US2423550A

US2423550A - Equalizer

Info

Publication number: US2423550A
Application number: US550235A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burke Stella M Mcmahon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-08-19
Filing date: 1944-08-19
Publication date: 1947-07-08
Anticipated expiration: 1964-07-08

Description

July 8, 1947. 1 s. M.\MOM. BURKE w 2,423,550

EQUALI ZER Fil ed Aug. 19, 1944 W i z a Patented July 8, 1947 Nl'l so STAT E s PAT ENT on m:

EQUALIZER Stella M. McMahon Burke, L'os Angeles; Galif. ,Application August 19, 1944,,Se1ialffNofl55W235 (C1. Z- Z) lClainis.

This invention relates to an equalizer.

An objectof thejnventionis'm provide a simple, inexpensive construction for inextensibly connecting two parts but which will .enable the parts to wprkreadijly relatively to each other and if necessary, to assume disaligned or angular relationship with respect to eachother.

The improved equalizer "has been primarily designed forconnecting ends or .items of wearing apparel, such as for example the ends of a brassiere but it may be used wherever an analogous situation exists When employed to connect the ends of a brassi'ere the improved equalizer inextensibly connects the ends of the brassiere, but permits the top of one side of the brassire to move outwardly at the expense of inward movement .of the bottom of the same end as may be occasioned by movements of the body of the wearer. In this -manner, the over-all efiective length of "the equalizerremains substantially constant so that the brassi-ere will not loosen. At the same time the jconstructionis such that working orflexing of the brassiere ends, one relatively to the other is readily permitted .as may be required by bodym'ovem'ent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the equalizer embodying the present invention in its simplest form;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in side elevation illustrating use of the equalizer embodying the present invention in a more elaborate construction; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the elaborate construction shown in Fig. 2, as applied to the body of the wearer.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the invention has been illustrated as having been employed to connect the ends of a brassire B, such ends being indicated at Ill and II. The equalizer embodying the present invention consists of four rings I2, I3, I4, and I5. These rings may be formed of plastic, metal, glass, or any other smooth material having a relatively low coeficient of friction so that the tape I6 that connects them may readily slide therethrough. The tape I6 is preferably a woven tape but may be any adequately strong flexible material. Its ends are secured together so that in effect the tape isendless, This tape is run through the rings in such a manner that there are upper anddower reaches I and +8 connecting rings and I3, and Hi and I5 respectively, and crossed reaches I9 and 2%! connecting rings 12 and I-'li,'and *I-Band-I l, respectively. The rings I2 and I 4 may bepermanently attached to the end 'I'fi,-such'as by loops or tapes 2d and either or both of the rings I3 and I5 may be detachably connectedto'the end I-I, sllGhaS by loops 22 which are receivable over buttons 23. Any other form of separable fastener could be'employed for this purpose, such as for example, hooks and eyes; snap buttons, or the equivalent. It is not essential that the-rings I3 and I5 be detachabl-y connec-tedto the-endl I nor is it essential that more than one of these rings be detachably "connected to the end M. It is highly desirable, however, that the rings be capable of rotating or sliding and thus turning in their respective loops 2i and 22. With the equalizer thus constructed it is obvious that movements of :the wearers bod-y tending to pull the top edges of the ends I9 and II apart are accommodated by the tape I=6-=merely sliding through the rings at the expense of the distance between the rings I4 and I5. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 1 by dotted lines, the exact distance between rings I2 and I3 may slightly increase while the exact distance between rings I4 and I5 slightly decreases. On the other hand, if movements of the wearer's body are such as to require rings I4 and I5 to separate slightly, this is permitted by the tape sliding through the rings and drawing rings I2 and I3 towards each other. The effective overall length of the equalizer remains substantially constant but the ends of the brassiere are permitted to readily work relatively to each other in accordance with the demands of the wearers body.

In removing the brassiere the loops 22 may be slipped oil the buttons 23 or otherwise detached from the end II and where only one loop 22 is detachably connected to end II, this loop may be detached to permit the tape It to slide through the rings and thus, in effect, lengthen the overall length of the equalizer to enable the brassire to be slipped over the wearers head.

In Fig, 1, the equalizer embodying the present invention is illustrated in its most simplified form. However, if desired, in addition thereto there may be upper and lower equalizers combined therewith. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 2, there may be an upper endless tape 24 which is run through rings I2 and I3 and upper rings 25 and 26 providing two spaced connecting reaches 21 and 28 and crossed reaches 29 and 3%. Rings 25 and 26 may be connected to shoulder straps or the equivalent indicated at 3!.

A lower equalizer may also be combined with the equalizer on the brassire consisting of a lower endless tape 32 run through rings [4 and I5 and through lower rings 33 and 34, providing connecting reaches 35 and 35 and crossed reaches 31 and 38. The lower rings 33 and 3 5 may in turn provide a connection for attachment to a skirt or slacks, or may have hose supporters attached thereto. These upper and lower equalizer function in a similar manner in that one side may be extended at the expense of the other to meet the requirements of movements of the wearers body. At the same time, the overall or efiective length of the equalizer is maintained constant. As the rings present a relatively frictionless surface, the tapes readily slide therethrough to meet the vario-us demands placed upon the equalizer.

In the preferred form of construction the.

crossed reaches of each equalizer employed are arranged against the wearer's body and the connecting reaches are arranged outwardly therefrom.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that an improved equalizer is provided which is of relatively simple, durable, and highly efficient construction.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An equalizer comprising four spaced rings, an endless flexible member slidably extending through the rings and providing two connecting reaches and two crossed reaches, an additional pair of rings and a second flexible member slidably extending through two of the rings of the mentioned four and said additional pair of rings, providing tWo connecting reaches and two crossed reaches.

2. An equalizer comprising four spaced rings, an endless flexible member slidably extending through the rings and providing two connecting reaches and two crossed reaches, an additional pair of rings, and a second flexible member slidably extending through two of the rings of the mentioned four and said additional pair of rings, providing two connecting reaches and two crossed reaches, and a second pair of additional rings on the opposite side of the mentioned four rings from said pair of additional rings, and a third flexible member slidably extending through said second pair of additional rings of the mentioned four, providing two connecting reaches and two crossed reaches.

3. An equalizer comprisin four spaced rings arranged in pairs and in approximately the same plane, means running through the rings of each pair for attaching the rings of each pair to parts which are to be held against separation, and an endless flexible member connecting said rings have two connecting reaches each of which is positioned against the obverse sides of the rings and two crossed reaches positioned against the reverse sides of the rings, said flexible member slidably extending through said rings.

l. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means connectin the rings of each pair to its respective part is flexible and permits the rings to slidably turn therein.

STELLA M. MCMAHON BURKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,442,374 7 Watts Jan. 16, 1923 1,412,033 Able Apr. 11, 1922 173,513 Sterling Feb. 15, 1876 814,345 Bacon Mar. 6, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 364,931 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1932