US2488583A - Brassiere - Google Patents

Description

H. COF F MAN BRAssIERE Nov. 22, 1949 Filed April 18, 1947 n/ 0 0m Tf f E0 C a M u H 2.

A'TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,488,583 BRAssntRE Hulda Cotfman, Lenexa, Kans.

- 3 Application April 18, 1947, Serial No. 742,391

2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to feminine apparel, and particularly to breast-supporting devices known as brassieres, and aims to provide a more practical and efficient brassiere onstruction than the prevailing types of devices of this class.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a brassiere design which is characterized by a more efficient and natural uplifting action than is possible with the conventional or prevailing type of brassiere patterns.

For this purpose I have devised a brassire construction in which a more effective supporting means is incorporated in the design for the lower breast regions While leaving the remainder of the supporting structure free to conform to the natural contour of the breasts.

To this end I provide a brassiere design in which the supporting structures for the individual breasts are adapted to afford a practically unyielding support to the region underlying the breasts without affecting the normal supporting function of the remainder of said structures, and all being incorporated in a brassiere pattern Which involves no elaborate change or modification of the material required for the manufacture of the complete article or brassiere device.

In the construction or manufacture of the improved brassiere, a primary feature of the improvement consists in uniting the lower margins of the breast supporting portions to the anchoring band or girdle in such a manner that all elasticity or yielding action is eliminated from such supporting portions for the lower portions of the breasts, while leaving the remainder of the breastengaging or cup portions of the brassire entirely unaffected for freely yielding and conforming to the contour of the breasts and thereby preserving said contour and maintaining the same in a natural uplifted state or condition.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating one form of construction or design which I have designed for embodying the proposed features of improvement, after which those features or combinations which are deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the.drawing Figure 1 is a front view, or elevation, showing a brassiere device or pattern constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail view showing a portion of the connection between one of the breast cups and the lower band 2 or girdle portion of the brassiere, and illustrating particularly the stretched condition of the material forming the lower portion of the breast cups.

In the accompanying drawing, I illustrate the improved brassiere as embodied in a construction comprising individual breast supporting cup members each made up of an upper section III and a lower section l2, of suitable woven fabric material having a yielding or elastic property in one direction only or along the line of threads H which are so woven with transverse and substantially nonelastic threads [5 as to permit yielding or stretching of the fabric along the line of said threads II but not along the lines of the threads l5 (as represented in Figure 2). These two sections I0, l2, are so arranged and joined together by stitching along a seam l4 of such a character as to permit free yielding action or stretching of said seam along with the stretching of the material of said sections I0 and I2 in the same substantially horizontal direction, that is, crosswise of the breasts or body of the person.

The inner margins of both sections l0 and I2 are stitched (as indicated at H) to a vertical nonelastic strip N5 of material, and the lower end of said strip l6 and also the lower margins of the lower cup sections l2 (after both sections l0 and I2 of the breast cup members have been properly steamed and pressed into a normal state) are secured by stitching 18 to a base or anchoring band or girdle piece 20 of nonelastic material of the usual or conventional design. To this band or girdle 20 the usual shoulder supporting straps 22 are also designed to be secured at the rear of the person, when the brassiere is applied in wearing position.

In the process of securing the parts together by the stitching l8, the lower margins of the cup sections I2 are maintained in a fully-stretched condition in order to take up all the elasticity of said sections, so that all the elastic properties of said lower portions of the cup sections l2 are completely eliminated, as represented in Figure 2. Therefore when the finished brassire is applied in wearing position it serves to provide a firm and unyielding support for the lower portions of the breasts and to impart thereto an effective uplifting action.

With a brassiere arrangement having the foregoing construction it will be understood that a woven fabric cup member is provided for each of the breasts, and by the method of attachment to the band or girdle 20 all the elasticity is eliminated from the lower marginal portions of said cup members, whereby a firm anchoring support is afl'orded underneath the lower portions of the breasts. This provides an unyielding support for maintaining a firm uplifting action with relation to said lower breast portions, while the normal elastic action of the fabric comprising the main body portions of the breast cups is thus allowed to yield and conform properly to the natural contours of the breasts,-and with an easy and comfortable supporting action.

While I have thus illustrated and described the principle of my invention with reference to one pattern or form of construction which I have devised and found suitable and practical for the satisfactory embodiment of my improved "br'assiere, I desire to be understood as'reserv-ing the right to make whatever changes or modifications may be deemed to fairly fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

I-Iavin'g thiis described my invention, what "I claim -and'dsireto secureby Letters Patent is:

=1.-'"A brassire construction comprising breast cup members each constructed of upper and lower upper an'd'lower portions-of the-breasts and con- 'n'eted by a horizontal seam having stretching properties only lengthwise of said seam, the lower margins (if-the 'lower cup sections for supporting 4 the under portions of the breasts being extended to the maximum limit of their stretching capacity, and an inelastic band or girdle for anchoring the lower portions of said lower cup sections and secured to the fully stretched lower margins of said lower cup sections.

2. A brassiere construction comprising breast cup members each constructed of upper and lower sections of Woven fabric material having elastic stretching propi ties ndrin'ally in 'a horizontal direction or transversely of the body of the wearer, said sections being shaped to conform to the upper and lower portions of the breasts and -connected by a horizontal seam having stretching properties only lengthwise of said seam, and the rnaterial forming the lower margins of the lower cup sections for supporting the under portions of the breasts being stretched to substantially the m'a ximum limit of its stretching capacity.

--HULDA COFFMAN.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The foll'owin g"references areofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "811653 'Meyer Apr. 10, 1906 1,095,681 Smith May 5, 1914 11156;808 Perillat Oct. 12, 1915 1,774,613 Pidgeon Sept. 2, 1930

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