IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORSETS OR STAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, of the Firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORSETS OR STAYS."-A communication from
abroad by Leontine Marie Guillot, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 23rd July 1869, and dated the 3rd February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clinton Edgcumbe
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd February 1869.
I, CLINTON EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORSETS OR STAYS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in employing in corsets or stays, instead of
the ordinary full body of stuff, an openwork of tapes or ribbons laced
or crossed over each other, and over or at the back of the covering of
the bones or stays which form the frame of the corset, such ribbons or

page_text: 'tapes being crossed vertically and horizontally or diagonally, as required.
The ribbons or tapes are firmly stitched together at their intersections
with each other and with the covering of the bones. This stitching may
be performed whilst the stays are on the form or block by which they
are to be shaped, but in some cases the tapes are attached together
temporarily by means of spring clips, or otherwise, whilst on the form,
and the stitching performed after removal.
The advantages of these stays are lightness, pliability, and facility for
allowing the escape of perspiration.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CLINTON
EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company,
of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suo-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman,
Her special licence that I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORSETS
OR STAYS," (a communication from abroad by Leontine Marie Guillot, of
Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in employing in corsets or stays, instead of
the ordinary full body of stuff, an openwork of tapes or ribbons laced
or crossed over each other, and over or at the back of the covering of
the bones, stays, or uprights which form the frame of the corset, such
ribbons or tapes being crossed vertically and horizontally or diagonally
as required. The ribbons or tapes are firmly stitched together at their
intersections with each other and with the covering of the bones. This
stitching may be performed whilst the stays are on the form or block by
which they are to be shaped, but in some cases the tapes are attached
together temporarily by means of spring clips, or otherwise, whilst on
the form, and the stitching performed after removal.
The advantages of these stays are lightness, pliability, and facility for
allowing the escape of perspiration.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows one of the improved
corsets or stays. One of its sides, marked A, is shown formed with
horizontal tapes or ribbons a, which are crossed or laced with the bones
or uprights forming the body of the corset, while the other side B is
shown formed with tapes or ribbons 6 crossed or laced obliquely; but
it should be understood that in the same corset only one system of lacing
or crossing will be used. The horizontal tapes a or the oblique tapes b,
as the case may be, are attached to the bones or uprights or to their
coverings c of the corset. Each point of intersection is firmly sewn
together upon a form or mould in such a manner that when all the
points of intersection are attached the corset can be lifted from the
form or mould and receive any finishing or embellishment which may
be necessary.
At Figure 2 are shown the spring clips d which may in some cases
be used in making the stays or corset. When these spring clips are
used the bones or uprights and the tapes or ribbons are attached by
their means, so that the stays or corset may be removed from the mould

page_text: or form without any sewing having been necessary. The points of
intersection of the tapes or ribbons and of the bones or uprights have
only now to be sewn together to finish the making of the corset or
stays.
It is of course open to the Inventor to employ tapes or ribbons of
elastic fabrics, as may be desirable, for certain portions of the corset in
order to give case to the movements of the body.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. The manufacture of stays or corsets with an openwork of
tapes or ribbons instead of the ordinary full body of stuff or fabric,
substantially as herein-before described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Secondly. The disposition of the tapes or ribbons of ordinary or
elastic stuff or fabric attached to the bones or uprights, or their
coverings, and at their points of intersection, by sewing, so as to form
an openwork of square, lozenge, or rectangular shapes, substantially
as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The manufacture or putting together of these improved
corsets or stays upon a form or mould and by means of the spring clips,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of August One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.