IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS, STAYS, PETTICOATS, DRESS IMPROVERS, BELTS, AND MWA Αππτοτ το 20 ADDAREL
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tonkin Cocking, of Penzance, in the
County of Cornwall, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS, STAYS, PETTICOATS, DRESS IMPROVERS, BELTS, AND
MWA
Αππτοτ το 20 ADDAREL.
"
Sealed the 4th June 1872, and dated the 6th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tonkin Cocking
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th December 1871.
I, JOHN TONKIN COCKING, of Penzance, in the County of Cornwall,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS, STAYS, PETTICOATES, DRESS IMPROVERS, BELTS,
AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF APPAREL," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing corsets, stays, petticoats, dress
improvers, supporting bands for the body, and such like articles of
apparel of felt or felted woven fabric in such a way that more substance
may be given to the article of dress wherever desired and afterwards

page_text: stiffening it or any portion of it with a solution similar to that used for
stiffening sheets of felt for making into splints, as described in the Pro-
visional Specification lodged by me on the 6th day of Sept. 1871,
No. 2353.
In some cases also I form the felted fabric of a mixture of wool and
vegetable fibre, such as cotton or jute, in order that the fabric may be
sufficiently porous to admit of respiration. For this purpose I take the
web of wool or mixture of wool and other fibre as it leaves the carding
machine and roll it around moulds corresponding in form to the article
of dress intended to be produced, and at whatever part of the article I
wish to be stronger and heavier as, for example, the back of a corset
I place one or more extra sheets of webbing and consolidate it into the
fabric in the hardening machine and subsequent felting processes, thus
producing a fabric of unequal strength and strongest where strength is
most required. The article thus formed is then stiffened with a solution
of stiffening material, such as before mentioned, and the stiffening is
thinned down with spirit to the strength required for use at the different
parts of the fabric, so that one part of the fabric may if desired be
stiffened more than another. Corsets or stays formed as above described
may be divided into two parts and have ribs carrying catches or
fastenings attached to them in the ordinary manner.
In some cases in order to produce elasticity in one way of the fabric
and rigidity in the other I lay the fibre of the material of which I
form my felt in one direction, not allowing them to cross or recross
themselves.

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Tonkin Cocking, Her special
license that I, the said John Tonkin Cocking, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Tonkin
Cocking, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS, STAYS, PETTICOATS, DRESS
IMPROVERS, BELTS, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF APPAREL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Tonkin Cocking, my executors
or administrators, 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 same 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 John Tonkin Cocking, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention consists in constructing corsets, stays, petticoats,
dress improvers, supporting bands for the body, and such like articles
of apparel or for surgical use of felt or felted woven fabric in such a
way that more substance may be given to the article of dress wherever
desired, and afterwards stiffening it or any portion of it with a solution
similar to that used for stiffening sheets of felt for making into splints,
as described in the Provisional Specification lodged by me on the 6th
day of September 1871, No. 2353.
In some cases also I form the felted fabric of a mixture of wool and
vegetable fibre, such as cotton or jute, in order that the fabric may be
sufficiently porous to admit of respiration. For this purpose I tako
the web of wool or mixture of wool and other fibre as it leaves the
carding machine and roll it around moulds corresponding in form to
the article of dress intended to be produced, and at whatever part of

page_text: the article I wish to be stronger and heavier, as, for example, the back
of a corset, I place one or more extra sheets of webbing and consolidate
it into the fabric in the hardening machine and subsequent felting
processes, thus producing a fabric of unequal strength and strongest.
where strength is most required. The article thus formed is then
stiffened with a solution of stiffening material such as before mentioned,
and the stiffening is thinned down with spirit to the strength required
for use at the different parts of the fabric, so that one part of the fabric
may if desired be stiffened more than another.
Corsets or stays formed as above described may be divided into two
parts, and have ribs carrying catches or fastenings attached to them
in the ordinary manner or as herein-after described.
In some cases in order to produce elasticity in one way of the fabric
and rigidity in the other I lay the fibre of the material of which I
form my felt in one direction, not allowing them to cross or recross
themselves.
In carrying out my Invention I proceed as follows:-I take woollen
together with a small proportion of vegetable fibre (say about th)
properly mixed, and pass it from a carding engine on to perforated
copper moulds of the shape of a corset but much larger. As the layers
of wool are being folded round the revolving mould I insert strips of
woven material of unequal length around the mould and at suitable
distances, more especially at the waist and under the shoulders. Any
open webbing or other open woven fabric which will allow the fibres on
either side of it to felt to one another will answer the purpose. Tho
mould with its covering of fibre and webbing is then taken to the
hardening machine, where additional layers of fibre are added to parts
where more thickness is desired and steam let into it.
movement given to the mould and its cover which felts the substance
to a sufficiently adherent consistency to allow of its being subjected to
the further planking operations which are identical with those at present
.in use for felt and felt hat making.
An oscillating
When the felting processes are completed I steam the felt body on
a block (made in parts so as to be inserted easily), and to stiffen the
parts of the corset which require to be stiffened I apply to them by
the aid of stencil plates a mixture of spirit proofing, such as before
mentioned, and apply it in various strengths to various parts of the

page_text: corset according to the strength desired to be given to such parts. The
corset then goes through the ordinary routine of spirit proofing as is
usual in the manufacture of felt hats, viz., drying, clearing, dyeing,
and such like, and is divided into two parts like the two parts of
ordinary stays, and is blocked ready for the hydraulic pressing machine.
For large size corsets it is better to make each half separately instead
of in one piece and then cutting it in two. The separate pieces are
made in circular pieces, which when cut open will form one half of the
corset, and each piece is blocked after being proofed, dyed, &c. on a
block after the same manner as a felt hat. The dish or mould which
receives the blocked half corset in the hydraulic press is cast from the
block in iron, and has engraved or cut in its interior indentations for
the front fasteners to fall into and for the back supports (and side
supports if any are used). This iron mould being heated and the half
corset being mellowed by heat (dry or steam) it receives the half corset
in it. Hydraulic pressure is then applied by the medium of an india-
rubber bag in the manner adopted by felt hat manufacturers for shaping
felt hats, and the felt is thereby forced into the indentations above-
mentioned, afterwards the india-rubber bag is removed and the fasteners
and bones inserted into the indentations, and a flap of felt left for the
purpose at the two extreme edges of the half corset is turned over on
to them. The pressure is then again applied by the india-rubber bag
and the flap of stiffened felt thereby forced into and on the indentation
and the fasteners and bones. Thus the attaching fasteners and the
moulding of the corset takes place at one and the same time.
Petticoats, dress improvers, belts, spinal corsets, abdominal belts, and
such like articles may in a similar manner be manufactured of felt
stiffened at such parts as are required to be stiffened with a proofing
solution, and moulded to form at the same time that the fastenings
and stiffening ribs are combined with them by means of hydraulic
pressure applied by a flexible bag.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,—
1st. The manufacture of stays, corsets, petticoats, dress improvers,
belts, and such like articles of apparel, substantially as herein described.
2nd. The manufacture of corsets, stays, petticoats, dress improvers,
belts, and such like articles of apparel of felt stiffened where required

page_text: with a solution of hardening material, and moulded to form in an
hydraulic press, substantially as herein described.
3rd. The manufacture of corsets, stays, petticoats, dress improvers,
belts, and such like articles of apparel of felt stiffened at such parts as
require to be stiffened with a solution of hardening material, substan-
tially as herein described.
4th. The manufacture of corsets, stays, petticoats, dress improvers,
belts, and such like articles of apparel of felt, which is made of greater
substance at those parts which require to be made stronger that the
other parts.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tonkin Cocking, have
hereunton set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.