IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caleb Hill, of Cheddar, in the County of
Somerset, Stay Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAYS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1853, and dated the 28th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caleb Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th May 1853.
I, CALEB HILL, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAYS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improvement in the metal fasten-
ings of stays or corsets, and, secondly, to improvements in the body of
the stay. The fastening consists of two strips of iron, from one of
which projects a notched stud pin, and a hook for taking into suitable
catches carried by the other plate. The hook catches laterally into its
eye or catch, to allow of the attachment being easily made, and the
stud pin enters an eyelet hole, and is held fast by a sliding bolt, by which
means the fastening is secured. To permit of freedom of action to the
body of the wearer, gores or gussets of elastic material are inserted in

page_text: the bosom of the stay or corset, and to allow of the capacity of the
corset being increased or diminished the back part is made open to
within about four inches of the bottom edge, and provided with eyelet
holes for the insertion of a stay lace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Caleb Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 28th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CALEB TILL, of Cheddar, in the County of Somerset, Stay Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Пer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Caleb Hill, Her special
license that I, the said Caleb Hill, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Caleb Hill, my exccutors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Caleb Iill, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Caleb Hill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by

page_text: the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved construction of metallic
attachment for stays or corsets, the object being to facilitate the opera-
tions of fastening the corset to the body of the wearer, and of detaching
it therefrom. Secondly, the Invention relates to improvements in the
construction of the body of the stay or corset, whereby greater freedom
of action is permitted to the body of the wearer, and a means is also
provided of increasing the capacity of the stay when required. The
metallic fastening consists of two strips or plates of iron, to one of
which a notched pin and a hook are attached, and suitable openings
are made in the other plate to receive them. The hook catches
laterally into a longitudinal slot to allow of the attachment being easily
made, and the pin enters an eyelet hole, and is held fast by a sliding
bolt, by which means the fastening is secured.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1, and 2, shew the improved
metallic fastening detached from the stay. Fig. 1, being a view of
the inner face of the fastening, and Fig. 2, an edge view thereof;
a, a, are the metal strips or plates, which are intended to be attached
to opposite edges of the stay. The plate a, towards its lower end is
furnished at b, with a longitudinal slot to receive a hook c, project-
ing from the plate, and near its upper end it carries a sliding
piece d, which acts as a bolt, as will be presently explained. This
sliding piece d, is slotted to receive a guide pin e, which projects
from the plate a, for the purpose of holding it in its place. The two
plates a, and a, are slotted to receive a pin f, which is affixed to the
sliding piece or bolt d, and projects through the plates for the purpose
of carrying a thumb piece g, by which it is actuated. On the plate a",
is a notched pin h, which, when the two plates are brought together, to
fasten the stay, projects through the plate a, and stands in a line with
the forward edge of the sliding bolt d, so that when the bolt is drawn
down into the position shewn at Fig. 1, its forward edge will take into
the notch of the pin h, like an ordinary bolt into its hasp, and hold the
plates, and a, firmly together. To permit of the disengagement of
the bolt d, from the pin h, its contact edge is recessed, as shewn in the
Drawing; a slight upward movement therefore of the bolt will clear it

page_text: from contact with the pin. In order to secure a corset provided with
this fastening to the body of the wearer it is only necessary to catch
the hook c, into its slot b, and taking this as a fulcrum to bring the
upper parts of the fastening together, and slide down the bolt d, as far
as it will go. In like manner it will be understood that the unfasten-
ing of the corset may be effected in an instant, it being merely neces-
sary to slide up the bolt d, and slip the plate a, off the hook c.
My improvements in the body of the stay or corset are shown at
Figures 3, and 4. Fig. 3, being a front view of the stay, and Fig. 4
a back view thereof. To permit of freedom of action to the body of
the wearer, gores or gussets of elastic material are inserted in the
bosom of the stay or corset, as at i, i, Fig, 3, which by yielding laterally
will allow for the expansion of the chest. In order to provide a
means for increasing or diminishing the capacity of the stay the back
part is made open to within about six inches from the top edge, as
shewn at Fig. 4, and the adjacent edges are provided with eyelet
holes for the insertion of a stay lace, which may be tightened or let out
at pleasure.
Having now set forth the nature and object of my Invention of
improvements in the construction of stays, and described the manner
of carrying the sanie into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, first, the manufacture
of metallic fastening as described, wherein a hook catching laterally
and a sliding bolt are combined; and, secondly, I claim the improve-
ments above described in relation to the body of the stay.
In witness whereof, I, the said Caleb IIill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
CALEB HILL. (L.S.)