IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERSIBLE GARMENTS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERSIBLE GARMENTS." A communication from
abroad by Samuel Rosenthal, of Baltimore, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1881.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERSIBLE GARMENTS.”
A communication from abroad by Samuel Rosenthal, of Baltimore, in the United
States of America.
This Invention relates to reversible garments constructed of cloth having a
different pattern on its faces, either being adapted to be worn outside, and it consists
in a garment of the said class arranged to be turned inside out and to fold when
turned on its edges, as hereinafter set forth.
'
Garments of this class, such as ulsters or overcoats, have heretofore been made of
cloth showing two dissimilar patterns on its faces, and in order to reverse them
they were simply turned inside out.
The effect is certainly unique, as the lappels are in contrast with the body of the
coat, and an array of buttons and button holes is seen which are largely in excess
of the conventional number. The observer is very apt to imagine that the wearer
of the garment has put on a very badly fitting coat provided with an unnecessary
number of buttons inside out by mistake. In a word the end desired being a coat
which may be made to show two different patterns as the wearer may desire, and
which will not be palpably an attempt at that end, the "reversible coat" as
heretofore made may be considered a failure.
A decent fit was out of the question as the garment admitted of no filling on the
shoulders, and being as big on one side as the other it was liable to show a tendency
to pucker or curl outwards on the lappels or skirts.

page_text: The reversible garment, the subject of this Invention, will show two patterns of
cloth and two distinct cuts of garment, the same article of apparel being when
worn with one side out a fancy ulster, and with the other side out an ordinary
overcoat, or the same garment may be made a sack or frock coat at the wearer's
will.
Proceeding to a description of the Invention embodied in an overcoat and ulster,
the body of the overcoat is made of reversible cloth and the front lining of the
same material, the ordinary lining may be dispensed with if desired. The sleeves
have a loose lining unattached by stitching at the bottom, but provided with a row
of buttons adapted to be attached to button holes in the end of the sleeve, which
latter is folded inward.
Near the edge of the coat is a row of buttons, and between each button and the
edge is a button bole which is concealed when the button holes on the opposite
side of the coat are secured to the aforesaid buttons. The body and the front
lining are connected at the edge by braid which folds over them.
The pockets are all attached to the lining and flaps are applied to the pockets
which may be worn in or out as desired.
The other side of this overcoat differing in pattern may be made of the same cut,
or it may be an ulster, in which case plaits are formed in the cloth and the
conventional buttons at the waist are sewed on on that side.
Hooks and eyes may be used to attach the lining to the skirts, but they are not
necessary.
•
To reverse the coat the sleeve linings are drawn out and the coat is turned inside
out on the braid, the linings are thrust down the sleeves, and the coat is ready to
be put on.
Padding or filling may be applied to the shoulders or on front of the arm pits,
being secured to the lining piece which is the lining for both sides of the coat, and
which protects the cloth at the arm pits from being discolored by perspiration.
It is evident from the foregoing description of the garment and the mode of
reversing it, that the same garment may be on one side an overcoat and on the other
an ulster, on one side a frock coat and on the other a sack or overcoat, or, in a word,
on one side one garment and on the other, any other having the same length and
width.
The extra buttons are concealed as are also the extra button holes, and the
coat, while being a reversible coat of the same or a different cut, is absolutely
undistinguishable as such in ordinary wear.
Clearly the ordinary linings may be, and in the case of an interconvertible spring
overcoat and frock coat would be dispensed with, in which case a short flap should
be secured to the aforesaid front lining to be thrust down the sleeve and protect
the arm pit.
Precisely the same amount of cloth is used in making the coat as is used for an
ordinary coat, and the labor of making is but very slightly increased.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th September 1881.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERSIBLE GARMENTS.”
A communication from abroad by Samuel Rosenthal, of Baltimore, in the United
States of America.
This Invention relates to reversible garments constructed of cloth having a
different pattern on its faces, either being adapted to be worn outside, and it
consists in a garment of the said class arranged to be turned inside out and to fold
when turned on its edges as hereinafter set forth.
Garments of this class, such as ulsters or overcoats, have heretofore been made of
cloth shewing two dissimilar patterns on its faces, and in order to reverse them
they were simply turned inside out.
.
The effect is certainly unique as the lappels are in contrast with the body of the
coat and an array of buttons and button holes is seen which are largely in excess
of the conventional number. The observer is very apt to imagine that the wearer
of the garment has put on a very badly fitting coat provided with an unnecessary
number of buttons inside out by mistake. In a word, the end desired being a coat
which may be made to shew two different patterns as the wearer may desire, and
which will not be palpably an attempt at that end, the "reversible" coat as
heretofore made may be considered a failure.
: A decent fit was out of the question as the garment admitted of no filling in
the shoulders and being as big on one side as the other it was liable to shew a
tendency to pucker or curl outwards on the lapels or skirts.
I have devised a reversible garment which will show two patterns of .cloth and
two distinct cuts of garment, the same article of apparel being when worn with.
one side out a fancy ulster, and with the other side out an ordinary overcoat, or
the same garment may be made a sack or frock coat at the wearer's will.
While in the Drawings I have shown my Invention embodied in an overcoat and
ulster it will be evident that the same is applicable to other styles of garments,
such as ladie's sacks or ordinary coats.
Proceeding to a description of the coat as illustrated, Figure 1, which is a general
view of coat; A is the body of the overcoat made of reversible cloth, and B is the
front lining made of the same material; C is the ordinary lining which may be
dispensed with if desired.
The sleeves D have a loose lining d unattached by stitching at the bottom, but
provided with a row of buttons adapted to be attached to the button holes e in the
end of the sleeve which latter is folded in inward on the line e².
Near the edge of the coat is a row of buttons a and between each button and
the edge is a button hole b. The button holes a' on the opposite side of the coat
are secured to the buttons a concealing the holes b. The parts A and B are
connected at the edge by braid E which folds on the line, as shown in the
detached Figure, Figure 2, which is an enlarged view, shewing method of attaching
braid to edges. The pockets are all attached to the lining B, C, and flaps are
applied to the pockets which may be worn in or out as desired.
The side A which differs in pattern from the side A² is or may be made of the
same cut as the same or may be an ulster, in which case plaits h, h, are
formed in the cloth on the side A', and the conventional buttons at the wrist are
sewed on that side.
Hooks and eyes c, c³, may be used to attach the lining to the skirts, but they
are not necessary.

page_text: To reverse the coat, the sleeve linings are drawn out and the coat is turned
inside out on the braid E, the linings are thrust down the sleeves, and the coat is
ready to be put on.
It will be seen that padding or filling may be applied to the shoulders or on
front of the arm pits, being secured to the lining piece B which is the lining for
both sides of the coat, and which protects the cloth at the arm pits from being
discolored by perspiration.
It is evident from the foregoing description of the garment and the mode of
reversing it that the same garment may be on one side an overcoat and the
other an ulster, on one side a frock coat and on the other a sack or overcoat, or, in
a word, on one side one garment and on the other any other having the same length
and width.
The extra buttons are concealed as are also the extra button holes, and the
coat, while being a reversible coat of the same or different cut, is absolutely
undistinguishable as such in ordinary wear.
Clearly the linings C, d, may be, and in the case of an interconvertible spring
overcoat and frock coat would be, dispensed with, in which case a short flap
should be secured to the lining B to be thrust down the sleeve and protect the
arm pit.
Precisely the same amount of cloth is used in making the coat as is used:
for an ordinary coat, and the labor of making is but very slightly increased.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention, communicated
to me as aforesaid, what
I claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited in Letters Patent
is,―
Firstly. A garment made of reversible cloth and adapted as described to be
turned inside out, folding on its edges as set forth.
Secondly. A garment made of reversible cloth provided with a whole or
partial lining and arranged to be turned inside out, folding on its edges as
set forth.
Thirdly. A reversible garment the sides of which differ in cut or style, as set
forth.
Fourthly. A reversible garment having a whole or partial lining adapted to
receive filling or padding, as set forth.
Fifthly. A reversible coat having a lining provided with detached sleeve lining,
as set forth.
Sixthly. A reversible coat having a partial linings which conceals the buttons of
the inside face, as set forth.
-
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
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