Improvements in and relating to Riding Skirts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Riding Skirts.
I, HERBERT SIMS GENT of 22, 23 and 24 Bennetts Hill Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Tailor and Outfitter do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of making riding skirts whereby the skirt is
so arranged and made that it cannot in case of accident catch upon the pommels or
other parts of the saddle, thus removing the possibility of the rider being dragged
or hung up as in an ordinary riding skirt.
In order to obviate this by my invention the skirt is suitably cut out on the
under side with an opening so as to allow the pommels of the saddle to pass through.
Attached to the upper side of the said opening in the skirt are two or more garters
of elastic or other suitable material which are secured by means of spring
fastenings. From the lower part of the said opening a slit extends throughout the
entire length of the skirt, which slit is secured by means of a number of spring
fastenings attached to strips of leather or other material, which fastenings in the
event of any extraordinary strain fly open and release the skirt from the pommels
of the saddle. The whole or a portion of a seam which extends down the left side
of the skirt is also secured by means of spring fastenings to facilitate if necessary
the easier adjustment of the garters before named and these fastenings will also
open in case of undue strain.
Dated this 11th day of December AD
1002
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
104, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Riding Skirts.
I, HERBERT SIMS GENT of 22, 23 and 24, Bennetts Hill Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Tailor and Outfitter, 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, reference being had
to the drawing hereunto annexed and forming a part of this Specification :-
My invention has for its object a novel method of making and arranging the
riding skirt so that it shall not in case of accident to the wearer catch upon or
become entangled with the pommels or other parts of the saddle, thus removing the
possibility of the rider being dragged when thrown, or hung up, which is liable
to occur with an ordinary riding skirt.
I will proceed to describe my invention with the aid of the accompanying
drawing.
In order to carry my improved method into practical effect I cut out the under
side of the riding skirt with an opening of a Ụ pointed (or other) design as at A to
allow the pommel of the saddle to pass through, the said opening has two or more
garters or bands D. D. made of elastic or other suitable material attached at the
points E. These garters or bands are securely fastened round the knee of the
rider by means of spring fastenings of any suitable kind or other device such as
is common to garters or straps. From the lower part of the above named opening A
[Price 8d.1

page_text: a slit or seam B. extends throughout the entire length of the skirt which slit or
seam is secured by means of suitable spring fastenings preferably such as the lever
arrangement and eyelet used for gloves, releasable by pressure of the lever back-
wards, which may be attached directly to the riding skirt or to strips of leather or
other material in connection with same.
The whole or a portion of a slit or seam C which extends down the left side of
the skirt is also secured by means of spring fastenings such as before named to
facilitate if necessary the easier adjustment of the said garters or bands D. D.
The effect of this construction and arrangement of riding skirt is that should the
rider meet with a fall, say, upon the "near" side of the horse the garters D. D.
will lift the skirt free from the pommels of the saddle and thus avoid any entangle-
ment, whilst in the event of the skirt being caught, from a fall upon the "off"
side the slit or seam B will burst open from the spring fastenings, likewise the
seam C will burst open when any extraordinary strain is brought to bear upon the
skirts.
By these means effective arrangements are provided whereby the rider is
absolutely prevented from being dragged, or hung up, as may happen in the
ordinary make of skirt, furthermore an important feature of my invention rests in
the fact that whilst the skirt is easily freed from the pommels, it is still retained
upon the body of the rider which is not the case in the usual method and build of
skirt.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction
and arrangement as herein described and shewn as I may sometimes vary the same
as regards the details such for instance as the number and position of the slits or
seams and the garters or bands, as also the fastenings without departing from the
main principle of this my invention.
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-
Firstly. In riding skirts, the manner of cutting out the underside of same and
thus forming an opening A provided with a slit or seam B, extending therefrom
and secured by spring fastenings for the purpose substantially as herein set forth
and described.
Secondly. In riding skirts the manner of cutting out the underside of same and
thus forming an opening A, attached to the sides or points E of which opening,
are garters or bands D D. for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and
described.
Thirdly. The arrangement of riding skirt with the cut out portion or opening A
and garters D. D. the slit or seam B, and spring fastenings in connection therewith
together with the slit or seam C, with its spring fastenings all arranged for the
purpose substantially as herein set forth and described.
Dated this 17th day of September A.D. 1894.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
104, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.