Improvements in or applicable to Stays and Corsets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Stays and Corsets.
I, ALBERT RÄTHE, of Weilheim-Teck, in the German Empire, Corset Manu-
facturer, 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 improvements in or applicable to stays and
corsets.
The improvements consist in a modified arrangement for fastening the corset
and in a modified arrangement of the stiffening bones and their securing in the
corset. In stays and corsets as hitherto manufactured the fastening is effected
either by means of busks which are sewn into the corset and generally consist
of exceedingly stiff and inflexible material so that they consequently exercise a
detrimental pressure on the body or of lacings which are complicated and tedious
and besides thicken the corset at the respective part, so that the dress fits badly.
The stiffening bones in corsets as hitherto manufactured are
sewn into the
material. In the event of one of these stiffening bones breaking or being
rendered useless by bending it has been difficult to replace same by a fresh bone.
Further the sharp edges of the stiffening bones employed damage the material
and wear same out.
To remedy these defects is the object of the present invention.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will now proceed to describe
it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a corset made according to the present
invention.
Figure 2 shows the mode of securing the stiffening bones.
In contradistinction to corsets as generally hitherto manufactured, the present
corset consists of four parts a b c d, of which the parts a d, a b, b c are laced
together in the usual manner.
The fastening of the parts c d at the front of the corset is effected by means
of hooks and eyes f, which are arranged on small plates of metal which
are inserted into the corset material and riveted thereto. For this purpose rivet
holes are provided in the plates h. Beneath the fastening the cloth flap k is
arranged as usual.
Any desired and suitable number of stiffening bones ? can be arranged in
the corset. These stiffening bones are inserted in pockets I, the lower part m
of which is left open. The pockets are formed by sewing a strip at the margin
to the corset material. At the open end of the pocket the strip is provided at
the inner side with a flexible eye n, which corresponds to a spring stud o secured
to the corset material. These studs and eyes are constructed similar to the well
known glove fastenings. To exchange a stiffening bone it is only necessary
to open the respective end of the pocket 1, whereupon the bone can be removed
and replaced by a fresh one.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1) A corset composed of four parts, the front fastening of which is formed by
hooks and eyes secured to metal plates which are riveted to the corset material,
substantially as set forth.
2) A corset having the stiffening bones arranged interchangeable in pockets on
the corset material, the open end of said pockets adapted to be closed by means
of spring studs and eyes, substantially as set forth.
3) A corset having the present improvements applied thereto substantially as
described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of July 1899.
B. REICHHOLD,
International Patent Office,
24, Luisen Strasse, Berlin, N.W., Germany,
Agent for the Applicant.