US2371318A - Decorative material and method of - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1945. J RQSENFELD 2,371,318

DECORATIVE MATERIAL AND METHOD OF APPLYING THE SAME Filed July 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gli;

AT TORNEY March 13, 1945. L RQSENFELD 2,371,318

DECORATIVE MATERIAL AND METHOD OF APPLYING THE SAME Filed July 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvszvrm ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1945 DECORATIVEMATERIAL AND METHOD 0F APPLYING THE SAME Jack Rosenfeld, New York, N. Y.

Application July 6, 1944, Serial No. 543,651

Claims.

This invention relates to decorative material adapted for use in handbags, pocketbooks and similar articles, and to the method of producing the salme. i

It is known in the `art to decorate articles such as handbags and the like with elements of metal or plastic material arranged thereon in definite designs or patterns so as to produce surfaces capable of conferring to the object a distinctive ornamental appearance. For this purpose, there is usually formed a structure consisting of a number of single decorative elementsarranged side by side and interconnected or interlaced in various manners, as by means of tapes or the like travers ing the elements at right angles through suitable apertures provided therein, the `structure being thenapplied to the object to be decorated by securing thereto the ends of the tapes that interconnect the single elements.

The materials thus formed are generally .in the nature of a cover or envelope for the object, and are adapted for application to curved surfaces or, in general, flexible bodies, such `as handbags, since the interconnection of the constituent elements thereof by `means'cf dexiblertapes or the like, substantially provides an articulated material.

However, the structures of the prior art are not entirely satisfactory for various reasons. One of the shortcomings of such devices consists in the comparative complication and high cost of manufacture, due to the necessity of passing many tapes through a'large number of apertures, tensing the tapes accurately to insure proper interconnection of the elements, and securing all the ends of the tapes to the object to which the decorative material is applied. A further serious shortcoming consists in that the single elements thereof are not and cannot be individually secured to the article they decorate. son, and since the means interconnecting the elements are exible and cannot be tensed beyond a certain limit if sufficient exibility of the material is to be maintained, the single elements become frequently displaced relative to each other and to the underlying surface of the article, and assume positions at different angles whereby the wall of the article appears to break sharply in different directions and the desired decorative effect is entirely lost. This defect is common to certain decorative articulated structure of a dif ferent type which may be directly employed to form the body of the article- It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a decorative material which is inexpen- For this reathe formation of the body 'of articles of the aforo# mentioned character.

The invention is also directed to the provision of a novel method whereby a number of decora,- tive elements may be permanently associated with a backing member to forman articulated decorative material. as aforesaid, in a, simple and expe-` ditious manner, the method vfurther contemplating the usepof integral rigid units comprising'a` comparatively large number 'of decorative elements and the transformation of such 4units into single ornamental elements, individually secured to the backing member, by means of a few simple operations.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the following description of the invention illustrated in the drawings, where- Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of decorative material according to the invention in an initial stage of its construction, showing the backing sheet and units of integrally formed multiple decorative elements disposed thereon.

Fig. 2'is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sec tional view on line 2--2 of Fig.` l, showing one of the score lines provided between adjacent-rows of decorative elements of each unit.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the material in a successive stage of its construction,` with the units of decorative elements secured to the backing sheet.

Fig, 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the material il' lustrating the iinal step in the constructionthereof.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sec-4 Fig. 'T is a perspective yview ofla ladys handbagl made with decorative material produced according to the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, III indicates a base or backing sheet forming part of the decorative material and made of fabric, leather or other suitable material selected according to the use for which the product is in tended.

Disposed upon one face of the backing sheet II) are a plurality of decorative units II (two of which are shown at the right in Fig. 1) of substantially rigid but light material, such as a molded plastic, and having preferably a square or rectangular base contour, whereby the units may be arranged side by side, with their basis substantially in edge contacting relation, to cover the entire area of the backing sheet and provide a continuous ornamental surface, partially shown in Fig. 1.

Each unit II is formed in one piece and comprises a plurality of alined raised hollow portions I2, uniformly spaced from each other by flat coplanar portions I3 of the unit base merging with the upstanding walls of the raised portions I2. These latter may be of various geometrical designs, so as to permit of a variety of decorative effects. Units of various sizes, embodying diiferent numbers of raised decorative portions I2, may be employed; comparatively large units, shown as Fig. 1, are, however, preferred and, of course, a single unit coextensive with the back ing sheet may be used.

A plurality of intersecting score lines I4 and I5 are provided longitudinally and transversely of each unit I I, between adjacent rows of raised portions I2 thereof, centrally of the aforementioned flat portions I3, to produce weakened zones and dene the periphery of a number of elements, each incorporating one of the raised portions I2, into which the unitI I will be divided in a subsequent phase of construction of the material, as will be hereafter described.

The units II, placed on the backing sheetr I0 with their bases disposed, as aforementioned, to bring the raised portions thereof in alinement to formlongitudinally and transversely extending rows of such portions and to locate .the score lines in registration, are then secured to the backing sheet by means of a number of longi tudinal and transverse double lines of stitching I6, I`6a and I'I, I'Ia (see Figs. 3 and 4) parallel to the score lines I4, I5 in closely spaced relation thereto, the connection with the backing sheet being completed by a peripheral line of stitching I8. The stitching may be effected by means of conventional sewing machines having a presser foot adapted to pass between adjacent rows of raised portions I2, the thin wall of the plastic units -being readily penetrable by the usual sewing needles. If desired, a suitable cementing material may be used for fixing the units to the backing sheet prior to the sewing, to insure that the proper position of the units will be maintained during the sewing operation.

In the final step of production of the material, the backing sheet I0 carrying the units secured thereto, as described, is bent in the manner shown in Fig. 5, longitudinally and transversely. As will be evident, the plastic material will be caused in this manner to split in the weakened zones defined by the score lines I4, I5, with the resulting subdivision of each unit into a plurality of independent elements 20, united by portions of the exible underlying backing sheet functioning as hinge members, as illustratedin Fig. 5, the

connnection of the elements 20 thus formed with the backing sheet being insured by the aforementioned lines of stitching I 6, I 6a and I'I, IIa, as will be evident.

The material thus, produced, besides having an attractive appearance, is completely articulated and can be bent substantially in the same manner as a fabric or a piece of leather so that it lends itself to a large variety of uses. It can be advantageously employed in the formation of bodies having curved portions or in which exibility is essential, such as the handbag 22 illus trated in Fig. '7

While I have described the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made in the structure described and illustrated in the drawings and in the method of producing the same without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

I claim: v

1. A method of producing a decorative material, which comprises taking a plurality of substantially rigid units embodying a number of decorative portions, forming score lines in each of said units to dene therein a number of elements interconnected by weakened Zones, each of said elements incorporating one of said decorative portions, securing the interconnected elements of the units to 'a flexible backingsheet, and subsequently severing the units along said weakened zones to separate the 'elements ythereof from each other and form an articulated structure.

2. A method of producing a decorative material, which comprises taking a preformed decorative unit of molded plastic material, form-ing in said unit a number of intersecting score lines 40 to dene therein a plurality of elements inter connected by weakened zones, securing the unit to a flexible backing sheet by means of lines of stitching passing through said elements and parallel to said score linesand bending the assembly thus produced to cause the material of the unit to split along the weakened zones, thereby forming a plurality of independent elements interconnected by portions of the flexible backing sheet functioning as hinge membersv and providing an articulated structure.

3. A method of producing a decorative material, which comprises providing a plurality of sub stantially rigid units of molded plastic material embodying a number of alined decorative por-` tions, forming score lines in each of said units intermediate said decorative portions thereof, tol

define weakened zones dividing the unit into a number of elements each incorporating one of said decorative portions, placing all the units upon a flexible backing sheet with the respective elements disposed to form rows of decorative portions extending longitudinally and transversely of the backing sheet and with the respective, score lines in registration, securing all the units,I

to the backing sheet by means of lines of stitching parallel to the score lines and passing throughI the elements of the units, and bending the assem,

bly thus formed longitudinally and transversely to sever the units along the weakened zones de-l fined therein, thereby separating the elements` of the units from each other and providing lan,

articulated structure.

4. As an article of manufacture, a decorativel materialcomprising a flexible backing sheet, a number of decorative rigid hollow elements of plastic material having a at outwardly extending peripheral portion forming a base therefor, said elements being disposed upon said backing sheet with their bases slightly spaced from each other to expose portions of the backing sheet and forming rows extending longitudinally and trans-` versely of the backing sheet, and lines of stitch'- ing securing said peripheral portion of the elements to the backing sheet, the exposed portions of said backing sheet functioning as hinge members permitting relative movement of the elements, thereby providing an articulated structure. t f Y rative portions interconnected by weakened `zones,` stitching said interconnected portions of the sheet upon a exible backing material, and subsequently severing the sheet along said Weakened zones to separate the portions thereof from 10 each other and form an articulated structure.

JACK ROSENFELD.

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