Improvements in Corsets.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Corsets.
I, JOHN HENRY ODENBRETT, of 266, 5th Avenue, Chicago, in the County of
Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Corset Designer and Cutter,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 is a rear view.
Corsets have heretofore been constructed with elastic sections or gores placed in
various parts, and with stiff and corded pieces in other parts.
This invention relates to the above class of corsets, and its object is to provide
an improved corset in which the elastic sections will be so arranged as to give
proper expansion of the corset at the point where the expansion of the trunk of the
body requires such elasticity or expansion in the corset, and in which the stiffened
portion is so arranged in relation to the remainder of the corset as to firmly support
or hold the parts of the trunk of the body which are to be held or supported. I
accomplish this object, as illustrated in the drawings, and as hereinafter described.
That which I claim as new will be pointed out in the claims.
The corset consists of two sections, as usual, which sections are laced together
at the rear, as shown in Fig. 2, and are joined together by the usual clasps in the
front, as shown in Fig. 1. As these sections are alike, I will describe one section
only.
a represents the steel at the front.
bare boned or corded sections running upward, which at the top are busted or
pressed out, as at c, to form the bust of the corset.
dis an elastic section joined to the section on one side, and on the other
joined to section e. The elastic section d extends upwardly to a little above the waist-
line, as shown in Fig. 1. Above the section d is a stiff section, extending from
the elastic section d to the top of the corset. The sections e are made in the usual
form and are provided with the usual stiffening material.
9 is an elastic section joined on one side to the section or sections e and extending
down a little below the waist-line, as shown in Fig. 2. Section g is attached on the
other side to an inelastic section h, extending the entire length of the corset.
i is a stiff section extending from the lower end of the elastic section y to the
lower edge of the corset.
is the usual lacing-section secured to the section h.
make the elastic sections and of narrow straps of elastic webbing. These
narrow straps can accordingly stretch independently of each other. The section d
extends above the waist-line and the elastic section extends below the
waist-line, so that at the waist-line there are two clastic sections which give
a large amount of expansion to the corset at the waist-line, where it is
necessary. The section d at its upper end gives an elastic action at the point over
the heart, where elastic action is particularly important. The stiff section

page_text: above this elastic section d firmly supports the bust c, keeping the bust in proper
form and supporting the breasts, as is necessary to maintain the proper form.
The elastic sections d of the two sections of the corset at their lower ends give
a large amount of clasticity to the steels a and sections b at their lower ends,
where they support the abdomen. The corset must be laced fairly tight to give
the proper form at the lower portion. The two elastic sections d at their lower
ends give a large amount of elasticity to the corset at the abdomen, where a
large amount is particularly desirable on account of the swell of the abdomen.
The elastic section 9 gives an elastic action to the corset over the shoulder-blade.
This is important to give freedom of movement. The lower portion of the section
extends below the waist-line, as above described, and its lower end is over the
kidney. The elastic action over the kidney is an exceedingly important feature,
as an inelastic corset over the kidney causes various diseases. The stiff section i
comes back of the hip, thereby giving the proper form to that part, and also
giving a perfect support to the upper parts of the corset which support the trunk.
The corset above described accordingly gives an elastic action over the points
of the body where expansion or elasticity is necessary, and it also gives
a firni
support where such support is necessary or desired. The elastic sections e and I
at the waist-line give a sufficient amount of clastic action to permit easy
breathing. The elastic sections give elastic action at the upper part of the
corset at the rear in the region of the lungs, giving ease in breathing.
I am
aware that elastic sections have been used extending in sections the
entire length of the corset and in darts placed at various points, and I therefore
do not broadly claim the use of elastic section; but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. A corset composed of inelastic sections b at the front, elastic sections d,
extending from the bottom of the corset upward above the waist-line, stiff
sections, extending from the sections to the top of the corset, inelastic
sections e, extending from the bottom of the corset over the hip to the top of
the corset, and sections completing the back of the corset, said elastic sections d
being located midway between the hip-sections e and the inelastic front sections >>,
substantially as specified.
2. A corset composed of inelastic sections at the back, elastic sections /,
extending from the top of the corset downwardly below the waist-line, over the
shoulder-blade, inelastic sections i, extending from sections g to the lower edge
of the corset, hip-sections e, extending from the bottom to the top of the corset,
and sections completing the front of the corset, said elastic sections 9 being
midway between the back of the corset and the hip-sections of the corset,
substantially as specified.
3. A corset composed of the inelastic sections at the front and elastic
sections d, adjoining the sections and extending from the bottom of the corset
upward above the waist-line, a stiff section above the sections d, extending to
the top of the corset, inelastic sections e, adjoining the sections d and f and
extending from the bottom to the top of the corset, and elastic section,
adjoining the section e and extending from the top of the corset downward below
the waist-line, a stiff section i, extending from the elastic section g to the
bottom of the corset, and sections h and j at the back, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.