IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Lucien Morris Chipley, Marshal Davis Chipley, and
August Frank, all of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, United States of
America, Corset Manufacturers.
aled the 2nd December 1879, and dated the 4th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th June 1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN CORSETS." A communication from abroad by Lucien Morris Chipley,
Marshal Davis Chipley, and August Frank, all of St. Louis, in the State of
Missouri, United States of America, Corset Manufacturers.
The first part of these improvements consist in providing clasp busks with flat
metal clasps, whereby when the clasps are fastened together the projections formed
by the ordinary pin fastenings are avoided. These clasp busks are encased in an
envelope or covering of suitable material, terminating at their inner side in a flap
to permit of their ready attachment to or removal from the inner face of the body
of the corset.
The second part of these improvements consists in providing corsets with an
additional busk or busks for the purpose of hiding the clasp busks. These con-
cealing busks consist of a flap piece of metal or other stiff material of a length
corresponding to the length of the clasp busks. They are covered or enveloped
with any suitable (pliable) fabric, which terminates in a flap, by means of which
said concealing busks may be readily attached to or removed from the outer
surface of the corset body. These concealing busks are attached by their flaps to
the front face of the corset, so that they shall fold over and entirely conceal the
clasp busks immediately beneath.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th December 1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CORSETS." A communication from abroad by Lucien Morris Chipley,
Marshal Davis Chipley, and August Frank, all of St. Louis, in the State of
Missouri, United States of America, Corset Manufacturers.
The first part of these improvements consists in providing clasp busks with flat
metal clasps, whereby when the clasps are fastened together the projections formed
by the ordinary pin fastenings are avoided. These clasp busks are encased in an
envelope or covering of suitable material, terminating at their inner side in a flap
to permit of their ready attachment to or removal from the inner face of the body
of the corset.
The second part of these improvements consists in providing corsets with an
additional busk or busks for the purpose of hiding the clasp busks. These con-
cealing busks consist of a flat piece of metal or other stiff material of a length
corresponding to the length of the clasp busks. They are covered or enveloped
with any suitable (pliable) fabric, which terminates in a flap, by means of which
said concealing busks may be readily attached to or removed from the outer
surface of the corset body. These concealing busks are attached by their flaps to
the front face of the corset, so that they shall fold over and entirely conceal the
clasp busks immediately beneath.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a corset showing the front or con-
cealing busks thrown back in position to allow of the clasp busks being clasped or
unclasped.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the concealing busks closed over the clasp
busks.
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the busks, showing the
clasp busks fastened together, and the concealing busks in the act of closing.
Figure 4 represents a modified form of envelope for the clasp and concealing
busks.
Figure 5 is a similar view of the same with one concealing busk open and one
closed.
The body of the corset is shown at A. At B are shown the clasp springs or
busks enveloped by cloth, leather, or other suitable material C. The cloth upon
one side has a flap C¹ for attachment to the inner face of the body of the corset by
stitching or otherwise. The flat clasps are shown at c.
At the front edges of the corset-body are two springs or busks D, D, enveloped
in suitable material, preferably of the same kind as that composing the corset, and
having flexible connection with the body of the corset, so that they can be turned
back, as in Figure 1, or folded together in front of the clasp, as in Figure 2. The
stiffening D¹ may be of spring steel or any other suitable material; or the busk

page_text: or fly may be stiffened by forming it of cloth stitched through or otherwise
made stiff.
The busks or flies D are folded back (see Figure 1) when the clasps are being
connected or disconnected; and while the corset is being worn the busks are folded
together, so as to form a smooth front (as in Figure 2). When in the latter
position the curves imparted to them by the wearer hold them in position without
any special fastening. The device may be modified in various ways without
essential change in principle. For instance, a single broad busk may be used to
cover the clasps in place of the two described.
In place of enveloping each clasp busk and each concealing busk with separate
pieces of fabric, and forming separate flaps out of each cover, we may (as shown at
Figures 4 and 5) cover both the clasp and concealing busks with one piece of
fabric by lapping it around one busk, then bending the fabric inward and stitching
down such bend, and then carrying the fabric around the other busk. The end of
that part of the fabric used to envelope the first busk, and the end of that portion
used to envelope the second busk, are then brought together and stitched, and form
one flap, by means of which the two busks may be attached to the corset at one
side, while other busks similarly enveloped may be attached to the other side.
To prevent the wear of the cloth by the clasps c the cloth is cut away at c¹ to
allow the two members of the clasp to come together to take the wear.
Among the advantages claimed for our improvements is, that by the use of flat
clasps c as a means of securing the clasp busks the concealing busks D can lie flat
against the clasp busks without bulging outward, as they would certainly do
were such clasp busks provided with the common outwardly-projecting pins or
studs.
The outer or concealing busks are removed so far from the person of the wearer
that they are not liable to rust, and they cover up the parts which are handled in
clasping and unclasping, so that any soil resulting from this handling is hidden
when they are closed down, as in Figure 2.
The absence of clasp-devices passing through the cloth of the busk D gives them
a much better appearance than those in ordinary use where the metal clasps pass
through the cloth, and their lasting qualities are also better, as they are not sub-
jected to wear by the attachments, nor are their slits or other orifices to allow the
passage of the fastenings through the cloth. Such orifices are liable to become
ragged. Another feature of value is that the busks D by being devoid of fastenings
are not liable to be strained or broken. As the busks D are made of plain strips
of metal they may be drawn endwise from their cover, and so the corset may be
washed in their absence, and thus they (the springs) would not be subject to rust,
and the corset could be washed with much greater ease.
By providing the clasp busks and also the concealing busks with an envelope or
cover separate from the material composing the corset cover, and having a flap or
equivalent device for attachment to the body of the corset, such busks may be
sold separately from the corsets for attachment to corsets where the busks with
which they were provided in the first instance have become old or unserviceable.
They can be readily removed from the corset whenever it is desired to wash the
corset or apply new busks thereto by merely unripping the stitches or removing.
the fastenings by which the flaps are secured to the corset, and they can be as
readily re-applied or others substituted by stitching or otherwise securing said
flaps on to the same places, as no part of the corset or the flaps is cut away or
damaged in the act of their removal from the corset body.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. As a new article of manufacture the clasp busks B having flat clasps o
secured thereto, said busks being enveloped with cloth or other material C, and
provided with flap C¹ for attachment to the inner face of the body of the corset,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: Second. The front busk or busks D arranged to fold over the face of and conceal
the flap clasps or other fastenings c, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have here-
unto set my band and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
D
MIT TO
B. J. B. MILLS. (L.S.)