US3113572A - Corsets, girdles and like garments - Google Patents

Description

1963 B. M. WILLIAMS 3,113,572

CORSETS, GIRDLES AND LIKE GARMENTS FiledMarch 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/l/EA/TOR 357W Mm W1 A 04/144" M (YMMM 4 TTOR/VE Y Dec. 10, 1963 a M. WILLIAMS CORSETS, GIRDLES AND LIKE GARMENTS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed MarQh 4, 1961 A TTORA/E United States Patent 3,113,572 GGRSETS, GRDLES AND LHQE GARIWENTS Betty May Williams, Conrtlands, Maidenhead, England,

assignor to Berlei (U.K.) Limited, Slough, England, a

British company Filed May 4, 1961, Ser. No. 167,8il2 Claims priority, application Great Britain May 12, 1969 4 Claims. (Cl. 123-528) This invention relates to corsets, girdles and like bodyencircling foundation garments for Women.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of construction of the front or abdomen-supporting region of such garments as will afford smooth and firm support for the abdomen and which will exert a desirable lifting and flattening effect upon the body contour.

In accordance with the invention, a foundation garment for women comprises a front abdomen-supporting panel and a body-encircling part adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein the front panel comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-hand sections each joined to the body-encircling par-t, each of said sections comprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the respective lower edges of the fabric layers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of said warp and weft directions and one of the fabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than the other fabric layer of the same section of the front panel.

The respective inner and outer fabric layers of each front panel section may be formed as two separate appropriately shaped and overlaid pieces, all four pieces of the two sections being joined down the central seaming line, but in an alternative and preferred construction each section is formed as one piece of material folded back upon itself at an appropriate angle with respect to the weave of the material and then joined to the opposite section by stitching along or closely parallel to the fold line.

In order that the nature of the invention may be more readily understood, a number of different constructional embodiments will now be described by way of illustrative example only and With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View of a corset embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale and with the fabric thickness dimensions exaggerated for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a similarly enlarged and exaggerated section, taken on the line lIiIII of FIG.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-section, similar to FIG. 2, showing one modified manner of construction;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-section, again similar to FIG. 2, showing another modified manner of construction;

FIGURE 6 shows the preferred shape of a fabric piece for forming one of the front panel sections of the corset shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of garment in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of another possible modification in accordance with the invention; While FIGURES 9 and 10 are largely diagrammatic perspective views showing application of the invention to other forms of corset garment.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the corset garment shown comprises a front panel construction in accordance with the invention and indicated generally at 10, associated with a body-encircling part indicated generally at 11 which passes around the back of the wearer. As shown, such part 11 is in the form of a single piece 12 of elastic material having a two-way stretch characteristic as indicated by the symbols 13 and provided around its uppermost edge, lying approximately at the wearers Waist line, with a band 14 of elastic material stretchable in the circumferential or horizontal direction of the arrow symbols 15 but substantially non-elastic in the vertical direction.

The precise form of such body-encircling part 12 is not of major importance provided it affords two mutually opposed forward side edges as indicated at 16 and 17 for attachment to the opposite sides of the front panel 10. Such body-encircling part 12 may comprise a number of separate but interconnected panels such as side and back panels, and be formed of materials of various elastic/nonelastic characteristics.

The front panel ll} is formed with leftand right-hand symmetrical sections 18, 1% comprising respectively outer fabric layers 18a, 19a and overlying fabric layers 18b, 19b. The lower edges 26 of the respective outer fabric layers 13a, 1% are inclined upwardly from the lowest point 21 of a central vertical seaming line 22, which unites the two panel sections, to points 23 on the respective side edges 16, 1'7 lying in the vicinity of the wearers groin line. The lower edges 24 of the respective inner fabric layers 18b, 1% are inclined, at an angle to the horizontal which corresponds with that of the edges 2%, downwardly from the centre point 21 to the lower end of the respective side edges 16, 17. The lower edge 26 of one outer fabric layer 18a, 19a is accordingly substantially aligned with the lower edge 24 of the inner fabric layer 19b, 18b of the opposite panel section. The angle between the two edges 29, 24 is conveniently of the order of 4()55, divided equally above and below the horizontal.

The outermost edges of the overlying fabric layers 18a, 18b and 19a, 19b of the respective panel sections 18 and 19 are each firmly secured, as by stitching 25 and preferably with a supporting inside tape facing, to the adjacent forward side edge 16 or 17 of the body-encircling part 11, whereby the inner fabric layers 13b, 1% are secured to the whole length of the adjacent side edges 16 or 17, whereas the outer fabric layers 18a, lilo are secured to only a part of such edges 16, 17. The respective pairs of outer and inner fabric layers 18a, 18b and 19a, 1% are similarly firmly united with one another along the top edge 26 of the panel by stitching 2'7 but the lower edges Zil of the outer fabric layers 18a, 19a, although turned and stitched to supporting tape as shown in FIG. 3, are left completely free from connection with the underlying inner layers 13b, 19b except at the centre point 21 and the outer end points 23.

The fabric employed for the layers 13a, 18b and 1.9a, 1% is of non-extensible character in its warp and weft directions which are arranged, as indicated by the markings 28, to lie one parallel with and the other at right angles to the related lower edges 28 and 24.

In a preferred manner of construction, the inner and outer layers 18a, 18b, of the panel section 18 are formed of one piece of material of the shape shown in FIG. 6 which is then folded back upon itself along the centre line 29. The inner and outer layers 19a, 19b of the opposite section 1h are similarly formed of another single piece of material of, of course, the opposite hand or orientation. The two folded pieces are then laid face to face and joined by a line of stitching close to the aligned folded edges as shown at 36 in FIG. 2. The pieces are then opened out, the fold edges laid back and, after covering with a backing tape 31, the whole is firmly secured by further lines of stitching 32. The latter may conveniently be of ornamental character as indicated at 33 in FIG. 1.

In a slightly modified construction, the respective layers 18a, 18b of the panel section 18 and the layers 19a, 19b of the panel section 19 are again made from fabric pieces similar to FIG. 6, each folded back upon itself as described above. Such two pieces are, however, initially joined by a line of stitching down their common and cligned fold lines as shown at 34 in FIG. 4 before actual folding. A backing tape 31 is then applied and the seaming completed by further stitching 32.

In yet another alternative form of construction, each of the layer portions 18a, 18b, 1%, 19b is made as a separate fabric piece of appropriate shape. The four pieces are then joined initially by a line of stitching, as shown at 35 in FIG. 5. The marginal edges are then turned back and, after application of a backing tape 31, secured by further lines of stitching 32.

As already indicated, the front panel construction of the invention may be applied to various types of bodyencircling garments including foundation garments and pantie garments with suitable modification as necessary. FIG. 7 indicates one possible modification of the upper edge of the front panel 16 to provide a dipped or lower central region 36. FIG. 8 shows a further modification in the application of the invention to a pantie garment. In this modification, the respective lower edges 24 of the inner front panel layers 11%, 1% are shortened by the connection of the outer ends thereof to the marginal web members 37 of a crotch part 38 which later is itself also connected at the front of the garment to such lower edges 24.

The relative dimensions of the parts forming the front panel 19 may be altered as necessary to accord with the type or style of garment. Thus, as shown in FIG. 9, the panel may be long and narrow in the case of an extended length garment for a slim figure or, as shown in FIG. 10, comparatively short and wide in the case of a shortened length garment for a stouter figure. In some instances, particularly in larger sizes or where maximum figure control is desired, the respective layers 18a, 18b, 19a, 1912 may be of two or more ply materials. In one example, a normal close woven material is used for the inner ply of each of the layers 18a, 19a. This is faced upon its outward side with a more open net form material which may be figured or otherwise decorated. If the method of construction described in connection with FIGS. 2 or 4 is employed, such net-form material becomes the inwardly facing ply of the layers 18b, 19b. The warp/weft directions of the two or more plies are preferably the same and as described above for single ply material.

The various garments may be provided with any of the conventional fitments or adaptations according to requirements, such as, for instance, suspender connections as shown at 4%}, zip fastener or hook and eye con trolled openings as indicated at 41, stiffening ribs as shown at 42 and/or faced with elastic faced surfaces as indicated at 43.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supporting panel having opposed sideedges and a body-encircling part having forward side edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein the front panel extends substantially along the height of the garment and comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and righthand sections each joined to the bodyencircling part, each of said sections comprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the lower edges of the fabric layers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of said warp and weft directions, and one of the fabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than the other fabric layer of the same section of the front panel.

2. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supporting panel having opposed side edges and a body-encircling part having forward side edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein the front panel extends substantially along the height of the garment and comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-hand sections each joined to the body-encircling part, each of said sections comprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the respective lower edges of the fabric layers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of said warp and weft directions, the lower edge of the outer fabric layer of each section each being in substantial alignment with the lower edge of the inner fabric layer of the other section, and one of the fabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than the other fabric layer of the same section of the front panel.

3. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supporting panel having opposed side edges and a body-encircling part having forward side edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein the front panel extends substantially along the height of the garment and comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-hand sections each joined to the body-encircling part, each of said sections comprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the respective lower edges of the fabric layers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of said warp and weft directions, the respective lower edges of the outer fabric layer of each section each being in substantial alignment with the lower edge of the inner fabric layer of the other section, one of the fabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than the other fabric layer of the same section of the front panel, and the lower edge of said other fabric layer having a point of connection with said adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part which is positioned to lie in the vicinity of the groin line of the wearer.

4. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supporting panel having opposed side edges at which such panel is joined to the respective one of the opposed forward side edges of a body-encircling part of two-way stretch characteristic comprising the remainder of the garment and adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, said front abdomen-supporting panel comprising a left-hand section joined to one forward side edge of the body-encircling part and a righthand section symmetrical with said left-hand section and joined to the other forward side edge of the body-encircling part, each of said sections comprising an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer eacn layer containing at least two fabric plies the outermost ply of which is of lightweight not material, each of the plies of each of the fabric layers of the sections being formed of a single piece of textile material which is substantially inextensible in both of the Warp and weft directions thereof and which is folded back upon itself along a vertical folding and seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the left-hand panel section being joined to the ri ht-hand panel seaming along said vertical folding and seaming line, the respective lower edges of the fabric lay ers of each section being oppositely and substantially equally inclined to the horizontal at an inclined angle within the range of 40 to 55, the lower edges of the respective fabric layers of the panel sections each being substantially parallel with one of the Warp and Weft directions thereby to dispose the Warp and weft directions of one fabric layer of each section at said angle within the range of 40 to 55 to the warp and weft directions of the other fabric layer of the same section, the respective lower edges of the outer fabric layer of each section each being substantially aligned with the lower edge of the inner fabric layer of the other section, the inner fabric layer of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of the bodyencircling part over a greater distance than the outer fabric layer of the same section, and the lower edge of the outer fabric layer of each section having a point of connection with the adjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part which is positioned to lie in the vicinity of the groin line of the wearer.

References Liter in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,256 Searles Oct. 21, 1952 2,757,379 Stone Aug. 7, 1956 2,779,023 Lax Jan. 29, 1957 2,875,766 Lobbenberg Mar. 3, 1959 2,966,912 Murdock Jan. 3, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 205,948 Austria Oct. 26, 1959

Claims (1)

1. A FOUNDATION GARMENT FOR WOMEN, COMPRISING A FRONT ABDOMEN-SUPPORTING PANEL HAVING OPPOSED SIDEEDGES AND A BODY-ENCIRCLING PART HAVING FORWARD SIDE EDGES ADAPTED TO PASS AROUND THE BACK OF THE WEARER, WHEREIN THE FRONT PANEL EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE HEIGHT OF THE GARMENT AND COMPRISES MUTUALLY SYMMETRICAL LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND SECTIONS EACH JOINED TO THE BODYENCIRCLING PART, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS COMPRISING AN INNER AND AN OUTER LAYER OF A FABRIC WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE IN BOTH WARP AND WEFT DIRECTIONS, THE FABRIC LAYERS OF ONE SECTION BEING JOINED TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE FABRIC LAYERS OF THE OTHER SECTION ALONG A VERTICAL

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