US2046861A - Girdle and combination girdle and brassiere - Google Patents

Description

Quay '3'; 193% WIPPERMAN "2 @46,86l

GIRDLE AND COMBINATION GIRDLE AND BRASSIERE Filed May 31, 1955 2 Shets-Sheet 1 w lmyvlm ZQ M w INVENTOR ATTORNEY 3 wu y A 1933 H. WEPPERMAN GIRDLE AND COMBINATION GIRDLE AND BRASSIERE Filed May 51, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orri cl-z GIRDLE AND oommma'rron omnm AND BaAssiERE Application May 31, 1935, Serial No. 24,228

3 Claims.

This invention relates to foundation garments of the girdle or combination girdle-and-brassiere type and has for its object to provide an exceptionally strong confining garment of this character which combines maximum control with the least possible weight and bulk and furthermore provides a hitherto unobtainable degree of ventilation which insures perfect comfort to the wearer even in the warmest sunmier weather.

Garments constructed according to my invention may be of the step-in type or they may have side openings provided with buttons, zippers or other fastening means according to common practice. The body portion of the garment is composed of elastic net preferably made on a fine count machine using very strong kick elastic such as Power Lastex, and is combined with a front panel which cooperates therewith to control the figure in a novel manner hereinafter described.

The elastic fabric forming the body portion of my preferred garment comprises elastic threads running only in a transverse or horizontaldirection and inelastic connecting threads which are wrapped around and interlaced with the elastic threads in such a way that considerable vertical elasticity results from the pull of the inelastic threads upon the elastic threads running in the opposite direction. The special construction of this fabric, coupled with other structural features hereinafter described, results in a sheer film-like garment which adds little or no bulk to the figure while developing a confining strength equal to much heavier garments. Foundation garments as heretoforeconstructed have employed either one-way or two-way stretch elastic fabrics fitted to inelastic control panels with a fine observance of proportions and symmetry of appearance when ofi as well as on the figure. One objection to garments of this type resides in their weight and bulk which cannot be reduced beyond a certain point without impairing the control function. The weight and 45 bulk of these garments have furthermore been greater whenever two-way stretch fabrics have been employed because such fabrics as heretofore constructed have required more elastic thread than fabrics with a one-way stretch. In addition, ordinary two-way stretch fabrics employing elastic threads in both directions do not provide proper control or fit in garments of the type described because each elastic thread is tied to a similar cross thread which stretches instead of holding tightly as it should do.

My improved foundation garment is constructed and proportioned from a different standpoint than the prior art garments referred to above. In the main it ignores commonly accepted methods of cutting and proportioning the elastic and 6 control sections of a garment and pays little or no attention to symmetry of appearance when the garment is off the figure. Instead of following previous methods of design my preferred garment employs an elastic net fabric of extremely 10 fine mesh which in a normal or contracted, state is much smaller than is required to fit the figure or to match the front panel but which readily expands both horizontally and vertically to the required proportions so as to match the front panel 15 when worn and effect the desired control of the figure while forming a smooth symmetrical foundation for outergarments. The preferred construction of such elastic fabric to provide vertical as well as horizontal contractive force, its combination with an inelastic or other suitable control panel or panels of standard size, and other structural and functional features and advantages of the invention, will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a combination garment embodying the invention, showing same as worn on the figure;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a girdle applied to the figure;

Fig. 4 is a magnified detail view of the elastic fabric employed in these garments, showing same in normal or contracted condition;

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the forces acting on the horizontal elastic threads when the fabric is stretched;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the girdle of Fig. 3 as it appears off the body;

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the interior or lining of the front panel;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the front of the garment on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail View of a seam and garter ,connection at the lower edge of the garment; and

Fig. 10 is a detail section taken on line I0l0 of Fig. 6.

The garment shown in Figs. land 2 comprises a body portion I of elastic material forming the back and sides of the garment, an inelastic or other relatively stiff front panel 2 capable of confining the lower regions of the body, inelastic bust pockets 3 stitched to the upper edges of sections I and 2, and elastic shoulder straps 4 connected to the apices'of the bust pockets and having multiple branches 5 which are stitched to the back of the garment as shown in Fig. 2. The back is cut low, ending slightly above the normal waistline.

Fig. 3 shows the girdle style which also comprises a body portion I of elastic material forming the back and sides of the garment, and a. front control panel 2. Except for the provision of the bust pockets and shoulder straps in Figs. 1 and 2 the combination garment and the girdle are alike in structure and function; hence similar reference characters are used in both cases and the ensuing description, where made with particular reference to one garment, will be understood to be equally applicable to the other.

The elastic body portion I comprises a firm, exceptionally fine elastic net made on a fine count machine employing parallel elastic threads 6 of very strong kick elastic such as Power Lastex suitably wrapped with fibrous strands I of silk, cotton or the like as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The parallel elastic threads 6 run only in a transverse or horizontal direction in the garment, and these threads are connected in the fabric by fine inelastic threads 8 which are wrapped around and interlaced with the elastic threads 6 in such a way that considerable vertical kick or contractive force results from the pull of the elastic threads when they are distorted in a direction perpendicular to their length.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the inelastic threads 8 are each wrapped around an elastic thread 8 for one or more turns and are then carried at right-angles onto the next adjacent elastic threadB as indicated by the connecting links 9 in Fig. 5, whereupon they are wrapped around said adjacent thread 6 for a like number of turns before jumping to the next succeeding elastic thread as before. To better illustrate the construction, the course of each inelastic thread 8 in the fabric may be likened to a series of steps wherein the connecting links 9 constitute the riser and the portions wrapped around the threads 6 constitute the tread. In the fabricating machine the carriers of the inelastic threads 8 follow this course to the edge of the fabric and then start back along a similar new course until the fabric is completed. As illustrated, the connecting links 9 each comprise two inelastic threads 8, one of which comes from the left and the other of which comes from the right as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, from which it will be seen that the riser portions of each series of steps 8 meet and cross similar riser portions of other steps to form the doubled connecting links 9 in their normal course through the fabric.

If the connecting links 9 of inelastic threads 8 were allowed to assume a continuous vertical course from one elastic thread 6 to another, the

fabric would have little if any elasticity in such vertical direction. In the staggered construction illustrated, however, there is a gap between each connecting link 9 in vertical alignment therewith; hence when the fabric is put under vertical tension as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5 it will display considerable vertical kick because the inelastic connecting links 9 will pull upon and distort the horizontal elastic threads 6 instead of pulling ineifectually upon one another. In'its normal or unstretched condition the fabric is honeycombed with tiny rectangular holes whose vertical sides are formed by adjacent links 9 and whose top and bottom edges are formed by the portions of the elastic threads 6 which lie between said links; but when the fabric is put under vertical tension the elastic top and bottom edges of these squares are distorted by the pull of the links 9 which form the vertical sides of the next succeeding squares of the staggered vertical series, thus changing the squares to a hexagonal shape as illustrated in Fig. 5 where the fabric is under partial vertical tension.

When the fabric is embodied in the garment the elastic threads 6 run in a transverse or horizontal direction as indicated by the long arrows in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 which also contain shorter arrows representing vertical elasticity. .In the form illustrated the elastic body portion I is cut seamless and has its upper and lower edges turned inwardly to form hems Ill which are secured by saw-tooth stitches II allowing the marginal edges to stretch without interference. The body portion I is stitched to the longitudinal edges of the front panel 2 which may comprise an outer layer of lace lined with firm inelastic bobinette I2. The three layers of material I, 2 and I2 are preferably stitched together and their meeting edges covered by tapes I3 on the reverse side of the garment as shown in Fig. 8. The front panel may also be lightly boned as with bones I4 concealed in tapes I5 which are stitched to the lining I2 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. Elastic garter loops I6 are stitched to the lower hem portions of the garment, preferably with the attached edges of the loops spaced apart as in Figs. 6 and 9 to distribute the strain on elastic body portion I, and garters I"! are slidably mounted on said loops so as to be automatically adjustable in conformity with bending movements of the body. The garters are preferably secured to the fabric with a saw-tooth or zigzag stitch which is elastic like the fabric itself. This stitch also finishes the raw ends of the web used in the garters.

The material of the front panel 2 must be cut substantially longer than the elastic body portion I at the meeting edges of these sections because of the extensive strength of the elastic body portion on the figure. In the girdle of Fig. 3 panel 2 is cut two and one-half inches longer than the edges of the body portion I to which it is attached, although the exact difference in length will depend upon the type and size of each garment. In seaming the elastic body portion to thestay panel it is necessary to extend the elastic evenly and sufliciently to make the length agree with the panel length. This is necessary so that, when the garment is on the body and the elastic net is extended both horizontally and vertically, it will assume a smooth appearance on the body. The elastic body portion furthermore is so shaped that, when seamed to the front panel, it makes the garment smaller at the waist and full through the hips and slightly narrower again at' the bottom' edge to conform to the figure.

When the garment is off the figure the elastic body portion may assume a contracted, krinkled appearance and the front panel is puckered up as illustrated in Fig. 6. This puckering is caused by the unequal vertical dimension or length of the front panel and the unstretched elastic body portion which contracts the garment horizontally and vertically to a size substantially smaller than the regions of the body which it is intended to cover, and it gives the garment a not too attractive appearance when off the body. When the garment is worn, however, the entire aspect changes. The elastic body portion I stretches both vertically and horizontally and not only equal to much heavier garments.

aoeaeci covers the proper regions of the body but conforms throughout to the contour of the figure, tensions the panel 2 across the front of the body and forms a perfectly smooth foundation for outer garments. When stretched on the body the elastic portion i has a texture comparable to light gauze, with a confining strength It is extremely thin and cool to wear and adds little or no bulk to the figure as other garments do. The weight of the garment is measured in ounces, that shown in Fig. 3 weighing about three ounces.

As pointed out above, the elastic body portion 0 of my garment has both stretch and kick (contractive force) in a vertical direction without elastic threads running vertically. The elastic body portion, as previously stated, is cut so that it will match the front panel 2 when the garment is on the figure without regard to how they compare when the garment is not on the figure. An important advantage of the garment is that it is lighter and thinner, or closer to the nude, than previousgarments of this type, yet it has the kick of a much heavier garment. The fact that the inelastic threads are actually wrapped around the elastic threads, instead of being looped as in a knitted structure, gives the fabric a much better tie-in of the elastic threads than torted. Another advantage is that the holes or open-mesh structure of the elastic body portion when stretched enables the garment to cling unusually well to the body and to move with the body as it bends.

The lace employed for the front of panel 2 preserves the light, sheer character of the garment and adds to its appearance. The bobbinette lining gives the front panel strength and provides a medium for applying light boning; which in the case of a girdle holds the front of the garment up over the diaphragm and prevents it from rolling down when the figure is seated; and in the case of a combination garment, where a top and bust pockets are added, the front panel and light boning flatten the diaphragm and prevent the garment from breaking at the waistline when the figure is leaning forward.

It will thus be evident that my garment discards the teachings of the prior art where symmetry of appearance ofi the figure has always been considered essential to proper fit and proper control of a foundation garment and where observance of too many time-worn traditions has made if impossible to obtain anything like the combined structural and functional advantages of my garment in the matter of strength, weight, bulk, comfort, ventilation and general satisfaction to the wearer.

It will also be evident that various changes may be made in the details of construction herein shown and described and that the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in view of the prior art.

The invention claimed is:

l. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portion and a connected front panel, the material of said front .panel having a vertical dimension greater than that of said body portion in unstretched condition, said body portion being composed of two-way stretch elastic net which is adapted normally to contract the garment horizontally and vertically to a size sub,- stantially smaller than the regions of the body which it is intended to cover and which is adapted to stretch in both directions to cover said regions and conform to said panel while tensioning same firmly across the front of the body.

2. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portion forming the back and sides of the garment and a front panel having its longitudinal edges secured to the edges of said body portion, the edges of the material of said front panel being longer than the connected edges of said body portion when in unstretched condition, said body portion being composed of fine two-way stretch elastic not which is adapted normally to contract the garment horizontally and vertically to a size substantially smaller than the regions of the body which it is intended to cover and which is adapted to stretch in both directions to gauze-like consistency to cover said regions and conform to said panel while tensioning same firmly across the front of the body.

3. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portion forming the back and sides of the garment and a front panel having its longitudinal edges secured to the edges of said body portion, the edges of the material of said front panel being longer than the connected edges of said body portion when in unstretched condition, said body portion being composed of v sion said panel firmly across the front of the body.

HILDEGARD WIPPERIVLAN.

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