IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSTLES AND PADS FOR LADIES DRESS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th August 1875.-A communication from abroad by Amos
Worthington Thomas, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSTLES AND
PADS FOR LADIES DRESS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to the construction of bustles,
and has for its object to produce a neat, light, and substantial bustle,
which will close up readily when the wearer sits down and return
elastically to its expanded position when the wearer rises.
The waist band of the bustle has attached to it two hangers or braces,
their ends, by preference, proceeding to the top of the said band, and
being there fastened by means of clamps.
If desired the braces need not be attached to the waist band, but may
terminate below it, and be secured by cyclets to the muslin back of the

page_text: bustle. The lower bow or rim of the bustle is made of strong and
elastic wire. This bow is bent to form circles at the corners so as to
give it greater spring, and proceeds thence to the waist band to which
its ends are fastened by clamps. The sections of the muslin back arc
formed with pockets in which the braces fit, and are secured at their
opposite edges by clamps to the contour or upper bows. Tapes are
stitched to the outside of the back, and bent or folded longitudinally to
turn over on the bows to which they are secured by metal clamps.
It will be observed that the ends of the bows are bent out of their
circle or towards each other before being secured to the muslin back,
thus giving them an extended bearing on the latter, and keeping them
· from readily working through it. By fastening said bows to the textile
back and tapes there is formed a flexible joint or hinge which permits
them to fold up or flatten easily when the wearer sits down.
In order to further facilitate this closing process, the bows are
arranged to form an acute angle on their upper sides with reference to
the tape, the upper bow having the most acute angle, the others
growing less acute progressively until a right or nearly right angle is
reached. A tape proceeds downwardly from the centre of the waist
band to which it is stitched until it meets the lower bow or rim to
which it is fastened by clamps. This tape is also secured by clamps or
equivalent means to each of the bows, so that when the rim expands
after having been compressed or flattened between the wearer's back and
the back of a chair, it will carry with it said bows, restoring them to
their normal expanded position.
In a modification of this Invention, I effect the expansion of the bows
by means of a bent wire located in the middle or centre of the bustle
and clamped to the several bows. This wire may be duplicated if
desired, and one spring placed on each side of the centre. When two
springs are employed, the ends of the bows may be attached to the
muslin back as already described. When only one spring is employed the
ends of the bows should be clamped to the rim so as to produce a torsion
or bending of the latter.
According to another modification the ends of the rim and bows are
fastened to hangers proceeding from the waist band, said ends being bent
out of their circles or courses and secured by metal clamps, thus giving
an independent spring to each bow.

page_text: the waist band, and the bows fastened thereto by clamps. In this
modification the rim and bows (either or both) may be made with a
circle, or said wires may be straight, or flat, or twisted.
In another modification the ends of the bows are secured by metal
clamps to the ends of a cross tape attached to the vertical extensions
of the rim, and forming the back of the bustle. In this case the clastic
expansion of the bows is produced by means of a tape connection with
thic spring rim.
In another modification the bows are formed with hooked ends which
engage with the circles of the bows, all the bows of the bustle thus
springing from a common centre.
Instead of hooked ends, metallic clamps may be employed for fastening
said bows to the circles.
In some instances the wire is dispensed with, the necessary spring of
the bows being secured by fastening their ends by means of clamps to
the rim, and to the tape by means of clamps. By this means when the
bustle is folded or flattened a torsion or bending of the rim is effected,
producing a spring which will restore said rim and the bows to their
expanded position when released from pressure. The ends of the wires
are more remote from the waist band than their centre or bulge. This
peculiarity results from the arrangement already described, whereby an
acute angle is produced between said bows and the tapes. The bows are
arranged diagonally, their ends being fastened by clamps at the rim, and
being tied or otherwise fastened at their intersection.
It will be seen that the foregoing constitute one substantive principle
bustle, comprising a waistband, a lower bow or rim, and intermediate
bows attached to the latter, said bows and rim being so arranged and
constructed as to fold up easily and expand automatically when pressure
or impact is removed, the methods of obtaining the spring to cause
expansion being diversified and residing either in the rim in each bow
independently or in a curved wire (aided in some cases by torsion or
bending of the rim) attached to the various bows.
The second part of my Invention relates to the adaptation of this
principle to the construction of bosom forms or "pads.".
+

page_text: The object of this part of my Invention is to construct a light and
mobile form which will more perfectly simulate nature in its capacity
for graceful undulatory motion than any article of the same class
heretofore produced.
A wire is bent to form a frame embracing two circles connected and
secured together at their point of contact by clamps. Wires having
their ends secured by clamps to the wire or edge frame are joined by
tying or other equivalent means at their intersection. These wires are
curved radii, rising from the plane of the frame, so as to form a hemi-
spherical or nearly hemispherical basket conforming to the shape of a
perfect female breast. If compression be exerted on or against this
form it will yield readily, the wires sinking to the plane of the frame
and assuming a radial curvature more nearly concentric with the circles
than when raised. As soon as compression or impact is withdrawn from
the wires they will risc or expand, restoring the form to its normal
shape.
In a modification of this part of my Invention a frame has four sides
united at the corners and curved outwardly to conform to the shape of
the body upon which they rest. Or this frame may be shaped exactly
like that formed by the aforesaid wire and made of a single piece of
wire so as to avoid corners. I provide a central bow or support, the
inside strip of which rests against the body of the wearer, being nearly
or quite straight for that purpose, while the outer strip is curved to give
a graceful elevation. Cross wires extend from side to side of the frame,
and are bent to conform as nearly as possible to the outline of a perfect
breast. Cords extend from top to bottom of the frame, and are tied
to each of the said wires to keep them a proper distance apart and
from the sides.

page_text: This bosom form or pad is intended to be worn generally outside of
the corsets, which latter afford a support to the breasts of the wearer.
In case however the form should be worn without or inside of
corsets, and be too much expanded to afford a support to the breasts of
the wearer, a supplemental support may be obtained by a cross band
and tapes, the former extending from the sides to the bow and the latter
from the said cross band to the upper and lower wires, or to any two
intermediate wires of the series; or a lining of muslin having less
expansion than the wires may be employed for the same purpose.
In a further modification of this part of my Invention the wires run
transversely to the form, and are graduated in length to obtain the
desired outline and contour. The said wires may be extended to form
the back. I use a muslin covering or broad tapes having an ornamental
edging to give a finished and elegant appearance to the form.
The foregoing construction embraces one principle idea of an outline
or frame and intermediate wires and lining, and said wires being arranged
cither as curved radii or longitudinally or transversely of the frame, in
any case they constituted a light wire form easily compressible and
sufficiently clastic to expand automatically to the desired contour when
pressure against it is withdrawn.