Improvements in Corsets.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Corsets.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 31, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County
of Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
--
The object of these improvements in corsets is to facilitate the wearing of a
corset under special circumstances (pregnancy etc.) and to impart to the same
the beneficial effect of an abdominal truss, the lower portion being readily
expansible in accordance with the changes of shape or size which the body of
the wearer undergoes in progress of time.
The expansion takes place at the lower front part of the corset in such a
manner that both the busks of the corset do not, as hitherto, consist of one
rigid piece each, or extend without a break from top to bottom, but only reach
down to a point situated just below the waist, at which point they have extensions
appended to them, in the shape of stiff rods connected with the busks proper by
meaus of suitable pivot joints or hinges or, if preferred, independent of the
burks, but adapted to be opened or expanded in a V-shape, as required. To
fasten the corset together at the lower part of the front, means are provided
for forming the connection by means of laces, the busks themselves, or the
material between them, being furnished with hooks or eyes. Or the two halves
of the corset or stays may be held together at the lower part of the front
by means of suitable buckles, flaps, crossed bands or belts, or the like. To
ensure greater flexibility perforated plates may be used instead of rods at the
lower part. The latter arrangement is more particularly suited for corsets
arranged for lacing at the back or on either or both sides.
66
"
Hitherto the eyes for the laces have been made either in the material itself
or in the busks or stiffening ribs of whalebone, horn or the like. These eyes
however are apt to exercise a pressure inconvenient to the wearer, besides which
they have in many cases to be omitted for want of available space. Where,
however, they are thus omitted, it frequently happens that the material, is
stretched too tightly in the process of lacing; and where the eyes are fixed in
All these drawbacks are
the material direct, they are apt to be torn away.
avoided by fixing perforated plates within the material by stitching, for by such
means the requisite amount of rigidity is ensured, to make the lacing effective, and
only a minimum of space is taken up.
To enable the corset to expand in a uniform manner so as to acconimodate the
increasing dimensions, not of the abdomen alone, but also of the bosom and waist,
the following means are provided for lacing the corset throughout in a continuous
manner. It has not, of course, been possible, to adopt for the front edges of the
corset the same method of lacing as that usually employed for the back, for such
permanent lacing would require the corset to be passed over the head, or over the
legs in the upward direction in being put on. To enable, however, permanent
lacing to be applied to the front part of the corset, an arrangement is adopted, in

page_text: which there is interposed, between one of the busks and the corset, an additional
rod or busk which is connected with the material of which the corset is made.
This rod and the busk next to it are both provided with a row of eyes and connected
together by lacing. This arrangement enables all the changes which the body of
the wearer undergoes in the course of pregnancy to be exactly and to the fullest
extent accommodated, and even during the day the corset may be further opened,
as required, by simply loosening the lacing in front as much as may be necessary.
The upper portion of the two halves of the corset or stays may be held together
by means of buttons or eyes or other methods of fastening may be used if required.
The lower portion of the corset which is linked to the top part, may be arranged
for lacing by means of eyes or hooks. Instead of forming each of the busks of two
parts only, they can each consist, as will be understood, of three, four or a greater
number of jointed parts each, and in their case also, there may be employed, if
necessary, perforated plates fixed in or between the material by stitching. If
desired, also, the same method of fastening which is applied to the lower part of
the corset to allow of its expanding to any required extent, may be adopted in
respect of the upper part thereof, for the saine purpose.
In order to render the corset expansible throughout, an extra busk or rod may
be inserted. Such busk or rod should be provided with eyes for lacing and may
or may not be extended by having an additional piece linked to it; and such
additional rod may be connected by lacing with the portions of the other busk
which are portions also provided with eyes for lacing. This fastening arrangement
for the front edges of the corset, may be situated either on the right or on the
left, or both sides may be fitted with identical means of attachment. For fastening
the sides, perforated plates are stitched in the material, and they may also be
employed for lacing the corset at the back.
By means of the improvements above described the corset is made capable as
will be understood, of expanding according to requirements either throughout,
from top to bottom, or only partly, the upper and lower parts being capable of
expanding independently of each other, and in such a manner that the lower part of
the corset may, if desired, be employed as an abdominal truss, the action of which
may, if necessary,
be assisted by a belt or a truss proper; whilst the expansive top
part of the corset is adjustable in accordance with requirements and made expansible
to the maximum extent that is likely to be required.
Dated this 16th day of January 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Corsets.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 31, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer 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 :-
The object of these improvements in corsets is to facilitate the wearing of a
corset under special circumstances (pregnancy, &c.) and to impart to the same the
beneficial effect of an abdominal truss, the lower portion being readily expansible
in accordance with the changes of shape or size which the body of the wearer
undergoes in progress of time.
The expansion takes place at the lower front part of the corset in such a manner

page_text: that both the busks of the corset do not, as hitherto, consist of one rigid piece each,
or extend without a break from top, to bottom, but only reach down to a point
situated just below the waist, at which point they have extensions appended to
them, in the shape of stiff rods connected with the busks proper by means of
suitable pivot joints or hinges, or, if preferred, independent of the busks, but
adapted to be opened or expanded in V shape as required. To fasten the corset
together at the lower part of the front, means are provided for forming the
connection by means of laces, the busks themselves, or the material between them,
being furnished with hooks or eyes. Or the two halves of the corset or "stays
may be held together at the lower part of the front by means of suitable buckles,
flaps, crossed bands or belts, or the like. To ensure greater flexibility the rods at
the lower part may be replaced by perforated plates. The latter arrangement is
more particularly suited for corsets arranged for lacing at the back or on either
side or both sides.
"
Hitherto the eyes for the laces have been made either in the material itself or
on both sides of the perforations made for the purpose of lacing in the busks or
stiffening ribs of whalebone, horn or the like. These eyes however are apt to
exercise a pressure inconvenient to the wearer, besides which they have in many
cases to be omitted for want of available space. Where, however, they are thus
omitted, it frequently happens that the material is stretched too tightly in the
process of lacing; and where the eyes are fixed in the material direct, they are apt
to be torn away. All these drawbacks are avoided by fixing perforated plates
within the material by stitching, for by such means the requisite amount of
rigidity is ensured, to make the lacing effective, and only a minimum of space is
taken up.
To enable the corset to expand in a uniform manner so as to accommodate the
increasing dimensions, not of the abdomen aloue, but also of the bosom and waist,
the following means are provided for lacing the corset throughout in a continuous
manner. It has not, of course, been possible, to adopt for the front edges of the
corset the same method of lacing as that usually employed for the back, for such
permanent lacing would require the corset to be passed over the head, or over the
legs in the upward direction in being put on. To enable, however, permanent
lacing to be applied to the front part of the corset; an arrangement is adopted, in
which there is interposed, between one of the busks and the corset, an additional
rod or busk which is rigidly connected with the material of which the corset is
made. This rod and the husk next to it are both provided with a row of eyes and
connected together by lacing. This arrangement enables all the changes which
the body of the wearer undergoes to be exactly and to the fullest extent
accommodated, and even during the day the corset may be further opened, as
required, by simply loosening the lacing in front as much as may be necessary.
A specimen of the improved corset is represented in the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a corset provided with an expansible lower portion
in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 2 is a corset laced throughout the front side and also behind, from end to
end, and is distinguished from the ordinary construction by having the lace holes
pierced through the busks A and B.
Fig. 3 shows a corset adapted to be laced in front and fitted with a special
expansible lower part.
It has been assumed in Figs. 1 and 3-that the two busks A and B of the corset
consist each of two parts A A' and B B', linked or jointed together by means of
the pivot o
In Fig. 3, moreover the additional rod is shewn formed also of two
parts C and C similarly linked together.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views drawn to a larger scale, being, respectively, an
elevation and cross section of the perforated plates sewn into the material, the eyes
for the laces being passed through them in such a manner that they overlap or
grasp the material on both sides.

page_text: As shewn in the drawings, the upper portion of the two stays or halves of the
corset or stays may be held together by means of buttons or eyes, or other methods
of fastening may be used if required. The lower portion of the corset which is
linked to the top part, may be arranged for lacing by means of eyes or hooks.
Instead of forming each of the busks of two parts only, they may each consist, as
will be understood, of three, four or a greater number of jointed parts each, and in
their case also, there may be employed, if necessary, perforated plates fixed in or
between the material by stitching. If desired, also, the same method of fastening
which is applied to the lower part of the corset to allow of its expanding to any
required extent, may be adopted in respect of the upper part thereof, for the same
purpose.
In order to render the corset expansible throughout, an extra busk or rod C
may be inserted. Such busk or rod should be provided with eyes for lacing and
may or may not be extended by having an additional piece Clinked to it; and
such additional rod may be counected by lacing with the portions B B' of the
other busk, which are portions also provided with eyes for lacing. This fastening
arrangement for the front edges of the corset, may be situated either on the right
or on the left, or both sides may be fitted with identical means of attachment. For
fastening the sides, perforated plates D and D' should be stitched in the material,
and they may also be employed for lacing the corset at the back.
By means of the improvements above described the corset is made capable as
will be understood, of expanding according to requirements either throughout from
top to bottom, or only partly, the upper and lower parts being capable of expanding
independently of each other, and in such a manner that the lower part of the corset
may, if desired, be employed as an abdominal trass, the action of which may, if
necessary, be assisted by a belt or a truss proper; whilst the expansive top part of
the corset is adjustable in accordance with requirements and made expansible to
the maximum extent that is likely to be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. A corset mainly characterised by the employment of two busks consisting each
of two or more parts pivotally linked together adapted to be held together by either
a rigid means of connection or by lacing for the purpose of enabling the corset to
be expanded at will at any part thereof, as illustrated in Figure 1.
2. In corset lacing, the arrangement in which the eyes do not pass through the
material alone, but are also forced or driven through a perforated stiffening piece
or plate interposed in a convenient position, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.
3. In corset fastenings the improved arrangement in which one half of the corset
is fixed, not to the usual corset busk, but to an additional rod or extra busk,
interposed in such a position as to be capable of being connected with the main
busk by lacing, so that, while the putting on and taking off of the corset remain as
easy as before, it is made capable of contracting or expanding by lacing similar to
that hitherto generally used to fasten corsets at the back; the lower portion of the
corset being moreover made specially expansible, if required, by providing the
busks at their lower ends with pivoted or hinged extensions, as illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 3.
Dated thin 14th 1
100
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.