AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUPPORTS FOR STAYS OR CORSETS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Mar., 1887.
I EDWARD JAMES JONES of 24 Eden Street Kingston on Thames Linen Draper do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUPPORTS
FOR STAYS OR CORSETS to be as follows:
:-
1 take a piece of metalic wire or plate or other suitable substance hereinafter refered
to as "wire of a proper length and strength and by bending or twisting it once or
more times at the middle I form an eye or loop as shewn at fig. 1 on the drawing
placing the two ends level or allmost level as shewn at fig. 2 on the drawing. I take
another piece of wire of a suitable length and strength and bend it in the middle in
a curve as shewn at fig. 3 on the drawing bringing the ends level or nearly level at
the top as shewn at fig. 4 on the drawing-the piece of wire fig. 3 and 4 is passed
through the eye or loop at fig. 1 untill the bend or curve at fig. 3 fits into the eye as
shewn at fig. 5-the bend or curve as fig. 3 working in the eye or loop forms a hinge
-the ends as figs. 2 and 4 are protected by a shield or any suitable protection-the
wire thus constructed is intended to form the supports of stays or corsets in the place
of bone or cane or other substance now in use the wire is placed between two or more
fabrics cut to shape for stays which material is stitched from top to bottom at such
intervals as necessary to form a caseing for the wires to he placed in-the wires are
placed that the loop or hinge fits at the waist of the stay and can be fastened at any
part if desirable to make them secure-the object of this invention is, to prevent
the breaking of the supports of stays at the waist that occurs when a straight substance
is used by placing a hinge in the waist of the figure that works with each movement of
the body.
EDWARD JAMES JONES.

page_text: I EDWARD JAMES JONES of Portland Villas The Vineyard Richmond in the county
of Surrey Draper do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement
--
In Letters Patent No. 3889 of 1886 I shew a light frame of wire or like material
formed so as to be hinged at the waist portion of a stay or corset to supersede the
usual steels or bones inserted which steel or bone is liable to break at the waist. Such
frame was secured to two or more layers of fabric by stitching round the frame.
I found a difficulty in sewing such frame to the fabric by machine work necessitating
it being done by hand to be satisfactory and which is of course more costly.
My present invention is designed to produce a cheaper and simpler arrangement of
such wire or like frame hinged at the waist and which frame can be readily inserted
into pockets or recesses in the fabric forming the stay or corset, which pockets or
recesses can be readily sewn by machine or otherwise and the stay or corset be more
cheaply produced.
Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon
Fig. 1 is a plan of part of a stay or corset shewing my invention applied thereto the
frames being shewn in dotted lines.
Fig. 2 plan of a frame.
Fig. 3 side view.
In carrying out my invention I take a piece of metallic wire or strip or plate of
suitable material (hereinafter referred to as "wire") of a proper length and strength
and by bending or twisting it one or more times at the middle I form an eye or loop A.
After leaving the eye or loop A the other portions of the "wire" are produced as
at B B¹.
I take another piece of "wire" of a suitable length and strength and bend it at the
middle in a curve C as shewn, producing the ends D D¹. I then pass this latter
piece of "wire" through the eye or loop A in the first named "wire" so that the
curve C engages in the eye or loop A so forming a hinge. The ends of the "wires "B B¹
and DD may be protected and united or secured by end pieces or clamps E E¹ soldered
or affixed thereto or in other suitable manner.
The material for the stays or corsets being cut to shape are placed opposite each
other and stitched from top to bottom in parallel lines so as to leave grooves or
receptacles into which the said hinged "wires may be inserted in place of the usual
steels or bones.

page_text: The bottoms and tops of such receptacles or grooves can be then sewn up to keep in
the said "wires" or the "wires" can be secured at any desired point.
To afford play at the hinge parts I may leave the hinge portions to project out from
the fabric on the upper side as shewn at H.
Thus the hinge affords play at the waist affording comfort to the wearer and
obviating risk of breakage. Instead of being inserted in pockets or receptacles the
improved frame or support might be sewn on the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
Constructing hinged "wire" frames or supports for use in stays or corsets
substantially as described.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & CO.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.