US3186413A - Method of and means for holding front panels for women's knitted swimsuits to be trimmed - Google Patents

Description

June 1965 E. D. ESTEPHANIAN 3,186,413

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HOLDING FRONT PANELS FOR WOMEN'S KNITTED SWIMSUITS TO BE TRIMMED Filed Nov. 19, 1962 [NV ENT OR.

ESTA PH AN D. ESTAPHAN IAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,186,413 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HOLDING FRONT PANELS FOR WOMENS KNITTED SWIMSUITS TO BE TRIMMED Estephan Der Estephanian, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Esteban, Inc, Manchester, NH, a corporation of New Hampshire Filed Nov. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 238,617 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-516) This invention relates to a method of and means for holding a stack of twenty or more clothing parts which are to be simultaneously trimmed, and more especially to the holding of stacks of clothing parts made of synthetic yarns which are comparatively slippery. It is an object of the invention to hold such parts tightly when stacked so that they will not slip one on another when the trimming is being done. It is a further object of the invention to provide means for holding for trimming a stack of clothing parts which have three-dimensional portions shaped to conform to curved contours of the body. For example, the front panel of a womans swimsuit can be knitted in such a way as to form three-dimensional bulges for breast cups. According to the present invention, such panels can be stacked and trimmed so that the panels when trimmed will have uniform outlines.

For this purpose the panels are interleaved by spacers each of which has an aperture of a size and location to receive the bulging portions of the panel, the panel being doubled by folding on the vertical median line since the panel is symmetrical with respect to the vertical median. The spacers are shaped to the desired contour of the doubled panels so that when alternate panels and spacers have been stacked to a desired height, the stack is clamped and is ready to be trimmed along the edges of the superposed spacers.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an elongated table on which are mounted embodiments of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on a larger scale, on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated on the rawing is designed for holding a stack of front panels for womens swimsuits in position for simultaneous trimming, but the invention can be applied to parts of other types of clothing. Front panels for womens swimsuits can be successfully knitted in such a way as to form threedimensional bulges for the breast cups. Since the panels are symmetrical with respect to their vertical median, each panel may be folded on the vertical median, the two breast cup bulges being then superposed, one on the other. The extra fabric in the bulges as compared with their projection on a plane poses a problem in stacking such panels for simultaneous trimming. The use of nylon yarn or the like, with or without an admixture of crimped yarns in the fabric, makes the fabric somewhat slippery and therefore ditficult to keep in vertical registry when panels are stacked.

To hold a stack of front panels for womens swimsuits in correct position, a rigid base board is provided, this board being cut to the shape to which the knitted panels are to be trimmed.

If the panels P are to be folded double before being trimmed, the base board will have one straight edge 12 to register with the line of fold of the panel P laid thereon. From this straight edge a plurality of ears 14 project from the board in the same plane, these cars preferably being integral with the board. Two such ears are indicated in FIGURE 1. A vertical post 16 is rigidly mounted on each car 14 to extend upward as high as the top of 3,186,413 Patented June 1, 1965 ICC the stack which is to be formed on the base board. A reinforcing block 18 may be secured under each car 14 to provide a firm foundation for the post 16 on the car.

A series of interleaves 20 is provided to go between successive panels P-when they are stacked on the board 10. Each interleaf 20 has the same outline contour as the base board 10 and two cars 22 along its straight edge to be directly over corresponding ears 14 when the stack is formed. Each car 22 has an aperture 24 to receive the corresponding post 16. The aperture may be a hole or a notch, the latter being the more convenient, to assist in lining up the interleaves directly over the base board 10 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The interleaves 20 are preferably but not necessarily stiff or rigid with surfaces which are not too smooth and may be made of any suitable material such as plywood or any of the synthetic materials used for making thin, hard boards. At the top of the stack is a rigid top board 26. The stack is made by laying a folded panel P on the base board 10 so that the folded edge bears against the posts 16 and thus registers with the straight edge 12 of the board. The irregular margins of the folded panel extend beyond the other edges of the board 10. To accommodate the breast cup bulges of the panel P, a hole 30 is provided in the board 10 properly located to receive the three-dimensional portions of the panel P. This avoids the wrinkling of the panel which would otherwise occur. An interleaf 20 is then placed on the panel P and is made to register accurately with the base board 10 engaging the posts 16 in the apertures 24. The interleaf is provided with a hole 32 which is directly above the hole 30 in the base board and is thus in a position to receive the three-dimensional portions of the panel P. A second panel is placed on the interleaf and more interleaves and panels are stacked in alternation to the desired height. The stack is topped by a rigid top board 26, and clamping means are brought to bear thereon to press the stack strongly down on the base board. The clamp may be independent of the stack or, as shown, may be mounted on an extension 34 of the base board 10. On the extension 34 is a vertical member 36 having two pivots 38, 40 at the upper end thereof. An arm 42 swingable about the pivot 38 carries a presser foot 44 which bears on the top board 26. The arm 43 is actuated by a toggle linkage 46, 48, the link 48 being a part of an operating lever 50 pivoted at 40.

Rear panels are knitted to be joined to the front panels at the sides by suitable stitching. Some styles of swimsuits also include a crotch-piece. These can be knitted on the same machine with the front panel by a suitable arrangement of buttons on the pattern chain of the machine. FIGURE 1 shows apparatus for clamping front panels P which are knitted integral with rear panels P and crotch pieces P". The rear panels and crotch-pieces are stacked on base boards with interleaves suitably shaped to the desired shape for the rear panels and crotchpieces. Top boards 52, 54 are on top of these stacks and are pressed by clamping means similar to the means employed for clamping the stack of front panels.

For mobility when the stacks are ready to be trimmed, the base boards are provided with ball casters 60 which roll easily on a supporting table 62. To keep the base boards in place while the panel pieces and interleaves are being stacked, shallow depressions 64 are provided in the table top under the ball casters 60. When the clamps have been set, the stacks can be rolled to the cutter or a cutter can be brought to the stacks. The cutters are guided by the edges of the boards and interleaves to trim oh the marginal portions of the panels projecting beyond the edges of the interleaves.

I claim:

1. A method of locating and holding a womans swimsuit front panel having three-dimensional bulges for breast cups, which comprises folding the panel on the vertical median so that the bulges are superposed, laying the folded panel on a stiff board which has a contour desired for the folded panel and a hole to receive the bulges, said contour including a straight edge portion corresponding to the fold of a panel and suitably located with reference to said hole, arranging a folded panel on said board with the fold flush with said straight edge portion and the bulges fitted into said hole, placing a similarly shaped board on top to register with the-first said board, and clamping the boards and the material between them.

2. A method of assembling and holding for trimming a substantial number of front panels for womens swimsuits having three-dimensional bulges for breast cups, which comprises folding each panel on the vertical median to put one breast cup bulge directly over the other, stacking the folded panels alternately between still interleaves, each interleaf having the contour desired for the folded panels including a straight edge portion for the fold and a hole for the breast cups, the stacking operation including arranging each folded panel on an interleaf with the UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,113 7/83 Morris -2 83-926 X 533,792 2/95 Donovan 269-2 970,586 9/10 Whitaker -2 269-2 2,122,261 6/38 Morris 83-565 X 2,605,790 8/52 Schwarzer 144-1445 X 2,730,173 1/56 Bresscka 83-565 X 2,795,274 6/57 Beaulieu 83-29 2,815,813 12/57 Goldberg 269-2 3,009,375 11/61 Hardy 83-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,470 11/ 12 Great Britain.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 2. A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING AND HOLDING FOR TRIMMING A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF FRONT PANELS FOR WOMEN''S SWIMSUITS HAVING THREE-DIMENSIONAL BULGES FOR BREAST CUPS, WHICH COMPRISES FOLDING EACH PANEL ON THE VERTICAL MEDIAN TO PUT ONE BREAST CUP BULGE DIRECTLY OVER THE OTHER, STACKING THE FOLDED PANELS ALTERNATELY BETWEEN STIFF INTERLEAVES, EACH INTERLEAF HAVING THE CONTOUR DESIRED FOR THE FOLDED PANELS INCLUDING A STRAIGHT EDGE PORTION FOR THE FOLD AND A HOLE FOR THE BREAST CUPS, THE STACKING OPERATION INCLUDING ARRANGING EACH FOLDED PANEL ON AN INTERLEAF WITH THE FOLD FLUSH WITH THE STRAIGHT EDGE PORTION OF THE INTERLEAF AND THE BREAST CUP BULGES FITTED IN THE HOLE OF THE INTERLEAF, AND CLAMPING THE STACKED PANELS AND INTERLEAVES TOGETHER.

Images