US3097407A - Winchelu - Google Patents

Description

July '16, 1-963 P, WINCHELL powoammc NON-VISIBLE GARTERS FOR HOSIERY Filed Dec. '7, 1961 IN VEN TOR. PAUL Wl NCHELL um? g A 7701911 5) United States Patent 3,097,407 CONFORMING NGN-VISIBLE GARTERS FOR HOSIERY Paul Winchell, 9-05 166th St., Whitestone, N.Y. Filed Dec. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 158,158 1 Claim. (Cl. 24248) This invention relates to a hosiery garter and particularly concerns a novel clamp structure for such a garter.

According to the invention there is provided a stocking clamp for a garter including two pivotally attached arms, each having a toothed jaw at one end. The arms are constructed so that one snap fits within the other and is held there by catch means. The arms are curved to conform with the curvature of a human leg. The closed clamp fits flat against the leg so that the top of the stocking does not bulge outwardly at the garter clamp.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an improved garter clamp or buckle for securely supporting a stocking in a quick detachable manner, the clamp having a curved, leg conforming structure.

A further object is to provide a garter clamp structure including pivotally attached arms with frictional gripping jaws at the ends, the arms fitting one within the other and secured by catch means.

A specific object is to provide a flat thin garter clamp which will not create unsightly bulging of the outer garments.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim 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. 1 is a perspective view of a garter in an open position embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the garter in closed position.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garter in closed position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a portion of another garter clamp structure in closed position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of catch assembly.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the clamping jaws showing a modified form of latching means.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a garter 10 including arms 12 and 14. The arms are formed as elongated, generally rectangular frame members of resilient plastic material. Arm 12 is formed with a flat loop 16 at its upper end slit laterally at 18 to permit passage and engagement of loop 20 of a garter strap 22. The top of loop 16 has recesses 21, 23 at opposite sides to receive opposite sides of loop 26 so that the strap fits flush with the opposite sides of loop 16. Arm 12 is for-med with an elongated opening 24 to define two spaced parallel arm elements 25, 26. Grooves 28 are formed longitudinally in the inner sides of the frame elements. The arm 12 terminates at its lower end in an elongated curved jaw 30. The curvature CC of jaw 30 (see FIG. 4) may or may not conform with the curvature of a human leg on which the garter would be worn. The upper end 31 of arm 14 may also have a concave curvature, and the bottom end is slightly curved and is covered by a curved hook 33 on the lower end of "ice arm 12, the curvature of the hook providing a smooth engaging surface.

The top of arm 12 and bottom of loop 16 define a transverse bridge 34. A catch assembly 36 is carried by the bridge. This catch assembly includes a pin 38 passing through a central bore in the bridge. The top of the pin is formed as a head 40 which can be grasped by fingernails to retract the pin. At the lower end of the pin is a conical tip 42. A coil spring 43 sleeved on the pin biases the tip downwardly in opening 24. Tip 42 engages in a recess 44 formed at the top of an offset finger 15 at the top of arm 14.

Arm 14 is narrower than arm 12 and is for-med with a central longitudinal opening 46. The opening thus defines two arm elements 48, 50 which are flexible On their long side edges, the arm elements have projecting, longitudinal ridges 52 adapted to snap into the grooves 28 in arm elements 25, 26. The arm 12 and arm 14 are thus provided at their upper portions with flexible frame members which snap fit into each other in the closed position of the garter.

Arm 14 is offset forwardly at its intermediate portion 17 where it passes through opening 24 near the bottom end thereof. A pintle 19 extends through the lower ends of arm elements 25, 26 and the offset portion 17 of the arm 14, so that arms 12 and 14 are pivotally attached to each other. The lower portion of arm 14 is formed as an elongated jaw 54 with a serrated inner rear side 55 defining teeth which mate with corresponding serrations or teeth 57 on the opposing face of jaw 30, and are lined as indicated at 59 with vinyl, rubber, plastic and the like to prevent tearing the stocking.

A stocking top can be disposed between the open jaws 30, 54, and the garter can then be snapped closed. The arms 12, 14 interfitting each other at their upper ends and the catch member 36 engaging at the top of arm 14 will effectively hold the garter clamp structure closed. In addition, the pressure of the concave jaw 30 against the leg of the wearer will further hold the garter closed. To release the stocking, the catch member 36 will be ulled upwardly within loop 16 and the arm elements 48, 50 will be pushed rearwardly of arm 12 to disengage the arms and permit the arms to pivot open to the position shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a modified catch assembly 36 for the garter 10 in which parts corresponding to those of garter 10 are identically numbered. A threaded pin 38 is disposed in a threaded bore passing through bridge 34 of loop 16 The conical tip 42 at the lower free end of the pin engages in recess 44 at the upper, offset finger 15 of arm 14. A head 40 on the pin in loop 16 facilitates turning the catch structure 36 to engage and disengage tip 42 with respect to recess 44. The catch assembly 36 locks the frame portions of the arms 12 14 more securely than the spring biased engagement provided in catch assembly 36. However, for most uses the catch assembly 36 may be preferred since engagement and disengagement can be effected somewhat more quick- 1y.

In FIG. 6, in place of a catch assembly comprising a pin with head and conical tip, a snap button 36 is shown carried by the bridge 34 adapted to snap into the countersunk recess 44 on the top of the offset finger 15 of the arm 14*.

FIG. 7 illustrates the jaws 30 and 54 provided with pivoted latching members 60 adapted to coact and interlock for holding the jaws together.

The garter can be manufactured from plastic by high speed, plastic molding machinery at low cost, or die stamped out of steel or other metal. It provides a more 3' secure, non-bulging, form fitting, comfortable support for a stocking than has heretofore been available.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and'that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

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

A clamp structure for a form fitting garter, comprising a pair of elongated arms, each of said arms having an opening defining an upper elongated frame portion, the frame portion of one arm fitting within the frame portion of the other arm, one of the arms having an intermediate oifset portion, the oifset portion of the one arm extending through the frame portion of the other arm and pivotally secured thereat, each of the arms having a lower jaw portion formed with an elongated serrated side, the serrated sides of the jaw portions facing each other to grip a stocking therebetween when the arms are closed and the frame portions are engaged one within the other, the upper end of said other arm being formed with a loop to engage the top of a garter, said other arm having a transverse bridge between said opening and loop, and a catch member carried by said bridge for engaging the upper end of said one arm when the arms are closed, said catch member including a threaded pin having a head disposed in the loop and a conical tip disposed in the opening of said other arm, said upper end of the one arm having a recess for receiving said conical tip, said pin being turnably threaded in a bore in said bridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 62,964 Lawrence Mar. 19, 1867 433,756 Wilson Aug. 5, 1890 653,747 Lewis July 17, 1900 940,285 Scruggs Nov. 16, 1909 1,916,540 Strahm July 4, 1933 2,040,635 Sobel May 12, 1936 2,217,770 Price et a1. Oct. 15, 1940 2,363,322 Headon Nov. 21, 1944 2,624,093 Hatch et a] Jan. 6, 1953 3,034,190 Magnin et a1 May 15, 1962 3,037,257 Girodet June 5, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 479,174 France Nov. 26, 1915 91,141 Switzerland Oct. 17, 1921 89,561 Sweden June 29, 1937 1,052,928 Germany a -2 Mar. 19, 1959

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