US2896633A

US2896633A - Garment

Info

Publication number: US2896633A
Application number: US768293A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mckee Velda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-20
Filing date: 1958-10-20
Publication date: 1959-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 1976-07-28

Description

July 28,1959 y, MCKEE Y 2,896,633

v GARMENT Filed oct. 20. 195e IN V EN TOR.

, Velda McKee GARMENT Velda McKee, Portland, Oreg.

Application `ctober 20, 1958, Serial No. 768,293

7 Claims. (Cl. 12S-526) This invention relates to a `garment construction, and more particularly to a ladies and childrens garment construction such as may be used in the :manufacture of bathing suits, play suits, or undergarments such as girdles, corsets, and the like.

Specifically, this invention has to do with a novel construction for the lower trunkor torso-covering portion of a garment. The construction is particularly valuable in the manufacture of girdles and similar undergarments where it is desired to cover and also to lend support to `the wearer.

The invention contemplates a garment construction wherein the garment has a principal garment body portion which covers the lower trunk or torso region, and which is shaped to fit snugly about a wearers buttocks and abdomen. Included in the garment is a llap portion or crotch piece which is secured at one end to a back section of the garment body, i.e., that section which covers the back of the wearer, and 4thence passes between the legs of the wearer with the sides of the piece and the lower edges of the garment body cooperating to dene leg-receiving apertures. The front or other end of the piece is detachably secured by a slide fastener tothe front section of the garment, i.e., that section which covers the lower front of a wearer.

The crotch piece or flap portion of the garment terminates at `its front, detachable end in a transversely-extend ing panel section which has an arcuately-curved edge along one side thereof and extending from one end of the panelsection to the other. One of the tracks ofthe slide fastener is `secured to this edge and the other of the tracks of the slide fastener is secured to the front section of `the garment body portion. The two `tracks are fastened together by means of a conventional tab. When fastened together, the panel section assumes a position with the arcuate edge arched first upwardly, then across, and `then downwardly progressing from one end of the panel section to the other.

There are several advantages to the construction outlined above. By employing a slide fastener, the flap portion quickly can be disconnected from the main body portion of the garment when desired. Further, the attachment is made without bulging and ruining of the garment parts, thereby to create anunsightly appearance. The construction is particularly advantageous in garrnents which are designed at least partially torender sup- `port. Insuch garments, a certain degree of connement `of the abdomen and `buttocks is desired, and this is hard fto obtain using other known attachment devices.

With a `slide fastener, a continuous connection is made along the length of the attachment panel section, which enables Vthe even distribution of stresses across the section from one side of the garment to the other.

The slide fastener not onlyis continuous, `but also has an arcuate outline. `'This is important. For one thing,

-it permits a piece of large, irregular outline to be secured in place using a single fastener. Most important, the arcuate shape allows `for a `certain amount of yield or nited States l Patent give between the two ends of the panel section which are secured to the two ends of the fastener, with the fastener tracks tending to straighten out during stretching of the panel section. This, as a practical matter, is not possible to obtain with button-type fasteners or with slide fasteners which have a linear outline.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, `the slide fastener lies llat over the abdomen of a wearer, with the slide fastener curving about an axis extending normally of the plane of the tracks of the fastener. Thus the fastener is arched, but instead of being on edge, lies flat and is curved with the ends of the fastener displaced in a lateral direction. The result is a neat, nonprotruding connection.

Other objects and features `are attained by the `invention, which is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front view ofa garment of the girdle type constructed according to the invention and having a detachable flap portion or crotch piece secured at its forward end by a slide fastener to the main body portion of the garment; and

Fig. 2 is a view of the detachable flat portion showing theforward end of the flap portion disconnected from the main body portion of `the garment and lorwered therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings for a `description of the invention, 10 indicates general-ly a ladys `girdle of the type that is used to cover the lower trunk regions of a wearer and render some degree of support thereto. The girdle comprises a principal body part 11 adapted' snugly to be fitted over the lower trunk regions of a wearer, and

by stitching tothe front and backcover sections and joining adjacent side edges of these sections. The elastic nature ofthe strip portions permits some degree `of give between the frontand back sections.

Front and back sections 12 and 13 conventionally may be made from a textile `material or possibly a plastic sheeting material. In the embodiment shown, eachcomprises several pieces of material secured together by stitching. Thus the front section is made up `of `three separate cloth pieces, indicated at 20, 21, and `2`2`,-jo'ined together as by

seams

23 and 24. The front Vsection also comprises an elastic, triangular `piece 26, secured as by sewing to piece 21, which is provided to lgive yield in certain portions of the garment.

An elongated slide fastener 27 extends downwardly 4along one side of the garment, and `is used forbringing `together `the front and back sections when the `garment is fitted into position. As so far described, the garment is conventional, and exemplary of many that are available commercially. t

As best seen in Fig. 2, secured to back section 13 approximately centrally between the side edges thereof is an elongated llap portion or crotch piece 36. Preferably the connection of the liap portion with section 13 is a detachable one, such as the one illustrated, wherein the end of the flap portion is secured in place` by albuckle 37 which joins `together strap ends 38 and 319 secured to the back section and the end of the flap portion, respectively.

In the embodiment illustrated, `the flap immediately adjacent strap 39 has a V-shapedoutline, with the edges of the `flap /dhen progressing smoothly to join an elongated intermediate portion 40. During use, portion 40 is passed between the legs ofya wearer with `the side edges of portion 40 delining` with portions of the lower edges of garment body 11 leg-receiving apertures.

Flap portion 36 `terminates `at `its forward end inan elongated, transversely-extending attachment lpanel section 46. The panel section is fan-shaped, `and has a semicircular marginal edge 48 connecting with a linear edge 47. Panel section 46 is secured to portion 40 of the flap by arcuate stitching 51, which joins the semicircular marginal edge to the remainder of the flap. Panel section 46 and portion 40 together give the fiap portion a T-shaped outline.

The body of the flap portion is also made of textile material or plastic sheeting material. Included in panel section 46 is an elastic piece 52, which .is trapezoidal in shape, and is stitched between and holds together two end pieces 53, 54. The elastic piece permits end stretching of the panel section.

Sewn along semicircular edge 48, and extending substantially the `distance between `one end of the attachment panel section to the other, is an elongated track 56 of a slide fastener mechanism designated generally at 57. Complementing track 56 is a track 58, also of semicircular shape, secured to garment body portion 11. of front section 12, which has an outline which complements the arcuate outline of attachment panel section 46. Track 58 is sewn to garment body 11 along the edge of this cutout.

Tracks

56, 58 are separated and joined together by a conventional `tab 61. The slide fastener is the type that allows disconnection of the ends of the fastener tracks, and thus is provided with a clip 62 which joins together two anchor ends 63, 64 for the tracks. A cloth shield portion 66 sewn to front section 12 and disposed beneath track 58 may be provided to protect the wearer from pinching when the slide fastener is actuated.

The attachment panel section is shown attached in place to the main portion of the girdle in Fig. 1. In this position, it will be seen that the panel section is secured along its length to body 11, with the arcuate edge intermediate the ends of the panel section firmly secured continuously to body portion 11.

It will also be noted in Fig. l that the slide fastener lies at with the tracks of the fastener in a common, substantially Vertical plane when the panel section is in an attached position. Thus lthe tracks of the fastener are curved or arched about axes extending perpendicularly to the plane of the tracks. The construction is preferable to one in which the fastener is on edge and curved by bending along axes which are parallel to the plane of the tracks, as the construction minimizes any bulging attributable to the fastener.

'I'he construction described has a number of advantages. The slide fastener permits swift and easy separation of the attachment panel section from the main body of the garment, when it is `desired to disconnect the front end of the ap and lower the same. Further, since the fastener is a continuous one, stresses are transmitted evenly through the fastener between section 46 and front section 12.

The arched configuration of the panel section edge and the slide fastener is of particular importance. For one thing, the arched shape enables the securing together by one fastener of 4the ends of the panel section as well as side edge portions. Such a connection is important if the garment truly is to function as a support garment.

The arcuate shape of the slide fastener is also mportant in providing for stretching apart of the panel section ends. Such stretching would be severely limited with a linear fastener, as fasteners themselves are not easily stretched along their length,

While the specific embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinabove has to do with a girdle construction, in its broadest aspects the invention relates to garment construction generally, and the various features of the invention have applicability to other types of garments such as bathing suits or swim suits, onepiece play suits, or `any other garment, particularly ladies and girls garments, having a crotch section. Cloth and An arcuate cutout is provided in the lower edge 4 textile material includes tapes, binding material and sections made of plastic, woven or in sheet form. It is desired not to be limited by the specific construction shown herein; but to cover all modifications and variations coming within the scope `of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A ladys garment comprising a body part adapted snugly to be fitted on the lower trunk portion of a wearer `and to encompass the buttocks and abdomen of a wearer, said body part having front and back sections for covering the lower trunk front and back areas, respectively, an elongated ap portion secured at one end to the back section of said body part intermediate opposite sides of the section, said tlap portion terminating at its other end in an attachment panel section having opposite end edges arranged on opposite sides, respectively, of said ap portion, and means detachably securing the attachment panel section to the front section of said body portion, the latter means comprising elongated slide fastener means extending continuously substantially the distance between the opposite end edges ofthe attachment panel section, said slide fastener means describing a continuously curving sweep between the end edges of .the attachment panel section.

2. A ladys garment comprising a body part adapted snugly to be fitted on the lower trunk portion of a wearer and to encompass the buttocks and abdomen of a wearer, said body part having front and back sections for coving the lower trunk front and back areas, respectively, a crotch flap secured at one end to said back section intermediate the sides thereof, and means detachably connecting the other end of said crotch flap to said front section, the latter means comprising an elongated slide fastener of arcuate outline extending substantially the distance between opposite side edges yof the crotch flap and arching in a continuous sweep first upwardly, then across, and then downwardly progressing from one side edge of the crotch ap to the other.

3. The garment of claim 2 wherein said slide fastener comprises a pair of elongated tracks arranged side by side, one of which is secured to said front section and the other of which is secured to said crotch flap, and an attachment tab slidable along the length of said tracks to effect separation or joining together of the tracks, and wherein said tracks lie in substantially a common plane and are curved about axes extending normally to the plane of the tracks when the fastener is in a joined together position and the garment in a wearing position.

4. A ladys garment comprising a body part adapted snugly to be fitted on the lower trunk portion of a wearer and to encompass the buttocks and abdomen of a wearer, said body part having back and front sections covering the lower trunk front and back areas, respectively, an elongated flap portion secured at one end to the back section of said body part intermediate opposite sides of the section, said flap portion having at its other end an attachment panel section extending transversely of the flap portion, said attachment panel section having a length which is substantially longer than the width of the flap portion, said attachment panel section being at least partially made of an elastic material so arranged as to accommodate end stretching of the panel section, and means securing the attachment panel section to the front section of said body part, that latter means comprising elongated slide fastener means extending continuously substantially the distance between opposite ends of the attachment panel section, said slide fastener means having an arcuate outline and arching upwardly and then downwardly progressing from one end of the attachment panel section to the other.

5. A ladys garment comprising a body part adapted snugly to be fitted on the lower trunk portion of a wearer and to encomp-ass the buttocks and abdomen of a wearer, said body part having front and back sections for covering the lower trunk front and back areas, re-

5 spectively, a crotch Hap secured at one end to said back section approximately intermediate the sides of the back section, said crotch flap having a generally T-shaped outline and terminating at its other end in `a transversely extending elongated panel section, said panel section being at least partially comprised of an elastic material so arranged `as to accommodate end stretching of the panel section, and means securing ythe panel section to the front section of said body part, the latter means comprising an elongated slide fastener of arcuate outline extending substantially the distance from one end ot' the panel section to the other and arching in a continuous sweep -lrst upwardly and then downwardly progressing from one end of the panel section to the other.

6. The garment of claim 5 wherein said slide fastener comprises `a pair of elongated tracks arranged side by side, one of which is secured to said front section `and the other of which is secured to said panel section, and an attachment tab slidable along the length of the tracks to eiect separation and joining together of the tracks, and wherein the tracks on attachment together lie in substantially `a common plane, and are arched about axes extending substantially perpendicular `to lthe plane of the tracks. i

7. A ladys garment comprising a body part adapted snugly yto be tted on the lower trunk portion of a wearer and to encompass vthe buttocks and abdomen of a wearer, said body part having front and back sections for covering the lower ltrunk front and back areas, respectively, a crotch ilap secured at one end to said back section intermediate the sides thereof, `and means detachably connecting the other end of said crotch flap to said front section, the latter means comprising a substantially continuous, elongated detachable securing means spanning substantially `the outline width of said crotch lap at said other end and having ilat interengageable edge por- `tions secured smoothly to the body portion and crotch ap, respectively, said detachably securing means having an `arcuate outline between the ends thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,346 Rayden Apr. 26, 1949 2,490,137 Keller Dec. 6, 1949 2,544,432 Morano Mar. 6, 1951 2,661,002 Silverman Dec. 1, 1953