US3129433A - Ready-made cravat - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1964 J, E. COSGROVE READY-MADE CRAVAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1961 JOHN E. cosaRova INVEXVTOR.

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ORIVEY April 21, 1964 J. E. COSGROVE READY-MADE CRAVAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 11, 1961 JOHN E 6 05 GROVE IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 3,129,433 READY-MADE CRAVAT John E. Cosgrove, Union, N.J., assignor to Foam Products, Inc., Newark, N..l., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 137,201 1 Claim. (Cl. 2150) This invention relates to pre-formed, or ready-made cravats.

Ready-made cravats of the four-in hand class, as presently available, comprise a length of material formed into a slip knot centrally disposed relative to two, overlapping ends of the material. Secured to the knot are metal, plastic, or etc., clips, by means of which the cravat is attached to the shirt collar. Cravats of this class are designed to facilitate the attachment thereof to the collar and the more or less permanent character the knot eliminates objectionable wrinkling of the material thereby obviating the need for frequent ironing, as is the case with conventional cravats.

A cravat made in accordance with this invention offers simplicity and ease of manufacture, provides a substantial saving of material and is of light weight and pleasing appearance. The cravat includes a length of material, in ribbon form, by means of which the cravat is attached to a shirt and which frictionally retains the cravat in proper position. The novel formation of the knot makes it possible to provide a cravat having a knot which presents various color combinations and novel effects.

An object of this invention is the provision of a readymade cravat presenting a novel and pleasing appearance.

An object of this invention is the provision of a readymade cravat formed of a single length of material with a simulated knot formed at one end of the material.

An object of this invention is the provision of a readymade cravat comprising a simulated knot formed of a plurality of materials having different colors, weaves, designs, etc., whereby the knot presents a strikingly contrasting appearance with respect to the material forming the body of the cravat.

An object of this invention is the provision of a readymade cravat having a simulated knot formed at one end of a length of material, and a ribbon of material substantially centrally affixed to the knot, said ribbon of material serving as the means for attachment of the cravat under a shirt collar or the like.

An object of this invention is the provision of a readymade cravat wherein the knot is formed of a plurality of pieces of material disposed in overlapping relationship.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as defining the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a piece of material from which a cravat is to be made in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the ribbon which forms the neck piece of the cravat;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view of the insert piece used for the formation of the knot;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary isometric view drawn to an enlarged scale and showing the first step in the process of making the knot;

' FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary isometric view showing the insert piece in position prior to formation of the simulated knot;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary rear view of the cravat showing the complete knot;

FIGURE 7 is a front view thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a side view thereof;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the arrangement of a plurality of pieces of material for the formation of the knot in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary front view of the completed cravat made in accordance with the FIGURE 9 assembly;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary front view showing a modification of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary side view showing the arrangement of two pieces of material for the formation of a cravat in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary side view of the completed cravat made in accordance with FIGURE 12; and

FIGURE 14 is a front view thereof.

Reference is first made to FIGURES l-3 of the drawings. The numeral 10 identifies a substantially rectangular strip of material to be used for making the cravat. Such material may be cotton, silk, or other textile material and preferably is foamed urethane of suitable thickness, color and density. The numeral 11 identifies the thin strip, or ribbon, of material which forms a neck piece which is adapted for inserting under a shirt collar, thereby to retain the cravat in proper wearing position. The neck piece may also be made of any suitable material, but I prefer to make it of foamed urethane about A thick and wide. The foamed urethane material has a high coefiicient of friction thereby preventing a loosening or twisting of the cravat when once positioned in place by the wearer. However, it is pointed out that the length of the neck piece is such that it substantially encircles the neck of the average individual. Thus, in the case of foamed urethane, the neck piece can be made relatively shorter, whereas in the case of a cotton neck piece the length would be relatively longer. The insert piece 12, FIGURE 3, also preferably is made of foamed urethane or other low density compressible material, and is of generally triangular cross section for reasons which will be explained in detail hereinbelow. Such insert piece provides the necessary body and resiliency to facilitate the formation of the knot while, at the same time, serving to form a knot of a shape which simulates the conventional four-in-hand knot and to retain the knot in such configuration permanently.

In making the cravat, one end of the body material 10 first is folded over upon itself and over the central portion of the neck piece 11, as shown in FIGURE 4. The axial length of the folded-over, front portion 13 depends upon the length desired in the completed knot. The insert piece 12 is then placed into position against the body material 10, as shown in FIGURE 5. The parts conveniently can be held in this relative assembled position by hand. Alternatively, a spot of cement may be applied either to the base of the insert piece 12 or to the body 10 in order to retain the insert piece in position during the actual formation of the knot. The latter operation merely involves folding back the side edges of the folded-over material in a direction away from the front portion 13 (in the direction of the arrows) into abutting engagement along a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the material 10. The width of the insert piece is less than that of the material 10 and the cross sectional area of the insert piece is such that it preferably must be compressed to effect an abutting engagement of the folded-over back side edges of the material, as shown at the point identified by the arrow A in FIGURE 6. These abutting portions of the side edges of the material and the folded-over front portion 13, are held in this relative position and are secured together by a staple 14. Alternatively, these parts may be secured together, at this point, by cement, by sewing with a conventional thread or, in the case of foamed urethane material, by sonic sewing.

It may here be emphasized that FIGURE 6 shows the rear of the knot after the staple has been applied and the finger pressure removed. Because of the resilient character of the insert piece 12, the more or less unconfined upper portion thereof expands substantially to its original size and form whereas that part which is disposed in the region of the staple remains compressed. Further, it will be noted that the staple is applied at a point spaced somewhat from the lower end of the insert piece, such lower end being identified by the numeral for purposes of description. In consequence, the lower portion of the insert piece also expands partially, thereby providing a slight, forward bulge, to the cravat immediately below the knot, which corresponds closely to the similar effect which obtains in the case of the conventional, hand tied knot. Further, it will be apparent that the compression of the insert piece varies progressively from a maximum at the staple to a minimum at the upper end. In consequence, the folded material defining the top edge of the knot is slightly, but nicely, curved and such curve merges into two side curves which, in turn, merge into the generally cylindrical portion at the staple. FIGURES 7 and 8 are, respectively, front and side views of the completed cravat. These figures clearly show the slight curve 16 defining the upper edge of the knot, the side curves 17 which merge into the cylindrical portion 18 and the slight forward bulge 19 immediately below the knot. In short, the described method of making a pre-formed cravat results in an article which is easy to put on and which is of a pleasing appearance. One advantage of making the article out of foamed urethane materials lies in the fact that the cravat is wrinkle-proof, lightweight and washable. Such cravat can be rolled up and carried in the pocket for use as desired. Further, it will be noted that the body of the cravat comprises a single length of material as compared to the overlying two lengths commonly found in pre-formed cravats made heretofore.

The described method of making a preformed cravat lends itself to the making of cravats having the knot portion of various color combinations or novel designs. One such combination is shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. Here, the main body piece 10 may be of a first color, with the end 13 folded over (as in the FIGURE 4 showing) and with the central portion of the neck piece 11 disposed within the fold. A first short piece of material 20, of a second color, and a second short piece of material 21, of a third color, are positioned as shown. The insert piece 12 is then placed into position, it being noted that the insert piece extends somewhat below the lower edge of the end 13. The sides of the assembly are then folded over the insert piece and stapled together, as has been described above. The result is a multi-color band efiect, as shown in FIGURE 10, immediately below the knot, with the front of the knot proper being a continuation of the body material 10.

By utilizing only one separate piece of material, in addition to the body material (rather than the two pieces 20, 21 shown in FIGURE 9), a single, different-colored band is provided immediately below the knot. The extent to which the different-colored band extends below the knot depends upon the extent to which the separate material piece protrudes beyond the end of the foldedover portion of the body material. After the knot has been formed, the extending portion of the separate piece can be cut to a desired contour, as, for example, the triangmlar portion 21 shown in FIGURE 11, thereby providing an added novelty efiect.

Reference now is made to FIGURE 12, wherein there is shown the main body material 10 having an end folded over the neck piece 11. A separate piece of material 22,

of a color or texture different from that of the body material, is then folded oventhe folded-over end of the body material. The insert piece 12 is then cemented or held in position while the side edges of the folded-over assembly are brought over the apex of the insert piece and stapled, or otherwise secured together. This results in the formation of the knot, as already described, and as shown in FIGURES 13 and 14. The extra piece 22 is disposed beneath the body piece and extends a considerable distance below the knot. In such arrangement, an appropriate opening 23 is cut in the main material, either initially or after the knot has been formed. Such opening provides a window through which is visible the different colored or different textured underlying material.

Having now described my invention, various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in this art. Although, in general, it is preferable to have all of the material pieces going into the making of a given cravat of the same width, it will be apparent that various novelty effects can be produced by making the main body material of a width somewhat different from that of the additional pieces of material as used in the FIGURES 9-14 embodiments of the invention, thereby resulting in border effects emphasized by the differences in color, weave and/ or design of the various materials. Also, while I prefer to use an insert piece of substantially triangular cross section, insert pieces of square or rectangular cross section can be used without in any way changing the overall appearance of the knot. The triangular section insert piece more completely fills the upper, rear portion of the completed knot and, therefore, provides a better, more finished appearance to the cravat as a whole. In fact, the insert piece may be omitted, in which case the formed knot has a reduced factor of rigidity when the knot is formed of only two layers of material, as in the FIGURES l-8 embodiments of the invention. However, in the case of the rnulti-layer knots, as shown in the FIGURES 9-14 embodiments of the invention, the omisison of the compressible insert piece does not materially effect the character of the completed knot. These and other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as recited in the following claim.

I claim:

A ready-made cravat comprising,

(a) an elongated neck piece,

(b) a substantially rectangular piece of material having an end folded over the neck piece and upon itself to form a double layer of the material, the folded over portion constituting a front piece of relatively short axial length,

(c) a solid, elongated insert piece of compressible material positioned against the rear surface of the material, said insert piece being coaxial of and substantially coextensive with the said front piece, and

(d) means securing together side portions of the front piece and corresponding side portions of the underlying layer of material at a region proximate to the end of the front piece, the said side portions being folded back to encircle and radially compress the lower portion of the insert piece, thereby forming a substantially cylindrical portion having a lower end defined by the end of the front piece and an upper end which flares outwardly toward the neck piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,933 Henschel Nov. 29, 1887 1,847,294 Collett Mar. 1, 1932 2,427,468 Maxwell Sept. 16, 1947 2,616,088 Sharkey Nov. 4, 1952 3,030,631 Tobias Apr. 24, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 555,614 Belgium Feb. 12, 1960 748,465 Great Britain May 2, 1957

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