US1709177A - Garment - Google Patents

Description

April 16, 1929.

M. KOSOFSKY 1,709,177

GARMENT Y Filed June 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 022/6 lfosonsxr ATTORNEYS p l 16, 1929.- M. KOsoi-s'KY 1,709,111

GARMENT Filed June 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi m KIM ATTORNEYS I .lustrates an example 0 Paemea Apr. 16,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIO KOS OFSKY OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO KENIIIWORTH MANUFAOTUR- ING 00., IN 0., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' GARMENT,

Application filed June 22,

i has been used to only a-very limited extent.'

A garment of the indicated type, however, possesses many inherent advantages which adapt it for many purposes, particularly in gymnastics and other branches of athletics; even in these fields, the extent to which this class of garments has been used, however, has been limited almost entirely to the masculine sex. The object of the present invention is to provide a garment of the indicated class which may be utilized to an unlimited extent and which possesses all of the merits thereof and is constructed in a novel manner to avoid any of the objectionable features commonly found in such garments. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which ilthe invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a front view of a garment embodying the novel features; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3, 4:, 5, 6, T and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating successive steps in the method of manufacturing the garment, and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views, taken. at right angles to each other, illustrating another form of the invention.

As shown in the drawing, the bifurcated garment comprises a body section 10 and continuing leg members 11 which, as illusiratcd, are wide open at their lower ends 1 and in the preferred form of the garment are of knee-length or less. The construction of the garment as to details may be varied in accordance with the nature thereof and the purposes for which it is intended. In the illustrated example, the body section 10 includes a waistband 12 and is open at one side to provide a side placket 13 as shown in Fig. 1. The garment may be fastened in place upon the wearer in any conventional or special manner as by locating cooperating 1926. Serial No. 117,866.

fastening devices such as buttons and button holes at the placket whereby the latter is closed at intervals or a fastening means 14 may be used whereby the placket 13 is cap able of being closed without interruption throughout its length. Inany case it is preferred to provide a section of elastic 15 suitably fastened in place at a predetermined part of the waistband, and preferably at the back thereof, for gathering in the back portion of the garment and placing it under tension at the waistline when the garment is worn; in this way an adjustable snug fit at the waist line is secured. Obviously if desired the elastic section 15 may be replaced by other devices or it may be omitted entirely.

In a garment of the construction so far described, the leg members 11 being relatively wide and wide open at their lower ends, fit the legs of the wearer very loosely when the garment is worn. As aresult of this, these leg members are liable to assume positions in which parts of the body are undesirably and embarrassingly exposed; this is particularly true if the garment is in a form intendedfor use in gymnastics and otherclasses of athletics and physical activities in which the wearer assumes unusual positions and attitudes. These objections and disadvantages are overcome by providing a garment of the indicated type interiorly witha novel protective means wherebythe aforesaid exposure of the body and other undesirable features of such garments in their existing forms are positively avoided. The means referred to comprise inserts 16 located at predetermined points within the garment and arranged closely to encircle the limbs of the wearer and to close the annular spaces between the leg sections 11 and the limbs without interfering with the set of the leg sections or changing the external appearance thereof and without interfering with the inherent loose characteristics of said leg sections. In its preferred form, the garment is constructed of a soft material such as sateen or the like having very little if any inherent stiffness and tending to drape Ill puckered or otherwise distorted orthey will be drawn into unnatural positions and thereby disturb the graceful appearance which is an essential in garments of the type in question. To avoid these undesirable features without in, any way interfering. with the protective functions thereof, the inserts, intheir preferred form, comprise bodies a and cuffs b. The bodies a are made of a material which is very pliable and flimsy and which possesses no inherent stiffness of any consequence; in any case, the bodies a are very soft and accordingly may be constructed of sateen of approximately the same body as or of less body than the garment itself. The dimensions of the bodiesa are such that, when in position in the leg members 11, said bodies (1 develop no internal strains whereby either the set or the external appearance of the leg'members 11 is affected and themselves are capable of assuming positions of adjustment independently of said leg membors as will appear more fully hereinafter;

The cuffs b on theother hand are constructed of a material having a relatively high inherent elasticity such as knit fabric and are preferably of substantial length up and down so as to present an elastic area adapted for-gentle elastic contact over a relatively broad area around the wearers thighs, as contrasted with a narrow compression effect such as results from the use of a rubber hand. These cufis, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 to 6 are attached to the bodies a along an edge thereof under tension so that when the tension is relieved and the cuffs Z) resume their normal condition, the bodies a will be gathered or puckered along said edge; the cuffs are dimensioned and arranged so as closely to hug the limbs: of the wearer when the garment is being worn. Because of the aforesaid gathering of the said edges of the bodies a by the'action of the cuffs b or because of the physical shaping of the bodies a or by reason of both of these factors, the depending inserts 16 present a downwardly converging form-in their normal conditions as shown in Fig. 1.

In constructing the inserts 16 of Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the following preferred method may be utilized although it will be understood that other methods may be followed to produce the same results. A piece of se- 1 le'cted material of generally rectangular form and of approximately thirty by six inches is cut transversely into back and front sections a and 00 respectively, preferably of converging form,as shown in Fig. 3. These sections a and a? are preferably, though not necessarily, of unequal lengthwise dimensions, as shown;-,for instance, the back portion may measure seventeen inches along its upper edge and fourteen inches along its lower edge, in which case the front section will measure thirteen and ten inches along its upper and lower edges respectively, both sections being six inches in Width. These sections which, in their finished form comprise a body a of an insert 16, are united by sewing or otherwise connecting two end edges a and m thereof and at this stage present the appearance illustrated in Fig.

5. Either at this time or previously, a

inserts 16, is connected under tension with the combined sections a and a so that at this stage the unit presents approximately the appearance illustrated in Fig. 6. That is, the connected sections a and a of Fig. 4 are straightened out to convert their common straight line, this being possible because of the soft, highly pliable characteristics of: the material of which these sections a and a are made; the elastic section b is then stretched from its normal length of twelve inches to alength of approximately twenty-fonr inches and in this condition has its one edge attached by sewing or otherwise to the lower edge of the connected sections a" and a It will be observed that by his method of attachment the cuff members are attached to the respective body portions of the tubular inserts a, I), while in a stretched condition approximating the normal transverse width of said body portions (1. After this operalower edges temporarily into a substantially tion has been completed, and the force whereby the section b is maintained under initial condition and accordingly will cause the connected sections a and a to pucker or gather for instance as indicated in Fig. 7. The two free edges of the unit shown in Fig. 7 are then united by sewing or otherwise to provide the insert illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, the upper edge of the body a being turned over and hemmed, as indicated.

In practice, it is preferred to attach the upper edges of the bodies a, by circumferential sewing 17, to the leg members 15 interiorly thereof at points slightly below the crotch line of the garment, and to have said inserts, in their normal condition, depend from the points of attachment within the leg members 11. It will be understood that the inserts 16 may be otherwise located in the garmentto produce equivalent results and that they may be replaced by equivalent means located at the same places or at other points interiorly of the garment; the essential requirement of the novel arrangement is to provide a bifurcated garment of the indicated type, interiorly with means cooperatinterior space or spaces between it and the garment when worn, and thereby prevent unintentional exposure of predetermined I parts of the body. The dimensions of the bodies a are such that any strains and stresses developed by the elastic cufi's b, in the wearing of the garment, will be absorbed by the bodies a and will not be transmitted to the leg members of said garment. Because of this arrangement, and because of the inherent softness of the material of which the bodies a are constructed, theleg members retain their inherent flexibility and their independence of movement and accordingly develop no changed conditions because of the presence of the inserts; furthermore, because of the dimensions and inherent properties of said bodies a, the elastic cufls b-may be adjusted to any position upon the leg of the wearer, within the range of the construction, without interference with the leg members or their independence of movement.

-It will be noted that the garment as shown may be put on in themanner of any bifurcated garment of theindicated class and that, in such case, the legs of the wearer are projected through the inserts 16 in the operation of donning the garment; this operation is facilitated by the tapering or converging form of these cuifs,'alth0ugh it will be understood that no difliculty in this respect will be experienced even if the ends or their equivalent are of different physical form orv characteristics. In any case when the garment of the illustrated example is being worn, the thighs of the wearer will be encircled by the inserts 16 and will be closely hugged bythe elastic cufi's b thereof. The annular spaces between thethighs of said wearer and the leg members 11 of the garment will thereby be completely closed and thusprevent wind from blowing up into contact with the abdomen and adjacent parts of the body; the inserts 16 or their equivalent in' addition to their other functions, thus provide protection against drafts and colds and permit the garment to be worn under conditions where ordinarily a garment of this class could not be utilized unless additional bodily covering were provided. In-

addition to this, the close engagement between the cuffs b of the inserts 16 and the thighs of the wearer, while it securely maintains the inserts in position','d0es not prevent the bodies a thereof from assuming independent positions of adjustment as the wearer assumes different positions; for instance, the dimensions of the sections a anda and particularly of the back section 0 are such that the wearer may bend over either forwardly or backwardly without transmitting such'strain to the leg members 11 that the latter are distorted or-pulled out of lace. At the same time,-the arrangement s'own and described permits the leg members 11 to remain independently loose upon the thighs and to assume independent positions relatively thereto. It will be observed that, even when such displacement of the leg members 11 as is possible takes place, ob servation of those portions of the body located upwardly beyond the cuffs 16 is impossible. As a result, undesirable and embarrassing exposure of the person is positively prevented regardless of any positions which. the wearer of the garment may assume. As previously stated herein, due. to the relative flimsiness and pliability of the bodies a of the inserts 16 and because of the dimensions and arrangement thereof, no in. ternal strains are developed by the inserts, which disturb the hang or set of theleg members or which draw the same to undesirable and inelegant' positions and at the same time the garment is permitted to hang in the same way as if the inserts were not present.

The most objectionable disturbance of the leg members 11, when provided with the inserts, is likely to occur when the wearer bends forward for instance when indulging in gymnastic exercises or otherwise assumes corresponding unusual positions of the character referred to. Under such conditions, a pull will be developed upon the back sections a of the inserts between the stitching 17 and the cuffs b which grip the legs of the wearer. This pull may be sufiicient to place the sections a under tension and thereby to cause them to transmit strains to the cuffs b to the discomfort of the wearer and to the leg members 11 whereby the latter will be disditions, the rear sections a of the inserts are provided .with pleats a which, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, are located at the back of the inserts between the seams whereby the sections'a and a 'are connected. These pleats a provide several inches of extra fullness in the fabric at the rear of each insert 16; thus, when the wearer bends over forwardly, the pleats a will be straightened out and absorb any pull which may develop, and thereby prevent the transmission of any pulling strains to the garment itself.

Heretofore, garments of the character described have had a limited field of usefulness and have been utilized principally as trunks. or running pants for athletes of the male sex or as undergarments for small children. With the improvements set forth herein, bifurcated garments with relatively .short leg members wide open at their ends,

gymnasium pants and bloomers, as bathing trunks and as knickers and bloomers for inner and outer wear by women as well as by men. Any suitable material may be used in the construction of the garment, such as for instance sateen, henrietta, twill, serge and,

. members 11 will roll back upon the legs to an embarrassing extent; this is particularly true when the wearer is lying upon his or her back. p

The improved garment may be advantageously worn in place of the customary baggy bloomers of the female sex and" avoids the possibility of entanglement with the wearer and consequent tripping which is always present in such bloomers. In addition to this, the garment, because of its character and position upon the wearer, permits the posture of the latter to be judged accurately.

The novel garment, furthermore, in the normal positions of the wearer, presents an i new garment may be constructed as dergarment and is particularly adapted for attractive and trim appearance and under all conditions, is comfortable to wear.

In addition to its other possibilities, the

construction in the form of ladies undergarments generally referred to at the present time as a step-in and which, in its most common form, includes a loose, wideopen bottom. The fact that the novel gar.- ment will not bulge out the outer dress of a woman renders it particularly available as an undergarment.

The improved garment is inexpensive to produce and as a commercial proposition, may be placed on sale at a price within reach of practically all classes of persons.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In athletic trunks the combination of tubular knee length leg members of relatively large diametric dimensions adapted to fit the wearers thighs with material looseness, and tubular inserts having their upper edges attached interiorly of said leg members approximately at thelevel of the crotch,

the lower ends of said tubular inserts ter minating within the interior of the leg members, said tubular inserts bridging the space an unstretching to the normal transverse width of said body portions and adapted closely to hugthe wearers thighs without interference with the independent movements of adjustment of said body portions of the inserts and of the leg members of the trunks.

2. In athletic trunks, the combination of approximately knee-length leg members of relatively large diametric dimensions, adapted to fit the thighs with material looseness, and tubular inserts having'their upper edges attached interiorly of said leg members, approximately at the level of the crotch and depending within the leg members from the points of attachment for bridging the space between the thighs and the leg members, each of said inserts comprising a body portion of soft material provided with a horizontal pleat extending across the rear of the insert to provide excess vertical length at the rear, and elastic cuff members attached to said body portions and adapted to hug the thighs without materially interfering with the independent movements of adjustment of saidbody portions and of the leg members.

3. In athletic trunks the combination of tubular knee length leg members of relatively large diametric dimensions adapted to fit the wearers thighs with material looseness, and tubular inserts having their upper edges attached interiorly of said leg members approximately at the level of the crotch, the lower ends of said tubular inserts terminating within the interior of the leg members, said tubular inserts bridging the space between the wearers thighs and the leg members and comprising body portions of inherently soft material and of excessive length with respect to said space and elastic thigh-encircling elements associated with the lower portions of each of the tubular inserts, said elastic elements being of materially less transverse width than the normal transverse width of the body portions of the inserts, and being capable of stretching to the normal transverse width of said body portions and adapted closely to hug the wearers' thighs without material interference with the independent movements of adjustment of said body portions of the inserts and of the leg members of the trunks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set

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