A NEW AND USEFUL GARMENT FOR LADIES' WEAR, BEING A COMBINED DRESS, WAIST OB BODY, AND A SKIRT-SUPPORTER AND BUSTLE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Deidamia B. Hale, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "A NEW AND
USEFUL GARMENT FOR LADIES' WEAR, BEING A COMBINED DRESS, WAIST OB
BODY, AND A SKIRT-SUPPORTER AND BUSTLE."-Partly a communication
from Albert W. Hale, of New York aforesaid.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Deidamia B. Hale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th July 1859.
I, DEIDAMIA B. IIALE, of the City and State of New York, in the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
NEW AND USEFUL GARMENT FOR LADIES' WEAR, BEING A COMBINED DRESS, WAIST
OR BODY, AND A SKIRT-SUPPORTER AND BUSTLE," to be as follows, to be as follows:-
The object and design of such Invention is to construct and provide an
article of dress for ladies' wear which shall be a suppot for the lower garments
or skirts, and which at the same time shall prevent them from bearing and
resting upon the abdomen and hips, and shall also cause them to be entirely
supported from and by the shoulders, securing also a smooth and tasteful fit
to the dress without the necessity of stays or stiffeners.
My Invention consists in combining with an ordinary dress or body made
either with or without stays or stiffners, according to the preference of the

page_text: wearer, a skirt-supporter, which is nade by expanding and extending downward
such waist or body, and inserting therein or attaching thereto a number of
entire hoops or circles, or their equivalents, such hoops increasing in size and
so arranged and connected that they also secure the objects and ends of a
bustle. The waist or body is made to fit the form of the wearer, and should
be loose enough to allow of free and easy movement of the body, but
should fit smoothly; such waist or body is also so cut and made as to pass
over the shoulders, such parts passing over the shoulders being in fact a part
of the body or waist, and made higer or lower as desired, and may be so
made as not to interfere with low-necked dresses; the parts thus passing over
the shoulders support both the waist itself and also any garments or skirts
which may be attached to or placed over it, and prevent them from resting
upon and being down on the hips and lower part of the body. Such waist or
body, as before stated, does not terminate at the line of the waist, but is
expanded according to the form of the wearer, and extends downwards far
enough to receive from four to six or more hoops; this expanded part is
tightly fastened to or made a part of the waist or body proper, and the
arrangement of the hoops therein is such as to sustain or bear up the skirts
that may be placed over them, and thus provent them from resting upon and
bearing down upon the form. The upper hoop should be quite near the
smallest diameter of the waist, and should be about 2 inches larger in diameter
than the smallest diameter of such waist; the second hoop should be some-
what larger and the space between the first and the waist proper; the other
hoops also increase in size and distance. The increase of such hoops will,
however, vary somewhat according to the different forms of individuals. They
should, however, so increase in size as to furnish a suppot for and bear up the
skirts over them, or, in other words, they should be so arranged and graduated
that they shall stand out from the form instead of resting upon it. Such
hoops are to be fastened together by a slide, or in any convenient and secure
manner, so that these hoops will form entire and complete circles, and thus form
and maintain a shield-like protection or guard over the person, entirely encircling
the form. As a natural result of such arrangement, the body is relieved from
all pressure & weight and undue warmth from the garments. These hoops
may be inserted in the expanded part, or a skeleton of hoops may be attached
thereto, the hoops being fastened together, and being entire circles, the natural
hang of the skirts or garments over them causes such hoops to stand out or away
from the form, more behind than in front, and thus produce the bustle. The
waist or body and its extension may be buttoned or laced in whole or in part,
and in front or at the back, as prefered. Such waist or body may also be made

page_text: without any stays or stiffeners, or may be made with them as ordinary corset
bodies. When, however, made without any such stays, the natural weight of
the skirts, &c., upon the hoops will have the effect of giving a smooth nice fit to
the dress, equally as well as if stays were made use of. The hoops are to be con-
nected or fastened together by means of a catch or slide at each end, which
allows the other end to be slid or pushed into it, and which can be easily de-
tached or unfastened, so that the garment can be readily taken off; and also so
that the hoops can be easily removed, and the garment washed and cleansed when-
ever occasion requires. This garment does not interfere with nor is it dependant
upon any fashion, and can be adopted to snall skirts as well as to large ones,
and is useful and convenient as a skirt-supporter under all circumstances, and
whether hooped or other skirts are worn. The arrangement made use of so
that the hoops can be easily and quickly fastened and unfastened, and by which
also they will be held together, is substantially as follows:-To cach end of the
hoop is fixed a little hollow cap or slide, into which the other end of the hoop
enters, and by which it is held; such cap or slide is fastened on the outside of
the hoop at one end and on the inside at the other, so that when the two ends
of the hoop are brought together each end will pass into the cap on the other
end; the spring or curve of the hoop also assists in holding the hoop together,
and does not interfere with easy and quick disconnection.
What is claimed is the construction of a garment substantially as de-
scribed, being a combined waist or body and a skirt-supporter and bustle,
such skirt-supporter being firmly attached to the waist or body, and supported
from it & being fitted with entire hoops or circles, substantially as described.
The arrangement or device of fastening such hoops together or upon each
others, substantially as described, is also claimed as new.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Deidamia B. Hale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DEIDAMIA
B. HALE, of the of the City and State of New York, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, A.D. 1859, in the twenty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto me, the said Deidamia B. Hale, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Deidamia B. Hale, 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 "A NEW AND USEFUL GARMENT FOR LADIES'
WEAR, BEING A COMBINED DRESS, WAIST OR BODY, AND A SKIRT-SUPPORTER AND
BUSTLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Deidamia B.
Hale, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and 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 Deidamia B. Hale, 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to
the letters of reference marked thereon, and making a part of this Specification.
The design and object of this Invention is to construct and provide an s
article of dress for ladies' wear which shall be a complete support for the skirts
and lower garments, preventing them from resting and bearing down upon
upon the abdomen, hips, &c., and causing them to be supported from and by
the shoulders, and at the same time securing a smooth and tasteful fit to the
dress, without the necessity of any stays or stiffeners in such waist or body.
The said Invention consists in combining with or attaching to an ordinary
dress, waist or body, of any description, a skirt-supporter, which is made by
expanding and extending downwards such waist or body, and inserting therein
or attaching thereto a number of hoops or entire circles of increasing size or
length, which expanded part and its circles may also be shaped as to perform S
the office of the ordinary bustle.
Fig. 1 is a front view of such garment; Fig. 2 is a back view of the same;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the sunie; Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7, are views of the circles
and the manner of fastening them. The waist or body A is made to fit the
body of the wearer, and should, for health's sake, be so loose as to allow of free 3
and unconstrained movement and turning of the body, but at the same time
be tight enough so as to fit smoothly, and thus cause the dress worn over it to
be free from folds or wrinkles, &c. Such body is also so cut and made as to
pass over and rest upon the shoulders as at a, a, and may be made as high-

page_text: necked as desired, or may be as low as not to interfere with low-necked
dresses and still have the parts passing over the shoulders support the body A,
and any garments placed over it without harm or discomfort from such
garments resting and pressing upon the abdomen and hips. Instead of this
part of the dress terminating at or about the line of the waist, it is expanded
and continued downward as shewn at B, far enough to recieve from four to
six or more hoops 6, 61, 62, &c. Such part B forms a part of or is tightly
fastened to A, so that the skirts and lower garments placed over such expanded
part will draw or bear down upon the body A, and with it have support from
the shoulders by means of the parts a, a.
This connection of the parts A and
B, and the arrangement of the hoops in B, have the effect to prevent the
skirts and lower garments from bearing and resting upon the abdomen,
hips, &c. The first or upper hoop b, is placed quite near the smallest diameter
of the waist body A, and should be about two inches larger than in diameter
than such diameter of A. The second hoop 61, should be somewhat larger
than the first one, and the space between the two b, and 61, may be also more
than that between the part A, and the hoop b. The other hoops 62, 63, also
increase in size and in the distance between each other. Such hoops will not
however increase according to any fixed proportion, their proportionate increase
depending somewhat upon the form of the wearer, but they should so increase
as to form or make a support for the skirts and keep them from bearing on the
person; that is, such hoops should be so proportioned and arranged that they
shall stand out from the body instead of resting upon it. This end is secured
by causing the hoops to be supported from a fixed part or place, the body A,
and by increasing their relative size as described, and also by having the hoops
extend entirely around the body, such hoops being connected together in the
manner hereafter described, so that they will form entire and complete circles
and thus make a shield-like protection or guard over the person. Such hoops
may be inserted in the part B, or may be in skeleton form and firmly attached
to or supported by the body A, as will be at once apparent from the foregoing
description, if the lower garments or skirts are placed over the body A, and its
expanded continuation B, such garments will be supported by the shield of
hoops b, b1, &c., and as such hoops are attached to the body A, and with it
rest upon the shoulders at a, a, such garments will be suspended, so to speak,
over the abdomen, hips, &c., and will be wholly prevented from bearing down
and resting upon those parts which will have natural freedom underneath such
protective shield. The body will also be relieved from all undue warmth
arising from accumulation of skirts, and thus all the usual objections to the
use and wearing of such garments obviated. The natural weight of the skirts

page_text: upon the hoops and body A, also have the effect of keeping the dress over the
waist body A, smooth and neat fitting, and this without the necessity of any
stays or stiffeners.
The body and the hooped extension may be buttoned or laced in whole or
in part, and in front, or at the back, or only the body need be buttoned or
laced, which may also have a stiffener in it to lace over. But the waist does
not require the use of any stays, and can be made entirely without them, and
thus the form can be wholly relieved from all unnatural confinement and
pressure. Hence this garment is particularly adapted for use by the young,
while the body is developing, and when pressure upon the superior portions of
the person and particularly upon the waist is so injurious. Its construction
thus allows such a desirable end to be secured, which cannot be attained with
any other similar garment. To render the putting on and taking off of this
garment more convenient, the hoops are fitted with such a fastening that the
hoops can be easily fastened together, and will remain attached or fixed, and
can also be easily unfastened. When fastened together the natural spring of
the hoop, and the fit of the slide serve to keep the ends of the hoop together,
while at the same time the ends can be easily seperated. Such manner of
fastening the hoops permits them to be so inserted in the expanded part B,
that they can be easily removed, and thus the garment can be washed and
cleaned as often as desired.
Any convenient mode or device for so fastening the hoops together, and
allowing them to be easily disconnected, may be made use of, it being only
desirable that the method made use of should be such as to secure these ends.
The device used by me, and which secures the ends desired is shewn in Figs.
4, 5, 6, 7. To each end of the hoop is clasped or fastened a small partly
hollow cap or fastening A', Fig. 7, which is so struck up or swedged that in
one side there shall be a cavity or open space a¹, of a size just sufficient to
receive the part or end 6 after the cap is fastened to the hoop. One of these
caps is attached to the outside of one end of the hoop, and the other is fixed
to the inside of the other end, as shewn in Fig. 6, so that when the two ends
of the hoop are brought together, each will slide or pass into the hollow cavity
of the other as shown in Fig. 5. Within the cap is placed the end of the
hoop, and the edges of such cap are then clasped upon or fastened to the
hoop uniting the two. The ends of the hoop may be curved or bent by proper
dies into an ogee form, as shewn by the dotted lines before or at the time the
cap is clasped about it. In order to cause the ends of the hoop to be more
firmly held together such cap is actually fastened to the hoop at only one end of
such cap, while the other end is loosely clasped around the hoop, so as to keep

page_text: the hoop in position, but at the same time allow it longitudinal movement
within such cap. As will be apparent from this manner of connecting the cap
and hoop, and from the position of the hoop, as indicated by the dotted lines
in Fig. 6, within the cap, when the end 6 is inserted into the cap it will press
down the hoop, and pass by it, and the curve or bend of the hoop will press
such part against the inner side of the cap. The hoop being loose in one
end of the cap A', it allows of easy insertion and withdrawal of the end b, and
also assists, as above described, in holding the ends of the hoop together. It
is not, however, absolutely essential that the end of the hoop should be bent
within the cap A'. If the hoop is left straight, and the cap is so made, as to
size, as to just permit the end to be inserted, and pressed between the hoop
and the side of the cap, the ends will be held together; the giving the hoop
a curve is however preferred. This garment does not in any respect interfere
with any fashion, and can be as readily adapted to small skirts as to large ones,
and to skirts with few or many hoops: it is also equally useful and convenient,
both as a waist and a skirt-supporter under all circumstances, whether hoop-
skirts are worn or not, and in all cases will be a releif to the wearer, and
prevent pressure on the abdomen, &c.
hoops in an
similar to that
As will be at once apparent from the foregoing description, this Invention is
distinguished from other skirt-supporters, both in the object sought, and the
means by which it is attained. The object sought is a support for the skirts
or lower garments, which shall not in any way confine or press upon the vital
organs. This end is attained by inserting entire circles or
ordinary waist extended and expanded at the bottom in a form
of a basque. The waist by its construction sustains the weight of the lower
garments, while the hoops by their complete rotundity relieve the body from
the lateral pressure of the lower garments. This latter feature of releiving the
form from the pressure of the lower garments is entirely independant of the
particular shape which may be given to the expanded part B, which can be
casily altered or changed according to the demands of fashion. If it is desired
to have the hoops project behind, and form a bustle, the front part of B will
be cut nearly straight, and the flare or expansion will be made the greatest
behind. If, on the contrary, it is desirable to have the dress set out from the
form about the same before and behind; this may be effected by shaping the
part B accordingly; but whatever the shape given the part B, the arrangement
of entire circles or equivalents within it renders it equally effective as a skirt-
supporter, and its connection with the waist relieves the form from pressure.
What is claimed as new and which is desired to be secured by Letters
Patent is the waist A in combination with the extension B, the latter expanded

page_text: by the insertion of hoops so connected as to form entire circles, so as to form a
perfect support for the skirts or lower garments, and relieve the body from all
lateral pressure therefrom.
And also the manner or method of connecting and fastening the ends of the
hoops by means of the cap A', one part of such cap with the end of the hoop
forming a point or extension 6 to enter into a recess in the cap on the other
end of the hoop, and such cap also furnishing a recess to receive the said point
or extension of the other end of the hoop, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Deidamia B. Hale, have hereunto set
.my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, A.D. 1860.
(L.S.)
DEIDAMIA B. HALE.