US277263A - Hoop-skirt - Google Patents

Description

(ModeL) L. GALLAHER.

HOOP'SKIRT.

No. 277,263. Patented May 8,1883.

N. PEIERS. mlommgnww. Wuhinpm. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORINDA GALLAHER, OF WHEELING, NEST VlRGINIA HOOP-SKIRT.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersjIPatent No. 277,263, dated May 8, 1883,

I I Application filed September 19, 1882. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LORINDA. GALLAHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoop-Skirts; and'I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in hoop-skirts; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangements of the several parts forming the same, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view pending from the waistband or belt, as shown.,

The rear straps, b, are secured close together to the belt and diverge toward their connection with the skirt or lower portion of the hoop-skirt, as shown. r

0 represents the skirt or lower portion of the hoop-skirt, supported on the straps b 1) b and formed of drilling or some other strong mate rial to form the wire and whalebone cases. In the front the portion 0 is cut away between the strapsb b and down nearly to its lower edge, forming a triangular-shaped knee-opening, (1, widest at the top and terminating in a point at its bottom, sufficient of the portion 0 being left below the opening to form a strap for securing the opposite sides in front. This knee-opening permits a free movement of the knees of the wearer,as will be described. I stifien the top of the portion 0 by wires 61, the opposite ends of which are secured on either side of the opening (I, and extend entirely around the rear portion of the skirt, and are incased in suitable pockets formed of the material forming the skirt or portion 0, as shown.

61 is a cross-strap having its opposite ends made fast to the straps b b, slightly above the top of portion 0, as shown. This band is stiffened and braced by wires placed in suitable pockets formed in its upper and lower edges;

d is an apron secured to the strap d and hanging over theopenin g d. I secure the sides of the apron to the straps b, and also to the portion 0 "for a short distance from the top, along the sides of the knee-opening d, to prevent its being worked upward by the movement of the clothing in walking, and I let the lower portion hang free. I gather the upper edge of the apron in securing it to the strap 0?, so that it will be full over the opening at and permit a free movement of the-knees through the same, and yet prevent the skirts being forced through said opening against the person of the wearer. In the rear I slit the portion 0 from the bottom to the wires (1, providing the slit 0, and there is a free opening movement at the bottom, which is properly limited by the strap 0 c are pockets formed on either side of the slit 0 at the bottom. The ends of the lower wires, 0 work in these pockets 0", as will be described. I take two wires, 0 of a suitable length, and bend them in the middle, as shown in Fig. 4, and loop one with the other, lapping them loosely, so they will slide freely in the operation of the device, as will be described. I place the looped ends in the pockets 0, and carry the opposite ends within the pockets formed on the lower side of the portion 0 to the front of the skirt, terminating at short distance on either side of the point of opening (I, as shown in Fig. 2. The wires 0 secured as shown, slide freely in the pockets in the rear -of the portion 0, and permit the hoops to be widened in taking a long step, or entering a carriage, or climbing a fence.

e is the bustle, secured to the waist-belt and,

straps b b in suitable position in the rear at 0r about the same point of connection of the straps b I) with the belt. It is made. preferably of a single wire bent to form a series of concentric hoops of such size that each inner hoop is less in diameter than the nextor adjacent outer hoop. These several hoops are ar- It will be seen that g ranged in vertical and parallel or nearly parallel planes, and are secured together by the straps e and the central back-strap,e in such manner that they form a bustle somewhat in the form of a cone. The bustle is secured to the waistband a, as shown. The straps e e serve to hold the hoops of the bustle in proper relative position, and also prevent the folds of the overskirt from being forced between any of the adjacent hoops. The skirt-supporting straps b have their upper ends made fast to the waistband at about the same point thereon from which the bustle is suspended. Their lower ends are carried downward under and detached from the bustle, and are passed out ward between two of the lower adjacent hoops or coils, and on opposite sides of the backstrap 6 so that they may swing freely and independently of. the said bustle. Ordinarily the straps 6 form a sufficient brace for the bustle,-and the strap 6 need only connect the two outer coils, its function being to limit the side motion of the lower end of the bustle.

f represents whalebone strips secured in pockets formed diagonally between the wires 0 and d in the skirt or portion 0, and also along the edges of the opening d and slit 0, and give suitable stiffness to the portion a.

It will be understood that any number of pairs of wires 0* can be employed. Ordinarily two pairs are sufficient, and in some cases one pair will afford the necessary stiffness. The ends in the pockets, being bent and lapped, as described, do not tear or otherwise injure the pockets, and are kept in proper position.

In my device the main body or skirt is so formed that its upper edge is on the same level with or but slightly above the knees, and it is suspended on the straps b 1) b so that it has a free movement. It is composed, as shown, of two series of hoops, d and 0 These hoops do not extend entirely but only partially around the skirt. Space is left between their front ends, as shown. The upper hoops have a wider space between them than the lower hoops have. The ends of the lower hoops are brought closer together, and are united by the textile connecting-web 9, while the ends of the upper hoops are wholly disconnected. The lower series of hoops are each made in two parts, and bent at their rear ends and interlapped, as hereinbefore described. Between the two series of hoops d 0 I place the skirtstifl'eners f, of which I employ two or more on each side. These stiffeners have their ends placed against the lowerhoop of the series (1 and against the upper hoop of the series o They are arranged in the inclined position shown, and aid in holding the skirt .in proper shape. The horizontal strap or supporter d is made of any stiff material which will preserve curved or arched shape. I make it of two short pieces of hoop suitablylcovered, as shown. It has its. ends secured to the front pendent straps, b, at pointsv above the main body 0. It supports the front overskirts of the wearer. To this supor supplemental skirt 61 which extends down over the knee-opening in the main body and -is secured, as hereinbefore set forth.

By the construction and arrangement of the device hereinbefore described I provide ahoopskirt which possesses great flexibility, and which will adapt itself' to the position of the wearer whether standing or sitting, and will preserve the overskirts in the very best draping. The bustle is made of a. single piece of hooping bent as hereinbefore described. It has its upper end made fast to thewaistband a, and is by preference tacked to the two rear pendent straps, b This permits the bustle to extend well around to the sides, to give proper drooping to the over-garments. The rear pendants, b are passed down between the wires, as hereinbefore described. WV hen so arranged all weight and strain are taken off the bustle. It more readily adjusts itself, or, rather, retains its normal shape and position, when the wearer sits down. Themovementsofthelowerskirt,c, do not affect the position of the bustle. WVhen the wearer sitsdown, the top edge of the body 0 falls into the flexion of the knee-joint, and the porter 61 I secure the upper end of the apron expansibility of said body permits the clothing to drop gracefully to the floor around the feet.

My object has been particularly to remedy the difficulties incident to the hoop-skirts of ordinary construction. In walking, the ordinary hoop-skirt will crawl up the front, and in order to obviate this I provide the whalebone strips falong the portion 0, and use fewer wire hoops, and incase those used in pockets instead of hanging them on straps, and by providing the knee-opening d for the knees in walking, stepping over obstacles, or sitting down. Also, when the wires are hnn g on straps, they rub the shoes, and often catch the back foot in stepping as the other foot is carried forward. Also, bare hoops are likely to catch on snags or nails in walking and trip the wearer. The ordinary hoops are also often too narrow to permit a long step over a ditch or up into a carriage, and in order to obviate this I provide the opening or slit 0 in the back of the skirt or portion 0, and lap the lower wires or hoops, so they will easily slide and give room for a long step, and then fallback to their normal position. The hoops lapping as described will permit the wearer to walk in a narrow passage or sit down. without pushing the skirts out. The apron serves as a covering for the knee-opening, and prevents the ends of the wire or hoops d from slipping under the knee in walking.

It will be understood that it might be desirable to construct the hoops. entirely open at front-that is, without the strap below the knee-opening d-and have the wearer put on the apron after purchasing the main portion of the skirt. I prefer, however, the construction before described, as it seems more convenient and serviceable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. 'The combination, with the main body 0,

having an opening for the knees on its front side, and the pendent supporting-straps I) b b attached to the waistband a, of the horizontal supporter d arranged above the body 0, and the apron d having its upper end made fast to the supporter d and its lower end extended down and covering the knee-opening in the body 0, as set forth.

2. A hoop-skirt composed of the waistband a and depending straps and skirt or lower portion, 0, having the knee-openings d and rear slit, 0, the wires or hoops (1, extending entirely around the rear of the skirt 0 in pockets formed near the top of the same, and terminating on either side of the opening d, and the hoops c doubled at their rear ends and lapping on opposite sides of the slit 0, and terminating in front of the skirt a on opposite sides of the lower pointof opening (I, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a'hoop-skirt, of the waistband a, the bustle e, composed of a series of concentric hoops arranged in vertical planes and hung upon the waistband and outside of the skirt-supporting straps, and the skirt-supporting straps b having their upper ends made fast to the belt and their lower ends passed downward under and detached from the bustle, and thence outward between two of the lower adjacent coils or hoops, and swing "ing freely and independently of the bustle, as

set forth. I 4. In a hoop-skirt, the body 0, composed of the upper hoops, d, disconnected at their front ends, the lower hoops, o, made in two parts.

and disconnected at their front ends,and having their rear ends interlapped and sliding one 'upon the other, and a textile connecting-web,

9, connecting the front ends of the lower hoops,

substantially as set forth.

5. The improved hoop-skirt hereinbefore described, consisting of the body 0, the series of hoops d 0 disconnected at their front ends,

presence of two witnesses.

LORINDA GALLAHER.

Witnesses M. F. MILLIKEN, JAMES A. HENRY. I

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