CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS ON, OR A SUBSTITUTE FOR, BACK STAYS AND BRACES FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CHIEFLY TO PREVENT RELAXATION OF THE MUSCLES
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
SHOOLBRED, of Jermyn Street, in the Parish of Saint James, in the County
of Middlesex, Tailor, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by Ilis Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighteenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and twenty-five, in the sixth year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Andrew Shoolbred, His
especial licence that I, the said Andrew Shoolbred, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Shoolbred, my exors,
admňors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS ON, OR A SUBSTITUTE FOR, BACK STAYS AND BRACES FOR LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, CHIEFLY TO PREVENT RELAXATION OF THE MUSCLES;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Andrew
Shoolbred, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly
to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
Annear

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Andrew Shoolbred, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
My said substitute for back stays for ladies in its simplest form, is shewn
in Fig. 1 of the Drawing, which, as aforesaid, is annexed to this Specification.
Instead of the usual inflexible materials employed in the ordinary or usual
construction of back stays or back boards as they are also termed, I substitute
flexible ones formed into the shape, shewn as before said in Fig. 1, and con-
sisting of a part A, A, which is applied upon the back of the wearer, and to
which shoulder straps B, B, are to be affixed, and either with straps and
buckles C, C, to fasten, and adjust them by or not as may be required. In
order to provent relaxation of the muscles, I introduce springs either made of
brass, steel, iron, or other proper metal or composition of metals, and eitber
formed of wire bent into fit and proper shapes, or made into helical or spiral
springs, which I usually prefer, unless upon particular occasions, which, how-
ever, need not be described here. These said springs may either be placed
and secured in the manner shewn in Fig. 1, at D, D, that is, laid horizontally
and parallel to each other, being secured at both ends and allowed to spring of
play between their fastenings, and so as to act in pulling back the shoulders of
the wearer to their proper and natural positions, and assist in removing any
tendency to deformity, or the defect usually termed "round shoulders," while
at the same time they allow the most perfect freedom of motion to all the
contiguous parts without those inconveniences which are usually experienced
by the wearers of the ordinary back stays or back boards. The lower part of
this flexible back stay may be secured to the other parts of the dress, either
by means of straps with buttonholes in them, as shewn at E, E, to be affixed
on buttons by hooks and eyes, springs, snaps, straps, and buckles, strings, or
in any other fit and proper manner. I can also, when required, affix to the
lower part of it a belt or girdle, as shown at F, F, in Fig. 2, by which it
may also be secured to the body of the wearer, and which said belt or girdle
may either be furnished with springs, as shewn, or not, as required. I can
likewise increase the breadth of the belt or girdle, as shewn in Fig 3; and
also add to it other springs placed in a vertical position, as shewn at G, in
order, when necessary, to assist in pulling back the upper part of the trunk of
the body. Instead of placing the springs in a horizontal position, as alıcady
described. I can occasionally place them in oblique positions, as shewn
at H. II, in Fig. 3, or in any other directions suited to the particular cases of

page_text: weakness or deformity to which they may be applied. I can also, when
necessary, employ two or more thicknesses or layers of springs, and either
placed in a similar position or in crossing positions, agreeably to the intention
for which they may be used. A, A, in Fig 4. represents a back stay and
braces for the use of gentlemen; D, D, the horizontal springs to the shoulder
straps B, B. The slings or suspenders of the trowsers, &c., I, I, are affixed in
such a manner, as to correct the tendency of the springs upon the back to
chafe or gall the tendons of the pectoral muscles. These slings may either be
affixed to buttons upon the trowsers, &c, or have mounted upon them friction
pulleys at J, J, over which pass the catgut strings K, K, &c., with button-
holes at their ends, as usual. The straps E, E, answering to those at E, E, in
Fig. 1, are also intended to support the trowsers, &c. behind. I can also aflix
a belt or gudle to this back stay and braces, and either with springs to it or
without, and likewise vary the positions of the springs in the back stays, belts,
and girdles, as occasion may require, as well as employ two or more layers
or thicknesses of spings, when necessary.
I do not mean or intend hereby to claim as my Invention the application
of spiral or other springs to any of the usual purposes for which they have
hitherto been employed; but I do hereby claim their application to back stays
and braces for ladies and gentlemen, composed of flexible materials in the
various methods shewn, and especially with a view to prevent relaxation of the
muscles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Shoolbred, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our
Loid One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.