US2452479A - Undergarment - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26, 1948. F. N. MASON 2,452,479

' UNDERGARMEN T Filed Sept. 5, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frank NQMason, Charleroi, Pa., assignor ofonefourth to Robert 0. Mason, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application September 3, 1947, Serial No. 771,949

6 Claims, (01. 2-224) This invention relates to garment, and more particularly to an, undergarment adapted .toextend vjust below the wearers knees. I 'The usual type of mens undergarment ter- Initiates a short distance below the wearers crotch. It permits the knees and a large part of the thighsto come intotight contact with the tro sers when the knees are bent, as in sitting or squatting. This condition has numerous disadvantages. If the trousers are made of rough or coarse materiaLthey tend to irritate the skin, particularly in warm humid weather when the skin is damp with perspiration, at which time they also may stick to the skin. Further, per spiration is absorbed by the trousers, frequently discoloring them, obliterating their. pressed creases, and contaminating, them with a disagreeable odor. Accordingly, trousers must be frequently cleaned; and dry cleaning is expensive. To avoid some of, these disadvantages, the more expensive trousers are generally provided with a lining which is attached to the front portion Qf each trouser leg and extends a short distance above and belowthe knee; but such linings are not available on most trousers, they are not readi 1y. removable for washing, and they tend to ameliorate ratherthan eliminate the tages referred to. l

The foregoing disadvantages, however, can be disadvanan improved under-- largely or entirely eliminated if the undergarment extends below the wearers knees,since the. undergarment acts .as. an absorbent lining for the trousers and is separately laundered. While this fact. has long been recognized, such undergarments have not been "widely accepted, because, among other things, the legs of the undergarment tend to creep upward and to be twisted about the wearers legs, resulting in binding and discomfort. While such undergarments have been pro.- vided with means for preventing this upward creep and twisting, those means either exerta continuous downward pull on the undergarment which is uncomfortable, or they bind theknee of the wearer when the knees are bent.

An object. of this. invention is to provide an,

improved form of undergarment, at least the lower portion ct which. is made of relatively inelastic materiaL' and which is adapted to extend below the knees of the wearer andtobe there held in place without exerting a downward "pull upon the undergarment to. discomfort the wearer and without binding when his knees are bent.

Another object is to provide such an underarment that may be easily and cheaply manuiiactured and that is convenientto use.

A further objectis to provide such an undergarment that is adapted to act as a sock supporter.

In accordance with this invention a onepiece undergarment, or the lower part Of a twopiece undergarment, has leg portions which are adapted to reach just below the wearers knees. The leg portions have a considerably larger circumference than the human leg, so that they will loosely cover the legs. The lower extremity of each leg portion is provided with a hem or band, made of relatively inelastic material, which likewise is of considerably greater circumference than the adjacent circumference of the human leg just below the knee. Within the circumference of the hem is disposed a relatively short elastic: tape having its ends detachably secured to the sides of the hem. The tape is adapted to rest directly against and to extend around the front portion of the wearers leg just below the knee and to draw the back and side portions of the hem against the back and sides of the leg. The garter-like combination of tape and hem will prevent twisting and creeping of the undergarment. without exerting a. downward pull thereon. The front part of the hem and the unolergarmentv material above it will beloosely disposed in front of the. wearers knee, which will effectively prevent binding of the undergarment, when the knee is bent. The elastic tape may be, provided with depending. catches toen-- gage and support a. sock on the wearers leg- The preferred embodiment of this invention. is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. LL is a front elevation of the leg portion of an undergarment made in: accordance with thisinvention, as it would appear on a: human leg; F g. 2 is a side elevation. of the same and 3 is a horizontal section along line III-III in Fig. 1-. a

Referring. to the drawings, a one-piece undergarment, or the drawers of a two-piece undergarment, of otherwise conventional shape has a l'egporti'on l adapted to extend just below the wearers knee. The leg portion has a band or hem 2 at its bottom, and at least the hem, preferably the entire garment, is madeof relatively inelastic material that will fit the wearer's leg 3; very loosely. An elastic tape 4 of any suit-- able material is disposed within the circumference ofthe hem andhas its ends detachably'secured to the sides of the hem by some suitable means, suchas buttons 5 on the tape engaging button-- holes 6 in the sides of the hem. The elastic tape is preferably long enough to extend around only a small portion of the wearers leg and isadapted" to rest directly against the front of the leg and todraw'the back and sides of the 11cm 2' against the back and sides of the leg as shown in Fig. 3. As aresult, the-hem and the elastic-tapetogetherform a. snug garter around the leg-,iust below the kneeand above the outward swelling of the calf muscles. Minor variations in the circumference of the human leg at this point are accommodated by the elastic tape, and substantial variations in leg sizes may be readily accom-.

modated by providing additional buttonholes l in the hem behind holes 6 to adjust the size of the garter formed by the tape and hem. Both the tape and hem are of sufficient width to prevent any uncomfortable localized pressure on the wearers leg.

It is a feature of this invention that when the tape is buttoned in place the front portion of the hem in the undergarment and the undergarment material above it are looselydisposed in front of the wearers knee, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which will prevent any binding of the undergarment when the knee is bent. It is a further feature of this inventionthat while the leg portion of the undergarment is effectively prevented from twisting or creeping upward on the wearers leg because it is held securely just below the knee, there is no sustained downward pull upon the undergarment to discomfort the wearer.

Depending from the elastic tape 4 are one or more, preferably two, catches8 adapted to engage a Sock 9 on the wearers leg; Since the sock is supported by the garter-like combination of the hem and elastic tape, and that combination snugly encircles the leg above the calf, the sock will not exert, any appreciable downward tension on the undergarment.

It will be readily appreciated that undergarments made in accordance with this invention may be easily manufactured, are convenient to use, and overcome. the disadvantages of previous similar undergarments. In addition, they space the trousersfrom the knees and thighs.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I Iclaim:

1. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem'of relatively inelastic material. in the lower extremity of each legzportion, and an elastic tape disposed within the circumference of each hem and having its ends detachably secured at ,circumferentially spaced points. in the sides of the hem, the elastic tape being adapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers leg, and to draw the back of the hem against the back of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hem and adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee. 7 p

-2. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relatively inelastic material in the lower extremity of each legportion and provided with buttonholes in its sides, and an elastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem and having its ends provided with buttons for engaging the buttonholes, the elastic tape being adapted to directly engage the front of the wearers leg and to draw the back of the hem against the back of-the wearers leg and to leave the front'of the hem and adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee.

3. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relatively inelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg portion, an elastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem and having its ends detachably secured at circumferentially spaced points in the sides of the hem, the elastic tape being adapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers leg and to draw the back of the hem against the back of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hem and adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee, and a catch connected to the elastic tape and extending downward to engage a sock on the wearers leg.

4. An improved undergarment having leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relatively inelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg portion and provided with circumferentially spaced buttonholes in its sides, an elastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem and having its ends provided with buttons for engaging the buttonholes, the elastic tape being adapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers leg and to draw'the back and sides of the hem against the back and sides of the wearers leg and-to leave the front of the undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee, and a catch connected to each end of the elastic tape and extending downward to engage and support a sock on the wearers leg. I

5. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relatively inelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg'portion, an elastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem, means for detachably connectingthe ends of the tape to the sides of the hem at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points to accommodate legs of different sizes, the elastic tape being adapted to directly engage the front of the wearers'leg and to draw the back of the hem against the back of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hem and adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee.

6. An improved undergarment having'tubula'r leg portions adapted to reach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem in the lower extremity of each leg portion, and a tape disposed within the circumference of each hem and having its ends detachably secured at circumferentially spaced points in the sides of the hem, the tape being adapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers leg and to draw the back of the hem against the back of the wearers-legand to leave the front of the hemand adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of thewearers knee. I I

FaANKni/ms'on REFERENCES orrED;

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kelly Feb. 9, 1932

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