US2706861A

US2706861A - Beautician's towel

Info

Publication number: US2706861A
Application number: US344857A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ann M Schmeer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-03-26
Filing date: 1953-03-26
Publication date: 1955-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 1972-04-26

Description

26, 1955 SCHMEER 2,706,861

BEAUTICIANS TOWEL Filed March 26, 1953 'INVENTOR.

flnn Mf-S'chm eer BY United States Patent BEAUTICIANS TOWEL Ann M. Schmeer, Portland, Oreg.

Application March 26, 1953, Serial No. 344,857

Claims. (Cl. 3490) This invention pertains to beauticians towels, and relates particularly to the novel construction of a towel by which the latter may be used both as a shoulder cape while shampooing and otherwise treating the hair and as a protective and absorbent shield during drying of the hair under the conventional drying hood.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a beauticians towel which is adapted in one position of adjustment to protect the shoulders of the patron and which is adapted in another position of adjustment to shield the face, neck and shoulders from the heated air of a hair drying hood while permitting freedom of movement of the head within the said drying hood.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a beauticians towel which functions, while shielding the head, neck and shoulders from the heated air of a hair drying hood, to reduce by a substantial amount the time required to dry the hair.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a beauticians towel of the foregoing type which is adjustable to various sizes of heads and various types of drying hoods.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a beauticians towel which is of simplified construction and therefore economical in cost, which is manipulated to desired positions of use with maximum facility, and which is attractive in use.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a beauticians towel embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the beauticians towel positioned on a patron to function as a protective shoulder cape;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the beauticians towel in the initial, intermediate and final stages, respectively, of adjustment preparatory to use as a protective and absorbent shield during drying of the hair under a drying hood; and

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation showing the beauticians towel in its final stage of adjustment on a drying hood, parts being broken away to disclose details of said adjustment and operation.

Referring particularly to Figure l of the drawing, the beauticians towel of the present invention is shown to comprise a rectangular sheet 10 of flexible

material having corners

11, 12, 13 and 14. The flexible material is preferably absorbent cloth of the type used for towels, although it will be apparent from the subsequent description that other types of cloth and other materials such as paper or plastic sheeting may be employed. Greater efficiency of operation is achieved with the towel material, however.

The rectangular sheet 10 is cut away, intermediate the ends of the forward edge 15, to form a substantially U-shaped opening 16 extending toward the rearward edge 17 of the sheet. This opening forms the neckline of the shoulder cape (Figure 2) and therefore is preferably contoured to fit the neck.

In order to accommodate use of the beauticians towel as a protective shoulder cape, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, there is provided adjacent the

corners

18, 19 formed at the intersection of the forward edge and the side edges of the opening 16 "ice a pair of cooperating fastening elements, such as the male element 21 and the female element 21' of a conventional snap fastener. These elements are secured together after the towel has been draped over the shoulders to maintain the cape in proper protective position l(luring shampooing, waving, or other treatment of the air.

Also provided on the sheet 10 adjacent the forward edge 15 is a plurality of pairs of cooperating fastening elements, such as the

male elements

22, 23, 24 and the corresponding female elements 22, 23', 24', the male and female elements being positioned symmetrically on opposite sides of the neck opening 16 and intermediate the

corners

11, 19 and 12, 18, respectively. These male and female elements project from the side of the sheet 10 opposite the side from which the elements 21, 21' project, as explained in detail hereinafter.

Secured to the sheet 10 adjacent the rear corner 13 is one section 25, for example the male section, of another snap fastener, the cooperating female section 25 thereof being secured to one end of an elastic strap 26. Still another snap fastener is provided, one section 27 being secured to sheet 10 adjacent rear corner 14 and the cooperating section 27' being secured to the end of strap 26 opposite the snap section 25'.

The fastening elements 22-27 are utilized in the following manner when it is desired to use the beauticians towel as a protective and absorbent shield while drying the air under a conventional dryer hood 30: With the towel arranged as a cape, as in Figure 2, the patron disconnects the

snap elements

21, 21 and allows the

corners

18, 19 to fall away to the position shown in Figure 3. The patron then grasps the cooperating snap elements 22, 22' between the fingers of each hand and swings the same outward and upward to the position shown in Figure 4 and then snaps the

elements

22, 22 together. In this position the towel is secured firmly but comfortably about the head slightly below the hairline. The surface of the towel facing the hair is the same surface which is in view in Figure 2, i. e. the towel is inverted when rearranged as described above.

The patron also snaps together the outermost elements 24, 24'. In the event the head of the patron is smaller than illustrated in the drawing and the snap fastener 22, 22' cannot be used, the patron uses the

snap fastener

23, 23, or the combination of

snap fasteners

22, 22' and 23, 23', to secure the towel about the head. In any case the triangular sections of the towel on which are secured the

fastener elements

21, 21 are disposed in between the head and the main body of the towel, as shown in dotted line in Figure 4.

The patron then seats herself at the drying hood 30 and the attendant arranges the edge of the towel around the drying hood as follows: It is to be observed, in Figure 6, that the snap fastener 24, 24 is positioned above the lower edge of the drying hood, whereby the towel 10 is placed in contact with the hood. The attendant now extends the elastic strap 26 around the rear side of the hood above the drying hood stand 31 and secures the snap elements 25', 27' to their corresponding elements 25, 27 mounted at the rear corners 13, 14 of the towel. The adjustability of the strap accommodates the use of the towel on drying hoods of all shapes and sizes.

The elastic strap 26 draws the towel rearwardly and provides a snug fit between the hood and the portion of the towel extending between the fastener 24, 24' and the

fasteners

25, 25" and 27, 27'. The rearward portion of the towel adjacent edge 17 hangs loosely downward, providing an open space 32 between it and the bottom rear edge of the drying hood (Figure 6) for the passage of warm moist air outwardly from the hood and rearwardly of the neck of the patron.

Not all of the moisture-laden air passes outwardly through the space 32, however, for when the dryer fan is energized the towel surrounding the sides and front of the head is seen to billow outwardly, and a slight draft of warm air is detected passing outwardly and upwardly through the towel.

During the drying operation the patron may move her head about, within substantial limits, without dislodging the towel from its proper position on the head and hood, thus greatly relieving the tension normally attending this sitting. When the head is rotated within the hood, the towel merely slides about the outer surface of the drying hood. The firm peripheral contact of the towel about the patrons head prevents the warm moist air from passing downwardly over the face and neck, thereby obviating the major cause of discomfort normally attending the drying of the hair.

As stated hereinbefore, various types of sheet material may be used. However, it has been discovered that when toweling material, such as Terry or Turkish cloth or other moisture absorbent cloth, is used in the drying time under the hood is reduced almost by half, compared with the time required to properly dry the hair under the hood by the conventional method, i. e. without the use of any shield. It is believed that this reduction in drying time results from the rapid absorption of moisture carried in the warm air as the latter passes outwardly through the towel. In any event, the reduction in drying time is not only a convenience to the patron, but it also represents a substantial economic advantage to the beauty salon operators in accommodating the treatment of substantially twice the number of patrons within a given time.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the structural details described hereinbefore may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. For example, the snap fasteners may be replaced by other types of cooperating fastening means such as buttons and button holes, slide fasteners, tie strings, pins, or other suitable means, as desired. The number of fastening elements may be changed to accommodate a greater range of head sizes and various types of dryer hoods. In the event the towel is to be used with one type of dryer hood the strap 26 may be made of nonelastic material suitably dimensioned to hold the towel in proper position. The strap 26 may also be replaced by tie strings, if so desired.

The above and other changes may be made within the scope of this invention and, accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be considered in a limiting sense.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A beauticians towel adapted to form a protective shield when drying the hair under a dryer hood, said towel comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material having separated ends and an opening extending substantially centrally from the forward edge of the sheet material toward the rearward edge thereof, a first pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the said opening for securing the towel about the head of the wearer, a second pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the first pair of fastening means for securing the forward side of the towel in contact with the dyer hood, and fastener means connecting the rearward ends of the sheet together about the dryer hood, a portion of the rear edge of the sheet material depending in spaced relation below the rear edge of the dryer hood to provide therebetween an air outlet.

2. The beauticians towel of claim 1 wherein the flexible sheet is composed of moisture-absorbent material.

3. beauticians towel adapted in one position of adjustment to form a protective shoulder cape and in another position of adjustment to form a protective shield when drying the hair under a dryer hood, said towel comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material having separated ends and an opening extending substantially centrally from the forward edge of the sheet material toward the rearward edge thereof, a first pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material adjacent the said opening and forward edge for securing the towel about the neck of the wearer, a second pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the first named pair for securing the towel about the head of the wearer, a third pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the second pair of fastening means for securing the forward side of the towel in contact with the dryer hood, and fastener means connecting the rearward ends of the sheet together about the dryer hood, a portion of the rear edge of the sheet material depending in spaced relation below the rear edge of the dryer hood to provide therebetween an air outlet.

4. The beauticians towel of claim 3 wherein the flexible sheet is composed of moisture-absorbent material.

5. A beauticians towel adapted in one position of adjustment to form a protective shoulder cape and an another position of adjustment to form a protective shield when drying the hair under a dryer hood, said towel comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible moisture-absorbent material having separated ends and an opening extending substantially centrally from the forward edge of the sheet material toward the rearward edge thereof, a first pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material adjacent the said opening and forward edge for securing the towel about the neck of the wearer, a second pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the first named pair for securing the towel about the head of the wearer, a third pair of cooperating fastening means on the sheet material positioned adjacent the forward edge and spaced laterally outward with respect to the second pair of fastening means for securing the forward side of the towel in contact with the dryer hood, and elastic fastener means releasably connecting the rearward ends of the sheet together about the dryer hood, a portion of the rear edge of the sheet material depending in spaced relation below the rear edge of the dryer hood to provide therebetween an air outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 573,618 Rice Dec. 22, 1896 586,132 Lane July 13, 1897 1,577,945 Blumenthal Mar. 23, 1926 2,205,972 Davis June 25, 1940 2,290,455 Stephen July 21, 1942 2,420,916 Sorge May 20, 1947 2,446,790 Scola Aug. 10, 1948 2,456,180 Garing Dec. 14, 1948 2,567,524 Morganti Sept. 11, 1951