United States patent 880532



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. ZACHARY T. HOSKINS, OF BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI. CORSET.

No. 880,532.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed July 18, 1907. Serial No, 384,412.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZACHARY T. HOSKlNS, citizen of the United States, residing at Brookhaven, in the county of Lincoln and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved clo- sure for corsets, corset waists and the like, and it has for its object the production of a device of this nature which is adapted to be applied to a corset, corset waist, or similar garment of the ordinary form or construction. The primary object of my invention is the provision of a closure adapted for insertion between the adj acent edges of a corset or cor- set waist and which, while closing the space between such adjacent edges and adapted to be laced or otherwise flexibly attached there- to, will provide the maximum of elasticity and freedom of movement to the wearer.

A further obj ect of my invention is the pro- vision of a closure which will permit of the separation of the adjacent edges of the gar- ment to which it is applied, but which at the same time will completely close the aperture between such edges when the same are sepa- rated within reasonable limits.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed description and in connection with said description at- tention is directed to the accompanying drawings illustrating the closure in lts pre- ferred form of embodiment, it being under- stood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without exceeding the scope of the concluding claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a corset provided with my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the closure and Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 2.

1 designates a base or bottom strip prefer- ably formed of a double thickness of an in- elastic fabric, and having at its sides strength- ening stays 2, 2, these stays operating to hold the base portion smoothly m position, and to cause such portion to conform to the body of the wearer. 3 represents an upper strip, also preferably formed of double thickness of ma- terial, and secured at its central portion to the bottom strip 1 by Iines of stitching 4, 4. As an additional means of securing the parts 1 and 3 together, the meeting ends of said parts are provided with binding tapes 5, 5, which are suitably stitched in place. The

strip 3 is provided at its edges with suitable stays 6, 6 which, preferably; are held between the two thicknesses of the material compos- ing said strip. Between the stays 6 and the lines of stitching 4, and on each side of said strip I provide a series of eyelets 7, 7, which receive the lacing cords 8.

9 designates a corset of any desired con- struction and 10, 10 the eyelets for the lacing cords 8 at the adjacent edges thereof. The closure is. inserted between the adjacent edges of the back of the corset in the form shown, and lacings 8 are threaded through the eyelets 10 in the edge of the corset and the eyelets 7 of the closure. Preferably, these lacings are elastic cords, so that the gar- ment can yield to the movements of the wearer. The outer portions of the strip un- derlie the adjacent edges of the garment to which it is applied, so that under ordinary conditions the opening between the adjacent edges of the garment will be closed. Fur- thermore, the edges of the base portion tend to guide the adjacent edges of the corset in their movement to and from each other, and the inner edges of the closure, or those of the portion 3, act as stops to prevent undue lacing of such garment as the adj acent edges there- of are caused to meet the edges of the stays in such portion 3, in the action of lacing the parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- ters Patent is

1. As a new article of manufacture a clo- sure for corsets or the like, comprising a base portion, an upper portion arranged in super- imposed relation thereto, means securing said parts together approximately at their center, whereby the edges of said upper por- tion are left free, and means carried by the edges of said upper portion, whereby the clo- sure may be secured between the adj acent edges of the garment.

2. As a new article of lnanufacture, a clo- sure for corsets or the like, comprising a base portion, an upper portion of less width than the base portion arranged in superimposed relation thereto, means securing said parts together approximately at their center, whereby the edges of said upper portion are left free and eyelets adjacent to the edges of said upper portion.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a clo- sure for corsets or the like, comprising a base portion, an upper portion of less width than the base portion, and arranged in superim- posed relation thereto, and eyelets adjacent to the edges of said upper portion, said base portion being provided with stays.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a clo- sure for corsets or the like, comprising a base portion, an upper portion of less width than the base portion and arranged in superim- posed relation thereto, eyelets adjacent to the edges of said upper portion and stays at the edges of the base portion and the upper portion.

5. The combination with a corset or the like having its adjacent edges provided with

eyelets, of a closure therefor consisting of a base portion, a superimposed portion nar- rower than such base portion provided at its adjacent edges with stays and rows of eye- lets adjacent thereto, whereby the edges of the garment will be adapted to aline against the edges of said narrow portion in the act of lacing the closure in place.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ZACHARY T. HOSKINS.

Witnesses :

F. L. BROWNE,

K. E. KLEIN.