US2121088A - Brassiere and the like - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1938. I RUE 2,121,088

y BRASSIERE AND THE LIKE ori inal Filed Sept. 17, 1934 3 2 I 772271635425; Z1 ,2 In Z2149.

Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I BRASSIERE AND THE LIKE Dee La Rue, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,306 Renewed November 13, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in brassires and relates particularly to what may be called mother's brassieres, or lying-in brassieres or nursing brassieres.

The advantages of my invention will be realized, especially by the nursing mother of a new born infant. Such a mother is in about as weakened a state as she could be and it is desirable to eliminate as much movement and inconvenience of all kinds as is possible for the best interest of both the mother and the child.

The brassiere arrangements now in use for such purposes are attended. with much disadvantage as is well known. Much lifting and shifting of the body is necessary to arrange for the nursing of thechild} and also an unnecessary large breast area is exposed with attendant danger from cold and also embarrassment, besides other well known disadvantages.

My object has been to provide a brassiere whereby a mother may nurse a child with a minimum of movement andinconvenience, and with a minimum of exposure. Another object has been to provide a brassire which will be self adjustable easily, both around the waist and over the shoulders and one which will be easily removable. In addition, another object has been to provide a brassiere which will properly retain and position the breasts, giving the necessary lift.

To this end I have illustrated inthe preferred form selected, a brassire having a pair of openings for the breasts and a'. pair of flaps adapted to be cross hooked to close the brassiere and protect the breasts and effectively contain and position the-breasts, and either or both of which may be unfastened to provide for convenient and safe nursing. I have also provided-for fastening the brassiere by simple means in the front whereby it may be easily unfastened for self removal if desired. I have provided also for simple self adjustment around the waist and over the shoulders.

After use for nursing the flaps may be stitched if desired and the brassire may be used in that condition permanently to retain the advantages of its natural uplift and positioning andother features.

Another object has been to provide a device of the kind which will be simple in construction and reasonable in cost to manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and-claimed.

The invention will be best understood. by reference to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view showing the device applied to the body;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view taken on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the adjustable flap is removed;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the entire device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one breast portion and side with the flap closed;-

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, with the flap turned back;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5 of the adjustable inset of my invention; and

Fig. 8 is a view of the modified form of shoulder strap arrangement.

The preferred form selected in the drawing to illustrate the principle of my invention com- 2 prises a brassire l0 having a back body portion H, a left front body portion l2 and a right front body portion l3. The backbody portion II is provided with shoulder strap portions l4 having eyelets I5. The shoulder strap portions M are narrow as shown and are broadened at I6, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, at the bottom as they merge into the back body portion II to prevent distortion as will be manifest. body portion II, and practically the entire brassire I0 is provided with a reinforcing band ll to strengthen the device and prevent distortion. The back body portion ll is cut to form the relatively low cut back, as shown, and is deeply cut, as shown, to provide right and left underarm portions l8. Each of the underarm portions I8 is sewn to an inset l9, each side of which is hemmed as at 20, and each hem 2!! isprovided with eyelets 2|, as shown in Figs.'5 and 7.

The back body portion H is in one piece in the form shown, except for the band I1, and the portion II is adapted to be laced to the front The back r right and left breast portions as will appear here inafter.

The two body portions l2 and I3 are substantially the same and description of one will suffice. Taking the left front body portion I 2; it is made in one piece in the preferred form shown, and has an integrally formed hooked strap portion 22 and hooks 23 for engagement with one strap portion M. The left front body portion I2 is provided with an aperture 24 which is fitted around the central portion of the left breast and through which the central portion of the plete a desired pocket structure and make a desirable fit.

The body portion i2 is also provided with a straight edge hemmed portion 3| with eyelets 32, and of course, it will be understood from the drawing that the other body portion I3 is similarly constructed with a seamed edge portion,

The arrangement is such 33 withhooks 34. that the hem portion 33 laps over on the hem portion 3| with the hooks and eyelets engaging invisibly to close the front of the brassiere and also to make the brassiere easily removable.

Means are provided, for example, in the case of a nursing mother, for concealing and protecting the breast when she is not nursing, and for conveniently exposing the breast in' nursing without removing or opening the brassiere proper.

To accomplish the result of the preferred form shown, I provide 'a flap 35 on a body portion i2 and another flap 35 on the body portion l3. These fiaps,are particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 6. Each flap is substantially the same and the description of one will be sufficient. The flap 35 is composed of three pieces, 31, 38 and 33 in the preferred form shown, and they are seamed together by seams 40. The piece 31 is provided in the form shown with a pair of darts 4| and the pieces are out on curves as shown in the preferred form and darts are arranged as will be understood by those experienced in the art, to form a pocket 42 in each flap, said pocket 42 being clearly illustrated, particularly in Fig. 2. The body portion i2 and the flap 35 and the inset l9 are stitched together in a seam 43 and the seam 43 is provided with eyelets 44. The flap 35 and the body portion I! are stitched also, as at seam 45 shown in Fig. 4 and are stitched also as at seam 46, shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

By this arrangement, the flap is partially sewn to the body portion II. The arrangement of the seams 45 and 46 particularly, completes formation of the pocket 42 so that when 'the flap is hooked as hereinafter described it will lift and properly position and retain the breast. The unstitched or free end of the flap as illustrated in Fig. 6 is provided with a hook adapted to engage an eyelet 43 on the body portion l2. In the same manner, the other flap is provided with a hook and the body portion I3 is provided with an eyelet for engagement. It will thus be seen that when the flaps are lapped and hooked as shown in Fig. 1, the desired positioning and lift will be accomplished. It will be manifest that the flap registers with and covers the aperture 24 to effectively protect the breast in hooked condition and may easily be unhooked ,to conveniently expose only a minimum necessary breast area, thereby also protecting the breast;

Laces 43 are provided for each pair of eyelets 2| and 44 for adjustment. By this means it will be manifest that lateral adjustment may be accomplished very easily by the user herself and this adjustment may cover one or more sizes each way.

In Fig. 8, a modification of the shoulder strap means is shown, and the body portions l2 and I3 have modified pointed strap engagement portions 50 and the back portion II has modified pointed strap engaging portions 5| provided with buttons 52. An elastic strap is provided with a plurality of button holes 54 for vertical adjustment. By this means the user may conveniently make effective self adjustment. The importance,

of this self adjustment laterally and vertically should be manifest, but its full importance will be realized by those who have had practical experience with the devices now in use on the market.

My arrangement eliminates practically all of the necessary shifting and other inconveniences attached to such devices.

The operation of the device will be manifest without explanation.

I have, in the preferred form shown, provided illustrated forms'of flaps and body portion arrangements and various cuts and darts to form the pockets and various means of adjustment, but it should be realized that these features are merely forms used to illustrate the invention and may be varied as the particular arrangements that I have shown are not necessary. I,

\ therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

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

1. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion provided with a pair of pockets for containing parts of the body and provided with a circular opening in each of said pockets said brassiere body portion also having means adapted to provide for a vertical support of said parts of the body, flaps lateraly secured to said body portion adjacent said opening said flaps being formed in a pocket-like shape to provide auxiliary supporting means for supporting said parts of the body in a vertical and lateral manner, and detachable securing means for the ends of said flaps said securing means being adapted for the overlapping of the free ends of said flaps for vertical and lateral support.

2. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion provided with a pair of openings, flaps laterally secured to said body portion adjacent said openings, and detachable securing means for securing the free ends of said flaps with one flap overlapping the other.

3. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion provided with a pair of openings, flaps laterally secured to said body portion adjacent said openings, said flaps being formed in a pocket like shape to provide auxiliary supporting means for supporting parts of the body, and detachable securing means for securing the free ends of said flaps with one flap overlapping the other.

DE LA RUE.

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