US1202668A - Abdominal supporter. - Google Patents

Description

M. E. BYRD.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11.1915.

mwmw. Patented Oct. 24,1916.

vwaniloz M. E. m

9; W I throw,

i ABDOMINAL SUPPOBTEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

reoaces.

Application filed February 11, 1915.

To all whom; it may concern Be it known that I, MARY E. Brno, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Winans, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in supports or bandages and more particularly to abdominal supporters, the main object of the present invention being the provision of a supporter of the above character to be used for supporting the abdomen and is especially used by women during the last period of pregnancy and also for fleshy women and women who have to do manual labor.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an abdominal supporter which can be quickly and easily applied to the body or removed and at the same time consists of comparatively few parts and eliminates all unnecessary fastening straps which are generally used on supporters of this character so as to prevent chafing of the lower parts of the body and the upper parts of the limbs;

A further object of the present invention is the production of a body belt or bandage designed and adapted to surround the body of a wearer in the region of the waist line, for the purpose of compressing, sustaining or preserving the natural shape of the figure.

A further object is the production of a belt or bandage having structural characteristics which especially adapt it for use as a support for enlarged and prolapsed abdomens, weakened or strained abdominal walls and muscles, as a support for certain mis placed organs, for use in cases of hernia, as also in other conditions and ailments in the treatment of which abdominal or body belts and bandages are employed.

A further object is the production of belts having novel characteristics which admirably adapt them for occasional use of women during pregnancy, and for use after childbirth while the form is resuming its natural and normal proportions.

A further object of the invention is that of providing close-fitting body belts or bandages of the character above indicated, which are peculiarly suited and adapted to meet requirements of the prevailing fashions in womens wearing apparel, wherein Patented Uct. 24L, 19th.

Serial No. 7,615.

it is sought to retain a waist line of normal size, but to round out the figure above and below to produce the effect of an uncorseted natural figure.

A further object is the production of means in connection with the improved close-fitting body belt or bandage whereby the latter may be effectually retained in proper applied position, without the employment of crotch straps.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter referred to, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an abdominal supporter constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the application of the same. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the manner of connecting the lower fastening straps, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional-view illustrating the manner of detachably connecting the free ends of the body section at the back of the wearer.

In carrying out my invention I provide a body member generally indicated in the accompanying drawings by the numeral 1.

The body 1 as shown is reduced in width at its ends and. each end is provided with spaced rows of fastenings as shown at 2 whereby the ends may be overlapped when securing the device to the body of the wearer. It will be noted that by overlapping the ends of the body it will not only provide a strong fastening means, but will reinforce the supporter at the back of the wearer and provide additional support at this point. I

The front part of the body is cut away as shown at 3 so that only the upper and lower edges, and an intermediate horizontal strip, extend entirely around the person of a wearer in the region of the waist. The spaces formed by cutting away the front of the body portion as aforesaid, are filled by elastic strips or front panels 4 and 5 which constitute a somewhat expansible or yielding support for the upper and lower portions of the abdomen of awearer. The said upper and lower supporting panels 4 and 5 are connected by means of a transverse or horizontal non-elastic strip 6, the meeting edges of said body member, panels and strip being provided with reinforcing members 7 to prevent unraveling and securely connect said parts together, and it is apparent that by this relative arrangement of elasticpanels 4, 5, and interposed non-elastic strip 6, the said yielding or elastic portions of the present supporter cannot be unduly stretched, but will always return to normal shape when removed from the person of a wearer. Thus it will be observed that panels or inserts 4 and 5, in conjunction with the non-stretchable strip 6, perform the functions of moderately pliable or yielding compressors under conditions where compression is required; or assist materially in producing .a shapely figure above and below the Waist line, even in cases of enlarged and prolapsed abdomens. In other words there may be protuberances above and below'the restraining strip 6, which would not be apparent even with modern close and tight-fitting garments; but on the other hand, the same abdomen, supported merely by a single center panel of elastic material, unrestrained by strip 6 and protruding from the upper to the lower edges of the supporter, would necessarily be conspicuous and unsightly.

' The lower edge of the body is provided, at a point between the central portion of the body and the ends thereof with downwardly projecting tabs 8 and is further provided I adjacent each end of the body with elastic tension straps 9 which are to fit over the hips of the wearer to cause the lower edge of the body to fit snugly over the hips as shown in Fig. 2. Permanently attached at one end of the edges of the tabs 8 are the straps 10 which are adapted to encircle the upper portion of the leg of the wearer and the free ends thereof are detachably connected to the opposite edges of the tabs by means of the hooks and eyes 11.

It will teamed that by havin the straps 10 secured to the tabs 8 and encircling the thigh or, the wearer, it will eliminate the use of the straps which generally pass through the crotch thus preventing any chafing or unpleasantness at this point to the wearer.

Furthermore, by extending the tabs down onto the leg it will prevent the corset from, contacting with the leg and provide means whereby garters and other supporting elements may be attached to the same. It will be apparent that in applying the device to the body the ends are passed around the body and secured across the back by the fastening means 2, it being understood that the supporting. strips 4: and 5 are arranged in position over the abdomen before the ends are secured together. The straps 10 are then passed around the upper portion of the legs and secured by the hooks and eyes 11.

It will be understood that the strips t and 5 and the straps 9 and 10 may be formed of any suitable elastic material and the body 1 may be formed of any material suitable for the purpose. It will be noted from the above that the device is extremely simple in construction and can be quickly and easily applied or removed and at the same time can be manufactured and placed upon thein'arket at a comparatively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention it will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for carrying out my invention, without sacrificing any of the novel features or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what I desire to claim as new and secure by Letters Patent", is

1. A bandage of the character described comprising a non-elastic body portion adapted and arranged to surround the person of a wearer, in combination with vertically spaced elastic front panels, and an intermediate non-elastic band connecting the said panels.

2. A bandage of the character described comprising a non-elastic body portion adapted and arranged to surround the person of a wearer and having detachably connected overlapping ends, in combination with vertically spaced elastic front panels, and an intermediate non-elastic band connecting the said panels.

3; An abdominal supporter comprising a non-elastic body portion adapted and arranged to surround the person of a wearer above and below the waist line. in combination with an elastic front panel, elastic hip straps under tension each secured at both ends to the non-elastic body material across the hip portion thereof, oppositely disposed tabs depending from said supporter, and elastic tension straps secured to their respective tabs adapted to surround the legs of a wearer.

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

MARY E. BYRD.

lVitnesses l'VILLrAir HISSEY, Jr., ALBERT W. HISSEY.

ot er 62 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 8? addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

7 Washington; D. 0;

Images