A New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Producing a Model of a Bust Corresponding in Form and Shape with any Human Body.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
•
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I
A New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Producing a Model
of a Bust Corresponding in Form and Shape with any Human
Body.
1 LEO SIMONIS, Ladies' Tailor, of 742, Prinzengracht, Amsterdam, Holland, 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:-
The present invention relates to a method of producing an exact model of the bust
of persons of the female sex for whom the bodice of a dress has to be made. This
method essentially consists in adjusting to the upper portion of the body of the person,
requiring the bodice, a suitable number of flexible metal strips which are displaceably
connected with each other and adapted to be secured in any given position, the whole
corresponding in its folded up condition to the dimensious of the very thinnest person
that can be thought of.
The said metal strips being adjusted in position in conformity with the forms of the
person to be fitted, are then rigidly connected and secured in position and finally the
hollow body obtained in this manner is put on a framework consisting of a suitable
number of spring or elastic rods.
Said spring or elastic rods adjust themselves exactly to the interior of the hollow
body of the model and a positive body is obtained in this manner, in which the bodice
to be made can be fitted without requiring any fitting to the body of the person for
whom the garment is intended. This new or improved device enables everyone to
take exact and correct measurements of his own bodily conformation and to forward
the strips of metal, correctly adjusted and secured in position, to the makers of the
required bodice, who, in his turn, can adjust it to positive frame and thus produce an
exactly fitting bodice without beng obliged to fit the bodice to the person of the
customer.
The apparatus required for carrying ont the described method or practice, is
illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which :--
Fig. 1 is a front view of a hust body, adjusted to the figure and having its component
parts rigidly secured in their respective positions.
Figs. 2 and 3 show a side view and a plan of the elastic framework to which the
hollow bust body or inodel is to be applied.
The bust body as shown in Fig. 1 consists of a suitable number of strips a, cut out
from pliant and elastic sheet metal adapted to adjust themselves closely to the human
body, and so determined in measurement and conformation as to jointly forin the
bodice A, which is intended to fit the body of the thinnest person in existence.
The separate metal strips a may be connected with each other either, as shown in the
drawings, by jointed parallelograms 6 or in any other suitable manner as to allow the
said strips being approached or removed from each other. The two front strips are
preferably connected with each other by means of hooks and eyes. The collar e consists
of one or several bent metal strips, which are adjustable relative to each other, the
whole being connected to the body of the. bust model in like or similar manner as are
separate metal strips to each other.
Each metal band may also separately consist of several parts which admit of a

page_text: In
similar connecting method as that employed for joining the aforesaid metal strips.
order to admit of two separate strips being securely fastened in such relative position
and at such distance from each other as to correspond exactly to the dimensions of the
human body of which a model is being taken, every adjacent pair of strips is connected
by a suitable number of horizontal rods d provided with slots, said rods being fixed to
one strip while their firm connection with the second rod is effected by a thumb screw f
passing through the aforesaid slots. For the same purpose a vertical rod is provided
to connect the collar e with the body of the model, said vertical rod nut being shown
in the drawings. In order to allow the distance between the strips to be noted for
future reference, all the rods.d are provided with a measuring scale.
The framework B Figs. 2 and 3 serving to receive the hollow bust model, is
composed of a vertical pole or stake g, a base plate h and several superposed
arrangements of horizontal arms or branches i, displaceable in the vertical pole y
These horizontal arms or branches carry at their outer extremities the buffer knobs k
or similar devices and are continually pressed. in an outward direction by helical
springs. The base plate is provided with adjustable pegs or plugs m which are
displaceable and adapted to be secured in any required position in slots radiating from
the centre of the base plate.
In order to produce an exact model all the set screws of the adjustable bodice are
loosened, the hook and eye fastening undone, and the coinplete contrivance is now put
on by the person whose formation is to be modelled. The parallelogram connections
between strips a being flexible the said strips can be approached to or removed from
each other at will so that the contrivance in its entirety can be made to closely adapt
itself to the form of the body; the hook and eye fastening is then closed and all set
screws are tightened.
The adjusted bodice is now removed from the person, whose conformation is being
modelled, and the negative model is placed on the frame B, the hook and eye fastenings
being first undone and subsequently closed again.
The apparatus bas to be placed on the frame in such manner as to cause its lower
edge to rest on the base plate h engaging with the before described adjustable pegs or
plugs m. Owing to the spring rods pressing against the different parts of the inner
surface of the hollow bodice, the latter is maintained in such plastic form as to resemble
in firmness a solid bust and thus admits of the proper and sufo fitting of the garment
to be made.
As the distance between every pair of strips a can easily and correctly be ascertained
by means of the measuring scales provided on slotted rods or busks d, these distance
figures need only be noted to enable the maker of the garment to reproduce the exact
model in his workroom by means of the same or a corresponding apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
clain is-
1. A new or improved method for producing a correct model of any given bust
formation, consisting in the application of a bodico frame, composed of a suitable
number of strips of flexible metal, to the upper part of the body of the person to
be modelled, said bodice frame fitting in its folded up condition the body of the thinnest
person imaginable, and being adapted to automatically contract or expand, the
component metal strips being then rigidly secured in position conformably to the
shape and dimensions of the original and the model so obtained being placed over
a frame adapted to be adjusted to it.
2. For the purpose of carrying out in practice the method claimed under No. 1,
an adjustable bust model consisting of strips or busks designed to adjust themselves
closely to the form of the body and displaceably connected with each other, and so
contrived as to admit of their being adjusted and secured in their relative positions
on the body of the person to be modelled, and, when placed in a frame provided
with arms or branches, acted upon by springs, yielding or reproducing an exact
model of the bust for tailoring purposes.

page_text: 3. For the purpose for carrying out in practice the method claimed under No. 1,
the application of jointed or moveable parallelograms connecting the separate pairs
of strips or busks and the application of rods, the one end of which is rigidly
connected with one strip and adjustably connected with the other strip or busk, in
order to admit of automatic and adjustable displacement of the separate strips
relative to each other.
4. For the purpose of carrying out in practice the method claimed under No. 1,
a frame consisting of a centre pole and arms, said arms being displaceable in the
pole and adapted to be pressed in an outward direction by means of helical springs,
in order to afford the metal strips the requisite support and to make them sufficiently
rigid for the purpose of fitting on the garments.
1000