US2097810A

US2097810A - Shoe gore

Info

Publication number: US2097810A
Application number: US12614A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert T Dawes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-03-23
Filing date: 1935-03-23
Publication date: 1937-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1954-11-02

Description

R. T. DAWES Nov. 2, 1937.

SHOE GORE Filed March 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2, 1937. R T DA 2,097,810

SHOE GORE Filed March 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $282 NESE F & Q g

Patented Nov. 2, i937 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE b 16 Claims.

This invention pertains to elastic parts, for

example gores for boots, shoes, slippers or other articles oi apparel or the like, and pertains more particularly to a gore designed to be so located in a boot, shoe, or other garment or article that an edge or margin of the gore will be subjected to more frequent or a greater degreeof stretch than other portions of the gore. For example, in so-called Congress shoes, the upper edge of the inserted side gore is stretched to a much greater degree in donning and removing the shoe and during periods of wear than are those portions of the gore which are located farther down along the sides of the shoe.

That portion of the gore, which is thus subjected to maximum stretching, is a free margin, less capable of withstanding repeated stress than is the body of the gore and consequently tends to become permanently stretched, or at least to some degree to lose its resiliency. Thus after a relatively short period of wear, the top of the boot or shoe is enlarged and no longer hugs the foot closely, producing an impression of slovenliness upon the wearer and the beholder. One object of the present invention is to provide a gore of the kind and for the purpose described, whose free margin, when incorporated in the shoe or other article, possesses a greater inherent resistance to stretching than the main body of the gore, so that such margin will have a strength of elastic recovery. great enough to retain its shape and snugness of fit throughout the life of the shoe or other garment or article of which it forms a part. v

It has heretofore been proposed to cover an elastic shoe gore or like article on one or both sides with leather or other material, for example, of an ornamental character such as silk, satin, velvet or the like, the covering material being ap plied to elastic webbing, constituting the foundation materialof the gore, while the latter is held under tension. When the tension upon the webbing material is released, this covering is thrown into gathers, currugations, crinkles or ruflles so as to impart an ornamental surface appearance to the gore. However, when, in particular, the leather or other covering material is designed to cover the outer surface only of the elastic gcring, and, in order to provide the desired finish, is folded over the free margin of the elastic webbing so as to extend down a short distance onto the other side of the webbing, the double thickness of leather or the like at such marginal portion of the gore tends to resist contraction of the webbing along such margin more than. in the (o1. ac -s1) body portion of the gore, where there is but one thickness of leather, and this imparts to the gore a wavy efiect along its free margin, which is not at all desirable when the gore is to be embodied in a shoe or other garment. A further object of the invention is to provide a covered gore whose free marginal portion is substantially flat and free from waviness .but which at the same time has a permanent elasticity and offers the desired resistance to stretch requisite in commercially acceptable articles of the class described, and a novel method of making such gore.

With the above objects in view, I provide an elastic webbing designed to form a gore, or the foundation of a covered gore, having a greater amount of rubber or other elastic material per unit, of .width adjacent to its marginal portion than in its body portion. Since it is not desirable substantially to increase the thickness of the webbing at the portion which is to form the mar gin of the gore and since, furthermore, it is not practical, from the manufacturing standpoint, to, employ substantially heavier rubber warp threads along the margin of the webbing than in the body of the latter, this increased amount of rubber or other elastic material in the margin preferably is obtained in accordance with the present invention by substituting, for the usual single warp threads of rubber,groups of two or more rubber warp threads each of substantially the same diameter as that of the warp threads used in the body of the fabric,--for example by inserting two or more rubber warps in each dent of the 100111 reed near the-selvage. Thus a plurality of rubber warps may be arranged in each of flve or six. dents along the margin, while but a single rubber warp thread is placed in each of the remaining dents. When the warp is beaten up in the operation of the loom, the individual rubber strands of the grouped or plural warps dispose themselves substantially in the plane of the fabric, side-by-side, so that the thickness of J the web is not substantially increased. However,

warps are so relatively arranged as to provide a progressive increase in elastic resistance to stretchingin passing from the body portion, outwardly to the edge.

While I have herein referred to a "gore" as the subject matter of the present invention, I wish it to be understood that I employ this term in a. broadly inclusive sense and that the invention is to be considered as capable of embodiment in any elastic part or article having a free margin or margins which is or are subject to more frequent or excessive stress as compared with the body porof Fig. l, and illustrating the way in which the gore may be stretched during use;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a gore of elastic webbing embodying the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic section on the line dd of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a gore comprising a foundation of elastic webbing and an ornamental covering on one face of the webbing;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a covered gore of a different shape and of a different surface appearance, showing in broken lines how its upper margin may be stretched during use;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, illustrating a foundation webbing of modified construction;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view, to large scale, illustrating one desirable fabric weave for the elastic webbing employed in making a gore such as that shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic transverse section, through the webbing of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevation showing a piece of covering fabric scored to form definite fold lines whereby to secure the surface appearance shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Fig. 10, but illustrating different modes of procedure in securing a progressively increasing resistance to stretch outwardly from the body of the material towardits edge;

Figs. 14 and 15 are side elevations of shoes showing elastic goring inserts of different forms;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illus trating covered gore material having opposite margins each offering greater resistance to stretch than the body of the-material;

Fig. 1'7. is a fragmentary front elevation, to

smaller scale, illustrating how a gore having two selvage edges may be cut from such material;

Fig. 18 is 'a view similar to Fig. 1'7, but showing how separate gores may be cut from the opposite margins of the material;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary plan view illustrative of the appearance of webbing made in accordance with the present invention after its removal from the loom and when unstretched; and

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 19, but showing the material stretched in readiness for the application of the covering.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral I designates a shoe of the Congress type, having an upper 2 with the inserted side gore 3. Specific reference is herein made to a shoe, as an example of a common and wellknown article of wearing apparel in which an elastic part or gore is inserted between members of relatively inelastic material in order to permit the garment to stretch, either to facilitate its donning or removal, or to permit it to accommodate itself to the contour or movements of the body. Thus in the manufacture of Congress shoes, it is common to insert a gore 3 at one or both sides or at the front of the upper so that the wearer may put the shoe on or remove it without being obliged to manipulate buttons, laces or other fasteners. The gore material, in accordance with the usual practice, is secured to the leather and other constituent elements of the upper by means of sewed seams t, 5, and 6 or v equivalent fastening means along its vertical edges, and at its lower edge, while the upper edge 7 is a free margin substantially in alignment with the upper edges of the remaining elements of the shoe upper, and for this reason the edge I is preferably finished in some appropriate way.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a gore 3, made in accordance with the present invention and suitable for use in a shoe such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is indicated more or less diagrammatically. This gore 3 consists of a piece of elastic webbing, which may if desired be made in accordance with any of the usual methods of manufacture, except in the specific detail about to be referred to. This gore has the finished edge l which may for example be a selvage edge of the webbing fabric.

While the webbing may be made in other ways, it may be considered, for purposes of illustration, as comprising warp and weft yarns of any usual textile material, for example cotton and a series of elastic warp strands 8, which, throughout the gore, are spaced substantially uniformly apart. In the body portion of the gore these strands 8 each consists of a single rubber thread or coveredrubber thread, or other elastic material, while in the marginal portion 9 of the gore, adjacent to the free finished edge 1, the several elastic strands, indicated at it) each consists of a group of rubber threads or covered-rubber threads, or other elastic material, each similar to the single threads forming the strands 8.

By thus constituting the strands in in the margin of the gore of a plurality of elastic threads, while spacing these plural-thread strands substantially the same distance apart as the singlethread strands 8, it is evident that a greater amount of rubber or other elastic material per I is incorporated in the margin than in the body .of the gore. The constituent threads forming the several strands throughout the gore are preferably disposed substantially in the same plane, preferably the midplane of the fabric, so that the webbing is not substantially thicker in the mar ginal portion 9 than at other parts.

While it is theoretically conceivable that a greater amount of rubber might be introduced in the margin by using therein single elastic threads of large diameter, as compared with the elastic threads in the body portion, this is not desirable nor wholly practical, since if the elastic threads at the margin were of larger diameter, the thickness of the material would be increased at its margin, which would impart a distinctive and undesirable appearance to the gore. Furthermore, if it were' attempted to weave the fabric, using heavier elastic warp threads in the margin than in the body portion, great difiiculty would be experienced in obtaining the proper tension on the unlike elastic threads as well as in taking up the completed fabric on the take-up roll of the loom.

Thus in accordance with, the present invention, it is preferred to proceed as above outlined, that is to say, to constitute the elastic strands in the same kind and size as the single-thread elastic strands used in the body of the fabric.

A gore such as above described may be made from a length of properly woven elastic webbing woven as described to have a greater amount of rubber or other elastic material in its marginal portion than in its body 'portion,the gore being cut or otherwise prepared from such webbing to give the desired size and shape for use in the garment or other article in which it is to be incorporated, and for many purposes it .is not necessary to give the gore any other finish or surface appearance than that inherent in the webbing of which it is made. methods, the gores might be made individually, rather than by cutting them from a length of piece goods, but the latter method is preferred.

Under some circumstances, and in accordance with modern practice, particularly in the shoemaking art, it may be desirable to give the gore an ornamental appearance, for example by providingone or both sides with a stretchable coating, surface-layer, or covering sheet of appropriate material, texture and color. Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the foundation material ll of the gore 3 may be an elastic webbing exactly like the webbing employed in making the gore 3 above described, such webbing having the single-thread elastic strands l2 in its body portion, and, in its margin l3, having strands each comprising elastic threads arranged in groups l4, each group comprising two or more threads substantially like the single threads l2. However, in the gore shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the outer surface, that is to say, the surface exposed to view when the gore is incorporated in a boot or other article, is provided with a stretchable covering layer l5 which may, for example, be thin leather.

In accordance with an old. and well-known method of procedure, this covering of leather may be applied by first stretching the webbing II to such extent as may be desired, and then cementing the leather or other covering material 15 to the surfaceof thev stretched webbing H. The covering material may, if desired, first be scored with parallel lines I 5 (Fig. 11) to insure a. uniform surface effect in the completed fabric. The covering material is preferably carried around and over the. free edge I of the webbing so as to provide a good finish at this point, and its marginal portion is then preferably carried down a short distance, as indicated at US (Fig. 6) at the rear side of the webbing, and cemented to the latter. When the cement has set, the webbing may be permitted to contract, whereupon the surface of the leather or other covering I5 is thrown into wrinkles, folds or corrugations, which may be fine or coarse in accordance with the material employed and the degree of stretch imparted to the foundation fabric l I. It is contemplated that individual gores may be made in this way or that a. length of the foundation fabric covered with the leather or other surface finish, and after completion of such piece goods, gores of proper size and shape may be cut or otherwise made therefrom.

Alternatively; and by proper ll may be face of the webbing is completely covered while the greater part of the other face is left uncovered, considerable difliculty is experienced in obtaining a uniform product, particularly one that will lie flat, since the rubber at the marginal portion, which is embraced by the covering materlal, is not sufliclently strong to contract the double thickness of the covering material at this point with the same effectiveness as does the rubber in the body portion of the material, which is only required to contract a single thickness of the covering. As the margin is thus not so fully contracted, a fullness results which throws it into ruflles or waves, but by the present method of procedure, wherein a greater amount of rubber is provided at the margin, it is possible to provide a covered gore which lies fiat and smooth,

since the increased amount of rubber in the margin exerts the extra contractive force necessary to produce a uniform crinkle of the covering material.

When a greater amount of rubber is incorporated in the margin of the webbing during weaving than in the body portion, the webbing tends, when released from loom tension, to contract most strongly at said margin so that the uncovered webbing assumes a curved appearance, as illustrated in Fig. 19, where the margin I of the webbing 3 is the one containing the greater amount of rubber. When such webbing is to be covered, it is first stretched out substantially straight, as shown in Fig. 20, and after the cover has been applied and cemented in place and the webbing has been allowed to contract, the greater contractive force of the rubber in the margin I is suflicient not only to contract the double thickness of covering material at the margin to the same extent as the single thickness in the body of the fabric, but the margin of the covered material resists stretch much more strongly than the body portion so that it is not easily overstretched during use; it retains its elasticity; and remains substantially unwrinkled for a long period.

In Figs. '7 and 8 a further modification is illustrated, wherein the gore 3 (of a different shape from that shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive) comprises the foundation elastic webbing having in its body portion the single-thread elastic strands l8, and in its margin l9 groups of elastic threads wherein each group 20 comprises three elastic threads, while each group 2 I, farther from the margin, comprises only two elastic threads.

number of threads.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 'and 8, the gore has the outer covering 22, which is turned over the edge 1 of the foundation webbing and has its margin 23 secured to the back side of the latter. It is obvious that in either of the constructions shown in Figs. 6 or 8, the covering material may be extended to cover the entire rear surface of the foundation fabric if desired. In Fig. 7, the covering material is crinkled in an irregular pattern, such as results when it is not previously scored.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have illustrated, by way of example, a. preferred weave structure for gore webbing such as. illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 for example, it being understood that the invention is not limited to this particular weave, but that as above pointed out, the foundation fabric webbing may be made in accordance with any usual procedure so modified as to embody the arrangement of elastic strands, herein described and claimed.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, the fabric comprises the single-thread elastic strands 8 and the double-thread elastic strands it, all spaced uniformly apart and extending substantially parallel to the finished or selvage edge l Preferably each of the rubber threads may have associated therewith one or more stuffer warps or socalled gut strands 26 of any suitable material proper to give body to the fabric. The preferred webbing material is made upon a looni employing two shuttles operating simultaneously so as to provide two distinct and parallel sets of weft threads 2 1 and 25 respectively, arranged on op posite sides of and to include between them the elastic strands 8 and i3 and the stufier or gut strands 26. The weft yarns 24 and 25 are united to form a-coherent fabric by means of warp yarns 21 of any suitable textile material, such as cotton, silk or the like, which are so actuated by the shedding mechanism of the loom as alternately to be engaged by the weft yarns 24 and 25 laid by the two shuttles respectively. During weaving the soft textile stuffer warps or gut strands 26 are so tensioned, relatively to the elastic threads, that when the fabric contracts the stuffers are compressed and help to make a firm close fabric, while, when the fabric is tensioned, these stuffer warps limit its stretch and help to prevent breakage of the rubber threads.

In Figs. 12 and 13.woven structures are illustrated in which the amount'of rubber relative to the amount of textile material is progressively increased outwardly from the body portion toward the selvage ,l Thus in Fig. 12 the body fabric 30 comprises single rubber threads 3|, each associated with a pair. of stufier warps 32, while in this region the regular fabric warps 33 are disposed in groups of four at each side of the fabric. However, in approaching the margin, for example in the region 34, the number of regular warps 35 in each of the groups is reduced to two, thus relatively increasing the proportion of rubber relative to textile material; in the region 36 the number of regular warps 35 in each group are the same as in the region 34, but one of the stufier warps is replaced by a rubber thread 31; in the region 38 the second stuffer warp is replaced by a rubber thread 39; and in the region 40 a further rubber thread 4! is introduced.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 13 the body fabric at the region 42 is like that at the region 30 of Fig. 13; in the region 43 one of the stuffer warps has been replaced by a rubber thread 44;.

in the region 45 the single large stuffer warp of the region 43 has been replaced by two small stuifers 46 and an added rubber thread; in the region 48 one of the small stuifers has been replaced by a rubber thread 49; in the region 50 the last small stufier has been replaced by a rubber thread 5|; and in the region 52 an additional rubber thread .53 has been introduced.

Obviously other combinative arrangements of the rubber threads, stufier warps and regular warps will occur to those skilled in the art as afiording ready means for progressively varying the relative amount of rubber and textile material in the marginal portion of the webbing.

ad it Fig. 14 shows a shoe having elastic gores at its front part, the shoe 5% having the elastic gores55 at opposite sides of the front opening, which is closed by a slide-actuated fastener 56.

In Fig. 15 another construction is shown in which the shoe 5? has elastic gores 58 at opposite sides of the front opening, said gores being spaced at their lower edges 59 from the leather or other material forming the vamp of the shoe.

In this case the gore has two free margins, and for making gores of this type it is desirable to employ covered webbing such, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 16. In this view the rubber strands at the central or body portion of the webbing, that is to say, at the region 60, may be single threads of rubber or other elastic material. Progressing from this region 30 toward each margin, the elastic strands SI, 62, 63, (it, etc., each comprises two, three and four elastic threads, respectively, thus providing a progressively increasing amount of rubber per unit of width outwardly toward each edge. This webbing may be covered with leather or the like, which is turned over the margins to provide the finished edges 65 and 61, respectively.

As shown in'Fig. 17 a gore 68 may be so cut from material such asthat of Fig. 16, as to have more rubber in each of its opposite margins than in its central or body portion, such a gore being useful in making a shoe of the kind shown in Fig. 15. On the other hand, Fig. 18 illustrates the cutting of two independent gores G9 and ill from material such as that of Fig. 16 but in such a way that each of the

gores

69 and 10 has but a single selvage margin.

While as above stated, the type of fabric structure shown in Fig. 10 is desirable, it is contemplated that other suitable arrangements and modes of procedure may be employed, (for example, it may be woven by the use of single shuttle looms) although it is preferred to use such a system of weaving as will substantially insure that all of the elastic threads 8, l0, etc. will be disposed in substantially the midplane of the finished fabric.

While I have herein illustrated desirable embodiments of the invention by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, but only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. An elastic shoe "gore of substantially uniform thickness and surface texture throughout, said gore having a. finished selvage edge of substantially the same thickness as the body of the gore and designed to constitute a free margin of the gore when the latter is incorporated in a boot or shoe, the marginal portion of the gore adjacent to said finished edge being more resistant to stretching forces acting substantially parallel to said edge than is the body portion of the gore.

2. A shoe comprising a gore of substantially uniform thickness throughout and having a free upper edge, the gore comprising elastic strands extending substantially parallel to said free edge and all disposed in substantially the same plane, said strands being spaced substantially uniformly apart throughout the gore, the elastic strands adjacent to said edge comprising a greater number of constituent elements than the strands farther from said edge, all of the constituent elastic elements of the several strands being alike in respect to thickness and elasticity.

3. An elastic gore for use in boots or shoes, said gore comprising a body portion of elastic webbing having single elastic threads spaced apart substantially uniform distances and all disposed substantially in the mid-plane of the fabric, opposite marginal portions of the gore each I comprising elastic threads disposed in groups, thegroups being spaced substantially the same distances apart as the single elastic threads of the body portion, and all of the threads constituting each of said groups being disposed 'substantially in the mid-plane of the fabric, all of the elastic threads being substantially alike in respect to size and elasticity.

4. An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing of interwoven textile and rubber threads and stretchable covering material adhering to the webbing, the gore having a single thickness of such covering material at one portion and a double thickness of the covering material at another portion, the number of rubber threads being greater per unit of area of the webbing at the part where the covering material is of double thickness than at other parts.

5. An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing of associated textile and rubber threads and a stretchable covering member, said covering member being secured to and completely covering one face only of the webbing but extending around one edge of the gore and having its margin secured to the opposite face of the webbing, the webbing adjacent to the edge embraced by the covering material being more resistant to stretching in response to force acting substantially parallel 'to said edge than is the webbing at other points. i

6. An elastic gore comprisingelastic webbing oi associated textile and rubber threads and a stretchable covering associated with the webbing, said covering being secured to and completely covering one face only ofv thewebbing, the covering embracing one edge of the webbing, the webbing being of substantially the samethickness throughout but being more'resistant ('adjacentto said covered edge) to stretching force acting parallel to said edge than at other parts.

7. An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing of interwoven textile and rubberthreads and a stretchable covering associated with the webbing, said covering being secured to and completely covering one face only'of the webbing, the

covering embracing one edge at least of the webbing, the webbing comprising elastic threads all of substantially the same thickness and having substantially the same elasticity, said elastic threads extending substantially parallel to said covered edge, the number of said elastic threads per unit of width of the webbing, measured from said edge,-being greater adjacent to said covered edge thamfarther from the latter,

8.An elastic'gore comprising elastic webbing a lesser number of elastic threads, the strands being spaced substantially uniformly apart as measured from said edge, and all of the rubber threads being substantially alike in respect to thickness and elasticity.

An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing of interwoven textile and rubber threads and a stretchable covering associated therewith, said covering being secured to and completely covering one face only of the webbing, the covering embracing two opposite edges of the webbing, the webbing being of substantially the same thickness throughout but'being more resistant (adjacent to each of said covered edges) to stretching force acting substantially parallel to said edges than at intermediate points.

10. An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing of associated textileand rubber threads and a stretchable covering secured to and completely covering one face only of the'webbing, the covering embracing two opposite edges of the webbing, the webbing comprising elastic threads extending substantially parallel to said covered edges, the number of said elastic threads per unit of width (measured inwardly from each of said edges) being greater adjacent to each of said respective edges than farther from said edges, all of said elastic threads being substantially alike with respect to thickness and elasticity.

11. An elastic gore comprising elastic webbing and a stretchable covering associated therewith, said covering being secured to and completely covering one face only of the webbing, the covering embracing each of a'pair of opposite edges of the webbing, the webbing comprising textile threads and rubber threads, the latter at least extending substantially parallel to said covered edges; the proportion of rubber thread to textile thread per unit "of width, measured inwardly from each of said covered edges, progressively decreasing from said edges inwardly toward the central portion of the gore, all of said rubber threads being substantially alike in respect to cross-sectional area and elasticity,

, 12. A shoe comprising an elastic gore of substantially uniform thickness and, uniform surface texture throughout, the body portion oipthe gore comprising textile threads interwoven with elastic strands, the latter being substantially uniformly distributed, one edge of the gore being a free finished edge, the gore having elastic threads in greater number per unit of width adjacent to said finished edge than in its body portion, all of the elastic threads'being substantially alike in respect to cross-sectional area and elasticity.

I3. A shoe comprising an elastic gore having spaced, substantially parallel edges which are free and unattached to other parts of the shoe, the gore comprising elastic strands extending substantially parallel to said free edges and all disposed in substantially the same plane, said strands being spaced M, substantially uniformly apart throughout the gore, the elastic strands adjacent to said edges each comprising a group of constituent elastic threads, the strands farther from said edges each comprising a single elastic thread, all of the elastic threads being substantially alike in respect to cross-sectional size and elasticity.

14. Covered elastic material for use in making elastic gores, said material comprising elastic webbing of interwoven textile and rubber threads and a stretchable covering of crinkled sheet material associatedtherewith, said covering being secured to and completely covering one face only of the webbing, but embracing at least one edge of the webbing, the webbing being of substantially the same thickness throughout but being more resistant (adjacent to said covered edge) to stretching force acting substantially parallel to said edge than at intermediate points 15. Covered elastic material for use in making elastic gores, said material comprising elastic webbing and a stretchable covering associated therewith, said covering adhering to and completely covering one face only of the webbing but embracing at least one edge of the webbing, the webbing comprising textile threads and rubber threads, the latter at least extending substantially parallel to said covered edge, all of the rubber threads being substantially alike in respect to size and elasticity, the proportion of rubber thread to textile thread per unit of width measured inwardly from said covered edge pro= gressively decreasing from said edge inwardly toward the central portion of the gore.

16. Covered elastic material for use in making elastic gores, said material comprising elastic webbing and a stretchable covering associated therewith, said covering adhering to and com pletely covering one face only of the webbing but embracing two opposite edges of the webbing, the webbing comprising elastic threads extending substantially parallel to said covered edges, all of said elastic threads being substantially alike in respect to size and elasticity, the number o-f said elastic threads per unit of width, measured inwardly from each of said edges, being greater adjacent to each of said respective edges than farther from said edges.

ROBERT T. DAWES.