IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS
Year: 1886

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I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents, :
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the.
following statement:―
This invention relates to corsets and has for its object to give the shape to the
body of the wearer, but avoid the discomfort of corsets as generally constructed,
and it consists in the construction hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1, represents a side view of one half of the corset.
Figure 2 is a transverse section drawn to an enlarged scale, and
Figure 3 is a transverse section showing the knit sections as introduced between
the thicknesses of the stay or overlays.
Knit fabric has a very great elasticity and flexibility transversely, but little or
no elasticity longitudinally. It is this class of knit material from which I make
the body of the corset. As here represented, this body consists of a rear section A,
side section B C, and front section D. These sections are preferably cut from two
thicknesses of knit fabric, the direction of the length of the fabric being transversely
of the corset, so that, around the body, the material is non-elastic or non-yielding
to any considerable extent. The sections thus cut are united by seams, in the
usual manner; as seen in figure 2, the edge of the rear section is introduced
between the two thicknesses of the eyelet strip E, and at the front the edges of the
section D are introduced between the two thicknesses of the busk strip F, and
there secured by vertical lines of stitches.
Vertically over the seams by which the several sections are joined, overlays of
woven fabric are applied, to form stay pockets G H I; these overlays may be made
of two thicknesses, as indicated in figure 2, so that the pockets will be formed
between such two thicknesses, the two thicknesses being stitched to the knit body
of the corset, as there indicated.
The overlays are unyielding, and being stitched to the body from top to bottom,
prevent any material stretching of the corset vertically, but between the overlays
the material is free to yield to the person, so that the corset readily adapts itself to
the form of the person; the stays or overlays give the required support and form.
The corset thus constructed does not require the usual starching and shaping,
but on the contrary shapes itself when applied to the person.

page_text: The material of which the body is composed, being elastic and yielding vertically,
avoids the rigidity or stiffness of the starched corset, permitting it to more readily
yield to the movements of the body, and thereby contributes to the comfort of the
wearer.
In some cases it is desirable to apply a transverse stay from the eyelet strip to
the busk in front, and this I do by applying a transverse overlay L; this may be
in the shape of a strip of webbing applied to the surface before the overlay G, H, I
and the busk and eyelet strips, so that the stitching of those several parts when
applied to the body will pass through the strip L, and thus secure the strip to the
body at different points, leaving it free across the open portions of the knit
material.
A corset composed of this combined knit material with inelastic overlays, is more
comfortable than heretofore and can be produced at much less cost than can be done
with the usual rigid material, where the provision for yielding is made by the
introduction of elastic gores and sections.
While I prefer to make the body of the two thicknesses as shown, a single
thickness may in many cases answer the purpose, and instead of uniting the knit
sections directly to each other as thus far described, they may be cut of the
required size, and their edges introduced between the thicknesses of the adjacent
overlays or stay sections, as seen in Figure 3, but I prefer to unite the knit sections
directly with each other, to make a continuous knit body, as it is a stronger
construction than that last mentioned.
My invention is not to be understood as limited to any particular cut of corset,
the illustration which I have made being sufficient to enable those' skilled in the
art to adapt my invention to the various known cuts.
I do not wish to be understood as claiming broadly a corset made from knit
material, as such I am aware is not new, but I am not aware that a corset has been
made from sections cut from knit fabric, having the longitudinal line of stitches in
a transverse direction, that is, around the waist whereby the corset is non-elastic
circumferentially, but elastic vertically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. A corset, the body of which is composed of several sections cut from knit
fabric, the longitudinal line of the knitting being transversely of the corset, com-
bined with an eyelet strip at the rear, and a busk strip at the front, with vertical
overlays, the said eyelet and busk strips and the overlays made from woven fabric
stitched to the knit fabric, the said overlays forming pockets to receive bones or
stays, substantially as described, whereby transverse non-elasticity is secured, and
vertical elasticity is permitted.
Second. A corset, the body of which is composed of several sections of knit
fabric, combined with an eyelet strip at the rear edge, and a busk strip at the front
edge with a transverse overlay L extending from the eyelet strip at the rear to the
busk strip at the front, and vertical overlays stitched to the knit body of the
corset, the said eyelet strip, busk strip and overlays made from woven fabric,
substantially as described, whereby transverse non-elasticity is secured, and vertical
elasticity is permitted.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.