US4584A - David hough - Google Patents

Description

TTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE;

DAVID HOUGH, JR., or New YORK, N. Y.

LADYS SKIRT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,584-, dated J une 16, 1846; Antedated June 8, 1846.

T 0 all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID HOUGH, Jr., of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fabric for Ladies Skirts, and that the following is a full, clear, and eXact` description of the principle or character which distinguishes them from all other things before known and of the manner of making, constructing, and using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a representation of the cloth, and Fig. 2, is an edge view.

The nature of my invention consists in the employmentof sisal or Manila hemp in an untwisted state, or with only a suiicient turn to hold in the ends while drawing it into the plain cotton or other suitable fabric of which the skirt is made, so that it shall form an elastic spring and be perfectly pliable, and always retain its elasticit-y in one direction while it is perfectly flexible in the other, can be Washed without injury, and will set out the dress suiiiciently without padding or starching the fabric. It has long been considered a1 desideratum to obtain a fabric that would hold its elasticity and stiffness without starch after it is washed and still allow sufficient pliability for the convenience of the wearer. This cannot be effected by a cotton cord drawn in, which is only stiff when starched, and is very rigid and uncomfortable; and when it is stitily starched it is not flexible in any direction, but by the combination of the materials which I have made, every desirable object is effected,

My improved fabric is a plain cotton cloth, as shown by the accompanying drawings, and at a distance of about an inch and a half (more or less) apart, I draw in with the filling, or into welts formed therein, a quantity of sisal or Manila hemp sufficient to produce the required stiffness. In drawing in this fiber great care is required to prevent it from kinking, and it must be held firmly till the hemp is closed upon it; this process forms the article which possesses all the desired requisites. The skirt when made for wear is composed of a series of bands of hemp alternated with the plain cloth running horizontally around it, and thus forming a series of elastic rings causing it always to assume its proper shape as soon as any pressure that displaces it is removed, while its perfect flexibility in the direction contrary to that in which the bands run allows it to adjust itself to any change of position.

Having thus fully described my improvements and their application, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The employment of bands of sisal or Manila hemp with a fabric of cotton or other suitable cloth, so as to form a series of hori- Zontal springs around a skirt while the skirt is left perfectly pliable in its length, and can be washed without removing the bandsconstructed and combined in the manner and 1 for the purpose described.

DAVID HOUGH, JR, Witnesses:

C. W VAILE,

R. G. SHURTLEFF,

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