Improvements in and relating to Corsets.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Corsets.
I, OLIVER MANSFIELD CHESNEY, residing at Number 1213, Kansas Avenue, in
the City of Topeka, County of Shawnee, State of Kansas, United States of
America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for corsets, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in corsets,
having reference to that class employing a series of connected locking devices
capable of being operated by a single pull.
Aside from improving many features of construction, the principal feature of this
invention consists in the provision of means for forming at one point, a secure,
pivotal connection between the bust-stays, thereby enabling the wearer to easily
draw said stays together throughout their entire length and hold them by the
series of fasteners.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a view showing a pair of corsets, fastened at the top, with the lower
ends spread. Figures 2 and 3 show opposite face views of the two bust-stays.
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 44, Figure 2. Figure 5 is an
enlarged view of the fastener-carrying stay, with the fasteners removed. Figure 6
is a face view of one of the fastener-casings. Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional
view on line 7-7, Figure 6. Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the fastener-plate.
Figure 9 is a cross-section on line 9-9, Figure 11. Figure 10 is a detached
view showing one of the fasteners, with only a portion of the covering secured
thereon. Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through one of the
fasteners. Figure 12 is a view in perspective of one of the fastener-casings.
A, A¹ designate the two bust-stays. To the inner face of the latter are secured
staples a, all of which, as customary, are made rigid, save the topmost one, a¹.
This latter has a rounded shank 2, which, after being projected through a hole
in the bust-stay, has its end a³ flanged, whereby a swivel or pivot-bearing for said
staple is secured. The purpose of swivelling the topmost staple is to enable the
two stays to he first united at the top; and then it is with ease the operator can
draw said stays together until they are united along their entire length. In
this way greater ease is experienced in fastening the stays together, they being
capable of easy control, after once connected together at the top, in a manner
permitting them to swing, so to speak.
The stay A is provided throughout its length with a series of suitably spaced-
apart openings b. The longitudinal edges of the stay have recesses 61 cut therein.
B designates a series of fasteners mounted on the inner face of stay A, in such
manner that each will hold one of the staples of stay A¹ projecting through the
relative opening b. Each fastener comprises an enclosing casing 611 and an en-
closed sliding plate 62. The casing 611 is struck up from a single piece of metal.
It is formed with a central groove 63, a hole 64, and an inner lip 65, having flanged
sides 66. Against this lip bears one end of a coiled-spring 67, the other end thereof
fitting in a groove of plate 62. The longitudinal sides of the casing are crimped

page_text: to form shoulders 69 and flanges 10, adjoining the ends of which latter are short
teeth. The shoulders 6 accommodate the longitudinal edges of the stay within
the recesses b¹, and the fastener is secured in place by bending the flanges 610
down over the outer face of the stay. In this way all riveting is avoided, and
the several casings by being made to hug the longitudinal edges of the stay at
the points where the openings therein are located, greatly add to the strength
thereof and avoid the danger of breaking by reason of the metal removed in form-
ing said openings. When the casings are attached to the stay their teeth 12 are
allowed to remain. projecting outward. But as soon as the fabric covering W is
applied, said teeth, after penetrating the latter, are bent down, and thus serve to
hold said covering in place, preventing slipping and consequent wear thereof.
This covering has metallic eyelets C, which are thus held in line with the open-
ings b. The sliding plate 62 is made preferably of thin brass, or other suitable
material. It is enclosed by casing 6" and held between the latter and the stay.
It is cut out in the centre, and at one end of said cut-out has a short tongue d
struck up therefrom. A tongue solely of the thickness of the plate would be
inadequate, and for this reason I crimp said tongue, so as to bring its sides closer
together, leaving a narrow space or groove din one face. In this way the
strength of the tongue is materially increased. On its inner face the tongue is
tapered or inclined toward its point so that a staple upon being forced against
said tongue and between the latter and the lip will move plate 72
as against the tension of the spring, and after freeing said tongue
the latter will be immediately projected through the eye thereof. The coiled
spring 67 serves to normally hold this tongue projected over the opening in the
stay and against the lip 65, which limits the movement thereof under the tension
of the spring. The opposite slotted ends of these several sliding plates are
flexibly connected together by sections of a chain (or it may be a cord) D. The
plates being made as short as they can be consistently; the lengths of the chain-
sections are such as to allow the wearer of the corset the utmost latitude in bend-
ing or stooping, without fear that the bending of the stars will cause the chain-
sections to draw on the plates and thereby disengage the staples in connection
therewith. To the sliding-plate of the topmost fastener a cord or string E is
preferably connected. By pulling upward thereon all the plates of the several
fasteners will be moved so as to disengage all the staples simultaneously. When
the corset is applied the cord E may be tucked out of the way.
In practice, the wearer of the corset first unites the topmost staple and fastener,
said staple being held by the tongue of the spring-pressed plate. This being
accomplished, and the topmost staple being swivelled, it is an easy, matter for the
operator to draw the two stays together so that the stay A¹ will overlap the stay A
and the two will be firmly held together throughout their lengths by the staples
of the former engaging the fasteners of the latter. No matter how much bending
or twisting the wearer may indulge in, the several fasteners will retain their hold
on the respective staples.
It will be observed that I obviate the use of rivets for attaching the fasteners
to their stay and that the manner in which the latter are secured greatly strengthens
the stay at the point of location of the openings therein. It will also be seen
that the covering for the stay is securely held to the latter as against slipping and
that the several improvements utilizing but a minimum amount of metál do not
materially add to the weight of a corset. It will also be observed that by swivel-
ling the topmost staple of the interlocking stay the application of a corset becomes
a matter of great ease. In lieu of chain-sections, cords may be used for connect-
ing the several fasteners.
The present improvements, aside from being very simple, are inexpensive and
not liable to readily get out of order or become deranged Each fastener of the
series being capable of being independently-operated (in applying the corset), one
fastener at a time may be operated, either from the lower end upward, or from the
top downward.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is:
1. A corset having overlapping bust-stays, one of which is provided with an
upper engaging device pivotally mounted on and projecting from the face of
said stay at right-angles thereto, and a series of stationary engaging devices also
projecting from the face of said stay, an upper fastener on and parallel with one
of the faces of the other bust-stay designed to engage said pivoted device and form
a pivotal connection between said stays, and a series of fasteners connected with
said former fastener for engaging with said stationary devices, substantially as
set forth.
2. A corset having overlapping bust-stays, one of which is provided with an
upper engaging device consisting of a staple pivotally mounted on and projecting
from the face of said stay at right-angles thereto, and a series of stationary staples
also projecting from the face of said stay, an upper fastener on and parallel with
one of the faces of the other bust-stay designed to engage said pivoted staple and
form a pivotal connection between said stays, and a series of fasteners connected
with said former fastener and designed to fit over and hold said staples, each
of said fasteners having a movable member designed to engage its respective
staple, said pivoted staple being designed to be first engaged with its fastener in
uniting said stays, substantially as set forth.
3. A corset having one of its bust-stays formed with a series of openings, a
corresponding series of fasteners, comprising sliding plates movable across said
openings, and enclosing casings for said plates having their sides hugging the side
edges of said stav adjoining said openings, substantially as set forth.
4. A corset having one of its bust-stays formed with a series of openings, and
a series of recesses in its side-edges adjoining said openings, a corresponding series
of fasteners comprising sliding plates movable over said openings, and enclosing
casings for said plates having side flanges designed to fit in said recesses and to
be bent over against the opposite face of said stay, substantially as set forth.
5. A corset having one of its stays provided with a series of openings, a corres-
ponding series of fasteners, comprising sliding plates movable over said openings,
an enclosing casing therefor having teeth projecting therefrom and a covering
for said stay designed to be penetrated by said teeth, which latter are then bent
down to hold said covering, as set forth.
6. A corset having one of its bust-stays formed with a series of openings, and
a series of recesses in its side edges adjoining said openings, a corresponding
series of fasteners, comprising sliding plates movable over said openings, enclos-
ing casings for said plates having side flanges designed to fit in said recesses
and to be hent over against the opposite face of said stay, and also having teeth at
the ends of said flanges, and a covering for said stay designed to be held thereon
by said teeth, substantially as set forth.
7. A corset having one of its stays formed with openings, a series of casings
attached to said stay adjoining said openings, said casings having inwardly pro-
jecting lips, sliding plates enclosed by said casings having tongues designed to pro-
ject across said openings and formed with grooves, springs located between said
lin and said grooves, and a series of chains or cords connecting said sliding plates,
substantially as set forth.