An Improved Corset.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Corset.
I, JOHN COTTEW of 2 Henry Nelson Street, South Shields, in the county of
Durham, Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved corset and has for its object the construction
or manufacture of corsets in such a manner as that while the corset shall not only
efficiently maintain the figure of the wearer it shall also by its flexibility prevent any
undue pressure on any part of the body by its adaptability to bend without fracture
in conformity with the movements of the wearer.
To attain this object I make use of preferably steel bands or flat steel wire arranged
circumferentially within the corset so as to form flat helices for a portion or for the
whole of the corset frame as desired.
In the former case the twisted wires or bands or helices resembling flat springs are
mechanically connected to the upper and lower frame bands of the corset and the
direction of the frames when covered with fabric are. arranged so as to most con-
veniently meet the figure of the wearer the joints of the corset being of a flexible
nature constructed by compensating slots or their equivalent so as to move when
desired in conformity with the wearer's actions.
By this compressed helical construction the property of ready pliability is com-
bined with just sufficient rigidity for the desired purpose.
thin 4th day of January 1880
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Corset.
1, JOHN COTTEW of 2 Henry Nelson Street, South Shields in the county of
Durham, Master Mariner 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 relates to an improved corset and has for its object the construc-
tion or manufacture of corsets in such a manner as that while the corset shall not
only efficiently maintain the figure of the wearer it shall also by its flexibility prevent
any undue pressure on any part of the body by its adaptability to bend without
fracture in conformity with the movements of the wearer.
To attain this object I make use of twisted spring wires arranged circumferentially
within the corset. The wires must in order to keep the corset sufficiently light be
of sufficiently light section and when twisted so as to form compressed helices or
spirals they can bend laterally as well as readily become elongated and again com-
pressed in accordance with the movements of the wearer. By this mode of
construction fracture is practically prohibited while according to the existing modes
of manufacture with rigid bands of steel, whalebone, cane and the like no provision
is made for the elongation or compression of the corset frames, the result being that,
at the point where the greatest pressure is found in practice to occur viz. on or about
the hips the frames not unfrequently break and then their sharp and ragged ends are
liable to and do materially injure the wearer.
After a series of experiments I find that the wire most suitable for my purpose
is the best steel or brass spring wire of or about 25 B.W.G. corresponding to a

page_text: diameter of 0.020 inch (Molesworth's Tables) and when using wire of this size I form
it into a compressed coil or spiral or helix and arrange it circumferentially within
the pleats of the fabric of the stays or corset either separately or in groups of two,
three, four or five coils or spirals or helices in a group.
will now fully describe my invention having reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a corset with internal stays
or supports constructed of twisted wires according to my invention.
Fig. 2 represents a sample of the twisted or coil wire which I find suitable for my
purpose, this wire being closely twisted so as to present the compressed appearance
shown in the figure referred to. Fig. 3 shows a combination form of twisted wire
and light steel or other rigid bands the twisted wire being designed to encircle, for
example, the waist of the wearer and thus allow for elongation and compression of
the stays or supports in accordance with the wearer's movements. Fig. 4 shows
another form of twisted wire the latter being formed by preference from longitudinal
strips of very light sectioned well tempered steel and twisted or coiled so as to admit
of elongation and compression as above described.
Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a section across or through a portion
of the corset at right angles to the lay of the pleat frames showing the arrangement
of twisted wires or coils or helices both separately and in groups of two, three, four
or five twisted wires each coil being duly covered by the fabric (shown black) of
the corset pleats. Figs. 7 and 8 show modifications of form hereinafter again
referred to and throughout this description like letters in the specification and in the
drawings designate like.parts.
Referring to Fig. 1 the dotted lines a aa on the right hand side of the figure
show the lines of the twisted wires arranged both singly and in groups after the
manner shown on a larger scale in section in Fig. 6; these wires may be of the type
shown in Fig. 2 and may extend the full length or height of the corset as shown.
On the left hand side of Fig. 1 is shown the application of the type of combined
twisted wire c and light steel or other rigid or non-elastic bands e¹ as shown in Fig. 3.
In this case the twisted wire forming a portion only of the corset may be con-
veniently joined to its steel, whalebone,-cane or other like component at either end
of the same by means of solder these combination forms of frame or support being
arranged within the corset fabric pleats in greater or less numbers to render the
manufactured corset more or less stiff in accordance with the wish of the wearer.
In like manner the type of wire above described and shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may
be worked into the corset so as to form either the whole or a portion of the corset
frames by combination in the latter case with non-twisted straight bars or tubes of
steel whalebone or the like in the manner above described and illustrated with
reference to Fig. 3.
In certain cases and where desired I may form the twisted wires or coils in such
a manner as to form tapered instead of cylindrical or parallel coils or helices as shown
in Figs. 7 and 8. The taper in such case I construct very gradually so that when
the coil is in its normal or non-extended position within the corset fabric any one
coil may have a bearing upon the coil next below it so as to prevent the telescopic
action which might otherwise occur.
The line of juncture or fastening of the stays or corsets constructed as herein
described may be formed in the usual way or by a flat band let into the edge or
marginal pleat and arranged with studs or buttons and slots or openings corre-
sponding thereto, the upper or lower edges or top and bottom of the stays or corset
being likewise formed and stiffened in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:
(1) In the manufacture of corsets, the use of twisted wire or wires arranged within
the pleats of the fabric substantially as and for the nurnoses herein before set.

page_text: (2) In the manufacture of corsets the use of twisted wire or wires combined with
steel, whalebone or equivalent rigid bars arranged within the pleats of the fabric
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 9th day of August 1889.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent for Applicant.