US40907A - Improvement in corsets - Google Patents

Description

L. L. CHAPMAN, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,907, dated December 15, 1863.`

dotted lines t a. The puffs B B are eXtensions of the fabric of the body A, and are formed so as to project outward by means of the intermediate pieces, b b, and whalebone stay-pieces or stretchers, as seen in Fig. l. lhe back edge of each half of the corset is provided witha series of eyelet-holes, arranged in the relation to each other seen in Fig. 2. The two ends of the lacing-cord D D are introduced at the top holes and cross-laced twothirds or three-fourths of the way down, where sufficient portions to pass round and tie together in front are left loose, and then the ends of the cord cross-laced onward to the bottom holes, where they are tied permanently together. The' loose portions, therefore, when passed round and drawn in front, produce an effective shoulder-brace corsetdraw 7 of the most simple kind. The front steel springs extend upward, respectively, from the bottom edges of the corset only to the Linder edges of the puHs B B, as seen in Fig. l.

The clasps consist each of a iiat piece of sheet metal having a slotted knob-hole and riveted to one of the said springs, so as to project laterally from its outer edge, and of a knob projecting perpendicularly from the other spring, so as to be directly opposite to the slot in the clasp of the rst spring, and be capable of being readily connected and disconnected therewith, (as occasion may require in putting on and takin g off the corset,) as represented in Fig. 1.

I am aware that long curved steel springs have been used for the purpose of closing and unclosing the fronts of some other corsets of an entirely different construction, but such springs have always been made to extend upward from the bottom to the top of the corset, and to have curves at their lower ends which, extending over the abdomen, cause disagree- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L. L. CHAPMAN, of Camlen,.in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladies Corsets; and I do hereby declare that the' following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a View of the front, and Fig. 2, a view of the back, of one of the said corsets as the same appears when lying upon a iiat surface, like letters indicating the same parts when in both figures.

'Ihe nature of my invention consists in the employment, in a ladys corset having breastpuffs, elastic shoulder-brace straps, and staypieces, of two short straight iiat steel claspin gsprings placed in front, so as to be entirely below the puffs and above the abdomen when worn, as hereinafter described and set forth, for the purpose of avoiding the injuries to the breasts and abdomen which arise from long springs, as well as to aiford instant facility in opening and closing the corset in putting it on or taking it oft the person, in combination with a lacing-cord arranged through eyeletholes in the back edges o f the corset, and adjustable in front, as hereinafter described and set forth, for the purpose of affording a more simple, and, therefore, better and more easily repairable means of tightening and loosening the said shoulder-brace corset as occasion may require after the said short straight front springs have -been clasped together on the person.

In the drawings, A is the body of the corset, B B, the puffs; D D, the single lacingcord, and E E, buttons for supporting the usual underski-rt of the ladys dress by the corset. l

The body A of the corset is made in two separate or right and left parts, connected together at their back edges by means of the lacing-cord D D, as seen in Fig. 2, and so as to be adjustable together in front by means of the short straight clasping-springs seen in the vertical front edges of the corset in Fig. 1. Each half is provided with an elastic shoulder-brace strap, C, connecting the back part to the puff B, and with the usual elastic staypieces in front and rear, as indicated by' the cramping result in most cases, which renders their disuse necessary. Besides, their upper ends extending to the top of the breasts cause serious lateral friction against these organs, and consequently are injurious. Vhereas, by constructing and applying short straight springs, as represented in Fig. 1, the puffs D D are left free and independent, so that in respiration and all other motions of thechest the said springs cannot produce either injury or inconvenience, and, not eXtending downable and injurious pressure, and a consequent der it very difficult to repair, except by the as described and set forth herein, is of the most tuted at any time by any one with the greatj gard to the tightness or looseness of the corv ward over the abdomen, the corsets can bey worn by all females at all times without either inconvenience or injury.

I am also aware that the backs of corsets have been laced and adjusted together by means of a series of short cords of different lengths passing through eyelet-holes and unittogether at their respective ends by means of two broad flexible bands, which are adapted to pass around the corset and tie in front, as seen in Mrs. O. P. Youngs corset, rejected set around the body can be effected by the sai single-cord lacing with equal facility and e: actness.

Having thus fully described my improv( .ment in corsets and pointed out its utility what I claim as new therein, of my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In ladies corsets constructed to have th breast-puits, elastic shoulder-brace straps and stay-pieces as described and set forth, the employment ofthe short straight clasping steel springs arranged in front so as to be entirely below and free from the puffs B B as herein described and set forth, in combina tion with the single-cord lacing D D in the back ofthe corset and adjustable in front, as described, the said springs and lacing operating together in the said shoulder-brace corset combination substantially in the manner described, for the purposes specified.

L. L. CHAPMAN.

manufacturer, and exceedingly liable to wear out or become broken. Whereas, the use ot' the long single cord D D, arranged and laced simple character, and, consequently, the lacing can be easily repaired or a new cord substi- Witnesses:

BENJ. MonrsoN, HOWARD KIRK.

est facility, and the requisite variations in re-

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