IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTICLES OF LADIES' ATTIRE KNOWN AS DRESS IM- PROVERS.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Austin Usher, of Powell Street East,
Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTICLES OF LADIES' ATTIRE KNOWN AS DRESS IM-
PROVERS.
" "
Sealed the 25th January 1876, and dated the 8th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Austin Usher
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th October 1875.
I, ALFRED AUSTIN USHER, of Powell Street East, Goswell Road, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTICLES OF LADIES' ATTIRE KNOWN AS
⚫ DRESS IMPROVERS,'" to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in articles of ladies'
attire known as "dress improvers," whereby such articles are rendered
capable of occupying but little space when required, but are readily
adjustable for wear. For this purpose I form the "dress improver as
"

page_text: heretofore with a number of strips of flexible material, such as steel,
whalebone, horn, or cane connected thereto at intervals in vertical lines,
and covered by the material forming the " 'improver," or by other
suitable plain or ornamental material.
In connection with an "improver" formed as above described I attach
thereto or form therein two rows of eyelet or other holes, through which
a lace is passed backwards and forwards. One of these rows preferably
runs in a horizontal line, whilst the other preferably runs in a line
following the waist band. Thus by pulling the looped projecting ends
of the lace the upper and lower parts of the "improver
are drawn
towards each other, thereby causing the strips of flexible material to
bulge outwards to any required extent, whilst by releasing the ends of
the lace the "improver" may be caused to lic close to the figure, or may
be packed flat for carriage or otherwise.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Austin Usher in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
AUSTIN USHER, of Powell Street East, Goswell Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Austin Usher,
Her special license that I, the said Alfred Austin Usher, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alfred Austin Usher, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTICLES OF LADIES' ATTIRE
KNOWN AS 'DRESS IMPROVERS,' upon the condition (amongst others) that
" "

page_text: I, the said Alfred Austin Usher, 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 Alfred Austin Usher, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in articles of ladies'
attire known as "dress improvers," whereby such articles are rendered
capable of occupying but little space when required, but are readily
adjustable for wear. For this purpose I form the "dress improver" as
heretofore with a number of strips of flexible material, such as steel,
whalebone, horn, or cane connected thereto at intervals in vertical lines,
and covered by the material forming the "improver," or by other
suitable plain or ornamental material.
In connection with an "improver" formed as above described I attach
thereto or form therein two rows of eyelet or other holes, through which
a lace is passed backwards and forwards. One of these rows preferably
runs in a horizontal line, whilst the other preferably runs in a line
following the waist band.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.

page_text: they may converge somewhat towards each other at their upper ends,
and diverge at their lower ends. These strips of material are covered as
usual by the material forming the "improver," or by other suitable plain
or ornamental material.
In connection with an "improver " formed as above described I attach
thereto or form therein two rows of cyclet or other holes b, c, the row b
being preferably in a horizontal line, whilst the row c is in a line parallel
to the waist band. Thus by pulling the looped projecting ends of the
laced threaded through the said cyelets, as shown at Figure 2, the upper
and lower parts of the " improver" are drawn towards each other,
thereby causing the strips of flexible material, and consequently the
"improver," to bulge outwards, as shown at Figure 3, to any required
extent, whilst by releasing the ends of the laced the "improver" may
be caused to lie close to the figure, or may be packed flat for carriage or
otherwise.
I would here remark that I am aware that "dress improvers" have
heretofore been made in a somewhat similar manner to that herein
shown and described, but in such cases the rows of cyelets have been
placed in vertical lines, thereby producing a different effect to that
obtained by my improver.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
mode in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood
that what I claim is, the mode of constructing dress improvers with
rows of cyclets running in horizontal or nearly horizontal lines, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Austin Usher, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.