Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1889
I, WILLIAM SPARKS THOMSON of 48 Old Bailey in the City of London, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
--
My invention relates to bustles or dress improvers of that kind or class which are
so constructed as to close up or collapse easily from pressure when the wearer sits
down or from any similar cause, and which expand so as to assume their normal
configuration when the pressure is removed.
The main object of my said invention is to provide a contrivance intended to act
as a bustle or dress improver to be worn by ladies that shall be extremely collapsible
and adapted to allow the wearer to sit down without in any way damaging the said
bustle or dress improver by crushing or otherwise putting it out of its proper shape,
and that will spring back instantly into its former position when the wearer rises, thus
restoring the drapery of the dress to the distended condition which is the primary
object for which the said bustles or dress improvers are worn. My improved bustle
or dress improver is also light and simple in construction and comprises other
improvements hereinafter set forth.
According to my said invention I provide a side frame of wire made of steel or any
other suitable material. The distending portion of the said bustle or dress improver
consists of ribs and cross pieces of steel wire wound upon a core of cotton or other
suitable material in a peculiar manner, that is to say, five or other suitable number of
convolutions are wound together or in close proximity to each other upon the said
core thus forming spiral springs. The ribs and cross pieces are preferably fastened
to the frame of the bustle or dress improver by means of the wire above described,
and the ribs and cross pieces are also fastened to each other by pieces of the said
wire. The distending portion of the bustle is either formed of ribs and cross pieces
stayed or strengthened where necessary by further pieces of the same material or it

page_text: may be formed of ribs having cross pieces interwoven with the same or vice versa.
The interwoven portion of the said bustle or "dress improver is in some instances so
arranged as to form a series of rings of the same, or varying diameters. The wire
wound upon the hereinbefore mentioned core, of which the said distending portion of
the bustle or dress improver is formed is preferably nickel plated so as to improve its
appearance and prevent it from rusting.
My improved bustle or dress improver is provided with a belt of wide tape, ribbon
or any suitable material for attaching the same to the wearer. The side frame is
moreover in some instances covered with chamois leather, as well as with an outer
casing of linen or other textile material, this obviating the chance of any of the
extremities of the wires piercing the said linen or other casing. Suitable straps and
buckles are also provided for adjusting the shape of the back of the frame of that
portion of the said bustle or dress improver that rests against the body of the wearer
according to the taste of the said wearer.
Although I bave hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying my said invention into practice, it is obvious that I can somewhat modify
the construction of my improved bustle or dress improver without in any way
departing from the nature of my said invention. For instance I can dispense with
the herein before mentioned core, or I can so construct the said bustle or dress improver
that the ribs and cross pieces shall be composed of one, two or other small number of
lengths of wire spring) with or without the herein beforementioned core. The dis-
tending part of the bustle or dress improver can moreover in some instances be
covered with some suitable material.
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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An Improved Bustle or Dress Improver.
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I-WILLIAM SPARKS, THOMSON of 48, Old Bailey, in the City of London, 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:
5 My invention relates to bustles or dress improvers and is designed to improve the
construction of the 'same...
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1.1
...
My said invention' relates more especially to bustles for dress, improvers' of nthat
kind or class so constructed that they close up or collapse easily from pressure when
the wearer sits down or from any similar, cause, and, expand so as to assume, their
O normal configuration when the said pressure is removed.
... 募
The main feature of 'my said invention consists in making the ribs or cross-pieces
which form the distending portion of the bustle or dress improver of a core of cotton
or other suitable material having wound or coiled thereon steel or other wire.
In the accompanying drawing I havel shown how my saide invention can be
5 conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation and..
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing one form of my improved bustle or dress
improver.
Figure 3 is a portion of figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale showing a detail of
20 construction.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
The distending portion of the said bustle or dress improver consists of ribs and
cross pieces a formed preferably of steel or other wire a wound upon a core a? of
cotton or other suitable material in a peculiar manner, that is to say, five six or other
25 suitable number of convolutions of the said wire a¹ are wound together or in close
proximity to each other upon the said core a thus forming spiral springs as more
clearly shown in Figure 3. The ribs and cross pieces a are preferably fastened to the
side or frame 6 of the bustle or dress improver by means of the wire above described,
and the ribs and cross pieces a are also fastened to each other by means of the said
30 coils or convolutions of wire a¹. The distending portion of the bustle is either inter-
woven as shown or it may be formed of ribs and cross pieces stayed or strengthened
where necessary by further pieces of the same material. The wire wound upon the
herein before mentioned core, of which the said distending portion of the bustle or dress
improver is formed is preferably nickel plated so as to improve its appearance and
3 prevent it from rusting.
My improved bustle or dress improver is provided with a belt c of wide tape, ribbon
or any suitable material for attaching the same to the wearer. The side frame is
moreover in some instances covered with chamois leather, as well as with an outer
casing of linen sor other textile material, thus obviating the chance of any of the
10 extremities of the-wires piercing the said linen or other casing. d are pieces of-tape or.
7

page_text: other material provided for adjusting the shape of the back of the frame or that portion
of the said bustle or dress improver that rests against the body of the wearer. Suitable
straps and buckles are in some instances provided for the same purpose.
I thus provide a contrivance intended to act as a bustle or dress improver to be worn
by ladies, that is extremely collapsible and adapted to allow the wearer to sit down
without in any way damaging the said bustle or dress improver by crushing or other-
wise putting it out of its proper shape, and that springs back into its former position
when the wearer rises, thus restoring the drapery of the dress to the distended
condition which is the primary object for which the said bustles or dress improvers
are worn.
My improved bustle or dress improver is also light and simple in construction.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying my said invention into practice, it is obvious that I can somewhat modify the
construction of my improved bustle or dress improver without in any way departing
from the nature of iny said invention. For instance I can dispense with the herein-
before inentioned. core, or I can so construct the said bustle or dress improver that
the ribs and cross pieces shall be composed of one, two or other small number of lengths
of wire spring with or without the hereinbefore mentioned core. The distending part
i of the bustle or dress improver can moreover.in some instances be covered with some
suitable material.
+
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
First. A bustle or dress improver in which the ribs or cross pieces forming the
'distending portion are composed of a core of cotton or other suitable material with
steel or other wire wound or coiled upon the same for the purpose above specified.
Second. The improved bustle or dress improver substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of Jane 1880