US492406A - Skirt-supporter - Google Patents

Description

NOMOM J. E. LBAVITT.

SKIRT SUPPORTER.

mi omas News co. Pnomufym.. WASHINGTON. D.

Unire` 'raTns PATENT runen.

JOHN E. LEAVITT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,406, dated February 28, 1893.

Application filed November 19, 1892. Serial No. 452,476. (No model.)

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. LEAvITT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Skirt-Supporters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a combination shoulder brace, bust, waist and skirt supporter designed to be worn by ladies, and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient article for the purposes specied.

In accordance with my invention, two shoulder straps adapted to pass over the shoulders of the wearer, have firmly secured' to their front and back portions, a bust supporting band, and a waist supporting band, preferably connected together at one end bya cross or tie band preferably stiffened by whale-bone or other suitable material. The front and back portions of each shoulder strap are joined together by cross straps preferably adjustably connected together by a buckle of any usual construction. The back portions of the shoulder straps are provided with elastics preferably adjustable, and which are for the best results, located between the bust and waist bands. The back portions of the shoulder straps may be and preferably are extended below the waist band and provided with suitable devices to which the rear or back of the skirt of the wearer may be fastened. The front portions of the shoulder straps have rmly secured to them preferably two short straps provided with fastening devices to which the front of the skirt is secured. The two short straps referred to, are secured to the front portion of the shoulder strap preferably at about an angle of forty-five degrees to the shoulder strap, the two short straps being at a right angle to each other, so that, the strain from the front of the skirt is divided or distributed. l

Another feature of my present invention consists in providing the front portion of each shoulder strap above the bust supporting band with a pad on its inner side to prevent the strap cutting into the shoulder of the wearer.

The particular features in which my invention consists will be pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

The drawing is a back or rear view of a combination shoulder brace, bust, waist and skirt supporter embodying my invention, the same being shown as laid out dat to enable its construction to be more clearly comprehended.

The shoulder braces A A', are composed, for the best results, of non-elastic material, and each consists of a front strap a and a rear or back strap a preferably forming a continuation of the front strap. The front and back straps of the shoulder brace A are joined by a band a2 firmly secured to the said straps as by stitches as, and the front and back straps of the shoulder brace A are joined by a band d4 firmly secured to them by stitches a5. The bands a2 a4 may consist of a single piece, but I prefer to make the same in two pieces capable of being adj ustably united, the band a2 being hereinshown as provided with a buckle a which is adapted to be engaged by the end of the band a4, the latter being extended beyond the back strap a of the brace A.

The shoulder straps A A have secured to them below and substantially near the arm bands a2 a4, a bust supporting band b,which, in practice, is made of sufficient length to encircle the body of a lady below but near the bust.

The Vbust supporting band b is, in accordance with my invention,firmly secured to the front and back straps of the shoulderfbraces A A as by stitches b2 which are preferably made in the form of a square, as shown, to obtain a strong connection between the bust band and the shoulder braces. may and preferably will be provided at one end with a buckle b3.

The front straps a, of the shoulder braces have rmlysecured to them at or near their lower ends, a band b5, which is securely attached to the straps a, as by stitches hl, and which serves the purpose of supporting the waist of the wearer.

The back straps d of the shoulder braces AA are provided with elastics bl, preferably made so as to permit the same to be lengthened and shortened. Each elastic la7, as hereu inshown, has one end fastened to the waist The band b ICO band as by stitches b9 and the said elastic is then passed through a sliding buckle b9 of any usual or Well-known construction, and also through an eye or link b1@ secured to the upper portion of the back strap a', the elastic 57, after passing through the eye or link Z910, being secured to a bar, not shown, of the ,sliding buckle b9.

The waist band b5 preferably has sewed or otherwise secured to it, a strap Z112 which practically forms a continuation of the back strap a and the strap Z312 is preferably provided with a suitable fastening device D13 to engage the back of the skirt of the wearer, the said fastening device being hereinshown as a hook, but which may be of any other desired form.

The front straps a ofA the shoulder braces have firmly secured to them, as by stitches c, preferably two substantially short straps or pieces cc2,whicl1, for the best results, are secured to the front strap above the waist band b5 and preferably at right angles to each other, the straps c czbeing provided, as hereinshown, with fastening devices shown as hooks c3 to engage the front of the skirt. The waistband b5 is provided, as hereinshown,with a buckle c4, and in order to form a substantially firm yet yielding support for the central underside or portion of the bust, the waist band b5 and the bust supporting band b are connected together near one end by a cross band CZ preferably made of two strips or layers to form one or more pockets in which are inserted one or more Whalebones or other suitable supporting pieces vor stays CZ represented in the drawing by dotted lines.

The front straps a ot' the shoulder braces have secured to them as by stitches cl2, pads d3, preferably pieces of chamois and an interposed layer of cotton, the said pads being, for the best results, made wider than the front straps a and are secured thereto above the bust supporting band to prevent the said straps from cutting into the front of the shoulder of the wearer and thereby, obviating the painful effects which would otherwise arise and especially when the back straps a2 a4 are tightened or adjusted up to straighten or hold back the shoulders ofthe wearer.

In operation the arms of the wearer are inserted through the openings formed by the upper part of the shoulder braces and the back straps a2 a4, and the bust supporting band b, and waist band b5 are buckled around the body of the wearer. The front of the skirt is secured to the fastening devices attached to the straps c c2 and the back of the skirt to the fastening devices attached to the straps bw. When thus fitted on the wearer, the back straps a2 a4 may be buckled together and the shoulders of the wearer may thus be thrown back or straightened up as desired.

By firmly securing thebust supportingband b to the front and back straps of the shoulder braces, the said band is prevented from slipping down away from the bust and is held in correct operative position. Furthermore,

the said bust supporting band is prevented from working around the body. So also, the waist band is maintained in correct working position and prevented from working around the body, by being firmly secured to the shoulder braces.

The elastic portions t7 of the back straps of the shoulder braces, permit the body of the wearer to be bent forward without lifting the back of the skirt. front straps c c2 to the front straps a of the shoulder braces, rather than to the waistband b5, the skirt is supported from the shoulders, and the waist of the wearer is thus relieved of the weight of the skirt. .By means of the two straps c c?, the strap a of the shoulder brace is prevented from slipping over the shoulder by the skirt working around the body, as the strain upon the two straps c c2 tends to keep the front strap a substantially perpendicular and the pull upon the same is downward in a substantially straight line from the shoulders.

I prefer to construct the supporter as hereinshown, but it is evident that some features may be used to advantage with supporters as now commonly constructed, as for instance,

the cross strap d may be omitted but I prefer to use the same. Furthermore, a single strap may be used instead of the two straps c c2 but the result would not be so good.

I claiml. In a combination shoulder brace and supporter, the combination of the following instrumentalities viZz-t-wo shoulder braces, a bust supporting band firmly secured against movement to the said shoulder braces and constructed to pass under the bust of the wearer, a waist band also secured to the shoulder braces, elastics bl forming part of the shoulder braces and means for attachment to the back of the garment, substantially as described.

2. In a combination shoulder brace and su pporter, the combination of the following instrumentalities, vizz-two shoulder braces, a bust supportingband firmly secured against movement to the said shoulder braces, a waist band also secured to the shoulder braces, and elastics 127 forming part of the shoulder braces means for attachment to the back of the garment, and a cross strap d connecting the bust supporting band and the waist band, substantially as described.

3. In a combination shoulder brace and supporter, the combination of the following instrumentalities, vizz-two shoulder braces, a bust supporting band firmly secured against movement to the said shoulder braces, a waist band also secured to the shoulder braces, and elastics 57 forming part of the shoulder braces means for attachment to the back of the garment, and straps c c2 secured to the front straps of the shoulder braces above the waist band, substantially as described.

4. In a combination shoulder brace and supporter, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:-two shoulder braces,

So also, by securing the f1 IOO IIO

IIS

each consisting of front and back straps, a bust supporting band rmly secured against movement to the front straps of the shoulder braces and constructed to pass under the bust of the wearer, pads secured to the inner side of the front straps above the bust supporting band, a Waist band also tirmly secured to the shoulder braces against movement, elastics forming part of the back straps of the shoulder braces, and means for attachment to the back of the garment, substantially as described.

5. In a combination shoulder brace and supporter, the combination of the following instrumentalities, vizz--tWo shoulder braces A A consisting of front and back straps a, a', an arm strap a2 firmly secured to the straps a a of the braces A, an arm strap a4 firmly secured to the straps a a of the brace A and adapted to be adjustably secured to the arm strap a2, a bust supporting band b firmly secured to the front and back straps of the shoulder braces, elastics 57 secured to the bust sup-` porting band, and devices to attach a skirt or other garment to the back and front straps of the shoulder braces, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. LEAVITT.

Witnesses:

JAs. 1H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

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