AN IMProved Manufacture of BUSTLE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christoper Williamson, of Leighton Buzzard, in
the County of Bedford, Draper, for the Invention of "AN IMProved
Manufacture of BUSTLE."
Sealed the 5th December 1873, and dated the 3rd October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Williamson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd October 1873.
I, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMSON, of Leighton Buzzard, in the County of
Bedford, Draper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED Manufacture of BUSTLE," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide a light elastic bustle or
dress improver without the use of steel ribbons (which are for many
reasons objectionable) and at a cost considerably below that of hair cloth
bustles. To this end I provide a piece of plaited fabric composed by
preference of strips of tuscan plait of some 6 or 8 inches in depth, more or
less, and some two or three times wider at one edge that it is at the other,

page_text: This piece of plait I bind all round its edges to secure it, and by the use
of moulds and pressure or equivalent means, I corrugate it so as to con-
tract the broader part and give the plaited fabric a "set" similar to that
given by sewing to the hair cloth of the ordinary bustle. The "set" thus
obtained I secure by means of transverse tapes or bands applied to the
inner side of the corrugated fabric.
Externally of the fabric I apply one or more frills or ruches of straw
plaits to the upper uncorrugated edge thereof, binding the same with
braid to secure the edges and give a finished appearance to the manu-
facture. Strings or their equivalent are applied to the bustle or dress
improver for attaching it to the body of the wearer, and if desired the
bustle may be lined with cloth to protect the under clothing from being
frayed by projecting ends of the straws at the back of the plait. The
article thus manufactured possesses at once an elasticity and a strength
which, while enabling it to yield to any undue pressure, will provide a
support sufficient to give a graceful set to dresses of even the heaviest
material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ohristopher Williamson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
WILLIAMSON, of Leighton Buzzard, in the County of Bedford, Draper,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Christopher Williamson, Her special licenco
that I, the said Christopher Williamson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Christopher Williamson, my
executors, administrators, and 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 tlic United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN. IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BUSTLE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Christopher Williamson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or ono
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain tho
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 dato
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Christopher Williamson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that
is to say):
:
The object of this Invention is to provide a light elastic bustle or
dress improver without the use of steel ribbons (which are for. many
reason objectionable) and at a cost considerably below that of hair cloth
bustles. To this end I manufacture the bustle of straw plait which
from its natural elasticity will not readily lose its shape while in wear,
and will afford important advantages to the manufacturer both in
respect of cost of material and facility of manipulation. The straw
which I use by preference is that known as tuscan plait. Strips of this
material I sew together (in the usual way of making up plait) to
produce a segment shaped piece of suitable size, and by the use of moulds
and pressure or equivalent means I corrugate it so as to contract
it laterally and give the fabric a "set". similar to that given by means of
sewing to the hair cloth of the ordinary bustle. This corrugated piece
of straw plait constitutes the main portion of the bustle and by the
addition thereto of appliances for maintaining the pressed or moulded
shape and for distributing the folds of the dress the bustle is completed.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents the improved bustle
in side view; Fig. 2 is a front view, and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view
of the same.
The bustle consists mainly of a segment shaped piece A shewn
detached and on a reduced scale at Fig. 4. The depth of this segment
shaped piece increases gradually from the ends to the centre thereof, in

page_text: order to permit of the lower edge of the bustle sloping downwards
towards the rear. The piece of straw plait A I submit to pressure in a
suitably shaped mould to bring it to the corrugated form, best shown in
tho inverted plan view, Fig. 3. The "set" thus obtained I secure by
means of a transverso tape or band B sewn to the inner side of the
corrugated fabric, and further to maintain it in shape I securo to the
opposite sides of the moulded piece A a backing picce O by means of
stitching.
Externally of the fabric. I apply a frill or ruche of straw plait D (ono
or more) to the upper edge thereof, binding the same with braid if:
desired to secure the edges and give a finished appearance to the manu-
facture. E, E, are strings applied to the bustle or dress improver for
attaching it to the body of the wearer. If desired the bustle may be
bound at its edges with colored braid and it may be lined with cloth to
protect the underclothing from being frayed by projecting straw
ends or inequalities in the surface of the plait. The article thus
manufactured possesses at once an elasticity and a strength which,
while enabling it to yield to any undue pressure, will provide a support
sufficient to give a graceful "set" to dresses of even the heaviest
material.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of " An Improved
Manufacture of Bustle," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to bo understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim, constructing straw plait bustles in the
manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Williamson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the First day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)