Improvements in Stiffeners for Corsets and other Garments.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stiffeners for Corsets and other Garments.
I, JULIUS FLEISCHER, of the Firm of Rosenthal, Fleischer & Co., of Markt
and Pfarrstrasse, Goeppingen, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to stiffeners for corsets and other garments.
Flexible stiffeners as at present in use for corsets or other garments are of the
same strength along their whole length, and this gives rise to the disadvantage that
the body is compressed at the hips, the waist, and the breast, to such an extent
that it is uncomfortable to wear corsets or clothes which are stiffened by stiffeners
of this kind.
Fracture of the stiffeners also frequently occurs, since with the strength which is
required they are rarely sufficiently elastic, and are therefore unable to yield to the
movements of the body.
My improved stiffeners are distinguished by the fact that they do not consist of
strips of equal strength along their whole extent, but are made up of several thin
strips of various lengths lying upon or by the side of each other, and so secured
together that they can move to some extent upon one another, it being thus rendered
possible to give them the requisite strength at the points at which the greatest
pressure is exerted, and to obtain great elasticity and capacity of resistance. The
stiffeners may be constructed of two superposed strips of different lengths the shorter
one being at the point at which the greatest resisting power is required. Both strips
are provided with holes in which eyelets may or may not be inserted. By means of
the said holes the stiffener can be fastened by sewing to the corset or other garment,
or the stiffener could of course be attached to the corset or other garment in other
ways without departing from the principle of the invention.
The corset stiffener may in some cases consist of three parts, viz., two longer and
thinner strips lying side by side and a shorter strip superposed thereon. Instead of
two long strips, several can of course be employed. The arrangement and fastening
of the strips can be effected in the way hereinbefore described. The longer strips
are advantageously sewn in a fold of the material in order to securely connect
them; the connection can however be made in any other suitable way. By this
arrangement if a single stiffener break the other stiffeners of the corset &c. have
sufficient strength to ensure a good fit.
1
1
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stiffeners for Corsets and other Garments.
I, JULIUS FLEISCHER, of the Firm of Rosenthal Fleischer & Co., of Markt
and Pfarrstrasse, Goeppingen, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby
O 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 :-
My intention relates to stiffeners for corsets and other garments.

page_text: Flexible stiffeners as at present in use for corsets or other garments are of the
same strength along their whole length, and this gives rise to the disadvantage that
the body is compressed at the hips, the waist, and the breast, to such an extent
that it is uncomfortable to wear corsets or clothes which are stiffened by stiffeners
of this kind.
Fracture of the stiffeners also frequently occurs, since with the strength which is
required they are rarely sufficiently elastic, and are therefore unable to yield to the
movements of the body.
My improved stiffeners are distinguished by the fact that they do not consist of
strips of equal strength along their whole extent, but are made up of several thin
strips of various lengths lying upon or by the side of each other, and so secured
together that they can move to some extent upon one another, it being thus rendered
possible to give them the requisite strength at the points at which the greatest
pressure is exerted, and to obtain great elasticity and capacity of resistance.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a face view of one form of stiffener for corsets made according to my
invention, and,
Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.
Figure 3 is a face view of another form of stiffener.
The stiffener illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is constructed of two superposed
strips a and of suitable material such as steel, whalebone or the like. The strips
are of different lengths the shorter one being at the point at which the greatest
resisting power is required. Both strips are provided with holes c in which eyelets d
are inserted. By means of the said eyelets the stiffener can be fastened by sewing
to the corset or other garment. These strips are so connected together that they
have the required amount of play so as to slide one upon the other as is required in
accordance with the movements of the body. By this shifting the strips retain
their great elasticity in spite of the large amount of resistance they offer. Since
the stiffeners have their greatest strength only at the centre where they are double,
but are single at the ends, the breast, waist, and hips can remain free from pressure,
and at the same time a good fit can be obtained.
The eyelets d in the holes c are made use of in order that the securing threads
may not be cut by the sharp edges of the holes. They may be omitted if the edges
of the holes be rounded.
Or the stiffener could of course be attached to the corset or other garment in other
ways without departing from the principle of the invention.
The corset stiffener may in some cases as illustrated in Figure 3, consist of three
parts, viz., two longer and thinner strips e and flying side by side and a shorter
strip g superposed thereon. Instead of the two long strips e and several can be
employed. The arrangement and fastening of the strips can be effected in the way
hereinbefore described. The longer strips e and fare advantageously sewn in a fold
of the material has shewn in order to securely connect them; the connection can,
however, be made in any other suitable way.
By this arrangement if a single stiffener break, the other stiffeners of the corset
&c. have sufficient strength to ensure a good fit.
In order to allow a certain amount of play for the strips upon one another the
holes therein may be elongated at the ends (Figures 1 and 2 and Figure 3).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Elastic stiffeners for corsets or for other garments consisting of several strips
of different lengths laid upon or by the side of each other, and so secured together
that they can move to some extent upon each other, and in which the strips so lie
in contact with each other that they are double at the point at which the greatest
resistance is required, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 2. The improved stiffeners for corsets and other garments hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 4th day of August 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.