A New or Improved Lever Fastening for Corsets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept.. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Lever Fastening for Corsets.
ALLAN MURRAY AYLES, of 261 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, in the Colony
of Victoria, Gas Engineer, "A NEW OR IMPROVED LEVER FASTENING FOR
CORSETS."
My invention consists essentially in making a lever fastening which can be easily
operated for the purpose of obtaining a leverage upon corsets in order to tighton
them
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the figure of the wearer.
My lever fastening when arranged in the manner hereinafter described is for
the purpose of drawing the two front portions of the corset together, and also for
strengthening said portions when fastened.
My invention which is made to form part of the corset is applicable to either
that class of corset which is provided with spoon shaped busks or to those with straight
busks, the same result in either case being obtained.
But in order that my invention may be better understood I will now refer to the
accompanying sheet of drawings which are to be taken as part of this specification
and read therewith.
Figure 1, is an elevation of a corset illustrating its two front portions, termed
the busks, closed or drawn together by means of my lever fastening.
Figure 2, illustrates the front of the corset opened and ready to be closed by the
lever fastening which is shewn arranged horizontally.
Figure 3, also represents the front of the corset opened, but without the lever
fastening which is omitted in order to illustrate the position of the neutral fulcrum
or pivot upon which it turns.
Figure 4, is a front elevation of the fastening, whilst,
Figure 5, is an end elevation of Figure 4.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they
occur in the several views.
In the Figures 1 and 2, (a) is the corset. (b) and (c) are the two ordinary spoon
shaped busks. There are six iron or steel studs securely riveted to, and projected
from the outer face of said busks, and the two studs (d) and (e) are termed the
upper locking studs, whilst the two lettered (f) and (9) are termed the lower
locking studs. The remaining two studs are represented by (/) and (i); the
stud (h) acts as the neutral fulcrum or pivot for the fastening, whilst the other
stud () is the medium against which said fastening operates as the two busks are
being drawn together when tightening the corset upon the figure. Said studs (/)
and are provided respectively with washers (j) and (4) which form seats for my
lever fastening.
The studs before mentioned are each made with a button-shaped head, and a
plain shank with a reduced end which is riveted upon the inner side of said busks
and is hidden from view by the latter being afterwards lined with the ordinary
material.
(2) is the lever fastening which constitutes my invention. It consists of a pliable
piece of flat spring steel which is made of the same length as or shorter than the
busks, and is carried by the stud (h).
Care should be taken so as to have the fulcrum or pivot (h) near one side of the
fastening and the distance between the said pivot h, and the tail end of the curved slot
hereinafter mentioned should correspond with the distance between the studs (h)
and () when the corset is closed.
(m) is the aforesaid curved slot formed in the said lever (1) for the purpose of
engaging the stud (i). This slot which is two and half inches or thereabouts in length
takes the form of a gradual curve from a point opposite to the neutral pivot (h)
carrying the fastening, and extends across the latter as shewn at Figure 2.

page_text: There are two perforations (n) and (o) having each two slotted sides similar to (p)
and (7) made near each end of said steel strip for the purpose of fastening the upper
and lower ends of the lever (l) with the locking studs which are projected from the
aforesaid busks.
The mode of operating, and action of my fastening are as follows:-
The corset (a) is first arranged in position upon the figure of the wearer, then the
fastening () is set horizontally as shewn at Figure 2, when so set it is supported only
by its neutral fulcrum or pivot (h). The wearer now moves the upper and lower ends
of fastening (1) with both hands in the direction for closing. It is by moving the
fastening (7) to a vertical position that the desired leverage is obtained. This is
effected by means of the stud (i) working in, and engaging with the curved slot (m).
When the fastening (1) assumes the vertical position, the upper studs (d) and (e) as
also the lower studs (f) and (g) are slipped into the perforations (n) and (o), the
corset then slackens slightly which has the effect of allowing the four studs (d), (e),
(f) and (g) to slide into the side slots (p) and (y) of each of the perforations (n)
and (o). It is in this way that the upper and lower ends of fastening are locked as
shewn at Figure 1.
For the purpose of releasing the fastening (1) so as to undo the corset it is only
necessary to move the studs (d), (e); (f) and (g) towards the perforations (n) and (0),
and then slip them through the latter."
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my said invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The combination and arrangement with a corset such as herein described, of a
lever fastening (1) carried by a fulcrum or pivot (h) and made with a curved slot (m)
to engage with the stud (i) and also made with perforations (n) and (o) having
slotted sides (p) and (9) for the purpose of fastening and locking with the upper and
lower studs (d), (e), (f) and (y) respectively, substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated in my drawings.
Dated this 14th day of August 1890.