IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET-CLASPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake,
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET-CLASPS" communicated to him from abroad by
Julius Moritz Cohn, of the City and State of New York United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lako at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORSET-CLASPS [A com-
munication to him from abroad by Julius Moritz Cohn, of the City and State of
New York United States of America]
"
This invention relates to corset-clasps such as have an eye-piece attached to one
part and a stud upon the opposite part, the eye-piece having an opening to pass on
over the head of the stud, and the slot extending from the opening to pass onto the
body of the stud beneath the head, the object of the invention being to prevent
the accidental disengagement of the clasp, and it consists in the construction as
hereinafter described.
According to this invention the general outline of the eye-piece is of usual form,
and is attached to one of the busks by rivets in the usual manner, the stud being
attached to the other busk.
Through the blank for the eye-piece an opening is cut corresponding substantially
to the head of the stud, but instead of cutting the metal away to form the slot,
I simply cut a slit forward from the opening near the front end of the eye-piece,
and in the metal on each side of this slit form a notch, I then turn up the metal on
each side of the slit to form springs or flanges so that the notches correspond
substantially to the diameter of the body of the stud, leaving the slot between the
said notches and the opening a little narrower than the diameter of the stud;
these edges or flanges are turned up so as to incline toward each other, and thereby
give to these turned up edges a certain amount of elasticity sufficient to perinit
them to yield to pass on over the stud, and then react when the stud shall have

page_text: entered the notches so as to retain the stud within the notches. To disengage the
stud it is only necessary to force the stud back through the narrow slot, the flanges
yielding for that purpose.
Instead of making the turned-up flanges yielding so as to embrace the stud,
they may be made shorter than the slot which opens from the entering hole and so
that the head of the stud will pass beyond the upwardly projecting flanges and
the flanges then serve as a stop to prevent the return of the stud, in this case tho
natural elasticity of the fabric of the corset will serve as a spring to throw the
flanges outward so as to form such a stop for the head, and then to detach, the
person has only to depross the eye-piece until the head can be returned over
the flanges.
Or the flange may be on one side of the slot only, and serve as a stop.
This construction of the eye-piece adds nothing to the cost of manufacture as the
flanges may be cut and turned up in the process of striking it from the sheet and
I am therefore enabled to produce a lock-clasp without additional expense or
complication of parts.

page_text: I am therefore enabled to produce a lock clasp without additional expense or
complication of parts.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I Claim;—
First. The eye-piece for a corset-clasp, constructed with an opening a for the
passage of the head, and with a narrower slot leading therefrom, the said slot
having the upwardly projecting flange or flanges at its side or sides to form a stop
for the stud, substantially as described
Second. An eye-piece for a corset clasp constructed with an opening a having a
slot extending forward therefrom, on each side of which is formed an upwardly
projecting flange e constructed with a notch in its edge, substantially as, and for
the purpose, described.
In witness whoreof I the said William Robert Lake havo hereunto set my hand.
and seal this Seventh day of May in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.