An Improved Manufacture of Corsets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by REDDIN W. PARRAMORE, of Asbury Park, in
the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, United States of
America, Manufacturer.]
An Improved Manufacture of Corsets.
I, HENRY HARRIS. LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the inanufacture of corsets.
One object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of corset
shields or stay-plates designed to be worn as a lining to the hip portions of corsets.
Another object-of my said invention is to provide an improved method of joining
together the individual parts of the said improved shields. It is well known that
corsets as usually made have stiffening ribs of whalebone or other elastic material
running in a general vertical direction, and are subject to the objections that the
ribs are liable to break at the waist portion of the corset where they are sharply
bent over the hips. The purpose of a corset shield is, first, by stiffening and
strengthening the corset at this point to preserve its shape and lessen the liability
of breakage of the ribs, and second, to protect the body of the wearer from
abrasion by the protruding ends of the ribs in case of the breakage thereof.
Corset shields have heretofore been made in three different ways. In the first
construction the shield consists of a plate or sheet of metal, celluloid, hard rubber,
or other elastic and yielding material formed with perforations to admit of its
attachment to a corset. According to the second construction the shield is made
of two or more thicknesses of textile fabric stitched together by longitudinal rows
of stitching in order to form pockets in which are inserted ribs of whalebone or
other stiffening material, the shield being sewed within the corset so that these
ribs extend horizontally across the hip portion thereof. A third construction has
been proposed wherein the shield consists of a sheet of wire web or gauze, cut
bus so that is wires extend obliquely in both directions, and cemented between
two layers of cloth or textile fabric.
My invention aims to provide an improved and more desirable construction of
corset shields. To this end according to my invention I construct the shield.
with a stiffening plate of thin resilient hard rubber, celluloid or other suitable
material, which is covered on opposite sides by adhering layers of suitable fabric,
the whole being shaped with longitudinally concave and transversely convex
curves to approximately conform it to the body of the wearer, and to the shape
of the corset in the waist or hip portions of the latter at opposite sides. The
outer covering layers are preferably of textile fabric and are cemented to the
inner plate by a highly tenacious and elastic cement, preferably by the intervention
of layers of soft vulcanized rubber between the outer covering fabric and the
inner hard rubber plate. These outer or flexible layers may be made larger than
the inner plate in order to project beyond its edges and form an elastic margin-
for the attachment of the shield to the corset. In the preferred construction.the
inner resilient plate is made thickest in the middle and thence tapering toward the
edges, in order to render its middle portion relatively stiff and strong while its
edges are relatively thin and flexible.
The shield is preferably elliptical or approximately so in outline, and is shaped
to adapt it for attachment to the opposite sides of the corset with the major axis

page_text: of the ellipse extending horizontally. To this end its inner side, or that which
comes next the body of the wearer, is formed longitudinally concave and trans-
versely convex to adapt it to fit directly over the hip where the ribs of the corset
are subjected to a sharp curvature and are most liable to break.
In
The relatively convex and concave curves may be imparted to the shield either
before or after joining together the respective layers. When the stiffening plate
is of a plastic substance, as hard rubber or celluloid, this shaping is most con-
veniently effected by pressing it between heated dies of the proper curvature.
making the shield, I prefer to first unite the outer layers of textile fabric to the
intervening layers of soft rubber, forming large sheets thereof, then to place
between them the stiffening plates, cut to proper outline, uniting the whole by
cement or by vulcanizing, after which the shields are cut out to the proper outline,
and are pressed between heated dies to shape them.
My improved corset shield is believed to constitute a marked improvement in
the art over all pre-existing constructions for this purpose. As compared with
corset shields consisting of a simple curved plate of resilient hard rubber, celluloid,
or analogous materials, my improved shield has the advantages that whereas such
naked plates are brittle, the adherent tough skin of woven fabric in my shield
prevents the breaking (or in case of use of metal the buckling) of the plate,
while enabling a very thin and pliable plate to be employed, one much thinner and
more yielding than the plates required to be used with the prior known con-
struction of plates not provided with adherent restraining coverings.
It has also
the further advantage over such others of being easier of attachment, being
fastened by sewing through the flexible margin in lieu of by sewing through
perforations formed in the plate, in which latter case the threads being subject to
continual abrasion soon give way. It has the further advantage of presenting
only a smooth, soft, textile surface similar to the surface of the corset itself, but
more smooth and regular.
As compared with the construction of corset shields having horizontally
extended ribs, my present construction has the advantages of presenting a smoother
surface in contact with the person, and of having a stiffness that is substantially
uniform in all directions, so that it will not buckle or break down and does not
rely on its attachment to the corset to keep it in shape, but on the contrary
serves to reinforce the corset and aid in keeping the ribs of the latter to their
proper curvature, so that to that extent it relieves the side of the wearer by
distributing the pressure caused by the stiffness of the corset ribs.
As compared with the construction of a corset shield consisting of an inner
stiffening layer of wire cloth with layers of textile fabric cemented against its
opposite sides, my improved corset shield has advantages among which are its more
perfect resilience and that in bending it forms no crease or ridge as is the case
with the covering fabric of such wire cloth shield; that it is effective to resist
pressure either longitudinally or transversely, whereas with the wire cloth shield
the pressure is effectively resisted only in line with the wires which extend obliquely;
accordingly in the wire cloth shield the stiffness is greatest against oblique bends
and is least in longitudinal and transverse directions, whereas with my improved
shield the stiffness is equal in all directions to resist any distortion, so that, it
affords greater effective stiffness to support and protect the wearer; my improved
shield is also free from the objection of the liability of the ends of the wires to
break or wear through the covering fabric, and is advantageous in that suitable
substances may be selected so that it will not embody in its construction any metal
that can rust or oxidize; it has also the further important advantage that its core
or stiffening plate cannot in any case acquire a distorted "set or bend, as will
the wires of a wire cloth shield.
37
My improved corset shield is adaptable for use as a lining within the front of
the corset against the steels, in order to so distribute the bending strains as to
protect the steels from breakage, and to form a shield for holding the under-
garments of the wearer in place while closing together and fastening the corset

page_text: and to protect the undergarments from being soiled by the rusting of the steels,
In such use the
as well as to more efficiently support the person of the wearer.
shield is placed with its length extending vertically along the steels, and is most
conveniently sewed at one edge inside the front of the corset.
sewing it, one side edge may advantageously be made straight. The elliptical form
of the shield is not essential although it is the preferable form.
Dated this 15th day of June 1893.
To facilitate
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Manufacture of Corsets.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :—
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of corsets.
One object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of corset
shields or stay-plates designed to be worn as a lining to the hip portions of corsets.
Another object of my said invention is to provide an improved method of joining
together the undivided parts of the said improved shields.
It is well known that corsets as usually made have stiffening ribs of whalebone or
elastic material running in a general vertical direction, and are subject to the
objection that the ribs are liable to break at the waist portion of the corset where
they are sharply bent over the hips. The purpose of a corset shield is, first, to
stiffen and strengthen the corset at this point to preserve its shape and lessen the
liability of breakage of the ribs, and second, to protect the body of the wearer from
abrasion by the protruding ends of the ribs in case of the breakage thereof.
In
Corset shields have heretofore been usually made in three different ways.
the first construction the shield consists of a plate or sheet of metal, celluloid,
hard rubber, or other elastic and yielding material formed with perforations to
admit of its attachment to a corset. According to the second construction the shield
is made of two or more thicknesses of textile fabric stitched together by longitudinal
rows of stitching in order to form pockets in which are inserted ribs of whalebone
or other stiffening material, the shield being sewed within the corset so that these
ribs extend horizontally across the hip portion thereof. A third construction has
been proposed, wherein the shield consists of a sheet of wire web or gauze, cut
bias so that its wires extend obliquely in both directions, and cemented between two
layers of cloth or textile fabric.
My invention aims to provide an improved. and more desirable construction of
corset shield. To this end I construct the shield with a stiffeuing plate of thin
resilient hard rubber, celluloid, or other suitable material, which is covered on
opposite sides by adhering layers of suitable fabric, the whole being shaped with
longitudinally concave and transversely convex curves to approximately conforin it
to the body of the wearer, and to the shape of the corset in the waist or hip
portions of the latter at opposite sides. The outer covering layers are preferably
of textile fabric and are cemented to the inner 'plate by a highly tenacious and
elastic cement, preferably by the intervention of layers of soft vulcanized rubber
between the outer covering fabric and the inner hard rubber plate. These outer
or flexible layers may be made larger than the inner plate in order to project
beyond its edges and form an elastic margin for the attachment of the shield to the
corset. In the preferred construction, the inner resilient plate is made thickest in
the middle and thence tapering toward the edges, in order to render its middle
portion relatively stiff and strong while its edges are relatively thin and flexible.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner side of one section or half of a corset
showing my improved corset shield lettered A applied in place therein;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the inner side of the corset shield removed, being
partially dissected to show the construction, and drawn to a larger scale;
Figure 3 is a transverse section thereof on the line 3-3 in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an edge view of the shield looking down upon it in plan;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on the line 5-5 in Figure 2,
showing it on an enlarged scale and in detail;
Figure 6 is a sectional view showing the construction of the inner plate of
varying thickness tapering from the middle toward the edges.
The shield A is preferably elliptical or approximately so in outline, and is
shaped to adapt it for attachment to the opposite sides of the corset with the major
axis of the ellipse extending horizontally as shown in Figure 1. To this end its
inner side, or that which comes next the body of the wearer, is formed longitudinally
concave and transversely convex to adapt it to fit directly over the hip, where the
ribs of the corset are subjected to a sharp curvature and are most liable to break.
The core or inner plate of thin resilient hard rubber, celluloid, or other suitable
material is shown at a. Against this on opposite sides are layers b, b of soft
vulcanized rubber, and outside of these are layers c, c of textile or other suitable
covering fabric. The layers a and c are cemented together preferably through the
medium of the intervening layer b. In any event the covering layers are made
firmly adherent throughout to the opposite surfaces of the plate a, in order that
when the plate is bent, the layer on. the convex side of the curve to which it is
bent shall be strained or stretched, and that on the inner side shall be compacted,
but the materials used and the degree of adherence should be such that no degree
of bending to which the shield will be subjected in use will in the least cause the
covering fabric on the inner or concave side of the bend to buckle or to form ribs
or ridges. The plate a is made a somewhat smaller ellipse than the flexible
layers b, c, in order that the latter shall project beyond its edges forming a flexible
and preferably elastic rim d. This serves the double purpose of affording means
for sewing or otherwise attaching the shield to the corset, and for guarding the
edge of the stiffening plate and preventing any harsh or abrupt effect against the
person of the wearer as might otherwise result.
The material for the inner plate a should be thin and very resilient, having
however sufficient stiffness to serve the desired purpose of protecting the steels from
breakage and the side of the wearer from any projection of broken ribs of the
corset, and should not be stiff enough to impede the ordinary freedom of movement
of the body of a corset wearer. I contemplate making the shields of different
degrees of stiffness to suit the taste or requirements of different wearers. This
will be done either by using stiffening plates a of different thickness or of
different material, or, with like stiffening plates, by varying the thickness
and yielding quality of the flexible layers b, c. By varying the thickness or
tenacity of these superimposed layers, I can make the shields as a whole more or
less stiff or springy as may be required. An outer covering having but little
"stretch" will greatly increase the stiffness of the shield, because as the shield is
bent the layer on the outer or convex side of the bend is necessarily stretched, and
in the proportion that it resists such "stretch" it increases the stiffness of the
shield by reinforcing the stiffening-plate. This effect is modified somewhat by the
compressibility and yielding quality of the interposed layer or cushion of soft
rubber b, the thickness of which may be varied according to the effect desired, but
which preferably is made quite thin. The strongly adherent external layers serve
also for the purpose of protecting the stiffening plate from breaking, since they
impart to it a degree of toughness that enables it to be bent under the exigencies of
its use into sharper curves without breaking, a feature which is of great value in a
corset shield.
The relatively convex and concave curves may be imparted to the shield either

page_text: before or after joining together the respective layers. When the stiffening plate
is of a plastic substance, as hard rubber or celluloid, this shaping is most conveniently
effected by pressing it, between heated dies of the proper curvature.
In making
the shield I prefer to first unite the outer layers of textile fabric to the intervening
layers of soft rubber, forming large sheets thereof, then to place between them the
stiffening plates a cut to proper outline, uniting the whole by cement or by
vulcanising, after which the shields are cu out to the proper outline, and are
pressed between heated dies to shape them.
The construction shown in Figure 6, namely, the making of the inner stiffening
plate thicker in the middle and tapering to a very thin plate at the edges, affords a
shield that is relatively stiff in the middle and more flexible and resilient toward the
edges, and is especially adapted for those cases where an especially rigid support is
required against the ribs of the corset, since this support provided where it 18 most
effective, and the edges of the shield are rendered so flexible that the effect
upon the weare is not materially different from that of a uniformly flexible
shield.
My improved corset shield is believed to constitute a marked improvement in the
art over all pre-existing constructions for this purpose. As compared with corset
shields consisting of a simple curved plate of resilient hard rubber, celluloid, or
analogous materials, my improved shield has the advantages that whereas such
naked plates are brittle the adherent tough skin of woven fabric in my shield
prevents the breaking (or in case of use of metal the buckling) of the plate, while
enabling a very thin and pliable plate to be employed, one much thinner and more
yielding than the plates required to be used with the prior known construction of
plates not provided with adherent restraining coverings. It has also the further
advantage over such others of being easier of attachment, being fastened by sewing
through the flexible margin in lieu of by sewing through perforations formed in the
plate, in which latter case the threads being subject to continual abrasion soon give
way. It has the further advantage of presenting only a smooth, soft, textile
surface similar to the surface of the corset itself, but more smooth and regular than
the corset.
As compared with the construction of corset shields having horizontally extended
ribs, my present construction has the advantages of presenting a smoother surface
in contact with the person, and of having a stiffness that is substantially uniform' in
all directions, so that it will not buckle or break down and does not rely on its
attachment to the corset to keep it in shape but on the contrary serves to reinforce
the corset and aid in keeping the ribs of the latter to their proper curvature, so that
to that extent it relieves the side of the wearer by distributing the pressure caused
by the stiffness of the corset ribs.
As compared with the construction of a corset shield consisting of an inner
stiffening layer of wire cloth with layers of textile fabric cemented against its
opposite sides, my improved corset shield has advantages among which are its more
perfect resilience and that in bending it forms no crease or ridge as is the case with
the covering fabric of such wire cloth shield; that it is effective to resist pressure
either longitudinally or transversely whereas with the wire cloth shield the pressure
is effectively resisted only in line with the wires which extend obliquely;
accordingly in the wire cloth shield the stiffness is greatest against oblique bends
and is least in longitudinal and transverse directions, whereas with my improved
shield the stiffness is equal in all directions to resist any distortion, so that it
affords greater effective stiffness to support and protect the wearer; my improved
shield is also free from the objection of the liability of the ends of the wires to
break or wear through the covering fabric, and is advantageous in that suitable
substances may be selected so that it will not embody in its construction any metal
that can rust or oxidize; it has also the further important advantage that its core
or stiffening plate cannot in any case acquire a distorted " or bend, as will the
wires of a wire cloth shield.
My improved corset shield is adaptable for use as a lining within the front of the
set"

page_text: corset against the steels, in order to so distribute the bending strains as to protect
the steels from breakage, and to form a shield for holding the undergarments of the
wearer in place while closing together and fastening the corset, and to protect the
undergarments from being soiled by the rusting of the steels as well as to more
efficiently support the person of the wearer. In such use the shield is placed with
its length extending vertically along the steels, and is most conveniently sewed at
one edge inside the front of the corset. To facilitate sewing it, one side edge may
advantageously be made straight. The elliptical form of the shield is not
essential, although it is the preferable form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. A corset shield consisting of a thin resilient plate of hard rubber, celluloid or
analogous material, of a uniform thickness, or gradually tapering from the middle
toward the edges, and layers of covering fabric adherent throughout to its opposite
surfaces, the whole shaped with longitudinally-concave and transversely-convex
curves, for the purposes specified.
2. In such a shield the outer adherent layers formed of textile fabric cemented
to the resilient plate by an elastic intervening cementing layer, substantially as
described, for the purposes specified.
3. The combination, with the thin resilient plate of hard rubber, celluloid or
analogous material, of layers of soft vulcanized rubber adherent to its opposite
surfaces, and outer layers of textile fabric adherent to the rubber layers,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
4. In a corset shield such as described in the first claiming clause, the layers of
covering fabric so formed that they project beyond the edges of the resilient plate
and provide a flexible margin for the attachment of the shield to the corset,
substantially as described.
5. The process of making corset shields consisting in superposing five layers, the
outer ones of textile fabric, the inner one of hard rubber, celluloid, or analogous
material, and the intermediate ones of soft rubber, cementing the same together,
and pressing them between heated dies to shape the shield to the requisite concave
and convex curves, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of March 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.