Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th Apr., 1887.
I ROBERT GOFF, of 48 Old Bailey, in the City of London do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to stays or corsets, and comprises the improvements herein-
after described.
Stays or corsets as heretofore made are more or less liable to get out of shape, by
reason of the bending or breakage of the bones or stiffeners, and in some cases the
said stiffeners work through the fabric of the corset especially when steel stiffeners
are used thereby causing discomfort and sometimes injury to the wearer. The said
bones or stiffeners are, moreover, liable to slip up and down in the pockets enclosing
the same, for the reason that the pockets are sometimes made longer than the said
bones or stiffeners. To obviate as much as possible the working of the stiffeners
through the fabric, they are sometimes provided at their ends with caps. Similar
defects exist with whale-bone and horn stiffeners, although to a less extent.
Attempts have been made to remedy the above mentioned defects by using stiffeners
composed of vegetable fibres bound, twisted or compressed together. These stiffeners
have, however, been only partially successful, as, owing to their thickness, they render
the surface of a corset somewhat uneven. Moreover cords are liable to twist and curl
and thus impair the shape of the corset.
According to my present invention I provide corsets with stiffeners of such nature
that they afford the necessary support and possess the requisite flexibility without the
disadvantages hereinbefore referred to.
The stiffeners which I use with my improved corsets are composed of straw-plait.
Instead however of enclosing the same loosely in pockets in the ordinary manner,
I secure them to the fabric of the corset by sewing.

page_text: Each length of straw-plait, as it is placed in position, has one or more rows of
stitches formed along its longitudinal centre, which stitches at the same time firmly
unite the straw-plait with the material upon either side of the same.
Any desired number of lengths of straw-plait may be placed side by side, or one
above another, to produce the necessary stiffness at any part of the corset. Each
length is provided with a longitudinal row of stitches as before described. Or
I ensure the requisite stiffness by the employment of broad strips of straw-plait,
which, in some instances, are so made that they differ in breadth at different parts
throughout their length and thus conform to the shape of the corset.
It is obvious that, instead of using straw-plait, I may use any other plaited or
braided fibrous material possessing similar qualities.
רד
1154:1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, ROBERT GOFF, of 48 Old Bailey, in the City of London 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 :-
My invention relates to the stiffeners of stays or corsets and comprises the improve-
ments hereinafter described.
Stays or corsets as heretofore made are more or less liable to get out of shape, by
reason of the bending or breakage of the bones or stiffeners, and, in some cases, the
said stiffeners, especially when made of steel, work through the fabric of the corset,
thereby causing discomfort and sometimes injury to the wearer. The said bones or
stiffeners, are, moreover, liable to slip up and down in the pockets enclosing the same,
if the said pockets are made longer than the said bones or stiffeners. To obviate as
much as possible the working of the stiffeners through the fabric, they are sometimes
provided at their ends with caps.
Attempts have been made to remedy the above mentioned defects by using stiffeners
composed of vegetable fibres bound, twisted or compressed together in the form of
cords or the like. These stiffeners have, however, been only partially successful, as,
owing to their thickness, they render the surface of a corset somewhat uneven.
Morcover cords are liable to untwist and curl and thus impair the shape of the corset.
According to my present invention I provide corsets with stiffeners of straw plait
or similar material, which stiffeners are of such nature that they afford the necessary
support and possess the requisite flexibility without the disadvantages hereinbefore
referred to.
The accompanying drawing shows as an example a corset provided with stiffeners
according to my invention, a portion of the fabric being removed in order to show the
stiffeners beneath.
a is the fabric of the corset, bb are the busks and c c the stiffeners.
These stiffeners are, as hereinbefore stated, composed of straw-plait of any desired
width and may be enclosed in the fabric in any suitable manner. I prefer to secure
them to the fabric of the corset by sewing that is to say:-Each length of straw-plait,
as it is placed in position, has one or more rows of stitches d formed along it, which
stitches firmly unite the straw-plait with the material upon either side of the same.
Any number of strips may be employed in order to ensure the necessary rigidity.
I sometimes unite two or more strips of straw-plait before introducing them into
the corset, I can thus produce a stiffener of any required shape and size and of any
desired degree of rigidity. Such a stiffener can be united to the fabric by rows of
stitches running in any desired direction.
Although I prefer to secure each stiffener in place by means of a row of stitches
passing through the said stiffener and through the fabric enclosing the same, I do
not confine myself to this method, as the said straw stiffeners may be inserted loosely
into pockets in the fabric or may be secured therein in any other suitable manner.

page_text: It is obvious that instead of using straw plait, I may use any other plaited or
braided fibrous material possessing similar qualities.
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
First. A corset or stays provided with stiffeners of straw-plait or similar material
secured in place by rows of stitches passing through the same and through the fabric
of the corset or stays, or otherwise, substantially as set forth.
Second. A stiffener composed of two or more strips of straw plait or similar
material as, and for the purposes, specified.