is, not to cut
any of the cloth away & so spoil the shape of the garment, but the rather, to
insert one of these pads into each shoulder, so that the bill hook part of the pad
shall come about an inch past the top of side seam, as this is the part of the
garment together with the shoulder seam, which most frequently require altering,
so that both the shoulder and top of side seam are improved by this long pad, both
at the same time. There is as much art in the selection of the material as there
is in the construction of the pad, i.e. to have each layer a little thicker as we go
en with the thickening process, finishing off with the thickest such as naps, plush,
presidents, Witneys and the like, as the grand secret has been found to be (by repeated
trials) not to let the pad go further on to the shoulder than 3 inches or there-
abouts so that, if regaid was not paid to selection of material, as above described
we should have difficulty in getting sufficient thickness in such a short distance.
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.
I claim to be the original inventor of the cloth shoulder, concave or otherwise,
with distinct advantages and improvements, as herein described as a distinct
comodity, for the tailoring and outfitting trades creating a new and seperate

page_text: industry for the purpose of enabling tailors & outfitters to build the shoulders of
coats jackets, or other garments, with greater ease, and efficiency, that this inven-
tion is a great boon to the above mentioned trades. And I pray that a Patent
may granted to me.
Dated this Eighteenth day of August 1893.
WILLIAM HENRY SLADDIN,
Woollen Merchant and Pad Maker, Brighouse, Yorkshire.