GB2024604A - Garment bands - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment (10) has a stretchable waistband (12), cuff band or the like, which comprises a resiliently stretchable cover band (16) and an interlining (18) attached to the cover band (16). The interlining (18) is constructed with rows (26) of offset openings (24) so as to be resiliently stretchable with the cover band (16). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in articles of clothing This invention concerns articles of clothing.

Conventionally, a skirt, or other garment provided with a waistband, which is not gathered at the waist has a non extendible waistband to provide firm support for the garment in use. During manufacture the body of the garment is generally cut in the region of the waist to be slightly larger than the waistband itself so that the body of the garment has to be eased in to the waistband as the two are stitched together.

This renders the manufacture of the garment more complex than would be the case if the body of the garment fitted the waistband exactly and care has to betaken not to produce tucks in the body of the garment.

Likewise similar problems may arise in a garment where a sleeve is not gathered at the wrist, for example, but is eased in to a cuff band.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a garment with a waistband, cuff band or the like which is extendible so as to accommodate the extra material, mentioned above, in the region of the garment secured to the waistband, cuff band or the lik3.

Whilst such a measure serves to simplify manufacture of the garment in that the waistband, cuff band or the like may be stretched to match the dimensions of the portion of the garment to which it is to be joined and may thus easily be stitched to that portion, it will be appreciated that the benefit of firm support at the waist of the garment in the case of a waisband will be lost unless the waistband is constructed to return to its original size after stretching. Thus another object of the invention is to provide a garment with a resiliently stretchable waistband, cuff band or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a garment wherein the stretch properties of the waistband, cuff band or the like are produced by means other than elastic in order to achieve the desired support without a tendency of the garment to become gathered in the region of the waistband, cuff band or the like.

The present invention features a garment having a waistband, cuff band or the like which comprises a resiliently stretchable cover band and an interlining attached to the cover band, the interlining being constructed with rows of offset openings so as to be resiliently stretchable with the cover band.

The invention is described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view of a skirt embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a view of the interior of the waistband; Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the waistband; Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of an interlining of the waistband in an unstretched condition, and Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 but showing the interlining in a stretched condition.

The drawings show an A-line skirt 10 having a waistband 12 stitched to a skirt body 14. The waistband 12 comprises a cover band 16 and an interlining 18 which covers all but an edge strip 20 of one surface of the cover band 16. Both the cover band 16 and the interlining 18 are folded along a central longitudinal line 22 when the waistband 12is stitched to the skirt body 14 so that the interlining 18 is concealed within the cover band 16. The interlining 18 serves to provide support for the cover band 16 so that the skirt has a firm waistband.

Turning to Figure 3, it may be seen that the cover band 16 comprises a woven material cut on the bias.

This allows the cover band 16 to be stretched either transversely or longitudinally to a degree which is dependent upon the design and closeness of the weave. Stretching however causes a distortion of the threads of the material in the region where they overlap one another and the threads seeking to return to their original undistorted states tend to draw the cover band 16 back into an unstretched condition. Thus the cover band 16 is resiliently stretchable.

The interlining 18 is also stretchable but only in a longitudinal direction. This results from the construction of the interlining 18 which comprises layers of fibres, which are made from 80% terylene and 20% viscose, held together by a binder. In each single layer the fibres lie substantially parallel to one another and the layers are arranged such that the fibres in each adjacent pair of layers lie substantially perpendicular to each other. The binder is merely printed onto a face of the interlining but penetrates through the layer to hold the fibres together.

In contrast to the cover band 16, the interlining 18 is cut on the straight and the material forming the interlining is not itself extendible but transversely extending slits 24 provided in the interlining 18 permit it to be stretched. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the slits 24 are arranged in rows 26 which extend substantially transversely of the waistband. The slits in any one row 26 are offset from the slits in the adjacent row or rows 26 and each slit slightly overlaps two slits in the or each adjacent row, as is clearly shown in Figure 5, except of course along the longitudinal edges of the interlining.

Offsetting of the slits is important to enable the interlining 18 to be extended and the arrangement of the slits should ensure that any longitudinal straight line of the interlining passes across a plurality of slits since it is expansion of the slits which causes the interlining to extend. Referring to Figures 4 and 5 to illustrate this point, it will be appreciated that the length of the interlining along a line A-A extending from the right hand side of a first slit as shown in Figure 4 through the central regions of second and third slits and terminating at the right hand side of the third slit is equal to the sum of the lengths of material between the first and second slits and between the second and third slits when the slits are closed.When the slits are expanded as shown in Figure 5 it is apparent that the length of the line A-A is increased by an amount corresponding to the sum of the widths of the second and third slits in the region of the line A-A. So it is with the overall length of the interlining. Along a line B-B the expansion of each slit is greater and a substantially similar overall extension of the interlining may be obtained, However, if any longitudinal line of the interlining were to pass through no slits, that line would not be extendible since the material forming the interlining is not itself inherently stretchable as mentioned above.

As can be seen in the drawings, the slits are only expandible in the longitudinal direction of the interlining and hence the interlining may only be stretched longitudinally but not transversely.

Like the cover band 16, the interlining tends to return to its original size after stretching since stretching distorts the fibres in the regions of the slits and the fibres themselves exhibit a tendency to return to their original condition. Thus the interlining is resiliently stretchable.

The interlining 18 is fused to the cover band 16 by way of a plurality of dots 28 of heat-sealing adhesive, for example a polyamide based adhesive printed onto one face of the interlining during production and subsequently heated when the interlining is in contact with the cover band to secure the two together. This join between the interlining and cover band permits both to be stretched and enhances the resilience of the interlining. Fusing of the interlining 18 to the cover band 16 ensures that the two have the same degree of stretchiness and also the same degree of resilience, whereas otherwise the two might stretch differentially producing an unsightly effect and possible reducing the firmness of the waistband.

It has been found that the above waistband may be stretched by an amount corresponding to 5% to 7% of its unstretched length. For example, a waistband which in an unstretched condition is 25 inches long may be stretched by 11/2 inches and may thus accommodate the 4 inch extra allowance which is generally provided at the waist of a skirt body for a peson with a 24 inch waist.

The described waistband may be used instead on a pair of shorts or trousers and it is also possible for cuff bands and such like to be similarly constructed.

It will be appreciated that various modifications are possible amongst which are the provision of a knitted cover band cut on the straight in place of the woven one cut on the bias, and the replacement of the slits 24 with openings of other shapes. Additionally the dots 28 of adhesive may be replaced by lines or a continuous layer of adhesive.

Claims (14)

1. A garment having a waistband, cuff band or the like which comprises a resiliently stretchable cover band and an interlining attached to the cover band, the interlining being constructed with rows of offset openings so as to be resiliently stretchable with the cover band.

2. A garment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlining comprises layers of fibres held together by a binder, the fibres in each layer lying substantially parallel with one another and the fibres in adjacent layers lying substantially perpendicular to one another.

3. A garment as claimed in claim 2 wherein the binder is printed onto the layers of fibres.

4. A garment as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the interlining is cut on the straight.

5. A garment as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein each opening comprises a slit extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the waistband.

6. A garment as claimed in claim 2,3,4 or 5 wherein the fibres are 80% Terylene and 20% Viscose.

7. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the interlining is fused to the cover band.

8. A garment as claimed in claim 7 wherein dots of adhesive connect the interlining to the cover band.

9. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cover band comprises a knitted fabric cut on the straight.

10. A garment as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the cover band comprises a woven fabric cut on the bias.

11. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the waistband, cuff band or the like is stretchable by 5% to 7% of its unstretched length.

12. A skirt constructed as claimed in any preceding claim.

13. A pair of trousers constructed as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11.

14. A pair of shorts constructed as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11.