AN IMPROVE- A Da AWD Brang THPRAYERS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emilie Sénéchal, of South Molton Strect, in the
County of Middlesex, Spinster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
A Da
AWD Brang THPRAYERS "
Scaled the 21st November 1874, and dated the 5th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emilic Sénéchal at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on
the 5th September 1873.
I, EMILIE SÉNÉCHAL, of South Molton Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Spinster, do hereby declare the ṇature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRESS AND FIGURE IMPROVERS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of
articles known as bustles, artificial busts, breast pads, or figure
improvers, whereby these articles may be made much more clastic than
hitherto, and therefore not liable to be pressed out of shape as is the case
with those now made, which become flattened and consolidated by wear

page_text: and being at the same time of a very light and porous nature they are
consequently much healthier and do not fatigue the wearer.
According to my Invention I make the said articles of sponge, in one
or more picces of suitable shape and dimensions covered with any proper
material or fabric, and provided with bands and hooks or other devices by 5
which the said articles may be attached to the other parts of the dress
and held in place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Emilie Sénéchal in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMILIE
SÉNÉCHAL, of South Molton Strect, in the County of Middlesex,
Spinster, send greeting.
1
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Emilie Sénéchal, Her special licence that I, the said
Emilie Sénéchal, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, tho said Emilio Sencchal, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF S
DRESS AND FIGURE IMPROVERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, tho said Emilic Sénéchal, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Emilie Sénéchal, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of
articles known as bustles, artificial busts, breast pads, or figure improvers,
whereby these articles may be mado more clastic than hitherto, and
therefore not liable to be pressed out of shape as is the case with those
now made with horsehair and other material which become flattened
and consolidated by wear. Moreover by the improvements of my
Invention these articles are made very light and of a porous nature, so
that they are more conducive to health and do not fatigue the wearer.
According to my Invention I make the said articles of sponge, in one
or more pieces of suitable shape and dimensions covered with any proper
material or fabric, and provided with bands and hooks or other devices
by which the said articles may be attached to the stays or other part of
a ladic's clothing, and so be held in place.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shown a side view and vertical
section of a lady's dress improver or "tournure" made according to my
Invention.
a is the fitting or foundation of sponge in one ore more picces and cut
of the desired rounded shape and enclosed in a bag or covering b of
suitable fabric, provided with a band and tapes by which it is secured to
the waist of the wearer, and a hook may be secured in the band to
prevent the articlo shifting its position. The sponge after coming from
the importers is thoroughly beaten to take all particles of sand or foreign
matter from it, then soaked and thoroughly washed in a weak solution
of ammonia, beaten again, then thoroughly dried by exposure to a
current of warm air, and is then cut to the proper shape if one picce bo
used (if more than one I attach them together by sewing or otherwise)
before being enclosed in the covering b. The honeycomb is the sponge.
I use in preference on account of its porosity, lightness, and freedom
from foreign matter. The article may be provided with flounces and
other trimming in any suitable manner.
The application of the Invention to breast pads for ladies' and soldiers'
wear will be readily understood from the foregoing.

page_text: Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
application and use of spongo in the formation of dress and figure
improvers above referred to as specified.
In witness whercof, I, the said Emilie Sénéchal, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four.