Improvements in Garment Stays or Supports.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 23rd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Garment Stays or Supports.
I, LOUIS M LEAN CAMPBELL, of Fremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America, Shoemaker, 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 has for its object to provide a garment stay adapted particularly for
application to vests and capable of being adjusted in length to suit the height of the
buttoned portion of the vest; and it consists in the improved construction hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an adjustable stay embodying my invention.
Figure 2 represents an edge view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a side view showing different means for securing the stay to
the garment.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In carrying my invention into practice I make a garment-stay of two sections or
strips a b, of thin sheet metal, preferably steel. The said sections are adapted to slide
one upon the other, and are connected by suitable means, so that collectively they
will form a garment-stay of any desired length. The means for engaging the sections
with each other so as to permit the sliding movement may be variously modified; but
I prefer the means here shown, the section a having a socket a' formed on one of its
ends through which the strip is adapted to pass, whilst the strip b has a socket 1
formed on one of its ends through which the section a passes. The said sockets fit
the sections which pass through them so as to, exert sufficient friction to hold the stay
at any length to which it may be adjusted.
The stay is provided with suitable means for engaging it with the lining or other
portion of the garment to which it is to be applied.
In Figures 1 and 21 have shown each section provided with two hooks projecting
in opposite directions. c and c¹ represent the hooks on the section a, the hook e being
shown as attached to the socket a¹ and projecting in one direction while the hook c
projects in the opposite direction and is attached to the section a near the end opposite
the socket a. d and d¹ represent the hooks on the section b, the hook d being
attached to the socket 6' and projecting in one direction, while the hook d' is attached
to the section 6 near the end opposite the socket 6' and projects in the opposite
direction.
It will be seen that by inserting the oppositely projecting hooks in the lining of a
vest, and then extending the stay by an outward movement of one section upon the
other, the stay will be securely engaged with the garment, the arrangement of the
hooks preventing their accidental withdrawal.
I do not limit myself to the hooks as the means for securing the stay at points
between the outer ends thereof. In Figure 3, I have shown the stay provided with
he end hooks c¹ and d¹, arranged as shown in Figures 1 and 2; but instead of the

page_text: intermediate hooks c and d, 1 employ two eyes c² and d; the former attached to the
socket a¹ and the latter to the socket 6. Said eyes are to receive stitches that connect
them to any suitable part of the garment. Fig. 4 shows a stay similar to that shown
in Fig. 3 but with additional eyes fat its ends to enable it to be attached to the
garment exclusively by stitching.
I have found that by the application of a stay of the character herein described to
a gentleman's vest the heretofore universal wrinkling of the vest, necessitating the
frequent pulling down thereof, is entirely obviated and the vest kept in a smooth and
unwrinkled condition.
I am aware that dress and corset stays have been constructed so that they can be
shortened and lengthened telescopically, and that a stay that is not telescopic has been
provided with projecting points adapted to engage the material of a garment. I am
not aware, however that a telescopic stay has ever been provided with projections
adapted for attachment to the garment, so that the stay can be adjusted to a given
length, and then secured at said length by its attachment to the garment without
being necessarily placed between the lining and face of the garment and secured by
quilting or stitching. By providing the sliding sections with the projecting pins or
with the equivalent projections-viz., the eyes c² d² ff-I enable the stay to be
placed in contact with the exposed surface of a vest lining adjusted to the desired
length and secured to the lining without ripping the lining and inserting the stay
between the lining and facing, which would be necessary if said projections were not
employed.
.
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 :-
First. In a garment-stay, the combination of the section a, having at its inner end
the socket a¹ and at its outer end the hooked pin c¹, extending lengthwise of the
section and projecting away from said socket, the section having at its inner end
the socket 6 and at its outer end the hooked pin d¹, extending in the opposite
direction to the pin c¹ each section being adapted to slide in the socket on the other
to lengthen the stay, and at the same time to cause the oppositely extending end
pins to penetrate the material of a garment on which the stay is placed, and projec-
tions on said sections between the pin c¹ d¹ whereby the sections may be secured to
the garment and thereby held at any adjustment of which they are capable as set
forth.
Second. In a garment-stay the combination of the section a, having the socket a¹,
and the hooked pins e 8, extending lengthwise of the section in opposite directions,
and the section b, having the socket 6¹, and the pins d d', extending lengthwise of the
section b in opposite directions, each section being adapted to slide in the socket on
the other to shorten or lengthen the stay while said pins are adapted to engage the
material of a garment against which the stay is placed and thereby hold the stay at
any length to which it may be adjusted.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.