IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC & NON-METALLIC SUBSTANCES FOR EXPANDING DRESSES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Iliffe, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
METALLIC & NON-METALLIC SUBSTANCES FOR EXPANDING DRESSES AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd February 1861, and dated the 29th August' 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Iliffe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition; on the 29th
August 1860.
I, CHARLES ILIFFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do' hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS' IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF METALIC & NON-METALIC SUBSTANCES FOR EXPANDING DRESSES' AND
OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in taking wire'and either corrugating or coiling the
same, and afterwards passing it through rolls or other flattening' machinery, by
which means greater strength, lightness, and elasticity are obtained. Also in
making strips (for the same purposes as above) of any required length or
breadth from whalebone reduced to a very small substance, and' hair or other'
light and elastic bodies, by laying these between two or more adhesive cover-
ings to obtain the necessary strength, and' by which means long lengths can be
made possessing strength, lightness; & pliability.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Iliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
ILIFFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most.Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Iliffe, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Iliffe,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Iliffe, my executors, administrators, or 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC AND NON-METALLIC SUBSTANCES FOR
EXPANDING DRESSES AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Iliffe, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Charles Iliffe, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in taking wire and either corrugating or coiling the
same, and afterwards passing it through rolls or other flattening machinery, by
which means greater strength, lightness, and elasticity are obtained. Also in
making strips (for the same purpose) of any required length or breadth from
whalebone reduced to a very small substance, and hair or other light and
elastic bodies, by laying these between two or more adhesive coverings to
obtain the necessary strength, by which means long lengths can be made pos-
sessing strength, lightness, and pliability.
Firstly, my Invention consists in corrugating metalic bands or strips, whereby
the edges are made waved or undulating, with the face flat or curved, by

page_text: means of rolls or other suitable machinery, thus producing a greater amount
of flexibility and strength.
Secondly, I form strips or bands of metallic and non-metallic substances, in
the following manner:-I take whalebone reduced to a very fine substance,
hair, steel, wire, or other light and elastic bodies, and lay them between
adhesive coverings to obtain the required strength. By this means long
lengths can be made possessing strength, lightness, and flexibility.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not confine myself to any particular form or pattern, as the.
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but
what I claim is,―
Firstly, the production of metallic strips or bands for expanding dresses in
any form other than that in a straight or parallel line.
Secondly, the production of flexible bands or strips by a union of metallic
wire with fibrous materials and strips or bands of non-metallic substances, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Iliffe have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
CHARLES ILIFFE (L.S.)