US2722686A - Garment having detachable front and back portions - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 8, 1955 A. P. HOSKINGS GARMENT HAVING DETACHABLE FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS Filed Aug. 20, 1953 Fig. 2

Fig. 4

INVENTOR. ALICE P. HOSKINGS mun: & 162102 AGENTS FaR APPLCANY United States Patent Office 2,722,686 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 GARMENT HAVING DETACHABLE FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS Alice P. Hoskings, San Diego, Calif.

Application August 20, 1953, Serial No. 375,454

1 Claim. (Cl. 274) The present invention relates generally to clothing and more particularly to a garment having detachable and intercnangeable trout and back portions.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a garment in which the front and back portions are detachably fastened together at the side seams and shoulder seams.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment in which the front and back portions are relatively flat when separated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment having detachable front and back panels which may be made in a wide variety of designs and styles, changing the appearance of the garment as a whole.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment having the sleeves detachably fastened together or to the back of the garment.

Another object is to provide a garment having detachable frontal and rear sections in which the fastening means are generally covered by trimmings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment which is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

Finally, it is an object to provide a garment of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to use, and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawings, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a sleeveless type dress, one side being disconnected for clarity.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a similar garment having sleeves.

Fig. 3 is a rear view, in perspective, of a dress in which the sleeves are attached to one portion only.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a typical connection of the garment portions with a ruffie stitched adjacent thereto for decorative purposes and to generally conceal the fasteners.

Referring now to the drawing, the simple dress used for purposes of illustration in Fig. 1 comprises a front portion Jill and a back portion 12. The front portion includes a top or blouse portion 14 having a neck section 16, shoulder sections 18, and sleeve openings 20, the lower part, as illustrated, constituting a skirt 22. The back portion 12 also includes a blouse portion 24 having a neck section 26, shoulder sections 28 and sleeve openings 30, and a lower or skirt portion 32. The blouse and lower portion together constitute an element which will be referred to hereinafter as a body section.

The side seams 34 of the blouse 14 and the side seams 36 of the skirt 22 are fitted with a plurality of snap fasteners or specifically the female portions 38 thereof. These female portions 38 are also fitted to the shoulders 18 and at the outer edges of the neck 16. Similarly, the corresponding male portions 40 of the snap fasteners are fitted to the side seams 42 and 44 of the blouse 24 and skirt 32 respectively, to the shoulders 28 and opposite edges of the neck 26 adjacent the shoulders. The male and female portions of the snap fasteners are, of course, aligned so that the front and back portions 10 and 12 may be fastened together, a typical completed connection being shown in Fig. 4. Figure 4 also discloses trimming, specifically a rufile 120, which may be used to cover the snapped seam and enhance the appearance of the garment. The rufile is shown stitched to the back or outside portion of the snapped seam. However, the particular location may be determined by the effect desired and individual taste.

The dress illustrated in Fig. 2 is substantially similar to that described above except that sleeves are fitted into the body of the garment. The front 46 comprises a blouse 48 having a neck section 50, shoulder sections 52 and sleeves 54, the lower portion constituting a skirt 56. The back 58 comprises a blouse 60 having a neck section 62, shoulder sections 64 and sleeves 66, the lower portion of the back being the skirt 68.

The side seams 70 and 72 of the blouse 48 and skirt 56 respectively are fitted with female snap fastener portions 38, as are the shoulder sections 52 and the upper and lower edges 74 and 76 of the sleeves 54. Similarly, the male snap fastener portions 40 are fitted to the side seams 78 and 80 of the blouse 60 and skirt 68 respectively, to the shoulder sections 64, and to the upper and lower edges 82 and 84 of the sleeves 66.

The dress shown in Fig. 3 differs in that the complete sleeves are non-detachably attached to the front portion 86 and detachably secured to the back portion. The front portion 86 includes a blouse 88 and a skirt 90, said blouse having a neck section 92, shoulder sections 94 and onepiece sleeve 96, front portions of the one-piece sleeves permanently or non-detachably secured to the front portion 86. The back 98 comprises a blouse 100 and a skirt 102, said blouse having a neck sction 104, shoulder sections 106 and curved notched parts 108 provided to accommodate the sleeves 96.

Female snap fastener portions 38 are secured to the side seams 110 and 112 of the blouse 88 and skirt 90, respectively, to the shoulder sections 94, and around the seamed rear edges 114 of the curved notched parts 108. The corresponding male snap fastener portions are secured to the side seams 116 and 118 of the blouse 100 and skirt 102, to the shoulder sections 106, and around the inside of the curved notched parts 108.

It will be evident that by establishing a standard arrangement of snap fasteners on the garments, various front and back portions may be combined to provide contrasting garments, the portions of the garment being interchangeable according to the specific fastening arrangement used. The arrangement is particularly useful should the garment become soiled or damaged. The damaged portion is easily replaced without the necessity of cleaning, laundering or repairing the entire garment, this being a distinct advantage in the case of childrens clothing. Thus the hazards of laundering a garment which is soiled in the frontal or rear portion are not extended to the entire garment.

Although the structure is illustrated as applied particularly to dresses in the drawing the arrangement is equally suitable for other garments such as boys suits, jackets, playsuits, or uniforms for laboratory workers or food handlers or the like. In boys suits the snap fasteners would be continued down the side seams of the trousers to the leg opening and then up the inner leg seam to the crotch. Otherwise stated, the body section in boys clothing constructed according to this invention, will have a divided lower part in place of the skirt elements illustrated in the drawing.

Furthermore, the method of joining is by no means limited to the use of snap fasteners, buttons or zippers also being suitable. It should also be noted that the exact spacing of the snap fasteners would depend upon the type of material and the type of garment used. Winter clothing would be more securely fastened than summer clothing and garments used for more formal occasions would be more securely fastened than those for play clothes.

Furthermore, the particular location of the female and male portions of the snap fasteners is a matter of choice. The female portion may be secured to the rear portion of the garment, and the male portion secured to the front portion of the garment so that the frontal portion would fasten over the rear portion.

The front and back panels of the garment are substantially flat when separated and are thus easily ironed, folded and stored. The method and means for joining the portions of the garment are well suited to conventional styles of clothing, thus the exact style and design of such garments may be according to current fashion requirements. It should be noted that means such as braids, rick-rack and the like may be used to cover or partially cover the snap-fastened seams in order that the appearance of the garment may be enhanced. Any combination of color or designs may be used in the material and trimmings to improve the appearance of the garment.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

it is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed and claimed herein, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

A dress designed for production in sets having interchangeable portions of different appearance, each dress comprising: a front panel and a back panel; marginally disposed easily separable means connecting said front and back panels at the side edges thereof; said front panel including a shoulder portion, a neck section, a front blouse section, one-piece sleeves having the front portions thereof permanently attached to said blouse section, and a skirt portion; said back panel including a shoulder portion, a neck section, a back blouse section having curved notched parts, and a skirt portion; and easily separable means connecting said shoulder portions together and similar means connecting the edges of said curved notched parts of said back blouse section to said sleeves, whereby the portions are adapted for replacement to effect various combinations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,544 Bonoff Oct. 5, 1915 1,489,046 Thompson Apr. 1, 1924 2,297,159 Mohler Sept. 29, 1942

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