Improvements in Chest-expanding Braces.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chest-expanding Braces.
I, ANNIE BLACKBURN, of 45 Blenheim Road, Bradford, in the County of York,
Milliner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that type of chest-expanding braces for
adults and children of both sexes commonly worn to develop the chest and counteract
a tendency to round shoulders, in which straps pass from behind over the shoulders
and back again beneath the arms.
The said straps are both inconvenient and uncomfortable in their present form as
they press upon the least rigid and most vascular part of the chest and shoulder and
by constant wear more or less imbed themselves into the parts, thus in time causing
absolute deformity. The object of my invention is to obviate this tendency.
The said improvements consist in providing a cap or pad upon the front part of
each of the said straps adapted to embrace, overlap or bear upon the front of the
shoulder joint or junction of the arm and shoulder, thereby providing a solid bearing
for the straps and prevent them pushing unduly upon more tender parts.
The said straps are preferably cut or curved so as to closely fit against the figure of
the wearer without puckering.
Dated thio 19th dox of Bahru 1880
DRACUP. & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chest-expanding Braces.
I, ANNIE BLACKBURN, of 5 Bertram Road, Bradford in the County of York,
Milliner, 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 improvement in that type of chest-expanding braces for
adults and children of both sexes commonly worn to develop the chest and counteract
a tendency to round shoulders in which straps pass from behind over the shoulders
and back again beneath the arms.
The said straps are both inconvenient and uncomfortable in their present form as
they press upon the least rigid and tenderest parts of the chest and shoulders and by
constant wear more or less imbed themselves into the parts, thus in time causing
absolute deformity. The object of my invention is to obviate this tendency.
The said improvements consist in providing a cap or pad upon each of the said
straps adapted to embrace, overlap or bear upon the front of the shoulder joint or
junction of the arm and shoulder thereby providing a solid bearing for the strap and
prevent them pressing. unduly upon more tender parts.
In order to fully describe my invention reference is to be had to the accompanying
sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.
Figure 1 represents a back view of a portion of a human figure with my improve-
ments applied. Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
The shoulder braces or straps C pass over the shoulders and back again beneath the
arms in the usual manner, and their ends are secured by the buckles D provided for
the purpose of adjustment. Such straps C are shown connected to a back stay or
support A fixed below to the waist belt B, but it is obvious they may be attached in a
similar manner to ordinary corsets, braces or other suitable support.

page_text: A cap E is fixed to each strap C at the shoulder, thus forming a broad bearing
surface embracing the solid bony parts and preventing such straps pressing unduly
upon the more tender parts. The said caps also keep such straps in position and
prevent them slipping towards the neck.
The straps C are preferably cut or made slightly curved so as to fit closely against
the figure of the wearer without inconvenient or uncomfortable pressure.
Having now particularly 'described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I claim is :
The combination with shoulder braces or straps C, of caps or pads adapted to
embrace or bear upon the solid bony parts of each shoulder, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 19th day of September 1889.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.