IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENINGS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas Weaver, of Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET FASTENINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas Weaver at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1877.
JOHN THOMAS WEAVER, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex.
IN CORSET FASTENINGS."
"
IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to afford greater facilities than heretofore for
fastening and unfastening corsets, and to afford means for preventing the fastenings
coming accidentally undone.
The Invention refers to the construction of fastenings having open loops, or loops.
open at one end, preferably forked. These loops are connected to one side of the
steel busks. I consider that two of such loops are sufficient to use for a single
corset, but of course more may be used if required or desired; they are preferably
placed at the lower part of the busk; and the upper fastening, which forms also an
essential feature in my Invention, is made substantially as follows:-In a box or
case secured to one of the steel busks, and preferably that busk carrying the loops,
I provide a bell crank or other convenient shaped spring lever, one arm of which
is notched, and the other arm forms a finger piece coming from the box. The other,
and opposite busk, is provided with a catch capable of fitting or taking into the
box on the other busk, and engaging itself in the notched lever.
To secure corsets fitted with fastenings made according to my Invention, the
loops are slided on or placed over the studs, and the catch is pushed into the box,
the spring in which keeps the same engaged in the notched lever, and prevents the
fastening coming undone. To unfasten the corset, and consequently to undo the
fastenings, it is only necessary to press back the one arm (viz., the long arm) of
the notched lever when the catch on the other busk is immediately released, and
the fastening is undone; the loops can then be drawn from their studs. I prefer to
make one of the loops with a longer arm or fork than the other, and slightly
notched at bottom in order that this portion of the loop may act as a guide or stop
[Price 6d1

page_text: while slipping the other or second loop into position. I have described the open
loops as applied to the lower part of the corset busks, and the spring fastening at
the top; the position however may be reversed, that is, the spring may be at
the bottom and the loops at upper portion.
I prefer to connect my improved fastenings to the steel busks by clips, but they
may be connected by rivets if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Thomas Weaver in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
September 1877.
JOHN THOMAS WEAVER, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex.
IN CORSET FASTENINGS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to afford greater facilities than heretofore for
fastening and unfastening corsets, leggings, and other articles requiring similar
fastenings, and to afford means for preventing the fastenings coming acidentally
undone.
The Invention refers to the construction of fastenings having open loops, or loops
open at one end, preferably forked. These loops are connected to one side of the
steel busk, or legging, or other spring. I consider that two of such loops are
sufficient to use for a single corset or legging, but of course more may be used if
required or desired. They are preferably placed at the lower part of the busk, or
legging, or other spring; and the upper fastening, which formis also an essential
feature in my Invention, is made substantially as follows:-In a box or case
secured to one of the steel busks or springs, I provide a bell crank or other con-
venient shaped spring lever, one arm of which is notched, and the other arm forms
a finger piece coming from the box. The other, and opposite busk or spring, is
provided with a catch capable of fitting or taking into the box on the other busk or
spring, and engaging itself with the notched lever.
arm
To secure the corset or legging fitted with fastenings made according to my
Invention, the loops are slided on or placed over the studs, and the catch is pushed
into the box, the spring in which keeps the same engaged in the notched lever, and
prevents the fastening coming undone. To unfasten the corset or legging, and con-
sequently to undo the fastenings, it is only necessary to press back the one
(viz., the long arm) of the notched lever, when the catch on the other busk or
spring is immediately released, and the fastening is undone. The loops can then
be drawn from their studs. I prefer to make one of the loops with a longer arm
or fork than the other, and slightly notched at bottom in order that this portion of
the loop may act as a guide or stop while slipping the other or second loop into
position. I have described the open loops as applied to the lower part of the
corset busks or legging springs, and the spring fastening at the top; the position
however may be reversed, that is, the spring may be at the bottom and the loops
at upper portion.
I prefer to connect my improved fastenings to the steel busks or springs by clips,
but they may be connected by rivets if desired.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan view of one of the busks or
springs of a corset or legging; Figure 2, a plan view of the other or corresponding 4
busk fitted with my improved fasteners; Figure 3 shews them both when together
or fastened; Figures 4 and 5 are details.
The busk or spring A, Figure 1, is provided with a fork-shaped loop or hook C
fastened by a clip at or about the middle, and another loop or hook D similarly fastened
at or near the lower part thereof. E is the top fastener. When applied to leggings 5
the fasteners E are rivetted to the steel springs. B, Figure 2, the other or correspond-
ing busk or spring, is provided with two knobs c and d for the hooks or loops Ĉ and

page_text: D to take on to. E, e, are the corresponding top fastener parts. The parts E, and e, are.
shewn together in the locked position, and to a larger scale at Figure 4, which is a
part section to shew the interior construction of the one part of the fastener. F is
a box or case secured to the busk or spring B. G is a bell crank-shaped lever held up
by a spring g, one end of the lever G is notched or hook-shaped, and takes into the
corresponding notched or hook-shaped fastener or catch part H on the other busk;
the other longer end of the bell-crank lever G passes out through the box F, and
by raising it in the direction of the arrow against the spring it is disconnected from
the part H on the other busk or spring, and the other two fasteners C, c, and D, d,
may then be disconnected by drawing the busk A up, or the busk B down, or both
simultaneously.
It will be observed that the fastener D has one of the prongs of its fork-shaped
part made longer, and formed with a hollow or notch at its inner lower part at d
for the purpose above stated, viz., to act as a guide or stop when slipping the other
or second loop C, c, into position. If four fasteners are used, one of the prongs of
the lowermost one would be formed with two hollows (, and the next following
would be formed with one hollow d, as here shown.
Figure 5 shews a modification of the lever G, which in this case is formed with a
knob, shewn in dotted lines fastened to the arm passing out through the box F;
this arm is in this case made short.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention, I
declare that I claim the construction of fasteners for corsets and other articles con-
sisting of one or more middle fasteners C, c, in combination with a fastener E, F, G,
at one end, and a fastener D, d, at the other end of the busk or spring, all sub-
stantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas Weaver, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.