US2898598A - Dress shields - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1959 E. c. MORRIS ET AL DRESS SHIELDS Filed June l0, 1958 INVENTORS BEULRH BELL MORRIS EVELYN C. MORRIS HTTUBN'EY 2,898,593? DRESS "'SHIELDS f i Evelyn C..Mornris and Beulah Bell-Morrs,`

` New York, N.Y.

Application June 1o, `195s; :serial N-. 7411,f1o9" i z crims.. ...(cl; z-isa) This 'invention relatesto .new` and. useful .improvements inrdress-shields. More particularly, the presentuinvention proposes Athe `construction of an improved dress shield whichcan easily,- quicklyzand conveniently be removably., securedtoa .brassiere, slip,or `the like forf -underarm use `ima dress,..blouse orlike garmentftoabsorpperspiration,.preventchafingpand protectthe garment andunder-` clothing from perspiration stain.

As a further object, the present invention provides a dress shield-for use with'(straplesstdressesl and 'brassieres and for shoulder.. strap.y ,garments Vof various .types As a still further'object the invention provides a dress shield whichfiseasily-laundered andlwhich isiprhovided witli lan innerf' moistureproof i backing,I 1Va. *cellular plastic foaml pad, land `an outer-i cloth layert` i For furtherycomprehension -ofv the invention, and=f'- the objects and advantages;thereofyireference will be had to the following description and `accompanying drawings, and'tothe Aappended claims in"which""'the various" `novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a plan view of a dress shield embodying the lirst form of the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dress shield in a folded condition.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modied form of dress shield.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a push button clip employed with the dress shield.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the clip in a closed position.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the clip in an open position.

Fig. l0 is a perspective view of the clip in an inverted position.

Referring to the drawings, in the first form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5 there is shown a dress shield 10 having a generally oval or preferably a rather tapered pear-shaped outline. The shield has a lower, more pointed end 11 and an upper, broader or more rounded end 12. The body of the shield includes a liexible moistureproof backing layer 14. This layer is formed of a vinyl copolymer, polyethylene or plastic sheet material which is highly resistant to salts and acids generally making up perspiration, and which is moistureproof. The second or inner layer 16 is formed of plastic foam material such as polystyrene. This material is chemically inert to body perspiration, just as is layer 14, but the layer 16 is soft and porous and acts like a sponge. This material is superior to sponge rubber because of its greater chemical stability and because it retains its shape ICC 2. longer `under hard Wear.'V Also, theplast-icfoam isi-more easily cleaned bysqueezing `infsoapy water. w The plastic:` material absorbs perspiration V.which easily washes outn- The foam remains more porous even when highlycom-t. pacted.

The outer layer `18 is a washable,fmoisturefabsorbingr cloth material such as cotton, silk or'thetlikemSynthetic. material such as nylon, `which `does not..absorb-moisture,`-. is lnot suitable for the purpose zintended.

Plastic ylayers 14 and 16 may be heat-sealed together-.t as shown by seam 17. `The `severallayers `14, .16,18.are.V sewn together at `the superimposed? peripheriesby t stitching 20. `Disposed between layers14 and 161is ra wirefZZ: i-

This wire is .formed into a general `U-shape and extends; around the..upper portion- 12 andtpartof the lower por-Af tion 11. As shown in Fig. 4, this` wirelhasa :core-23, of soft steel, copper, -or other untemperedfmetab so'-- that it is readilybent-to any-desiredshapeand has moderate:` shape retaining properties. The core` isfcoveredwitht a` plastic sheath -24 made of a thermoplastic material such as a vinylcopolymer.; The-wire is y.secureduto layer `16:.O

by heat-,sealingor by stitching 25. t Mountedonntheir layer..14 is a pair of corrosion-resistant,fspaced spring-y clips 26.` Each of theseclips, asbest` shown in-Figs.7.10,-.

sheetmetal 4to .dene a generally flat baseri32--and2anupper-,rectangular head 34. The base has-.a pluralitypf. prongs 436 struck` outwardlytherefrom `for. engaging lay-:l

ers 14` and 16 when inserted .throughftheselayerstand..

Head 34 has an aperture 38`Lin"wliich`is movably mounted a button 40 having an enlarged base 41 to retain the button in the aperture. The button has a forwardly extending finger 43 disposed to contact a bent finger 42 struck inwardly from jaw 28. Head 34 is forme-d with curled hinge portions 44 which encircle pintle 31. Between curled hinge portions 44 on pintle 31 is mounted a coil spring 46 having ends disposed to bias the jaw closed with teeth 27 pressed against base 32.

When button 40 is pressed inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 9 the jaw 28 is pivoted open against the tension in spring 46. Release of the button permits the spring to close the jaw.

Small pads 48 may be applied over the folded prongs 36 between layer 16 and 18 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. These pads may be heat-sealed or stitched to layer 16. If desired, prongs 36 may be cut off from the clips and the clips can be secured to the plastic layer 14 alone by sewing thread. The holes 33 formed in striking out of prongs 36 may serve for attaching the sewing thread. Alternatively, the bases of the clips can be secured to layer 14 by a suitable cement. If the bases 32 are formed of plastic material they can be heatsealed to layer 14.

Attached to layer 14 are a pair of short spaced elastic bands 54. These bands provide means for securing and engaging the hooks 55 mounted on the opposite ends of strap 56. This elastic strap is adapted to engage the upper arm of the wearer for holding the shield more securely in place if needed. The strap may be removed if not needed.

In use, the dress shield 10 is folded generally along the line A-A indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, with the plastic layer 14 inside and the cloth layer 18 outside. In this folded position the dress shield is disposed under the armpit of the wearer with the cloth side 18 of lower portion 11 against the body. The upper portion 12 may Ibe folded over the top edge of a brassiere or slip and adjusted to any desired position. Then clips 26 may have -their jaws 28 engaged on the upper edge of the brassiere or slip so that the dress shield remains securely in position and does not ride out of place. Strap 56, as mentioned above, provides an additional elastic anchoring means for the shield.

When in use, the folded layerl 14 provides a `double moistureproof barrier to perspiration. This layer, which is :spaced from the outer garment such as a blouse or dress, will not transmit staining perspiration. The doubled plastic foam effectively retains and absorbs the perspiration 'from arm and body. The cloth layer 18 provides a cool, non-chang surface against the body and a nonslipping surface against the underarm portion of the blouse or dress. Strap 56 can serve as an independent shoulder strap and need not be engaged with straps of the brassiere or slip worn at the same time. When it is so desired, the shield is readily removed by opening the jaws ofthe clips. The shield can be squeezed out in'soapy water and rinsed by squeezing in clear water and hung up to dry. The entire laundering operation takes but a few` seconds.

-If desired, the cloth layer 18 and foam layer 16 can be treated by spraying with a suitable antibacterial compound, deodorant, or the like.

In Fig. 6, a modified form of dress shield is shown without the reinforcing wire 22 and without the securing bands 54. In other respects, this form of the invention is similar to the previous form and the various parts may be recognizedby corresponding reference numerals With a prime added. Y

"While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A dress shield comprising a generally oval body, said body having a multi-layered structure, a pair of spring clips provided with push button operated pivotable jaws and secured to an outer layer of the body for engaging on portions of underclothing and retaining said body thereon in a folded condition, a pliable shape retaining means disposed between layers of the body said shape retaining means being an untempered metal core covered with a plastic sheath, and a strap removably secured to said body for engaging over the upper arm of the wearer thereof.

2. A dress shield comprising aV generally oval body, said body having a multi-layered structure, a pair of spring clips provided with push button operated pivot-` able jaws and secured to an outer layer of the body for engaging on portions of underclothing and retaining said body thereon in a folded condition, a pliable shape retaining means disposed between layers of the body said shape retaining means being an untempered metal core covered with a plastic sheath, strap retaining means secured to said plastic barrier, a strap removably secured to said strap retaining means, said clips having prongs extending through layers of the body and resilient pads covering said prongs adjacent the body.

References Cited'- in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,830 McMann Oct. 8, 1907 1,108,427 Brennan Aug. 2S, 1914 2,438,771 Topjian Mar. 30, 1948 2,556,231 Stephens June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,244 Great Britain of

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