US3443260A

US3443260A - Bed patient's gown

Info

Publication number: US3443260A
Application number: US600889A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarisse L O'keefe; Glenna R Graham
Original assignee: CLARISSE L O KEEFE; GLENNA R GRAHAM
Current assignee: CLARISSE L O KEEFE; GLENNA R GRAHAM
Priority date: 1966-12-12
Filing date: 1966-12-12
Publication date: 1969-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1986-05-13

Description

c.| Q'KE EFE ETAL 3,443,260

BED PATIENTS Gown Sheet Fild Dec. 12, 1966 FIG.

F/GZ

C. L.O'KEEFE8 GR. GRAHAM INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 13, 1969 c. 1.. OKEEFE ETA 3,443,260

7 BED PATIENTS GOWN Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Sheet 5 of 5 .uggi digs? C.L. O'KEEFE& G. R. GRAHAM INVENTORS ATTORNEY y 3, 1969 Q... OKEEFE ETAL 3,443,260

BED PATIENTS GOWN Filed Dec. 12. 1966 SW 3 of 5 c. L. O'KEEFEa G-RGRAHAM INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 13, 1969 c. Q'KEEFE ET AL 3,443,260

BED PATIENTS GOWN Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Sheet 4 of 5 0. L. O7 EEFEa G. R. GRAHAM INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 13, 1969 c. 1.. O'KEEFE ET 3,443,260

BED PATIENTS GOWN Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Sheet 5 L. OKEEFB: R GRAHAM INVENTO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,443,260 BED PATIENTS GOWN Clarisse L. OKeefe, 2727 Nebraska 79106, and Glenna R. Graham, 2016 Monroe 79109, both of Amarillo,

Tex.

Filed Dec. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 600,889 Int. Cl. A41b 9/00, 1/08 US. Cl. 2-114 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bed patients gown free of fastening or tightening means below the level of the neck of the wearer, and with a full length Opening for purposes of ready removal from and donning by a bed-patient wearer, made of soft and flexible panels, develops loose folds that provide that, in the erect and/ or walking position of the wearer, the full length opening is normally closed to avoid partial nakedness and to protect the modesty of the wearer in both such positions.

The full length opening may be located at the front or rear of the wearer although, for purposes of nonduplicative description, the opening is herein referred to as a back opening.

One purpose of this bed patients gown is to provide a gown which permits ready access to inspection of the patient, is readily laundered, easily put on, and comfortable in use, and also gives such full coverage to the body that, when the patient wearing it stands or walks, as in a hospital hall, that patients body is not exposed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bed patients washable gown which is comfortable, reversible, free of buttons and/or snaps, which does not have to be put on over the patients head, and which allows ready inspection of the patient.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a patient gown having fastening means which are readily accessible when the patient is in a reclining or bed position to minimize any patients discomfort in making of change of garment while reliably providing for automatically preserving the modesty of the patient during walking position by providing for automatically preventing exposure of the wearers body when in standing or walking position.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art on a study of the below description of this invention of which description the herewith attached drawings form a part and wherein the same number refers to the same part throughout and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the gown when worn by the wearer in an erect position;

FIGURE 2 is a rear view of the gown shown in FIG- URE 1 when worn by wearer in erect position;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the gown when worn as in FIGURE 2 when the wearer is in an erect position;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic horizontal cross-sectional view of gown along plane 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of zone 5A of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the flat pattern for the front panel 12;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the pattern for the right rear panel;

FIGURE 8 is a view of the sleeve portion 16 with portions of adjacent elements as seen from the top in its assembled position;

FIGURE 9 is a top view of the pattern of material from which the sleeve piece is formed;

ice

FIGURE 10 shows another embodiment of gown according to this invention in front view; and

FIGURE 11 shows a rear view of the embodiment of FIGURE 10.

The gown of this invention, one embodiment of which is generally indicated as 10, comprises generally three main pattern pieces-a front panel, a rear panel, and a sleeve piece, one left and one right member of each. More particularly, the gown 10 comprises a right rear panel 11 and a right front panel 12, a left front panel 13, and a left rear panel 14, a right shoulder and sleeve piece 15 and a left shoulder and sleeve piece 16, seams and ties.

The above panels and pieces are permanently joined by seams as follows: panel 11 is joined to panel 12 across the right side seam 21; panel 12 is joined to panel 13 across the vertical central front seam 22; the panel 13 is joined to the panel 14 by the left side seam 23. The cloth used in gown 10 for each of the panels and pieces 11 through 16 is a white cotton challis of plain 1 x 1 weave also known as tabby or homespun, of about warp threads per inch and 80 filling yarns per inch, each formed of thread about M inch thick. The seams are flat felled seams.

The panel 11 has a central straight edge 112, a lateral straight edge 111, a convex bottom edge 114, a concave top edge 113, and an upper sleeve edge 115. Edge is straight at its top and convex therebelow and extends generally diagonally from lateral side of edge 113 downward to the top of edge 111. The panel 12 has an outer straight edge 121, inner straight edge 122, a concave top edge 123, a convex bottom edge 124, and a diagonal sleeve edge 125.

Panel 13 has a straight central edge 132, a straight lateral edge 131, a concave top edge 133, a convex bottom edge 134, and a generally diagonal sleeve edge and is a mirror image of panel 12.

Panel 14 has an outer straight edge 141, a central straight edge 142, a concave top edge 143, a convex bottom edge 144, and a diagonal sleeve edge and is a mirror image of panel 11.

The

sleeve edges

125, 135, 145 are, generally, shaped like edge 115 or like a mirror image thereof as below described.

Generally, shoulder piece 15 and shoulder piece 16 are each a modified dolman sleeve with a wide upper dart.

Pieces

15 and 16 are mirror images of each other. The right piece 15 is formed of a front portion 17, a rear portion 18, and a lateral portion 25; the left piece 16 has a front portion 19 and a rear portion 20 and a lateral portion 26. Shoulder piece 15 is a ar-shaped cloth of even thickness outlined by a rear central concave edge 182, a rear upper convex dart edge 181, a lower, straight arm hole edge 251, and rear upper concave central edge 184, a rear straight pit seam edge 183. The front portion 17 of the shoulder piece 15 comprises a concave center edge 172, an upper convex dart edge 171, a straight front pit seam edge 173, and a concave rear upper central edge 174.

Edges

172, 174, 171, 181, 184, 182, 183, 251, 173, and 172, are connected end-to-end in series.

Left shoulder piece 16 is also a generally vr-shaped cloth of even thickness. It is a mirror image of piece 15 and is outlined by a left concave rear central edge 202; a left rear upper convex dart edge 201; a left lower straight arm hole edge 261; a concave upper rear central edge 204; surrounding the front portion 19 with a straight rear pit seam edge 203; and by a front concave central edge 192; a front upper convex dart edge 191; a front straight pit seam edge 193; a front central concave edge 194; a lower straight arm hole edge 261.

Edges

202, 204, 201, 191, 194, 192, 193, 261, 203, 202 are connected end-to-end in series.

The drawings of FIGURES 6, 7 and 9 are to scale to illustrate the geometrical relations between the above described edges of the cloth forming the patterns and the direction of the warp yarn.

Edges 111 and 121 are firmly joined together all along their length by right side seam 21;

edges

122 and 132 are joined all along their length along the vertical center seam 122 which extends from the

bottom edges

124 and 134 to the top edges of

panels

12 and 13. All of front panel outer edge 131 is joined to all of the rear panel outer edge 141 along the left side seam 23, which seam extends from the

bottom edges

134 and 144 to the bottom of the edges 135 and 145.

The rear right panel 11 is joined to the right rear portion 18 of the right shoulder portion 15 by a flat felled seam 28 joining the diagonal edge 115 of panel 11 and the edge 182 of the panel portion 18. The front portion 17 of the right shoulder piece 15 is joined by flat felled seam 27 along its edge 171 to the diagonal edge 125 of panel 12.

The diagonal edge 135 of left front panel 13 is joined by flat felled seam 29 to the central edge 192 of the left front portion 19 of the left shoulder piece 16. The central edge 202 of the rear portion 20 of the left shoulder piece 16 is joined by flat felled seam 30 to the diagonal edge 145 of the panel 14.

Edges

203 and 193 of piece 16 are joined to form left flat felled pit seam 76;

edges

173 and 183 of piece 15 are joined to form the flat felled right pit seam 75 and

edges

171 and 181 form right dart seam 33 and

edges

191 and 201 form left dart seam 35. Each of the flat felled seams as 21-23, 27-30, 33-35 and 75 and 76 is formed as in seam 76 which is illustrative. The outer inch of front pit seam edge 193 of portion 16 is joined to the outer 4: inch of the rear pit seam edge 203 by stitching 205 that passes through one thickness of the panel portions, as 19 and 20, to be joined and 193 is folded around end 203 and stitching 206 passes through two thicknesses of the portions of the panel to be joined. The panel portion ends as 193 and 203 thus are hidden and protected by a layer of the panels joined. The

seams

21, 22, 23, 75 and 76 are all even and there is no gathering therealong. There is easing along

seams

35, 36, 27, 28, 29 and 30.

The junction of

seams

27, 28 and 21 is herebelow referred to as right pit seam junction 95; the corresponding junction of

seams

23, 29 and 30 on the left side of gown 1 is referred to as left pit seam junction 96.

Edges

112, 113, 115, 111, 114 and 112 are continuous end to end as shown in FIGURES 2 and 6. The lateral I end of edge 115 extends substantially further laterally of the central edge 112 than does the laterial end of edge 113 and the lateral end of edge 114 extends substantially further laterally from edge 112 than does the lateral end of edge 115 when the pattern for panel 11 is flat, as shown in FIGURE 6. This substantial increase in width as each of the panels as 11-14 extend downwardly (downward as shown in FIGURES 1-7) is quite critical to the satisfactory operation of the gown.

The dimensions of the embodiment are given in Table I hereinbelow.

It will be noted that in the embodiment 10 the width of opening 48 is seven times the perimeter of neck opening 47. Edge 113 is approximately (i.e., within 1 inch) the width of the neck of the proposed wearer and approximately (slightly less than) /2 the circumference of the neck of the wearer. Also, the horizontal perimeter of gown 10 at the level of junctions 95 and 96 is about four times the perimeter of opening 47; FIG. 4 shows the perimeter measured.

The width of the body of the wearer across the armpit of the wearer of gown 10 is generally only twice the width of edge 113 or, more particularly, the armpit width of the wearer is about the length of the perimeter of opening 47. This provides for the folded drape and avoidance of exposure of the wearers body when erect and/or walking although the gown is free of means for fastening below the neck of the gown, the free edges 111 and 121 of panels 11 and 12.

Panel 12 is only partly a mirror image of panel 11. Inpanel 12 the central portion thereof is smaller than for panel 11. Edge 123 is only /2 as wide as is edge 113 and edge 123 is cut somewhat deeper than is edge 113 as shown in the FIGURES 1, 2, 6 and 7 which are drawn to scale to generally illustrate the folds as 71-74 and to particularly show the relationships of the portions of the panels of the gown. Panel 13 and panel 12 are mirror images of each other. Panels 11 and 14 are mirror images of each other.

A flexible right back panel tie lace 116, about inch wide and 6 inches long, is firmly attached at one end thereof to panel 11 at the junction of its edges 112 and 113. A similar left back panel tie lace 146 is attached at one end thereof to panel 14 at the junction of

edges

142 and 143. A flexible right shoulder piece tie lace 156 similar in size and shape and flexibility to tie lace 116 is firmly attached at its outer end to the inner end of dart seam 33. A flexible left shoulder piece tie lace 166 similar to tie lace 116 and also similar to tie lace 156 is attached at its outer end to the central end of the dart seam 35.

The above gown structure provides for right and left arm holes and 46 (at the lower end of the

sleeve pieces

15 and 16, respectively), a neck opening 47, and a leg opening 48 and a normally closed rear opening 49. Opening 47 is circumscribed by

edges

113, 184, 174, 123, 133, 194, 204 and 143. The foot opening 48 is defined by'the edges 114, 124, 134 and 144 with the

edges

144 and 114 overlapping as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

To don the gown the wearers right arm is put through the arm hole 45 and the left arm is put through the hole 46 and the tie lace 116 is releasably yet firmly joined, as by a bow knot, to tie lace 166, and tie lace 146 is similarly joined to tie lace 156.

The point of attachment of tie lace 116 to panel 11 is brought up to the point of attachment of tie lace 166 to seam 35 before a knot is formed between those ties and the point of attachment of tie lace 146 to panel 14 is brought up to the point of attachment of tie lace 156 to seam 33 before those tie laces are knot-ted. This places the weaers neck in the opening 47 and the wearers legs, i.e., the portion thereof between the knee and the ankle, are located within the opening 48.

The width of the grown 10 from junction 95 to junction 96 during the wearing position of the gown 10 is only 12 to 14 inches and, in the wearing disposition of gown 10 the width of the gown at the bottom thereof across opening 48 from seam 21 to seam 23 is only 20 inches, although, as may be readily seen from the pattern '(and Table I) there is an 86 inch perimeter of material used for the grown at opening 48. The gown 10 constructed as above hangs on the wearer so that the lower left corner 119 of the right rear panel 11; i.e., the area near the junction of

edges

114 and 112, is about 2 to 3 inches to the right of the left hand seam 23 and the lower right hand corner 149 of panel 14 is located about 2 to 3 inches to the left of seam 21 interior of panel 11. Also, in the standing position of the wearer with the gown hanging in its normal worn position as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the left edge 112 of the panel 11 extends to the left and downward while the edge 142 extends to the right and downward.

The seam 112 is parallel to 51, the direction of length of the wrap yarn of the cloth forming panel 11 (also known as the straight of the cloth). Also, the direction of the straight of the cloth of panel 14 extends parallel to the edge 142 and each of

direction

52 and 53 of the straight of the cloth of

panels

12 and 13 is parallel to seam 22. The direction of the length of straight of the cloth of piece 15, as shown in FIGURE 9, in the worn portion of gown 10 does not extend vertically for horizontally but, as shown by warp direction 55, extends at an angle to the

seams

27 and 28. The sum of the angle between

edge

181 and 182 and the angle between 113 and 115 is substantially greater than 180. Accordingly, the dart seam 33 extends laterally and substantially horizontally from the neck orifice 47. The dart seam 33 also extends laterally without any substantial downward component for a sufiicient distance so that each of the sleeves and 16 do not draw any substantial support from contact with the flesh overlying the deltoid muscle of arm and shoulder as might prevent corners 149 and 119 from overlapping as above described. The sum of angle between

edges

171 and 172 plus angle between 123 and 125 also exceeds 180. The same relations hold for piece 16 and

panels

13 and 14, i.e., angle 191-192 plus angle 133-135 180 and angle 201-202 plus angle 143-145 180. The cloth of piece 15 is a 1 x 1 weave and the dart of piece 15 provides for an upwardly convexly curved outline of the piece 15 and seam 35 as seen from the front or the rear in the position of the gown when worn by the wearer. There are some folds at 151 extending at front of piece 15 in a direction intermediate between the direction of the edge 181 '(seam 33) and the edge 182 as there is no stress transverse to the direction of those folds. Similar folds as 152 are formed at the rear of piece 15. Similar folds as 161 and 162 extend between seam 35 and seams 29 and in piece 16 as there is also no stresses transverse to the direction of those folds. The weight of the panel 11 of the gown is borne by its points of support as bottom end of tie 116 and the inner edge 174 and 184. The weight of

panels

12 and 13 pull downward on the front portion of reinforcing

edges

174, 184, 194, and 204. For strength and comfort the

edges

113, 123, 174, 184, 194, 204 are hemmed and reinforced.

Ties

146 and 156 transmit the central portion of the weight of panel 14 to the edges or portions as 174 and 184 and thereby the weight of panels 11 and 14 balances the weight of

panels

12 and 13 across the hemmed neck edges 174, 184, 194, and 204. There is, as above described, no panel supporting stress transmitted across the lateral portion of shoulder pieces 15 or 16 (especially as transversely across the lateral portions of dart seam between

seams

29 and 30 or across the lateral portion of dart seam 33 between

seams

27 and 28. The panel 11 hangs with the central edge 112 thereof overlapping substantially the central edge 1420f the panel 14. The bottom perimeter of the grown 10, i.e., the opening 48 bounded by

edges

114, 124, 134 and 144 has an 86 inch perimeter in embodiment 10. Accordingly, the

edges

142 and 112 are each urged centrally across each other by the weight of the lateral portion of such panel. Edge 112 overlaps the edge 142 by the width of the edge 113 at the top. Even a 20 inch stride of the wearer provides only a 10 inch displacement of the perimeter of the opening 48 and does not result in any opening of the closure effected between the right bottom portion of the panel 14 and the left bottom portion of the panel 11. The top portions are closed by and are kept in a closed position which prevents exposure of the wearers body therebetween by the points of attachment of the

ties

116, 146, 156 and 166 and the loose folds developed in flexible panels 11-14.

Because of the fullness of the gown across the armpit level, i.e., at the horizontal level (as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2) extending through the armpit seam junctions 95 and 96, and below that level, when the wearer dons the garment 10 the fullness at that level and therebelow causes the development of longitudinal (i.e., vertical) convex lateral and central soft billowy folds as 72 and 92 in panel 12 and corresponding lateral and central soft convex billowy folds 73 and 93 in the panel 13. The fullness also causes right and left concave folds, as 102, respectively to develop beneath the armpits on the left and right sides of the gown 10. At the same time there is caused a convex billow or flare 71 at the lateral side of the back panel 11 below the junctions 95, and, below 96, a corresponding convex fold or flare 74 at the back portion of panel 14. This is caused by the limitation in the available width between the bottom of the left and right pit seam junctions 96 and 95 by the wearers upper armsv forcing the top of the

seams

23 and 21 together at the upper portion of the gown. The fullness at the bottom portion of the gown tends to provide a flare, i.e., the increase in width of the gown 10 from only the 14 inch or 13 inch pit junction 95 to pit junction 96 horizontal distance at the top of the gown to the inch perimeter at opening 48'.

However the absence of mechanical connection between

edges

142 and 112 provides that when the wearer is in the erect position those corners 149 and 119 overlap each other to a greater degree at the opening 48 than at the opening 47. In embodiment 10 the reserve of material provided by these folds permits central edge 112 of the panel 11 to swing to the left as the wearer walks as the cloth of panel 11 is not constrained to move to the right because of any lateral tension along the bottom edge 114. To the contrary, the billowing effect of folds as 71 and 74 resiliently urge the left hand edge 112 of the right rear panel 11 against the left hand portion of the left panel 12.

There is, further, an electrostatic attraction between the dry cloth as that of which panels 11-14 are made which results in a slight clinging together of that material once they have been brought into contact with each other and there has been some rubbing therebetween which occurs in the normal course of use of the gown.

While the above dimensions and explanation are given for the particular preferred embodiment 10, it is to be understood that it is the ratio of (a) the relatively small width or distance between support points as bottom of

ties

116 and 146 at the central portion of the overlapping panels 11 and 14; (b) the larger width or distance between the armpits of the wearer and; (c) the differential between the gown perimeter at the wearer armpit level and the distance between the wearers armpit and; (d) the differential between the perimeter at opening 48 and the perimeter of the gown 10 at the level of the wearers armpits causes the longitudinal folds as 71, 72, 73, 74 and effects and maintains the closure of

edges

112 and 142 over the potential opening 49 when the wearer is in standing posture. Other panel dimensions can accordingly be used.

The sleeve depth in this particular embodiment 10 is 9 inches to help provide the fold development herein described. It is measured from (a) the height or level of attachment of

ties

116 and 146 on panels 11 and 14 to the base of

ties

166 and 156 to (b) the level of pit junctions and 96 in the standing or erect posture of wearer 50 wearing the gown 10. This distance of (a) to (b) is more than one and one-half (l /2) times the distance between the attachment of ties. The pit junction 95 to pit junction 96 perimeter is at least three and preferably four times the neck opening (47) perimeter and the perimeter of the foot opening 48 (with corners 119 and 149 overlapping) is five to eight times as long as the neck opening perimeter.

Thus, with the very large depth of

sleeve

15 and 16 even motion of the wearers arms does not result in any lifting of the lower right hand portion (seam 111) of the panel 11 and, similarly, there is no lifting of the lower left hand portion (seam 121) of the panel 12 sufficient to separate corners 119 and 149 at the level of edges 114 and 111 unless both elbows of the wearer are raised to the level of the ear of the wearer, which is relatively rare. In other positions of the arms of the wearer the lower left hand corner 119 of the panel 11 and the lower right hand corner 149 of the panel 14 are juxtaposed and overlapping as shown in FIGURE 4.

The particular dolman sleeve used as shown in FIG- URE 9 provides a substantial amount of fullness between seams as 29 and 30' and the portion of the dart seam 35 thereabove and between

seams

27 and 28 and the dart seam 33 thereabove and no tension is transmitted across the dart seam as 35 to the seam as 30 between the shoulder piece as 16 and the panel 14 therebelow. Thereby no tension is transmitted across the portion of the sleeve between edge as 181 and edge 182. Other sleeve forms might be used provided that such do not transmit tension across the height of the

sleeve portions

15 and 16 near or above the pit seam junctions as 95 and 96 in the erect position of the wearer. Additionally, the straight or the length of the cloth of each sleeve portion as 15 and 16 is of such orientation relative to the seams as 2730 to the panel as 11 therebelow that such cloth orientation also aids in the avoidance of the transmission of tension vertically from the shoulder of the body of the wearer to the side seam as 21 and 23 through the vertical portion of the sleeve piece.

The particular felled seams used are preferred because they permit reversing of the garment so that it may be worn with either side out and still perform the function hereinabove described and are relatively strong seams and do not fray. Other seams known to those skilled in the art performing the same function might also be used. Thereby the gown is conveniently maintained because no difference in the function of the components of the gown results from inversion of the cloth which frequently occurs during laundering thereof.

The particular cloth used in this particular embodiment 10 has a l x 1 weave, is particularly demonstrative of the absence of transmission of stress and encourages development of folds in panels 11-14 because of its softness (hence comfort to the wearer) and extremely ready distortion on application thereto of stress at an angle, say of approximately 45, to the length of said cloth.

The weave of the cloth of

panels

15 and 16 as well as l the orientation of its straight or length avoids transmission of stress from the body of the wearer to the vertical seams as 21 and 23 from points lateral to the point of attachment of ties as 116 and 117 to the

panels

11, 12, 13 and 14.

Other cloth weave patterns and material similarly open and light might be used for the same purpose and also other structures of sleeves such as with soft folds therein could also be used to achieve the same mechanical effect.

As shown in FIGS. l-1l in another embodiment of gown 210 additional soft folds 451-6 and 461-6 are put into sleeves 215 and 216 (which, sleeves correspond to

sleeves

15 and 16 on the embodiment of the apparatus of gown Also in this particular embodiment of FIGURE 10,

soft folds

272, 273 are shown pressed on the

panels

211, 212, and which supplement and fortify the relationships of the lay and flare of the cloth to achieve the automatic closure in the rear hereinabove described for the gown 10. It will be noted that the full soft folds extend from the line of the attachment of the tie to the front and rear panel downward to below the waist of the wearer.

It will be noted, that according to the

gowns

10 and 210 of this invention there is only a relatively narrow overlap at the neck portion of the wearer which is required to be traversed by the hand or instrument by inspecting physician and/or nurse. This relatively small amount of distance facilitates one purpose of the gown, namely to be worn by a convalescent in a hospital, which will permit the inspection of all parts of the body of the wearer. The

ties

115, 116, 146, 166 of the

gowns

10 and 210, are readily accessible for disconnection by a nurse or hospital attendant on the wearer and, without further closure elements, provide for avoiding exposure of the wearer in erect and walking positions.

The components of embodiment 210 are given numbers 200 units higher than corresponding units in embodiment 10; except as otherwise described the so-numbered components of embodiment 210 are the same as the corresponding elements in embodiment 10.

The sleeve depth as above defined may also be more broadly defined as the decrease in height of the top of the front and rear panels as 11 and 12 from the height of point of their attachment to their support means as 194, 184 therefor to the vertical level of the pit junction adjacent such panel in the worn position of gown 10 and such difference in height is measured at that pit junction in the standing position of the wearer.

Although in accordance with the provision of the patent statutes, particular preferred embodiments of this invention have been described and the principles of the invention have been described in the best mode in which it is now contemplated applying such principles, it will be understood that the operations, constructions and compositions shown and described are merely illustrative and that the invention is not limited thereto and, accordingly, alterations and modifications which readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of the disclosure hereinabove are intended to be included in the scope of the annexed claims.

TABLE I Measured length, Plus or Item measured title Measured from/to fin.) minus Length of edge 111 /124 33% 34 Length of 112 113/119... 42 Perimeter of 114. 119/ 121. 23 M Chord of 114-. 119/121... 22% Chord of 113.. 112/115... 5% Underarm width of 112/junct1on of 115 and 15 M panel 11. 95. Chord of 115 Junction 113 and 112 to 6% 2

% junction

115 and 95. Edge 122 length 123/124 40% Perimeter 124. 122/121. 21% i4 Chord 124... 122/121 21 Perimeter 12 133/135. 4 Chord 123..-. 133/135- 3% 14, Length edge 132. 123/135. 40% 4 Edge 251 to 174 16 Edge251 173/183 13 Dart width Junction 171-174 to 7% junetion 181-184. Dart length Line from 174-184 to 6% $4 junction of 171-181. Edge 184 From junction 182-184 1 to junction 181-184. Length edge 173 From junction 251-173 5 to junction 173-172.

We claim:

1. A reversible hospital gown comprising:

(a) a first, left front, vertically extending flexible panel with a central edge and a lateral portion and a bottom edge, a second, right front, vertically extending flexible panel with a central edge and a lateral portion and a bottom edge, a left lateral edge of said left front panel and a right lateral edge on said right front panel, said central edges of said first and secand panels being joined to each other; a concave top edge on said left front panel intersecting at its right end the central edge of said right front panel and a diagonal sleeve edge on said left front panel extending from said top edge downward and to the left and intersecting the left edge of said left front panel, the left end of said top edge intersecting the right end of said diagonal sleeve edge and there forming the top of said left front panel,

a concave top edge on said right front panel joined at its left end to the central edge of said left front panel and a diagonal sleeve edge on said right front panel extending from said top edge downward and to the right and intersecting the right edge of said right front panel, the right end of said top edge intersecting the left end of said diagonal sleeve edge and there forming the top of said right front panel,

a third, left rear, vertically extending flexible panel with a central and a lateral portion; a fourth,

right rear, vertically extending flexible panel with a central and lateral portion, a left lateral edge and a central edge on said left rear panel and a right lateral edge and a central edge on said right rear panel,

said left rear panel having a concave top edge terminating at its right end at said central edge of said left rear panel and a diagonal sleeve edge extending from said top edge downward and to the left and intersecting the left edge of said left rear panel, the left end of said top edge intersecting the right end of said diagonal sleeve edge and there forming the top of said left rear panel,

said right rear panel having a concave top edge terminating at its left end at said central edge of said right rear panel and a diagonal sleeve edge extending from said top edge downward and to the right and intersecting the right edge of said right rear panel, the right end of said top edge intersecting the left end of said diagonal sleeve edge and there forming the top of said right rear panel,

the point of intersection of said sleeve edge and said panel lateral edge extending substantially further laterally from the central edge of each panel than does the point of intersection of said sleeve edge and said concave top edge and the bottom end of the lateral edge of each panel extends substantially further laterally from the central of free edge than does the point of intersection of said sleeve edges and said panel lateral edges, measured when said panel is flat,

(b) a plurality of separable two-part flexible panel support means for supporting each of said front panels, one part of each of said two-part flexible means operatively attached at the point of intersection of said sleeve edge and said concave top edge of each of said rear panels, and being located on either side of a wearers neck, and a space defined between said last mentioned points of intersection, the width of which defines the width of a neck opening for a wearer of said gown;

(c) said rear left panel attached to said front left panel at their left lateral edges and the rear right panel attached to said front right panel at their right lateral edges, said central edge being a free upwardly and leftwardly extending straight edge on said left rear flexible panel and a free upward and rightwardly extending straight edge on said right rear flexible panel, the top concave edges of each of the rear panels being adapted to overlap each other fully at the rear of said neck opening;

((1) another part of one separable two part flexible panel support means attached to the top of the central edge of said rear left panel and adapted to operatively engage with the one part of one separable two-part flexible support means operatively attached to said last mentioned point of intersection on said right front panel, and another part of another separable two-part flexible support means attached to the top of the central edge of said rear right panel and operatively engaged with the one part of the separable flexible support means operatively attached to said last mentioned point of intersection on said left front panel, one rear flexible panel thereby overlapping the other rear flexible panel portion in an increasing amount from its top edge to its bottom edge, all of said panel bottom edges being contiguous, said contiguous bottom edges forming a perimeter of a leg opening, the neck opening being defined by the overlapping concave top edges of right and left rear panels, the concave top edge of the right front panel and the concave top edge of the left front panel,

(e) a left and right arm opening formed near the top of said panel portions lateral of said neck opening on each side of said hospital gown; the diagonal sleeve edge of the front and rear right panels meeting at the junction of the lateral edges of the front and rear right panels and a right arm opening outlined thereby, the diagonal sleeve edge of the front and rear left panels meeting at the junction of the lateral edges of the front and rear left panels and a left arm opening outlined thereby;

(f) said front and rear panels at the level of the bottom of said arm openings in the standing or erect position of a wearer wearing said gown having a total perimeter substantially exceeding that of said neck openwhereby the bottom of the free edges of said left and right rear panels when secured by said flexible panel support means will automatically overlap more at the bottom portion of the gown than at the top thereof in the standing and walking position of a wearer wearing said gown. I

2. A gown as in claim 1 comprising a pair of like left and right flexible sleeves of the dolman type each comprising a flexible panel with a wide central V-shaped dart having convex edges, a front diagonal edge and a straight pit edge, and a rear diagonal edge and a straight pit edge, and wherein said convex edges are seamed and the front diagonal edge of each flexible sleeve of said pair is seamed to the entire length of the diagonal edge of its respective front panel and the rear diagonal edge of each flexible sleeve is seamed to the entirelength of the diagonal edge of its respective rear panel laterally of the point of attachment of the support means to said front and rear panels, and said pit edges are seamed to each other, each sleeve being raised laterally by said convex seam and thereby being of a greater height from the pit seam to the highest point in said sleeve than the decrease in height from the top of said front and rear panels at the point of their attachment to the support means therefor to said pit seam therebelow at the junction of said diagonal seams of said front and rear panels with said lateral edges of said front and rear panels.

3. A gown as in claim 2 wherein, for each seam between said right sleeve and the front and rear right panels and between said left sleeve and said front and rear left panels, the straight of the cloth of each sleeve adjacent the seams thereof is at an angle to the straight of the cloth on said front and rear panels adjacent to said seam, and the straight of the cloth of said front panels is vertical at the center of said panels and the straight of the cloth of each rear panel is parallel to the free central edge thereof, and the weight of the left rear panel is supported in part on said right flexible support means at a point leftward of that to which the bottom of the free central edge of the left rear panel extends and the weight of the right rear panel is supported in part on said left flexible support means at a position to the right of that to which the bottom of the free central edge of said right rear panel extends, and wherein no panel supporting stress is transmitted across the lateral portion of the sleeves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,965,995 7/1934 Tripp 2 -125 X 2,104,288 1/1938 Blood 2-125 2,425,402 8/ 1947 Sielotf 275 2,538,471 1/1951 Phelps 2-74 X 2,679,049 5/1954 Daniels 2-83 2,686,914 8/1954 Weiser 2114 2,736,900 3/ 1956 Koren 21 14 3,144,661 8/ 1964 Buser 21 14 1,218,307 3/1917 Page 2111 2,667,641 2/ 1954 Finnegan 288 X RICHARD J. SCANLAN, IR., Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.