US3869728A

US3869728A - Waistband construction

Info

Publication number: US3869728A
Application number: US480091A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin F Spencer
Original assignee: Spencer Ind Inc
Current assignee: Spencer Ind Inc
Priority date: 1974-06-17
Filing date: 1974-06-17
Publication date: 1975-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-11
Also published as: JPS51441A

Abstract

The waistband of trousers is made responsive, within limits, to increase and decrease of the girth of the wearer, by means of a construction including a member which is stretchable lengthwise, and where such member provides stretchability in the girth of the wearer, while being substantially inelastic, or at most somewhat bendable, transversely of the girth of the wearer, and assembling this member with the body fabric of the garment at what amounts to the waist of a garment, so that the entire stretching construction will hold the member concealed while it still remains responsive to changes in the circumference at the waist, as well as to bending movements, of the wearer.

Description

1451 Mar. 11, 1975 United States Patent [191 Spencer l/l974 Campbell ct 4] WAISTBAND CONSTRUCTION Primary ExaminerH. Hampton Hunter- Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry L. Burkitt Inventor: Benjamin F. Spencer, Manhattan.

[73] Assignee: Spencer Industries, Inc., New York,

[57] ABSTRACT The waistband of trousers is made responsive, within limits, to increase and decrease of the girth of the wearer, by means of a construction in J4 o N .ml p

eluding a member which is stretchable lengthwise, and where such 726 3N3 W 1m A a 6 2 7 m l u 2 n 2 m 7 3 2 M mmh c "I "ma e NS C .w m.w UIF ll] 2 00 555 [ll [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS a garment, so that the entire stretching construction will hold the member concealed while it still remains responsive to changes in the circumference at the as well as to bending movements, of the wearer.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures w 7667 3333 2222 ///l 2222 v mvwm e r sr me ae anvn i i PMNM 0492 6667 9999 illl 25 d u ildhibi-HEIPQBQQFY iln lu lii hlh n lib i ATENTED 1197' SHEET 1 BF 2 1 WAISTBAND CONSTRUCTION The invention relates to waistband construction, particularly in articles of apparel such as slacks, garmentssometimes identified as shorts, skirts for women, or like garments, where a waistband construction is used to assure that the garment will fit substantially snugly at the waist of the wearer. For purposes of clarity, the term, trousers, will be used herein to apply to all such types of garments.

In the depiction of the invention on the drawing, the construction is especially applied in connection with trousers made of what is commonly known as double knit fabric, where the body fabric of the trousers, by the method of manufacture of the fabric, is inherently elastic, or, at least, stretchable. In the case of such fabric, variable degrees of stretch may be obtained by reason of the method of manufacture of the base fabric as well as the method of cutting the fabric to provide sections which, when finally sewed together, produce the base body, and-usually the leg portions, of the trousers. However, in most cases, the fabric itself, and thus the body and leg portions of the trousers, are stretchable or elastic in a pluraility of directions at least in some degree, so as to be extensible around the waist and in the seat of the wearer as well as substantially in a direction transversely of the extent of the waist.

It is an object of the invention to provide a waistband for trousers construction in which the construction of such waistbands, while permitting a limited degree of elongation of the waistband, still has sufficient elasticity to return the fabric of the trousers at the waistband to a snug relationship to the waist of the wearer as the girth of the waist of the wearer changes, or as the wearer moves, or both, and yet such elasticity or stretchability, in the construction being provided, will not result in the loss of a certain degree of rigidity for the waistband of the trousers, to prevent curling or other misshaping'of the fabric at the waistband of the trousers.

It is an object of the invention to provide, for the construction of the trousers, which may be made of fabric which, as an inherent property, permits stretchability, a waistband construction in which the waistband is relatively firm and thus functions to resist deformation of the trousers at and transversely of the waistband, and yet permits elongation of the waistband around the waist of the wearer, and where there is sufficient elasticity so that, when worn, the garment as its waistband will be snug on the waist of the wearer.

It is an object of the invention to provide a waistband for a trousers construction where a member, incorporated into and made an integral part of the waistband, is anchored to the body fabric of the waistband in such manner that the member may permit elastic or stretching movement of the trousers fabric at the waistband, and yet will prevent the fabric at the waistband from becoming deformed transversely of the extend of the waistband, and where the member is anchored to the fabric of the body of the trousers so that the body fabric will in turn impose a limit to the possible expansibility of the waistband, and also will anchor the member so as to impart the desired firmness to the waistband transversely of the waist of the wearer.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a structure such as hereinbefore set forth, means by which the construction of the member for imparting firmness to the waistband is completely concealed, and, at the same time, is positioned so that the nether garments of the wearer are not in any manner engaged by the specific elements of the waistband member which imparts both elasticity and firmness to the waistband.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth hereinafter, or will be apparent from the description and the drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment exemplifying the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction, or any particular arrangement of parts, or any particular application of any such construction or arrangement of parts, or any specific method of operation or use, or any of the various details thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein,as the same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied in many varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, of which the exemplifying embodiment, herein shown and described, is intended only to be illustrative, and only for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the Statutes for disclosure of an operative embodiment, but not to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which is disclosed such a practical construction,

FIG. I is an elevational view of a portion of a pair of trousers, shown broken away in its length, and into which certain features of the invention have been embodied;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, to enlarged scale, of a portion of the trousers of FIG. 1, at the inside face of the portion including the waistband of the trousers and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view, to substantially an increased enlarged scale, substantially on the line 3-3 of F IG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of a member which is to be used in imparting firmness and capability of elongation to the waistband of the trousers;

FIG. 5 is a similar view, but to a much larger scale, of a small section of such member, the section including one edge of such member; and

FIG. 6' is a detail cross-sectional view, substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

On the drawing, there is depicted a portion 10 of a trousers construction, consisting of a waistband construction l2, and a body portion 14 from which may extend leg portions 16 (only one being shown). For purposes of simplification, when body portion 14 is referred to, it is intended that it be understood that this body portion 14 may have leg portions 16 extending therefrom; however, it is to be understood that the construction to which the invention is applicable may be a skirt formation depending from such a waistband construction 12. Also, it is conceivable that there be many other variations in the use of such a waistband construction, as, for instance, where the waistband construction is the topmost portion of a pair of shorts, where the leg portions may be substantially of no considerable length.

In the description here, only certain details of waistband construction 12 will be emphasized; details of a waistband construction, for instance, where a fly portion (not shown) may be included, in accordance with certain desired structural purposes, will not be discussed. in substantially all details, waistband structure 12, such as is to be described, may be used to effect certain of the purposes of the invention.

Body portion 14, indicated on the drawing, may be made of the type of fabric generally known as double knit. At the top edge of body portion 14 (see FIG. 3) is positioned a separate piece of material which may be seamed to the fabric making up body portion 14, this separate piece of material thus providing the outside face 18 of waistband construction 12. Now the fabric of body portion 14 and of waistband construction 12 may be seamed together, as at 20. In the process of manufacture, it may be found more desirable to assemble different parts of waistband construction 12 before its assembly finally is sewed together with body portion 14. For this purpose, a length of a specially designed waistband liner 22 may first be associated with fabric 24 for which the character 18 indicates the outer face.

A piece 26 of lining material is secured at the bottom edge 27 of liner 22. For this purpose, piece 26 is folded back on itself. Bottom edge 27 of liner 22 is located between the free ends 28 of folded piece 26.

Another piece 30 of lining material is folded on itself, and its free ends 32 are positioned in juxtaposition to, and so asto be substantially at the same level as are ends 28 with relation to, bottom edge 27. Finally, another piece 34 is cut to be of a length substantially to be fitted together with the width of liner 22 in the manner to be described. One end 36 of piece 34 is laid against the

superimposed ends

28 and 32 and the nested bottom edge 27; a single line of chain stitching 37 is used to secure

pieces

26, 30 and 34 to bottom edge 27. It is to be noted that

pieces

26, 30 and 34 may be woven fabric, and the pieces may be cut on the bias. I Top free end 38 of piece 34 is folded back on itself, and laid against the down folded upper edge 40 of fabric 24. Into pocket 42, produced by the down folding of upper edge 40, the upper edge 43 of liner 22 is seated. At this time, body portion 14 and fabric 24 have not as yet been secured to each other at seam 20. A single seam 44 is caught through folded end 38, end portion 48 of fabric 24, and liner 22 close to its top edge 43. The stitching may be chain stitching to permit stretching.

End 45 of fabric 24 and portion 14 are located to be and are stitched together by seam 20 close to their end edges. A single chain stitch seam 52 may be caught through piece 26 close to its folded end 54, and, as a blindstitch, engage in body fabric 14 below the seamed together portions of body fabric 14 and fabric 24.

Thus, piece 26 provides an anchor to hold liner 22 in place; yet, because of the inherent elastic character of chain stitch seam 52, liner 22 may function for the purpose of imparting a somewhat rigid effect transversely of waistband construction 12, while, at the same time, also imparting substantial elasticity lengthwise of waistband construction 12. For the purpose of elasticity, liner 22 includes a number of elastic strands 56 extending lengthwise of the liner. The strands are spaced apart in the width of the liner. In the instance shown,

elastic strands

58 and 60 are positioned at the

very edges

62 and 64 of the liner At substantially equal intervals transversely of the liner, other strands 56 are located. Strands 56 are spaced a substantial distance apart. This spacing may be variable, according to the purposes to be obtained. In a specific structure, the spacings with one-eighth inch, three-sixteenth inch, and one-fourth 7 inch.

The strands are kept separated from each other by an interlaced network 66 consisting of thin plastic fibers 68. Now these fibers have the form of a woven fabric, with the exception that these fibers do not follow the usual pattern of a weft of woven material, but extend angularly with relation to strands 56. The result is the illustrated intermeshed network '66. Although these fibers may be of plastic filaments, other materials may be used to produce network 66. It is important thatfibers 68 impart substantial resistance to deformation, of the substantially flat liner 22, in the final'assembly. This may not be the condition when fibers 68 are interwoven with strands 56. Fibers 68 actually pass around

strands

58 and 60, just as normally woven threads pass around the selvage threads of a woven fabric. However, by a process, as, for instance, by the application of heat, fibers 68 are set so as to obtain a structure which resists any attempt to distort the fibers from the relatively flat form in which network 66 finally functions in member 22.

In the final construction of liner 22, if a force is applied to distend liner 22 lengthwise, fibers 68, with distention of strands 56, will assume a form where fibers 68 move lengthwise of liner 22 and attain a much sharper angle where fibers 68 cross strands 56, with consequent reduction in the width of liner 22. lnactual use as a part of waistband 12, no such extreme distortion of liner 22 actually takes place. But a small distention in length of liner 22 actually takes place when the trousers are worn, since waistband construction 12 is not distended to any great degree. Of course, with changes in the length of waistband construction 12, as, for instance, after a meal, when the girth of the wearer may increase almost imperceptibly, some elongation of liner 22 will take place. When the reverse change in the girth of the wearer takes place later, the elasticity of strands 56 will return liner 22 to the length it previously had, and fibers 68 also will move back into a less distended position.

Thus, liner 22, anchored in the'manner described,

and with its inherent elasticity and rigidity, will accommodate itself to the waist of a wearer so that waistband construction 12 will at substantially all times fit snugly around the waist of the wearer, and will resist any force which attempts to curl the waistband construction across its width.

Many other changes could be effected in the particu-v lar construction, and in the method of use and construction, and in specific details thereof, hereinbefore set forth, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be defined herein, the specific description being merely of an embodiment capable of illustrating certain principles of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a garment having an upper section intended to encircle the waist of a wearer, the garment including body fabric formed to provide the outer exposed body encasing portion of the garment, a waistband construction for the garment, the waistband construction including the upper portion of said formed body portion, a band extensible elastically lengthwise of the waistband, the band being relatively unstretchable in its width, said body fabric being folded over at its upper extremity and downwardly within the garment for a short distance to form a pocket, the upper edge of said band being fitted into said pocket, a plurality of bias cut fabric pieces, extensible means for securing the bias pieces together and to said band closely adjacent to the bottom edge of said band, one of said bias cut pieces extending upwardly from its securement positionto conceal the band and the bias cut pieces securing means, said one bias cut piece having its top edge secured to the folded over fabric, the bias cut pieces securing means being secured to said band above its bot tom edge, a second one of said bias cut pieces extending from the position of securement adjacent the bottom edge of said band and being separately extensibly secured to said body fabric to hold the band in position to permit the band to transmit its elastic effect to said waistband.

2. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist.

3. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensi' ble stitching.

4. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as'a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket.

5. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, said body fabric being of knitted construction and being stretchable in both the length and in the width of said waistband.

6. In a garment as defined in claim 1, said body fabric being of knitted construction and being stretchable in both the length and in the width of said waistband.

7. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, and the means for securing the second bias cut piece to the body fabric being also of extensible stitching.

8. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, and the means for securing the second bias cut piece to the body fabric being also of extensible stitching, and a third bias cut piece depending from the bias cut pieces securing means to conceal the engagement of the second bias cut piece with the body fabric.

9. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extending substantially parallel to each other with definite spaces between adjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of the band and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves being positively elastic.

10. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extending substantially parallel to each other with definite spaces between adjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of the band and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves being positively elastic, the strands being substantially inelastic but being of relatively nonlinear form to pro vide for limited elongation.

11. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band being substantially firm but flexible and resilient in its width.

12. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensi ble stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, the band being substantially firm but flexible and resilient in its width to resist curling of the waistband while not interfering with the movement of the body of the wearer at the waist, and normally tending to resume the substantially straight line cross-section of its width.

Patent No. 5,869,728 Dated March 11, 1975 Inventor( jamin F. Spencer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 57, "extend" should be extent Column 2, line 60, "shorts' should read "shorts" Column 3, line 5, "double" should read "double" line 6 "knit" shouldread knit last line "with" should read were Signed and sealed this 27th day .of May 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting- Officer and Trademarks FORM PC4050 (10-69) -gc 50375-p59 us GOVERNMENT PRINYING OFFICE: 930

Claims

1. In a garment having an upper section intended to encircle the waist of a wearer, the garment including body fabric formed to provide the outer exposed body encasing portion of the garment, a waistband construction for the garment, the waistband construction including the upper portion of said formed body portion, a band extensible elastically lengthwise of the waistband, the band being relatively unstretchable in its width, said body fabric being folded over at its upper extremity and downwardly within the garment for a short distance to form a pocket, the upper edge of said band being fitted into said pocket, a plurality of bias cut fabric pieces, extensible means for securing the bias pieces together and to said band closely adjacent to the bottom edge of said band, one of said bias cut pieces extending upwardly from its securement position to conceal the band and the bias cut pieces securing means, said one bias cut piece having its top edge secured to the folded over fabric, the bias cut pieces securing means being secured to said band above its bottom edge, a second one of said bias cut pieces extending from the position of securement adjacent the bottom edge of said band and being separately extensibly secured to said body fabric to hold the band in position to permit the band to transmit its elastic effect to said waistband.

3. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching.

4. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket.

10. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around the waist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extending substantially parallel to each other with definite spaces between adjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of the band and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves being positively elastic, the strands being substantially inelastic but being of relatively non-linear form to provide for limited elongation.