IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Champness, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CORSETS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Champness at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th April 1878...
WILLIAM CHAMPNESS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS."
The object of this Invention is to manufacture corsets for ladies' wear, possessing.
in an increased degree the qualities of durability, case, and comfort, together with
warmth to the loins, and at the same time allowing of free ventilation at the waist,
so essential to ladies who wear tight-fitting corsets.
.
The Invention consists principally in the introduction into the corset of a straight
belt of webbing, about three inches wide (more or less), running horizontally round.
the waist, and neither covered nor lined so as to admit of free ventilation. The
upper and lower portions of the corset (which may be of any suitable fabric) are
each made in one piece cut to the proper form to give the required curves, so that
each side of the corset is formed of three pieces joined together by two horizontal
seams, and without any vertical seams whatever, the strips to hold the whalebones
being sewn on afterwards.
This introduction of a webbing belt prevents the corset from stretching, at the
same time that it gives greater ease and comfort, and allows of free ventilation.
The webbing may be made of cotton, wool,-or-other-suitable material or mixture
of materials, as may be preferred; or a belt of any other suitable fabric may be used,
provided that the material is porous, flexible, and non-elastic.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Champness in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
October 1878.
WILLIAM CHAMPNESS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORSETS."
"IMPROVE-
The object of this Invention is to manufacture corsets for ladies' wear, possessing
in an increased degree the qualities of durability; case, and comfort, together with
warmth to the loins, and at the same time allowing of free ventilation at the waist,
so essential to ladies who wear tight-fitting corsets.
The Invention consists principally in the introduction into the corset of a straight
belt of webbing, about three inches wide (more or less), running horizontally round
the waist, and neither covered or lined so as to admit of free ventilation.
The upper and lower portions of the corset (which may be of any suitable fabric)
are each made in one piece, cut to the proper form to give the required curves, so
that each side of the corset is formed of three pieces to each side, joined together by
two horizontal scams, and without any vertical seains whatever, the strips to hold
the whalebones being sewn on afterwards.
This introduction of a webbing belt prevents the corset from stretching, at the
same time that it gives greater ease and comfort, and allows of free ventilation.
The webbing may be made of cotton, wool, or other suitable inaterial or mixture
of materials, as may be preferred; or a belt of any other suitable fabric may be used,
provided that the material is porous, flexible, and non-elastic.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention I will now proceed to describe
inore in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood I have
annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the
same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is the diagram showing the form of the
pieces required to make a corset according to my Invention; and Fig. 2 represents
a corset complete.
The three pieces shown in Fig. 1 must be cut in duplicate, reversed, the particular
pieces a, a, b, b*, and c, c*, being those required to make the right-hand half of
the corset.
Fig. 2, the parts a, b, c, forming the front, and the parts a*, bx, cx, forming the
back thereof; b, b, is the straight belt of webbing or other porous, flexible, and non-
elastic material; the strips d, d, to hold the whalebones, are sewn on after the three
pieces a, b, c, are joined together, as shown at Fig. 2.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention the
manufacture of corsets for ladies' wear in the manner herein-before more particularly
described, and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Champness, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.