US548613A - johnson - Google Patents

Description

2 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.) V F. A. JOHNSON.

SKIRT.

No. 548,613. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EETQE.

FRANK A. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHRISTIAN HAAS, OF SAME PLACE.

SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,613, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed July 20,1895. $em'al No. 556,583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, FRANK A. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Suits or Adj ustable Drop-Skirts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in skirts or suits worn by ladies, and while it may be employed in their dress for various occasions and purposes, yet it is more especially adapted for use in athletic costumes, such as are worn when riding bicycles, and generally that class of such costumes known as knickerbocker-suits; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a skirt to be worn over knickerbockers, trousers, or bloomers, and which maybe readily drawn up into graceful flounces or gathers near the waste of the wearer and at the rear thereof and also partly drawn up in front to about the knees or a little above them, so that the skirt will offer no hinderance or obstruction to the motion of the legs when operating the pedals of the wheel or bicycle.

To this end my invention consists in the specific construction of devices whereby said results may be accomplished with the greatest ease and speed, and the skirt when drawn up will assume the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is aperspective view of alady mounted on a bicycle, showing the position of the skirt when drawn up for use while riding.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the figure of a lady, showing her dismounted and the position the drop-skirt will occupy when drawn up. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a like figure, showing the drop-skirt lowered and in position to be worn as a walking or ordinary dress. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the rear inside portion of the drop-skirt. Fig. 5 isasectional view of a portion of the skirt, showing the method of securing the guide-rings thereto.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the diiferent views of the drawings.

A represents an over or drop skirt, which may be made of any suitable size, form, and material, but preferably of cloth and of the form or pattern to reach from the waist of the wearer to near the ground. This skirt is secured around the waist in any desired or suitable manner and is preferably covered at the waistband with a belt B.

Near the waistband the skirt A is provided on each side just above the hips of the wearer with an opening or, around which is secured a protecting or eyelet guard-piece a, of leather or other suitable material. Through each of these openings is passed a cord 0, which is bifurcated or formed into two strands c and and c, which strands are loosely passed through a series of rings E and E, secured to the inner surface of the skirt at proper points, and are permanently attached at their lower ends to the garment, as at c.

It will be seen in Fig. 4 that the rings E for the rear strands c are somewhat higher than the lowermost rings E for the side strands 0. Hence when the cordsO are drawn through the openings a in the upper portion of the skirt that portion of the garment to which the lower ends of the cords are secured will be raised to the lower series of rings, which will cause the cloth to be formed into substantially a horizontal or circumferential fold or gather f. Then by drawing the cords still farther other folds or gathers f will be formed just below the waist-line and all the folds f and f will be given a slight upward curve at the rear of the body by reason of the location of the said rings, as above described, and will hang in such a manner as to conceal the rump or buttocks, that portion f of the skirt below the line upon which the ends of the cords are secured depending somewhat below the sad dle, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the garment is drawn up, as above described, the front part of the skirt will also be raised by reason of the shortening of said cords to about or a little above the knees of the wearer, as is shown at g in Figs. 1 and 2,

thus leaving the legs free and unimpeded and showing the knickerbockers H. Vhen the.

cords are drawn up so as to raise the skirt at the rear, as above stated, the cords 0 may be passed around to the front of the body or waist of the wearer and there secured by be ing tied together in a suitable knot.

By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be seen that the series of rings E through which the strands 0 pass are in a line longitudinally on the garment, and that the rings E are likewise located for the reception and operation of the strands dot the cord; but as the strands c extend more nearly vertically than the strands c a less number of rings is usually required therefor. Besides, using fewer rings or guiding devices for the strands c, or inner cords, than for the strands c, or outer cords, forms the skirt when drawn upward into more symmetrical folds or gathers than would otherwise be accomplished, besides adding attraction to said folds by reason of the upward curve which is produced.

The rings E and E are usually made of metal; but other material may be used. They may be secured to the skirt in any suitable manner; but I generally secure them by means of a thread or cord D, which is passed through the cloth or skirt A and looped, as at d, to engage the rings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the skirt A, having in its upper part near the waist-band the protected openings 0,; of a series of rings E, and E, arranged and secured to the inner surface of the skirt in substantially vertical rows, said rows being located near the sides and at the rear part of the skirt, the rings E, constituting the inner rows being fewer in number and located somewhat higher on the skirt, than the corresponding rings E, of the outer rows, and adapted to produce bow-shaped or upward curved folds or flounces when the skirt is drawn up, and the cords O, passing inward through said openings and having the strands c, and c, passing through the rows of rings E, and E, respectively, and fixed to the lower portion of the skirt, substantially as described.

FRANK A. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. TILLMAN, E. A. DUGGAN.

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