US1641733A - Football pants - Google Patents

Description

p 1927- M. BULLOCK FOOTBALL PANTS Filed April 1. 1926 Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

tenses DAVID MADISON BULLOCK, F CI-IAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

FOOTBALL, PANTS.

Application filed April 1, 1926. Serial No. 98,941;

The present invention relates to football pants and has particular reference to improvements in the widened girdle or kidney pad portions of football pants.

In the type of football pants to which my invention appertains, it has been a customary and popular practice to provide a widened girdle which extends upwardly from the waist line to approximately the lower ribs. This girdle is generally widened in the rear of the pants, although it may be widened on the sides as well. Generally, this girdle is reinforced by padding and by upwardly extending stays or ribs, and when so reinforced it functionsto protect the kidneys and the immediate part of the back above the waist line.

While this kidney protecting girdle portion is a very popular feature and is prev alent in most of the higher grade football pantsnow sold, it has always been subject to the objection that it does not fit the player snugly and comfortably in all positions of the body. This is most pronounced when the player is bending or stooping over, which generally causes the kidney protecting portion to bulge or flare out in the back of the pants. This flaring portion is uncomfortable; it gives an opponent some thing to grab onto; and it permits the en-' trance of dirt and mud in the top of the pants when the player is sliding on a muddy It is the principal object of the present-J body in all positions of the body-and with out cramping or hindering freedom of movement at the waist.

Another object of the invention is to rovide an improved arrangement of elt means for supporting the pants on the hips and around the waist. I

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof. V

In. the drawing illustrating this embodiment:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a pair of football pant-s embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same with the belt section released.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the belt sections drawn up snugly, thesamebeing shown on a player. i

Figf is a fragmentary side view showing how the kidney pad portions are pulled into place when the belt sections are drawn up snugly. V

Fig. 5 'is a fragmentary View of the rear of the pants as viewed from the inside and,

- Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional View showing the belt guiding arrangement, such a view being represented bythe plane of the line 66 ofFigJL I The pants comprise the usual. front portion 8 and rear portion 9, either or both of which portions can be made up of one or more panels or gores. The front and rear portions are joined along lines of stitching 1111 at the sides of the pants.

The front portion 8 has the opening usu ally provided in trousers, thisopening being closed by flies 12 and 13 adapted to be drawn together by a lacing 14. In the construction shown, the front and rear portions 8 and 9 extendup to the edge indicated at 16, where the fabric is turned in and stitched by a line of stitching 16". This edge 16 and line of stitching 16" represents the waist line of, the-pants, in the normal position of the pants this edge 1 6 resting just above the hip bones.

Extendingabove this edge or waist line 16 is the girdle portion 18 to which I have previously referred, This girdle portion may extend completely around the top of the pants, or maybe confined to the back or sides ifdesired. This girdle portion, in" the construct-ion shown, is stitched to the front and rear pants portions 8 and 9 at the line of stitching 16 and along a lower line ofstitching 19. f

This girdle portion extends "upwardly from the waist line to approximately the lower ribs. where it covers the kidneys and the sides and back of the-player immediately above the waist line. The entire upper portion ofthe pantsiis preferably padded by one or more sheets of padding22which line the interior of the pants, and prefer: ably extend completely around the pants; This sheet of padding extends from the top: of the girdle portion 18, down past the waist line an'd'over' the hips and over the end of the spinal column. A short flap por tion 22 servesto protect the end of the spinal column, thispaddingbeing cut away directly below this flap, and this padding and the rear portion 9 being proportioned to give fullness across the seat of the pants as I shall presently describe.

The girdle portion 18 is preferably reinforced by a plurality of stiffening inserts 24, which inserts generally consist of relatively stifi strips of fibre sewed in pockets extending more or less vertically in the girdle. These stays are located at spaced intervals around the sides and at the front and back of the. pants, being preferably slightl spaced from the central front portion of the pants, and from the central rear ortion of the pants. These reinforcing ibi-e strips or stays 24 are preferably located in pockets stitched between the outer canvas or duck portions 8 and 9 and the padding 22. As shown in Fig. 1. pockets of duck or canvas 26 may be stitched over the front portion of the pants to each side of the center for protecting the tissue and nerves located in and around the anterior spine and the anterior ortion of the crest of the ilium, and also t e lower abdominal regions and the upper ends of these pockets 26' are open for receiving additional plies of padding 27 which can be inserted in these pockets from the top to lie between the outer canvas covering 26 and the main front portion 8of the pants. The tops of these pockets 26 are closed by folding an upper flap of the pocket over the inner side of the girdle and passing a lacing 28 through eyelets 29 in this int-urned flap and in the outer portion of the pocket. Any additional pro tecting armor or adding may, of cows. be embodied in t e pants, such as thigi guards, knee pads, etc.

It will be evident that the normal tendency of the sheet of padding 22 and the reinforcing stays 24 will be to hold the rear part of the girdle in outwardly bulging or flaring position, particularly when the player stoops or bends over, as in the scrimmage line or in play. This outward flare of the back girdle portion is often present when the player is substantially erect. According to the present invention, this out ward bulging or flaring of the girdle portion is avoided by cutting the girdle into two parts at the rear of the pants and drawing these two parts together and against the body of the player by a unique arrangement of belt sections 32 as shown in Figs. 3. and 4. This separation of the girdle portion into right and left hand halves is obtained by cutting a V shaped notch 31 in the central rear portion of the girdle which divides the rear of the girdle into right and left hand kidney pads 18 and 18 This V shaped notch 31 extends down to approximately the waist line, represented by the edge 16 of the rear pants portion 9.

Stitched to one edge of the V shaped notch or opening 31, adjacent the upper end thereof, is a first belt section 32 Stitched to the opposite edge of the opening 31, adjacent its upper end, is a second belt section 32". The first belt section 32 enters a guide slot 33 cut in a leather piece 34 stitched to the girdle. This belt section thence passes around toward the front of the trousers between the canvas outer portion of the girdle and the pants, and the outer sides of the reinforcing stays 2 1. That is to say, the belt section passes over the outer sides of the stays where it will tend to flex the stays into snug engagement with the body when the belt section is placed under tension; but the belt section is concealed under the outerply of canvas constituting the outer part of the girdle and the outer part of the main front portion 8, whereby this belt section is practically covered so that an opponent cannot grab onto the same. The lines of-stitching defining the upper ends of the pockets for the stays 24 are extended down only part Way at the rear of the girdle to define the upper edge of the belt guide which exists between the outer sides of the stays and the canvas covering. As shown in Fig. 1, the belt section 32 passes out of this belt guide at the front of the pants through a slotted guide opening 35- adjacent the fly 12. It will be noted that this belt guide opening 35 is located at approximately the waist line, delined by the edge 16, the belt section thus sloping downwardly from its relatively high position of attachment at the rear of the girdle to a point substantially at the waist line at the front of the pants. r

The other belt section 32 enters the guide slot 33 (Fig; 5) cut in the padding sheet 22, and this belt section likewise passes around to the front of the pants and passes out through a guide slot 35 at the fly 13. This belt section 32 also passes through a belt guide defined between the outer sides of the stays 24 and the inner side of the canvas body of the girdle and pants. Fig. 5 illustrates how the lines of stitching defining the stay pockets, terminate to form the belt guides around the outer sides of the stays. Any suitable buckle or fastening means 37 may be provided for drawing the ends of the belt sect-ions together. Fig. 2 illustrates the relative positions of the kidney pad portions 18 and 18 when there is no tension on the belt sections. V1 hen the belt sections are drawn up snugly the edges of these two kidney pad portions are pulled together and generally into overlapping relation, depending upon the girth of the player, as shown in Fig. 3. This overlapping relation of the sides of the V shaped notch 31 closes this notch and draws the upper edges of the girdle into snug engagement with the body of the player. As shown in Fig. 1, the greater fullness of the rearport-ion of the IOU pants directly below the waist line will result in this portion of the pants maintaining a full, unrestricted seat portion, and the rear part of the girdle will be gathered'into snug engagement with the back by drawing the ends of the kidney pads into the overlapping relation shown in Fig. 3. By sloping the belt sections downwardly to the waist line at the front of the pants the tension of these belt sections is placed at the most comfortable point. If the belt sectionswere extended around the upper part of the girdle they would place their supporting tension around the abdomen above the lower ribs, and press on the lower ribs, which would be very uncomfortable and would hinder freedom of movement at the waist line. In addition to drawing and holding the kidney pad portions in snug engagement with the back of the player these belt sections also support the pants on the player, and hence the downward sloping of the belt sections to the waist line at the front of the pants, enables the necessary supporting tension to be placed on these belt sections without discomfort to the player. As before remarked, these belt sections, by passing on the outer sides of the reinforcing stays pull these stays into snug engagement with the body.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pair of football pants provided with a kidney protecting girdle extending up wardly from the waist line in the rear of the pants, said girdle having an opening in the rear dividing said girdle into right and left hand portions, and two belt sections having their ends secured to said girdle portions on each side of said opening, said belt sections passing through guide means in the pants and sloping downwardly from the points of attachments at said girdle portions to the waist line at the front of the pants, and said belt sections being adapted to draw said kidney pads in to fit the body of the wearer.

2. A pair of football pants comprising a pair of kidney pads extending upwardly above the waist line at the rear of said pants, two belt sections having their rear ends attached to the adjacent edges of said kidney pads above the waist line and having their front ends extending around to the front of the pants, said belt sections op-- erating to draw the adjacent edges of said kidney pads towards each other or into overlapping relation whereby said kidney pads are caused to hug the back and sides of the wearer and belt guide means for directing said belt sections downwardly on an incline from their points of attachments to said kidney pad portions to their points of fastening at the front of the pants.

3. In a pair of football pants, a pair of legs, a trunk having a waist band adapted to fit the waist line of the wearer, a padded girdle extending upward above the waist line at the rear of the pants, said girdle portion having a V-shaped opening therein, reinforcing stays in said girdle portion, and belt means attached to the opposite edges of said V-shaped opening and passing around the outer sides of said reinforcing stays for drawing said girdle portions and said stays into snugly tting engage ment.

4. In a pair of football pants, a pair of legs, a trunk having a waist band adapted to fit the waist line of the wearer, a padded girdle extending upward above'the waist line at the rear of the pants, reinforcing stays in said kidney pads, a pair of belt sections having their rear ends attached to the adjacent edges of said kidney pads, said belt sections crossing at the rear and passing around the sides of said pants on the outer sides of said reinforcing stays, and belt guide means for directing said belt sections inclinedly downwardly from their points of attachment to said kidney pads to their points of fastening at the front of the pants.

5. A pair of football pants comprising front and rear portions, a girdle extending upwardly from said front and rear portions for protecting that portion of the body between the waist line and the lower ribs, said girdle having a V-shaped opening in the center of the back, reinforcing stays in said girdle, a pair of belt sections having their rear ends attached to the opposite edges of said V shaped opening, said belt sections 1 crossing each other at said opening and being operative to draw the opposite edges of said opening into overlapping relation and belt guideways defined between the outer sides of said reinforcing stays and the outer fabric body of said girdle and said front pants portion.

6. A pair of football pants comprising inner and outer plies of material, a protecting girdle portion extending upwardly above the waistline, said girdle portion havingan opening in the rear thereof, belt sections connected to the opposite edges of said opening and passing around to the front of the pants for drawing said edges together, said belt sections passing throughguideways formed between said inner and outer plies of material, reinforcing stays in the girdle portion between said inner and outer plies, and lines of stitching through said plies defining pockets for said stays and also defining the upper edges of said, belt guideways.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of March, 1926.

DAVID MADISON BULLOCK.

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