US3271783A - Trouser and belt loop arrangement - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 13, 1966 c. R. MALLETT ETAL 3, ,7

TROUSER AND BELT LOOP ARRANGEMENT Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 13, 1966 c. R. MALLETT ETAL 3,271,783

TROUSER AND BELT LOOP ARRANGEMENT Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJB United States Fatent ice 3,271 783 TROUSER AND BELT LOOP ARRANGEMENT Charles R. Mallett, P.O. Box 483, Raceland, La., and Coy F. Glenn, P.O. Box 58, Amory, Miss. Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,591 2 Claims. (Cl. 2236) This invention generally relates to novel trousers construction. More particularly, this invention relates to a type of construction adjacent the waistband area of trousers which permits the trousers to be worn with or without a belt, at the owners option.

There are two general styles of pants Worn by boys and young men these days. The first style is generally known as Ivy-League trousers and such trousers contain a plurality of exposed belt loops positioned at spaced intervals around the outside of the waistband that are adapted to receive a belt. The other style of trousers, usually referred to as Continental trousers, do not have any exposed belt loops and are worn without a belt. The Continental style trousers are sometimes provided with some sort of elastic ten-sioning means adjacent the inner side of the waistband (e.g. Daks).

The popularity of both of these different styles of trousers usually means that a retailer must stock both styles in each of the various waist sizes and lengths. In effect then, many retailers can only stock about half the variety of colors and patterns that they would like to because they must duplicate every pattern and color in the two different styles. The end result is that in an effort to increase sales by satisfying all customer tastes as to pants with belt loops or without loops, the retailer may lose sales because he does not have a sufiicient variety of colors or patterns. Wholesalers and trouser manufacturers suffer from the same sort of problem.

From. the purchasers point of view the two different styles also present a problem. In other words, many young men feel that the Ivy League style of pants (used with a belt) is appropriate for certain occasions and activities while the Continental style (without a belt) is more appropriate for other occasions and activities. Boys and young men having a limited amount of money to spend on clothes must therefore choose between the tw styles when purchasing trousers.

The term trousers as used in the description and claims is intended to encompass not only the usual type of long pants worn by men and boys, but also the slacks, shorts, bermudas, pedal pushers, and the like that are frequently worn by boys, girls, men and women.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages to retailers and purchasers by providing retailers with trousers which can be readily modified by the purchaser so that one pair of trousers can function as either Continental style trousers or Ivy-League style trousers, or in other words so that the trousers can be worn without a belt or with a belt. Numerous other objects and advantages will be readily apparent after reading the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGURE I1 is a fragmentary exterior view of a pair of trousers showing the waistband area;

FIGURE 2 is a view along 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view along 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view the same as FIGURE 3, but after being engaged with a belt loop member;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are perspective views of two embodiments of belt loop members useful in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary interior view of a pair of trousers showing the interior of the waistband area;

FIGURE 8 is a View along 88 of FIGURE 7;

3,271,783 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 FIGURE 9 is the same as FIGURE 8, but with another type of belt loop engaged therewith;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary exterior view of a different trouser construction showing the waistband area;

FIGURES 1'1 and '12 are views along 1111 and 12-12 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a cross sectional view of another type of waistband construction in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13, but with a belt loop therein;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary interior View of a pair of trousers showing a different construction on the interior of the waistband;

FIGURE 16 is a view along 1616 of FIGURE 15.

Considered from one aspect, the present invention relates to trousers that can be used with or without a belt and comprising in combination:

(a) A waistband section disposed circumferentially around the uppermost portion of said trousers,

(b) The lower circumferential portion of said waist band section being joined to the upper edge portion of the main body of the trouser material by stitching that is disposed along a generally circumferential seam line,

(c) Said circumferential seam line being interrupted at spaced apart intervals to provide a plurality of exteriorly accessible openings,

(d) Said openings being wide enough to accommodate a belt loop member.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a fragmentary exterior view of a pair of pants consisting of a waistband portion 20 and the main body portion 22 of the trousers. As seen in FIGURE 1 the waistband section 20 can be generally defined by upper circumferential line 24 and lower circumferential line 26.

FIGURE 2 is a view along 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and illustrates one possible construction of a waistband section. (There are many, many possible ways of constructing waistbands.) In FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the upper circumferential line 24 is actually defined by (or formed by) a folded over piece of material, the lower interior end 28 of which is stitched at 30 to a piece of material 32, the lower end of this piece of material 32 also being stitched at 34 to the main body portion 22 of the trousers.

It will also be seen that the lower circumferential line 26 is actually a folded over layer of material that is stitched at 36 to the main body portion 22 of the trousers. The stitching 36 shown in FIGURE 2 is not visible in FIGURE 1 (because it is behind the folded portion) and the location of the stitching 36 has been indicated by the brackets A and B in FIGURE 1. It will be observed that there is a gap in the stitching between the brackets A and B and this gap is left there for a specific purpose which will be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, which is a view along 33 of FIGURE 1, it will be observed that the absence of a seam or stitching between the brackets A and B in FIGURE 1 results in a gap or unsewn area which amounts to an exteriorly accessible opening 40', which is clearly indicated in sideview in FIGURE 3. This exteriorly accessible opening 40 is quite important to this invention, as will be more apparent in FIGURE 4. Actually, the daylight provided by the opening 40 as depicted in FIGURE 3 is somewhat exaggerated because the fold of material 42 would probably actually press lightly against main body of the trouser portion 22 most of the time.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, there is shown a novel belt loop member in accordance with this invention. It is seen that this belt loop member essentially comprises an elongated strip of cloth material that has been folded over upon itself at approximately its midpoint so that it forms a loop hole or belt hole 44. The remaining portions of the folded over elongated strip (as approximately indicated by bracket C) can then be sewn together to form a unitary strip 46 of double thickness. This unitary strip 46 can be made to have substantial rigidity in and of itself, but additional rigidity can be imparted thereto in a number of different ways. For example, the section encompassed by bracket C can be impregnated with a thermosetting resin and the resin then hardened so that strip 46 becomes very stiff. Alternatively, a separate stiffening member such as Celluloid, or a strip of plastic (such as are used in collar stays) or the like can be sewn between the two layers of fabric within the bracketed area C to impart rigidity and stiffness to this section. Other ways of achieving stiffness in section 46 will be obvious to those skilled in this art.

Alternatively, instead of sewing two portions of an elongated strip together in the manner shown in FIGURE 5, the elongated strip would be made shorter and the very end of the loop portion could be embedded in a mass of plastic material 52, as is illustrated in FIGURE 6. In FIGURE 6 it will be seen that the loop hole or belt hole 44 is formed by a folded over elongated strip of material 48 and the shortened ends 50 of this strip embedded in plastic material 52. The plastic material then functions in the same manner as section 46 of FIGURE 5.

' Referring back now to FIGURE 4 the utility of a belt loop member such as is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 will be more apparent. Here it will be seen that the stiffened member 46 (or 52) is inserted upwardly through the exteriorly accessible opening 40 (shown in FIGURE 3). The loophole or belt hole 44 then remains on the outside of the waistband and can receive a belt, while the stiffer section 46 is housed within the waistband section. The fact that section 46 is stiff serves to keep it from being inadvertently or accidentally dislodged from the Waistband area during the ordinary course of use.

FIGURE 7 is analogous to the view along 77 of FIGURE 2. The seam or stitching indicated by brackets D and E correspond to the stitching 30 of FIGURES 2-4, the only difference being that in the particular embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 there is a gap (indicated by G) in the seam or stitching in the area between brackets D and E.

The effect of leaving a gap as indicated by G in FIG- URE 7 is evident from FIGURE 8 which is a view along 88 of FIGURE 7. In FIGURE 8 it will be seen that the gap G results in an interiorly accessible opening indicated by the arrow 50 and, as is further indicated by FIGURE 9, this opening 50 is adapted to receive the upper stiffened end portion 52 of a belt loop member 54. It will thus be seen that if the upper stiffened end 52 of a belt loop member 54 is inserted into the interiorly accessible opening 50 formed in accordance with FIGURES 7 and 8, and if the lower stiffened end 56 of belt loop member 54 is inserted through an exteriorly accessible opening (such as 58 shown in FIGURE 8 and which has been formed in the manner as set forth with regard to FIGURE 1-4) the belt loop member can be thus engaged in the waist-band area so as to form a loophole or belt hole 60, as is indicated in FIGURE 9.

In other words, in the embodiment of FIGURES 7-9 the belt loop member consists of two stiffened end portions and an intermediate unstiffened portion which is adapted to receive a belt passed through the loophole 60-. The ends 52. and 56 of the belt loop member may be stiffened in any desirable manner, as for example by heavy stitching, by impregnation with plastic material, or by the incorporation or insertion of stiffening members within the ends of the belt loop member, or by equivalent means.

FIGURES -12 illustrate still another embodiment of the invention. In these figures, it will be seen that the upper portion of the trousers expose or present three circumferential lines. Specifically, circumferential line 62 is a result of the upper fold in the strip of material 64, while the circumferential line 66 and the lower circumferential line 68 are the result of upper and lower folds respectively in section 70. Circumferential lines 66 and 68 can be considered as defining the waistband section.

The seam or stitching '72 is continuous in a circumferential manner except for spaced gaps as indicated by the bracket H (between brackets J and K). Likewise, the stitching 74 is continuous in a circumferential manner except for gaps within the area indicated by bracket M (which is between the brackets L and N). FIGURE 12 illustrates how a belt loop member having two stiffened end portions 82 and 84 may be inserted downwardly and upwardly respectively through the exteriorly accessible openings provided by gaps H and M. The result is a belt loop member fixed in place and having a loophole 86, as shown in FIGURE 12, yet which can be readily either inserted or removed from the waistband area.

FIGURES l3 and 14 illustrate still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment (see FIGURE 13) an exteriorly accessible opening adjacent the lower end of the waistband area is formed as indicated by the arrow 90.

Immediately back of this exteriorly accessible opening there is provided an interiorly accessible opening in the form of a button hole or the like 92, which is preferably stitched around its periphery to give long wear (e.g. see 92A in FIGURE 15). If a belt loop member 94 having a lower stiffened end portion 96 is inserted through exteriorly accessible opening 90 and then through opening 9.2, it will pass completely through the waistband section. As shown, the belt loop member 94, and particularly its lower stiffened extension 96 is provided with a female socket gripping member 98 near the end thereof. The backside 100 of the waistband section is likewise provided with a similar female socket gripping member 102. The upper end of the belt loop member 94 is then provided with two male gripping members 101 and 103 which are adapted to engage the female gripping members 98 and 102 respectively. With a construction of this sort a belt loop member is provided which can be quickly and readily inserted in place in a waistband section and which can be removed entirely from the trousers when desired. The lower end section 96 of belt loop member 94 is stiffened in order to facilitate insertion of the lower end through the openings 90 and 9.2. Under some circumstances it may be permissible to omit this stiffened portion. Stiffening may be accomplished in the same manner as described previously, that is by thermoplastic impregnation and subsequent hardening; by inserting a stiffened member therein, or in any of a number of ways which are readily apparent to those skilled in this art.

FIGURES l5 and 16 illustrates still another embodiment of the present invention. FIGURE 15 represents the view that one would see when viewing FIGURE 13 along lines 15-15 with the exception that an S-shaped hooker-gripper element has been affixed to the backside of the waistband section. The hooker-gripper element 110 has an upper arm or extension 112 and a lower arm or extension 114. The intermediate section 116 of element 110 is shown as being provided with two holes 118 which facilitate sewing (or otherwise fastening) the element 110 to the backside 120 by means of stitching 122 (see FIG. 16). A buttonhole type of opening 92a is located immediately below hooker-gripper element 110. As is perhaps best seen in FIGURE 16 the hooker-gripper element 110 serves the function of hooking or gripping opposite ends of a belt loop member 124. As shown, the belt loop member 124 has end loops 126 and 128 provided in each end thereof; end loop 126 engaging arm 112 and end loop 128 engaging arm 114. It will be seen that a belt loop member of this sort can be quickly fixed in "aavrf'rs s place or quickly detached from the waistband area when not needed. In order to facilitate passage of one end of the belt loop member 124 through the exteriorly accessible opening 90A and then the opening 92A it is preferable to stiffen one end thereof to at least a slight extent. As explained previously, this stiffening may be accomplished in a number of ways such as by plastic impregnation, heavy stitching, insertion of a stiffening member, etc.

From the foregoing description of the various possible embodiments shown in the drawing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates the use of a belt loop member adjacent the waistband area of a pair of trousers, said belt loop member being capable of being quickly fixed in place adjacent the waistband area and then quickly removed therefrom when not needed. A further important feature of the present invention is that the means employed for fixing the belt loop member in place are not exposed to view when the wearer does not wish to have the belt loop members attached to the waistband area. It is believed that this concept is unique in the trousers industry and represents a very worthwhile invention which will find great acceptance in the trouser industry.

Since the belt loop members of this invention are all completely detachable and disengageable from the waistband area, as opposed to having either one or both ends sewn to a portion of the waistband area, the belt loop members can be separately treated insofar as both the seller and purchaser are concerned. In other words, the wearer can detach the belt loops for cleaning and washing at any time and also the wearer is able to wear belt loop members having different colors and patterns of material with a given pair of pants, should he so desire. This permits considerable variation in individual styling and taste. This invention contemplates that belt loop members might well be sold in separate kits or packages. The belt loop members could be sold in various lengths in order to fit over the varying widths of belts that purchasers might wish to use with their trousers.

Since an important feature of the previously described embodiments is the insertion of one end of a completely separate belt loop member through an exteriorly accessible opening in the lower circumferential seam line of a waistband section, it is contemplated that due to frequent insertion and removal of the belt loop member this area will be subject to more than ordinary wear. In order to minimize the effects of this wear it is contemplated that one' or more reinforcing strips can be sewn or otherwise attached interiorly to the area surrounding said opening. A number of tough and durable fabrics are available for this purpose and their appearance is not of great importance since they are not exposed to view.

It is thus seen that the present invention permits one to use trousers either with a belt or without a belt, or to change back and forth between these two choices with a minimum of difficulty and without sacrificing anything insofar as the appearance of the trousers is concerned. This invention enables clothing stores to avoid the necessity of carrying larger stocks merely in order to satisfy differing customer tastes for belt loops.

As noted earlier, this invention is also applicable to womens slacks, or boys short pants, or Bermuda shorts or on any garment where a belt might be preferred by some purchasers and not by others.

In conclusion, while there has been illustrated and described some preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that since the various details of com struction may obviously be varied considerably without really departing from the basic principles and teachings of this invention, we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is specifically 6 What is claimed is: 1. Trousers that can be used both with and without a belt comprising in combination:

(a) a waistband section secured to the uppermost por- 5 tion of said trousers, said waistband section being defined by at least two layers of material.

(b) the lower circumferential portion of said waistband section being joined to the upper edge portion of the main body of the trouser material by stitching that is disposed along a generally circumferential seam line,

(c) the circumferential seam line holding the lower edge of the outermost layer of said waistband in place being interrupted at spaced apart intervals thus providing a plurality of exteriorly accessible openings,

(d) said openings being wide enough to accommodate a belt loop member,

(e) a plurality of removable belt loop members located at spaced intervals around said waistband section,

(f) said belt loop members being associated with the waistband section in a non-permanent manner so that each belt loop can be associated with and removed from said waistband section in a matter of seconds,

(g) each belt loop member comprising (1) a closed loop portion consisting solely of layers of textile material and (2) an elongated stiff portion attached to said closed loop portion,

(h) the elongated stiff portions of said belt loops extending inwardly and upwardly through said plurality of exteriorly accessible openings so that they remain positioned under the outer layer of cloth forming said waistband section,

(i) the closed loop portions of said belt loops extending upwardly from said exteriorly accessible openings on the outside of said waistband in a position generally parallel to said elongated stiff portions and separated therefrom by the outer layer of cloth forming said Waistband.

2. Trousers that can be used both with and without a belt and comprising in combination:

(a) a waistband section secured to the uppermost portion of said trousers, said waistband section being defined by at least two layers of material,

(b) the lower circumferential portion of said waistband section being joined to the upper edge portion of the main body of the trouser material by stitching that is disposed along a generally circumferential seam line,

(c) the circumferential seam line holding the lower edge of the outermost layer of said waistband in place being interrupted at spaced apart intervals to provide a plurality of exteriorly accessible openings,

(d) the innermost layer of said waistband section containing a plurality of interior openings that are aligned with said plurality of exteriorly accessible openings,

(e) said aligned pairs of openings being wide enough to accommodate a belt loop member,

(f) a plurality of removable belt loop members disposed at spaced intervals around said waistband section,

(g) each belt loop member comprising an intermediate loop portion consisting solely of layers of textile material, the exterior layer of which is visible when a belt is worn with the trousers, and upper and lower end portions which are not visible when a belt is worn with the trousers,

(h) the lower end portion of each belt loop extending inwardly to the interior of the waistband through one of said pairs of exteriorly accessible aligned openings,

(i) the upper end portion of each belt loop extending over the top of the waistband section,

(j) said lower end portion and said upper end por- 75 tion being provided with cooperating fastening means 7 8 to attach said two portions together adjacent the 1,196,224 8/ 1916 Fleming 2--236 interior of said Waistband. 2,142,288 1/ 1939 Schaefer 2--236 2,264,972 12/1941 Greenberg 2-271 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Przmary Examiner.

403,220 5/1889 Sanders 2 271 X ROBERT SLOAN Examine- 85 O,534 4/1907 Longeneelger 2.236 A. R. GUEST, Anvistqlgt Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. TROUSERS THAT CAN BE USED BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT A BELT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A WAISTBAND SECTION SECURED TO THE UPPERMOST PORTION OF SAID TROUSERS, SAID WAISTBAND SECTION BEING DEFINED BY AT LEAST TWO LAYERS OF MATERIAL, (B) THE LOWER CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTION OF SAID WAISTBAND SECTION BEING JOINED TO THE UPPER EDGE PORTION OF THE MAIN BODY OF THE TROUSER MATERIAL BY STITCHING THAT IS DISPOSED ALONG A GENERALLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAM LINE, (C) THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAM LINE HOLDING THE LOWER EDGE OF THE OUTERMOST LAYER OF SAID WAISTBAND IN PLACE BEING INTERRUPTED AT SPACED APART INTERVALS THUS PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF EXTERIORLY ACCESSIBLE OPENINGS, (D) SAID OPENINGS BEING WIDE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE A BELT LOOP MEMBER, (E) A PLURALITY OF REMOVABLE BELT LOOP MEMBERS LOCATED AT SPACED INTERVALS AROUND SAID WAISTBAND SECTION (F) SAID BELT LOOP MEMBERS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAISTBAND SECTION IN A NON-PERMANENT MANNER SO THAT EACH BELT LOOP CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH AND REMOVED FROM SAID WAISTBAND SECTION IN A MANNER OF SECONDS, (G) EACH BELT LOOP MEMBER COMPRISING (1) A CLOSED LOOP PORTION CONSISTING SOLELY OF LAYERS OF TEXTILE MATERIAL AND (2) AN ELONGATED STIFF PORTION ATTACHED TO SAID CLOSED LOOP PORTION, (H) THE ELONGATED STIFF PORTIONS OF SAID BELT LOOPS EXTENDING INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID PLURALITY OF EXTERIORLY ACCESSIBLE OPENINGS SO THAT THEY REMAIN POSITIONED UNDER THE OUTER LAYER OF CLOTH FORMING SAID WAISTBAND SECTION, (I) THE CLOSED LOOP PORTIONS OF SAID BELT LOOPS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID EXTERIORLY ACCESSIBLE OPENINGS ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID WAISTBAND IN A POSITION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID ELONGATED STIFF PORTIONS AND SEPARATED THEREFROM BY THE OUTER LAYER OF CLOTH FORMING SAID WAISTBAND.

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