AN IMPROVED CONTRIVANCE FOR DISTENDING THE SKIRTS OF LADIES' DRESSES AND PRESERVING THE REQUIRED FORM AND SHAPE THEREOF
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Forfar Osman, of 33, Essex Street, Strand,
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
CONTRIVANCE FOR DISTENDING THE SKIRTS OF LADIES' DRESSES AND
PRESERVING THE REQUIRED FORM AND SHAPE THEREOF."-A communication.
5
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by tho said Henry Forfar Osman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
FORFAR OSMAN, of 33, Essex Street, Strand, County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Ierself, !ler heirs and successors, give and graut unto me, the said
Henry Forfar Osman, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Forfar
Osman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Forfar Osman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
CONTRIVANCE FOR DISTENDING THE SKIRTS OF LADIES' DRESSES AND PRESERVING THE
REQUIRED FORM AND SHAPE THEREOF," a communication, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Forfar Osman, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the samo was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Forfar Osman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
bo performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in so adapting the upper ends of three or more strips
of spring steel of suitable width, length, and thickness, and bent as required, that
when drawn into the waist the pressure there will cause their lower or pending
portions to spring proportionally off, and to carry with them a light flexible
framework of any desired shape, as the following description and accompanying.
Drawings will explain, the several parts of each Figure being marked with
similar letters of reference.
Figure 1 represents a profile view of the article covered, trimmed, and fit
for use. Figure 2 shews a back view of the skeleton of No. 1, without
trappings. a, a, a', shew the three pending steel springs; b, b, the spiral
springs; c, c, c, the holdfasts thereof; d, d, d, the framework; e, the girdle.
Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 2.
middle steel spring in a relaxed state.
with their doubled-up supporting spiral
Figure 7 is the detached spiral spring.
frame of the contrivance, supported by a girdle, and descends from the edge to
Figure 4 shews a profile view of the
Figures 5 & 6 are two outside springs
springs for increasing their elasticity.
Figure 8 shews the stay or holdfast

page_text: the fall of the loins. Figure 9 are three whalebone springs which form
horizontal portions of the framework, and extend to about two-thirds round tho
body, as seen in Figures 2 & 3. Figures 10 are whalebone springs to form
the perpendicular portions of the framework, four on either side.
The following description of the manner of constructing this contrivance is
proceeded with as takes place in their manufacture.
The three springs, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, & 6, are made of clock-spring
steel, and varying in width, thickness, and length, according to circumstances;
but usually the middle one is from an inch to an inch and a quarter wide, and
about two feet six inches long, and the other two somewhat narrower and
shorter, and all of the usual clock-spring thickness. The middle spring of the
three is simply turned at its upper end, and secured by means of wire or thick
thread to the holdfast, but each of the other two is supported at its upper end
by the extremity of a spiral spring, the other end of the spiral spring being
fixed to the holdfast; thus prepared, they are secured into the stay or holdfast
frame, as shewn in Figure 8.
The elastic framework being suitably formed, is fixed by means of fine wire
or coarse thread to the three said descending springs, leaving about six or
eight inches below its lowest band free and unconfined. The whole is then
covered with any suitable material, and trimmed to the wearer's taste.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I claim, as the Invention, the
adoption of long pending steel springs attached at their upper ends in the
manner berein-before described, with their extremities extending free and
unconfined below the framework, as aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Forfar Osman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
HEN F. OSMAN. (L.S.)