Year: 1887

page_text: I, BERNARD BERTHOLD FUCHS of 29 Rue de la Tombe-Issoire, Paris, France,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of that description of corset in.
which two separate parts are laced together at the back, and are secured together in
front by studs on the one part passing into slotted holes on the other. According to.
my present invention I so construct such corsets that they can be readily closed in
front while fitting the person loosely, and can then be tightened to any desired extent,
and while in such tightened condition the fastenings in front can be readily released.
For this purpose the laces at the back are drawn into two loops to each of which is
attached a length of linked chain, the ends of these chains being drawn round to the
front of the corset to any desired extent for tightening, and a certain link of each is
then hooked on to a special stud or hook fixed on each of the front busks of the
corset.
For fastening the two front busks together, the one busk is provided with the usual
stud, while on the other, in place of the usual slotted plate, is provided a plate divided
longitudinally through the slot, the one part, having the shoulder against which the
neck of the stud bears when inserted, being hinge-jointed to the other fixed part, and
being kept closed against the same by a small spring acting on a tail thereof, so that
when the stud is inserted it will be confined in the slot in the usual manner, but when
it is desired to undue the fastening, while the corset fits the body tightly, the hinged
part is raised by a small knob thereon, and thus allows the stud to escape from the
opened slot.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Corset.
1, BERNARD BERTHOLD FUCHS, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Merchant
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, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My present invention relates to an improved corset, the essential features of which
are: Firstly, the application of chains to the lacing cords of corsets in such manner
that the tension or tightness of the corset may be varied at pleasure, by hooking the
links or rings of the said chains to studs or buttons fixed on the front busks. Secondly,
the means of connecting or clasping the front busks of the corset together, consisting
of a fastening comprising a latch pivoted or hinged to one of the busks, and pressed,
by a spring, against an opposing piece fixed to the same busk, so as to grasp, or
enclose between itself and the fixed opposing piece the stem of a stud or button, with
an enlarged head, fixed to the second busk.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood, I will now proceed
to describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a corset, with my invention applied thereto, the said corset
being supposed to be opened out; Figure 2 is a separate view of one of the back
stiffening strips; Figure 3 shows a part of the two front busks of the corset with one
of the fastenings applied thereto; Figures 4 and 5 show modifications of this
fastening:
On the back stiffening strips a a¹ (Figures 1 and 2) are rivetted the eyelets or
rings, through which is passed the lacing cords ce¹. To these cords are attached,
by one or more rings e e¹, the metallic chains d d which are hooked to the studs or
buttons fixed to the front busks g g'.
According as it is desired to tighten the corset more or less, the front busks g g¹
being connected together by the fastenings to be hereafter described, the chains a d¹
which pass round to the front of the corset, are pulled more or less, so as to draw the
back stiffening strips a a' together, and when the corset is sufficiently tight the
chains d d are hooked to the studs or buttons of the front busks, care being
taken to maintain the tension of the chains, and consequently the tightness of the
corset, while the chains are being hooked to the studs or buttons. It will be seen that
the degree of tightness of the corset is determined by the position of the links or rings
of the chains d d' which are hooked to the studs ff.
وج
The busks g g are held together by the fastening shown in Figure 3. This fastening
consists of a lower or opposing piece h, rivetted to one of the busks 9, and of a latch
pivoted or hinged on a pin or stud i, fixed to the same busk over the piece h. This
latch has at one end a handle or finger piece j', and at the other end it is connected
to a spring, one end of which is connected to the busk g on which the latch j is
pivoted. The spring constantly tends to press the front end of the latch against
the piece h.
The shape of the openings left between the piece h and the latch depends on the
shape of the studs fixed on the second busk g' and which are to be held in these

page_text: openings. The arrangement shown in Figure 3 is suitable for studs or buttons with
round heads, whilst that shown in the modification illustrated in Figure 4, is suitable
for studs or buttons with elongated heads. The arrangement shown in Figure 4 also
differs from that shown in Figure 3 in having the finger piece j¹ of the latch j bent
outwards instead of projecting upwards as in that Figure.
Figure 5 shows another modification of the fastening in which the spring r acts by
compression, instead of by tension, as in Figures 3 and 4.
The employment of my arrangements for tightening corsets by means of chains
enables the busks g g' to be hooked together with great facility, and without opening
the clasps or latches j, but when the corset has been tightened up by the chain the
busks may be disconnected by opening the latches j.
Figures 6 to 13 show further modifications of these arrangements.
Figure 6 shows the corset as seen from the front, and Figures 7 to 9 are detail
views of the modified parts.
61
The back stiffening strips a a' of the corset are furnished with eyelets b b set or
rivetted in the pieces 66 which are rivetted to the back strips a a as shown in
Figure 9. The pieces b¹¹, cut out and perforated as shown in Figure 11, receive the
eyelets b shown in Figure 12, which are fixed securely in the said pieces b¹ b¹ by
setting or rivetting over in the usual way.
The laces or lacing cords c' (Figure 6) are continued by double silk cords d d'
(Figure 10) which are connected together at intervals by the eyelets or rings xx
which take the place of the links or rings in the chains d d above described, and are,.
like them, hooked to the studs ff¹ rivetted to the busks g g¹.
Instead of the double cords d d¹ with eyelets or rings placed at suitable distances
apart, I sometimes use cords similar to that shown in Figure 13, which has near one
end an eyelet y for connecting it to the face or lacing cord c or c¹ and at the free end
two or three other eyelets y' for hooking it to the stud for f1 of the busks g g¹.
The devices for clasping or holding together the busks g g' are similar to those
described in reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5 but in the example shown in Figure 7
the latch is held closed against the fixed piece h by means of a bent spring r one end
of which takes into a notch m in the piece and the other end of which is sprung into
another notch n in the latch j.
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 :-
First. For the purpose of tightening corsets, the use of chains, or of cords with
eyelets or rings therein, connected with the lacing cords of the back stiffening strips
of the corset, the said chains, or cords with eyelets or rings therein, passing round the
corset, and hooking, by their links, rings or eyelets, to studs fixed to the front busks,
as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. The fastenings for the front busks of a corset, consisting of a latch j pivoted
or hinged to one of the busks, and opposing piece h fixed to the same busk, and a
spring which presses the latch j constantly against the opposing piece h, the said
latch j, and the said piece h, having an opening between them through which
the stud 1, fixed to the other busk, as herein before described, and illustrated in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
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