Front page & Index Current U.S. Class: 450/17
Corset
Corset
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
CORINNE YOUNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,112, dated December 7, 1880. Application filed June 22, 1880.   (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORINNE YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York , have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

The said improvements relate to corsets, waists, and braces that are partly made of elastic material.

They consist in the combination of a row of elastic material the entire length of the corset or waist, and in combination therewith of the application of one or more elastic bands to the back of the corset or waist between the points of the shoulder-blades, and of the application of a similar band to the points of the hips, which are fitted with elastic gores that are made for their reception.

The corsets that have been hitherto made of unyielding material at the waist compress the diaphragm, the lungs, and other vital organs, and interfere -with their proper and healthy action, the movement of the diaphragm is restricted, and the lower portions of the lungs are not employed in respiration, and the health and form of the wearer are further disturbed and distorted by the displacement downward of the abdominal viscera.

In the corset or waist made according to my said improvement, with the elastic material extending the whole length of the front, the diaphragm is left free for perfect inspiration, the entire lung capacity is used in breathing, and the vital organs of the abdomen are retained in their natural positions. The purpose effected by the elastic bands at the shoulders is not to draw them forcibly backward, as is ordinarily attempted, but by a moderate tension across the blades of the shoulders to counteract the tension of the elastic bands in front and to occasion a constant tendency to the espansion of the chest.   In a similar manner the tension of the braces at the hips tends to the holding of them back to the lines vertical with the shoulders, which is their natural position, as well as the most easy and graceful.

To enable others skilled in the arts to which it appertains to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view of a complete corset extending over the abdomen and made according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a back view of the same.

The corset is made without the steel frames or heavy bones, that usually press with their ends injuriously upon the wearer, and there are merely light bones or flexible steels placed at the edges of the front and back to hold them in line and to facilitate their adjustment or removal. It is stiffened and stayed where required by the interlaid and stitched cords indicated on the drawings.

In the front of the corset shown in Fig. 1 the elastic bands a are fastened on one side, and are secured to the other by means of buttons. The bands, with open spaces between them; by affording ventilation, are preferable to a continuous strip of elastic material that completely closes the space.

In the back of the corset shown in Fig. 2, which is laced in the usual manner to fit the form of the wearer, the elastic bands b are secured opposite the shoulder-blades, and are furnished with buckles by which they may be adjusted.

The gores c, that are preferably made of elastic material, fit over the points of the hips and are drawn back by the elastic bands d, which also have buckles by which they may be adjusted.

The corset or waist may be fitted with the special appliances for supporting the stockings, napkins, and other garments that may be needed.

The shonlder-straps e are made wide at the back to retain their position and to afford an efficient support, and they have elastic sections at the points over the shoulders.

I am aware that elastic material has been used in corsets and waists for braces, bands, and fastenings, and I therefore do not claim any of these things except as herein stated.

I claim--

1. In a corset or waist, the elastic bands a, secured along the whole length of the front thereof, and constructed and adapted to afford fastenings therefor, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the elastic hands b in the back of the corset and the elastic bands cc in the front, constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. A corset provided with the gores c and the bands d, secured at points in the back of the corset behind the hips, all constructed and combined substanti ally as described, and for the purpose set forth.

 

CORINNE YOUNG.

Witnesses:
  CHAS. E. LANSING,
  WH. KEMBLE HALL.