US2671904A - Garter - Google Patents

Description

March 16, 1954 P. B. STROH 2,671,904

CARTER Filed March 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

March 16, 1954 P. B. STROH GARTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1952 numb IN VEN TOR. fflzwmfifiwh BY 7 I ATTU/P/VEVJ Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates broadly to womens hosiery and garter means therefor.

More Specifically, my invention relates to improvements in feminine garters of the type adapted to be worn around the small part of the thigh immediately below the buttocks. Garters of this type are highly desirable in that they provide means of holding up the stockings without the necessity of garter belts, girdles, and the like. However, structures of this type have heretofore proved unsatisfactory due to the fact that, during the various movements of the leg of the wearer, too much stress was exerted directly upon the garter. As a result, the garter was caused to drop down upon the leg. The only alternative was to tighten the garter sufliciently to prevent this, in which case the wearers garter became uncomfortable or her circulation interfered with--or both. I

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a stocking and a garter therefore which may be worn with perfect comfort by the wearer and with complete assurance that the garter will not become dislodged or lowered due to the stress exerted thereon by the stocking during movements of the leg.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is extremely neat in appearance and which is extremely simple to apply and remove from the leg of the wearer.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described, which is relatively inexpensive to produce and which will not add materially to the bulk or weight of the stocking or garter.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a feminine leg with a stocking and garter built in accordance with one form of my invention positioned thereon;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged view in perspective of the garter shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of Fig. 1, showing the attaching means in an unsnapped position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a modifie form of my invention; and

Fig. '7 is a view in section taken on the line.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings and, more specifically, to the structure of Figs. l-5 inclusive, the numeral I indicates a full-length feminine hose or stocking designed to cover the lower leg and preferably having a reinforced upper portion or welt 2 surrounding the thigh above the knee, designated by the letter A. Secured to the free upper end of the reinforced portion 2, preferably by stitching throughout the circumference of same, is a highly elastic cuff portion 3, preferably and as shown formed by elastic threador cord loosely woven to provide an open mesh. Secured to the free upper edge portion of the elastic cufl 3. and projecting upwardly therefrom in circums ferentially-spaced relationship are tongue elements 4 preferably formed from non-elastic tex! tile material. Tongue'elements 4 are provided with fastening means such as the vertically! spaced male and female snap fastener elements 5 and 6 respectively.

Adapted to cooperate with the stocking l and highly elastic cuff 3 is a garter element identified in its entirety by the numeral 1 and comprising a band, preferably and as shown, formed from a pair of circumferentially-spaced elongated elastic members 8 and 9 and a pair of relatively short non-elastic members ID and H preferably formed from fabric or the like and interposed between opposite ends of said members 8 and 9. Member II is shown as being provided with a plurality of eyes l2 at longitudinallyspaced points adjacent its free end [3. Any de sired number of eyes l2 may be provided to permit circumferential adjustability of the garter I. This may be accomplished by engaging the desired set of eyes l2 with the hooks M secured to the free outer end of the elastic member 9.

As shown, the elastic members 8 and 9 of the garter l are provided with circumferentiallyspaced pairs of closely-spaced slits l5, through which slits is interlaced an elastic strip [6. Strip I5 is likewise circumferentially adjustable as indicated at I? (see particularly Fig. 3) and presents relatively short anchoring portions l8 overlying the outer surface of the garter 1 for cooperation of the circumferentially-spaced anchoring tongues 4 projecting upwardly from the highly elastic cull 3 of the stocking I, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5.

In use, the garter l above-described is placed about the thigh of the wearer, preferably immediately below the buttocks, which portion is relatively thinner than the muscular portion immediately therebelow. The hooks I4 on the free end of the elastic portion 9 are placed through the proper set of eyes 12 so as to achieve the proper snugness of the garter 1 with respect to the leg. The garter "I need not be too tight to be uncomfortable or to interfere with the circulation of the blood through the leg. Furthermore, this portion of the leg is relatively free from pressure points, that is, veins or arteries close to the surface. Simultaneously, the elastic strip is then adjusted to snugly encompass the leg of the wearer. Thereafter, the stocking is placed in the position indicated in Fig. l and the tongue 4 inserted under the relatively short anchoring portions 18 of the elastic strip l6 overlying the surface of the elastic garter 1. Finally, the snap fasteners 5 and 6 are fastened as shown in Fig. 5. With this arrangement, I have found that the highly elastic cuif 3 constantly exerts suflicient tension upon the stocking l to hold same up, free from undesirable wrinkles and looseness. On the other hand, the high degree of elasticity of the cuff 3 permits movements of the leg to any extreme without either causing the stocking l to exert a restrictive tightness on the leg or to exert sufficient downward force upon the garter l to unseat same or to cause same to be pulled downwardly. Se-

curing of the circumferentially-spaced tongues 4 to the circumferentially-spaced anchoring portions iii of the elastic strip 16 I have found to provide even greater assurance against unseating of the garter I, when periodic tugging forces are exerted thereon through the tongues 4 due to reciprocating movements of the leg incident to walking etc.

In the modified structure of Fig. 6, like parts of the garter I are indicated by like marks with prime marks added. As there shown, the elastic cuff 3 is stitched or otherwise secured throughout its circumference at its upper edge portion to the lower edge portion of the garter I. Also. as shown, a plurality of fastening elements I9 of the type commonly used in the garter art are secured to the lower edge of the elastic cuff 3 and depend therefrom in circumferentiallyspaced relation for attachment to the welt or reinforced upper portion of the stocking.

While I have shown a preferred and one modified form of my invention, it is obvious that the same is capable of still further modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a garter, a relatively wide primary band, said primary band comprising a pair of circumferentially spaced elongated elastic members and a pair of relatively short non-elastic members interposed between opposite ends of said elastic members, and a relatively narrow secondary band extending around the interior of said primary band intermediate its sides and in parallel relation thereto, said secondary band being interlaced through said primary band at circumferentially spaced points to provide circumferentially spaced stocking anchoring portions along the exterior surface of said primary band.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the free ends of each of said bands is provided with cooperating fastener means.

PATRICIA B. STROH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,288 Linder Mar. 16, 1943 1,279,753 Paymer Sept. 24, 1918 1,842,996 Pelton Jan. 26} 1932 2,190,560 Gaines Feb. 13, 1940 2,351,199 Fry June 13, 1944

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