Improvements in Dress Stays.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dress Stays.
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I, LUCIAN FLANDERS HOWE, of 133 Spring Street, New York, in the State
of New York, United States of America, Merchant, 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 :-
Dress stays are now formed, ordinarily, of one or more
"steels or. "bones
inserted in a suitable covering. Where two steels are used, it is customary to form
two independent parallel pockets therefor in the covering. My invention relates
specifically to this form of stay and is especially intended for those in which the
covering is woven. The object of the invention is to more safely secure the steels
in the covering, prevent any longitudinal movement of one steel on the other, and
protect and strengthen the ends of the stays.
To this end, my improved dress-stay consists in a plurality of steels enclosed
(preferably in separate pockets) in a suitable covering and having U-shaped guards
which pass through the covering near its ends and embrace the ends of the steels
and are held in place by suitable eyelets or rivets and protected by suitable satine
or other flexible end pieces.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which form
Specification:-
a part of this
Figure 1 is a front view of one of my improved dress-stays, partly broken away
to show the interior construction.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are front views of one end of the stay showing three steps in
the process of construction.
Figure 6 is a face view of the blank for the metal stirrup.
Figure 7 is an edge view of the stirrup.
1,1 are two plain "steels" of suitable material, inclosed in pockets in a fabric
sheath or covering 2. They are held apart by eyelets 5 and from relative end wise
movement by metal stirrups 3, applied in the manner hereinafter described.
The covering 2 is made of greater length than the steels and has a transverse
slot 6 (see Figure 3) near each end and immediately adjacent to the ends of the
steels 1, 1 when they are placed in their pockets in covering 2.
The metal
stirrups 3 are slipped into these slots as shown in Figure 4 and a satine or
equivalent fabric end-piece 4, is then put on and fastened as shown in Figure 5
by the eyelet 5 which passes through the fabric end piece, through the stirrup 3
and covering 2 and between the steels 1, 1. The parts are thus held firmly together
and, by reason of the extension of the covering 2 beyond the stirrup 3, a cushion
of fabric is provided between the ends of the steels and the fabric and piece 4 which
adds to the life of the stay. In Figures 6 and 7 the steps of making the stirrup
are illustrated. The stirrup is first formed in the flat blank shown in Figure 6,
with roughnesses or serrations, and is then bent up to the Uform shown in
Figure 7.
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 :-
:-
A dress stay comprising a plurality of steels 1, 1, a fabric covering 2, longer
than said steels, and having slots 6 near their ends metal stirruns 2 2 naggina

page_text: through said slots and embracing said steels, fabric end pieces 4, and eyelets,
passing through the end pieces stirrups and covering and between said steels,
substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of January 1895.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.