US2511641A - Apparel - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1950 G, KUHN 2,511,641

APPAREL Filed Nov. 4, 1946 FIG.

INVENTOR 620205 /1u//N,.

ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPAREL George Kuhn, Silver Spring, Md.

Application November 4, 1946, Serial No. 707,651

7 Claims.

injury to the skin, and producing the novel effect of exposing an area of the body between the breasts.

Brassieres of the strapless type are potentially very popular, particularly for sport and evening wear and those of the type contemplated herein are especially compatible with evening gowns which are cut low in front, since the brassieres themselves are ventrally discontinuous to provide a gap between their breast receiving portions. Such brassieres may comprise a discontinuous curved resilient torso engaging member having a dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, the ventral portions being biased towards the dorsal portion and terminating in spaced breast engaging members. The torso engaging member may be unitary or composite, of constant length or adjustable, strip-like or filamentary, metallic or otherwise. The breast engaging or embracing members may be integral with the torso engaging member or attached thereto, removable or fixed thereto. These breast receiving members may be contoured to engage above and below the mammillae as well as ventrally with respect thereto. They may assume the form of loops or segments thereof or they may be cup-shaped and continuous or perforated to cover the breasts entirely or partially. Fabric, plastic or other types of covering may be employed for the torso engaging member for contact with the body and may at the same time impart suitable decorative effects. The breast receiving or engaging members may likewise be covered with such fabric or may be composed entirely of suitable shape-retaining material to serve one or both of these same purposes. While the brassiere of the present invention is self supporting and ordinarily dispenses with the need for shoulder straps, their use where desired is not excluded. The torso engaging portion may be substantially c-shaped or it may have a downwardly offset dorsal portion to cooperate with an outer garment which is cut low in back.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow from a more detailed description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing a brassiere of the type contemplated herein applied to a portion of a torso;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing one form of such a brassire;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing another form contemplated;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section showing a detail of the structure of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation taken along line of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a modification; and

Fig. 9 is a section along line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

The torso I0 depicted in Fig. 1 has been fitted with a brassiere of the type herein proposed, having a torso engaging member l2 extending from the remote portions of the breast receiving members l4, around the sides and back of the torso. The breast receiving members M being spaced in front, define a gap [6 between the breasts, thus readily cooperating with a low cut evening gown without effecting undesired exposure.

The torso engaging member 12 depicted in Fig. 2 is in the form of a strip of metal, plastic, wood, or combinations of these or other suitable materials of a resilient nature, curved to more or less conform with the human torso, having a dorsal portion l8, lateral portions 20 and ventral portions 22, the latter being normally biased by the inherent resilience of the material, toward the dorsal portion I8. These spaced ventral portions terminate in loops 24, which may be suitably constructed from wire or other appropriate material to embrace or engage the breasts.

As shown in Fig. 3, the ends of the torso engaging member may be provided with flanges 26 defining channels for receiving the ends of the wire loops 24. The terminals 28 of these loops may be bent to serve as latching means in cooperation with the flanges, the inherent resilience of the loop biasing these terminal portions outwardly. The positions of the loops with respect to the body may be adjusted by forming the terminal portions 28 at any desired length. Moreover, the loops of this modification may be removed from the torso engaging member by pressing the loop ends inwardly with respect to the channel in opposition to the normal bias. Such removal will permit the application of fabric covers to the loops and ready removal of such covers for laundry purposes or renewal. The application of a covering material 30 to the torso engaging member is depicted in Fig. 4.

The body engaging member 32, Fig. 5, likewise has a dorsal portion 18, lateral portions 20 and ventral portions 22, the torso engaging member in this case being shown as constructed from resilient wire to form a discontinuous curved member. In this case the loops 34 are integral with the torso engaging member, the entire assembly being rendered adjustable if desired, by the provision of a sleeve 36 containing suitably spaced openings 38 for selective reception of the bent ends 40 of the torso engaging member 32. Here again, the size of the brassiere can be adjusted by retracting the ends un-from one pair of openings and permitting them to expand into another pair. The entire brassiere or portions thereof may be covered with protective and/or ornamental fabric by sewing, the use of suitable fasteners or otherwise. The application of such a fabric cover has been depicted in connection with the torso engaging member in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

In some cases, as for evening wear, the body embracing member IZmayhave itsdorsal portion is downwardly offset with respect to the breast engaging members 4.2, as depicted in Fig. 8, to cooperate with a gown which is cut low in back. The breast receiving members have been .shown in this case, Fig.9, as rigid or semi-rigid cuplike elements provided with fine perforations 44 for ventilation.

Brassieres intended for sport wear, such as bathing or sun suits, may have their torso engaging members enclosed by .astrip or covering of colored, tinted or transparent plastic, rubber, leather .or other desired material.

Such brassieres would provide adequate support for strapless garments which might be attached theretoor integral therewith. In any event, the resilience of the structure in cooperation with the breasts, renders it self supporting and self positioning once it has been applied.

Whereas examples of brassires of the type herein contemplated have been shown and described, no effort has been made to show many other modifications contemplated, in appreciation of the fact that the invention will not be restricted beyond the scope of theappended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A brassiere comprising a ventrally discontinuous curved resilient torso embracing member having a united dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, said ventral portions biased by the resiliency of said torso engaging member towards said dorsal portion and terminating in mutually spaced ventrally unconnected breast receiving members.

2. A brassiere comprising a ventrally discontinuous curved resilient wire torso embracing member having a united dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, said ventral portions biased by the resiliency of said torso engaging member towards said dorsal portion and terminating in mutually spaced ventrally unconnected breast embracing members, and a covering for said members.

3. A brassiere comprising a ventrally discontinuous curved resilient torso embracing member having a united dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, said ventral portions biased by the resiliency of said torso engaging member towards said dorsal portion and. terminating in ventrally unconnected mutually spaced form-fitting breast receiving cups.

4. A brassire comprising a relatively narrow substantially C-shaped member of spring material substantially complementing the back and sides of a female torso, the ends of said member terminating in a pair of ventrally unconnected mutually spaced breast receptacles.

5. A self -supporting brassiere comprising a pair of ventrally unconnected and spaced breast receptacles, and a substantially C-shaped strip of spring material curved and substantially complementing the back and sides of a female torso and attached at each of its respective ends to one of said breast receptacles.

6. A brassiere comprising a discontinuous curved resilient torso engaging member having a united dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, said ventral portions biased by the resiliency of said torso engaging member towards said dorsal portion and terminating in mutually spaced ventrally unconnected breast embracing members, said dorsal portion being oifset downwardly with respect to said ventral portions.

7. A brassire comprising a ventrally discontinuous curved resilient torso engaging member having a united dorsal portion, lateral portions and spaced ventral portions, said ventral portions biased by the resiliency of said torso engaging member towards said dorsal portion and terminating in mutually spaced ventrally unconnected breast embracing members and adjusting means for varying the spacing of said embracing members.

GEORGE KUHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,290,608 Lowman Jan. 7, 1919 2,013,554 De Benedetto Sept. 3, 1935 2,045,401. Mowry 'June 23, 1936 2,131,457 Tachat Sept. 27, 1938 2,267,365 Blum Dec. 23, 1941 2,391,417 Hill Dec. 25, 1945 2,414,590 Folb Jan. 21, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 86,280 Sweden Mar. 12, 1936 771,567 France July 30, 1934 854,831 France Jan. 29, 1940

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