IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS OR CORSETS, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE DRESS WHERE LACING IS EMPLOYED, AND IN INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING FOR CORSETS OR STAYS, AND FOR THE BODIES OF DRESSES
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
FRANCIS ISIDORE CAPLIN, of Portland Street; in the County of Middlesex,
Artist, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her présent most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fourteenth day of May, in the first year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her theirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jean
Francis Isidore Caplin, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Jean Francis Isidore Caplin, my exors, adiñors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Francis Isidore Caplin, my exors,
adiñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make use, exèrcise; and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS OR
CORSETS, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE DRESS WHERE LACING IS EMPLOYED, AND IN
INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING FOR CORSETS OR STAYS, AND FOR THE BODIES OF
DRESSES," partly communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad;
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Jean
Francis Isidore: Caplin, shall cause' a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery-within six calendar months

page_text: next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Jean Francis Isidore Caplin, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad, as well as the
things invented by myself, and the manner in which the same are to be per-
formed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention relative to the corsets known under the name of corsets
Tosselin, in France, and to which I have given the name of self-adjusting and
relieving corsets, consists in applying the use of pulleys and wheels instead of
the eyes generally used for common stays to tighten the back, and of a busk
opening in the middle by means of springs and clasps, instead of busks made of
a single piece.
The measure I have invented, and to which I have given the name of self-
adjusting measure, is contrived to obtain the most adequate measurement, at
the same time it affords the means to ascertain beforehand the shape and outline
of the corsets before made by resting on the body, and shewing the supports
and connection of every part of the measure in comparison to each other, and
also to afford ladies to take measure on themselves without any assistance,
being carefull only (when they have determined the size and shape they like)
to take off the measure without removing any part of it; they will have only to.
reckon up the number from the lowest edge of the band to the different part
of the measure.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus of the back, composed of two steel busks
A, on which are set a certain number of pulleys C, according to the length of
the corsets; about the middle is a piece called a toothed wheel D, contrived
with a triple wheel F, toothed on each side with ratchet teeth, and having on
the centre some round sharp teeth intended to catch the laces E, the two
external sides of the wheel working with a piece G, by means of which the
wheel is prevented to turn but in one direction, when the spring 4 pressés upon
the piece G, and allow them, by pulling the lace in that direction, to draw the
busks closer, and to tie and fasten the corsets when relief is wanted, or the
back must be opened, in order to give room enough to fasten the front; to put

page_text: on the corsets it is only to pull back the brass knob 3, by which means the
piece G, which works with the wheel, slipping underneath the spring 4, the
motion of the wheel becomes free in all directions, and the lace being loose
allows the busks to open as much as required.
Figure 2 represents the apparatus of the front, composed of two steel
busks A, and on one side a main spring 5, of the whole length of the busk,
fixed at the top to a bending spring 1, to keep the main spring in an upward
position. This main spring is kept by some small longitudinal brass grooves
(3), underneath which it slides, as well as under the square brass grooves 2.
Some small springs 6, twisted at one end 7, are fixed on the main spring, and
pass under the grooves 2; they are intended to catch the notch of the clasps
4 and 8, which, when pushed through the groove 2, make their way betwixt
the two springs, and are so fastened. The apparatus is opened by pulling
down the strings which passes in the eye B, the main spring being carried
downward, the small twisted springs being removed in the same direction,
disengage the clasps, by which means the whole front is immediately opened.
Figure 3 represents the measure; it is composed of three busks A, marked
with a division in the whole length; a brass eye B is fixed to the top of
each of them; another B is fixed on a slider at the bottom, which might
be removed upward or downward by means of a screw 3. The busk of the
middle is armed at the top with two branches 1, which open in the form of
a V, to take the form of the arm-hole. Each busk is sliding upward and
downward in a groove O, which groove is sliding in a horizontal direction on
a leather band M, marked with a division alike the busks. Two laces L pass,
one through the eyes at the top, the other through the eyes of the sliders at
the bottom. Each lace is divided in similar divisions, like the busks and the
band, by which means every part of the measure being apt to be removed as
may be required, carries with itself a constant correct measure of every part of
the body. To each end of the lace hangs a brass ball 4, to act merely as
weight to make the lace tight.
I have described the materials used in these improvements as I have
employed them, but many other substances may be used without departing
from the Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Francois Isidore Caplin, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
JEAN FRANCOIS ISIDORE (L.s.) CAPLIN.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourteenth-day of-November.
in the year.of our Lord 1838, the aforesaid Jean Francois Isidore Caplin came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified;
in form above written. And also the. Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord-One
thousand eight,hundred and thirty-eight.