US1527688A - Legging, gaiter, and the like - Google Patents

Description

A. A. LETHER N LEGGING, GAITER, AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 9,, 192.3

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A. A. LETHERN LEGGING, GAITER, AND THE LIKE Origihal Filed Nqv. 9, 1923 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 Patented F eb. 24, 1925.

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LEGGING, ,GAITER, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed November 9, 1923. Serial No. 673,760. I Renewed November 11 1924.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

. Be it known'that IVALBERT ALEXANDER LETHER N, a subject of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Leggings, Gaiters, and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to leggings, gaiters and the like of the kind "which have a fastening device only at the top and bottom of the legging.

Hitherto such leggings have been wrapped or wound upon the wearers leg somewhat after the manner of a puttee, or in some cases an extension or throw over has been provided at the lower end of an ordinary fold over legging adapted to surround the ankle and overlap the bottom edge of the legging, an encircling strap being provided to fasten this put-tee-like extension. In all such cases the legging is wound in one direction on the leg and when a-throwover is provided, the under edge of the legging is only held in place by the friction between its surface and the layers which overlap it.

*Theobject of this invention is to provide a legging which is of neater appearance and is less likely to become accidentally loosened or unfastened than those hitherto used.

According to this invention, the legging comprises a fold over leg portion having a securing strap attached to the lower end of its under edge adapted to be wound round the wearers ankle in the opposite direction to the overlapping edge of the legging so as partially to encircle. the ankle inside the legging and then to be passed through an opening in'the back of the leg- V ging and caused to engage a fastening slide or buckle carried by the lower end of the overlapping edge of the legging, orby an extension thereof. Thus, when this lower fastening is secured, the inner edge of the legging is drawn close against the wearers boot and at the same time the outer edge is drawn in the opposite direction, so that there is no tendency for the legging to become uncoiled or for the fastening to slacken, even if relative verticalmovement takes place between the inner and outer edges of the legging.

r and legging expense and to provide alight on the outer side of the leg while the lower endlies immediately above the "shin .Jbone and therefore in line with the center ofyjthe boot, a A This inclination of the overlapping edge effectively prevents the entry of rain or water which is apt to penetrate the 'joint when the overlapping edge is inclined in the opposite direction andparticularly if the overlapping edge tends to open or H l A gaiter or legging made in accordance with this invention is not prone to gape, and the overlapping edge canbe kept in close contact with the portion of the gaiter below it, even if the ankle fastening. is comparatively loose, as in the first place such ankle fastening is of a positive nature while "further, the. strap orlike securing device for the upper end of the legging can be so disposed as. to exert a direct pull in the same line as the overlapping edge.

If desired the strap which surroundsthe ankle inside the legging may have a protectivetongue or-strip below it to prevent friction and consequent wear between the strap and the. wearers leg or boot.

The legging orfgaiter may'have a spat formed integral with it, the combined spat being provided with three fastenings only, namely, astrap or the like at the top, a button or snap fastening at the bottom of the spat and an ankle strap adapted to surround the leg near the ankle and to be passed through an opening in the back of the legging as in the case of the legging already described. When a spat is provided the combined spat and gaiter are necessarily formed of some flexible woven material cut to fit the wearers leg and boot, the main portion of the legging and spat (apart from the fastening straps) being preferably cut fromthree pieces of flexible material after the manner of an ordinary spat or legging.

lVhen a legging without a spat is used,

leather or other flexible material if it is blocked-to fit the wearers -Jleg but to save legging suitable for general wear, it is preferred to make the legging from three pieces of woven material, namely two leg portions, to surround the shin and calf, and an ankle band or strip at approximately right angles to the back seam uniting the two main portions of the legging together, these parts being so shaped as to give the legging a blocked appearance when they are assembled.

A preferred form of legging according to this invention constructed from woven material and suitable for both mounted or dismounted wear is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a development of a legging opened out flat.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a legging ready for use.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the legging m use.

Fig. f is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation.

Figsa6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4:, showing a spat.

In all the figures a legging for the right leg is shown.

In the construction illustrated the legging comprises a main leg portion made up of two separate pieces of woven fabric A and B cut to the required shape, the adjacent edges of these twoportions being united by stitching 1 and preferably taped as at 2 or otherwise bound together so as to form the back central seam of the legging. At their lower ends these two portions are secured to an ankle band C, approximately three inches deep, and a slot D is formed in the center of this band in alignment with the back seam of the legging. This slot is preferably provided with a metallic eyelet 3 to pre-' vent the material fraying.

The end C of the ankle band to which the outer or overlapping edge A of the leg portion is secured, extends a short distance beyond this edge and carries a slide or buckle E, and the opposite end of the ankle band, namely that adjacent to the inner edge B of the legging, carries a narrow strap F of sufficient length to encircle the wearers ankle. The upper end of the legging is provided with any suitable strap fastening of known type, the strap G and buckle or slide G being arranged to exert a pull substantially in alignment with the overlapping edge A. The overlapping edge may have a reinforcement of whalebone or steel but when this is provided it does not extend below the top of the ankle band C.

WVhen the legging is to be applied, first the lower fastening strap F is wound around the wearers ankle in an inward direction, i. e. towards the opposite foot, and the end of this strap is passed through the slot in the back of the legging (see Fig.

2). The fastening strap F is taken further round the outside of the wearers foot and made to engage with the buckle E or slide carried by the opposite end G of the ankle band. As the strap is tightened, the inner lower end of the legging is drawn closely against the wearers ankle, towards the opposite foot and simultaneously the outer, overlapping end of the logging is drawn in the opposite direction, so that both inner and outer lower edges of the legging are firmly held and the ankle band can be adjusted to the required extent and independently of the upper fastening. The leg portion is then folded round the leg so that the edge A overlaps the other edge B and the fastening G at the top of the legging is then secured, thus pulling the overlapping edge A taut and keeping it flat. This top strap G can be unfastened, without disturbing the ankle fastening, thus permitting the gaiter to be opened to give ventilation, as for example during a halton the march.

Preferably a protective tongue is provided for that portion of the lower securing strap F which lies within the legging, and to this end the ankle portion of the legging may be extended as at C beyond the point where the strap F is secured to the main band C so as partially to surround the wearers ankle or boot upper inside the legging.

, Such a legging may have a spat secured to it, (as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7) and preferably such a spat is made up from three pieces, 5, 6, and 7 of woven material stitched along their upper edges to the lower edge of the ankle band. The instep strap and side fastenings of this spat may be of any known type and in some cases the spat portion may be detachably connected to the ankle band, as by snap fasteners or the like;

The legging according to this invention.

possesses many advantages over those previously made. Apart from the waterproof feature already mentioned, as a positive fastening is provided'for both edges of the legging at its lower end, there is no need for any superimposed coils around the ankle, and hence the legging has a neat appearance. Further (the bottom securing strap is protected from damage through friction with the opposite foot or from being torn, as for example against barbed wire, since the inside of thefoot is free from any projecting fastenings (see Fig.

Moreoventhe total weight of the legging is greatly reduced and where the legging is formed of woven material and when made in three parts with an ankle band, this band can, if necessary, be renewed when it becomes worn out without having to renew the upper portions legging.

of the lVhen the ankle band is secured to the leg portions of the legging by sewing or the like, as in the example shown, so that the lower edges of the leg portions are overlapped by the upper edge of the band, an additional advantage is secured, as with such an arrangement the upper edge of the boot can} be accommodated within the ankle hand without actually coming in contact with the leg portions of the legging. Thus an ankle band can be used which though relatively thick to resist wear is of a sufficiently supple nature to give adequate support to the ankle when the band is drawn tight.

It will be appreciated that the particular shape of the various portions which constitute the legging will be modified to suit the shape and dimensions of the wearers leg, and that although it is preferred to make a legging from three pieces of woven fabric, a blocked leather, or the like, legging can be made incorporating the above characteristic features without departin from this invention.

What I claim as my invention is,

l. A legging or gaiter of the fold-over type having a fastening slide or buckle combined with the lower end of the overlapping edge, an opening in the back of the legging, and a fastening strap at the lower end of the under edge adapted to Wrap around and partially encircle the wearers ankle in the opposite direction to the overlapping edge of the legging, and to be passed thnough the said opening and secured by said fastening slide or buckle.

2. A legging or gaiter according to claim 1, having the overlapping edge inclined so that its lower end is approximately central with the boot and shin-bone and its upper end is clear of the shin-bone on the outside of the wearers leg.

3. A legging or gaiter according to claim 1 having its leg portion formed from two pieces of flexible material united to form a back seam, and having an ankle band to which the leg portion is connected at right angles to the back seam.

A. A legging or gaiter according to claim 1 having an ankle band which is lapped over the lower ends of the leg portions for the purpose described.

5. The combination with a legging or gaiter according to claim 1, of a spat extending from the ankle encircling portion thereof.

ALBERT ALEXANDER LETHERN.

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