Improved Corset.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 11th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Corset.
I WILHELM SCHULTHESS, M.D., of 39 Loewen Strasse Zurich in Switzerland do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to obtain the greatest possible flexibility of the corset
while simultaneously preserving its longitudinal or vertical stiffness.
This flexibility is obtained by replacing most of the vertical ribs of the usual corsets
by an articulating system of obliquely placed ones. The separate parts of the system
meet at the natural places of flexion of the body and thereby form flexible joints. In
order to enable this principle better to be carried out, a cut entirely differing from
that hitherto used has been adopted, which allows an accurate fit to the natural shape
of the body.
The corset consists of a left and right hand main piece cut out in the shape
characterised by Figure 1.
This is determined by those parts of the surface of the human body situated in
continuity which can approximately he developed into a plane, that is to say by a
zone below the breast and above the hip. To these the adjacent parts in front and at
the back are added as continuations.
The front outline of this piece a. b. Figure 1 is slightly convex with the centre of
urvature at the middle, the back outline d. c. concave with the centre below the
middle. The hollow b. c. for the hip and a. e. for the breast (Figure 1) are closed by
articulated pieces set in.
The usual longitudinal or vertical ribs are replaced at the side of the corset by a
system of obliquely placed ribs Figure 2. A group or set s. slopes from the top f. at
the middle of the back laterally downwards and terminates at the height of the waist
therefore at the edge y. of the opening for the hip.
A second set s' arranged on the filling piece for the hip hollow adjoins the end g. of
the first set and descending towards the back reaches to the lower edge of the corset
at k. A third set s again adjoins the last named one at h. and descending towards
the front reaches to the lower edge of the corset at i. Adjoining the first set a fourth
set 83 of ribs ascending towards the front (in Figure 2 from l. to e.) may be arranged
in order to afford a support to the front part of the upper edge.
By this arrangement of ribs flexible joints are produced at g. h. and 7. of which
that at y. especially possesses the special importance that it accommodates itself to
the natural bending of the body at this place occurring with lateral movements of the
body while the joints at h. and 1. are of minor importance.
At the back along the entire edges of the two corset halves thin elastic ribs m. m¹
and m³ (see Figure 3) are arranged two of which namely m¹ and m² meet at about
the same level as the top of the hollow for the hip. By this means a weak point in
the vertical stiffening is produced at this place so that the fit to the hollow of the back
is effected so much more easily.
At the front below the hollow for the breast a longitudinally placed slit n. is made,
the edges of which are laced by an elastic cord so that widening of the slit is possible.

page_text: The latter takes place each time breath is drawn during which the lower circumference
of the chest always experiences a considerable extension.
My corset consequently is fitted to the natural shape of the body, permits the most
various movements and therefore leaves the support of the erect position of the body
to the muscles.
1
1000
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improved Corset.
I, WILHELM SCHULTHESS, M.D., of 39 Loewen-strasse, Zurich in Switzerland,
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:
This invention relates to corsets and its object is to obtain the greatest possible
flexibility of a corset while simultaneously preserving its longitudinal stiffness.
This flexibility is obtained by replacing most of the longitudinal or vertical ribs or
bones of the usual corset by an articulating system of obliquely placed ones:
The separate parts of the system meet at the natural places of flexion of the body
and thereby form flexible joints. In order to enable this principle better to be
carried out, a cut entirely differing from that hitherto used has been adopted, which
allows an accurate fit to the natural shape of the body.
On the sheet of drawings appended hereunto :
Fig. 1 shows the ent-of-one-half-of-the-improved corset.
Fig. 2 a side view.
Fig. 3 a perspective back and side view.
Fig. 4 a front view of the improved corset.
The corset is cut out of a right and left main piece. This has the shape characterised
by Fig. 1. This shape is determined by those parts of the surface of the human body
situated in continuity which can approximately be developed into a plane, that is to
say by a zone xxyy below the breast and above the hip. To these the adjacent
parts in front and at the back can be added as continuations. The front outline a b
of this piece is slightly convex with the centre of the curvature at the middle, the
back outline dc concave with the centre below the middle. The hollow c¹ for the
hip and a e for the breast (Fig. 1) are closed similarly as usual by pieces set in.
The usual longitudinal or vertical ribs or bones are replaced at the side of the corset
by a system of obliquely placed ribs or bones, shewn by Fig. 2. A group or set s
sloping downwards from the upper part of the back towards the middle part of the
side terminates at the height of the waist or at the edge g of the opening for the
hip. A second group or set arranged on the filling piece for the hip hollow adjoins
the end g of the first set and sloping towards the back reaches to the lower edge of
the corset at Fig. 2. A third set or group s again adjoins the one named last at h
and sloping towards the front reaches to the lower edge of the corset at i. Adjoining
the first group a fourth group or sets of ribs or bones ascending towards the front
from toe may be arranged in order to afford a support to the front part of the upper
edge.
By this arrangement of ribs flexible joints are produced at g h and 1, of which that
at gis of special importance because by means of it the corset accomodates itself to
the natural bending of the body occurring at this place with lateral movements of the
body, while the joints at h and are of minor importance.
At the back along the entire edges of the two corset halves thin elastic ribs mm²
and m2 (see Fig. 3) are arranged, two of which viz.: m² and m² meet at about the same
level as the top of the hollow for the bip. By this means a weak point in the

page_text: longitudinal stiffening is produced at this place so that the fit to the hollow of the
back is effected so much more easily.
At the front below the hollow for the breast a longitudinally placed slit n is made
on each side of the edges which are laced by an elastic cord so that the widening of
the slit is possible. The latter takes place each time breath is drawn during which
the lower circumference of the chest always experiences a considerable extension.
My improved corset being thus fitted to the natural shape of the body, permits the
most various movements and leaves the support of the erect position of the body to
the muscles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I doclare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. In corsets.the method of stiffening each side by means of groups or sets of
inclined ribs or bones meeting with their ends at the top of the hip and thus forming
an articulation of the sides at the waist just above the hip, one group or sets sloping
from the top of the back towards the front to the hip, the second group or set s¹ from
the hip towards the back and a third group or set from the hip towards the front,
forming a kind of continuation of the first group, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
Secondly. In corsets stiffened by a system of ribs or bones articulated at the top of
the hips, the combination with a sets of ribs or bones sloping from the top of the
back towards the front to the hip of another set (s) ascending from the lower end of
the said ribs or bones (s) in a slanting direction towards the top and front on each
side of the corset substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. In corsets the combination with a system of ribs or bones articulated at
the waist or the top of the hips, ribs or bones m at the back edges and ribs or bones m¹
and m near and parallel to the same and disjointed at the hollow of the back for the
purpose of producing a greater flexibility of the corset at this point, substantially as
described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The combination of the improvements claimed in the three preceding
claims in one corset.
Fifthly. The cutting out of corsets and stiffening of the same by means of sets of
ribs or bones arranged substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Dated this Sth day of December 1890.
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.