Improvements in or relating to Stays, Corsets or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application,. 30th Oct.,.1897
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
•
Improvements in or relating to Stays, Corsets or the like.
I, LILLIE HARRISON, of the Midland Station Hotel, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Manageress, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my improvements in stays, corsets or the like is to provide for the
better support of corpulent persons, so that the stays are not only a great assistance
in holding up the weight of the body but also tend to reduce the corpulency. I
construct my stays corsets or the like of any suitable material or metal as may be
desirable forming a much wider base for the steel or other busks than are already
in use and so gradually taper them upwards to a small point not higher than
the centre of the chest.
The stays or corsets are preferably in two parts laced at the back and fastened
in any convenient manner at the front. The back supports which are preferably
of whalebone run the whole length of the spine and come as far as possible up
the back..
Between the busks and the back supports the stays or corsets are rounded or
shaped to suit the back and hips of the wearer, and from about the middle of the
back downwards lacing, and elastic application is resorted to for the letting out,
tightening in, or the giving and taking according to the motion of the body.
I wish it particularly understood that the stays or corsets are not only laced
or tightened in at the back; but lacing also is adopted about equal distances from
the edge of the back support and the edge of the busk which would then be as
near as possible on the back of the hips and the lacing would taper up towards the
middle of the back.
The intermediate parts are preferably filled in with elastic or any pliable material
so that when laced and fitted they give and take according to the motion of the
wearer.
The aforesaid improvements extend from about the small part of the back and
downwards around the hips to the points of the bottom of the busks. Again if
convenient I arrange any suitable kind of material padded or otherwise to lie
within the whole length of the back supports of the stays or corsets, slightly
stitched or held thereto so that the supports cannot injure the wearer but tend to
benefit; they not only prevent the hurting of the back but also add heat, comfort
and support to a weak one.
The busks are so arranged that studs are preferably rivetted or fastened in with
movable heads' (such as the collar studs which are hinged at the top) and each
head falls in a vertical position; when being placed in its eye after which by the
pressure of the finger it becomes square and thereby fastens the stays.
It is quite understood that the stays or corsets are laced at the back in the

page_text: ordinary manner and also fastened in any suitable manner in front. The usual
shoulder straps and any thing connected with the manufacture of the ordinary
stays or corsets may be adopted for supports or the like if necessary.
Dated this 30th day of October 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Stays, Corsets or the like.
I, LILLIE HARRISON, of the Midland Station Hotel, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Manageress, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in stays, corsets, or the like,-its object
being to provide stays which shall afford support to the body, and at the same
time yield easily to its various movements.
In carrying out this invention the stays are provided with openings between the
busks and the back support, which may be laced or otherwise adjustably fastened.
Elastic, or other yielding material, is preferably inserted on either side of the laced
openings.
By means of these laced openings and the intermediate yielding portions the
stays may be readily adjusted to give support to the body of the wearer, while at
the same time they will yield to the various movements of the body.
The busks are preferably made with a much wider base than is usual in stays
as hitherto constructed, and gradually tapered upwards to a point not higher than
the centre of the chest.
The back supports preferably extend over the whole length of the spine, and
may be padded or lined as desired, to support, and prevent injury to, the back.
It is to be understood that the stays or corsets may be laced at the back and
fastened in the front in the ordinary manner, and shoulder-straps or other fittings
in ordinary use, may be provided on them.
The studs fastening the busks in front are preferably provided with hinged or
movable heads, as in the manner common with various forms of collar studs, so
that after an eyelet has been placed over the head of the stud, the latter may be
turned down, thus securely fastening the stays.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of a pair of stays, according to one construction of this
invention;
Fig. 2 is a back view of the same.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A are busks, provided with fastening studs A¹.
B are back supports, laced as at B¹.
Between the busks A and the back supports B the stays are rounded or shaped as
at C, to suit the back and hips of the wearer.
Tapering openings D are provided on each side of the stays, and these openings
extend approximately to the middle of the back, being adjustably fastened by
means of laces D¹.
Elastic portions E are inserted between the busks A and the laced openings D,
and also between the latter and the back supports B.
It is of course obvious that the laced portions D need not be actual openings, but

page_text: may,
if desired, be filled with some soft material which will not interfere with the
lacing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Stays corsets or the like with a lacing or adjustable fastening situated between
the back supports and the busks substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. Stays corsets or the like with a lacing or adjustable fastening situated between
the back supports and the busks and having elastic or other yielding portions
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The stays or corsets substantially as described or illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
001
P T
1000