Year: 1887

page_text: My invention relates to bustles or dress improvers of that kind or class which are so
constructed as to close up or collapse easily from pressure when the wearer sits down
or from any similar cause, and which expand so as to assume their normal configuration
when the pressure is removed.
The main object of my said invention is to provide a contrivance intended to act
as a bustle or dress improver to be worn by ladies, and adapted to allow the wearer
to sit down without in any way damaging the said bustle or dress improver by crushing
or otherwise putting it out of its proper shape, and also to spring back instantly into
its former position when the wearer rises, thus restoring the drapery of the dress to
the distended condition which is the primary object for which the said bustles or dress
improvers are worn. My improved bustle or dress improver is also light and simple
in construction and comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth.
:
My said invention is conveniently and advantageously carried into practice as
hereinafter described, that is to say I construct the side frame of the said bustle
or dress improver of wire made of steel or any other suitable metal, covered with
some suitable material. The distending portion of the said bustle or dress improver
consists of three or more semi-circular ribs formed of spiral springs or spirally coiled
wire attached to and forming part of the said side frame; that portion of the said
ribs or spiral springs nearest to the side frame is coiled closer or so coiled as to form
a stronger spring than in the middle, this closer coiled or stronger portion of the said
ribs or spiral springs being preferably extended further in the bottom or lower rib or
spiral spring than in the others. The top of the said frame is connected by an arched
or curved piece consisting of twin wires covered with some suitable material or by
any other suitable elastic substance and connected to the material covering the said
side frame by rivets or otherwise. Pivoted to this curved or arched piece is an inter-
mediate rib formed of the same suitably covered twin wires as in the said curved or
arched piece, or of any other suitable material. This intermediate rib is connected to

page_text: the other ribs or spiral springs by means of a wide tape in such a manner that all the
ribs are adapted to close up or collapse laterally to the frame when pressed, but are
again drawn back to their former position at right angles to the frame by the ribs
composed of spiral springs when the said pressure is removed. The said bustle or
dress improver is elastic and compressible vertically to the said frame by reason of the
elasticity of the ribs formed as above described of spiral springs or spirally coiled
wires. The back of the frame or portion of the bustle or dress-improver that rests
against the body of the wearer is formed by lacing the frame together, suitable laco
holes being provided in the material covering the side frame for that purpose, thus
the tension and shape of the bustle or dress improver can be altered at will and a light,
cool, and elastic part is provided to rest against the body of the wearer.
The bustle or dress improver is attached to the wearer by means of a belt of wide
tape, ribbon, or any other suitablo material fastened to the upper extremity of the
material covering the side frame.
Sometimes I cover the whole of the semi circular ribs or spiral springs of the said
bustle or dress-improver with some suitable material, placing the said ribs or spiral
springs in suitable pockets in the said covering.
301
1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, ROBERT GOFF, of 48 Old Bailey in the City of London, Manager, do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide a bustle or dress-improver which will
permit the wearer to sit down or otherwise compress the said bustle or dress-improver
without in any way damaging the same by crushing or otherwise permanently putting
it out of its proper shape, and which when the wearer rises or the pressure is other-
wise removed will spring back or expand instantly, so as to assume its normal
configuration, thus restoring the drapery of the dress to the distended condition the
maintenance of which is the primary object of a bustle or dress improver:
My improved bustle or dress-improver is moreover, light and simple in con-
struction.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation and
Figure 2 a side elevation of my improved bustle or dress improver.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a, a are the side frames of the bustle or dress improver which are constructed as
hereinafter described of steel or other wire and are covered with suitable material b.
The distending portion of the said bustle or dress improver comprises semicircular
ribs c formed of spiral springs or spirally coiled wire. The extremities of the said
semi-circular ribs c are provided with vertical extensions which form parts of the side
frames a and are soldered together, short tubes or sockets a being moreover fitted
upon them in order to strengthen the said side frames a. The parts of the lower or
bottom rib e nearest to the side frames a are preferably coiled more closely than the
central portion of the said rib, that is to say they are so coiled as to form springs e
affording greater strength and rigidity than the middle or central portion of the said
rib. In some instances all the ribs care provided with more closely coiled portions
at the sides; in this case the said closely coiled or stronger portions are preferably
extended further in the bottom or lower rib than in the other ribs. The top of the
side frames a are connected by an arched or curved piece d constructed preferably of
twin wires covered with some suitable material and connected by rivets d' or other-
wise to the material & covering the said side frames a.
An intermediate rib e is pivoted at e¹ to the curved or arched piece d. A second
intermediate rib e² is, moreover, sometimes provided and is pivoted at e³ to the inter-
mediate rib e. The intermediate ribs e, e² are preferably formed of twin wires
covered with any suitable material. The intermediate ribs, e, e² are moreover connected

page_text: to the other ribs c by means of a wide tape for in any other suitable manner so that
all the ribs are adapted to close up or collapse when compressed but are again drawn
back to their former position when the said pressure is removed.
It will be seen that the said bustle or dress improver is elastic and compressible by
reason of the elasticity of the herein before described ribs c. The front of the
frames a or that portion of the bustle or dress improver that rests against the body of
the wearer is formed by lacing the said frames a together, suitable lace-holes g and a
lace g¹ being provided for that purpose.
By the means above described the tension and shape of the bustle or dress improver
can be altered at will and a light cool and elastic part is provided to rest against the
body of the wearer.
The bustle or dress improver is preferably attached to the wearer by means of a
belt of wide tape, ribbon, or other suitable material fastened to the upper extremity
of the material b covering the side frames a.
In some instances morcover I cover the whole of the semi circular ribs c of the
bustle or dress improver with some suitable material, placing the said ribs e in suitable
pockets in the said covering.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. A bustle or dress improver having ribs formed of spiral springs or spirally
coiled wire and provided with extensions which are united to form the side frames.
Second. In a bustle or dress-improver, one or more ribs formed of spiral springs
or spirally coiled wire and having the closely coiled portions substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Third. The improved bustle or dress-improver constructed substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 13th day of June 1888