A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALEBONE, STEEL OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR STIFFENING CORSETS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JAMES ROYLE of 5 Peel Street Manchester in the County of Lancaster:
Commission Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A SUBSTITUTE
FOR WHALEBONE, STEEL OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR STIFFENING
CORSETS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS » to be as follows:-
My invention is designed to provide an economical, durable and effective
substitute for the whalebone steel or other materials used for stiffening corsets and
other articles of dress, such substitute being pliable and resilient, and at the same
time tough and not liable to fracture.
The improved substitute consists of strips of buffalo hide prepared and tempered
in the following manner.
I take strips of buffalo hide of a suitable thickness and soak them in cold water
until they become sufficiently soft and pliable and I then cut them to the length,
width and form required, and dry them in a current of cold air. When dry I
rub them with pumice stone to remove roughness and impart a smooth surface
to them.
I then rub well into both surfaces palin oil to give the hide the required degree
of resiliency and when a sufficient quantity has been thus absorbed I allow the
strips to dry agan.
The strips of hide thus prepared will be found to be an efficient substitute for
whale bone steel, cane and other such materials and will neither split nor break.
Dated this seventh day of March 1884.

page_text: I JAMES ROYLE of 5 Peel Street Manchester in the County of Lancaster
Commission Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A SUBSTITUTE
FOR WHALEBONE, STEEL, OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR STIFFENING
CORSETS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention is designed to provide an economical durable and effective
substitute for the whalebone steel or other materials used for stiffening corsets and
other articles of dress such substitute being pliable and resilient and at the same
time tough and liable to fracture.
The improved substitute consists of strips of buffalo hide prepared and tempered
in the following manner. I take strips of buffalo hide of a suitable thickness and
soak them in cold water until they become sufficiently soft and pliable and I then
cut them to the length, width and form required, and dry them in a current of
cold air.
When dry I rub them with pumice stone sand paper or other suitable substance
to remove roughness and impart a smooth surface to them.
I then rub well into both surfaces palm oil to give the hide the required degree
of resiliency and when a sufficient quantity has been thus absorbed I allow the
strips to dry again.
The strips of hide may then be hammered by steam power or otherwise, or
pressed by passing through metal rollers, and dyed black or otherwise as may
be preferred.
When dry they may be polished with sand paper or by friction rollers or
varnished if required and are then allowed to harden.
The strips of hide thus prepared will be found to be an efficient substitute for
whale bone, steel, can and other such materials and will neither split nor break.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is, As a substitute for whalebone, steel, or other similar materials used for
stiffening corsets and other articles of dress, strips of buffalo hide prepared and
tempered by treatment with vegetable oil substantially in the manner hereinbefore
particularly described.
DL December 1884
GEORGE DAVIES,
Agent for the Applicant,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,