IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS AND BOSOм PADS, AND IN STIFFENERS THEREFOR, ALSO IN APPLIANCES, METHODS, AND MEANS FOR MAKING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: Filed 4th February 1882.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent,
bearing date the Thirty first day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty, in the forty third year of Her reigu, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Powley
Alexander, Her special license, that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, my
executors, adininistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Powley
Alexander, 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 the United Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS AND BOSOм
PADS, AND IN STIFFENERS THEREFOR, ALSO IN APPLIANCES, METHODS, AND
MEANS FOR MAKING THE SAME," a communication to me from abroad by Lucien
Calvin Warner, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States
of America: And whereas in pursuance and performance of a proviso in the said
Letters Patent contained I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, did within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent cause a Specification in writing under my hand and seal particu-
larly the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, to be duly filed in the Great Seal Patent Office: And whereas
since the filing of the said Specification, I have been advised that the title
of the said Letters Patent comprised and the said Specification described
and claimed as parts of the said Invention certain matters, the novelty of which
said matters was doubtful on the day of the date of the said Letters Patent, and
that certain other parts of the said Invention were not of sufficient utility to
render it desirable to retain them. That certain clerical and grammatical errors
exist in the said Specification which I am desirous of correcting.
describing
A
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, by and with the
leave of Her Majesty's Attorney General, do hereby for the reasons aforesaid and

page_text: "
"
for effecting the objects aforesaid, amend the Specification in manner more fully
hereinafter appearing, reference being had to the pages and lines in a copy of the
Specification as printed by the Queen's Printers, and published at the Great Seal
Patent Office, that is to say, I strike out the word "appliances" and the words
" and means
" contained in the title of the said Invention, also the word "appliances
and the words "and means" in line 11 page 4 of the copy of the Specification
printed by the Queen's Printers and published at the Great Seal Patent Office. I
also strike out that part of the said Specification commencing with the words "In
Figures 1 and 2" in line 17, page 4, and ending with the words "corset if desired,"
in line 3, page 5; also the words "tampico fabric" at line 6, page 5, and substitute
therefor the words "fibre cloth;" also the words "grass, or grass growing on the
Mexican coast," at lines 7 and 8, page 5, and substitute therefor the words " or
what is known in England as Mexican fibre ;" I also correct the clerical errors by
striking out the final letter "e" in the word "elastice" at line 10, page 5, and the
second letter "o" in the word "loose at line 12, page 5; I also strike out the
words "Tampico fabric" at line 13, page 5, and substitute therefor the words
"fibre cloth;" also the word ". grass" at line 24, page 5, and substitute therefor
the word "fibre ;" also the words "or in fact any fabric consisting of stiff material,
especially such as can be readily moulded" at lines 24 and 25; also that part of
the said Specification commencing with the words "In effecting," at line 28, page 5,
and ending with the words "sections together" at line 44, page 5; I also strike
out the words "suitable material, such as bristles, hair, or splints," at lines 49
and 50, page 5; also the words "fibre being preferred" at line 50, page 5; also
the words "Of the various materials named" at line 52, page 5; and I substitute a
capital "T" for the small "t" in the word "tampico" at line 52, page 5; I add
after the word "bundle" at line 6, page 6, the words "Although I have described
"and illustrated at Figures 3 and 9 certain means for moulding corsets between hot
dies, and for rolling stiffeners between hot rolls, I do not claim such means
separately and apart from the treatment of corsets and stiffening ribs containing
fibre, cloth, or tampico, or Mexican fibre." I strike out the First, Second, Third,
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth claiming
clauses on page 6 of the said Specification; also the words "and means" in the 8th
and 11th claiming clauses on page 6, and add the words "of tampico fibres" after
the words "strips" in the tenth and eleventh claiming clauses at lines 33 and 36,
page 6, of the said Specification; and I strike out of the Sheet of Drawings
annexed to the said Specification all Figures referred to in the above disclaimed
portions, that is to say, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. And in order that the claims which
are retained may be numbered consecutively, I substitute the word "First" for
the word "Seventhly at line 25, page 6; the word "Secondly" for the word
Eighthly at line 28, page 6; the word "Thirdly" for the word "Tenthly" at
line 33, page 6, and the word "Fourthly" for the word "Eleventhly" at line 35,
page 6, of the said Specification.
"
«
2
"
"
"
And in order that it may be clearly understood what is the Invention which I
now consider to be secured by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, I
shall proceed to repeat (omitting preamble and testing clause) my said Specifi-
cation as proposed to be amended by this present Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration as follows:-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for Improvements in Corsets and Bosom Pads
and in Stiffeners therefor, also in Methods for Making the same," and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thercon, that is to say-
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in corsets, and bosom pads,
and stiffeners therefor, and in methods for making the same.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now

page_text: proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the corresponding
figures.
While the corset may be constructed in any suitable form and stiffened in any
suitable manner, it has been found advantageous for the latter purpose to use
what is known as "fibre cloth," consisting of a fabric, the warp of which is of
cotton or other thread and the weft of "tampico," or what is known in England
Mexican fibre."
as
A peculiarity of the tampico fibre or stalk is that when subjected to heat and
pressure it becomes tough and elastic, being tempered, as it were, and possesses
greater durability and more elasticity than before such treatment, and does not
lose either its toughness or elasticity by constant use. A corset stiffened in whole
or in part by or containing fibre cloth and subjected to heat and pressure between
dies will be set in shape, the "tampico" when shaped under heat and pressure
maintaining the form thus imparted to it.
"
While various apparatus may be employed in effecting the treatment of the
(tampico" before or after placing it in the corset, it has been found best to make up
the corset in the usual way, using the "tampico" either for stiffeners, as hereinafter
described, or as a lining alone, or combined with ordinary fabric for one or more of
the sections, and then to press each half of the corset between dies D, E, Fig. 3, the
latter being heated by steam or otherwise, and of such shape as will impart the
desired form to the corset. By the application of sufficient pressure the corset may
be thus moulded and finished complete at one operation.
By the use of fibre cloth the bosom portion of the corset on a bosom pad may be
made without the usual stiffening bones, thereby producing a much lighter and
more desirable article.
One of the greatest diffier.
manufacture of corsets, is to
1 a source of considerable expense in the
e requisite vertical stiffness, whalebone, steel,
and rattan, while commonly used, are expensive and inefficient.
"
A most effective substitute for these articles consists of stiff blades or ribs,
made each of a series of strips or fibres of "tampico," which strips are confined
together in bundles of proper size and shape, these constituting stiff elastic
substitutes for the ordinary stiffening ribs. Tampico is most efficient, owing to the
desirable qualities imparted thereto by heating it under pressure; various modes of
binding together the stalks may be adopted, for instance, a sheet of "tampico'
fabric may be folded, as shown at Figure 7, with the stalks parallel, and then
secured by sewing, or cemented together in any suitable way; or a fabric covering
may be wrapped round the stalks or woven or braided thereon. A round bundle
of stalks may be confined by threads wrapped or braided thereon, as shewn in
Figure 6; or small metallic bands V, Figure 8, may be used for confining the bundle.
When cement is used it should be waterproof.
To form flat strips, a round bundle, Figure 6, may be passed between rolls J, J¹,
Figure 9, and when "tampico" is used, one or both the rolls may be heated in
order to temper the bundle.
Although I have described and illustrated at Figures 3 and 9 certain means for
moulding corsets between hot dies, and for rolling stiffeners between hot rolls, I
do not claim such means separately and apart from the treatment of corsets and
stiffening ribs containing fibre, cloth, or tampico, or Mexican fibre.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination with a corset or bosom pad of ribs, strips, or sheets,
consisting in whole or in part of "tampico" fibres, substantially as set forth.

page_text: "
Secondly. The method of making corsets by combining therewith " tampico
fibres, and subjecting the same to heat and pressure, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. A stiffener for corsets, consisting of a series of strips of tampico fibres
connected together, substantially as set forth.
Fourthly. The method of making a corset stiffener, consisting in securing a series
of strips of tampico fibres in a bundle and flattening the latter, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above named Edwin Powley
Alexander, to file in the Office of the Commissioners of Patents for Inventions,
with the Specification to which the same relates, the above written Disclaimer
and Memorandum of Alteration.
1000

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
"
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British, Foreign, and
Colonial Patent Agent, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS AND
BOSOM PADS, AND IN STIFFENERS THEREFOR, ALSO IN APPLIANCES, METHODS,
AND MEANS FOR MAKING THE SA A communication from abroad by Lucien
Calvin Warner, of the City, Cc _..... State of New York, in the United
States of America.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1880.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS AND BOSOM PADS, AND IN STIFFENERS THEREFOR, ALSO
A communication
IN APPLIANCES, METHODS, AND MEANS FOR MAKING THE SAME.'
from abroad by Lucien Calvin Warner, of the City, County, and State of New York,
in the United States of America.
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in corsets and bosom pads
and stiffeners therefor, and in appliances, methods and means for making the
same.
According to these improvements the corset at the hip portion is strengthened by
bones arranged so as to cross the hip in transverse, curved, or diagonal lines,
whereby when the wearer bends to one side the bones, instead of being bent
transversely, will be merely twisted or crowded together laterally without bending
to any material extent, thereby avoiding the injury to the corset and discomfort to
the wearer resulting from the breaking of bones or the bending of them till they
acquire a permanently bent set. These bones may be differently arranged without
interfering with the desired effect, it being only necessary to place them so that the
bending of the corset will crowd the bones together laterally instead of bending
them.
In many instances it is better to insert the bones in curved pockets, whereby they

page_text: are maintained bent under a tension that adds materially to their stiffness. In
some cases the bones are straight at the rear of the hip and curved downward in
the front, or they may be arranged in series with the upper ends bent or curved.
If desired the bones may be divided into two sections, one section in front and
the other at the rear of the hip, but each extending over or upon the hip portion
and with an intermediate flexible portion. In such case upright steels or bones
may cover the inner ends of the transverse bones to keep them in place. To secure
greater vertical stiffness each series of bones may be inclined upwards towards the
centre. As the presence of the transverse bones necessarily imparts great rigidity
to the hip portion of the corset, there is made at some point between the hip and
the front clasp one or more slits in which to insert an elastic gore, or the same may
be provided with lacings, or with both, or an elastic gore may be in the upper
portion of the slit and a buckle and strap at the lower portion. In either case such
adjustment is secured as will adapt the corset to the forms of different wearers.
It has been found that two adjustable gores, one in front and the other at the rear
of the bip, are exceedingly effective in adapting the corset to persons having
wide hips.
To avoid the objections incident to long steels in front of the corset, the
steels terminate at a point at some distance above the lower edge of the corset,
leaving a tongue provided with hooks or attachments for connecting it to the like
tongue on the other side. These tongues may be stiffened, and serve to draw the
corset closely to the form of the wearer at the lower edge and hold it in shape,
without the objections incident to prolonged steels. The tongues may be at the top
of the corset if desired. While the corset may be constructed in any suitable form
and stiffened in any suitable manner, it has been found advantageous for the latter
purpose to use what is known as "tampico" fabric, consisting of a fabric the warp
of which is of cotton or other thread, and the weft of "tampico grass," a grass
growing on the Mexican coast.
A peculiarity of the tampico fibre or stalk is, that when subjected to heat and
pressure it becomes tough and elastic, being tempered as it were, and possesses greater
durability and more elasticity than before such treatment, and does not lose either its
toughness or elasticity by constant use. A corset stiffened in the whole or in part by
or containing "tampico fabric," and subjected to heat and pressure between dies,
will be set in shape, the tampico when shaped under heat and pressure maintaining
the form thus imparted to it.
While various apparatus may be employed in effecting the treatment of the
tampico before or after placing it in the corset, it has been found best to make up
the corset in the usual way, using the tampico either for stiffeners, as hereinafter
described, or as a lining alone or combined with ordinary fabric for one or more of
the sections, & then to press each half of the corset between dies (one of which is
heated by steam or otherwise) of such shape as will impart the desired form to the
corset. By the application of sufficient pressure the corset may be thus moulded
and finished complete at one operation.
By the use of grass cloth, or in fact any fabric consisting of stiff material, especially
such as can be readily moulded, the bosom portion of the corset or a bosom pad
can be made without the usual stiffening bones, thereby producing a much lighter
and more desirable article.
In effecting this the gores or darts in the breast portion of the corset are made
shorter than usual, with their upper edges below the edges of the side sections;
and above these gores, consisting of any of the aforesaid fabrics, is extended a cross
piece of similar fabric, which will maintain the form at this point and prevent the
lower sections from falling in.
It is best to have the stiff fibres of the upper section transverse or at an angle to
the stiff fibres of the gores, or the fabric may be of two thicknesses with the fibres
of one at an angle to those of the other.
For nursing corsets the said cross piece, or the greater portion of the same, may be
connected so as to constitute a covering piece, detachable either at one or both edges

page_text: so as to uncover a cut away portion of the breast, a ready mode of adjustment
being provided consisting of hooks on the body adapted to a series of holes in the
section. This further permits the upper edge to be tightened or loosened. In
combining sections made of grass cloth, tampico, hair cloth, and the like, it is best
to lap around the edge thereof either the edges of the lining of the fabric or a
narrow strip to form a binding through which the stitches are passed to secure the
sections together.
One of the greatest difficulties, and a source of considerable expense in the
manufacture of corsets, is to secure the requisite vertical stiffness; whalebone, steel,
and rattan, while commonly used are expensive and inefficient.
A most effective substitute for these articles consists of stiff blades or ribs, made
each of a series of strips or fibres of suitable material, such as bristles, hair, or
splints, tampico fibre being preferred, which strips are confined together in bundles
of proper size and shape, these constituting stiff elastic substitutes for the ordinary
stiffening ribs. Of the various materials named tampico is most efficient, owing to
the desirable qualities imparted by heating it under pressure. Various modes of
binding together the stalks may be adopted. For instance a sheet of tampico fabric
may be folded with the stalks parallel, and then secured by sewing or cemented
together in any suitable way, or a fabric covering may be wrapped around the
stalks or woven or braided thereon.
A round bundle of stalks may be confined by threads wrapped or braided thereon,
or small metallic bands may be used for confining the bundle. Where cement is
used it should be water proof.
To form flat strips a round bundle may be passed between rolls, and when tampico
is used one or both the rolls may be heated in order to temper the bundle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Powley Alexander, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd November 1880.
"
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSETS AND BOSOM PADS, AND IN STIFFENERS THEREFOR,
ALSO IN APPLIANCES, METHODS, AND MEANS FOR MAKING THE SAME." A com-
munication from abroad by Lucien Calvin Warner, of the City, County, and State
of New York, in the United States of America.
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in corsets and bosom pads
and stiffeners therefor, and in appliances, methods, and means for making the same.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the corresponding
Figures.
In Figures 1 and 2 are illustrated the improved forms of corsets, in both of
which the corset at the hip portion is strengthened by bones, shown in dotted lines a,
arranged so as to cross the hip in transverse, curved, or diagonal lines, whereby
when the wearer bends to one side the bones, instead of being bent transversely,
will be merely twisted or crowded together laterally, without bending to any
material extent, thereby avoiding the injury to the corset and discomfort to the
wearer resulting from the breaking of bones, or the bending of them, till they
acquire a permanently bent set. As shown, these bones may be differently
arranged without interfering with the desired effect, it being only necessary to
place them so that the bending of the corset will crowd the bones together laterally
instead of bending them.
In many instances it is better to insert the bones in curved pockets, whereby
they are maintained bent under a tension that adds materially to their stiffness.
Different modes of curving the bones are shown. In Figure 1 they are straight at
the rear of the hip, and curved downward in the front. In Figure 2 they are arranged
in series with the upper ends bent or curved as shown.
If desired the bones may be divided into sections d, b, Figure 1, one section
in front and the other at the rear of the hip, but each extending over or upon the
hip portion, and with an intermediate flexible portion c. In such case upright
steels or bones d' may cover the inner ends of the transverse bones to keep them in
place. To secure greater vertical stiffness each series of bones may be inclined
upwards towards the centre. As the presence of the transverse bones necessarily
imparts great rigidity to the hip portion of the corset, there is made at some point
between the hip and the front clasp one or more slits e, in which to insert an elastic
gore f, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or the same may be provided with lacings g,
as shown in Figure 1, or with both, as in Figure 1; or an elastic gore may be in
the upper portion of the slit, and a buckle and strap h at the lower portion, as
shown in Figure 2. In either case such adjustment is secured as will adapt the
corset to the forms of different wearers.
It has been found that two adjustable gores, one in front, and the other at the
rear of the hip, are exceedingly effective in adapting the corset to persons having
wide hips.
To avoid the objections incident to long steels in front of the corset, the steels C
terminate at a point x, at some distance above the lower edge of the corset, leaving
a tongue y, provided with books or attachments i for connecting it to the like
tongue on the other side. These tongues may be stiffened, and serve to draw the

page_text: corset closely to the form of the wearer at the lower edge, and hold it in shape
without the objections incident to prolonged steels. The tongues y may be at the
top of the corset if desired.
While the corset may be constructed in any suitable form and stiffened in any
suitable manner, it has been found advantageous for the latter purpose to use what
is known as "tampico" fabric, consisting of a fabric the warp of which is of cotton
or other thread and the weft of " tampico grass, a grass growing on the Mexican
coast.
و"
A peculiarity of the "tampico" fibre or stalk is that when subjected to heat and
pressure it becomes tough and elastice, being tempered as it were, and possesses
greater durability and more elasticity than before such treatment, and does not
loose either its toughness or elasticity by constant use. A corset stiffened in whole
or in part by or containing "tampico" fabric, and subjected to heat and pressure
between dies, will be set in shape, the "tampico when shaped under heat and
pressure maintaining the form thus imparted to it.
"
While various apparatus may be employed in effecting the treatment of tho
tampico" before or after placing it in the corset, it has been found best to mako
up the corset in the usual way, using the "tampico" either for stiffeners, as herein-
after described, or as a lining alone or combined with ordinary fabric for one or
more of the sections, and then to press each half of the corset between dies D, E,
Fig. 3, the latter being heated by steam or otherwise, and of such shape as will
impart the desired form to the corset. By the application of sufficient pressure the
corset may be thus moulded and finished complete at one operation.
By the use of grass cloth, or in fact any fabric consisting of stiff material,
especially such as can be readily moulded, the bosom portion of the corset or a
bosom pad may be made without the usual stiffening bones, thereby producing a
much lighter and more desirable article.
In effecting this the gores or darts k in the breast portion of the corset are made
shorter than usual, with their upper edges 1, 1, below the edges n of the side
section m, and above these gores, consisting of any of the aforesaid fabrics, is
extended a cross piece p of similar fabric, which will maintain the form at this
point and prevent the lower sections from falling in.
It is best to have the stiff fibres w of the upper section transverse, or at an angle
to the stiff fibres w³ of the gores; or the fabric may be of two thicknesses with the
fibres of one at an angle to those of the other.
For nursing corsets the said cross piece p, or the greater portion of the same, may
be connected, so as to constitute a covering piece p* detachable either at one or
both edges so as to uncover a cut-away portion u of the breast (shown in dotted
lines in Figure 2), a ready mode of adjustment being provided consisting of hooks
on the body adapted to a series of holes q¹ in the section. This further permits
the upper edge to be tightened or loosened. In combining sections made of grass
cloth, "tampico," hair cloth, and the like, it is best to lap around the edge w² either
the edge of the lining of the fabric or a narrow strip to form a binding j, Figures 4
and 5, through which the stitches are passed to secure the sections together.
One of the greatest difficulties, and a source of considerable expense in the manu-
facture of corsets, is to secure the requisite vertical stiffness; whalebone, steel, and
rattan, while commonly used are expensive and inefficient.
A most effective substitute for these articles consists of stiff blades or ribs made
each of a series of strips or fibres of suitable material, such as bristles, hair, or
splints, "tampico" fibre being preferred, which strips are confined together in
bundles of proper size and shape, these constituting stiff elastic substitutes for the
ordinary stiffening ribs. Of the various materials named tampico is most efficient,
owing to the desirable qualities imparted thereto by heating it under pressure.
Various modes of binding together the stalks may be adopted. For instance &
sheet of "tampico" fabric may be folded, as shown at Figure 7, with the stalks
parallel, and then secured by sewing or cemented together in any suitable way, or
a fabric covering may be wrapped around the stalks, or woven or braided thereon.

page_text: A round bundle of stalks may be confined by threads wrapped or braided thereon,
as shown in Fig. 6, or small metallic bands V, Figure 8, may be used for confining
the bundle. When cement is used it should be waterproof.
To form flat strips a round bundle, Figure 6, may be passed between rolls J, J',
Figure 9, and when "tampico " is used one or both the rolls may be heated in order
to temper the bundle.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. A corset provided with bones arranged at the hip portions to prevent the
breaking of the same, substantially as hereinbefore set forth."
Secondly. The combination with a corset of one or more series of bones arranged
to cross the hip, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. The combination in a corset of two or more series of transverse bones
extending each upon the hip, substantially as set forth.
Fourthly. A corset provided with curved pockets arranged to maintain the bones
under tonsion, substantially as specified.
Fifthly. A corset provided with bones crossing the hip, and with one or more
slits at one or both sides of the hip portion, and means for contracting the slits,
substantially as specified.
Sixthly. A corset provided with steels and with tongues y projecting beyond the
said steels, substantially as set forth.
Seventhly. The combination with a corset or bosom pad of ribs, strips, or
sheets consisting in whole or in part of "tampico" fibres, substantially as set
forth.
<<
Eighthly. The method and means of making corsets by combining therewith
tampico" fibres, and subjecting the same to heat and pressure, substantially as set
forth.
Ninthly. The method and means of shaping and finishing a corset by subjecting
the same to pressure between heated moulding dies, as specified.
Tenthly. A stiffener for corsets consisting of a series of strips connected together,
substantially as set forth.
Eleventhly. The method and means of making a corset stiffener consisting in
securing a series of strips in a bundle and flattening the latter, as set forth.
Twelfthly. The combination in a corset of gores e and a piece p extending above
the upper edges of the said gores, substantially as set forth.
Thirteenthly. The combination in a corset or bosom pad of two or more sheets
or pieces of "tampico" fabric arranged with their wefts at different angles,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourteenthly. A corset provided with an opening or recess u and with a covering
piece p² detachable at one or both edges, substantially as set forth.
Fifteenthly. The combination in a corset of sections of "tampico " fabric bound
at the edges, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)