Improvements in or relating to the Lacings of Corsets.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 13th Mar.. 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Lacings of Corsets.
I, ALBERT ROMAINE COLTON, of 86 Plymouth Avenue, in the City of Rochester,
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :---
My improvement relates to lacings in which the bearings around which the lacing
cord passes are inclosed between double flies or flaps; also to that class in which
stiffeners or stays are embedded in the flies to preserve the form of the garment. It
further relates to that class in which eyelets are used forming the bearings. The
object is to pass the eyelets directly through holes punched in the stiffeners or stays,
so that. in addition to forming bearings for the lacing cord, the eyelets attach the
stays in place. In ordinary lacings now in use the cord bearings are separate and
distinct from: the stiffeners or stays and the latter are slid down into pockets after
the garment has been stitched. In my invention this cannot be done, but the stays
must be attached before the stitching is finally completed; hence I employ a
particular method of attaching them in place.
In the drawings-
Fig. 1 is a face view of the two lacing edges of a garment, parts being broken
away to show the interior construction;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of the same;
Fig. 3 is a similar view showing one step in the operation of attaching the parts
together;
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing another step in the operation;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of one of the eyelets and the roller that rests
thereon;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a double form of the eyelet.
a a indicate the two flies or flaps on each side of the lacing. bare the stiffeners
or stays, which are usually made of thin metal, but may be made of any suitable
material. These stiffeners lie alongside the lacing edge and are embedded within the
fabric and are punched with a series of holes corresponding in number with the
number of eyelets used. ce are the eyelets, extending through holes punched in
both stiffeners and through one thickness of the fabric on each side. The ends of the
eyelets are then secured in any suitable manner to the outer face of the stiffeners.
The stiffeners being now secured in proper position the wide free edges of the fabric
are folded back, thereby covering the stiffeners and also the then exposed end
of the eyelets c.
It will thus be seen that instead of the serial eyelets being in
contact with the garment which lies next to them, thus wearing and in many cases
staining the same from perspiration, the smooth surfaces of the flies cover their ends
and are also presented to the garment, thus avoiding all former inconveniences.
dd are rollers, similar in shape to pulleys, resting on the eyelets between the stiffeners
and between the inner layers of cloth covering the stiffeners and running freely.
The lacing cord passes around these rollers from side to side as shown in Fig. 1.
I
Since the stiffeners or stays cannot be run down into pockets in the usual way,
employ a particular method of attachment, which is as follows:-One layer of the
cloth is extended in a straight length as shown at the left in Fig. 3, and one of the
stiffeners bis laid alongside, with the punch holes of the stiffener and the cloth
coinciding, and a series of the eyelets c c are then inserted through all the punch

page_text: holes, ready to be headed up. A corresponding series of the rollers d d are then
placed on the straight ends of the eyelets. The other stiffener is then placed outside
the other layer of cloth as shown at the right in Fig. 3 and this stiffener and layer of
cloth are placed over the projecting ends of the eyelets, inclosing the rollers, which
then rest between the stiffeners and between the two layers of cloth. When this is
done the projecting ends of the eyelets are all headed up by a proper tool, fastening
all the parts together as shown in Fig. 4. The final step consists in folding back the
wide edges of the cloth in the direction indicated by the arrows, thereby covering the
outside of the stiffeners and the ends of the eyelets and excluding them from sight
as shown in Fig. 2. The only eyelets exposed to sight are those through which the
ends of the lacing cord pass, as shown at y g. These may be either at the center or
at the bottom, accordingly as a double or a single cord is used. A margin h is left on
each edge of the cloth, over which the wide edge folds, said margin serving to receive
the stitching that secures the cloth in place. It is well known that the stiffeners now
in use are inserted in pockets made in the edge of garments for that purpose, and
that by constant strain they become loose and the garment torn. I seek to avoid
this difficulty by securing the stiffeners firmly in place by a series of eyelets which
pass through both layers of fabric, thereby causing an equal strain on both sides,
from which it will be seen that it is impossible for the stiffener to become loose or for
the fabric to become torn.
If desired, the form shown in Fig. 6 may be used consisting of the two half eyelets
which close together end to end and are hidden from sight in the same manner as
that above described. This has the advantage of two heads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a corset, a lacing edge consisting of two separated flies, stiffeners on the
outer faces of the same at some distance from their edges extending their entire
length and provided with a series of registering holes, and eyelets passing from side
to side through the holes in the stiffeners and through the interposed flies, the ends
of the eyelets being secured to the outer face of the stiffeners and the flies being
turned back so as to cover the exterior of the stiffeners and the ends of the eyelets, as
and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a corset, a lacing edge consisting of two flies. stiffeners on the outer faces of
the same at some distance from their edges extending their entire length and provided
with a series of registering holes, eyelets passing from side to side through the holes
in the stiffeners and through the interposed flies, the ends of the eyelets being secured
to the outer face of the stiffeners, and a grooved pulley journaled on the shank of each
eyelet between the inner faces of the flies, the latter being turned back so as to cover
the exterior of the stiffeners and the ends of the eyelets, as and for the purpose set
forth.
Data thi 24th 1 at Naramban 1800
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.