US3538873A - Fabric with decorative surface - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Michiko D. Bosuego Inventor Roselle Park, New Jersey Appl. No 827,408 Filed May 23, I969 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Assignee Mitzi Co., Inc.

Fairlield, New Jersey a corporation of New Jersey FABRIC WITH DECORATIVE SURFACE 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 112/266. 1 12/422 Int. Cl D05c 3/00 Field of Search .i 1 12/262,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 318,028 5/1885 Quint et al .4 112/422 1,371,754 3/1921 Gilcrest 112/420 Primary Examiner- Richard J. Scanlan, .lr. Att0rnev- Kane, Dalsimer. Kane, Sullivan and Kurucz ABSTRACT: One surface of a fabric is provided with the appearance of a braid or weave by connecting opposite corners of lined squares, actual or imaginary, on the opposite surface, connecting the joined points in a predetermined manner, and providing a resilient material between the fabric and the connecting means, within the folds formed by connection.

Paten ted Nov. 10, 1970 ATTORNEYS FABRIC WITH DECORATIVE SURFACE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various methods have been shown for providing a decorative effect upon a fabric surface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 318,028 Quint et al. shows a method for forming a fabric surface having a series of peaks and valleys formed by folding the fabric back and forth upon itself and then stitching together selected points on adjacent folds.

A method for forming a scalloped design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. l,582,l6l Brown, where a ribbon is cut across its length, at regular intervals, and the cut portions of the resulting rectangles are folded back upon themselves at a diagonal, with the folded over pieces stitched to the main body of the rectangles. This folding over and stitching is accomplished at both free corners of the rectangles and a reinforcing strip is sewn to the noncut through part of the ribbon.

Tufting a fabric, particularly for furniture, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,640 -Strickler, where a backing sheet and a decorative front sheet are sewn together, along parallel lines, and the ends ofthe parallel lines are joined by diagonal lines, with the resulting pockets filled with a resilient material so as to provide a tufted decorative surface.

However, none of these prior art methods have been successful in forming a fabric surface having the appearance of a braid or weave.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention one surface of a fabric is lined into a series of geometric FIGS, preferably a series of squares formed by intersecting lines drawn at right angles. Obviously, the lines need not be actually drawn, so long as the remaining operation is carried out as if such lines were present.

Opposite corners of the squares formed by these lines are joined by connecting means, as by astitching operation with thread, in a particular manner. Subsequently, the joined together corners of the square are further connected in a particular diagonal pattern. A series of folds, in a predetermined pattern, are thus formed on the opposite surface of the fabric. A resilient material, such as cotton batting, is then forced into the folds and is held in place by the connecting means. When the opposite face of the fabric is then viewed, it presents the appearance of a woven or braided surface, i.e., strips of cloth in a regular pattern which go over a first intersecting strip and under a second intersecting strip, and so forth, across the pattern.

The pattern can be formed across an entire surface of a fabric, or can be formed in a preselected portion of a fabric so as to provide a decorative effect at that portion, while the remainder of the fabric is left plain or provided with a further decorative effect. Various fabrics, including natural and synthetic materials, can be provided with the decorative effect of this invention.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a method for forming a decorative effect on one surface ofa fabric.

It is a further object ofthis invention to provide the decorative, woven effect formed by employing the method of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an object which can be provided with the decorative effect according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rear surface of a fabric, showing construction lines for and connection means of the method of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the decorative effect created according to the method of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the material of the present invention, including the resilient material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with the present invention the decorative effect of the present invention can be formed on a fabric surface, such as the face, or a portion of the face, of the pillow 1 shown in FIG. 1. The effect is created by the formation of a geometric pattern on the reverse surface of the fabric, as shown in FIG. 2, with a series of parallel lines 2 intersected by a second series of parallel lines 3. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 2 these lines intersect at right angles, and the spacing of the first set of lines is the same as that in the second set of lines, so as to form a series of squares 4.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the net effect of the lines are several adjacent rows of squares 5, 6, 7 and 8. Alternate squares in alternate rows are stitched together according to the method of the present invention. Thus, the second square 10 and the fourth square 11 in row 6 are manipulated according to the present invention by connecting the diagonally opposite corners of these squares i.e., the upper corners adjoining row 5 and the lower corners adjoining row 7. In a similar manner, the first square 12 and third square 13 in row 5 have diagonally opposite corners connected, with the lower corner at the outside of the pattern being joined to the upper corner adjacent row 6. This same pattern is followed in row 7 with the lower corner adjacent row 6 and the upper corner adjacent row 8 being connected together in the first and third squares, while the corners, of the second and fourth squares in row 8 are joined in a manner similar to the squares in row 6. It should be obvious that FIG. 2 is only representative of a pattern of the present invention and that the number of rows of squares is determined only by the length of width of the pattern which it is desired to form. Further, it is apparent that these squares need not actually be lined on the fabric surface, so long as the effect is one of joining opposite corners of squares, as is indicated. Either stitching or other connecting means, such as rivets, can be used for the connections.

Stitching is then required, prior to the insertion of resilient material, in orderto achieve the decorative effect of this invention. The connecting means joining diagonally opposite squares, by using a single, continuous connecting means for each pair of adjacent rows. Thus, the connecting means 15 would first be employed to connect the corners of the first square in row 5, 12, and then, without breaking the connecting means 15, it is employed to connect the opposite corners of square 10in row 6, as seen in FIG. 2, and so forth. The connecting means 16 can be employed in a similar manner for rows 7 and 8. On completion of these connections, a resilient material 20, such as cotton batting, is inserted into the fold of the material, formed by joining of the various corners and squares as indicated in FIG. 4. The connecting means, one of which is shown as 21 in FIG. 4, act to hold this resilient material in place. The folds 22 formed by the connecting and folding are also shown.

When the stitching and insertion of resilient material has been completed, the opposite face of the fabric has a braided or woven effect, as shown in FIG. 3. The effect is of a series of bands or strips 25 which are intersected, at regular intervals, in a regular over and under pattern, by a further series of strips 26. However, as is obvious, this is only an effect, as there is no actual weaving, braiding, or cutting of the material. The depressed portions 27 are actually folded under, through practice of the process of this invention so as to provide this effect.

Thus, a method has been shown for providing a fabric with a decorative effect in the form of a braid or weave. The process is applicable to any fabric which can be stitched, including natural and synthetic fabrics. Thus, cotton, wool, or synthetic vinyl fabrics, such as those in the form of imitation leathers, can be employed. Obviously, the fabrics employed can be either woven or continuous sheets, such as the plastic materials, and these can be either solid or porometric.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims, are not thereby excluded.

lclaim:

1. A method for creating a decorative effect on the surface of a fabric comprising joining, with a first connecting means, selected points on the opposite surface of the fabric in a preselected pattern; connecting said first connecting means with a second connecting means in a second predetermined pattern, so as to form folds in the fabric; providing a resilient material within the fabric folds, held in place by said first and second connecting means.

2. A method for forming a woven effect in a first fabric surface comprising the lining of a series of squares into a pattern onto the second surface of the fabric; joining diagonally opposite corners of selected squares within said pattern with a first connecting means; joining said first connecting means in a preselected pattern with a second connecting means, so as to form folds in the fabric; providing a resilient material in the folds of said fabric. saidresilient material being held in place by said connecting means.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the diagonally opposite corners of every other square are joined in a first row of squares and the diagonally opposite corners of the remaining squares are joined in a second, adjacent row of squares, said second connecting means joining the connecting means of said connected squares in said first row with said connected squares in said second row.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said resilient material is cotton batting.

5. The fabric having a woven effect on a first surface formed by the method of claim 2.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said first connecting means and said connecting means are integral.

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