An Improved Corset.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Corset.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Messrs. J. Mille & Cie., Corset Manufacturers, of 42
and 44, Boulevard des Brotteaux, Lyons, in the Republic of France), and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The improved corset forming the subject of the present application, is arranged
so as to permit of its adaptation to various conformations.
The accompanying drawing shows at Fig. 1 half a corset, extensible at the
lower part; the same arrangement may be applied to the top of the corset. Fig. 2
is a portion of a corset looking at the innerside.
Starting from the waist, and as far as the bottom of the corset, the stiffeners
corresponding to the hip as well as their sheaths or pockets are separated into two
groups A and B, detached from the body of the corset, and retaining separately
all liberty of flexibility.
These two groups of stiffeners are covered in their free part by three flaps C, D, E
belonging to the body of the corset. The edges of these flaps are eyeletted and
receive two laces which allow them to be drawn together when required. These
laces also hold the free parts of the stiffeners A B by passing through the eyelets a, a
which they carry at their extremities.
On the front of the corset is represented a similar arrangement, but on a single
group of stiffeners H and with a single lacing.
The stiffeners A, B, H serve their usual purpose at the upper part of the corset,
and maintain the waist without any variation, but from the waist, they follow the
various sizes which may be given to the corset by means of the laces, and act for
each of these sizes as if the corset had been sewn to this size.
The pockets or sheaths which contain the stiffeners are open at the side, on the
inside of the corset, as shown at Fig. 2 at b, b', which allows the stiffeners to be
changed or replaced when desired, by hand, without the necessity for any
unsewing.
I would remark that the number of the lacings above described may be varied
as also the number of the stiffeners comprising each of the free groups, these
stiffeners it will be well understood may be made of metal or of any other suitable
material.
The lacing parts may exist according to requirements, either at the top or
bottom part of the corset.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A corset extensible by means of openings made at suitable points and closed
by lacings, and in which the stiffeners corresponding to these openings are made

page_text: free below or above the waist, in order to follow the variations of the size of the
corset, substantially as herein set forth.
2. A corset extensible by means of laced openings either above or below the
waist or both and provided with pockets or sheaths at such openings to contain
stiffeners which latter are free either above or below the waist and may be changed
without unsewing any of the parts, substantially as herein set forth.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.