IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS. AND CORSETS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Alfred Young and Robert Neilson, both of Bristol,
in the County of Gloucester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS.
AND CORSETS."
Sealed the 28th March 1879, and dated the 10th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Alfred Young and
Robert Neilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th
January 1879.
ROBERT ALFRED YOUNG and ROBERT NEILSON, both of Bristol, in the County of
Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS AND CORSETS."
Our Invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of stays and corsets,
whereby they are rendered more durable and at same time more yielding to the
figure, so that a better fit is ensured.
Our Invention consists in arranging the seams of the stay or corset diagonally
or obliquely instead of vertically, as usual, so that the strain or tension when the
corset is in wear shall not be in a direction at right angles to the seams, whereby
the stitching is relieved of a portion of the strain, and the seams are therefore less
liable to split.
This Invention may be applied to stays or corsets made with bones or other
stiffening, or without; in the former case the bones will cross the seams and so
strengthen and protect them just where the strain in wearing is usually found to
tear them.
The material or cloth of which the corset is made is also on the bias, and so
yields to the figure without splitting.
The seams may slant in either direction at various angles and with any required
number of pieces to form the shape; or the two directions may be combined.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Alfred Young and Robert Neilson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th July 1879.
ROBERT ALFRED YOUNG and ROBERT NEILSON, both of Bristol, in the County of
Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS AND CORSETS."
Our Invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of stays and corsets,
whereby they are rendered much more durable. We will proceed to describe our
Invention with reference to the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 of which shows a
front view and Figure 2 a back view of a pair of stays before the "bones" or other
stiffenings are applied.
"
Our Invention consists in arranging all the seams a of the stay or corset diago-
nally or obliquely (instead of vertically, as usual), so that the strain or tension when
the corset is in wear shall not be in a direction at right angles to the seams, as is
now the case. The stitching is thus relieved of a portion of the strain and the
scams are therefore less liable to split. This Invention may be applied to stays or
corsets made with or without "bones or other stiffening; in the former case, the
"bones" will cross the seams, as indicated by the dotted lines b, and so strengthen
and protect the seams just where the strain in wearing is usually found to tear
them. The "bones" would be contained in sheaths or casings formed by sewing
strips of material to the stays in the ordinary way. The pieces of material or
cloth c of which the corset is made being cut on the bias" yield to the figure
without splitting. The seams a may be in any required number to form the shape,
and they may either slant in the direction shown at the same, or at various angles,
or they may slant in the opposite direction.
"
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The manufacture of stays or corsets, in which the scams that unite the soveral
pieces composing the stay or corset are arranged in a diagonal or oblique direction,
substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Alfred Young and Robert Neilson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
JOHN WOODROFFE CARTER.
ROBERT ALFRED YOUNG. (L.S.)
(L.S.)
ROBERT NEILSON.