US2181325A - Display form - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28,1939. LHL RE'NEKER 2,181,325

D Is PLAY FORM I Filed June 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Grene/rer Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATE .eATENT OFFICE.

DISPLAY FORM Lillian L. Greneker, New York, N. Y. Application June 2, 1938, Serial No. 211,401 9 Claims. (01. 223-68) My present invention relates generally to display forms, and has particular reference .to a de- Vice which simulates the human body.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved display form, intended primarily for use in store windows and the like, to support and display womens garments.

One of the main objects of the invention is to I provide a display form in which the medial or waist portion is flexible so as to permit adjustments of the simulated human figure into various adjusted positions.

A more particular object is to provide an adjustable or flexible waist portion which is so constructed and arranged that accurate life-like contours of the waist portion, the abdomen, the

small of the back and the hips are always maintained.

A characterizing feature of the present construction lies in the employment of-a tubular element comprising hingedly connected superposed rings whose shapes conform substantially to the corresponding superposed ribs of the human body. The rings have fiat outer surfaces which serve conjointly to define a substantially smooth surface conforming quite accurately to the contours of the waist and hip portions of the human body. The device is. therefore admirably adapted to support a tailored garment, even a relatively sheer snugitting gown or the like, with maximum. eifectiveness. v

The rings are articulated by connecting portions each of which projects inwardly, defining an annular groove or channel of substantially V- shaped cross-section. In this way, adjustments of the rings relative to one another are accom: panied by life-like variations in the contours of the waist, the hips and adjacent portions. ofthe body that is simulated.

It is a particular feature of my invention to construct the rings so that the Side portions are downwardly curved in the form of inverted arches while the front portions are upwardly arched, and so that the 'rear portions of the lowerrings are of undulating shape; these special configurations serving to enhance the simulation of hips, and adjacent regions.

In a preferred construction, the tubular ele ment is composed of a single piece of form-retaining material such as rubber or its equivalents. Preferably, the tubular element is formed of two spaced walls, the inner one serving as a.

reinforcement and being spaced from the outer wall except at the upper and lower end 0f the reiati'vely rigid portion being arranged between,

tubular element, where it unites with the outer wall.

per relatively rigid chest portion, and a lower pelvic portion, the flexible waist with the smooth contours of the waistportion merging with, and thereby forming continuations of, the smooth contours of the upper and lower rigid portions of the display form.

In order to maintain the two rigid portions in predeterminedspaced relation, while n everthe-- less permitting limited relative adjustment=, it is a feature of my invention to provide a flexible the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 is an elevational front view'o'f the central portion of a display form. constructed in accordance with my present invention,

Figure 2 is a side view on a somewhat enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a rear view, on the same scale as Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a front view on the same scale as Figure 2, showing the waist portionin an adjusted position. I I

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 2, 7

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figurel,

Figure? is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sec tional view through the lower portion ible waist element, and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing a modification.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, the chest portion Hi is relatively rigid by virtue of the arrangement, at its base, of the rigid block I l which may be of wood or othersuitable material. This block is provided on its lower surface with a recess l2 of the fiex The display form consists essentially-of an up adapted to accommodate the upper end .of the flexible post hereinafter to be described. Similarly, the pelvic portion I3 is relatively rigid by virtue of the arrangement at its top of the block !4, of wood or the like, provided with the recess l5 adapted to accommodate the lower end of the flexible post.

The outer surfaces of the chest and pelvic portions l t and I3 may be constructed in any desired or conventional manner, and merely for illustrative purposes, I have shown surface coverings it which may be of any suitable material. These details form no part of the present invention, and need not therefore be described. Similarly, the details of the head, the arms, the legs, etc., are omitted from the drawings and will not be referred to herein, it being understood that any desired construction, assembly or articulation, may be resorted to.

The important point is that the upper and lower portions Ill and it have external smooth contours simulating the corresponding portions of the human body, these contours merging with, and being completed by, the external contours of the flexible waist portion.

This waist portion is in the form of a tubular element designated generally by the reference numeral l l and comprising a series of superposed rings l8. These rings have fiat outer surfaces, as will be clearly observed from the drawings, and the shapes of the rings are of such a character that they conform substantially to the corresponding superposed ribs of the human body, whereby the flattened outer surfaces of the rings conjointly define asubstantially smooth surface, conforming quite accurately to the contours of the corresponding portions of the human body.

I draw particular attention to the fact that the side portions of the rings, designated by the reference numeral l 9 in Figure 2, are downwardly curved in the form of inverted arches at the middle of the sides, while the front portions of the rings, observed most clearly in Figures 1 and 4,

are upwardly arched. This enhances the simulation of hips and abdomen, especially during adjustments of the rings relative to one another. It will also be observed that the rear portions 2!! of the lower. rings, seen most clearly in Figure 3, are of undulating shape. This enhances the simulation of the concavity in the region of the small of the back. This concavity is further enhanced by bending the rings inward, as shown at H in Figure 6, adjacent to the lower portion of the waist element.

The rings are articulated or hinged by inwardly projecting portions 22 (see Figure '7) which are substantially V-shaped in cross-section, thereby defining annular grooves. These V-shaped connecting portions permit relative adjustments of the rings so that the display form may be bent at the waistinto various adjusted positions which simulate corresponding bent postures of the human body. Merely by way of example, I have shown, in Figure 4, the manner in which the rings adjust themselves when the display form has the waist portion bent toward the right. It will be observed that the ring portions at the right side of the body come into close proximity to one another, while the opposite ring portions, at the left side of the body, become slightly more spaced. These adjustments are possible by virtue of the fact that the V-shaped connecting portions 22 contract and expand, as will be clearly apparent from a comparison of the full-line showing of Figure 7 with the dot and dash representation of the corresponding parts.

' The important thing to note is that life-like contours are maintained during the adjustments, whereby the display of garments, even closefitting dresses or gowns, is capable in an unusually attractive manner.

In the preferred embodiment the waist portion is composed of a single element of form-retaining flexible material such as rubber, the rings l8 being thus integral portions, along with the connections 22, of a single piece. Preferably, this tubular element incorporates an inner wall 23 which is spaced from the outer wall and which is of undulating character with its peaks in alignment with the rings, and with its valleys aligned With the connecting portions 22. This inner Wall serves as an efiicient reinforcement for the entire structure and merges with the outer wall at the upper and lower ends of the waist portion, these ends being secured to the rigid portions l0 and 13 by means of tacks 24, or nails or other fastening means. The inner wall 23 is preferably formed of the same integral piece of material as the outer wall, the entire structure being capable of being molded as a unit.

In Figure 8, I have illustrated a modification in which the rings 25 are separate elements of relatively rigid material, and are hingedly articulated by means of outer and inner coverings 26 and 27. These coverings may be of cloth or other flexible fabric, and each ring is completely sandwiched between a strip 26 and a strip 27, stitches 28 serving to hold the ring in place. The two superposed ends of the coverings 26 and 2! are then secured by stitching 29 to the corresponding ends of the coverings for the adjacent ring. This provides the inwardly projecting connecting portions, of substantially V-shaped cross-section,

. hereinbefore exemplified by the portions 22 of Figure '7.

The rings 25 of Figure 8 have the same shapes as the rings hereinbefore described, and the device functions in every respect exactly the same as the preferred form.

The flexible post between the chest and pelvic portions consists of the nested inner and outer tubes (ill and 3! shown most clearly in Figure 5. These tubes are suitably secured, as by welding, to metal plates 32 and 33 mounted in the recesses l3 and 55 respectively. Each tube consists of a spirally wound strip, preferably of metal, the strip having an S-shaped cross-section whereby each convolution of the spiral interlocks with the adjacent convolution. A spirally wound tube of this character is well known per se and has heretofore been employed as a flexible support in a variety of arts, including display forms. It is a particular feature of my invention, however, to wind the inner tube 3!) in a direction opposite to that of the outer tube 3|. One tube thus reinforces the other, and prevents either tube from becoming loosened, through wear and tear, to a degree which would impair the efficient functioning of the device.

It will be understood that the flexible tube is form-retaining, i. e., it is adjustable into bent positions, as shown in Figure 4, but it retains whatever limited curvature is imparted to it.

The uniquely efficient nature of the present display form is attributable, I believe, not only to the novel flexible waist portion, but also to the conjoint use of this flexible element with the flexible supporting tube in its interior, because it is this cooperative action of the parts which so accurately simulates actual adjustments of the human body at the waist portion.

It will, therefore, be understood that changes art Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as' expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a display form simulating the human body, a flexible waist portion composed of a tubular element comprising hingedly connected superposed rings of fixed predetermined sizes, said rings having flat outer surfaces conjointly defining a substantially smooth surface conforming to the contours of the waist and'hip portions of the human body, and said rings being downwardly arched at the middle of the sides of the waist portion and being upwardly arched at the front thereof to enhance the simulation of hips and abdomen, whereby adjustments of the rings relative to one another are accompanied by lifelike variations in said waist and hip contours.

2. A flexible waist portion as set forth in claim 1, the rear portions of the lower rings being of undulating shape to enhance the simulation of the concavity in the region of the small of the back.

3. A flexible waist portion as set forth in claim 1, the hinge connection between each two rings comprising an inwardly projecting portion of substantially V-shaped cross-section.

4. A flexible waist portion as set forth in claim 1, said tubular element comprising two spaced walls, the outer wall defining said rings and hinged connections, the inner wall serving as a reinforcement spaced from the outer wall, saidwalls being united at the upper and lower ends of said tubular element.

, 5. In a display form simulating the human body, a rigid chest portion, a rigid pelvic portion, and a flexible waist portion between said rigid portions, said Waist portion being a tubular ele ment secured at the top to the chest portion and at the bottom to the pelvic portion, said element comprising hingedly connected superposed rings of fixed predetermined sizes, said rings having fiat outer surfaces conjointly defining a substantially smooth surface which merges with the surfaces of said chest and pelvic portions and conforms to the contours of the waist and hip portions of the human body, the side portions of the rings being downwardly curved and the front portions being upwardly arched to enhance the simulation of hips and abdomen.

6. In a display form, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 5, of a flexible but form-retaining post arranged in the interior of rigid portions to support the chest portion in predetermined spaced relation from the pelvic portion. 1 1

7. In a display form, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 5, of a flexible but form-retaining post arranged in the interior of said tubular element and extending between said rigid portions to support the chest portion in predetermined spaced relation from the pelvic portion, said post comprising nested tubes of spirally-wound material, said-tubes spiraling in opposite directions.

' said tubular element and extending between said M 8. In a display form simulating the human body, a flexible waist portion composed of a tubular element comprising hingedly connected superposed rings of fixed predetermined sizes, said rings having fiat outer surfaces conjointly defining a substantially smooth surface conforming to the contours of the waist and hip portions of the human body, the side portions of the rings being downwardly curved and the front portions being upwardly arched to. enhance the simulation of hips and abdomen, whereby adjustments of the rings relative to one another are accompanied by life-like variations in said waist and hip contours, the hinge connection between each two rings comprising an inwardly projecting portion of substantially V-shaped cross-section, said rings and connecting portions being formed of a single element of form-retaining rubber.

- 9. In a display form simulating the human body, a flexible waist portion composed of a tubular element comprising hingedly connected superposed rings of fixed predetermined sizes,

said rings having flat outer surfaces conjointly rings and connecting portions being formed of a single element of form-retaining flexible ma terial.

LILLIAN L. GRENEKER.

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