GB2163341A - Garment system - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment system has a garment adaptable for girth by comprising at least one lengthwise-extending slide fastener of which the cooperating stringers are spaced laterally apart on the garment so that with the stringers fastened together the girth of the garment is reduced by the width of the intervening material. Such garment may be an outer garment of a system which also includes an inner, high performance jacket which may also have a separable lining. The system is intended for protective clothing in harsh environments. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Garment system This invention relates to protective clothing especiallyto such clothing as is useful in harsh environments such as may be encountered by mountaineers, in high latitudes and at sea for example on oil rigs.

Protective clothing for such environments has to provide protection against lowtemperatures, wind and water, whether it be in the form of snow, or rain or sea spray. It is important also to allowthewearer reasonable freedom of movement. And of course the comfort of the wearer is paramount.

No single garment can meet all of these requirements, not, at any rate, at reasonable cost. It is usual therefore to wear several layers, of which the outer garment is waterproof when protection against water is required. All the garments must, of course, fit properly, and so manufacturers must, as usual, provide them in a range of sizes. However, the donning ordoffing of a layerofolothing to adaptto different degrees of cold can affect the fit of the outer, usually waterproof layer, which is usually purchased in a size large enough to accommodate the maximum number of layers likely to be worn at one time. In general, therefore, the waterproof, outer layer is worn loose.

It has been found, however, that superior protection against cold is achieved when the outer layer is a tight fitover inner layers-considerable heat is lost by warmed air being displaced from among loose garments during movement and being replaced by cold air.

The present invention provides a garment system that gives better protection than conventional weatherproof clothing and which also effects certain cost savings.

The invention comprises, in one aspect, a garment adaptable for girth comprising at least one lengthwise-extending slide fastener of which the cooperating stringers are spaced laterally apart on the garment so that with the stringers fastened togetherthe girth of the garment is reduced by the width ofthe intervening material.

The garment may comprise a plurality of spaced apart pairs of cooperating stringers whereby the garment is adaptable to a plurality of girths.

Said cooperating stringers may comprise a set having one stringerfacing in one direction and a plurality of stringers facing in the other direction, towards the first mentioned stringer. There may be two such sets, one on each side ofthe garment.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a garmentsystem comprising a high performance inner jacket and a protective separable outer garment adapted to be a close fit on the weaver.

By"high performance" in this regard is meant essentially combining high thermal insulation, with air permeability. High performance fabrics are difficult to proof against water and can be damaged by oil or othersoiling so asto impair their performance. The protective outerjacket of this invention is intended to protect the innerjacket as much against such soiling as to afford the necessary water-and-wind proofing.

In this regard, the invention differs from the conventional removable linings that may be had for rainwear, particularly in that such conventional linings are not high performance, and constitute a minor fraction of the cost of the garment, the conventional raincoat being an expensively tailored and proofed garment. In the system according to the invention, the outer garment can be an inexpensive jacket of polyesterfilm or polyvinyl chloride.

Preferably, however, the outer garment is adaptable for girth, as above described, and this means that not only can an individual adapttheoutergarmenttothe number of layers of underlying clothing, but also a single size of garment will be adaptable to a range of sizes of wearer, so that a manufacturer need only make one or perhaps two sizes.

The system may additionally comprise a separable lining for said innerjacket. Said innerjacket may be sleeveless, while said lining has sleeves.

So that all three layers may be put on and removed together, they may all be open-fronted, done up by Velcro (RTM) or slide fasteners or otherwise as expedient.

Inasmuch as a set of two or three garments, once puttogether, will be intended to be kepttogether,they may be fastened together by additional Velcro or other fasteners, oreven solely bythe expedient of a hanging loop at the neck ofthe innermost garment being adapted to be passed through hanging loops of the other garment of garments ofthe set.

It is further desirable that any water that enters, say at the neckband ofthe outer waterproof can exit by running down insidetheoutergarmentanddripping from the lower edge thereof. Forthis purpose it can be disadvantageous if close fitting of the outer garment is achieved by belt means tightening the garment around the waist Embodiments of garments and garment systems according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:: Figure lisa drawing of a garment panel, Figure 2 is a drawing ofthe garment panel of Figure 1 reduced in width, Figure 3 is an elevation of a garment according to the invention, Figure 4 is an elevation ofthe garmentof Figure 3 reduced in girth, Figure 5 is a view of a n an innerjacketforthe system, and Figure 6 is a view of a lining for said inner jacket.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a panel 11 of a garment adaptable for girth comprising a separable, leng thwise-of-the-garment-extending slide fastener 12 of which the cooperating stringers 12a, 12b are spaced laterally apart as shown in Figure 1 - but can be fastened together by a slide so as to reduce the girth of the garment by the width W of the intervening material. The fastener 12 has the usual hardware 14to secure the slider to one or the other stringer.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a garment, being a jacket 31, comprising, on its left and rightfront panels 32, 33 a number of stringers ofslidefasteners 12. One stringer, 1 2a, on each side panel 32, 33 faces the other stringers, 1 2b, on that side and carries the slider 13.

The jacket 31 can be reduced in girth as shown in Figure 4 by fastening together the stringers 12a and one ofthestringers 12boy each side.

The jacket31 can be made of a lightweight waterproof material such as polyester or polyvinyl chloridefilm orsheetora light plastic-coated woven or knitted fabric and is particularly suited to be worn in combination with a high performance innerjacket 51 as illustrated in Figure 5 and/or a separable lining 61 as illustrated in Figure 6. A high performance jacket may be made of well-insulating air permeable fabric which needs protection from water, oil and other soiling substances that might impair its performance. If the fabric is rather stiff, so that the provision of sleeves might affectthe wearer's mobility, the jacket 51 may besleeveless as shown, but then it is desirable that the lining 61 has sleeves.

Whereas the usual range of sizes of innerjacket 51 and lining 61 will be required to fitwearers of different sizes, the girth-adaptabilityofthejacket3l means that only one ortwo sizes will be sufficient. This means that manufacturing and stocking costs can be reduced.

The principal advantage, however, ofthe jacket31 is that it can be adapted to be a closefitoverthe inner jacket 51 andlorlining 61 whereby to reduce heat losses arising from the escape ofwarm air pockets during movement ofthe wearer and ingress of cold, replacement air. The manner by which the close fit is achieved, namely by essentially lengthwise-oriented separable slide fasteners, ensures that there is a path downwards for the escape of any water condensed on the interface ofthe jacket31 or entering the same for exampiethrough the neck.

Thejackets 31 and 51 are shown with integral hoods 34, 52, and press stud or pop fastener means 35,53 for attachment ofthe one to the other, so thatthey can be put on and taken off together. Hanger chains or loops 36,54and also, 64, on the lining 61 are of such length thatthe chain or loop ofthe innermost garment ofwhatevercombination is being worn can be passed through the chain or loop ofthe next garment Various modifications could be made to the system described without departing from the scope of the invention. Thusthe lining 61 could be provided with a hood in addition to or instead ofthe inner jacket 51.

The jacket 51 andlorthe lining 61 could also be provided with slide fasteners like the jacket 31 so as to be adapted to be a close fit when worn independently ofthejacket31.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to jackets, any other garment can be similarly adapted. Thus trousers can also be adapted for close fitting a range of leg sizes or over different thicknesses of undergarments. One piece suits incorporating integral jacket and trousers can be similarly adapted.

Claims (12)

1. A garment adaptable for girth comprising at least one lengthwise-extending slide fastener of which the cooperating stringers are spaced laterally apart on the garment so thatwith the stringers fastened togetherthe girth ofthe garment is reduced bythewidth of the intervening material.

2. A garment according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of spaced apart pairs of cooperating stringers whereby the garment is adaptable to a plurality of girths.

3. Agarmentaccordingtoclaiml orclaim 2, said cooperating stringers comprising a set having one stringer facing in one direction and a plurality of stringers facing in the other direction, towards thefirst mentioned stringer.

4. A garment according to claim 3,there being two such sets, one on each side ofthe garment.

5. A garment adaptablefor girth substantially as describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. Agarmentsystem comprising a high performance inner jacket and a protective, separable outer garment adapted to be a close fit on the wearer.

7. Agarmentsystem according to claim 6, said outer garment being adaptable for girth.

8. Agarmentsystem according to claim 7, said outer jacket comprising a garment according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. A garment system according to any one of claims 6to 8, said outer garment being waterproof.

10. A garment system according to any one of claims 6to 9, comprising a separable lining forsaid inner jacket.

11. A garment system according to claim lOin which said inner jacket is sleeveless while said lining has sleeves.

12. Agarmentsystem substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.