July 14, 1953 E. MENz Eru. 2,644,946

CORSET SPRING ' ’

Filed April 15, 1951 . 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 14, 1953 E. MENZ EI'AL 2,644,946 CORSET SPRING Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

lNvENToRs , Emil Menz Marie Wilhelmine Schmidt nee Loedel

ATTORNEYS Patented July 14, 1953 2,644,946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

. 2,644,946Y y l CORSET SPRI’NG. A EmuMenz and'Marie Wilhelmine schmidt, née ’ Loedel, Rothenburg ob der yTauber, Germany Application April 13, 1951,k Serial No. 220,782 ' ' ‘ In Germany June 17, 1949

I t `6 Claims.

This invention relates to surface tension . With these and other objects in view which will springs for material of all kind, in particular become apparent as the specification proceeds, corset .springs or stays, and a device for their ' our invention will be best understood by referencek production. The surface tension springs accord to the following specification and claims and the ing to this invention are elastic in longitudinal illustrations in the accompanying drawings, in as well as in transversal direction and can be which: f used in all cases which require to tension, stiffen Fig. l is an elevation of a U-shaped surface or support surfaces or parts of materials, i. e. tension spring _or stay consisting of round wire, for example in the machine industry, in the pro Fig. 2 is ran elevation of an oval surface ten-` duction of tents, in the dress and clothing indus 10 sion spring or stay consistingof round wire, t .Y try, infthe’production of. .body supporting ar . Fig. 3 is an elevation of an approximately voval­ ticles, such as corsets, corselets, bodices, bust surface tension spring or stay having a bulge bodices, abdominal belts, bandages, knickers,V and consisting-of ycoiled wire, . bloomers, and the like.r l ~ .' . v .. Fig. 4 is an elevation of two unjointed wire It is already well known to substitute the usual 15 coils having opposite sense of winding; ' straight, i. e.'ruler­1ike, stay bars or busks by Fig. 5 `is _a top view of the wire coils shown in angularly bent orïframe-shaped members which Figf‘l, flattened and fitted into each other; l yield a surface supportingbody or stay in a cor Fig. 6 is an elevation of two wire coils having set, corselet, bodice, or the like. . .. . different leads; ` y VThese •‘said supporting bodies, however, have 20 Fig. 7 is a plan view of a rolled flat ring con inconvenienty disadvantages inasmuch vas they sisting of coiled wire; t t A» ` generally effect pressure spots due .to their sub Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a device stantially angular shape. 1 The. main deficiency for producing flat rings free fromy internal of theknown corset supporting .members con stresses such as shown in Fig. 7; ~ .. sists in the fact that they are only elastic in 25 Fig. A9 is an elevation of a spring consisting longitudinal sense of the several bars or busks` as of >meandrous wire the loops of which having they are constituted by the` usual leaf spring stay equal widths; or busk type. As a result, such corset support Fig. l0 is an elevation of a spring consisting ofY ing members beingrlgid in a direction oblique to meandrous wire thev loops of which having differ the longitudinal axis of the bars or busks are 30 ent widths; . veryinconvenient and troublesome forthe user Fig. ll is an elevation of a U-shaped surface of a 'corset as they impair considerably thev free tension spring consisting of sínuous wire; t movableness of the body.. »1 , . . , Fig. 12 is‘an _elevation of an approximately oval ItLis, therefore, an object ofthe #invention to> surface tension spring having a bulge and con provide surface tension ysprings for material of 35 sisting of meandrous wire, and Fig. -13 is an all kind, especially corset stays or springs, which opened perspective view lof a corset equipped with are notloaded with the said' disadvantagesrof pocketsvfor the reception of the surface tension the prior art stay bars or busks. f. .. . ­ . . i ­ springs of the stays. l _ y ' . _ » -ItV is another object of .the lnventionto pro , 'vI‘he U-shaped circular supporting stay R2 vide anv universally . elastic (frame-like) .corset 40 shown in Fig. 1 is preferably used as a lateral >sup supporting member by using .a surface tension port orstay for the side parts 0f a corset that spring being not only elastic in its longitudinal has affront part a, side parts b and c, and a lac-V extension as a usual spring steel busk,­..but also inguconnection dL between the front and a side in its transversal extension.n§zThisïsurface ten ‘ part C/ while the elongated crossed loops Rl and sion spring or stay consisting, for example, of R3 in accordance'with Fig. 2 or 3 respectively will round, coiled or meandrous wire is suitably 45 advantageously serve as a body or stomach sup-_y moulded so~.a_s to, produce a ‘.‘fcircular suPPQlîtíng port. >The embodiment of the invention shown stay”'adapte'd to tension' ói" t6 's‘t'iffën 'a' sü?face in Figs. 1 and 2 consist of one or .more round or part of xasurfacefof. any materiaL , ' wires which may be twisted'if desired. The .round It is a further object of the invention to pro wire alreadyíaccomplishes the main condition of vide a surface tension spring or stay by fitting 50 the invention, namely, to be elastic in longitudinal two meandrous wires into each other, i. 'egby a ` and _transversal sense if the material used willbe translation of their'axes, oneVof `whichhaving va I suitable. In the constructions according to the left-hand winding ‘and the otherone "a right " Figs. 3 to 5 _the elasticity in both directions is hand winding.` ' ,j‘ ' .. " l „ especially effective since they surface :tension 55 . Itiis a still vfurther object ofjthe inventio’n‘to Aspring serving as a circular support or kstay is provide a >coiledV flat ring free from internal made of coiledv wire andl provided witha bulge stresses whichl'serves asia circular supporting . `vasshown in Fig. 3. The lead of the coils is stay sov as to avoid an inconvenient twist‘of theu " ‘ equal (h) and the turns are only flattened to such springs ’or stays. l - . p ¿ v ~ a ,degree that the several turns remain freely 1mov Itfisa still» further Yobject ofthe invention to 60 able.> Different leads, as shown in Fig. 6, make provide a‘device adapted to produce said coiled possible to govern and to adjust the desired spring flat ring> free from internal'stresses. l action and supporting effect. Fig. 7 shows a fiat-` 2,644,946 3 4 ring r having the radius R which can be produced Various changes and modifications may be made by means of the device diagrammatically shown in the surface »tension spring and device for its in Fig. 8. Said device preferably comprises a pair production set forth and in the structural details of taper rollers K1, K2 the diameter of which shown, without departing from the spirit and the governs the radius of the flat rolled coiled wire leading ideas of this invention. ring and the base angles of Ithe cones of which What we claim is: may differ. A coiled wire flat ring produced in 1. In combination with a corset having a stay this way will be persistent with respect to its receiving pocket in the front part thereof, a shape as it is not influenced by any twisting force. surface tension spring for use as a corset stay The pair of taper rollers K1, K2 is fed at S with 10 removably mounted in the pocket and forming a one or `two combined coiled wires forming a supporting member, said stay comprising a flat straight bar so as to produce a flat ring free from ring of a diameter greater than the diameter of internal stresses. Different compressive effects the pocket wall and formed of overlapping may be obtained by providing` different leads. spirals and being resilient in longitudinal and A general flux of force extending through the transverse directions when placed in said pocket. whole flat ringr spring is assured by the fact that 2. In combination with a corset having a stay the several turns of the Wire coils do not penetrate receìving pocket in the front part thereof, a each other. The iiux of force and, thence, the surface tension spring for use as a corset stay transversal elasticity will be reduced if the wire removably mounted in the pocket and forming turns touch or even penetrate one another. a supporting member, said stay comprising a ­-It is also possible to use sinuous wire for pro flat ring of a diameter greater than the diame ducing surface tension springs or circular sup ter of the pocket and formed of overlapping porting stays as shown in Figs. 9-12. The em single spirals and being resilient in longitudinal ployment of sinuous wire, moreover, will simplify and transverse directions when placed in said the construction and reduce the weight with f pocket. respect to coiled wire. In accordance with an 3. In combination with a corset having a. stay aforesaid feature of the invention also the widths ' receiving pocket in the front thereof, a surface of the loops of the sinuous wire springs may be tension spring for use as a corset stay remov varied so as to provide different resistances of the ably mounted in the pocket and forming a sup several spring parts. 30 porting member, said stay comprising a flat ring According to the invention the surface tension of a diameter greater than the diameter of the springs may be, for example, preferably made of pocket and formed of overlapping double spirals aluminium alloys, bronze and the like, or of and being resilient in longitudinal and transverse suitably resistive plastics, such as synthetic rub directions when placed in said pocket. ber derivates (Buna), so as to prevent corrosion 4. In combination with a corset having stay and to considerably reduce the weight. receiving pockets in the front and sides thereof, The vsurface tension spring presents remark a surface tension spring for useas a corset stay able improvements and advantages. As the sup removably mounted in each pocket and forming porting member has longitudinal as well as trans a supporting member, some of said stays being versal elasticity ,it assures a universally compen of U-shape and mounted in the side pockets sating effect. It fits, therefore, tightly, to the with the legs of the stays directed downwardly contour of the body so that any troublesome pres and resiliently engaged with the side walls of the sure points or spots are avoided. The free mov pockets, and another stay of closed loop forma ableness of the user of such a corset or the like tion mounted in the front pocket and of a diame will not be restricted. Corset-like articles pro ter greater than the diameter of the pocket, said vided with surf-ace tension springs according to stays being resilient in longitudinal and trans the invention are also suitable for convalescents, ' verse directions when placed in said pockets. operated persons, and during the time of preg . 5. A corset' as in claim 4, wherein the closed nancy for disburdening or relieving the cicatrices loop stay in the front pocket is of flat double spiral ring formation. or the body in a uniform manner so that paroxys 50 mic or vascular engorgements and the like will -» 6. A corset as in claim 4. wherein the closed not occur. ­ loop stay is of generally oval formation and The surface tension spring or corset supporting bulged at opposite sides. member according to the invention is connected in known manner with the corset, bodice, abdom EMIL MENZ. inal belt, underwear, knickers, or the like by MARIE WILHELMINE SCHMDT. means of seams following the outer and inner NÉE LOEDEL. bounding lines of said spring or member. It is preferred to provide a seam at the outer line References Cited in the ille of this patent only so as to form a pocket N which allows to 60 easily interchange the springs. Due to its uni UNITED STATES PATENTS form elasticity this convenient interchangeability, Number Name Date ' which is a further advantage of the invention, is 260,915 Wells ______July 11, 1882 also assured if said pocket will be narrower at 1,083,398 Grean ______Jan. 6, 1914 its top than at its bottom as shown in Fig. 13, 1,207,104 Wallace ______Dec. 5, 1916 for example, in case of a lower bulge of the spring, 1,284,531 Worrest ______Nov. l2, 1918 as shown in Fig. 3. 2,133,004 Williams et al ..... __ Oct. 1l, 1938 The manner of using and applying the illus 2,489,388 Rubin ______Nov. 29, 1949 trative embodiments of our invention set forth FOREIGN PATENTS above Will be clear from the foregoing description. 70 While the embodiments of the invention herein Number Country Date before particularly described constitute preferred 244,948 Great Britain ______Dec. 3l, 1925 forms, it is to be understood that other forms 369,204 Great Britain ______Mar. 11, 1932 might be adapted according to practical require 487,646 Great Britain ______June 23, 1938 ments within the scope/of the appended claims. 75 982.370 France ..... __­_____ Jan. 24, 1951