US494078A - Corset-stiffener - Google Patents

Description

( Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. r

G. K. PEV EY.

CORSET STIFFENER.

No. 494,078. Y Patented Mar...21, 1893.

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2 Sheets8heet 2.

Patented Mar. .21, 1893;

' JNVENTEII'R'? w [TN EESES! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. PEVEY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET-STIFFEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,078, dated March 21, 1893.

Application filed December 31, 1885. Serial No. 187.255. (Model) the city and county of Worcester and Com:

monwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress and Corset Stiffeners; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a dress and corset stiffener made according to my invention. Fig. 2, represents upon an enlarged scale a perspective view of the metal cap employed to cover or shield the ends. Fig. 3, represents upon an enlarged scale one end of my dress and corset stiffener, showing one mode or goodway of making or forming the end of the stiffener, preparatory to receiving the cap. Fig. 4, represents upon an enlarged scale a side view of one end of the stiffener, showing another form or Way of accomplishing the same end. Fig. 5, represents an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6, represents upon an enlarged scale, a section of the die employed to fasten the cap to the end of the steel, showing the parts as they would appear if the stiflener were in section on line a, a, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, same figure, and Fig. 7 represents the same view shown in Fig. 6, after the cap has been compressed upon the end of the stifiener, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Figs. 8 and 9, Sheet 2, represent the elastic and spring nature of the device since after being bent andtwisted into the forms shown in Figs. 8, and 9 and then released, it will instantly resume its normal position shown in Figs. 1, and 10, as will-be hereinafter more fully described.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same I will proceed to describe it more in detail.

In the drawings A represents the body of the stiffener, and which body is formed from steel Wire, the wire being first run between suitable rolls and flattened out to the desired thinness, after which it is tempered, and drawn or run through a bath of molten tin or other molten non-corrosive metal, and as the wire comes from such molten non-corrosive bath, it is brushed or rubbed smooth and even, and which can be done in a very effectual manner by drawing the coated wire through an asbestus wiper. The temperature of the molten metal is regulated to draw the temper of the flattened steel wire just sufficient to leave it in the proper elastic state to make easy and yielding dress and corset stiffeners. If preferred the tempering and coating operations may all be performed in a continuous, or series of succeeding steps, the necessary apparatus being provided to enable the said operations to be performed with a single passage of the flattened steel through the combined apparatus. The non-corrosive coating applied to the surface of the flattened steel contributes very much to the secure and perfect attachment of the caps B to the ends of the stiffeners. The flattened tempered wire is then cut up into the proper and desired lengths, after which the metal non-corrosive caps B are secured to the ends 0 of stiffener body A.

To insure the caps remaining securely in place the endsO O, are either cut out as shown at c, c, Fig. 3, or cut and turned up to form sharp points or teeth d, d, as shown in Figs. t and 5. To the ends 0, thus prepared, caps '13, are slipped on and then the .ends 0 of the stiffener with its cap is placed in a die D, the

opening E being slightly wider than the width of the end 0, after which a plunger descends and forces both the end 0 and cap B, into the bottom of the die D, see Fig. 7. By this operation the cap B is pressed tightly about the end 0, and into the notches 0,0, when the end is prepared as shown in Fig. 3, while when the end is prepared as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the metal of the cap B is pressed into the notches and about the end of the stiffener, and at the same time and by the same operation the teeth d, d, are pressed into the metal of the'caps, and both are pressed down smooth and even. By either of the above modes, the caps are securely fastened to the ends 0 of the stiffeners, while at the same time the caps are smooth and not liable to cut or wear through the fabric in which they are placed, the edges e, e, of the caps being pressed thin.

My corset stiffeners differ greatly from all the devices which have preceded it, in that the gentle spring of the metal stiffener is relied on for support to the wearer instead of the stiffness and comparative rigidity of the device. Whalebone and other imitations thereof, when used in corsets soon become stiffened to such a degree by use as to be really as rigid as sticks laced about the person, thereby greatly interfering with a graceful motion of the body, while at the same time, injuriously obstructing the circulation of the blood, in consequence of being forced in their rigid state against the person by the motions of the body in daily exercise and Work. My stifiener on the contrary always retains a uniform and constant-elasticity,and yields readily to conform to the varying motions of the body, but reacts by a gentle and easy pressure to bring the body back to the desired position. In fact, all the stiffeners act as so many little fingers to gently touch the person, which is thus caused to instinctively assume a correctposition again, the springs never setting however bent or twisted in use.

By my present invention along needed article is produced for use in ladies dresses and corsets, not found in the various whalebone and cloth covered steel stiffeners heretofore in use.

My stilfener is light, very elastic, not liable to break, does not rust or corrode, and gives a gentle but constant support to the person of the wearer, which is conducive both to fit of garments and health of wearer.

Having described my improved dress and corset stiffener, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an article of manufacture, a dress and corset stiffener, of thin, flat, tempered steel, having the temper-cracks filled with tin, and the surface covered with a smooth thin coating of tin, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES K. PEVEY.

Witnesses:

THos. H. DODGE, HENRY L. MILLER.

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