IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Willian Pretty, junior, of Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Pretty at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1878.
WILLIAM PRETTY, junior, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk. “IMPROVEMENTS
IN CORSETS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in corsets.
In order that corsets may afford a more effectual support to the figure I form the
busks" with which these garments are stiffened in the front where the two sides
meet with joints which admit of the busks being retained close together at the top
by the usual fastenings, whilst at the lower part they remain open or separate to
some extent, and here the busks are drawn together by laces more or less, as the
wearer may desire. The joint in each busk should be about one-third of its length
from the top. For the lacing eyelets may be employed or studs fixed into the
busks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Pretty in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd April
1879.
WILLIAM PRETTY, junior, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
IN CORSETS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in corsets.
In order that corsets may afford a more effectual support to the figure I form the
-"busks" with which these garments are stiffened in the front where the two sides
meet with joints which admit of the busks being retained close together at the top
by the usual fastenings, whilst at the lower part they remain open or separate to
some extent, and here the busks are drawn together by laces more or less, as the
wearer may desire. The joint in each busk should be about one-third of its length
from the top. For the lacing eyelets may be employed or studs fixed into the
busks, or at the sides thereof.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a corset constructed according to my
Invention, and provided at the front with jointed "busks," and with fastenings so
arranged that whilst at the upper part the busks meet and are retained close
together by the fastenings, at the lower part the busks can remain open or separated
more or less, as the wearer may desire, whilst nevertheless the two sides are
connected and are drawn together by means of laces.
Figure 2 shows the busks with their fastenings and laces separately from the
other parts of the corset.
a, a, are the upper parts of the busks with catch fastenings a¹, a', which hold
these parts close together.
b, b, are the lower parts of the busks connected with the upper by round rivets
c, c, fortning joints; d, d, are the laces by which the parts b, b, are drawn towards
each other.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not clain simply forming
a joint in the busk of a corset, for I am aware that it has been proposed as a part
of a peculiar system of fastenings by catches of metal (which it is unnecessary to
explain) to joint one only of a pair of busks near its end with the object of facili-
tating the fastening and unfastening of the corset; but such jointing served no
other purpose and in no way affected the form or operation of the corset when in
wear, and when fastened the busks were held together by the fastenings closely
from end to end.
What I claim is the combination, as part of a corset, of the jointed busks and
laces, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Pretty, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM PRETTY, JUNE. (L.S.)