US3155986A

US3155986A - Waist band construction

Info

Publication number: US3155986A
Application number: US241218A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel E Miller
Original assignee: Quick Service Textiles Inc
Current assignee: Quick Service Textiles Inc
Priority date: 1962-11-30
Filing date: 1962-11-30
Publication date: 1964-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-10
Also published as: DK115461B; GB1016178A; GB1016177A; NL300998A; NL122347C; AT264417B; BE640368A; DE1460012A1

Description

S. E. MILLER WAIST BAND CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 30, 1962 lNvENToR Samuel )JVIz'llr Atty United States Patent O "ice 3,155,986 Vl/AEST BAND CONSTRUCTlN Samuel E. Miller, Wilrnette, Ill., assigner to Quick Service Textiles, inc., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Iliinois Filed Nov. 3u, 1962., Ser. No. 241,218 6 Claims. (Cl. 2--236) This invention relates to waist bands as used in connection with articles of wearing apparel such as trousers, walking shorts, skirts, girdles, ibrassieres `and the like. ln particular it has relation to a stiffening element of novel character to lend a moderate, i.e. comfortable, degree of rigidity to the waist band region of the garment.

It is well recognized that an edge portion of such garments, `when unreinforced -against the occurrence, will tend, in many cases, to roll or curl outwardly, especially in the case of persons who are fleshy in the waist. Such behavior is `sometimes referred to as roll-over. The net result is unsightly `and embarrassing.

My invention specifically relates `to a waist band to be secured `to the inside of the garment i.e., the shell thereof, .adjacent an edge portion `as `an integral part thereof, and which is provided with a stiffening element forming -a component thereof or intimately associated therewith to resist the tendency of such edge portion of the garment to roll or curl outwardly, although capable of being incorporated, per se, with the garment. The invention is to be differentiated from those means therefore known which `are intended for a related purpose Iand which consist of a pocket or pockets at the waist band into which sections of stitfening material are removably inserted.

Regarding the invention in one exempliiicative environment, it is recognized that waistband material as such is usually fabricated in running lengths of substantial yardage which `are supplied to the garment manufacturer who will cut the same to :the specific lengths required for a particular size of waist, or who will sew the waistband to the garments in succession and then cut the same. `in one aspect Ithe present inprovement incorporates the stiffening element into the waist band, or other marginal portion of the article of wea-ring 'apparel during its fabrication, 'as yard goods so that the garment manufacturer is relieved of the problem of providing pockets of specitied size to receive a rigidifying part or parts as in one older practice. -Inasmuch Aas such part or parts involve difficulties when the garment is cleaned or laundered and then pressed they have been generally made removable. Consequently, either the owner, Athe dry cleaner or the laundry is burdened with the responsibility of removing the same from the garment, identifying it in some way land then re-inserting the same in the pocket or pockets. It has been known to provide a flat strip of plastic composition as part of ya waist band to increase its rigidity. However, the same will not resist the tendency of the edge of the garment to curl or roll outwardly, will cut into the wearers flesh and soon fails by cracking and parting.

Other objects are `to provide ya stitfening feature `as part of an edge portion of an larticle of wearing apparel which is so pre-formed as to preclude roll-over and will retain such formation during the useful life of the article; which is proof against dry cleaning, laundering and pressing operations; which need not be removed and replaced; which adds imperceptibly to the thickness of the edge portion; which is sufficiently flexible in a circumferential direction as to conform readily to the wearers body; which is undetectable in use land therefore com fortable; which may be incorporated in presently known constructions with little or no change therein or in the machines used for fabricating the same; which utilizes as raw materials for the stirfening element those which are 3,155,935 Patented Nov. 10, 1954 commercially available; and which adds only trifiingly to the cost of the article.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description. which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses certain preferred forms in which the principles of the invention may be embodied in practice.

in the drawing:

FIG. l shows, in perspective, a portion of a garment with -a related por-tion of a waistband incorporating the invention secured thereto;

FIG. 2 is ia Vertical cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of FlG. 1 showing one mode of incorporating the stiffening element in the waistband assembly;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing `another mode;

FIG. 4 is a partial, perspective view of one form of stiffening element; and

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 `and 8 are partial, perspective views of alternative forms of such element.

While the invention refers to stiffening means incorpo rated with a waist band, it is `to ybe understood that, in its essential aspects, it is not to be regarded as limited by a strict definition of these words. Forl example, `an under-garment such ias `a girdle or brassiere, :terminates in an edge portion hugging a body region roughly correspending `to the waist. Further, it will be understood that the word waist is incapable of exact definition in terms of the human torso. Accordingly where, in this specification, `l employ the words wais-t, Iwaist band, or words of similar import, the `same are to be regarded as including those parts of a garment having a free edge portion which lis subject to transverse curling or rolling by `virtue of the longitudinal tension of the fabric acting alone or co-acting with the flesh of the wearer.

Nor is the invention to be understood as limited by the nature of the waistband exclusive of the stiffening element. Those familiar with this Vart are aware that wais-tband material sold as yard goods, as well as those privately manufactured for internal use, usually lconsist of layers of fabric folded and sewed together in various arrangements. Thus, the stiffening element of the invention may be interposed between two layers of the Waistband or exposed as an inner or outer layer.

Broadly regarded, the invention comprehends the incorporation with an edge portion of an article of wearing apparel eg., a conventional waistband, of a stitfening element secured thereto, as by sewing, and extending along the waistband, either over the entire extent thereof or over only approximately that portion over which the useful function is principally realized, e.g. the front half of a pair of trousers. This element comprises some resilient, yet generally shape-retaining material to which an inwardly concave transverse cross-section has been imparted over a part or all of the width thereof. In a preferred form, and regarding the invention construction as referred to a pair of trousers, an upper longitudinal region of the element is curved coneavely inwardly of the garment with a permanent set so that, by reason of the resiliency of the element the tendency of the top margin of the trousers to curl or roll outwardly of the wearer is effectively pre eluded or neutralized. To this end an upper edge pord tion of the element is positioned within an inwardly folded adge portion of the shell of the garment, eg. the waist of a pair of trousers. The amount and shape of initial j curvature of the element is established somewhat empirically in order to be effective under a wide range of conditions, some factors being the inherent rigidity of the upper margin of the trousers as implemented by the waistband exclusive of the element, the resiliency available as a result of adding the element and the deformation irnt; parted to the element as its circumferential aspect is asl sumed.

In modified forms the transverse cross section of the element is a shallow, S-shapcd curve or simply inwardly concave over the whole width thereof.

In order to avoid the objectionable effects of perspiration and crepitation the element is desirably rendered perforate as by using a woven, netted or knitted fabric or a plastic or other strip punched to` provide apertures. Fabric is preferred since the same is then more expeditiously incorporated with the remainder of the waist band.

Where, for convenience and conciseness, reference is made to an article of wearing apparel7 the words are intended to encompass items not ordinarily thought of as appareL such as undergarments.

Reverting'to the drawing I have shown, by way of example a portion 10 of a garment, eg. a pair of trousers in which, for convenience of exposition and illustration, the lining of the trousers has been omitted. As will be understood the upper edge of the shell of the garment is turned over to form a hem 12 and the waistband 13 is sewed thereto in any well known manner. Usually the upper edge of the waist band is substantially coincident with the upper edge of the shell. In the example one layer 14 of the waistband together with a stiffening element 15 is laid in the hem, another layer I7 of the waistband' is laid over the hem and a row or rows of stitches 21 is employed to secure the several layers of fabric together (FIG. 2). Some times another layer or layers of fabric are added, eg. the folded

layers

22 and 24. The associated rows of stitching are 21, just referred to, and 26. However, it is to be understood that the particular assembly forming the waistband, exclusive of the stilfening element, takes many forms in practice, the one shown being only typical. Moreover, the kind or kinds of material used for the waistband, exclusive of the stilfening element, is capable of wide variation depending upon the customers specifications. In other cases the components of the waist band may be fabricated as a unit and supplied in strips or continuous lengths to be secured to the garment. Thus the waistband assembly is secured to the garment in a manner yielding the inherent function thereof.

The stiffening element 1S comprises a strip of perforate, resilient material, e.g. Woven, mono-filament nylon of adequate body for the stitfening function, formed by heat to provide the transverse cross-section seen best in FIG. 4. In this case approximately the upper one-third of the transverse dimension is provided with an inwardly concave curve in which the offset of the top end of the principal plane of the fabric is such as to counteract the tendency of the hem 12 to curl or roll outwardly. Such offset will vary depending upon the inherent stiffness exhibited by the shell fabric and the waist band, a more pliable fabric and Waist band requiring more counteracting spring force than one which is less pliable. Regarde-:l as a separate article of manufacture the inwardly concave curvature of the stiffening element may also be described as concave on the inner face and convex on the outer face, i.e., as concavo-convex.

In a commercial form and referring to FIG. 2, the stitfening element is formed from a blank strip ll/s wide with a curved portion extending from approximately the longitudinal midline to an edge. The radius of the arc is approximately 1l and the angle subtended by the arc is approximately It is to be noted that the arc will always subtend an angle of somewhat less than 90 and will not be returned upon itself, unless a folded elvage is employed. Prior to incorporation with a garment, the strip may be regarded as essentiallystraight. As thus considered, the curved portion is essentially a longitudinal segment of a cylindrical surface to the axis of which the subtending angle may be referred. The fabric constituting the foregoing example is woven of monofilament nylon having a gauge in both directions of approximately 40 threads to the inch.

Nylon fabric is preferred since the same is not only readily available commercially in various meshes and gauges of yarn, but is heat settable. Moreover, such fabric is so resilient that it will accept abnormal forces of torsion, compression and tension, such as could occur in laundering and dry cleaning processes, and restore itself to the original form with no evidence of creasing or folding. Prior to being formed in suitable heated dies or rollers to the required transverse contour, the strips are preferably cut from yard goods with a hot knife whereby the raw, cut ends are fused into a selvage rendering the strips proof against raveling. However, woven strips with a selvage will serve equally well. The stiffening material as thus produced is incorporated with the remaining components of the waist band as shown at 15 in FIGS. l and 2. The stitfening element may be between layers of the waist band as shown or may be located to the inside (FIG. 3) or outside thereof. A separate row of stitches 20 may be used to bind the fabric 14 to the element 15 or the row 21 may be availed of.

Another type of fabric suitable for the element 15 is haircloth, in which the warp consists of any desired yarn, e.g. cotton, and the Woof of horsehair. As is known, horsehair is heat-settable and, therefore, the desired transverse curvature may be imparted to the stiflening element by means of heated dies of the necessary shape. Fabrics comprising other natural or synthetic heat-settable threads, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene, in the Woof only or in both the Warp and Woof are satisfactory as long as they possess the desired resiliency, are capable of being formed to the desired curvature, will maintain such curvature during the useful life of the garment and their necessary characteristics are unaffected by dry cleaning and laundering operations.

Desirably the edges of the strip are provided with a selvage which may be formed by fusing the thermoplastic thread forming a component thereof, by folding and pressing a small edge portion, or by means of a selfselvage.

If desired, the stilfening element may have a shallow S-shaped transverse cross section (FIG. 5). This form of the element has the advantage that outward biasing of the upper portion of the element, under the outward pressure of the wearers flesh, Will tend to thrust the lower portion thereof inwardly. In the case of FIG. 4 the result of such behaviour is to bias the more or less sharp lower edge of the element against the wearers flesh, Whereas, in the case of FIG. 5, the reversely-curved lower portion results inra more comfortable reaction.

In certain cases a more effective net result may be obtained by curving the entire width of the element concavely inwardly (FIG. 6).

It is also within contemplation to utilize a strip of plastic composition (FIGS. 7 and 8) which is heat-settable, resilient and generally shape-retaining; the strip being desirably rendered perforate by holes 36 or slots 37 for ventilation and avoidance of crepitation. It will be seen that, in the case of slots, the same should terminate short of the curved region in order to avoid buckling due to the peripheral contour assumed by the waist of the garment as worn. Furthermore, it will be comprehended that, since the lengthwise transformation of the generally flat-lying stiffening element as manufactured into the substantially elliptical form of the Waist or other portion of the article conforming to a part of the wearers body, will tend to flatten the curvature initially imparted to the stiffening element, such curvature will be initially exaggerated in order that the residual curvature will yield the desired end result.

lt is within contemplation that those forms of the stitfening element illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 may be formed by extruding the raw material to the desired transverse cross section.

n some instances Waist band material of conventional forms incorporates a flat layer or layers of canvas or equivalent fabric as a rigidifying member, but these have 'no curved transverse cross section within the purview of the present disclosure.

Although, in the example, the stiffening element is disclosed as incorporated with the other portions of the waist band, it is to be understood that the same may be added to `the garment subsequently. For example, when a conventional waist band is incorporated oy the garment manufacturer, the stiifening element may be fed to the sewing machine concurrently. Moreover, in the case of self-fabric Waist bands as used in ladies skirts the stiftening element may be placed in position before the waist band is sewed to the shell fabric.

It is to be observed from FIGS. l, 2 and 3, that the stilfening element is inserted Within a folded-over edge portion of the shell 2t) of the garment, and that a layer 14 of conventional textile material, for example canvas, is positioned adjacent the stiffening element. As noted heretofore, the stitfening element 15 may be against the shell (FIG. 3), or on the inside of the layer 14 (FIG. 2). In either case, the resiliency of the element 15 exhibits itself as an inward force against the folded-over edge portion or hem of the garment fabric. Stated otherwise, the stiffening element may be said to push the edge of the garment against the wearers body, whereby the tendency thereof to roll over is effectively precluded.

While the present invention is described with reference to particular embodiments it is, of course, understood that the invention is capable of embodiments in Varied forms without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a garment having an inwardly folded edge portion, a rst strip of textile material attached thereto and providing a portion of a waistband for the garment, at least a portion of the width of said strip being disposed within said folded edge portion and secured thereto, a second strip of resilient, but generally shape-retaining material having a permanently set, inwardly concave transverse conguration secured along both edges to said first strip and having at least a portion thereof disposed within said folded edge portion, whereby, when the garment is worn, the resiliency of said second strip biases said folded edge portion toward the wearers body to preclude roll-over thereof.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a third strip of textile material adjacent said `second strip at the inward face thereof, said third strip being secured to at least said first strip.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a third strip adjacent said second strip at the inward face thereof, said third strip being secured to said first and second strips.

4. The combination in accordance with claim l wherein said second strip is woven fabric in which the transverse threads are of thermoplastic material.

5. The combination in accordance with claim l wherein said second strip is woven fabric comprising threads of thermoplastic material.

6. In combination, a garment having an inwardly folded edge portion, a first strip of textile material attached thereto and providing a portion of a waistband for the garment, at least a portion of the width of said strip being disposed with said folded edge portion with its upper edge secured thereto, a second strip of resilient, but generally shape-retaining material having a permanently set, inwardly concave, transverse configuration secured along at least one edge to said first strip and having atleast a portion thereof disposed within said folded edge portion whereby, when the garment is Worn, the resiliency of said second strip biases said folded edge portion toward the wearers body to preclude roll-over thereof, and a third strip of textile material overlying said folded edge portion on the inner face thereof and secured thereto, said third strip overlying said second strip and secured thereto at the other edge of said second strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNTED STATES PATENTS 1,494,142 5/24 Stein 2-231 1,762,284 6/30 Thomas et al. 2-236 2,121,836 6/38 Steinberger 2--236 X 2,601,036 6/52 Liebowitz 2-258 X 2,724,836 11/55 Wiedemer 2-132 2,745,107 5/56 Gemignani 2-236 3,129,434 4/ 64 Weemhoif 2-236 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3Y 155,986 November lO 1964 Samuel Eo Miller It ie hereby certified that errer appears in the abe-ve numbered petent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6Y line 2Ov for "withn first occorrono@W read wirhn Signed and sealed this 6th day of April 1965a (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDERV EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION, A GARMENT HAVING AN INWARDLY FOLDED EDGE PORTION, A FIRST STRIP OF TEXTILE MATERIAL ATTACHED THERETO AND PROVIDING A PORTION OF A WAISTBAND FOR THE GARMENT, AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WIDTH OF SAID STRIP BEING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID FOLDED EDGE PORTION AND SECURED THERETO, A SECOND STRIP OF RESILIENT, BUT GENERALLY SHAPE-RETAINING MATERIAL HAVING A PERMANENTLY SET, INWARDLY CONCAVE TRANSVERSE CONFIGURATION SECURED ALONG BOTH EDGES TO SAID FIRST STRIP AND HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED WITHIN SAID FOLDED EDGE PORTION, WHEREBY, WHEN THE GARMENT IS WORN, THE RESILIENCY OF