Improvements in Fasteners for Busks and Bodices.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fasteners for Busks and Bodices.
We ERNEST FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WHELAN, of 76 Hillier Road, Wands-
worth Common, in the County of Surrey, Salesman, and MAX ALBERT MOLINEUS,
trading as Molineus & Co., of Barmen, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in fasteners for busks and bodices has for its
object to provide a fastener that can be easily fastened or unfastened and at the
same time perfectly secure when fastened and consists in forming one part as a
split bulb shaped head secured to a suitable base, and the other pert as an eye loop
or ring also secured to a suitable base. In use the head and eye are secured
respectively to the opposite edges to be fastened together and when desired to
fasten the eye is forced over the split head the two parts springing together and as
soon as the eye has passed the head it springs oat again to prevent the eye
accidentally coming off. It can however easily be pulled off.
Dated this 28th day of November 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Fasteners Ior Busks and Bodices.
We, ERNEST FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WHELAN, of 76 Hillier Road, Wands-
worth Common, in the County of Surrey, Salesman, and MAX ALBERT MOLINEUS,
trading as Molineus & Co., of Barmen, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer,
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 for improvements in fasteners for busks and bodices has for its
object to provide a fastener that can be easily fastened or unfastened and at the
same time perfectly secure when fastened, and consists in forming one part as a
series of bulb shaped heads secured to a suitable base and the other part as a
corresponding series of eye loops or rings also secured to a suitable base.
Normally the heads are larger than the eyes and either the heads are split and
adapted to be sprung together to diminish the size, or the eyes are split and the
parts are adapted to be sprung outwards to increase the size. In use the heads
and eyes are secured respectively to the opposite edges to be fastened together
at corresponding distances apart and when desired to fasten the edges together
the heads are inserted into the corresponding eyes, the spring parts allowing of
this insertion, and as soon as each bead has passed through its eye the parts
spring back again to prevent the head and eye becoming accidentally separated;
they can, however, easily be pulled apart.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of a busk fitted with a fastening constructed according to this

page_text: invention and having spring heads and wire eyelets or loops, and Fig. 2 is a
transverse section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the spring head.
Fig. 4 is a front view of one side of a busk carrying the eyelets or loops and
Fig. 5 is a similar view of the other side carrying the spring heads.
Fig. 6 shows in plan a busk fitted with a modifiel construction of fastening in
which, in use, the spring heads are completely enclosed in the eyelets or loops, and
which are fixed behind the spring or steel on to the material of the busk, and
Fig. 7 is a transverse section, and Fig. 8 a back view of the same.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are front view, transverse section and rear view of a busk
fitted with a fastening similar to that shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 but adapted to be
secured on the spring or steel in the edges of the busk.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 show a busk fitted with a modified construction of fastening
having spring loops or eyelets and Fig. 15 is a view of one side of a busk shewing
a strengthening strip for the fold to which the heads are secured, and Fig. 16 is a
similar view of the other side shewing a woven tube to receive the steel or spring
and hold the spring eyelets.
Figs. 17, 18 and 19 shew a modification of the fastening suitable for use when
the edges of the garment to be secured overlap and in place of the ordinary button
fastening.
Fig. 20 is a modification of Fig. 17, the heads being fixed on the side of the
steel instead of in the same.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, one side A of the busk is formed double either by
weaving or by hand, or by sewing so as to form a tube B for the reception of a
steel or spring C. In front of the tube B the double strip is provided with split
bulb shaped heads D secured thereon in any suitable manner preferably by riveting
similar to an ordinary eyelet.
The other side E of the busk is also formed with a tube F arranged on the edge
adjacent to the side A. The steel or spring G is situated in the tube F and also
the inner ends of the wire eyes P which are secured in such a manner that the
ey es project beyond the edge to such an extent that when the two sides of the busk
are brought together the eyes will be exactly over the spring heads D and can be
pressed down upon them to fasten the two parts securely together. As the eyes P
and spring heads D are exactly at the same distance from centre to centre, the
fastening after the first pair have been closed can be effected by holding the two
parts one over the other and by pressing down the eye upon the corresponding
head. The fastening can be unfastened by taking hold of one end of the busk
upon one side with one hand and holding the other in position and pulling the
first side.
The fastening shown in Figs. 6 to 8 is substantially similar to that described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, but the fastening devices and the manner in which
they are carried out are more perfect.
Each side of the busks A and E' are provided with tubes B F which are
adjacent to one another and receive the steels or springs C¹ and G. In this case
the spring heads are in the form of hollow halls having slits in the sides to render
them springy. Upon the left hand side E' the spring heads D are suitably fixed
on the fabric, whilst on the right hand portion A tongues H are attached and
project beyond the edge of the fabric to such an extent that when the edges A' E
meet an eyelet or cap I on the outer end will be exactly over the corresponding
spring head D'. To fasten, the eyelets or caps 1 are pressed upon the spring
heads and the unfastening is effected as previously described.
In the constructional form shown in Figs. 9 to 11 a somewhat modified form of
the busks AF is employed as shown in Fig. 10, and the spring heads D2 and also
the tongues H³ are fastened directly upon the steels C² G2 together with the fabric
and thus require only short, tongues.
The mode of action and manipulation during the fastening and unfastening are
otherwise exactly as before described.

page_text: In all cases the steels or springs C G C G¹ may extend through the entire
length of the busk or only through a portion for example the lower portion of the
bodice.
In the further modification shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 a special woven band
is used for each side of the busk. The left side is a simple band K Fig. 15 having
a thickened strip L for strengthening the folded edge as best shown in Fig. 13 and
to receive and cover the tongues H which support the heads D'.
The band for the reception of the spring eyelets and of the strengthening steel
as shown in Fig. 16 consists of a middle tubular part M and two plain strips N
and N¹ on the left and right hand side of the same. The broader of the two is as
broad as M and N together and as shown in Fig. 13 is folded back upon the other.
To the upper fold, and exactly opposite the woven tube with its steel, are fixed the-
spring eyelets O. Each spring eyelet as shown consists of a ring whose periphery
is U-shaped in cross-section with the opening outwards and having slits S in the
inner portion or eyelet to render it springy. The eyelets receive a strong support
on the steel underneath when the head D³ is pressed upon it.
The mode of application and action is substantially similar to those previously
described.
Another arrangement of fastening suitable for under garments is shown in
Figs. 17, 18 19 and 20 and serves at the same time as a substitute for button
fastenings. To the back of the under edge of the garment a strip R is attached
with or without the stiffening steel upon which the heads S are fixed either on the
side of or in the steel. The heads extend through button holes in the garment T
60 that only the heads are visible on the outside. The upper edge of the garment
which when fastened will overlap the underedge carries the spring eyelets secured
either directly to the garment or preferably with the use of a narrow strip or
band V. The dress may be closed and opened as herein before described for bodices,
corsets and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A fastening for the openings of bodices corsets and similar garments.
consisting of heads fixed at suitable distances apart upon one edge of the opening
in the garment to be fastened and of corresponding eyelets or loops fixed at
corresponding distances apart upon the other edge of the opening, the heads or
eyes being adapted to spring to alter their size and the heads and eyes being so
arranged that when the heads are inserted into the eyes the edges of the garment
meet together and are perfectly secured substantially as described.
2. The fastenings for the openings of bodices, corsets and similar garments,
substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, or to
Figs. 6 to 8, or to Figs. 9 to 11, or to Figs. 12 to 16, or to Figs. 17 to 20 of the
drawings.
Dated this 5th day of June 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.