IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STAYS OR CORSETS, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF FASTENING THE SAME
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wright, of 12, Sussex Terrace, Islington,
Machinist, and Edward Brimble, of 32, Cheapside, Warehouseman, both
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF STAYS OR CORSETS, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF
FASTENING THE SAME."
Sealed the 19th October 1855, and dated the 23rd April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wright and
Edward Brimble at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 23rd April 1855.
We, JOSEPH WRIGHT, of 12, Sussex Terrace, Islington, Machinist, and
EDWARD BRIMBLE, of 32, Cheapside, Warehousemau, both in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STAYS OR CORSETS, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD
OF FASTENING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
Instead of the usual manner of making stitched stays with gores, or with
several pieces let in or inserted, to produce the required shape for adaptation to
the person or wearer, and requiring numerous seams and much stitching, we
propose to make the stays or corsets entirely without gores, and of not more
than two or three pieces, so fastened or stitched togather that the seam or two
seams shall run transversely or nearly horizontally across the stays, or in such
[Price 8d.1

page_text: a manner that the tension or strain, when the stay or corset is fasteneduponthe
person or being worn, shall be upon the material or substance of the stay and
its fastenings, and not upon the seams or stitching, as in the usual manner of
making stitched stays or corsets. By our plan we obtain more durability in
wear, and economy in manufacture of the stays. We propose to fasten the
stays or corsets by means of two plates of metal, rivetted or fastened together
with part of the substance of the stay or corset between them, and having a
hole, through which a stud or pin äxed to a busk in the material of the stays
passes and fastens them, these fastenings being placed at convenient intervals
or distances. Another busk is also placed in the material of the stays, so that
when they are fastened it will lie upon the busk to which the studs or pins are
fixed, and prevent the overlaping edge of the stays or corsets from warping or
sustaining unequal tension. The overlaping edge of the stay or corset projects
in the form of tabs or tongues at the points or places where the stays are
fastened, as described, to facilitate the process. Although we prefer to use
only two or three pieces of woven material in the construction of stays or
corsets, as being more economical, yet we claim the means or manner of
making them whereby the tension during wear or use is upon the substance
itself instead of upon the seams or stitching,joining together the parts forming
the stays or corsets.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Wright and Edward Brimble in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, JOSEPH
WRIGHT, of 12, Sussex Terrace, Machinist, and EDWARD BRIMBLE, of 32,
Cheapside, Warehouseinan, both in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
Onethousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Herréign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Joseph Wright and Edward Brimble, Her special licence that we, the
said Joseph Wright and Edward Brimble, our executors, administrators,
aud assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Wright and Edward
Brimble, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the

page_text: "
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC
TURE OF STAYS OR CORSETS, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF FASTENING THE SAME,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Wright and
Edward Brimble, by an instrument in writing under our hands aud seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention'
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Wright and Edward Brimble,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to an improved mode or method of making stays or
corsets and fastening the same; and instead of the usual manner of making
them with gores, or, several pieces let in or inserted, to produce the required
shape for adaptation to the person of the wearer, we make them entirely
without gores, using only two or three pieces of the material to complete the
corset. We fasten or stitch the said pieces together,so that the seam or seams
run transversely across the stays instead of vertically or obliquely, as hitherto
adopted. The said transverse or horizontal seams may be either straightacross
or of an undulated and corrugated form; the latter will be generally found
preferable, to secure more perfect adaptation and comfort to the wearer.
will easily be perceived that this plan will make the stays more durable than
the present plan, and also effect economy in the manufacture, because the
tension or strain consequent upon pressure of the body will be more on the
material itself and the fastenings, instead of on the seams or stitching, and
the number of the seams is very much diminished.
It
Another part of our improvements consists of fastening the stays to the
body by means of two plates of metal, rivetted, stitched, or fastened together
with a portion of the material between them. These plates are fixed at
convenient intervals or distances, and have a hole through each of them for
a stud or pin to pass through, the said studs or pins being fixed to a broad
busk in the material at one side of the stays, and the plates or fasteners to
the material adjoining another busk at the other side or overlaying edge, so
that when they are fastened the edges will be closely adapted to each other
without bulging or unequal tension. To enable the wearer to fasten the stays
more easily, the overlaying edge has projections or tabs at the points or places

page_text: where the stays are fastened, either of the material itself, or the metal plates
fastened to it, as already described, are so shaped as to project in the form of
tabs to move similar to a hinge.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, we desire it to be
distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details
herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but we claim as our Invention, which to the best of our
knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within this realm,-
Firstly, the mode or method of making stays or corsets with the seams
transversely or across without gores, the cross or transverse seams being either
straight or corrugated, thus throwing the strain or tension principally on the
material instead of the seams.
And, secondly, the mode of fastening the same with metal or other tabs,
as such improvements are herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Wright and Edward Brimble,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
YKIG
WYKIGE
EDWARD BRIMBLE. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Joseph Wright and Edward
Brimble, in the presence of
WILLIAM HENRY YOUNG,
Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane.