An Improvement in Stiffenings for Dress Bodices and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left. 23rd Dec. 1896--Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Stiffenings for Dress Bodices and the like.
ARTHUR NICHOLSON and JOHN HALL, Silk and Trimming Manufacturers, of
Cross Street, Leek, in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Two narrow strips of whalebone, steel, horn, cane, celluloid, or other similar
material are covered, by being inserted into a casing with two divisions or sheaths
specially woven in a loom. Hitherto tubular casings have been woven with one
opening or sheath. Our invention consists in weaving in a loom a tubular casing
having two openings or sheaths instead of one, and inserting in each a narrow strip
of whalebone, steel, horn, cane, celluloid, or other similar material, the strip of
single web between the two sheaths being available for stitching the stiffener into
dress bodices and the like.
D
Ocil 1. 1906
ARTHUR NICHOLSON.
JOHN HALL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Stiffenings for Dress Bodices and the like.
We, ARTHUR NICHOLSON and JOHN HALL, of Cross Street, Leek, Staffordshire,
Braid and Trimming Manufacturers, 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 :-
Two narrow strips of whalebone, steel, horn, cane, celluloid or other similar
material are covered by being inserted into a casing with two divisions or sheaths
specially woven in a loom.
Hitherto tubular casings have been woven with one opening or sheath.
Our invention consists in weaving in a loom a tubular casing having two openings
or sheaths instead of one and inserting in each a narrow strip of whalebone, steel,
horn, cane, celluloid or other suitable material, the strip of single web between the
two sheaths being available for stitching the stiffener into dress bodies and the like
and to prevent the ends of the whalebones or like strips cutting through the casing
we double fold the ends of the casing thereby opposing three thicknesses of the
casing to the friction of the whalebone or like strips. The result has heretofore been
attained by the use of separate caps of leather or other material.
In the accompanying drawing-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of our improved stiffener for a dress bodice or the like,
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are similar views on an enlarged scale illustrating the manufacture
of the article.
In the drawings,-a designates the two strips of whalebone or other material,

page_text: and the casing which is woven with two divisions or sheaths to receive the
spring strips a the divisions being separated by a web of the casing which serves for
stitching the stiffener on to a dress bodice or the like and the ends of the casing
are double folded as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 the whole being secured together
by stitches c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The improved dress stiffener consisting of two narrow strips of whalebone, steel,
or other equivalent material sheathed in a casing woven with two divisions separated
by an intermediate web and with the ends double folded substantially as herein
-described and illustrated.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
17 St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for Applicants.