USRE1872E - m-oo dy - Google Patents

Description

.wheuthefr ,1,.UNwEn'STArES SARAH A. Mo''DYpoFvsEVW `YORK,v N

. --ft 1 v,

To all whom 'it may con-cern: i

Be `it known that I, S. A. MOODY, of thecity, county, und State of New York, have` invented aeueav and useful Improvement in Hoop-Skirts; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact def scription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents the skirt in use. Fig. 2 is a view of a hoop detached; Fig. 3, an en- -larged view of a joint in said hoop; Fig. 4, a edge view of Fig. 3.

The purpose t'l my invention is to permit a hoop-skirt to cgllap'se when subjected to lateral pressure externally, without 'being un duly projected outward or raised on the opposite side, the effect also of my improvement l kA part of. vthe-shirt thus made is pressedv inward, as iii-sitting down, &c., to draw down the opposite side instead of elevating it as in the ordinary hoop skirt. For this purpose I construct the lower hoop of a skirt upto about the height of the hips (more or less) in two partsand connect them by iiexible joints, which have a freel motion in alldirections, as clearly seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4. These joints are placed on the sides of the skirt, as seen in Fig. 1. y

The construction of my improved skiits is ns follows: A series of hoops are connected ns in ordinary hoop-skirts by-any of the wellknown ways-such as tapes, cords, or other devices-ns these forln no pulrt of my invenl' tion, and the joints by which the ends of the two seetionsof euch hoop are united may be varied in specilie construction, s0 that they have the essential feature of general ilexibility, and are so made as not to entanglev when the skirt is taken lup or collapsed. Ono` 'inode of so constructing a skirt I have herein clearly described and illust-rated in the drawings.' l

A represents the tapes that extend from the belt to the bottom hoop of the skirt and connect ih e hoops B and C together in'proper position, as in skirts now in use. From the .belt downward tothe hips (more or less) I insert'hoops B, of the usual form and made in one piece, sonic of thev lower ones of which should extend around the entire circle at the hips, so as to properly support `the outer dress A and aid in .shapingthe other portions properly when the wearer is standing. The lower hoops, C, extending from a point at or near thehips downward, are made, as before named,

joints, which, in the drawings, consist ofra ring, c, united to the ends of the sectionsot' the hoop by metal links or clasps, @which clasps or links play loosely on the ring, and they form lthe exible joint. These lower hoops,0, are .placed in the skirt with the joints at the side and ina right line one above the other, andv on each side of the line of joints, and near to them, the hoops should be supported by the connectingtapes or other suspenders, A. Theseniay be united Aabove the line'of joints and 'continue up to the belt'in ,oneyfir-vwingsforl the" two may be continued up to th e belt sepa. rately."

I amaware that hoop-skirts. have before been formed with joints or hinges to'fold inward or up and' down whilethe skirt is keptfin'a rigid circle, some ofwhich have hadoints all around to fold'into asmall compass, ut they are complex and require manipulating to fold and unfold; they are easily deranged and misplaced so as to require special adiustment by the hand of the wearer. Ali-sneh'vdevices Theadvantages of my invention result 'oln jointiug only a suitable number of hoops, the upper ones being leftfwithout joints entire so as to support the principal.. weight l"of the clothing in proper position; and by only having two joints 'in each of the jointed? hoops, one onfeach side, it willbe apparentjthat all desirable contractionvor collapse ieamply 1in vided fon 'they limn? pressure oneither sl e without 'being deranged on the opposite side, and, if borne inward in in'g thrown outward or upward, will be drawn down `nearer the person by the spreading out of: the sides, so a's to cause the drapery of the skirts of the dress to fall as gracefully as if no hoops 'were worn. The stii joints-such 4as have been heretofore employed, orthoserovided with springs and the like-besides expense and liability toderangementf special adjustment by hand to contract them of two parts joined at theirends by flexible 'differ from mine, and I hereby'dis'claini them.

front or rear, the opposite side, instead of beeir- '.and restore` them to while in my hoopskirt the joints are perfeetly free, .yielding to the slightest pressure, so that no attention from the wearer is required, 4and no inconvenient or awkward 'position can be assumed by the clothes in passing through a narrow spacefstting in an armchair, or enteringr a carriage, norean thehoops be plgwed `in any-position from which they will their normal position, "I

Having thus fully described my improved jointed hoopskirt, desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

y A hoop-skirthaving anynumberof its lower hoopsdivided-and jointed on each side with* exible joints, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.v e

- s. A. HMOODY. 1

Witnesses: t

J. (J. GBEENOUGH,

` ROBERT H.' OORBETT.

what I c lai'ml therein, and`

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