Year: 1886

page_text: I, JOSEPH LOUIS WELLS, of the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to wire breast-pads or "dress-forms," and has for its
object to provide a cover therefor which shall serve as a
"finish" for the article,
protecting the person and garments of the wearer against contact with naked. wire,
such cover not, however, affecting the expansibility of the pads or forms under
pressure or impact.
Heretofore these pads or forms when made of braided wire have been finished
around the edge by having stitched thereto a band of inelastic textile material. Owing
to the inelasticity of this band it restrained the compressibility of the pad, so that
when pressure was imposed upon the latter such, for example, as would result from a
tight fitting waist or cont, the pad would yield to only a slight degree and the edge
would bear rigidly against the surface on which it touched, to wit, the person of the
wearer. And, as the band was secured to only the lower or inner edge of the pad or
form, and the rest of the latter was left unprovided with a special cover, it followed
that the garment contacting with the wires of such pad would become soiled.
To avoid these difficulties, and to permit greater freedom of movement in the
pad or form than heretofore I provide the pads or forms with a covering of textile
material which is knitted or braided or otherwise made of open-work character.
My invention accordingly consists in the combination with a breast-pad or
"dress-form "
of a braided, knitted or open-work elastic cover, substantially as
hereinafter fully described.
.
According to the present invention the body of the pad or form is composed of
braided wire and consists of a tubular or cylindrical section, the ends of which are
introverted or brought together and secured by a button or other fastening located on
the inner or concave side of the pad or form.
The rim or edge of the pad or form rests against or nearest to the person of the
wearer. When pressure is imposed upon the centre the said rim or edge will expand
or increase in diameter, if not restrained by external influences, and it will also tend
037

page_text: to curl up outwardly if sufficient pressure be produced on the centre. A covering of
textile material, such as cotton, linen, silk or wool, is knitted, braided or otherwise
made to have an open-work and elastic character, which covering stretches readily
when the rim or edge of the pad or form expands, and contracts as the latter assumes
its normal position or shape.
This cover is preferably made, in the first instance, in the form of a tube or cylinder,
similar in shape to that of which the braided-wire body is composed, and is applied to
said body by slipping it on over the latter, turning one of its ends into the cavity or
recess of the latter, and then securing both ends together at the centre by stitching or
other suitable form of fastening. The covering is thus both on the inner and outer,
or concave and convex sides of the pad or form, and may be said to form a lining as
well as a covering. It thus protects the person and garments of the wearer from
contact with naked wire, rendering the article more comfortable and cleanly, yet does
not interfere with the easy yielding of the pad or form to compression or produce the
rigidity or discomfort incident to pads having edges bound with inelastic fabrics.
My invention is not necessarily confined to braided-wire pads or forms, as the
described cover may be applied to pads or forms of other construction or different
material, but I prefer to use braided wire, as there is no other construction or
material with which I am acquainted which will produce a pad or form having the
desirable properties of one made of braided wire.

page_text: Improvements in Breast-pads or "Dress-forms."
I, JOSEPH LOUIS WELLS, of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania;
United States of America, manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAST-PADS OR "DRESS-FORMS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein
the figure is a perspective of a breast-pad embodying my improvements part of the
cover being removed to exhibit the wire beneath.
My invention has reference to wire breast-pads or "dress-forms" and has for its
object to provide a cover therefor which shall serve as a "finish" for the article,
protecting the person and garments of the wearer against contact with naked wire,
such cover not, however, affecting the expansibility of the pads or forms under
pressure or impact.
Heretofore. these pads or forms when made of braided wire have been finished
around the edge by having stitched thereto a band of inelastic textile material.
Owing to the inelasticity of this band it restrained the compressibilty of the pad, so
that when pressure was imposed upon the latter such, for example, as would result
from a tight fitting waist or coat, the pad would yield to only a slight degree and the
edge would bear rigidly against the surface on which it touched, to wit, the. person of
the wearer. And, as the band was secured to only the lower or inner edge of the pad
or form, and the rest of the latter was left unprovided with a special cover, it followed
that the garment contacting with the wires of such pad would become soiled.
To avoid these difficulties, and to permit greater freedom of movement in the pad
or form than heretofore I provide the pads or forms with a covering of textile
material which is knitted or braided or otherwise made of open-work character.
32
My invention accordingly consists in the combination with a breast-pad or "dress
form of a braided, knitted or open-work elastic cover, substantially as hereinafter
fully described.
Referring to the accompanying drawing A represents a pad or form the body of
which is composed of braided wire and consists of a tubular or cylindrical section, the
ends of which are introverted or brought together and secured by a button or other
fastening located on the inner or concave side of the pad or form.
D is the rim or edge of the pad or form and is, in use, the part which rests against
or nearest to the person of the wearer. When pressure is imposed upon the center
the rim or edge will expand or increase in diameter, if not restrained by external
influences, and it will also tend to curl up outwardly if sufficient pressure be produced
on the centre. E is a covering of textile material, such as cotton, linen, silk or wool,
which is knitted, braided or otherwise made to have an open-work character and is
elastic, stretching readily when the rim or edge of the pad or form expands, and
contracting as the latter assumes its normal position or shape.
This cover is preferably made, in the first instance, in the form of a tube or
cylinder, similar in shape to that of which the braided-wire body is composed, and is
applied to said body by slipping it on over the latter, turning one of its ends into the

page_text: 2
cavity or recess of the latter, and then securing both ends together at the center by
stitching or other suitable form of fastening. The covering is thus both on the inner
and outer, or concave and convex, sides of the pad or form, and may be said to form
a lining as well as a covering. It thus protects the person and garments of the
wearer from contact with naked wire, rendering the article more comfortable and
cleanly, yet does not interfere with the easy yielding of the pad or form to com-
pression or produce the rigidity or discomfort incident to pads having edges bound
with inelastic fabrics.
My invention is not necessarily confined to braided-wire pads or forms, as the
described cover may be applied to pads or forms of other construction or different
material, but I prefer to use braided wire, as there is no other construction or material
with which I am acquainted which will produce a pad or form having the desirable*
properties of one made of braided wire.
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. The combination with the body of a breast-pad or "dress-form" of a knitted,
braided or open-work elastic covering of textile material secured thereon, substantially
as shown and described.
2. The combination with the body of a breast-pad or "dress-form" composed of
braided wire of a covering applied thereto, substantially as described, said covering
consisting of a knitted, braided or open-work textile material, substantially as shown
and set forth. ·
4