US2541147A

US2541147A - Brassiere

Info

Publication number: US2541147A
Application number: US146281A
Authority: US
Inventors: Victor I Becker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-02-25
Filing date: 1950-02-25
Publication date: 1951-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-02-13

Description

. l. BECKER Feb. 13, 1951 BRASSIERE Filed Feb. 25

INVENTOR yldorl Bevfar in/c A RN EY Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UN [T E!) STATES PAT O-F'FI C E 2,541,147" BnAssIEaE Victor I Becker, Los' Angeles, Gaiif.

Application February 25, 1950, Serial No. 146,281

2 Claims.

This, invention. relates to brassieres, and. has for. its. primary objectthe provisionof. a garment of this character in whichbusteencircling frames on stiffeningmembers areutilizedaroundthe bust cupstoaid inthe shapingmaintenance and. support of the busts, and. in which diaphragm-supporting means are incorporated and maintained flat'wisel'y by utilization of a part of a reinforced sheath or sleevein'which. the stiffening members are contained.

The invention further contemplates a means by which the bust-encircling wires or stiffeners are covered and protected by enclosure in sheaths or sleeves which enable the garment to be worn with comfort, at the same time permitting the shaping and maintaining effect secured by relatively stiff encircling members to be obtained.

The invention also contemplates. the provision of'downward padded'extensi'ons on. the wire-containing'sheat-hs which extensions; project to. the lower edge of the brassiere and tend to hold; the lower portion, or that part which overlies the diaphragm, flatly and wrinkle-free.

More particularly, the invention comprises a brassiere in which each bust cup is encircled with a fabric tube or sheath in which a stiffening wire is contained, such tube or sheath housing and completely enclosing the stiffener and providing padded protection therefor, said tube or sheath being formed with a downward leg or extension projecting to the lower edge of the garment, said downward extension being padded and preferably of a stiffness less than that of the stiffening member within the sheath but of sufiicient stiffness to maintain overlapping diaphragm flaps, with which the garment is provided, from longitudinally wrinkling or creasing and thus enabling the garment to be worn with ease and comfort.

The invention further includes a connection means of novel construction located between the bust cups at the center of the garment, and in other features to be hereinafter pointed out and set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a brassiere constructed in accordance with the invention, the garment being shown in its open or flat position; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the garment, with a portion of one of the sheaths or tubes being broken away to show the wire stiffener contained therein; Fig. 3 is a sectional view in perspective, the view being taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 4 is a view of the central part of the brassiere, looking at the rear side thereof.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals I and 2 indicate the two bust cups, the same being of similar construction. In the form shown, the upper portion of each cup is of netted material as shown at 3, while the lower portion 4 is shown of moreclosely woven fabric. It will be apparent however that these portions of the brassire may be of. other materialor of other known construction. Each ofthe bust cups Iv and 2 is encircled by a: continuous, lengthy fabric tube or sheath I3 stitched to the

edge portions

3 and 4 of the cup by one or more lines of stitching indicated at. 1.4; Contained within each of these tubes or sheaths. I3 is the stiffening wire [8 which also completely encircles the bust cup but has its ends slightly spaced apart, such ends being respectively indicated at It and Il..

Each of the stiffening wires I6. is completely enclosed or housed within itstube or sheath [3 and the interior of the sheath may be padded if desired, to provide soft contact of the enclosed wire against the body. It W111 be' noted that each of the tubes or sheaths is formed with a downwardly extending leg portion 15 which extends downwardly from the lower edge of the bust cup to the lower edge of the garment. The portion of the stiffening wire entering this part of the sheath terminates at the lower end of the bust cup, or at the point designated at I6, and the leg portion [5, below such termination of the wire, is filled with padding I9 which makes this leg portion of the tube or sheath relatively stiff, yet of considerably less stiffness than the wire 18. Thus, this leg portion of the tube or sheath may be flexed or bent during bending movements of the wearer so that discomfort cannot be caused, but it nevertheless possesses sufficient stiffness to keep the lower or diaphragm portion of the garment, to be described, from rolling up or longitudinally creasing during wear of the garment.

The portion of each tube or sheath on which the leg extension I5 is formed is located at the lateral vertical side seam of the garment, such seams being respectively indicated at 6 and 8. From the lateral seam 6 extends the rear flap or wing 5 terminating in the tab l0, provided with the holes H for selectively receiving the hooks 12 on the expansible tab 9 formed on the end of the second flap or wing 1 attached at the lateral vertical seam 8.

Located below the cup l is a wing or flap 22 which, when viewed as in Fig. 1, extends toward and is positioned under the cup 2. Said wing or flap 22 is provided at its end with an elastic insert 23 which has its end attached permanently in the lateral vertical seam 8. A similar wing or flap 2d is located under the cup 2 and this latter flap extends in back of the flap 22 and is provided with the elastic insert 25, similar to that shown at 23, and which attaches permanently to the lateral seam 6. This arrangement, which is not new per se, since it is shown in patent to A. S. and V. I. Becker, No. 2,471,670, provides for expansibility and self-adjustment in the diaphragm area of the garment, while the downwardly extended leg portions l5 prevent longitudinal creasin or upturning of these parts ofthe garment.

To further facilitate the self-adjustment of the garment to variations in bodily contour, I provide an expansible or elastic insert at the center of the garment between the bust cups,

such insert being shown at 20. While the lower portion of this insert is elastic, elasticity along.

and the protective sheathing therefor, the use of shoulder straps'is not availed of in the illus-' trated garment. However, the features herein described are readily applicable to brassieres provided with conventional shoulder straps should the same be found desirable or necessary.

While I have herein shown and described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A brassiere having a pair of bust cups, each of said cups being surrounded by a sheathed stiifenin member, a downwardly and laterally extending flap portion below each cup, said flaps overlapping and extending in opposite directions,

4 each flap terminating in an expansible end por tion anchored at its end in a side seam of the garment, the bust cups being connected together at the center of the garment above the flaps by an elastic insert, a portion of said insert being reinforced by non-elastic, material at the upper edge.

2. A brassire having a pair of bust cups, said bust cups being connected together at the center of the garment by' a partially elastic insert, the lower portion only of said insert being elastic, the

upper portion thereof being inexpansible, each cup being encircled by a tubular sheath, a stifiening member contained in the sheath and substantially completely encircling thecup, said sheath having a. padded downward extension from the periphery of the bust cups at the outer side thereof to the lower edge of the brassire, said extension being secured to a lateral vertical seam of the garment and being of less stiffness than said stiffening member.

VICTOR I. BECKER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kramer Aug. 22, 1950