US1447904A - Abdominal supporter - Google Patents

Description

Mar. 6,1923. M41904.

v I. B. SINCLAIR.

ABDOMINAL SUPPQRTEB.

FILED JUNE 21, 192k 2 SHEETS-SHEET l- I nveni'ow Idall. Swine Z6023? 11 -1 4M v M/fij Mar. 6, 1923.

B. SINCLAIR. ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HLED JUNEZI, 192l- Emir.-

B. MM

Patented Mai. e, 192a.

tamer IDA. B. SINCLAIR, OF BASS POINT, MASSACHUSETTS.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

Application filed June 21, 1921. Serial No. 479,420."

T all 1072,0772 it may concern scription herein,

Be it known that I, IDA B. SINCLAIR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bass Point, Nahant, county of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in vented an Improvement in Abdominal Supporters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to abdominal supporters and its object is to provide an improved device of that nature having, among others, the advantages hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing of one embodiment of my invention selected for illustration and de- Fig. 1 is a perspective of the belt;

Fig. 2, an outside elevation of the front plate; 7

Fig. 3, an outside elevation of the back plate; and 1 Fig. 4, an elevation of the several sectilo-ns making up the front plate disassemb ed. I

My novel belt or supporter, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, comprises a substantially keystone shaped semi-flexible front portion or plate a including in turn, Fig.4, a'plurality of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, each irregularly shaped, and properly secured together at their side edges.

In order to provide the. relief desired by those who need such a supporter, it must be so fashioned as to properly fit and support the parts of the body requiring relief. To that end the upper portion or top of the front plate should be longer than the bottom portion, and the area of the sections therebetween sufficiently convex to receive and support comfortably the lower portion of the abdomen. Accordingly the two sections 2, 3, are somewhat longer than the adjoining sections 1, 4, to contribute to that end.

l/Vhile the upper edge 5 of the front plate is curved upwardly to permit the plate when in use to accommodate itself to the contour of the abdomen, the lower edge 6 is, for a similar reason, curved downwardly so that it may fit beneath and support the lower portion of the abdomen.

Now heretofore, in order to provide the shape desired in the front plate, it has been common to use elastic webbing in connection with the othermaterial of which the plate was made, to fashion the material by shrinkpointed out.

ing it or otherwise, or to lacetwo ormore. sections together. c

But these methods ,only give temporary results and when the webbing loses its re-- siliency orthe artificial fashioning, as by shrinking, yields to the result of the continual strain, the belt ceases to performits function. And if the parts are laced, the open spa-cc spanned by the lacing is-only partly .closed and consequently capable of giving relatively less support.

By properly fashioning suitable material however, the belt will continue to function properly. -To that end therefore,, l[ select material such as firm duck ol, canvas that will not stretch, and properly fashion 'thel r r several sections of which I it is made, as

In order to obtain the necessary convexity in the front plate as-a whole, Fig. 4,. the

abutting edges of the sections 1, 2, 3, 4, arewr curved to the extent indicated. It will be noted that each'section has atleast one convex side or edge, that sections'2, 3, have each 1 two upright side convex edgesand preferably two convex end edges and when secured together will not stretch nor shrink materially with usage. p

After the adjoining edges'of sections 1 to 4 have been suitably stitched or otherwise secured, Figs. 1,2, 3, one or more pieces of a featherbone or other suitable stiffening material or stays 7 are properly secured as stitching,to the sections andpreferably -lo-. cated over the adjoining edges or seams of sections 12, 23, 3-4.

These stays, Fig. 2, are preferably covered with the material of the belt in the shape of strips 8, thus forming a pocket, so to speak, for the stay, the strip being stitched over the same tothe sections 1, 2, 3, 4. These stays of course prevent the plate'or the sec tion from being wrinkled or from collapsing, and ensure that theywill retain theirproper shape, while permitting necessary flexing for comfort of the body.

The top and bottom edges 5, 6, Fig. 2, an opposite end edges 9, 10, of the front section are preferably bound with tape and stitched in the usual manner. To further strengthen the plate and to form connecting means for the front and back plates, I provide the straps 11, 12, 13. These straps are of strong webbing and secured asby stitching, to the upper and lower edges and middle or central leave the ends of the plate converge somewhat. They are stitched to and across the stays 7 and strips 8 themselves, thus more positively positioning the stays.

This converging of the straps has the effect to reduce the width of the combined straps ll, 12, 13, to more comfortably fit above and rest upon the hips and also to al low the straps to fully perform their function of supporting the abdomen without any tendency to distort the natural outline of the front plate and to allow the latter to render all the assistance naturally flowing from its peculiar outline and convex surface.

The back plate I), Fig. 8, comprises preferably a sheet of the same material as that of which the sections 1 to 4- are made. This section is also curved somewhat along its top and bottom edges i l, 15, with its ends 16, 17, tapering outwardly from the top to the bottom and also is, in general, shaped like an inverted keystone.

This provides a somewhat longer plate at its bottom edge compared with the top edge I and permits it to lie comfortably over the hips and givethe desired support, while conforming generally to the shape of the waist.

The back plate like the front, is also provided with upper and lower straps 1 8, 20, which are attached to the upper and lower edges of the plate and at least one middle strip 19,. and extended therefrom at each end and provided with buckles or other suitable fasteners secured thereon at a suitable angle to prevent the formation of any slack in either the upper or lower edges of either straps or plates.

This back plate is also provided with stays 21, 22, 28, secured in the same manner as are those in the front plate. The plate is also-supplied with depending straps 24, 25,

if desired, to whichgarters may be attached for supporting the stockings and which thus,

to some extent, serve to hold the supporter down and prevent it from working upward about the waist.

While my novel supporter is designed for use in connection with any trouble requiring the use of a supporter, it is particularly valuable in trouble arising from injury to the sacro iliac joint. It is valuable also in connection with a suitable pad for ptosis and in other cases where support for a distended stomach is desired to remove pressure from the intestines.

My invention is not limited to the construction illustrated, but its scope is determined rather by the appended claims.

Claims:

1. An abdominal supporter comprising, in combination, front and back plates formed of flexible material, each having a curved upper and lower edge and being suitably shaped to conform to the contour of the body, a plurality of approximately vertical stays secured to each of said plates, straps secured along the upper and lower edges of said plates throughout the length of the plates and connected to said stays, whereby to distribute tension uniformly over the plates, and adjustable connections between the respective straps.

2. An abdominal supporter comprising, in combination, front and back flexible plates shaped to conform to the contour of the body, each having a plurality of stays secured thereto and extending substantially transversely of the length of the plate, and straps secured along the upper and lower edges of said plates throughout the length of the plates and connected to said stays, whereby to distribute tension uniformly over the plates.

In testimony, whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

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