IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS OR ARTIFICIAL SUPPORTS FOR THE HUMAN BODY
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Pebardy, of 30, Saint Paul's Road; in the
Parish
of Saint Paneras, in the County of Middlesex, Surgical Bandage
and Instrument Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS OR
ARTIFICIAL SUPPORTS FOR THE HUMAN BODY."
Sealed the 28th June 1867, and dated the 25th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Pebardy at the
odt Office (of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
March 1867.
1
I, THOMAS-PEBARDY, of-30, Saint Paul's Road, in the Parish of Saint
Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Surgical Bandage and Instrument
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN STAYS OR ARTIFICIAL SUPPORTS FOR THE HUMAN BODY," to be as
follows:-
The Invention consists of elastic fronts and backs so placed as to stretch
diagonally, following the course of the ribs in the human body as near as
possible, thereby allowing respiration to proceed without check. The elastics
to range from the lower portion of the mammary glands to the waist of wearer
or higher orlower at will. The elastics inserted may be woven in one or more
pieces, or it may be used by sewing a series of elastic webs at the edges,
which later I prefer. The elastics are attached to the front strips which are
formed.of non-elastic material, to which may be used the ordinary steel or
busks within such a distance as may be found most eligible, from thence to
Price 1

page_text: another strip of non-elastic material, also of a suitable width, which same runs
from the top of stay to the lower edge of same in a perpendicular line from
the arm-pit, on either side of which strip at the lower part are inserted gores
of elastic web to cover the hip joints of such length and width as may be
necessary. I more especially claim originality of placing the elastics so that
they may stretch diagonally as aforesaid. At the termination of the back
elastics they are met by another strip of non-elastic material which passes to
the lower part of the back of the stay and formed as follows:-With rows of
stitching also placed diagonally to admit of whalebone or other flexible
material to support the muscles of the back and avoid pressure on the vertebra
or back bone from the small of the back to the lower portion of same, and
from the elastics of the back part of either hip it is formed of non-elastic
material from the waist to the top of stay. At the back it may be closed or
left open,
and lace by two rows of eyelet holes as at present made. If used
with closed back it will then lace nearly half way, thus from the waist to the
lower edge of stay at the back. I also claim originality in using a substance
called "catgut" for stiffening the stay; its superiority to whalebone in some
parts of the stay is owing to it not occupying so much space and being round
in its form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Pebardy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PEBARDY, of 30, Saint Paul's Road, in the Parish of Saint Pancras, in the
County of Middlesex, Surgical Bandage and Instrument Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Herreign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Pebardy, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Pebardy,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Pebardy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN STAYS OR ARTIFICIAL SUPPORTS FOR THE HUMAN BODY," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Pebardy, 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 Thomas Pebardy, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement thereof, that is to say-
The Invention consists in making stays with elastic fronts and backs so
placed as to stretch diagonally, following the course of the ribs in the human
body as nearly as possible, thereby allowing respiration to proceed without
check.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a front view, and Figure 2 a
back view of a pair of stays constructed according to my Invention. The
front elastics are made, as shewn in Figure 1, to range from the lower portion
of the mammary glands at a to the waist of the wearer at b, or it may be a
little higher or lower; the elastic inserted may be woven in one or more pieces,
or it may be a series of elastic webs sewn together at the edges, as shewn in
the Drawing, which latter mode I prefer; these elastics are attached to the
front strips c, which are formed of non-elastic material, in which may be used
or inserted the ordinary steel or busk, and they may be taken in one piece
from thence such a distance as may be most eligible to another strip of non-
elastic material d (see Figures 1 and 2), also of suitable width, which runs
from the top of the stay to the lower edge of the same in a perpendicular line
from the arm-pit, or the elastics instead of running continuously in one piece
from the strip c to the strip d may be divided into two parts fand f¹, and have
a band or strip of non-elastic material between them, as shewn in the Drawing,
Figure 1. On either side of the strip dat the lower part are inserted gores
of elastic web e to cover the hip joints of such length and width as may be
necessary. The back elastics f2 (see Figure 2) extend from the other side
of the strip d to other strips of non-elastic material g, which strips pass from
the top to the bottom of the stay at the centre of the back. Rows of stitching h
are placed in these strips g diagonally from the small of the back i to the top
of the stay to admit of whalebone or other flexible material to support the

page_text: muscles of the back, and avoid pressure on the vertebræ or back bone. From
the small of the back i to the lower portion of the same j;as far as the elastics.k
at
100
t the back partofeither hip, the back is formed of non-elastic material; the back
may be closed or left open, and laced by two rows of eyelet holes, as at present
made; if used with closed back it will then lace nearly half way, as in Figure 2,
from the waist to the lower edge of the stays. Whalebone or other stiffeners
may be used at intervals running from top to bottom of the stays, and crossing
the elastics as shewn in the Drawings. I sometimes use catgut in lieu of
whalebone for stiffening the stay as it takes less space.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, what I claim is, the constructing stays in the manner described; also the
making them with the elastics placed as described so as to stretch. diagonally,
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Pebardy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal,this Twenty-fourth-day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.