US3335427A

US3335427A - Removable necktie

Info

Publication number: US3335427A
Application number: US507135A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick H Eads
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-11-10
Filing date: 1965-11-10
Publication date: 1967-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-15

Description

REMOVABLE NECKT I E Filed Nov. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR Frederick H. Ends BY W i Q" ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1967 F. H. EADS 3,335,427

' REMOVABLE NECKTIE Filed Nov. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Frederick H. Ends ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,335,427 REMOVABLE NECKTIE Frederick H. Eads, 1310 S. 6th St, Louisville, Ky. 40208 Filed Nov. 10, 1965, Ser. N0. 507,135 12 Claims. (Cl. 2-155) This invention relates generally to neckties, and more particularly it relates to the construction of an improved removable necktie and the method of forming the same.

Most mens neckties today are conventionally formed as elongated strips of material which are designed to be positioned around a wearers neck and to then be manually tied into a knot. Neckties of this type are generally known as four-in-hand ties, and these ties are almost universally used and accepted. There are, however, certain drawbacks to these conventional neckties, the principal one being that the tie must, in most instances be unknotted to permit removal, and must then again be reknotted when the tie is worn again. Naturally, this procedure of retying a necktie knot each time the necktie is to be Worn is a time-consuming procedure which generally must be carried before a mirror. It therefore would appear to be highly desirable and beneficial to provide a necktie which could be removed and which could again be re-applied without untying the knot therein.

There have, of course, been many forms of removable neckties suggested in the past, but none of these neckties have been without deficiencies. For exmaple, many of the prior ties have used hooks, snaps, or other fastening means to hold the same about a wearers neck and consequently, it was almost as cumbersome and difiicult to apply these ties as it was to apply a normal four-in-hand necktie. Other prior art proposals have suggested the use of adjustable elastic bands, but these bands, in use, tend to wrinkle the wearers collar and cause the same to have a puckered effect. Similarly, other proposals have involved the use of hooks or clips on the inside of the shirt collar which could be used to attach a necktie, but since most shirts are not manufactured in this manner, these proposals have not met with much success.

Aside from the foregoing considerations, most other prior art forms of removable or easily appliable neckties have utilized machine-formed knots. Such knots generally have an artificial appearance which many consumers find objectionable, since most men prefer a hand tied knot. Accordingly, this is just another reason why such prior art forms of removable neckties failed to meet with much commercial success.

With the foregoing matter in mind, it is therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties and deficiencies of prior art forms of removable neckties and to provide in their stead, an improved removable necktie construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and means for producing a removable necktie having a hand-tied knot, which necktie can be quickly and easily applied to and removed from a wearers neck.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a necktie which can be removed without untying the same, thereby eliminating the wear and wrinkling which occurs during repeated tying and untying of conventional neckties.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a removable necktie which gives the appearance of being a conventional hand-tied four-in-hand necktie, but which, in actuality, is an easily removable necktie which can be removed merely by application of manual pressure and which need never be unknotted or reknotted.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a conventional four-in-hand necktie being formed into a knot;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the neck encircling loop of the necktie in severed position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the necktie as the same is in the process of being formed into a removable necktie in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the completed removable necktie:

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of an end portion of the neck encircling band of the necktie;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an additional modification of the removable necktie;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially alongs lines 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a user about to apply the removable necktie of the present invention about his neck; and

FIGURE 9 is a rear elevational view show-ing, in phantom, the manner in which the removable necktie of the present invention is applied to a wearers neck.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIGURE 1 thereof, there is illustrated a conventional four-in-hand necktie, which is generally designated 10. As shown, such neckties is in the process of being tied into a four-in-hand knot which is generally designated 12. When the necktie 10 is being knotted in such a manner, it forms a closed continuous loop 14 which is adapted to encircle a wearers neck. As the knot 12 is being formed by manipulating one tail of the tie with respect to the other, in the conventional manner of forming a fourin-hand knot, a portion of one of the tails forms the top of the knot, and such portion is designated 16.

In the process of forming the removable necktie of the present invention, the knot 12 can be completely tightened or can be left in the loosened condition shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Then, as the next step in the process, after the knot is formed, the closed loop 14 is severed substantially opposite the knot 12 in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. Such severing can take the form of merely slitting the loop in half, or it can involve the actual removal of a portion of the loop, at the back thereof opposite the knot 12. In either event, the closedloop 14 is converted, by such severing, into a pair of loop portions 14a and 14b which extend oppositely from the knot 12. The terminal end of each of these loop portions is designated 18.

An elongated resilient and flexible band, formed of spring steel, plastic, or other suitable materials, is

provided, such band being generally designated 20, as shown in FIGURE 3. The band 20 is pre-formed into an arcuate configuaration adapted to at least partially encircle a wearers neck when the necktie is applied thereto. Thus, in its initial formation, the band 20 has a fiat body 22 formed in a generally teardrop shape with the terminal ends 24 of the band meeting at the apex of the teardrop.

The resilient band 20 is initially attached to the necktie by inserting one end 24 thereof through the knot beneath the top portion 16 thereof. Then, the band is pushed through until the ends 24 thereof are disposed substantially oppositely to the knot 12.

As will be seen, when the band 20 has been positioned and partially attached in the manner shown in FIGURE 3, the body 22 thereof is juxtaposed to the interior of each of the loop portions 14a and 14b, but the length of these loop portions is such that when each portion is disposed contiguously to the band, the terminal end 18 of such loop portion extends beyond the terminal end 24 of the band. Thus, this extending portion, which can be designated 30, can be folded over the end 24 of the band in the manner shown most clearly in FIGURE 5. Stitching 32 can be utilized to maintain this portion 30 in its folded over position, and additionally, if desired, adhesive 34 can be used to hold the portion 30 in contact with the end of the band 20. When both extending portions 30 have been folded over and attached in such manner, the conventional necktie of FIGURE 1 has been converted into a completely removable necktie as shown in FIGURE 4- and as generally designated 40, therein.

While the removable necktie 40 is perfectly suited for use in the manner shown in FIGURE 4, it might sometimes be desirable to enhance the construction thereof by providing a frictional engaging means on the interior thereof to assure a good frictional engagement between the necktie and the wearers neck. To this end, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, a frictional engaging means generally designated 42, may be utilized in contiguous contact with the inner surface 22 of the band 20. Such frictional engaging means 42 can be, for example, a cloth strip 44 having a pattern or array of raised rubber threads 46 thereon forming protuberances. These protuberances 46 extend inwardly, as shown, and thus engage in contact with that portion of the wearers shir-t around his neck. Frictional engaging means 42 can be attached by means of stitching the same to the loop portion 14a by stitches such as those shown in FIGURE 7 at 48. Alternatively, the cloth strip portion 44 may be adhesively attached to the surface 22 of the band. In addition to the frictional engaging characteristics of the means 42, such means serves the additional function of completely enclosing the band 44 and hiding the same from view. This, of course, provides for a more attractive unit.

The foregoing description sets forth in detail the process by which the removable necktie 40 of the present invention is formed. To use such necktie, and to apply the same, a wearer grasps a loop portion with each hand and spreads the same apart in the manner shown in FIG- URE 8. Then, he merely inserts each of these loop portions beneath the collar 50 of his shirt, and adjusts the position of the knot 12 until the same properly is disposed in the opening at the front of the collar. In such position, each loop portion is disposed. beneath the wearers collar 50, and in frictional engagement with that portion of the shirt surrounding the wearers neck, as shown in FIGURE 9. When the necktie 40 is thus applied in such a manner, the outward appearance of the necktie simulates exactly the appearance of a conventional necktie. However, to remove the necktie 40, the wearer need only apply downward manual pressure on the depending tails of the tie. Such downward pressure pulls the knot downward and serves to bring the two loop portions out of engagement with the wearers neck. It is even possible to lower the necktie a few inches, when the wearer desires to unbutton his collar, and the loop portions thereof will still remain in engagement with the neck, thus holding the tie in position, because of the resilient nature of the band 20.

Naturally, once the necktie is removed, the same can be re-applied in the same manner as set forth hereinabove. It is thus apparent that the present invention provides a necktie which can be easily and quickly attached, easily and quickly removed, and which once formed, need never be unknotted or reknotted.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparent that the objects set forth at the outset of the specification have been successfully achieved by the present invention. Accordingly, what is claimed is 1. A method of producing a removable necktie comprising the steps of:

hand-tying a four-in-hand necktie to create a closed loop adapted to encircle a wearers neck and a knot at the front of said loop;

severing said closed loop at the rear thereof, substantially opposite said knot, to create a pair of loop portions extending from opposite sides of said knot;

providing an elongated resilient band;

inserting said band through said knot so that the ends of said band are disposed on opposite sides thereof; and

attaching said loop portions contiguously to said band.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching step includes folding the end of each loop portion over the end of each corresponding band portion and securing the same in such position.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein such securing includes the step of stitching said loop portion.

4. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein such securing includes the step of adhesively attaching at least a part of said loop portion to said band.

5. A removable four-in-hand necktie comprising:

an elongated neck piece tied in four-in-hand fashion to thereby produce a knot having a pair of elongated tails depending therefrom and a loop means adapted to encircle a wearers neck;

said loop means including two separate loop portions extending from opposite sides of said knot and terminating in rear ends;

a continuous flat resilient band having the central portion thereof passing through said knot and having end portions extending rea-rwardly therefrom and biased toward one another; and,

means attaching said loop portions contiguously to said band;

said band ends being manually separable to thereby permit said necktie to be attached about a wearers neck with such knot at the front thereof and said loop portions extending about opposite sides thereof;

said resilient band serving to keep said loop portions disposed contiguously along opposite sides of said wearers neck;

said necktie being manually removable merely by application of manual pulling force upon said elongated tails whereupon said loop portions and said knot move away from said wearers neck.

6. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for attaching said loop portions to said band comprises ends of said loop portions being folded over the ends of said band and secured in that position.

7. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 6 wherein said loop portion ends are secured in folded over position by adhesive means.

-8. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 6 wherein said loop portion ends are secured in folded over position by stitching the same in such position.

9. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 5 further including frictional engaging means juxtaposed to said band on the side opposite said loop References Cited Portions. UNITED STATES PATENTS 10. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in 692146 1/1902 Kiene X claim 9 wherein said frictional engaging means includes 963360 7/1910 Davies 2 155 an arranged series of raised rubber protuberances. 5 i2 002:,825 5/1935 v 11. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in 10/1938 Kahn 2 155 claim 5 wherein said band is fabricated of spring steel. 7 5 7 959 Armstrong 5 12. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 5 wherein said band is fabricated of plastic. PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING A REMOVABLE NECKTIE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: HAND-TYPING A FOUR-IN-HAND NECKTIE TO CREATE A CLOSED LOOP ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE A WEARER''S NECK AND A KNOT AT THE FRONT OF SAID LOOP; SEVERING SAID CLOSED LOOP AT THE REAR THEREOF, SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID KNOT, TO CREATE A PAIR OF LOOP PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID KNOT; PROVIDING AN ELONGATED RESILIENT BAND; INSERTING SAID BAND THROUGH SAID KNOT SO THAT THE ENDS OF SAID BAND ARE DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF; AND ATTACHING SAID LOOP PORTIONS CONTIGUOUSLY TO SAID BAND.