# United States patent 481294

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,294, dated August 23, 1892. Application filed May 31,1890. Serial No, 353,875, (No model.)
* To all whom it may concern:
* Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. BIGELOW, of Natick, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Corsets, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts:
* This invention has for its object the production of a corset of novel construction, it having as part of it a brace or shoulder-support of such shape, as will be described, that the entire weight of the corset and any clothing resting on or attached to the corset is sustained from the shoulders by the brace, the parts constituting the brace or shoulder-support having at their ends arm-sizes and crossing each other at the back of the corset, the corset being held in place on the person by inserting the arms through the arm-sizes.
* The corset herein described when applied to the person has a normal tendency to rise at the front and aid in sustaining the bust instead of to drop and rest upon the body below the bust, this normal upward tendency of movement possessing, as will be obvious, material advantages not only as to health, but also as to artistic form.
* My invention consists in a corset composed, essentially, of two front portions and adjustably-attached braces extended from the under-arm side edges of the front portions and provided at their free ends with arm-sizes, the length of the braces being sufficient to cross the back of the wearer between the waist and shoulder line from the side to the opposite shoulder, to thereby place the arm-size in position to be entered by the arm of the wearer.
* Figure 1 represents one of my improved corsets stretched out. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same applied to a form; and Fig. 3 a back view of Fig. 2.
* My improved corset consists, essentially, of a corset-front, herein shown as composed of two halves A A' of any usual shape, construction, or material common in the fronts of corsets, the said corset-front being herein represented as united at its front edges by usual clasps having hooks and studs; but instead of the particular hooks and studs the corset front may be provided with any usual fastening means.
* The side edges of the corset-front at a point under the arms is prolonged by braces or shoulder-supports B B', which are adjustably connected to the corset-front by lacing, as at C C', to thereby enable the corset to be better adapted to the requirements of the figure. These braces are provided, respectively, at their outer or free end with arm-sizes D D' (shown as made adjustable in size by means of end straps a a') .and suitable or usual buckles or fastenings b b'. These braces may and preferably will be boned or stiffened in manner commonly practiced in the manufacture of corsets, and the material employed for the braces may be the same or different from that used for the corset-front and be, if desired, made of any usual open or ventilating material.
* In the application of this corset to the person the corset-front may be detached, the right arm will be put through the arm-size D', and the left arm through the arm-size D, and each brace and connected half of the corset-front will be crossed at the back and the corset-half brought around to the front of the person and united together. This method will bring the two braces in such position as to cross each other at the back of the wearer, as in Fig. 3.
* In this manner it will be seen that the corset is suspended by the arm-sizes from the shoulders and the strains are such as to normally draw the front of the corset up in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, thus supporting the bust and keeping the shoulders drawn back in heathful position, and, further, it will be obvious that downward pressure of the bottom edge of the corset-front is prevented and the waist has greater and, in fact, entire freedom of motion, thus leaving ample room for expansion of the lungs and healthful development. So, also, it will be seen that the weight of clothing attached to or resting upon the corset will be sustained substantially wholly by the shoulders, and such weight will be thrown on the shoulders in such direction as to tend to keep the shoulders thrown back or the body erect.
* I claim--
* A corset composed, essentially, of two front portions and a brace adjustably connected at its inner end to the under-arm side edge of each front portion and provided at its outer or free end with an arm-size, each brace being of sufficient length to extend from one side edge across the back from the waist to the shoulder line, in order that its attached arm-size may be entered by the arm at the opposite side of the body, whereby entire freedom is given the waist, and the front portions are normally drawn up, substantially as described.
* In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.
* Will. P. BIGELOW.
* Witnesses:
* GEO. W. GREGORY,
* B. DE WAR.