IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENERS AND STAY BUSKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Roger Ajax and Charles Benjamin France, of the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENERS
AND STAY BUSKS."
Sealed the 9th March 1877, and dated the 9th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Roger Ajax and Charles
Benjamin France at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th.
November 1870.
JOHN ROGER AJAX and CHARLES BENJAMIN FRANCE, of the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENERS AND STAY BUSKS."
The object of this Invention is to obtain a corset fastener or a stay busk which
while retaining the requisite degree of flexibility shall afford greater strength at the
centre part or that part which in ordinary corset fastenings or stay busks is liable
to breakage,
In the case of the corset fastening the support or busk is divided longitudinally
or made in two parts, and each of these pieces are according to our Invention made
with a curve or swell on one edge and one straight edge, which straight edges in
fastening are brought and lie together edge to edge, thus giving a broad central
support to the busk at the point liable to fracture, but affording the requisite
flexibility at the extremities.
In the case of the busk the steel, bone, or other material is made with a swell on
each side at the midway portion or about the centre part, so as to give an elongated
oval form or widening of the busk at the point liable to fracture, and these
fastenings or busks are stitched into the body fabric of the corset or stay in the
ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Roger Ajax and Charles Benjamin France in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th May 1877.
JOHN ROGER AJAX and CHARLES BENJAMIN FRANCE, of the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENINGS AND STAY BUSKS."

page_text: The object of this Invention is to obtain a corset fastening or a stay busk which
while retaining the requisite degree of flexibility shall afford greater strength at the
centre part or that part which in ordinary corset fastenings or stay busks is liable
to breakage.
.
In the case of the corset fastening the support or busk is divided longitudinally
in two parts, and each of these pieces are according to our Invention made with a
curve or swell on one edge and one straight edge, which straight edges in fastening
are brought and lie together edge to edge, thus giving a broad central support to
the busk at the point liable to fracture, but affording the requisite flexibility at the
extremities.
In the case of the busk the steel, bone, or other material is made with a swell on
each side at or about the midway part so as to give an elongated oval form or
widening of the busk at the point liable to fracture, and these fastenings or busks
are stitched into the body fabric of the corset or stay in the ordinary manner.
In order that our said Invention may be well understood, I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the corset fastening; Fig. 2, like view of busk.
Fig. 3, perspective view of corset fitted with our improved "corset fastener" and
busk; Fig. 4, back view of corset represented in Fig. 3.
A, A¹, are the two parts of the corset fastening lying edge to edge at a, and
curved or made with a swell b, b¹, on their outer edges.
The busk shown in Fig. 2 will be employed either constructed in one piece or in
two parts, as indicated by the broken line x, x, of the said Figure, and as shown
in Fig. 4, where the back of the corset is represented as furnished with the two
parts of the busk and laced together at C.
In cases of weakness of the spine or other reason rendering the busk unwearable
immediately at the back, or for the purpose of additional support to the body of the
wearer, the busks will be stitched into the fabric, and occupy a position in the
corset somewhat as represented by the broken lines D, D¹, of Fig. 4, the use of busks
or supports in such positions being rendered possible by reason of the combined
flexibility of the extremities with the broad central supporting portion of our
improved busk or fastening.
Having now described the nature and particulars of our said Invention, and set
forth how the same is to be or may be carried into practical effect, we claim in a
corset fastening or stay busk the curved or "swelled" outer edges thereof to form a
widening of the said "fastening" or busk at the part liable to breakage, but
affording the requisite flexibility at the extremities, substantially as herein set forth
and shown by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Roger Ajax, for and on behalf of myself
and the said Charles Benjamin France, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Second day of May. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven