US2524609A - Garment - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1950 I 2,524,609

a. E. sTlLE's GARMENT Filed June 28, 1947 heets-Sheet z INVENTOR. Gar: [Ali/v 37/155 Jrra/P/VEY Patented Oct. 3 1950 UNITED STATES PA TEN '1' OFFICE GARMENT Grace Ellen Stiles, Staten Island, N. Application June 28, 1947,.SerialxNo. 757,801

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to adjustable ladies garments, and relates more particularly to an improved garment, either of the skirted or bifurcated type, having means for enlarging its circumferential proportions and having particular usefulness as amaternity garment.

An important object of the invention. is to. provide a novel lower garment, i. e., skirt, shorts, slacks, or the like, which is arranged to be enlarged around the waist and abdomen-encircling portions as the needs of the wearer require, and to accomplish such progressive enlargement without distorting the garment in its relation to the wearer. A garment embodying the present invention is comfortable to the wearer at all times, whether the person is sitting or standing, it has superior fitting qualities, and eliminates the need for complicated fastener elements.

In accordance with the present invention, a arment such as a skirt is constructed from blanks forming front and rear skirt panels joined together along opposed edges to form side. seams. The front panel is formed with two inwardlyfacing vertical pleats which are generally parallel and are substantially equi-distant from the front median line of the garment. Commencing at its upper end, the outer fold line of each pleat is free, but starting at a point adjacent the crotch of the wearer such outer fold line is stitched to the underlying panel section. This stitch line may continue to the lower edge of the garment, or it may stop short of such edge.

The front panel is cut downwardly from its upper edge along a. line generally in alignment with the inner fold of each pleat to a point adjacent the upper terminal of the stitch line. Attached to the upper central section defined by such cuts are wing portions which may have tie straps arranged to be tied around the back of the wearer more or less snugly. Tie straps or belts are secured to the upper edges of the adjoining sections formed by such cuts, and are arranged to be secured at the front of the wearer. As the person increases in girth the apron-like element may be progressively let out, and more: of the apron-like element is thus exposed. The lower ends of the cuts form, in effect, hinge points around which the side sections of the front panel may revolve as this progressive enlargement continues. Means are also provided for securing the portions of the front panel which overlie the apron-like element at the front of the wearer.

The invention may likewise be embodied in slacks or shorts, and in each instance the garment has superior fitting qualities regardless of its circumferential adjustment.

In. the drawings:

Fig. 1 is; a. front elevation of a garment embodying the. present invention in place upon the wearer.

Fig. 2. is a broken perspective view showing the upper section of. such garment.

Fig, 3' is a. broken perspective view showing the rear section1 of such garment.

Fig. 4: is. a broken perspective view showing the overlapping side arrangement-.

Fig. 5 is a plan-view of the blank used inform-- ing; each wing-like member.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation. of a pair of slacks embodying the invention.

Fig; '1 is a plan view of each rear skirt blankand. Fig. 8 is. a plan view of. one-half of the front skirt blank, the blank shown being folded along central front foldline IS.

A garment of the present inventionembodied the form of a skirt as distinguished from a. divided garment. is formed from a front skirt blank H), a rear skirt. blank H, andblanks I2 forming laterally-extending wings.

Blank It includes a slightly-curved lower edge [3, vertical edges Ht which are curved at their upper ends, and an upper edge l5 which may be substantially straight. In forming this blank the material is first folded along line l6 which coin cides with the front median line of the garment, and the double thickness of material is then out along lines l3, l4, and I 5. The two layers'are further cut downwardly from upper edge l5, forming edges 28 and 2| which terminate at their lower ends at point 22.

Rear skirt blank H is similarly folded along line 23 located generally at the rear vertical median line of the garment, and comprises a curved lower edge 24, vertical edges 25 having a contour corresponding generally to edges M in blank H1, and an upper edge 26 which is somewhat con-- cavely curved.

Each blank l2 comprises a vertical edge 30, an upper edge 3| generallyat right angles thereto and of substantially the same length, and a convexly-curved third edge 32.

In assembling the garment, a vertical pleat is first made on each side of the front skirt section. This is accomplished by folding each side of the blank along broken line 33 and stitching a portion of such edge to the underlying section of the panel along line 34 to form stitch line 35 which terminates at its upper end at point 36. This point 36. is at substantially the same height as point 2.2 and the stitch lint continues downwardly to a point spaced from the lower edge of thegarment, although it may continue to such.

lower edge, if desired. Thus, fold line 33, which is the outside fold of the pleat, is free above and below stitch line 35. Lines 33 and 34 are substantially equi-distant from line 31 forming a downward continuation of cut lines 2l, and such line 3! thus forms the inside fold of the pleat. Wing blank I2 is next stitched along edge to edge 2| to form stitch line 40. To aid the operator in forming stitch line edge 2! is provided with notches 38 which are aligned with notches 39 on edge 30 of blank I2 during the stiching. The upper edge 26 of rear skirt blank H is cut downwardly on each side thereof, as shown at 4|, and such edges are stitched together to form dart 42. Next, edge [4 on each side of the front skirt blank is stitched to edge 25 on each side of the rear skirt blank to form side seams 43.

It will be appreciated that the upper central portion of the front skirt blank lying between edges 2l2l and the laterally-extending wings l2 joined to such edges 2|-2I, form an apronlike element 39 having tapes 44 which are arranged to be tied at the rear of the wearer to give this apron-like member a snug fit around the abdomen of the wearer. Other functionally equivalent members may be substituted for tapes 44. Portions 45 of the front skirt panel which overlie the apron-like element are secured in place by means of belt members 46 and 41, the latter having a buckle or other fastening means 48 which are secured to the free corners 49 of such portions. The wing section at the right hand side of Fig. 2 is shown in the position it occupies when the garment is in place on the wearer, i. e., underlying portion 45 of the front skirt panel. At the left of this figure, however, it is shown as having been withdrawn from this underlying position and accordingly, a portion of belt member 46 is covered by this wing section, such portion being shown in broken lines.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the garment on a wearer of average figure. Stitch lines 35 are substantially parallel at all times. The free vertical edges 56 of portions 45 which overlay the apron-like element 39 are generally parallel, and such edge portions also cover stitch lines 4!]. As the wearerincreases in girth the tapes 44 securing the apron-like element are gradually let out;

the edges 50 move, at their upper ends, toward the rear of the garment, portions 45 in effect rotating above points 36. This change of relation of portions 45 with respect to the apron-like element is accomplished without any distortion of the garment, and all parts have a smooth fit upon the wearer.

Fig. 6 shows the invention embodied in a pair of ladies slacks formed with leg portions and upper edge 56, and front belt members 51 and 5B. The garment may have an opening (not shown) on the side, and the apron-like element is formed in substantially the same way as in the garment of Figs. 1 to 5. The two inwardly-facing pleats are formed in the same manner, and their outer fold lines are stitched starting at points 5| downwardly along lines 62. Broken lines 53 define the inner fold lines and also correspond to stitch lines 40 for the laterally-extending wing portions.

While two forms or embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to two specific applications thereofhave been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific embodiments shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated forms or embodiments of the invention may be made Without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A garment of the character described formed with front and rear panels, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleats spaced from the front median line and extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being secured to the underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point below the upper edge of the garment and extending downwardly, the upper section of the panel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generally aligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wing portions secured at opposite sides of the central portion defined by such cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged to be secured around the body at the rear of the wearer, means for adjustably securing the opposed free upper terminals of such wing portions together, the portions of the front panel 1ying between the outer fold lines of the pleats and the sides of the garment overlying portions of said apron-like member and means for securing such front panel portions at the front of the wearer.

2. A garment of the character described provided with an upper edge which is located adjacent the waist line of the wearer and formed from blanks comprising front and rear panels which are joined together along opposed edges to form side seams, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleats spaced from the front median line and extending from the upper to the lower edge thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being stitched to the underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point adjacent the crotch of the wearer and extending downwardly to a point spaced from the lower edge of the garment, the upper section of the panel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generally aligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wing portions stitched at opposite sides of the central portion defined by such cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged to be secured around the body at the rear of the wearer, means for adjustably securing the opposed free upper terminals of such wing portions together, the portions of the front panel lying between the outer fold lines of the pleats and the sides of the garment overlying portions of said apron-like member and means for securing such front panel portions at the front of the wearer.

3. A ladies skirt of the character described and formed with front and rear panels, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleats spaced from the front median line and extending downwardly from the upper leg thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being secured to the underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point below the upper edge of the skirt and extending downwardly, the upper section of the panel being cutdownwardly from the upper edge in a line generally aligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wing portions secured at opposite sides of the central portion defined by such cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged'to be secured around the body at the rear of the wearer, means comprising tying tapes for adjustably securing the upper free edges of said wing portions at the rear of the wearer, the portions of the front panel lying between the outer fold lines of the pleats and the sides of the garment overlying portions of said apron-like member and means for securing such front panel portions at the front of the wearer.

4. A ladies bifurcated garment of the character described and formed from blanks comprising front and rear panels which are joined together, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleats spaced from the front median line and extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being stitched to the underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point adjacent the crotch of the wearer and extending downwardly, the upper section of the panel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generally aligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wing portions stitched at opposite sides of the central portion defined by such cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged means for securing such front panel portions at the front of the wearer.

GRACE ELLEN STILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 947,479 Cohn Jan. 25, 1910 1,104,437 Miles July 21, 1914 2,113,646 Capuano Apr. 12, 1933 2,313,399 Smink Mar. 9, 1943 2,335,971 Soholle Dec. 7, 1943

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