US3120848A

US3120848A - Brassiere

Info

Publication number: US3120848A
Application number: US268922A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gertrude R Seperack
Original assignee: Warner Brothers Co
Current assignee: Warner Brothers Co
Priority date: 1963-03-29
Filing date: 1963-03-29
Publication date: 1964-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-11
Also published as: GB994333A; CH410824A; DE1891403U; BE645494A; DE1435974A1

Description

Feb. 11, 1964 G. R. SEPERACK BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed March 29, 1965 Feb. 11, 1964 G. R. SEPERACK BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1963 FIGS.

United States Patent 3,126,848 BRASSIERE Gertrude ll. Seperaeir, Bridgeport, Conn, assiguor to The llarncr Brothers Company, Bridgeport, (Conn, a corporation of Qonnecticut Filed Mar. 29, 1953, Ser. No. 258322 in Claims. (Cl. 123-516) This a plication relates to brassieres, and is particularly concerned with the provision of a novel and improved brass-lore for Wear with a wide variety of attire.

It is customary in many types of brassieres to provide the brassiere with straps attached at the front of the brassiere at a point over the breast supporting pocket and extending over the shoulder of the wearer to a point on the back of the brassiere. Such straps are usually provided with some form of an adjusting means whereby the length of the straps may be adjusted to meet the requirements of the wearer and, at the same time, provide the required support. One of the dificulties with such an arrangement is that the straps must be worn in a rela tively fixed position on the shoulder. In addition, the adjusting means often forms a bulge or protuberance which is apparent through the outer garments worn over the brassiere. While such brassieres are extensively used, their use is somewhat limited by the type of outer garments being worn. For example, where the outer garments to be worn have wide, open necks, it is usually necessary to resort to brassieres with other means of support. Such brassieres may not be as comfortable and may not provide the type of support desired. in any event, a special brassiere is required for opened neck garmerits.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a brassiere having shoulder straps which may be worn in the conventional manner with normal attire and, also, with opened neck garments.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a brassiere in which the shoulder straps may be worn in a variety of positions without changing support properties or appearance.

A still further object is to provide such a brassiere in which the shoulder straps are self-adjusting thereby eliminating bulging adjustable attachments.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the following description and appended drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a front view of the brassiere of the instant invention with the back portion brought around into the plane of the front portion;

PEG. 2 is a front view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the brassiere as it would appear on the wearer; and

PEG. 3 is a rear view showing the back of the brassiere on the wearer.

The brassiere of the instant invention includes front panels 2, 4, joined at their abutting edges, such as, by a stitched scam 6. Each of the panels 2, 4 has a breast supporting cup composed of a lower supporting panel 8 and a top panel ll), the supporting panel 8 and top panel ill being joined to each other, such as, by stitched seam l2, and to the front panel by stitched seam id. The foregoing structure has been described for purposes of illustration. it is to be understood that the construction of the front panels and breast supporting cups may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

At their remote ends, front panels 2, d are joined, respectively, such as, by a stitched seam 16, to back panels 18, 2b, the front panel and back panel being narrow adjacent scam in and widening outward to accommodate the arm of the wearer. At their free ends, back panels 3,1263% Patented Feb. 11, 1964 18, 20 are provided with fastening means comprised of hooks 22 at the free end of panel 18 and eyes 24 at the free end of panel 24 Hooks 22 on panel 18 are carried on a reinforcing tape 26 connected, as by stitching, to the end of the panel. Eyes 24, of which there are two sets for purposes of adjustment, are likewise carried on a reinforcing tape 28 connected, as by stitching, to the free end of panel 26 tape 28 extending outward from the end of the panel and beyond eyes 24, forming a pad between the hooks and eyes and the body of the wearer.

As has been noted above, the front and back panels are narrowed, adjacent the point where they are joined, to accommodate the arm of the wearer. Both panels widen or extend upward on either side of the joining seam, the back panel being widest at a point intermediate its joined' and free ends. From its widest point, the back panels 13, 20, narrow along an arcuate path to the free end of the panel. Front panels 2, 4 are widest at a point intermediate the ends where the panels are connected to back panels 18, Ell, respectively, and where they are joined, the widest point occurring in the top panel ill of breast supporting cups 3. From their widest points, top panels Ell narrow along a line to the point where front panels 2, 4 and the top panels 19 of cups 8 are joined. The upper edges of top panels iii form a V, the legs of which extend upwardly and outwardly from the point where the front panels 2, 4 and top panels 10 are joined.

Straps Ell, 32 are connected along their sides to the top panels ill of front panels 2, 4, respectively, along the upwardly and outwardly ending legs of the V formed by the upper edges of top panels Iii. At their opposite ends, straps 3h, 32 are connected along their sides to the arcuate extending edges of back panels 18, 2b, the connection between the straps and the back panels extending from the widest point of the back panels to the free ends along the arcuate edges of the panels. Straps 3Q, 32 may be separate members or may be a single continuous memher, in the latter case a suitable dart may be sewed into the strap to permit the strap to be connected to top panels iii.

In the brassiere of the instant invention, straps 3t 32 are elastic in their longitudinal direction and back panels 18, Eli are elastic at least in a direction extending from

front panels

22, 4 to the free end of the back panels. Preferably, back panels 13, 2d are also elastic in the transverse direction. Thus, the back panel is wholly or partially elastic in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1 and, preferably also in the direction of arrows 36. Straps 3d, 32 are elastic at least in the direction of the arrows As best shown in FIG. 1, straps 3t 32 are connected to top panels 10 and back panels 18, Ztl, respectively, in such a manner that approximately one-half of the strap width is connected to and becomes an integral part of the panels, the other half of the elastic strap being free to stretch. Hence, over the top of the breast supporting cup where one-half of the strap width is connected to panel 10, at least the remaining one-half width which is not directly connected to the panel retains its original elasticity. Although one half of the strap width is connected to the back panel, due to the elasticity of the back panel, both the connected one-half width and the free one-half width are elastic.

Straps 3t), 32 may be of one continuous piece, but may be of a plurality of elastic pieces joined and interconnected at spaced points in a single strap. As best shown in FIG. 1, the strap is comprised of a first elastic member 49, and a second elastic member .2., the elastic members being interconnected and joined at spaced points by loose stitches 44. By this construction each elastic member can be stretched Within limits without buckling or puckering the other elastic members.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the brassiere of the instant invention may be worn by the wearer with the straps 3t 32 at the outer edge of the shoulder or, as shown in dotted lines, with the straps over the shoulder or at any point therebetween. With closed neck attire, the straps may be placed over the shoulders in the dotted line position of FIG. 2 or 3, or with open front, open neck attire, the straps may be positioned outwardly at the ends of the shoulders. In either position the brassiere of the instant invention may be worn with comfort and without sacrifice of support or adjustment of the straps. Due to the elasticity of the straps and the manner in which the straps are attached to the top panels of the breast supporting cups and the elastic back panel, the relative location of the straps on the shoulder may be selected to accommodate the configuration in the neck line of the outer attire or garments.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a brassiere having a pair of front panels and a pair of back panels, said panels joining to form a body encircling band, the improvement comprising, a breastreceiving cup in each of said front panels, each of said breast-receiving cups having a top portion extending upwardly of said front panel, the top portions being joined intermediate said cups with the upper edge of said joined top ortions forming a V extending upwardly and outwardly from the point where said top portions join, and a pair of elastic shoulder straps fixedly interconnected and joined to each other at one of their ends intermediate said cups and connected at their opposite ends to said back panels, said elastic straps extending away from their point of interconnectionand along one of the legs of said V, each strap being connected and joined along one side edge to the upper edge of one of the top portions along the leg of the V formed by such portion, each of said straps intermediate said connection to said top portion and said connection to said back panels being spaced from said top portion and said back panels to form therebetween an opening for receiving the wearers arm.

2. In a brassiere as recited in claim 1 in which said straps comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic portions interconected at spaced points intermediate their-ends.

3. In a brassiere as recited in claim 2 in which one of said longitudinally extending portions is connected at its opposite ends to said breast receiving cups and said back panels, respectively.

4. In a brassiere having a pair of front panels and a pair of back panels, said panels joining to form a body encircling band, the improvement comprising, a breastreceiving cup in each of said front panels, each of said breast-receiving cups having a top portion extending upwardly of said front panel, the top portions being joined intermediate said cups with the upper edge of said joined top portions forming a V extending upwardly and outwardly from the point where said top portions join, and'a pair of elastic shoulder straps fixedly interconnected and joined to each other at one of their ends intermediate said cups and connected at their opposite ends to said back panels, said elastic straps extending away from their point of interconnection and along one of the legs of said V, each strap being connected and joined along one side edge to the upper edge of one of the top portions along the leg of the V formed by such portion and extending from said joined edge above and along the leg of said V, each of said straps intermediate said edge connected to said breast receiving cup and said edge connected to said back panels being spaced from said front and back panels to form therebetween an open-' ing for receiving the wearers arm. I v v 5. In a brassier'e as recited in claim 4- in which said straps comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic portions interconnected at spaced points intermediate their ends.

6. In a bras siere as recited in claim 5 in which one of said longitudinally extending portions is connected at its opposite ends to said breast receiving cups and said back panels, respectively.

7. In a brassiere having a pair of front panels and a pair of back panels, said front panels being joined at one of their ends to each other and at their opposite ends to one end of one of said back panels, and a connector for interconnecting the opposite ends of said back panels to each other, said front panels and said back panels when said back panels are interconnected forming a body encircling band, the improvement comprising, a breast receiving cup in each of said front panels, each of said breast receiving cups having a top panel extending upward from said front panel and joining intermediate said cups with the upper edge of said joined top panels forming a V extending upwardly from said front panel and outwardly from the point Where said top panels join and a pair of elastic shoulder straps fixedly interconnected and joined to each other at one of their ends intermediate said cups, said elastic straps at their interconnected and joined ends each extending away from the point where said straps are interconnected and joined and along one of the legs of said V, each strap being connected and joined along one side edge to the upper edge of one of the top panels along the leg of the V formed by such panel and connected and joined along one edge at its opposite end to the upper edge of one of said back panels, said back panels being at least partially elastic and said connection to said back panel along said one edge at the opposite end of said strap being elastic.

8. In a brassiere as recited in claim 7 in which said strap intermediate said conn ction to said top panels and said connection at its opposite end to the edge of said back panels forms an opening for receiving the wearers arm.

9. In a brassiere as recited in claim 8 in which said strap comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic portions interconnected at spaced points intermediate their ends.

10. In a brassiere as recited in claim 9 in which one of said longitudinally extending portions is connected at its opposite ends to said top panel and said back panel, respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,202,058 Malnick May 28, 1940 2,472,765 Shulman June 7, 1949 2,628,357 Sider Feb. 17, 1953 2,949,916 Praveza Aug. 23, 1960 3,066,676 Kaupp Dec. 4, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 663,283 France Apr. 8, 1929

Claims

1. IN A BRASSIERE HAVING A PAIR OF FRONT PANELS AND A PAIR OF BACK PANELS, SAID PANELS JOINING TO FORM A BODY ENCIRCLING BAND, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A BREASTRECEIVING CUP IN EACH OF SAID FRONT PANELS, EACH OF SAID BREAST-RECEIVING CUPS HAVING A TOP PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF SAID FRONT PANEL, THE TOP PORTIONS BEING JOINED INTERMEDIATE SAID CUPS WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID JOINED TOP PORTIONS FORMING A V EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM THE POINT WHERE SAID TOP PORTIONS JOIN, AND A PAIR OF ELASTIC SHOULDER STRAPS FIXEDLY INTERCONNECTED AND JOINED TO EACH OTHER AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS INTERMEDIATE SAID CUPS AND CONNECTED AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID BACK PANELS, SAID ELASTIC STRAPS EXTENDING AWAY FROM THEIR POINT OF INTERCONNECTION AND ALONG ONE OF THE LEGS OF SAID V, EACH STRAP BEING CONNECTED AND JOINED ALONG ONE SIDE EDGE TO THE UPPER EDGE OF ONE OF THE TOP PORTIONS ALONG THE LEG OF THE V FORMED BY SUCH PORTION, EACH OF SAID STRAPS INTERMEDIATE SAID CONNECTION TO SAID TOP PORTION AND SAID CONNECTION TO SAID BACK PANELS BEING SPACED FROM SAID TOP PORTION AND SAID BACK PANELS TO FORM THEREBETWEEN AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING THE WEARER''S ARM.