Year: 1888

page_text: I, THOMAS PORTER TAYLOR, residing at Park Place, in the City of Bridgeport,
County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bustles and has for
its object to provide a spring element which may be used in and caused to actuato
With this end in view
folding or collapsing bustles of various shapes and contours.
my invention consists in the construction which I shall presently set forth and which
is duly recited in the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may more
fully understand my improvement and the manner in which the same may be most
advantageously applied, I will now describe it in detail reference being had to the
accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which,
and
Figure 1, shows a bustle containing my improved spring element, Figure 2, another
form of same and Figure 3 an all wire bustle made entirely from "twin wire"
having a short spring of my invention secured between the top and bottom bows.
Figure 4, a detail view of a spring bustle frame, the same being open. Figure 5, a
similar view, but with the frame collapsed and Figure 6, a modification of the spring
shown in the preceding figures.
Like reference numbers denote the same parts in all the figures of the drawing.
The spring principle which I employ is that of the tortional action of wire as
distinguished from the action of a coil or other spring.
My spring element when made integral with a wire bustle frame preferably
comprises a pair of uprights or side stays 1, a base hoop 2, and spring sections 3,
interposed between the uprights and the ends of the hoop: said spring sections
consisting of the doubled portions of wire extended inward or outward, preferably
the former, at an angle to the uprights and hoop. By means of a lacing cord, as 4,
joining the doubled portions of wire aforesaid, the width of the frame and consequently
the width of any bustle in which the frame is incorporated, may be varied as
desired.

page_text: In figure 1, the uprights extend upward within and serve to stiffen the fabric to
which the bows 5 are hinged.
In figure 2, the bows are of wire and are pivotally secured above the doubled spring
section.
In figure 3, the bustle is shown as consisting wholly of "twin wire" bows, there
being no side stays. In this construction the uprights are materially shortened and
the base hoop of wire and integral with the spring, dispensed with.
The shortened uprights are secured to the ends of the top bow, and the short
lower members are secured to the ends of the bottom bow which take the place of
the wire hase hoop. In figures 1, 2 and 3, 6 represents a check tape for the spacing
of the bows, and 7, a suitable waist band or belt. In figure 6, I have shown a slight
modification of spring, in which a plurality of bends are used instead of a single bend,
the object being to make the spring action longer and easier. This follows in direct
proportion as the length of wire involved in the torsion is increased.
When a bustle embodying the spring herein described is collapsed, the transversely
bent portions of wire are axially twisted. Upon release of pressure the torsional
action of the wire throws down the base hoop, whereby the bows are returned to their
normal distended positions.
By the use of a spring of this construction, not only is the manufacture of the frame
rendered exceedingly cheap and simple, but the bent spring sections are so placed that
they cannot inflict injury upon the spine or other sensitive portion of the person.
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
1. The combination with the side stays and hoops of a bustle, of a plurality of
transversely bent torsional spring sections, interposed between the side stays and
lowermost hoop, whereby the distending of the bustle is effected, substantially as set
forth.
2. A frame for folding bustles consisting of a pair of side stays adapted for attach-
ment to the waist band, a pair of doubly bent and transversely extended spring
sections, and a hoop extended rearwardly and joined to said spring sections substantially
as specified.
3. The combination in a bustle with the distending bows, the waist band and the
check tape, of a spring consisting of two or more approximately parallel sections, the
free ends whereof extend upward and outward respectively at an angle to said parallel
sections, said free ends secured to the bows of the bustle, whereby the latter are held
normally distended by the torsional action of said spring sections, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1888.
THOMAS PORTER TAYLOR.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.