An Improved Sweat-cloth or Towel for use in Athletics, Sports, and like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Sweat-cloth or Towel for use in Athletics, Sports,
and like purposes.
I, AGNES HILLER, of 4B, Grunewaldstrasse, Zehlendorf, in the Empire of
Germany, Widow, 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:--
Considerable inconvenience is caused to cyclists, oarsmen and others by the fact
that whenever they become very warm through exercise, they do not easily succeed
in drying the perspiration thoroughly either with pocket handkerchiefs or by means
of the piece of silk (handkerchief or scarf) which they carry specially with them for
the purpose; inasmuch as the plain single texture of these fabrics is ill-suited to
the attainment of the desired result, on account of its limited absorbent properties.
China or Japan tissue paper too has been found on trial, to be wanting in the
requisite qualities.
Now the object of the present invention is to remedy the inconvenience above
noticed in a simple and rational manner by the use of a cloth consisting of two
pieces of fabric superposed and properly joined with a sheet or layer of material
possessing high imbibing or absorbent properties interposed such as cotton wool
or wadding; whereby a sweat-cloth or sweat-towel is formed, which is sufficiently
rough and adhesive to draw in the moisture through the outer woven fabrics into
the cotton wool filling, whenever it is brought in contact with the profusely
perspiring skin.
Hence too, the following essential advantage is afforded by the novel sweat
cloth, that the mere act of applying it to the skin suffices to remove the moisture
so that wiping or rubbing it over the skin becomes quite unnecessary, which is an
important consideration seeing that in many instances increased perspiration is
promoted by energetic rubbing.
The layer or sheet interposed between the fabrics consists preferably of cotton
wool though any other filling material possessing the requisite absorbent properties
may be substituted for the same.
The wadding or similar absorbent material employed may moreover either by
itself or in conjunction with the fabrics with which it is to be made up into a
sweat cloth, be sprinkled or impregnated with suitable liquid or powdered dis-
enfectants or other medicinal substances, so that while the cloth absorbs the
perspiration, owing to the imbibing action of its filling, it also through the medium
of the chemicals added, exercises an antiseptic effect upon the heated or chafed
skin.
The accompanying drawing illustrates in section one form of the improve-
ment a and a indicating the outer fabrics and b the filling; but it is expressly
pointed out that the selection of the materials for the outer sheets, the filling
between them, and the fastening uniting the whole is perfectly optional. Thus
either silk, wool, or cotton may be used for the outer fabrics or coverings a and a¹
while any suitable soft and highly hygroscopic material may form the filling b,
without in either case departing from the principle of the invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A sweat cloth or towel for sporting purposes formed of two outer layers of
fabric and an absorbing or imbibing filling.
2. In the sweat cloth referred to in the First Claim the interposition of a dis-
infectant or suitable antiseptic filling between the covering fabrics.
Dated this 24th day of June 1898.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.