Improvements in Bones" for Stays, Corsets, Dress and Habit Bodies.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
66
Improvements in Bones" for Stays, Corsets, Dress and Habit
Bodies.
I, LEETHEM REYNOLDS, of Highland House, Mile End, Portsmouth, in the
County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
According to this invention I construct each "bone" for a stay corset dress and
habit body of three or more narrow ribbons of very thin sheet steel hardened and
tempered.
To obtain the necessary flexibility it is essential that each steel ribbon should be
extremely thin in order to obviate all risk of its acquiring any permanent set or
bend and then in order to obtain the requisite strength three or more such ribbons
must be held together one over the other to form each bone.
The steel ribbons so placed together one over the other 1 secure together at one
end only preferably by rivetted eyelets.
I also in some cases in order to obtain great strength together with lightness
make the narrow ribbons successively shorter and shorter in length. The one next
to the shortest extending somewhat beyond each of its ends, the third extending
beyond each end of the second and so on.
The two outermost ribbons might if desired be of the same length.
By making "bones" for stays or corsets in the above way the "bones" may be
made stronger and far more flexible and less liable to acquire any permanent set
or bend than "bones" made from any of the materials heretofore used for the
purpose.
Dated this 10th day of April 1894.
Improvements in "Bones" for Stays, Corsets, Dress and Habit
Bodies.
1, LEETHEM REYNOLDS, of Highland House, Mile End, Portsmouth, in the
County of Hants, 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 :-
"
According to this invention I construct each "bone for a stay, corset, dress
and habit body of three or more narrow ribbons of very thin sheet steel hardened
and tempered.
To obtain the necessary flexibility it is essential that each steel, ribbon should be
extremely thin in order to obviate all risk of its acquiring any permanent set or
bend and then in order to obtain the requisite strength three or more such ribbons
must be held together one over the other to form each bone.
The steel ribbons so placed together one over the other I secure together at one
end only preferably by rivetted eyelets or like fastenings.

page_text: I also in some cases in order to obtain great strength together with lightness
make the narrow ribbons successively shorter and shorter in length, and to extend
one beyond the other so that at the centre there are several ribbons one over the
other and at the end but few ribbons or a single ribbon.
may be
The two outermost ribbons might if desired be of the same length.
By making "bones" for stays or corsets in the above way the "bones
made stronger and far more flexible and less liable to acquire any permanent set or
bend than "bones' made from any of the materials heretofore used for the
purpose.
"
The drawings annexed show examples of "bones" formed in the above manner.
Figure 1 shows a face view and Figure 1 an edge view of one example in which
three ribbons of three different lengths are connected end to end, the longest and
medium lengths being connected together at one end and the opposite end of the
medium length being connected to one end of the shortest length, this latter length
lying between the two others.
Figure 1B shows the ribbons bent somewhat apart from one another so that the
construction can be better seen.
Each ribbon has cemented to it a covering of paper or other suitable substance
impregnated with waterproofing material or they are otherwise protected from
liability to rust, the ends of the ribbons are held together by thin metal clamping
pieces a of U shape in cross section. The ends of the ribbons are slidden in to
these clamping pieces and then the clamping pieces are flattened down upon them
and made to grip and hold them firmly. The free ends of the ribbons have a
clamping piece a similarly applied to them so as to blunten them and prevent
them cutting into the fabric of any article of dress to which they may be applied.
Figure 2 shows another example in which four ribbons of different lengths are
connected end to end.
Figure 3 shows an example of five ribbons.
Figures 4 and 44 show an example in which the ribbons are connected one with
another by rivetted eyelets.
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 that what I
claim is :-
1. Abone" for stays or corsets dress or habit bodies composed of three or
more thin ribbons of spring steel each secured to another at one end only
substantially as described.
2. A "bone" for stays or corsets dress or habit bodies composed of three or
more thin ribbons of spring steel each secured to another at one end only and of
different lengths extending one beyond the other so that at the centre there are
several ribbons one over the other and at the ends but two ribbous or a single
ribbon.
3. "Bones" for stays or corsets dress or habit bodies constructed substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 8th day of January 1895.
LEETHEM REYNOLDS.