US2477938A - Apparel construction - Google Patents

Description

E. J. PLEET APPAREL CONSTRUQTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2l, 1948 ///////A///(ll ?atented Aug. 2, i949 APPAREL QONSTBUCTIQN Emanuel J. Fleet, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 21, 1948, Serial No. 34,205 s claims'. (ci. z-zss) This invention relates'l to wearing apparel and more particularly t'o that'type of wearing apparel having a waist region and vertical pleats extending from the waist region, such as trousers, skirts, etc.

.A particular application of this invention is in the field of trousers and an object thereof is the fabrication of trousers having a particular type of vertical pleat combined with `so called concealed belt tunnels.

The advantages of belt tunnels for trousers are well known, included among which are the fact that such tunnels aiord better and more uniform support for the trousers by a belt than the ordinary narrow belt loops, prevent unsightly sagging of the trousers on the person, and in general provide a more comfortable, better fitting and neater appearing construction. y

In recent years, it has become popular to fabricate trousers with vertical pleats at the front, usually one or more of them spaced from the center over each trouser leg. Such pleats give more comfort and freedom for the wearer in providing an expansible front which prevents binding and tightness around the lower waist region when the person is walking or occupies a sitting position, and in general, is a more desirable construction than trousers made without such pleats.

From the point of view of appearance, the more popular forms of pleats are the box types, that is, those in which the inner edges of the pleats are directed toward the center of trousers rather than toward the sides. Trousers pleated in this way tend to conceal a bulging waist line by producing a forwardly offset effect at the front of the trousers. In the other type of pleated trousers the vcenter section is directed' rearwardly and therefore has a tendency to become shaped to the contour of the waist, presenting an appearance which is frequently undesirable.

In previous forms of trousers having belt tunnels of the concealed type and vertical pleats it has been necessary to form the pleats with the inner edges thereof directed toward the sides because of the necessity for utilizing the inner parts of the pleat at the waist region for attaching the forward ends of the belt tunnels. The principal object of this invention is the provision of trousers having concealed belt tunnels and also vertical pleats of the box type, wherein the inner edges thereof extend toward the center of the trousers, away from the side pockets, and hence possess all the advantages of both the box type pleat construction and the concealed belt tunnels. it is also an object oi this invention to provide such a construction with a minimumzof materials and labor operations.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a rear View of the upper portion of a pair of trousers constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of a part of the trousers shown in section in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l6 is a iront view corresponding to Fig. 4 with the pleat fully opened.`

Fig. 7 is a portion of-a strip ofmaterial used in making a belt tunnel showing the fold line.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the relation between the lower and-upper pleat sections and the belt tunnel attached to the latter.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the pleat partially unfolded.

Fig. 10 is a section along the line lil-iii of Fig. 3.

Referring with more particularity tothe drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises an ordinary pair of trousers il having vertical pleats i2 and i3 on the front wall with their inner-edges directed toward the center or reference line it. Concealed belt tunnels or channels on either side of the reference line, each extend from said pleats at openings i5 and i6, respectively around the waist to points il and i8, respectively, at the rear of the waist. v

In general, the method of providing these pleats and belt tunnels comprises rst forming the pleats in the front wall of the trouser material with their inner edges is directed away from the front center or reference line it, said pleats running across the waist region of the trousers. Each pleat is then cut downwardly across the waist regionalong a line 2@ (see Fig. 8) removed from the outer edge 2i of the pleat, preferably between the inner and outer edges so as to leave a double vertical portion 2 2. This downward cut should be sumciently long to accommodate the width of the belt to be used in supporting the trousers. A further cut is then made along a line 23 from the bottom of the rst cut across the pleat to its outer edge 2 i leaving the pleat in two independent parts, the upper part consisting of a front flap 2d and a rear ap 25, and the lower part consisting of the remaining part of the pleat below the waist region with the dcuble vertical portion it inte- 3 gral therewith. This lower part oi the pleat with its attached vertical Lportion 22 is then reversed so that its inner edge Il is now directed toward the centeror reference line 'I4 in whichposition it is'made -secure by stitching its upper edge to the-trouser'jlinlng. The naps 24 and 25 are disposed within 'and sewed toone end of a vtubular strip 26, which is secured to thetop of the trousers .such as the lining I5 and the upper edge of the Y lower part of the pleats in reversed position is secured thereto. The t`op o! the vertical portion 22 may also be secured to the upper edge of the trousers to insure proper support and positioning of the pleat. Although it is preferred to employ such a supporting strip. it may, if desired be dispensed withI in which event the downward cut (line 20) may be made at the extreme inner edge I9 of the pleat rather than at a pointy removed from it.

The above method for the sake of simplicity has been described by steps in which the pleats were formed rst, but it is apparent that the same results may be obtained by cutting the material along equivalent lines prior to the formation of the pleats as shown in Fig. 6. Also the pleats may be rst formed with the inner edges thereof directed toward the center reference line and then reversing the upper section thereof when severed from the lower section.

It is also to be understood that although the invention has been described with respect .to a particular embodiment of trousers, it is equally as well adapted to other forms of wearing apparel,

such as skirts, pajamas, etc.

In use, one end of a belt (not shown) is inserted through one of the front openings I5 or I6, say I5, and pushed through its corresponding tubular strip 26 whereupon it emerges from the opening Il at the rear. It is then inserted through the rear opening I8 oi the other tubular strip and proceeds therethrough until it emerges from the front opening I6 where it is connected to the other end of the belt, such as by a buckle or other suitable means.

I claim:

1. An article of apparel having a waist region, vertical pleats extending across the waist region on either side of a vertical reference line of the article, said pleats having their waist sections separated from their remaining sections, said remaining sections being disposed with the inner edges thereof directed toward the reference line, said waist sections comprising each a front portion and a separate rear portion, said portions being disposed with the inner edges thereof directed -away from the reference'line and tubular members secured to said portions and to the upper edge of the waist region.

y 2. A pair of trousers having vertical pleats on either side of the front center, said pleats extending across the waist region of the trousers and having their waist sections separate from the remaining lower sections, the latter sections being disposed with thev inner longitudinal edges thereof 2l directed toward the center of the trousers, said waist sections being disposed in the opposite direction. a tubular member about the waist region of the trousers, one of said waist sections being secured to one end of said tubular member.

3. A pair ot trousers having vertical pleats on either side of the front center, said pleats extending across the waist region of the trousers and having each a pair of flap portions at their waist sections, said flap portions being separate from the remaining lower sections, the latter sections being disposed with the inner longitudinal edges thereof directed toward the center of the trousers, said flap portions being disposed in theopposite direction, a tubular member about the waist region of the trousers, a pair of said ap portions being secured to one end of said tubular member.

4. In the manufacture o! an article of apparel having a waist region with concealed belt tunnels and vertical pleats', the steps comprising forming a vertical pleat in the apparel material on either side of a vertical reference line, each pleat extending across the waist region, cutting each pleat longitudinally along a line removed from the outer edge thereof adjacent the waist portion,

cutting the pleats transversely from the bottom of the longitudinal lines to separate each pleat into two sections, one of which sections comprises a pair of front and rear aps, forming a tubular member, securing one end of said tubular member to a pair of said ilaps and securing the transversely cut end of the other section in ixed position relative to the article with the inner longitudinal edge of said other section directed toward the reference line.

5. In the manufacture of an article of apparel having a waist region with concealed belt tunnels and vertical Ipleats, the steps comprising forming a vertical pleat in the apparel material on either side of a vertical reference line, each pleat extending across the waist region, cutting the pleats longitudinally at the outer edge of the waist region and transversely from the bottom of the longitudinal lines to separate each pleat into two sections, one of which sections comprises a pair of front and rear flaps, forming a tubular member, securing one end of said tubular member to a pair of said ilaps and securing the transversely cut end of the other section in xed position relative to the article with the inner longitudinal edge of said other section directed toward the reference line.

6. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels and vertical pleats, the steps comprising forming a vertical pleat in the trouser material on either side of the front center, said pleats extending across the waist portion of the trousers, cutting each pleat longitudinally along a line removed from the outer edge thereof adjacent to the waist portion of the trousers, cutting the pleats transversely from the bottom of the longitudinal lines to separate each pleat into an upper section consisting of a pair of flaps and a lower section having a vertical extension, securing the vertical extension of the lower section of the pleat in a iixed position relative to the trousers with the inner longitudinal edge of the pleat directed toward the center of the trousers. said upper section being disposed in a direction opposite to that of said lower section, whereby one of said flaps is disposed in front of the other,

forming a flat tubular member having a front wall and a rear wall and securing the front flap 76 to the front wall of the tubular member and the other ap to the rear wall of the tubular mem ber.

7. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels and vertical pleats, the steps comprising for-ming a vertical pleat in the trouser material on either side of the front center, said pleats extending across the waist portion of the trousers, cutting the pleats longitudinally at the outer edge of the waist region and transversely from the bottom of theilongitudinal lines to separate each pleat into an upper section consisting of a pair of aps and a lower section having a vertical extension, securing the vertical extension of the lower section of the pleat in a xed position relative to the trousers with the inner longitudinal edge of the pleat directed toward the center of the trousers, said upper section being disposed in a direction opposite to that of said lower section, whereby one of said iiaps is disposed in front of the other, forming a at tubular member having a front wall and a rear wall and securing the front flap to the front wall 0f the tubular member and the other iiap to the rear wall of the tubular member.

8. In the manufacture of trousers having concealed belt tunnels and vertical pleats, the steps of the trousers and bringing said flaps together'` .in front and rear relationship with respect to each other behind the front wall of the trousers on the side of the pleat opposite the inner edge thereof and securing one end of the belt tunnel to said flaps.

EMANUEL4 J. PLEET.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the le of this patent:

vUNrrED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Marx Dec. 10, 1912

Images