US2219153A - Corset or like garment - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1940" 1. R. vERsoY CORSET 0R LIKE GARMENT Filed May 27, 1939 Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES CORSET R LIKE GARllIENT Irving R. Versoy, New Haven, Conn, assignor to The Berger Brothers Company, New Haven, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application May 27, 1939, Serial No. 276,033

Claims.

This invention relates to corsets, girdles or the like, and more especially to a garment of this type which is designed to properly support the abdomen of the wearer and exert a compressing 5 action upon certain portions of the body, While at the same time permitting the utmost freedom of movement for the wearer, and which garment will possess great flexibility and at the same time lie flatly upon the body so that there will be no unsightly projections or undue thickness at certain portions of the garment, particularly where seams occur between one section of the garment and an adjacent section.

The corset illustrated is a front-lace corset, but it will be understood that variation in this respect may be resorted to, and the improvements are applicable to a back-lace corset as Well. The illustrated garment employs a relatively wide section of elastic fabric at the lower portion thereof, so as to give freedom of movement of the limbs of the wearer. In the use of material of this character, and particularly when a section of considerable size is employed, it is necessary to provide a material of sufficient rigidity and firmness to give the required support and confinement. With the use of an elastic webbing sufiiciently heavy for this purpose, some disadvantages have been present, in that a heavy elastic fabric is coarse and bulky, and necessitates a relatively heavy and thick seam where it joins the fabric portion of the garment. Moreover, it also requires a relatively thick and heavy selvage edge at the lower portion of the garment, and some difficulty has in the past been encountered in securing the hose supporters directly to the elastic fabric where it was used at the bottom edge of the garment,

In the present garment there is used a relatively large lower section of elastic fabric, which fabric is, however, relatively fine and soft. Sufficient firmness, strength and rigidity is secured by doubling this soft fabric upon itself so that a two-ply elastic section results, with the folded edge along the bottom line of the garment. This obviates the necessity of a heavy selvage edge, but the double edge at the lower portion of the garment provides a strong support for the hose supporters. At the same time the upper edges of the double or two-ply elastic fabric may be disposed in stepped or offset relation so that a tapering seam results where the elastic fabric joins the non-elastic portion of the garment, thus avoiding a thick, abruptly ending seam, which is disadvantageous for several reasons. Although not limited in this respect, the two-ply elastic fabric section employed may be formed of twoway stretch webbing so that it will be extensible both vertically and horizontally of the body of the wearer.

One object of the invention is to provide a cor- 5 set, girdle or the like of novel construction, which will employ a relatively wide section of elastic fabric at the lower portion of the garment, which elastic section is so constructed that it may be made of relatively light, soft ma- 10 terial, while at the same time having sufiicient strength and body to provide the proper confinement of the flesh of the wearer, and will be so joined with the other portions of thegarment that no heavy, abruptly ending seams will result. 15

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a corset of the character described having a relatively wide elastic section at the lower portion thereof, the section being formed of a two-ply elastic fabric with its doubled edge 20 at the lower edge of the garment, and with the upper edges thereof in stepped relation so as to make a seam which tapers upwardly to a relatively thin edge.

A still further object of the invention is the 25 provision of a garment of the character described in which certain of the stays of the garment are disposed in a stay section or panel concealed within the garment, the panel being so connected with the adjoining sections of the garment as to 30 avoid bulky seams and to cause the garment to present a smooth exterior appearance.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. 35

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a corset or girdle illustrating. my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the inside of'the garment in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a face view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 3, showing the stepped edges of the upper portion of the elastic fabric section of the garment; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig, 2.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown a garment of the girdle type which comprises a rear section it having side sections 1 l and I2 joined to the edges thereof and extending forwardly therefrom. To the forward edge of each of the side sections El and i2 is secured a front panel, these panels being numbered l3 and M, and which as shown are provided with eyelets to receive laces 5 to secure these panels together. It will be understood that this front-lace garment is shown for purposes of illustration rather than limitation, and that other means may be employed to secure the front panels together, and also the improvements may be employed in garments other than those of the frontlace type.

The side sections II and I2 are similarly constructed, and each consists of three parts, a description of one of which sections will suffice for 'both. It may be noted that each of these sections comprises a fabric portion l6 secured at its rear edge to the back section l2, and adjacent the region of the back section extending from the top edge of the garment downwardly. This portion of the garment, however, is shorter than the rear section, and tapers toward the front edge so as to leave a considerable space between the back section and the rear edge of the front panel M, for example. This space is filled by a portion formed in the illustrated garment of two-way stretch elastic fabric of twoply thickness, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

It will also be noted that the portion 16 of the side section is roughly in the shape of a rhombus, and tapers sharply toward the front edge at the upper portion of the garment, so as to leave a space filled by a triangular gore it! of elastic material. Intermediate the front and rear edges ofthe portion I6 is a stay seam l9, which stay seam, it may be noted. extends from the upper edge of the garment to the seam 20, where the elastic fabric portion I! joins the nonelastic portion I6, but does not extend into the elastic portion H. It may be here stated that as shown all of the portions of the garment are of non-elastic material with the exception of the sections I1 and I8.

As shown more especially in Fig. 3, the portion I! of the garment is formed of elastic webbing doubled upon itself so as to provide a portion of two-ply thickness, as indicated at 2| and 22. The material is doubled upon itself, as shown at 23, so that the doubled edge forms the lower edge of the garment at the sides thereof, and, as shown, extends from the lower eage of the rear section Ill to the lower edge of one of the front panels 3 or M, as the case maybe. The provision of the a two-ply elastic fabric section, formed by folding the material upon itself and arranging the folded edge at the bottom of the garment, provides for a firm, strong elastic fabric section, and at the same time enables the use of a relatively light soft fabric which will be comfortable to the wearer and have relatively easy extensibility, while at the same time it will give the required strength and firmness. The doubled edge being at the bottom of the garment will offer a relatively strong, firm edge to which the hose supporters 24, for example, may be directly secured, and this will obviate the use at this point of a heavy selvage edge or any tape binding or the like.

As shown in Fig. 3, at the upper edge the plies of the elastic fabric are stepped, as at 25 and 25, the outer ply 2|, or that closest to the portion it of the garment, extending upwardly a greater distance than the ply 22. The upper edges of the plies 2i and 22 are stitch-ed or sewn to the fabric section l6, and may be covered by a binding 21, which may, as shown in Fig. 3, be a piece of tape or the like secured to portion l6 and brought downwardly over the upper edges 25 and 26 of the elastic section and there again secured. The stepping of the edges provides for the tapering upwardly of the seam at the junction of the portions l6 and Il to a relatively thin edge, so as to avoid an abrupt offset at this point, and to render the garment not only more comfortable to the wearer, but also more slightly in appearance. It may also be noted that the section I1 is entirely free of stays, so that its ability to stretch or extend is not limited in either direction, but extends over the entire length and width thereof.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the back section I0 is also composed of two portions, namely, an outer portion 30, and an inner or stay panel 3|. This stay panel is disposed interiorly of the garment, as shown in Fig. 2, and is secured to the back section ID at its upper edge, and at its side edges, but is left free at its lower edge 32, and is slightly shorter than the back portion 30. When the lower edge of the stay panel 3| is left loose in this manner, it is enabled to assume its own position to some extent within the garment, and thus avoid wrinkling, as might be the case if it were secured to the back portion 3|] at all four edges.

The seams between the back section l0 and the side sections are also arranged so that they will be tapered in thickness and not have an abrupt edge. This is shown more especially in Fig. 5, where, as will be noted, the edge of the stay section 3| terminates at a line 3P short of the turned edge 30 of the portion 30, so that the stitching 33 which secures the side portion It to the member 30 extends through these two portions of the garment, and not through the turned edge of the stay panel 3|. This provides a stepped relation of the turned edges of the members 30 and 3|, so that they will taper to a relatively thin edge upon the outside of the member I6, and avoid bulkiness at this point, and give the garment a smooth appearance externally.

Disposed interiorly of the garment at the junction of the rear section I0 and side sections l2 are a pair of stay pockets 35 and 36, which stay pockets may be constructed in the usual manner, as shown in Fig. 5. I prefer, however, to use a stay 31 in only one of these pockets, the stay being located in the pocket most remote from the edge of the portions 30 and 3|, as the least number of plies of material occur at this point. The additional number of plies of material necessary at the position of the other stay pocket will approximately make up for the extra thickness of the stay 31, so that the completed garment will be of substantially the same thickness at each of these pockets.

The garment shown in the present application is of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 1,636,023, dated July 19, 1927, but the present garment contains many. features of improvement over the garment shown in that patent. It will be obvious that in the present garment I have devised one which will be devoid of thick, abrupt- 1y ending seams, and also one wherein the lower portion of the garment may be made of a relatively soft, flexible elastic material, and still have the required firmness and strength.

While I have shown and described a pre-' ferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modificacation and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A corset comprising a back section, a pair of front panels, means for securing said front panels together, a side section interposed between the back section and each of the front panels, and the edges of such sections being substantially co-extensive in length with the adjacent edges of the back section and front panels to which they are secured, each of said side sections comprising an upper non-elastic fabric portion and a lower portion of two-way stretch elastic fabric of relatively light weight, said last-named portion extending entirely across the side section below the non-elastic fabric portion thereof, and comprising a piece of elastic fabric folded upon itself to provide a two-ply portion with the fold line at the lower edge thereof, and hose supporters secured directly to said folded edge of the elastic fabric and supported solely thereby, the upper edge of said upper section tapering sharply downwardly adjacent the front panel and having a triangular gore of elastic material between said tapering edge and the front panel.

2. A corset comprising a back section, a pair of front panels, means for securing said front panels together, a side section interposed between the back section and each of the front panels, and the edges of such sections being substantially co-extensive in length with the adjacent edges of the back section and front panels to which they are secured, each of said side sections comprising an upper non-elastic fabric portion and a lower portion of two-way stretch elastic fabric of relatively light weight, said last-named portion extending entirely across the side section below the non-elastic fabric portion thereof, and comprising a piece of elastic fabric folded upon itself to provide a two-ply portion with the fold line at the lower edge thereof, and hose supporters secured directly to said folded edge of the elastic fabric and supported solely thereby, the upper edges of the plies of said elastic fabric being spaced vertically in stepped relation to taper the edge of said fabric where it joins the upper non-elastic portion of the side section.

3. A corset comprising a back section, a pair of front panels, means for securing said front panels together, a side section interposed between the back section and each of the front panels, and the edges of such sections being substantially co-extensive in length with the adjacent edges of the back section and front panels to which they are secured, each of said side sections comprising an upper non-elastic fabric portion and a lower portion of two-way stretch elastic fabric of relatively light Weight, said last-named portion extending entirely across the side section below the non-elastic fabric portion thereof, and comprising a piece of elastic fabric folded upon itself to provide a twoply portion with the fold line at the lower edge thereof, hose supporters secured directly to said folded edge of the elastic fabric and supported solely thereby the upper edges of the plies of said elastic fabric being spaced vertically in stepped relation to taper the edge of said fabric where it joins the upper non-elastic portion of the side section, and a stay member extending downwardly from the top edge of the garment at an intermediate portion of each side section but terminating at the lower edge of the nonelastic portion thereof whereby said elastic portion is free from stiffening means.

4. A corset having a back section, side sections secured thereto, and front panels secured to said side sections, means for securing said front panels together, said back section having a stay panel secured interiorly thereto at its side edges, the edge portions of said back section being folded over to embrace the edges of the stay panel, and the edges of the latter being spaced inwardly from the edges of the back section to provide a stepped relationship of the plies of material at the sides of the back section and present relatively thin edges at the junction of the back section with the side sections.

5. A corset having a back section, side sections secured thereto, and front panels secured to said side sections, means for securing said front panels together, said back section having a stay panel secured interiorly thereto at its side edges, the edge portions of said back section being folded over to embrace the edges of the stay panel, the edges of the latter being spaced inwardly from the edges of the back section to provide a stepped relationship of the plies of material at the sides of the back section and present relatively thin edges at the junction of the back section with the side sections, and said stay panel being secured at its top edge to the back section but left free therefrom at its lower edge, and the lower edge of said stay panel terminating above the lower edge of the back section.

DRVING R. VERSOY.

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