US2498184A - Convertible skirt - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2l, 1950' l.. M. sEvER 2,498,184 CONVERTIBLE SKIRT Filed May '16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, 195o L. M. sEvER 2,498,184 CONVERTIBLE 'SKIRT Filed may 16;" 1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,498,184 CONVERTIBLE SKIRT Louis M. Sever, Los Angeles, Calif. Application May 16, 1946, Serial No. 670,143 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-213) a womans garment.

dual purpose and a dual appearance. These desirable features are attractively and eciently combined in one garment, which may be of a skirt type or a garment including a lower portion functioning as a skirt and having a conventional dress-like appearance.

The construction features and advantages that are original, distinctive, and found only in my design are these: in conjunction with the skirt is provided fabric which is supported by and hangs from the waist line and which is sewed longitudinally through the center to form a crotch as well as being joined with the outer two halves of fabric which comprise the skirt. Two leg portions are thus formed which have the appearance and utility of loose trousers, or a split skirt. Means for fastening and unfastening, which may be slide fasteners (zippers) or the like, are attached vertically to the center front and join the two leg portions together in the front and back, creating the pleasing outward appearance of a n1ce1y tailored skirt. Upon opening by moving the slidable members upward to the desired height, the division takes place and the garment becomes a split or divided skirt. In this way the garment is made usable and is well suited for wear in active sports, etc., where an ordinary skirt would not be practical or appropriate.

One of the two slide fasteners (preferably the one in front) which, when open, helps to divide the skirt portion may be of the completely separating type and be also used for separating the garment at the top of the waist band, permitting the wearer to put on or take off the garment, thus eliminating the necessity of a separate placket, or fastener, for that purpose. The fasteners provided in the front and back of the garment may be operated individually to close the divided skirt, to in turn open it for active use, or, if it is desirable, to produce the effect of hkick pleats, either in the front or back, or

both, said fasteners may be raised partially t0 obtain the proper results. e

In order to avoid the bulky and droopy ap# pearance commonly found in and about the crotch portion of an ordinary divided skirt, I have made use of novel and unique methods in cutting, folding, and supporting the fabric. Means of expansion are provided at the Waist line which allows the wearer to put on and take olf the garment with ease. The above methods, which are original in my design, create a well fitting and comfortable garment without involving the use of any excess material.

The general construction of my garment is such that the outer skirt portion is held in by and supported at the waist line as though it were a regular skirt. The inner portion of the garment, which provides a covering for the thighs and upper legs and closely conforms to the shape and contour of those parts of the body, is also securely held in place by support from the waist line. In this way, these two major portions independently maintain their proper shape and yet conform with each otherwithout drooping or bunching as might otherwise result. The natural rigidity of the slide fasteners and the particular way in which they are used help in the support and alignment of the fabric down the front and back of the garment.

In the accompanying illustrations and descriptions various designs and adaptations are shown. The basic construction lends itself to many different styles, practical applications, and uses. Cottons, rayons, woolens, or any fabric suitable for active sports wear may be used in its manufacture.

The principles involved and so illustrated and described constitute the basis of my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view as seen from the front of the wearer of the garment when it is used as a skirt;

Fig. 2 is a similar view as seen from behind the wearer;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are views showing the patterns of various crotch members;

Fig. 7 is a plan View as seen from above, of the waist line of the garment with no pleats at this line;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on a plane indicated by the line K-K of Fig. 12, showing how the legs of the garment are formed, this plane being viewed in the direction of the arrows adjacent the line K-K of Fig. 12;

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the garment in the position it iinally assumes adjusted for wearing by the user;

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the waist line of the garment in place on the wearer but not finally adjusted;

Fig. 11 is a section on a plane passing through the center of the garment;

Fig. 12 is a View of the garment as seen from the front of the wearer of the garment when it is used as trousers; and

Fig. 13 is a similar View as the wearer.

In its simplest form waist line of the when seen from behind the garment includes eight fabric members numbered in the drawings from l to 8. These parts are sewed together as herein-- after described and are provided with` a crotch "zipper 9, a front zipper IG, and a rear zipper l2. The terms right and leftj as used hereinafter denote position in relation to the wearer of the garment. l

The members 2 and 3 'are sewed together along a seam 23 to form a left outer panel 24, and the members l and 4 are sewed along a seam 25 to orm a right outer panel Z. The members I and 2 are connected by the front zipper lil, which is of the type which fully disengages at the end of its travel. The zipper lil is pulled upwardly from thebottom 21 or knee line K--K tothe top 28 or waist line W-W of the front of the garment to disengage the members l and 2.

The rear zipper I2 vextends from a point 29 somewhat below the top 28 of the garment to the bottom 21 thereof and is .pulled upwardly to disengage the members 3 and 4` With the zippers l0 and i2 fully-engaged, the garment has the appearance of a skirt, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The members 5 and l are sewed together along a seam 3l? to form a left leg panel 3l, and the members 5 and 8 are sewed together along a seam 32 to form a right leg panel 33. The left leg panel 3l is sewed at the front along a seam 34 and at the back along a 'seam 35 to the left outer panel 24. The right leg panel 33 is sewed at the front'along a seam 36 and at the back along a seam 3l to the right outer panel 26. The panels 24 and 3l form a left leg and the panels 25 and 33 form a right leg of the garment. The seams 35 and 3l are sewed together in a seam 4i) on the back of the garment from the top 28 down to the point 29, as shown in Fig. 2, and from there to the bottom of the garment they are secured together by the rear zipper l2. The seams 34 and 36 are secured together throughout their entire length by the front zipper lil, and by pulling the "zipper i0 entirely out oi engagement the seams 34 and 36 may be entirely disengaged fromv each other. The members 5 and 6 may be joined together at the front by a front crotch seam 4l, and the members l and 8 may be joined togetherv by a rear vcrotch seam e2. I prefer, however, to substitute for parts of the seams 4l and 42 the crotch zipper '3. This zipper extends from a point just below the top at the back `of the garment to a similar point on the front. It will be noted from Fig. 8 that the outer panels 24 and 26 are much wider at the lower end of the garment than the leg panels 3i and 33.

The top of the garment is encircled by a belt 5U having a conventional The members 8 and 1 are each folded to form a back pleat 52 so that the seam 42 coincides with the seam 40, and this pleat is stitched together at the top of the garment. An elastic band 53 is secured at the seam 4l, which joins the members 5 and 5, and one end of this band is fastened at 54 to the member l and the other end is fastened to the member 2 at 55. The band 53 acts as a belt to hold the outer panels 24 and 26 against the hips of the wearer when the front zipper I0 is disengaged. Perhaps more important, it supports the top portion of the members 5 and 6 to form a front pleat B3 due to the seams 34 and 36 being drawn together. fIh'e garment may be easily pulled up over the hips ofthe wearer, the pleatil being pulled open and the members 5 and '5 being drawn from their Fig. 9.

"folded position in the pleat 58, as shown in Fig. 9,

into an extended position, as shown in Fig. 7. The member 53 may be a non-elastic tape fastened with-snap fasteners or buttons at 54 and 55 tothe members l and 2. When the garment is assembledfthe pleat 52 formed by the upper ends of 'the members l and 3 is sewed permanently in place.

The garment shown in the drawings extends only'from the waist-of the wearer to a pointnear the knees. Obviously, the garment could be'made of ankle length, andy it is also obvious that an upper sleeved portion could be added to the garment and that the front zipper l0 could be extended to join 'the edges of Vthis upperportion.

While -I have shown anddescribecl the use of zippers as fasteningmeans, it is obvious that buttons, lacings, or other well known fastening means are mechanically equivalent to zippers and may be substituted'therefor.

The peripheral portion ofthe garment formed by the members |,`2, 3, and 4 forms a complete skirt. The members5, 5,1, and Reform the crotch portion of the garment, 'the crotch itself being formed bythe seams 4l and42. This crotch portion resembles a pair of Atrousers with a strip removed ldown the outer vportion of each thigh and legof the wearer.

The circumferentialwaist length, that is, the lengtharound the waist ofthe wearer, is that shown in Fig.v 10 and is Vequal to the total width of the members l,'4, V 3, 2,5, 'and 5 at their upper ends, less allowance for-seams. This circumferential'waist length is sufficient to'allow the garment to be drawn up over the hips of the wearer, 'and when it isin place the-elastic member 53 tends to draw the seams '34 and v36 together and thus shorten the circumferential 'waist length so that the garment lits about the lwaist-of the wearer and n is supported by fthetops V'of ythe hips. The elastic member 53, being attached vto the crotch portion'at the `seam l4I, tends to hold this crotchportion iup. The circumferential waist length can be further shortened bythe belt'50 and its buckle 5l so that it lits tightly aboutth'e waist of the wearer. When the circumferential waist lengthisfullyshortenedjas shown in Fig. 9, the seams 34 and Stare drawn'together and fastened together by the "front Zipper l0, and the'pl'eats'52 and 50 fold automatically into place.

I claim as my invention: n n' 1. A garment comprising: a peripheral'portion forming a skirt; a rear slide fastener extending only from the'bottom of said skirt to apoint somewhat below lthetop of the garment; a front slidefastener extending from the bottom of the garment lto the top thereof and so constructed buckle 5i, as shown in 75 that itis entirely 'released at-the top of its travel;

a crotch portion secured at the waist line to said skirtin such a manner as to form a garment having a continuous waist portion including portions of said crotch portion, said waist portion having a circumferential waist length suicient to allow the waist encircling portion thereof to be pulled upwardly past the hips of the wearer; and an elastic tape situated at the waist line at the front thereof and secured at each end to said skirt and crossing those portions of the waist line occupied by the waist encircling portion of said crotch portion, said tape being secured near its center to the center of that portion of the crotch portion which forms a part of the waist line of the garment at this point, said tape constricting said garment at the waist line to fit about the waist of the wearer of the garmen 2. A garment comprising: a peripheral portion forming a skirt; a rear slide fastener extending only from the bottom of said skirt to a point somewhat below the top of the garment; a front slide fastener extending from the bottom of the garment to the top thereof and so constructed that it is entirely released at the top of its travel, said front slide fastener when engaged connecting the inner front edges of the skirt from its waist line to its knee line; a crotch portion secured at the waist line to said skirt in such a manner as to form a garment having a continuincluding portions of said Waist portion having a cirlength suicient to allow the waist encircling portion thereof to be pulled upwardly past the hips of the wearer; and an elastic tape situated at the waist line at the front thereof and secured at each end to said skirt and crossing those portions of the waist line occupied by the waist encircling portion of said crotch portion, said tape being secured near its center to the center of that portion of the crotch portion which forms a part of the waist line o f the garment at this point, said tape constricting said garment at the waist line to fit about the waist of the wearer of the garment.

3. A garment comprising: a split skirt having a front pair of edges which extend from the hem of said skirt to the waist thereof, and having a rear pair of edges which extend from the hem thereof to a point intermediate the hem and waist thereof; an expansible pleat connected to said skirt on the inside thereof and extending` downwardly from the waist of said skirt adjacent said front pair of edges; front fastening means for securing the edges of said front pair together, said front fastening means being releasable from the hem of said skirt to the waist thereof to permit expansion of said pleat whereby said skirt may be pulled upwardly past the hips of the wearer; a belt member on the inside of said skirt at the waist thereof, said belt member being connected at its ends to said skirt and being connected intermediate its ends to said pleat to prevent sagging of said pleat; and rear fastening means for securing the edges of said rear pair together.

4. A garment comprising: a split skirt having a front pair of edges which extend from the waist of said skirt to the hem thereof, and having a rear pair of edges which extend from the hem of said skirt to a point intermediate the hein and waist thereof; an expansible front pleat connected to said skirt on the inside thereof and extending downwardly from the waist of said skirt adjacent said front pair of edges; a rear pleat connected to said skirt on the inside thereof and may be pulled upwardly past the hips of thc pair of rear edges wearer; a belt member situated on the inside of said skirt at the waist thereof, said belt member being connected at its ends to said skirt, and being connected intermediate its ends to said front pleat to keepsaid front pleat from sagging; and rear fastening means for securing the edges 0f said rear pair together.

5. A garment comprising: a split skirt having a pair of front edges which extend downwardly from the waist of said skirt to the hem thereof for the full length of said skirt, and having a which extend upwardly from the hem of said skirt to a point intermediate the hem and waist thereof; a crotch portion inside said skirt and connected to said skirt at the front and rear thereof, said crotch portion cooperating with said skirt to -form front and rear pleats which extend downwardly from the waist of said skirt; front fastening `means for securing said front edges of said skirt together, said front fastening means being releasable along the entire length of said front edges to permit expansion said skirt at the waist thereof, member being connected at its ends to said skirt and being connected intermediate its ends to said front pleat to constrict the waist of said skirt and to prevent sagging of said front pleat and said crotch portion; and rear fastening means for securing said rear edges of said skirt together.

6. 'A convertible garment intended to perform a double function, that is, to serve as a skirt and to be readily convertible into trousers, comprising: a right-hand skirt panel whose upper edge has a length approximately equal to half vthe circumferential distance around the waist of a prospective wearer; a, right-hand trouser panel recessed downwardly from its upper edge to form a space to receive the crotch of said wearer; a right-hand front seam joining the front edge of said right-hand trouser panel to the front edge of said right-hand skirt panel; said right-hand panels being so joined by said right-hand front seam so that the upper front edge of said righthand trouser panel forms a front extension of the upper edge of said right-hand skirt panel; a right-hand back seam joining the back edge of said right-hand trouser panel to the back edge of said right-hand skirt panel; a left-hand skirt upper edge to form a space to receive the crotch of said wearer; a left-hand front seam joining the front edge of said left-hand trouser panel to the front edge of said left-hand skirt panel, said left-hand panels being so joined by said left-hand front seam that the upper front edge of said lefthand trouser panel forms an extension of the upper edge of said left-hand skirt panel; a lefthand back seam joining the back edge of said left-hand trouser panel to the back edge of said left-hand skirt panel; a crotch seam joining the edge of the recessed crotch portion of said right 12p-email Atrrm'iser panel to 'the edge lof :the :recessed crotch 'portion :oflsad left-hand trouser panel; readily detachable closure meansvfor securing the iront edge of isai'd 'right-'hand Sskirtpanel to the iront edge of Asaid. left-hand vskirt panel; an elastic:

member secured at its center to the upper yfront edge 'ofone of Lsaid trouser .panels maar its juncture with the other trouser panels, `said.=el:istic "member extending parallel to the upper verweist edge of the garment, one endof said elastic member 'being secured to said right-:hand Vskirt panel near the upper `edge thereofl and the otlfxer end 'of saidelastio member being securedito 'said lefthand skirt panel near the upperedge thereof;

'and a belt passing around andengagng the 15 ripper-edge of the :garment LOUIS M. SEVER- 8 REFERENCES yCITED 'The following references are'of record in the 'file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 428,271 v.terveny et al May 20, 1890 1,113,998 Johnson Oct. 20, 1914 Y.Z\,1.2.0,508 Rayner 'June 14, 1938 10 '2,138,230 AFriedman Nov. 29, 1938 2,21"3.,900 Buchanan Sept. A3, v1940 FORETGN FPATENI'S .Number 'Country Dette '8,464 Great vBritain 40f A1914 fl'BS-,SBU 'Switzerland -Ju1y v16, 1936

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