US2619650A - Shoulder pad and prong type attaching means - Google Patents

Description

S. L ERMA SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANS FiledNovL 25, 1949 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 1 STEPHEN LERMA INVENTOR BMW ATTORNEY Dec. 2, 1952 5, fq A 2,619,650

SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANS Filed Nov. 25. 194s 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET- 2 FIG-(5' STEPHEN LERMA ATTORNEY ;;i= INVENTOR BMW! Patented Dec. 2, 1952 SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANS Stephen Lerma, Flushing, N. Y. Application November 25, 1949, Serial No. 129,244

6 Claims. (01. 2-268) This invention relates to a fastening and supporting device for releasably securing shoulder pads upon the shoulder straps of wearing apparel such as slips, brassieres and like garments.

An object of this invention is to provide a supporting device fixed to a shoulder pad by forcing therethrough fastener elements and clinching the elements interiorly of the shoulder pad material in order that the shoulder pad may be readily attached to and supported upon shoulder straps and the like on wearing apparel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoulder pad or device having a prong type supporting device permanently'secured thereto and adapted to be releasably attached to a shoulder strap of a slip or brassire by pressure against the shoulder strap when lying on the shoulder pad.

In present types of shoulder pads for garments, the shoulder pads are stitched to the garment but when dry cleaning is required, the stitching has to be removed. After dry cleaning, the shoulder pads must again be stitched to the garment.

With the prong type supporting device herewith disclosed, the shoulder pad may be attached to or removed from a slip or other undergarment having shoulder straps or other material running across the shoulder by prong engagementwith the shoulder strap. These attaching and removing actions may be repeatedly done without any damage to the shoulder strap fabric.

With the above and other objectsin view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference now will be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing'two shoulder pads as applied in practice.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a shoulder pad having a prong type connecting device permanently secured thereto.-

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an assembled connecting device.

Figure 5 is a front view of the assembled connecting device shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side view of the assembled connecting device shown in Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a bottom view of the assembled connecting device secured to a shoulder pad and having a shoulder strap forcibly engaged and removably held thereby against a shoulder pad.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 indicates a shoulder pad having a prong type attaching or supporting clamp I l fixed thereto, and by means of which the shoulder pad can be firmly and safely secured to the shoulder The attaching or connecting clamp ll comprises a rectangular grip-plate l4 having four sharp pointed prongs I5 extending laterally thereof and adapted to forcibly engage the shoul-" der pad' [0 to securely hold a shoulder strap 12 against the shoulder pad 10. The grip-platel l has two spaced-apart cross-bars 16 at opposite sides and centrally thereof.

A retaining plate 11 is placed against the opposite face of the shoulder pad 10.

thereof and of a length to ride over the cross-bars I6 of the plate 14 and to be clinched over the cross-bars whereby the grip-plate l4 and the retaining plate ll are united to function in unitary relation to grip the shoulder pad from opposite sides.

The grip-plate 14 has transverse slots 20 and openings 2| between the prongs l5 communicating with the slots 20. The widths of the slots 20 are preferably the same as the width of the shoulder strap 12. The plate I 4 has a central aperture 22.

It will be seen that the shoulder padlfl is fully adapted for the purpose of building up the shoulder line of the garment, thus imparting a neat tailored appearance to the garment.

It will also be seen that the invention provides an exceedingly useful and advantageous form of connecting means by means of which a'shoulder pad may be readily and easily attached to any garment having shoulder straps and to releasably hold the shoulder pad against displacement from the shoulder strap.

When the grip-plate I4 is assembled with the The retain ing plate ll has two arms [8 extending laterally 3 retaining plate 11, the arms l8 are pressed through the body of the shoulder pad 10 and passed through openings 23 in the grip-plate M. The free ends 24 of the arms l8 are bent over or clinched over the cross-bars It, the free ends being curved inwardly.

The filling material in the body of the pad is slightly compressed to retain the exposed surfaces of the grip-plate l4 and of the retaining plate ll below the exposed surfaces of the shoulder pad It so that the metal parts will not contact the body of the wearer.

To attach the shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, the user folds the shoulder pad body away from the prongs I and passes the shoulder strap through an opening 2| and: places the shoulder strap under two prongs and into a slot 20. This folded portion of the .pad body is then released to its normal position against the prongs. The user then takes an adjacent portion of the shoulder strap and engages it under the two opposite prongs in a similar manner. This causes a multiple grip of the shoulder strap.

It is to be noted that the filling material 26 is highly compressible and resilient and springs back into normal position when released after folding. This resiliency causes body pressure against the prongs to grip the shoulder strap between the body and the prongs.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment. of my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means for removably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, said connecting means comprising a flat rectangular plate secured to said shoulder pad, said plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slots andtoi be positioned respectively in interengagement with opposite sides of said connecting means, said connecting means having laterally extending prongs at said openings for engaging adjacent portions of said strap after insertion into said slots, said strap being releasably secured by said prongs against the body of said shoulder pad at each end of said connecting means.

2. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means for removably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, said connecting means comprising a perforated flat rectangular plate having centrally positioned bars, a retaining plate on the opposite face of said shoulder pad and having laterally extending arms passing through said body and through said perforations and being clinched over said bars to secure said perforated plate to said retaining plate and to said shoulder pad, said perforated plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slots and to be positioned respectively in interengagement with opposite sides of said connecting means, said connecting means having laterally extending prongs at said openings for engaging adjacent. portions of said strap after insertion into said slots, said strapbeing releasably secured by said prongs againstthebody of said shoulder pad at each end of said connecting means.

3. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means for removably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, said connecting means comprising a perforated flat rectangular plate having bars, a retaining plate on the opposite face of said shoulder pad and having laterally extending arms passing through said body and through said perforations and being clinched over said bars to secure said perforated plate to said retaining .plate and to said shoulder pad, said perforated plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slots and to be positioned respectively in interengagement with said connecting means, said connecting means having laterally extending prongs at said openings for engaging adjacent portions of said strap under-said prongs after insertion into said slots, said strap being releasably secured .by said prongs against the body of said shoulder pad.

4. In combination, a shoulder pad, means for removably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, said connecting means comprising an apertured grip-plate on oneface of said shoulder pad, said grip-plate having cross-bars, a retaining plate on the opposite face of said shoulder pad and having laterally extending arms passing through said shoulder pad and through said apertures and being clinched over said cross-bars to secure said plate tosaid retaining plate and to said shoulder pad, said grip-plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slots and to be positioned respectively in interengagement with said connecting means, said connecting means having laterally extending prongs at said openings in said grip-plate for engaging adjacent portions of said shoulder strap under said prongs and against said pad, said strap being releasably secured by said prongs.

5. A two-piece connector for removably connecting a device to a shoulder strapof a garment, said connector comprising a perforated flat rectangular plate having centrally positioned bars adapted to lie on one face of said device, a retaining plate adapted to lie on the opposite face of said device and having laterally extending arms for passing through said device and through said perforations and being adapted to be clinched over said bars to secure said perforated plate to said retaining plate and to said device, said perforated plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said open.- ings into said slots and to be positioned respectively in interengagement with opposite sides of said connector, said connector having laterally ing plate adaptedjo lie; on; the opposite face. of:

said device and having laterally extending arms for passing through said device and through said apertures and being of a length sufficient to be clinched over said cross-bars to secure said gripplate to said retaining plate and to said device and grip said device from opposite sides, said grip-plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slots and to be positioned respectively in interengagement with said connector, said connector having laterally extending prongs at said openings in said grip-plate for engaging adjacent portions of said shoulder strap under said prongs and against said body, said strap being adapted to be releasably secured by said prongs.

STEPHEN LERMA.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,422,834 Kleinman June 24, 1947 2,467,488 Markham Apr. 19, 1949

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