US3042931A - Foul weather outer cape - Google Patents

Description

July 10, 1962 v. SAWYER 3,042,931

FOUL WEATHER OUTER CAPE Filed Dec. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 10, 1962 v. L. SAWYER FOUL WEATHER OUTER CAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1958 INVENTOR. 222102466156 aye) BY 3,042331 FOUL WEATIER OUTER CAPE Valerie Lucienne Sawyer, 99-15 66th Ave., Forest Hills 74, N.Y. Filed Dec. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 779,132 4 Claims. (Ci. 2-88) This invention relates to a garment and in particular to a cape suitable for use as a rain cape by ladies, and is characterized by its having a simple unitary form which adapts itself neatly to economical manufacture, particularly from such materials as plastic sheets.

Women generally have difiiculty maintaining the desired personal appearance in rainy weather, simply because contact of any part of the outfit with the weather is likely to spoil the effect sought. This applies from the head to the shoes. Furthermore, women are extremely reluctant in foul weather to adopt the use of serviceable rain clothing of more or less conventional material. It is, accordingly, a fundamental object of this invention to provide a garment suitable for use by women, but use by men would also be appropriate, which is characterized by the fact that it is attractive, neat, unitary in form, and made of a light gauge plastic sheet material which will shed rain and yet is light enough to permit folding the garment into a quite small package suitable for storing in a compartment of a purse.

It is another object of the invention to provide the garment in a plaited form arranged to be easily folded into a complete package.

Other objects and features of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

The invention, accordingly, is embodied in a garment preferably formed from sheet plastic material of a thermo plastic nature, of thin gauge, which garment when projected and laid out as a flat sheet of material may be defined by a circle of the plastic material, or a sheet covering a substantial sector of a circle as it is not necessary to encompass the entire 360. The garment is further characterized by its having a sequence of. pleats radially arranged in orderly fashion, the pleats being strung together by means of at least a cord which permits gathering the pleats and re-gathering them readily in a reproducible pattern. The garment is further characterized by its having at the central point of the basic sector a structure suitable for serving as a hood, the remainder of the garment flaring out to a substantially complete circle, thereby forming a loose fitting cape over the form a woman, who might be using it.

The invention, therefore, is embodied in the garment having the features, structures, combination of elements and arrangement of parts as indicated, and more fully to be described hereinafter, as well as the method of fabricating the garment, which comprises, the steps of laying it out, cutting and assembling the material.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates the completed garment as it would appear on a model;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the completed garment, as it appears when it is shaken partly open;

FIGURE 2a is a sketch of the garment with its pleats completely folded, ready for storage;

FIGURE 3 represents a planar projection of the garment to illustrate the typical form developed which, for purposes of this embodiment, is shown to be a substantial sector of a circle;

FIGURE 4 is a section along the are 44 in FIGURE 2 to show the arrangement of tie cord in the garment as related to the pleats;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic layout of a plan in which a large sheet of the plastic is cut into elementary form for assembly into the garment.

Efi-iZSBl Fatented July It 1962 FIGURE 5a is a modified showing of the layout of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, 10 represents the garment as it would be worn by a user wherein 11 and 12, respectively, represent front openingedges along the radii defining the sector making the garment. A draw-string, in this instance a double draw-string consisting of cords or tapes 13- and 14, is shown drawn lightly around the neck of the wearer to form a bow 15. At the center of the sector, or top of the garment in the sector defined by edges 11 and 12, there is placed an additional sector 16 of material having a shape to fit the general planar configuration of the entire garment, the whole being brought together, for example, in an ornamental peak 17.

In FIGURE 2 the same parts are shown carrying the same numbers and it will be apparent that the garment has a single unitary form and may be considered to be formed of a large number of radial pleats extending from the center of the sheet of plastic material out to the circumference of the total sheet, with no provision made for shaping the garment to any particular contour. If desired, a second draw-string or set of draw-strings may be placed in the garment at approximately waist height, as indicated by dotted lines 18 and 19 in FIGURE 2, thereby effectively to have a flare effect extending from the waist of the wearer.

Details of the construction .of the garment are shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

In FIGURE 3 the planar projection shows the fabric or garment 10 laid out flat on a surface with the sector defined by edges 11 and 12 which are shown extending to the center 1% circle of the material. Pleats' are defined by radii 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, etc., spaced almost arbitrarily at regular intervals to define a uniform sequence. Creases are oppositely oriented at successive segments to define a zigzag effect so that, for example, in the figures, 30 may represent an outside crease and. 31 an inside crease with the alternation thus repeated around the total segment. The effect, therefore, is that of an accordion or fan permitting folding of the garment essentially as shown in FIGURES 2 and 2a. For convenience in accomplishing this result, the center of the planar sheet of material may be cut out along an arcuate radius as indicated at 10', and in the assembly the folds of the pleats are brought together along the considerably smaller circumference 10., thereby to make the over.- all assembly easier. An ornamental piece, for example, a tassel, as indicated at 17, in FIGURE 1, may be fastened at this point. Hood section 16 is fastened within the angle formed by edges 11 and 12.

In general use, edges 11 and 12 define an angle corresponding to that shown in FIGURE 3, or if11 and 12 actually coincide by virtue of the fact that the garment is formed of a complete circle of material, the are defined by the edge of segment 16 should be approximately 6 inches in length, thus to correspond to the length of arc intercepted along the wearers forehead to permit clear vision, while obtaining the'advantages of full protection of the hair and head.

To complete the fastening of the device and also to assist in wearing it,- the draw-strings or "draw- cords 13 and 14 are provided. Aseries of properly spaced-openings is placed around the arcuate piece lil at the appropriate radius. In threading the cords 13 and. 14 through the openings thus provided, they are threaded in accordance with the orientation of the particular fold so that the draw-string serves not only to hold the garment ap proximately shaped around a Wearers head and shoulders, but also serves as a draw guide in aligning the folds of the pleats when the garment is to be worn.

In FIGURE 4 the section taken along the are 4-4 shape for assembly into the garment.

the layout shown in FIGURE 5. pieces 50a, 51a, 52a etc., are assembled with the smaller 3 illustrates the principle of threading the cord through the pleats to permit proper folding and the orientation of the pleats. Therein, it will be seen that where the openings once having been made actual assembly of the device is accomplished by threading the draw-strings through the material as shown. a

In FIGURE 5 a planar development is made showing how pieces may be cut from ordinary sheet plastic material economically to provide segments of appropriate In general a full circle is not needed; however, it may be used. I have found that the arrangement which defines the angle between edges 11 and 12 of FIGURE 4at about 60-90, is preferable for the purpose. In this fashion sectors large enough to form a cape to be worn by the wearer can be formed. Taking advantage of this fact, FIGURE 5 shows how a planar development of triangles Si}, Si, 52., 53, etc., may be laid out on a plastic sheet of appropriate width. When the triangles are out along the lines 60, 61, 62, 63, etc., indicated, trimmed along arcs 7t}, 71, 72, 73, etc., and 31B, 81, 82, 83, etc. pieces are obtained suitable for assembly into capes by pleating them along radial lines laid out as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

It is to be understood, that the'single triangle is virtually the special case in which the garment may be formed. Smaller triangles using a plurality of sections to approximate a sector large enough to form the cape may be used. By using smaller triangles it becomes possible to cut out straight triangles, to fuse the edges together, and thereby to form the cape from the plurality of triangular segments giving it the ultimate outline and projection of a large many-sided polygon. Of course, the ultimate figure in any case is the sector of a circle, as shown in FIG- URE 1. The garment actually can be formed from any number of triangular pieces, it being best for economy of material and simplicity of assembly to balance the number of pieces with efiiciency of operation. The layout of a sequence of smaller triangular sections is shown in FIGURE 5a, which it will be apparent is a version of In forming the garment ends together and sealed together.

Suitable materials for use in the fabrication of the device may be any of the conventional sheet plastics which have become popular for formation into sheetsor wrapping materials. Thus polyvinyl chloride, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate and other vinyl esters are all perfectly suitable. Similarly, polyethylene sheets, polypropylene sheets, and any of the general lines, of materials available in plastic sheet form having a degree of strength suitable for the kind of light use intended and thermoplastic so that the edges can be fused together to form seams, may be used in the fabrication of the garment.

In general, I have found that the garment is preferably for-med with 2-3triangular sections placed edge to edge,

shown in FIGURE 2a. Thereupon, the package is punched,'preferably' at two radially spaced points'as indicated in FIGURE 1, cord or tape 1314 is passed through the holes and assembly thereby completed. The cord 1314 serves to hold the pleats in alignment and, when 4 the garment is worn, to gather the garment about the neck of the wearer. In addition, the cord is particularly advantageous in that when the garment is removed it holds the pleats in appropriate relationship to be folded into the compact unit shown in FIGURE 2a.

When a cord is also used at the waist level, it too aids in aligning the pleats when the garment is to be folded into the small package.

The top of the garment, formed by gathering the small ends of the pleats, is formed preferably. by heat sealing, i.e., application of heat to the gathered folds, using conventional heat sealing technique for plastic film will form the necessary union- A mechanical fastener, such as a staple will also serve the purpose.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 the cap portion 16 of the garment has been referred to as a separate piece. As indioated in FIGURE 3, however, the cutting of the garment by allowing for projections .10" and 10" will include enough material to form the cap as shown. 7,

Though the invention has been described with reference to only a rather specific form, it is to be understood that variants thereof may be devised without departingfrom its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is: a t a l. A garment formed from sheet waterproof material suitable for use an a rain covering for wear by a person comprising, a section of material generally corresponding in outline to a substantial sector of a circle as a basic sector, the radii defining said basic sector beingfrontal edges, pleats in the saidmaterial extending radially from the center of said circle to the circumference thereof, said pleats being gathered and fastened at a point removed radially from the center of said circle to form a peak for 'said garment, said frontal edges of said peak forming an angle and carrying therein a sector of material having suflicient length to cover the wearers forehead, means in the said material at a spaced distance from the center thereof to define a line for gathering said pleats and a tie threaded through said means to permit gathering the said material about the neck of the wearer.

2. A garment as defined in claim 1 in which said means is a sequence of openings arcuately arranged around the said center of said circle, said garment also carrying threaded therethrough a cord substantially centered in each pleat in the arc.

3. The garment in accordance with claim 2 wherein the basic'sector is formed of a plurality of triangular shaped plastic sheets. V

4. A garment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the said gathering means radially spaced from the center of said sector is a double row of openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,390 Woodley Oct. 6, 1935 2,236,269 Horblit Mar. 25, 1941 2,444,761 Walston July 6, 1948 2,532,532 Bald-rica Dec. 5, 1950 2,535,459 Roodner Dec. :26, 1950 2,546,563 Rodin et al Mar. 27, 1951 2,639,431 Spear M=ay'26, 1953 2,667,641 Moss Feb. 2, 1954 2,707,284 Artzt May 3, 1955 2,734,195 Moss Feb. 14, 1956 2,756,431 De Luca et al July 31, 1956 2,865,023 Anderson Dec, 23, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 807,923 Germany Mar. 15, 1954

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