US3193844A - Pleated fabric construction - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1965 Fig.1-

J. w. ENG 3,193,844

INVENTOR. W W JESS/E w. s/va ATTO'R/VEYS United States Patent "cc 3,193,844 PLEATED FABRIC CONSTRUCTION Jessie W. Eng, 1811 40th Ave., Oakland, Calif. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,396 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-211) This invention relates to a pleated fabric construction for womens garments such as dresses, skirts and the like.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a pleated material for wearing apparel having a unique construction that will give it some degree of flexibility and elasticity when it is worn so that it can be easily fitted and will readily conform to the desired contour of the wearer.

In conjunction with the aforesaid object, it is another object of my invention to provide a unique pleat construction for garments such as womens blouses and skirts that when combined with fabric material of certain basic color designs will flex and spread apart in a predetermined pattern arrangement to produce an attractive color design effect when being worn. For example, with my invention a pleated skirt can be made having the outward appearance of a single solid color and yet when the skirt is properly fitted normal body movements of the wearer will cause the material to stretch slightly and reveal the normally hidden underpleated areas having another color. As the material is stretched and distorted these underpleated areas produce a unique mottled design effect that is very attractive.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation showing a womens skirt having the pleat construction according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a piece of striped fabric b efore being folded and sewn to form pleats in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 3 is a fagmentary view in perspective showing a typical series of pleats embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the stitch construction in greater detail;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a piece of pleated fabric according to the invention as it appears when the pleats are stretched apart during normal wear.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a womens skirt having a series of pleats or plaits 14 extending entirely around its periphery which are constructed in accordance with the invention. Although I have shown my pleat construction utilized on a skirt this is for illustrative purposes only because it is the type of garment on which the invention can be used. However it should be understood that in a broader sense the invention may be readily applied to other types of garments as well such as shirts and blouses.

In forming my pleat construction a single piece of any suitable fabric material may be utilized. However, in order to fully exploit the unique design effect that can be achieved when my pleated material is stretched during use, it is preferable that the material used have a multicolor design. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the piece of material 11 has a series of stripes 12 and 13 of alternating colors as indicated by the shading. When this piece of material 11 is sewn together to form pleats, only one series of stripes will be visible, so that in the unstretched condition the garment will appear to have a uniform color.

In FIG. 3 the piece of material 11 is shown after being sewn together in accordance with the principles of the 3,193,844 Patented July 13, 1965 invention to form a series of pleats 14. In forming these pleats the alternate stripes 12 are folded together along a crease 15 formed along their center line. If a plain colored cloth is used, the necessary folds can merely be made at even intervals. The unfolded stripes 13 or portions between the folded portions 12 are the ones that are normally exposed and thus form the exterior pattern on the pleated fabric of the finished garment. After the folds on the stripes or sections 12 are made the adjacent exposed stripes 13 are then connected together but only at predetermined intervals by evenly spaced apart stitches 16. These intermittent stitch connections are preferably formed by a thread 17 that extends the length of the pleat and lies on the underside of each stripe portion 13 adjacent and parallel to one edge thereof. The stitch construction 16 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. From the outside of the garment the thread 17 and the connecting stitches 16 are completely hidden and remain invisible even when the garment is stretched.

An important feature of the invention is the spacing and location of these tie-down stitches 16. On adjacent plates the stitches are spaced the same distance apart but are offset so they are not in alignment horizontally. Consequently when the pleated fabric is caused to be stretched apart as shown in FIG. 5, a series of spaced apart pockets 13 are formed which exposes portions of the differently colored interior stripes 12. The overall effect is a highly attractive multi colored pattern.

The foregoing pleat construction can be made either by hand or by a machine stitching operation wherein the stitches will be made at predetermined spaced apart intervals as the material is advanced through the machine.

When applied to particular garments such as the skirt 10, the pleats 14 can be formed completely around the skirt or only at predetermined locations on the sides or at any other locations in any desired combination. The overall effect of the pleats is to give the garment a unique living effect as well as to afford added comfort due to the elasticity provided.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and Widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. In a garment for women, a pleat construction comprising: a series of spaced apart longitudinal first portions each being folded together along their longitudinal center line; second unfolded longitudinal portions separating said first portions and having a different color than said first portions; and thread stitches connecting said first and second portions together at predetermined evenly spaced apart intervals along a line coincident with the outer edge of said first portions and along one side edge of said second portions, said thread stitches being laterally offset from a line generally perpendicular to the pleats on adjacent pleats, but being in alignment with a said perpendicular line on alternate pleats in a series, whereby when the garment is stretched, the pleats spread apart to form a plurality of open pockets revealing said first longitudinal portions having a different color.

2. The garment construction as described in claim 1 including a thread for forming said thread stitches extending longitudinally underneath and along one edge of each of said second longitudinal portions.

3. A pleated skirt for women having a large plurality of relatively narrow pleats and comprising: a series of spaced apart longitudinal first portions each being folded together along their longitudinal center line and normally than said first ,portions; and means extending longitudinally undersaid' second portions along one ."edge thereof and forming stitches forrconnecting said first and second portions together atpredetermind evenly spaced apart intervals alonga line coincident with the outer edge of e 7 said first portions, said thread stitches being laterally oifset from aline generally perpendicular to the-pleatson adjaa series o'f spaced apart longitudinally extendinglfirst portions, each being folded together along their 1on gitudinal center line;-

at least an equal number'of longitudinally extending second portions interconnecting said first portions along continuous longitudinal foldlines;

and means for connecting adjacent second portions on opposite sides of each first iportion together at preidetermined"longitudinally" spaced apart intervals along the continuous fold lines of each first portion, said latter means occurring at laterally oifset locations on adjacent pleats.

. cent pleats but being in alignment with a said perpendicu- 10 lirline-on alternate pleats in a series, whereby when the f V -R t Cited byjtheiExaminel-r s irt is stretched the 'pleatsspreadapart to form a lurality of open pockets revealing said first longitudinal I ED STATES PAlgNTS portions having a dififerent'color. g a 72,424,398 7/47 Koret 2-211 4;" A pleat construction'for an article of clothing-corn- 5; 2,646,571 7/53 Terry '2211 prising: g g 2,916,741 12/59 'Weiser; 221l f JORDAN FRANKLIN; Prim y Examiner:

Claims (1)

1. IN A GARMENT FOR WOMEN, A PLEAT CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: A SERIES OF SPACED APART LONGITUDINAL FIRST PORTIONS EACH BEING FOLDED TOGETHER ALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE; SECOND UNFOLDED LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS SEPARATING SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND HAVING A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN SAID FIRST PORTIONS; AND THREAD STITCHES CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS TOGETHER AT PREDETERMINED EVENLY SPACED APART INTERVALS ALONG A LINE COINCIDENT WITH THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND ALONG ONE SIDE EDGE OF SAID SECOND PORTIONS, SAID THREAD STITCHES BEING LATERALLY OFFSET FROM A LINE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLEATS ON ADJACENT PLEATS, BUT BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH A SAID PERPENDICULAR LINE ON ALTERNATE PLEATS IN A SERIES, WHEREBY WHEN THE GARMENT IS STRETCHED, THE PLEATS SPREAD APART TO FORM A PLURALITY OF OPEN POCKETS REVEALING SAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS HAVING A DIFFERENT COLOR.

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