Improvements in Corsets.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1897--Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
Improvements in Corsets.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BREWERTON, of 2, Morse Road, Redfield, Saint George,
Bristol, corset cutter, 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:―
This invention, which relates to corsets, consists in improved means for drawing
up slack due to wear and stretching, and also in means for folding the slack when
it is drawn up.
The improved means for drawing up the slack consist of two bands doubled
back so that each forms a pair of tabs. The bands are situated one on each side
of the central division at the back of the corset. The tabs are attached at their
ends to the corset. In the bend formed by doubling up the band is a buckle
through which the band is free to run as 'round a pulley. The buckle spikes are
passed into a strap which is otherwise free. The strap links the two bands
together, and, by it, the bands are strained. The ends of the bands forming
the tabs are suitably shaped, and, by virtue of such shape and by reason of attach-
ment to the corset at one point each, thus allowing movement of the tabs, and
also by reason of freedom of the bands to run in the buckles of the linking strap,
the tabs set evenly and do not ruck up at the sides when strained.
Folding up of the slack is effected by lacing at lacing places provided on each
side of the central division of the corset. The corset is not severed at the lacing
places. The slack drawn up through the medium of the tabs aforesaid is taken
in at the lacing places. If laces of elastic be employed, lace tightening does not
require to be so frequently effected as when other kinds of laces are adopted.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 represents
part of a corset made in accordance with this invention. The corset is shown
spread flat.
Attached to the corset at each point a is a band 6 of. the shape shown at Fig. 2
which represents a band extended. The enlarged ends b' may, for convenience
in description, be described as tabs. Attachment of the tabs to the corset at
the points a may be made by sewing, buttoning rivetting or other method.
The ribs of the corset generally are not shown in the drawing, but one rib R is
shown. This is not attached to the corset between the points f and between
which a pocket or free space exists. Each band b is doubled or folded and is run
through a buckle c round the bar c¹ of which the band is free to run. A ferrule
or ring facilitates the running action of the band around the bar c. The
buckles c are buckled to a strap d which is otherwise free. The strap d couples
the bands b. An edge view of the strap and bands is shown at Fig. 3.
When, through the medium of the strap d, the bands are strained, the tabs b¹,
having play between the points f and g, move about the points a and set to the
figure of the wearer without rucking or buckling up at the wearer's sides.
The slack drawn up by tightening the corset is, according to this invention,
taken in at the lacing places which are provided by fitting rows or eyelets in
the fabric of the corset. This arrangement is seen more clearly at Fig. 4 which

page_text: shows a part of the corset without the straining bands above described. Fig. 5
is an edge view drawn to full size. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are drawn to one-half
natural size.
The corset is not severed at the lacing places, and as the corset is tightened,
the slack thus produced is taken up at the lacing places ; the laces after tighten-
ing being tied together at the bottom, as seen at Fig. 5. In the example shown
in the appended drawing the laces represented are of elastic covered with silk
or cotton. Such laces, being to some extent self-tightening, do not require to
be drawn so frequently as laces in which elastic is not employed, but the latter
kind may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Means for tightening corsets; consisting of a pair of bands such as 6 doubled
to form a pair of tabs such as b¹ and arranged to run in a buckle such as c, or
the equivalent thereof, a separate strap such as d buckled to the said buckle c,
the aforesaid tabs being attached to the corset each at one point only such as a,
substantially as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
2. In a corset; means for taking in and folding the slack drawn up in the act
of tightening the corset; said means consisting of lacing places such as pro-
vided by fitting rows of eyelets in the fabric of the corset, the corset having no
severance at the said lacing places, substantially as hereinabove described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of November 1897
NICHOLAS WATTS
Chartered Patent Agent, Bristol.