US2180178A - Maternity corset - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1939. l. R. VERSOY 78 MATERNITY CORSET Filed Jan. 24, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1939. R. vERsQY 2,180,178.

MATERNITY CORSET Filed Jan. 24, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE MATERNITY CORSET Irving R. Vex-soy,

New Haven, C'onn., assignor to The Berger Brothers Company, New Haven, Conn, a. corporation of Connecticut Application January 24, 1938,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to corsets, and more particularly to a corset for maternity wear. The requirements for a satisfactory garment of this type are many and varied, which is evidenced by the many attempts to produce superior garments which will meet the demands made upon them. Among other things, such a garment should give the proper support from below to the abdominal region of the body. In addition, there should be no downward pressure on the body such as might be caused by tight confinement of the region above the abdomen. Moreover, the upper portion of the garment should be expansible so as to avoid the application of pressure, but at the same time confine the flesh of the wearer just enough to prevent bulging and give a comparatively smooth appearance, and at the same time allow for enlargement or growth. The lower part of the garment, while being adjustable in size, should be relatively inelastic so as to give the proper support from below. In addition to these requirements, it is, of course, advantageous to supply, if possible, a single garment which may be worn during the maternity period so as to avoid the necessity of having to purchase several corsets as the period advances. Moreover, the appearance of the garment is important, as it is desirable to give the wearer as nearly as possible a dress corset which, while entirely satisfactory from a physiological standpoint, will not be unsightly or cumbersome.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a maternity corset which will be of attractive appearance and at the same time provide the necessary support and confinement for various parts of the body of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision'of a maternity corset which will satisfy the requirements noted above, and which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and of pleasing appearance.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a maternity garment which will give the proper support to the abdomen from below, 45 and sufficient freedom to the portions of the body above the abdomen, and which will at the same time present a neat and dressy appearance and be adjustable as to size so that it may be worn during the greater part of the maternity period.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

55 Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a corset Serial No. 186,561

embodying my invention, the corset being shown in the position in which it is worn;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the garment in partly open position;

Fig. 3 is a view of the interior of the corset completely open, the belt being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a partial elevational view of -one side of the front of the garment;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the stays or flexible stiffening members which may be used adjacent the lacings.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown a corset which comprises a back section l0 and adjacent side sections II and I2, at the lower portions of which may be gores l3 and M of elastic material such as a relatively firm elastic webbing. It will be understood that, with the exception of the gores l3 and [4, the parts heretofore described will preferably be of non-elastic material.

The front portion of the garment comprises front panels l5 and I6 adjustably secured together by the front lacing ll, which extends from top to bottom of the garment. At the edge of the portion It are provided a series of fastening members such as hooks l8, which cooperate with eyes I9 upon the free edge of the side portion l2 to hold the garment in proper closed position upon the body of the wearer. The garment may, therefore, be termed a front lace corset, opening at one side of the exact center, the lacing ll, as shown, being located substantially at the center of the front portion.

Suitable stays 20 are provided, as desired, in

the back and side portions of the garment, and

at certain of these stay seams are secured flaps 2| and 22, carrying buckles 23, designed to receive the straps 24 secured at each end of an abdominal belt or support 25. This abdominal belt is of the character shown more especially in Fig. 2, and is provided with stiffening stays 26 which diverge slightly upwardly in order that the supporting portion of the belt follow the shape of the body. Adjustment of the belt for size is, of course, permitted by the straps 24 and buckles 23. It may also be noted that, in the preferred form shown, these straps are situated entirely within the corset body, the belt 25 and straps 24, as well as the flaps 2|, being covered by the front and side portions of the garment when the latter is closed, or in the position in which it is worn, and is shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that theflaps 2| and 22 are secured to the garment at the Junction of the back portion ill with the side portions II and I2, so that the support afforded the body by the belt 25 is carried entirely by this belt and the back portion ID of the garment. As this portion of the garment, and also the belt, are of inelastic material, this will provide a firm and inelastic support for the abdomen from below, which is considered the most desirable practice.

Vertical openings or slots are provided in the side portions II and I 2. These openings extend from the upper edge of the garment down to a point in the region of the groin, the edges of the openings being held together by elastic lacings 21 and 28. The construction of this portion of the garment is shown more especially in Figs. 4 and 5, from which it will be seen that eyelets 29 are providedat the edges of these openings. It will be observed, however, that the eyelets project outwardly from the edges of the openings intermediate the thickness of the garment, there being several layers of material both above and below them. The result of this arrangement is to depress the eyelets below the upper surface of the garment so that the laces themselves do not overlap the edges of these openings, but lie within the openings substantially flush with the outer surface of the garment in order to present a neat appearance and provide a less bulky arrangement.

Flexible stifiening members 30 are provided at each side of these openings from the groin through the top of the garment, these stiifening members being secured over the base of the eyes so as to set the latter inwardly from the outer surface of the corset and prevent the collapse of the garment at the edges of these openings, or, in other words, to maintain the edges of the openings in smooth, unwrinkled condition.

The laces 21 and 28 are, as stated, preferably of elastic material, so as to permit distention and wider separation of the edges of the side openings at any point in their length, as required. That is, if necessary under conditions of wear, the edges of these openings may be drawn further apart intermediate their ends than they are at the top and bottom. In order to provide additional freedom in this respect, the stiflening member 30 at each side of the opening will preferably be of a character to permit flexibility lating slot-like connection with the side openings, that is, the eyelets 3| which receive the lacing [1 may project from the edges of these portions of the corset garment, 8X-

entirely by the outer front section. The elastic gores I3 1. A maternity corset provided with a solid inelastic back portion and with side portions extending forwardly therefrom and with a front portion interconnecting the side portions, said side portions being provided at their lower front parts with elastic gores, said side portions havopenings extending through the upper edges thereof and terminating in inelastic parts of said side portions, the lower ends of said openings being ofiset slightly in a rearward direction from the upper extremities of said gores, and elastic lacings interconnecting the edges of each of said openings whereby the front portion of the corset at the upper part thereof is adapted to adjust itself to the conformation of the body, and stifiening members flexible in the plane oi! the garment adjacent the openings located within the corset body at the respective sides of said openings, said corset being adapted to exert encircling pressure and support in a region adjacent the lower ends of said openings.

,2. A maternity corset having back, side and front portions adapted to effect encircling pressure on and support of the body in a region adjacent the hip line, said corset having elastic gores the upper ends of which terminate slightly short of said region, the side portions of the corset having slot-like openings disposed somewhat rearwardly of the upper extremities of the gores, with the upper ends of the openings open at the upper edge of the corset, elastic lacings interconnecting the edges of each of said openings, and flexible sinuous stifiening members located within the corset body at the respective sides of said openings.

IRVING R. VERSOY.

Images