Improvements in the Manufacture of Corsets and Stays.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th July, 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept.,
1896
Improvements in the Manufacture of Corsets and Stays.
I, HERBERT WAIDE REYNOLDS of the Firm of Waterhouse Reynolds & Co.,
of 7 Upper Brown Street, Leicester, Corset Manufacturers do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved manufacture of corset or stay,
as hereinafter described, in which provision is made for maintaining the grace-
fulness of the figure of the individual while enabling the pressure on the abdomen
to be graduated or adjusted' to the desire of the wearer.
In a corset made in accordance with this invention a short busk is employed at
the upper part thereof which may be fastened in the usual manner.
To prevent the lower end of the busk pressing into the person of the wearer
when in a stooping position a protective device is employed which may consist of
two stiffening strips connected to the lower part of the corsets and which
protective stiffening strips extend some distance upwards and behind the short
busk so as to take the thrust from the latter when bent by the stooping of the
wearer.
Upon these protective strips or upon a flexible facing thereto forming also a
continuation of the enveloping material of the short busk, there may be arranged
a series of lacing studs, hooks or equivalent by which the front lower part of the
corset may be connected together by laces, and at the bottom of the corset a
buckle and strap, one on each side respectively may be arranged so that the lower
part of the corset may be fitted tightly against the body of the wearer to preserve
the figure while the part intermediate of it and the short busk before referred to
may be laced without uncomfortable pressure on the abdomen, thereby avoiding all
the ill effects incidental to tight lacing.
Dated this 12th dex of November 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Corsets and Stays.
I, HERBERT WAIDE REYNOLDS of the Firm of Waterhouse Reynolds & Co.,
of 7 Upper Brown Street, Leicester, Corset 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::-
This invention has reference to a new or improved manufacture of corset,
wherein provision is made for maintaining the gracefulness of the figure of the
individual without causing unnecessary abdominal pressure which may be regulated
or graduated to the desire of the wearer.
In my improved corset a short busk is employed at the upper part and the lower
part of the corset may be drawn together by laces and also if desired by a strap
and buckle.
Behind the short busk there is a protective strip to prevent the ends of the busk
injuring the person when in a bending or stooping posture.

page_text: The invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description
referring to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved corset as it appears when fitted
on the body of the wearer.
Figure 2 is also a perspective view of the corset, but showing it with its
fastenings released and the protective stiffener at the rear of the latter.
A represents the body of the corset which may be made of any of the well
known materials and B B', shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, is the short
steel busk with eyes B2 and studs B 3 respectively for connecting together in
the usual manner.
The busk as indicated by the dotted lines is covered by or enclosed in a facing
or pocket of similar material to that of which the corset is made and extends down
to about the centre of the waist live. Below the said busk and on the flexible
facing C, which forms a continuation of that in which the busk is enveloped, is
attached a series of lacing studs C or their equivalent with which a lace C¹ may
be employed to draw the two lower edges of the corset together.
At the extreme bottom of the front there is attached a tab D on one side and
a buckle D on the other side.
Behind the busk is a protective strip or steel E the special function of which is
to take the thrust of the end of the short steel busk B B' which when the wearer
is in a leaning or stooping posture would be liable to press end wise against the
person and possibly injure it.
The said protective strip as a sine qua non must always be located at or near the
lower end of the short busk, but for general purposes it is desirable to continue
this protective steel for nearly the whole length of the front of the corset as most
clearly indicated in Figure 2 as by so doing it acts as a support to the flexible base
or facing C 2 upon which the lacing studs are fixed and also gives a more definite
and graceful outline to the figure.
When the buckle aud' tab are drawn tightly together, which may be done
without causing any uncomfortable degree of pressure, they impart a curved
.outline to the part immediately above and the chief advantages of my improved
corset are then noticeable, as the lacings over the abdominal region may be
slackened or adjusted to any required degree without at the same time disturbing
the general outline of the figure.
The lacing arranged as described in combination with the short busk and the
tab and buckle supplies tbat desideratum in a corset so greatly needed viz.: the
possibility of retaining the gracefulness of the figure, during the natural increase
of the lower part of the body, as for instance at the gestation period, without any
uncomfortable pressure upon the abdominal muscles.
The protective strips are enclosed in a pocket of canvas, linen or any suitable
material attached along one of its edges to the inner face of the corset, the other
edge of the protective strip being preferably free and undetached.
While the best results are obtained by using the buckle and strap referred to it
may in some cases be omitted if desired.
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:
1. In a corset the improved means of fastening, consisting of the combination of
a short busk at the upper part and protective device therefor, and lacing studs.or
equivalent and laces at the lower part substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In a corset the improved means of fastening, consisting of the combination
of a short busk, and its protective device for the upper part and an arrangement.
of lacing and buckle and tab for the lower part substantially as and for the purpose
described..
3. In a corset the improved means of fastening consisting of a short busk at the

page_text: upper part, a series of lacing hooks (or equivalent) and laces on the lower part, a
protective stiffening device at the back of the said busk, and with or without a tab
and bucklo substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The combination of fastening devices construoted, arranged and operating
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dont Tul„ 1906
0 Witness-
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers,
Leicester.
HERBERT WAIDE REYNOLDS.