US2948037A - Washable strings for machinists' and similar type aprons - Google Patents

Description

2,948,03 7 AND Aug. 9, 19 E. T. BUGYI WASHABLE STRINGS FOR MACHINISTS SIMILAR TYPE APRONS Filed April 15, 1958 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS a a i a WASHABLE STRINGS FOR MACHINISTS AND SIMILAR TYPE APRONS Edward T. Bugyi, Bridgeport, Conn. (190 Knollwood Drive, Stratford, Conn.)

Filed Apr. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 728,650

4 Claims. (Cl. 24--73) This invention relates to aprons, particularly workmens aprons such, for example, as machinists, butchers and similar type aprons, and has for an object to provide improved supporting strings for these aprons and means for securing them to the aprons, by which they may be easily and quickly removed fromthe apron and washed separately therefrom, particularly at home by the user of the apron, without sending them to the laundry with the apron.

-It is also an object to provide an improved and simplified means for detachably securing the strings to the apron, which, although easily detachable from-the apron, is so constructed as to reduce to a minimum the liability of becoming detached from the apron by movements of the wearer in his work, such, for example, as leaning over and the like.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the upper portion of an apron showing these improved strings and means for attaching them to the apron;

, Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the attaching means applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a front view showing how one end of the string is attached to the upper edge of the front of the apron;

Fig. 5 is a partial section and partial elevation looking from the right of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating a position the fastening means may take without becoming detached from the apron on slackening of the strain on the apron string by such actions of the wearer as leaning over and the like;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing another position it may take;

Fig. 8 is a view showing the fastening means for the string at the back of the apron, and

Fig. 9 is a partial section and side elevation looking from theright of Fig. 3.

At the present time, it is common practice to use plain fabric or woven strings as the supporting means for workmensaprons, such, for example, as machinists and similar type aprons. These become soiled with the apron and are sent to the laundry with the apron and tied to it. Because of this they become fouled up in laundering and soon become frayed and their usefulness destroyed. They need tying to keep them with the apron, and often get lost. Also, because of their material they soon get dirty or soiled. It is an object of the present invention to overcome these difficulties and objections strings with its and provide strings for these aprons which are not re' quired to be sent to the laundry with the apron but are of such material as may be easily washed and cleaned by the owner himself, doing away with the necessity ofhaving them done by the laundry and requiring furnishing of new strings by the laundry when they are lost or frayed by the laundry in washing with the apron, as is often necessary when cloth strings are used. For this reason, these new strings are made of a strip of plastic or similar material which will not become as easily soiled as do the cloth or fabric strips and may be readily cleaned by wiping witha damp cloth without the usual laundering or washing, and to permit'proper use of such a string anew and simplified. attaching means is provided for securing them to the apron, and one by which they may be easily and quickly disconnected or removed from the apron for cleaning and before sending the apron to the laundry, and one which, although easily detachable from the apron, is not likely to become inadvertently detached by movements of the wearer of the apron in carrying out his work, such, for examplefas leaning over and the like.

In the drawing, in Fig. 1 is shown the upper portion of a common type of workmans apron 10, with an upper portion '11 adapted to be positioned over the chest and a lower portion 12 wrapped partly around the body, with rear portions 13 at the back of the body, and with the usual pockets 14 and 15 secured on the front side thereof. The 'apron is supported from the shoulders by suitable strings 16 passingover the shoulders and secured to thetop of the front portion 11 and the top free corners of the rear portions 13, two of these strings being employed passing over the shoulders and crossed at the back, so that the string secured to the front at the right handside portion 17 is secured to the left and rear portion 13. In order to make these strings readily washable or easily cleaned by merely wiping them off with a damp cloth, they are made of a flat strip of suitable plastic material, such, for example, as suitable vinyl plastics, and they are secured to the apron at their opposite'ends by improved fastening books 18. To permit easy attaching to and removal from the securing hooks 18 for cleaning purposes, and also to permit adjusting ofthe lengths of the strings for properly supporting the apron, they are provided with a series of snap fasteners 19 suitably placed along the length of the string. The improved'fastening hooks 18 are constructed for detachably securing the opposite ends of the strings to the apron by suitable grommets or eyelets 20 which may be of metal or other suitable material, preferably the usual metal grommets. These grommets as shown comprise a flanged metal ring 21 passing through an opening in the apron from one side thereof and. secured on the opposite side by rolling over a ring or washer 22, thus providing an opening through the apron which is bordered by metal.

The hook 18 for use in combination with this grommet comprises a single piece of wire bent at one end to form an elongated loop 23 adapted to have the string 16 threaded through it, and wide enough for passage of one member. of the snap fasteners. Extending from this loop is an intermediate portion comprising two sections 24 and 25 bent at their junction 26 to an obtuse angle. The wire at the opposite end of the section 25 from the loop 23 is bent backwardly upon itself in the form of a rounded bend 27, so that the free end portion 28 is bent backwardly over the section 25 with its .free end 29 opposite the bend 26 and is spaced therefrom a distance somewhat greater than the width or diameter of the opening through the grommet. The bend 27 is a rounded bend with its interior Width substantially equal to or v Patented Aug 9, 1960 slightly less than the thickness or length of the grommet so as to receive and retain this grommet within this bend when the hook is in its normal apron-supporting position, as shown in Figs. and 9. The free end 29 is also bent inwardly toward the bend 26 for a short distance back from the free end, as illustrated in the' drawing.

With this form of the'hook there is plenty of room between the free end 29 and the intermediate portion comprising the sections 24 and 25 to permit ready and easy insertion of this free end through the grommet or its removal therefrom for quickly and easily attaching the string to or detaching it from the apron, but the spacing and location of the end portion 28 and its free end 29 from the intermediate portions 24 and 25, in combination with the bend 26, are important features of this connection to prevent inadvertent disconnection of the hook'from the apron by various movements of the wearer of "the apron incident to hiswork. Thus, as previously noted, the rounded portion 27 is of substantially the same or slightly less than the width of the grommet, so that when it is seated in the recess formed by this bend the grommet is gripped and wedged between the opposite sides thereof when supporting the apron. If, however, the pull on the string 16 is released or loosened, as for example by the wearer bending over, the hook may take either of the positions of Figs. .6 and 7. In Fig. 6, as the distance between the free end 29 and the bend 26 is greater than the width of the opening in the grommet, instead of the hook passing out of and becoming disconnected from the grommet, the section 24 of the intermediate portion passes through the opening in the grommet, locating the opposite side portions 25 and 28 at the opposite side of the apron and the grommet from the string 16. Then as upward strain is again applied to the string, this hook is merely pulled back to and assumes its original position for supporting the apron as shown in Fig. 5. If when the strain on the string is released the hook does not pass through the grommet, as shown in Fig. 6, it may pass only partly through to the position of Fig. 7. It will be seen that in this position the bend 26 lies at the lower side of the opening in the grommet, but due to the fact that the free end 29 is spaced from this bend a distance greater than the diameter or width of the opening in the grommet, this free end will be located on the opposite side of the opening and somewhat above it, as shown in Fig. 7. This will prevent the hook passing through the opening in the grommet toward the string side to disconnect it from the grommet and'the apron. If strain is now applied to the hook by the string it will be merely drawn and shifted back to its original supportingposition, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9. It appears that the slight bend at the free end 29 also assists this action of preventing the hook from passing through the grommet and also eifecting its return to the normal position when strain is again applied to the string, as it engages the opposite edge of the grommet. However, although this shape and structure of the hook prevents inadvertent disconnection of the hook and there fore the string from the apron by movements of the wearer, it still permits the strings to be easily and quickly applied to' and removed from the apron. Thus, when sending the apron to the laundry for cleaning, it is a simple operation for the owner to disconnect and remove the strings from the apron and retain them at home for the cleaning operation, doing away with the necessity of tying these strings to the apron, as is common practice with the old type of Qloth or woven strings, with the consequent objection of requiring time for tying and the danger of their becoming lost and frayed or otherwise injured so as to become unusable.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A hook member adapted for securing a supporting string to a garment by means of a grommet in the form of a ring, said hook comprising a piece of wire provided with a transverse loop at one end through which the string is threaded, an intermediate portion including two substantially straight sections bent at an obtuse angle to each other at a point spaced from the transverse loop, and a substantiallystraight free end portion bent back over the intermediate section farthest from the loop with its free end opposite thebend in the intermediate portion and spaced therefrom a distance somewhat greater than the width of the opening in the grommet.

2. A hook member adapted for securing a supporting string to a garment by means of a grommet in the form of a ring, said hook comprising a piece of wire provided with a transverse loop at one end through which the string is threaded, an intermediate portion including two substantially straight sections bent at an obtuse angle to each other, and a substantially straight free end portion bent back over the intermediate section farthest from the loop by a rounded bend with its sides at the bend spaced substantially the thickness of the grommet, the free end of said latter portion located opposite the bend in the intermediate portion and bent a short distance toward it and spaced from said bend a distance somewhat greater than the width of the opening in the grommet.

3. A hook for securing a string to a garment by means of a grommet in the form of a ring, said hook comprising a piece of wire provided with means at one end for securing it to the string, said hook also comprising an intermediate portion including two substantially straight sections bent at an obtuse angle to each other, and' said hook further including a substantially straight free end portion bent back over the intermediate portion at the end opposite the string securing means and provided with a free end opposite the bend in the intermediateportion and spaced therefrom a distance somewhat greater than the width of the opening in the grommet.

4. A hook for securing a string to a garment-by means of a grommet in the form of a ring, said hookcompris ing a piece of wire provided with means at one end for securing it to the string, said hook also comprising an intermediate portion including two substantially straight sections bent at an obtuse angle to each other, and said hook further including a substantially straight free end p0rtion bent back over the intermediateportion ,at the end opposite the string securing means and provided with a free end opposite the bend in the intermediate portion bent for a short distance toward said bend and spaced therefrom a distance somewhat greater than the width of the opening in the grommet.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS. I 699,513 Garms May 6, 1902 1,933,185 Rouleau Oct. 31, 1933 2,476,730 Hess '1.. July 19, 1949 FOREIGN-PATENTS I 528,122 Great Britain Qct.'23,n1 9.4()

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