US3577993A

US3577993A - Hose retaining panty garment

Info

Publication number: US3577993A
Application number: US798099A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald W Gluckin; William Kurland
Original assignee: WILLIAM GLUCKIN AND CO Inc
Current assignee: WILLIAM GLUCKIN AND CO Inc
Priority date: 1969-02-10
Filing date: 1969-02-10
Publication date: 1971-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-11
Also published as: DE1923368A1

Abstract

A hose-retaining panty garment comprising a panty with leg extensions having, at least at the lower extremities thereof, longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions, a first circumferential band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each yieldable portion, a second band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each of said first bands, said bands being of essentially the same width, and said second band being adapted to be disposed in an upwardly folded juxtaposed position within said first band with a stocking edge extending upwardly between said assemblage and the leg of a wearer and downwardly between the juxtaposed bands, at least two of the four surfaces provided by the juxtaposed bands and interposed stocking edge carrying a circumferential deposit of resilient friction material, and at least the second named inwardly disposed of said circumferential bands having means for stiffening the same in its transverse dimension without impairing its circumferential yieldability.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Gerald W. Gluckin Rye; William Kurland, Sands Point, NY. [21] Appl. No. 798,099 [22] Filed Feb. 10, 1969 [45] Patented May 11,1971 [73] Assignee William Gluckin & Co., Inc.

New York, N.Y.

54 HOSE RETAINING PANTY GARMENT 21 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig. [52] US. Cl 1. 128/535, I 2/224, 128/528, 128/536 [51] Int. Cl A41c 1/08 [50] Field of Search 128/535, 524529, 505, 536; 2/224, 239,67 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,249,110 5/1966 Bryan 128/535 3,253,599 5/l966 Bjorn-Larsen. 128/528 3,465,757 9/1969 Barg 128/535 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Att0rneyHoward E. Thompson ABSTRACT: A hose-retaining panty garment comprising a panty with leg extensions having, at least at the lower extremities thereof, longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions, a first circumferential band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each yieldable portion, a second band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each of said first bands, said bands being of essentially the same width, and said second band being adapted to be disposed in an upwardly folded juxtaposed position within said first band with a stocking edge extending upwardly between said assemblage and the leg of a wearer and downwardly between the juxtaposed bands, at least two of the four surfaces provided by the juxtaposed bands and interposed stocking edge carrying a circumferential deposit of resilient friction material, and at least the second named inwardly disposed of said circumferential bands having means for stiffening the same in its transverse dimension without impairing its circumferential yieldability.

I HOSE RETAINING PANTY GARMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The proper support of women's stockings has long been a problem due to the tapering contour of the thigh and the strains put on any support in stooping, sitting and other kneeflexing movements. Conventional interlocking garters,- while resorted to for many years, provide bulges which are unsightly and frequently uncomfortable to the wearer. Leg-encircling or roll-type garters, which may be useful between the knee and the calf, are ineffective above the knee due to the normal tapering of the thigh.

Attempts have been made by others to support women's stockings by engagement with leg extensions of panty garments but these attempts have proved to be quite impractical or unreliable. U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,599 discloses a structure in which a stocking edge is disposed between two downwardly extending juxtaposed members secured to the panty leg and having friction material disposed circumferentially of the surfaces contacting the stocking edge. With this type of construction, a garment which is comfortable on the wearer does not engage the stocking edge in a sufficiently positive way to prevent slipping in the normal sitting, squatting or other kneeflexing movements of the leg.

Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,634 discloses a somewhat similar construction in which the friction material is replaced by interfitting buttons and buttonholes providing a positive interlock with the stocking at spaced positions. This type of support tends to produce the same type of unsightly bulges as conventional garters and subjects the engaged stocking to undesirable localized stresses.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,571 discloses a panty garment having leg extensions having a plurality of vertically spaced and circumferentially extending zones of friction material which are adapted to overlie the stocking edge and clamp it between the leg and the panty extensions. Here again, it has been found that a garment which is comfortable for the wearer cannot provide a sufficiently positive support to prevent slippage of the stocking in normal leg movements.

It has now been found in accordance with the present invention that the problems involved in the support of women's stockings can be solved in a practical way by attaching to leg extensions of a panty garment through means providing yieldable movement with respect to the main body of the garment, a circumferential garterlike member having two vertically spaced band portions adapted, when folded to juxtaposed position, to engage a stocking edge therebetween with the stocking disposed between the upwardly folded band and the leg of the wearer. This combination of a positive engagement with the stocking edge and a yieldable connection to the main body of the panty garment prevents the type of slippage which has previously been encountered in the support of stockings by engagement with panty garments, while at the same time maintaining a desired comfortable tension in the stocking in normal knee-flexing movements of the leg.

The hose-retaining panty garments of the present invention will be readily understood from a consideration of the following description having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which a preferred adaptation is illustrated with the various parts thereof identified by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a panty garment with the stocking-retaining means illustrated in extended position at the left side and in folded stocking-engaging position at the right side of the FIG.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the stocking-engaging means looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a progressive diagrammatic view, similar to FIG. 2, and indicating in sections a to 2 thereof the successive steps in folding and refolding the stocking-engaging means to arrive at the final stocking-supporting position.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views similar to FIG. 40 showing modifications in the location of friction material on the stocking-engaging means and the engaged stocking edge.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to the lower portion of FIG. 3, and indicating a slightly modified construction; and

FIG. 9 is a side view taken in the direction of the arrows 9-9 of FIG. 8.

As shown in the drawing, a preferred adaptation of the invention is incorporated in a typical panty gamient 10 having coextensive body portion 11 and leg extensions 12 fashioned from suitable sheet material, preferably of the two-way stretch fabric type. The garment may, if desired, having a conventional type of crotch insert 13 of softer material and can have any type of supplementary paneling or ornamentation, diagrammatically indicated at 14.

It isimportant that the lower portions of the leg extensions I2.have appreciable longitudinal extendability and, with certain types of two-way stretch fabrics, the sheet material of the coextensive body and leg portions may provide such extendability. If greater extendability is desired, however, than can be provided by such material, the desired extendability can be achieved by securing to the leg extensions 12 a narrow band 15 of more extendible two-way stretch material having upper and lower reinforcing borders l6 and 17. This can suitably be an open mesh two-way stretch materialand it will be noted that, in FIG. 1, the lefthand showing 15 indicates the material in what might be termed a relaxed position, whereas I5 at the left-hand side of the FIG. shows the material under tension, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

The novel stocking support assemblage 18, as more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, comprises a first or upper band 19 of circumferentially yieldable material secured to the lower edge of the leg extension or the reinforcing edge 17 thereof by foldablc means as shown by the stitching 20. The band 19 is, in turn, joined to a second or lower circumferentially yieldable band 2!l through a second foldable means or stitching 22. Each of the

bands

19, 21 have

circumferential zones

23 and 24, respectively, of friction material extending through the major portion of each band width. These zones of friction material can be provided in various ways as, for example, by incorporating surface strands of soft rubber or rubberlike composition in the weave of the bands or by providing a deposit of rubber or rubberlike material on the surface of the bands. In the preferred adaptation as shown in the drawing, such a deposit of foamed latex material has been shown as having surface irregularities in symmetrical wavy patterns, with the pattern of the deposit 23 being the mirror image of the deposit 24, so that the irregularities can intermesh when the band 21 is folded into juxtaposition with the band 19.

At least one of the

bands

19 and 21, and preferably the lowermost band 21, is provided with means for stiffening the band in a transverse direction without impairing its circumferential yieldability. This can be accomplished by fashioning the band using relatively still or rigid transverse members 25 and yieldable strands 26 in the weave thereof.

Alternatively, the transverse stiffening of the band or bands can be accomplished by securing transverse stiffening members to the band. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 for example, the stiffened band 2l' can comprise inner and

outer layers

27 and 28 of circumferentially yieldable material having stiffening members 29 positioned therebetween, suitably by means of stitchings 30. It is to be understood, however, that the size, shape and spacing of the stiffening members 29 can be varied extensively so long as the resulting efi'ect is to provide transverse stiffening of the band without appreciably impairing the circumferential yieldability of the band. In this modification, the friction zone 24 will, of course, be incorporated in or deposited on the inner layer 27 of the assemblage.

Having reference now to FIG. 4 of the drawing, the several views a to e, which are diagrammatic in nature and correspond in detail with the structures previously described in connection with FIG. 2, 3, 8 and 9, are intended to illustrate the several steps involved in the proper engagement and support of a stocking by a wearer of the garment. In FIG. 4a, the end of the leg extension 12 or more yieldable insert 15 thereof is shown in the relaxed position, with the

bands

19 and 21 downwardly extended on the leg, as in FIG. 2 and in the lefthand showing of FIG. 1.

The first step in attaching a stocking is to fold the

bands

19, 21 at the foldable stitching 20 to an upwardly extended juxtaposed position with respect to the leg extension 12 and insert 15, as shown in FIG. 4b. The lower edge of this assemblage is then grasped by the wearer and pulled downwardly from the original position indicated by the dotted line 31 to a lower position indicated by the dotted line 32, which places the leg extension 12 or insert 15 thereof under tension, and the upper edge 33 of a stocking 34 is pulled up and over the band 19, as indicated in FIG. 4c. The band 21 is then folded downwardly at the stitching 22 to a juxtaposed position with respect to the band 19 and overlying the stocking edge 33, as shown in FIG. 4d. As a final step, the juxtaposed

bands

19, 21 and engaged stocking edge 33 are folded downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4e to overlie the stocking 34 on the leg of the wearer, and the assemblage is then pulled upwardly by the wearer to create the desired tension in the stocking, which disposes the fold stitching 20 at a position indicated by the dotted line 35, which is between the relaxed position 31 and extended position 32, previously described. It will be noted that as shown in FIG. 4e, the stocking engaging assemblage is separated from the body of the wearer by the stocking itself, thereby providing the maximum possible freedom of movement of this assemblage with changes of relative tension in the stocking itself and in the leg extension 12 or insert 15 thereof.

It will be apparent that the folding and refolding of the

bands

19, 21, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, provides clamping engagement of the stocking edge between the

friction zones

23, 24 on the

bands

19, 21. While this orientation of the friction zones with respect to the engaged stocking edge is considered preferable from the standpoint that it requires no special treatment of the stocking edge, it is to be understood that the advantages of the present invention can be achieved by incorporating a zone of friction material on at least one surface of the stocking edge. In such modification of the invention, however, it is important that at least two of the four surfaces provided by the juxtaposed bands and interposed stocking edge contain zones of friction material. Such modifications have been diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawing. These FIGS. are generally similar to FIG. 4c, but differ therefrom in the following ways.

In FIG. 5 friction zones 36 and 37 are provided on the band 19 and the inner surface of the stocking edge 33, in which event the friction zone can be eliminated from the band 21. In FIG. 6, friction zones 38 and 39 are located on the band 21 and the outer surface of the stocking edge 33, in which event a friction zone may be eliminated from the band 19. In FIG. 7, friction zones 40 are provided on both surfaces of the stocking edge 33, in which event, the friction zones can be eliminated from both the

bands

19 and 21.

It will be apparent that the panty or girdle portion of the new garment will have a relatively long useful life, being able to withstand many Iaunderings and the like, and will be utilized during this period with many different stockings, since stockings are inherently subject to damage, necessitating frequent changes. It is contemplated, therefore, that, in connection with certain adaptations of the invention, particularly as described in connection with FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the special. stockings for use with the garment will constitute separate articles of commerce; i.e., stockings having adjacent the upper ends thereof circumferential zones of friction material on either inner or outer surfaces or both surfaces of the stocking. Such zones of friction material should, of course, be narrower than the foldable bands on the panty garment which engage the stocking edge.

While such special stockings would be of little value or interest except for use with a panty garment in accordance with the present invention, it is realized that the special stockings per se may be sold independently of the panty garment and even through totally different channels. Thus, the special stocking per se is considered to constitute a patentable component of the present invention. At the same time, it will be recognized that the adaptation of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing can be used with stockings of conventional design since two zones of friction material are carried by the panty garment itself.

In the drawing, the bands l9 and 21 have been shown in simplified form in order to avoid complicating the drawing. It will be understood that outer surfaces of these bands can be characterized or ornamented if desired as, for example, by stitching or otherwise securing thereto a layer of lace or other facing material. Such details, however, do not contribute to .the novel structure or mode of operation thereof.

Various changes and modifications in the hose-retaining panty garment as herein described may occur to those skilled in the art and, to the extent that such changes and modifications are embraced by the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute pan of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A hose-retaining panty garment comprising a panty with leg extensions having, at least at the lower extremities thereof, longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions, a first circumferential band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each yieldable portion, a second band of circumferentially yieldable material joined in foldable edge to edge relation to each of said first bands, said bands being of essentially the same width, said second band being adapted to be disposed in an upwardly folded juxtaposed position within said first band with a stocking edge extending upwardly between said assemblage and the leg of a wearer and downwardly between the juxtaposed bands, at least two of the four surfaces provided by the juxtaposed bands and interposed stocking edge carrying a circumferential deposit of resilient friction material, and at least the second named inwardly disposed of said circumferential bands having means for stiffening the same in its transverse dimension without impairing its circumferential yieldability.

2. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction material is on juxtaposed surfaces of said bands.

3. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction material is on juxtaposed surfaces of said bands, and said friction material comprises thin deposits of rubbery foam.

4. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 3, wherein said deposits have irregular surface patterns extending circumferentially of said bands, and said surface pattern of one band being the mirror image of the surface pattern of the other band permitting interfitting of said patterns when the bands are in juxtaposed position.

5. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction material is on at least the inner surface of said first-named band and the inner surface of an interposed stocking edge.

6. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction material is on at least the inner surface of said second-named band and the outer surface of an interposed stocking edge.

7. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction material is on at least the inner and outer surfaces of an interposed stocking edge.

8. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said stiffening means comprises transversely extending rigid members and circumferentially extending resilient strands in the weave of said band.

9. A hose-retaining panty gannent as defined in claim 1, wherein said stiffening means comprises a plurality of transversely extending and circumferentially spaced rigid members secured to said band.

10. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said stiffening means comprises a plurality of transversely extending and circumferentially spaced rigid members secured by stitching between the superimposed layers of circumferentially yieldable material forming said band.

11. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions of said extremities comprise integral portions of twoway stretch material forming the main portion of said panty garment and leg extensions.

12. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions of said extremities comprise circumferential bands of material having more resilient properties than the material of said panty and leg extensions.

13. A stocking adapted for use with a hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, characterized as having adjacent the top edge of the stocking on at least one of the inner and outer surfaces thereof, a circumferential zone of resilient friction material, the width of said zone being slightly less than the width of said first and second circumferential bands of said panty garment.

14. A stocking as defined in claim 13, wherein said zone of friction material is on the inner surface of said stocking.

15. A stocking as defined in claim 13, wherein said zone of friction material is on the the outer surface of said stocking.

16. A stocking as defined in claim 13, wherein said zone of friction material is on both the inner and outer surfaced of said stocking.

17. A hose-retaining panty garment comprising a panty with depending leg portions having leg openings and internal surfaces respectively bounding said leg openings, each said leg opening internal surface having adjacent circumferential deposits of a resilient friction material bonded thereto so opened as to delineate a fold line therebetween and said adjacent deposits being moveable through folding movement about said fold line into facing relation with each other, whereby said facing deposits of resilient friction material are adapted to grippingly engage the upper portion of a hose placed in an interposed position therebetween.

18. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 17 including stiffening means circumferentially spaced about and oriented transversely of said deposits of resilient friction material.

19. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 17 wherein said deposits of resilient friction materialare substantially of the same transverse extents.

20. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 17 including a longitudinally extensible band in an interposed position between said panty and said depending leg portions having said deposits of resilient friction material bonded thereto.

21. A hose-retaining panty garment comprising a panty with depending leg portions having leg openings and integral surfaces respectively bounding said leg openings, each said leg opening internal surface having adjacent circumferential resilient friction surfaces delineating a fold line therebetween and said adjacent surfaces being movable through folding movement about said fold line into facing relation with each other, whereby said facing resilient friction surfaces are adapted to grippingly engage the upper portion of a hose placed in an interposed position therebetween.

Claims

9. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said stiffening means comprises a plurality of transversely extending and circumferentially spaced rigid members secured to said band.

11. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally and circumferentially yieldable portions of said extremities comprise integral portions of two-way stretch material forming the main portion of said panty garment and leg extensions.

19. A hose-retaining panty garment as defined in claim 17 wherein said deposits of resilient friction material are substantially of the same transverse extents.