US3798678A

US3798678A - Method of assembling extensible elements in particular through a continuous process on garment portions and articles obtained thereby

Info

Publication number: US3798678A
Application number: US00205652A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Pierron; R Zuccaro
Original assignee: APPLIC IND VOSGIENNES SAPIVOG
Current assignee: APPLIC IND VOSGIENNES SAPIVOG; LES APPLICATIONS IND VOSGIENNES SAPIVOG FR
Priority date: 1970-12-11
Filing date: 1971-12-07
Publication date: 1974-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-26
Also published as: GB1409097A; DE2258728A1; DE2258728C2; FR2163853A5; FR2130763A5

Abstract

The method of the invention enables to render stretchable a part of a garment, without wrinkling at rest. The method consists in shaping a garment portion; cutting out an extensible element to the desired shape; applying said element without any stretching onto said garment portion; and affixing said element without any stretching onto said garment portion along at least one portion of the periphery of said element.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Pierron et al.

1 METHOD OF ASSEMBLING EXTENSIBLE ELEMENTS IN PARTICULAR THROUGH A CONTINUOUS PROCESS ON GARMENT PORTIONS AND ARTICLES OBTAINED THEREBY [75] Inventors: Claude Raymond Pierron; Robert Zuccaro, both of Epinal, France {73] Assignee: Les Applications Industrielles Vosgiennes Sapivog, Uxcgney, France 22 Filed: Dec.7, 1971 211 Appl No; 205,652

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 11, 1970 France .1 70.4482] Dec. 3, 1971 France 7143468 [52] US. Cl 2/243 R [51] Int. Cl. A4ld [58] Field of Search... 2/243 R, 224 A, 232, DIG. 4, 2/270 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.61%,71'44 11/1952 Root 2/221 l I l l l I I Mar. 26, 1974 3,l56 927 11/1964 Grimm et al 2/243 R 3,166,764 1/1965 Stedman ct al.. 2/224 A 3.312.982 4/1967 Pitman 2/232 3,487,833 1/1970 Senser 2/224 A 3,500,479 3/1970 Picrron i i i 2/243 R 3.591.865 7/1971 Scnscr v 2/224 A 3,663,962 5/1972 Burger 2/224 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Australia 2/270 Switzerland 1. 2/232 Primary ExaminerAlfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly & Carr Chapin 57] ABSTRACT The method of the invention enables to render stretchable a part of a garment, without wrinkling at rest. The method consists in shaping a garment portion; cutting out an extensible element to the desired shape; applying said element without any stretching onto said garment portion; and affixing said element without any stretching onto said garment portion along at least one portion of the periphery of said element.

14 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZB I974 SHEET 3 OF 4 METHOD OF ASSEMBLING EXTENSIBLE ELEMENTS IN PARTICULAR THROUGH A CONTINUOUS PROCESS ON GARMENT PORTIONS AND ARTICLES OBTAINED THEREBY The present invention relates to a method of assembling exensible elements possibly endowed with elasticity on garment portions in particular according to a continuous process lending itself to automatic operation,'such for example as jackets, overcoats, blouses, trousers or pants, overalls, dresses or gowns, skirts, head-dresses and hats, foot-wear, stockings, socks and like articles.

The invention is further concerned with the articles thus obtained.

Conventionally for assembling a resilient part such as a wristband or cuff, a waistband, and so on, on a garment, the stretchable orresilient part is at first cut into a generally rectangular shape and then this part is positioned on and secured to the garment while stretching it to make the length of the end to be secured correspond with the connecting length of the garment. After having been connected, this part assumes again substantially its initial shapethereby resulting in a wrinkling of the garment portion where the assembling has been effected. Articles are thus obtained which comprise an extra thickness due to wrinkling which results in difficult ironing and folding. It is therefore particularly interesting to provide such articles without any extra thickness owing to a special mounting of each extensible patch on the garment article involved.

The method according to the present invention enables elimination of such a drawback and is applicable to any garment portions, for example to the assembling of an extensible element forming a waistband or waistband section, to the assembling of an extensible element at the chest, the waist, the back, the crotch, and so on as well as to the connection of an extensible member of an end portion of a garment, for example a wristband or cuff, a collar, a turn-up cuff of trousers.

This method is characterized in that it consists in carrying out the following steps:

shaping a portion of the garment in that area of the garment which is to be made stretchable and resilient, into a configuration fitting to the corresponding body portion;

providing in said portion a suitable opening with or without any removal of material from said portion, so as to allow for a sufficient stretching either for the passage of larger body portions therethrough or for a greater ease;

cutting out an extensible and possibly resilient element according to the desired shape from a suitable material enabling said sufficient stretching or expansion and possibly a tight fit on the body portion involved;

applying this extensible and possibly resilient element and securing it without any stretching on said garment portion,

so that at the end of the process, said element is secured at said opening while covering same partially or entirely or on any e nd part of the garment forming said garment portion or also on a fold or pleat of said garment portion.

Said shaping of said garment portion and said cutting out of said element may of course be carried out independently, i.e., in any order of succession. Moreover the shaping of said garment portion may be carried out entirely or in part prior to the application of said element of after securing same to said garment portion.

According to an embodiment, said opening may be replaced by at least one fold or pleat.

In another embodiment no opening is formed and the aforesaid element is directly adapted for application on said garment portion which constitutes an end part of the garment.

The connection is effected as by adhesion or gluing, welding (in particular through heat welding), sewing or stitching, and so on of both overlying layers consisting of said garment portion and said element fitted thereto, over all or a part of the contour of this element but at least at locations where the tractive forces occurring upon stretching of said element through slipping and/or keeping the garment over the body of an individual and/or during any motion of said individual are concentrated while he is wearing this garment under such conditions that this motion may be carried out with much more ease than under the usual conditions.

The connecting areas consist for example of the end edge of a terminal part of the garment in the case where the extensible element is adapted for application on such a terminal part or of the edge of said opening which may in particular result from a cutting without any removal of material e.g. a slit, or of the edge at a fold or of a pleat provided in said garment portion. Of course in the case of a connection through adhesion by gluing, the gluing operation which forms the first step of the connecting process should be carried out before the application of the extensible element to the garment part, such a gluing operation being possibly effected on said garment portion and/or said element.

It will be readily appreciated that the method of the invention enables a manufacture of garment articles wherein a suitable stretching and/or tight fit is achieved at any portion of the body or of a limb and this without any wrinkling when static state is restored because of the following factors: configuration of the garment portion fitting to the corresponding body portion, size of the opening provided, quality of the stretchable and possibly resilient material, positions of the connecting lines of said element on'the garment portion with respect to the opening.

It should be noted that in a particular case, said opening or slit may be located on a terminal part of the garment such as a wristband or cuff or a leg end and need not be surrounded on all sides by the material forming said garment.

According to another characterizing feature of the present invention, the opening, provided with its resilient stretchable element, is covered with a piece or patch of material generally made from the same material as that of said garment portion and having the shape of a flattened tube exhibiting a longitudinal opening generally coinciding with said opening.

Further characteristics, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as the following description of some embodiments given by way of non limiting examples only proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate three diagrammatic views showing the principles of the various operating steps of the conventional method;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate three diagrammatic views showing the various operating steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention;

FIGS. 7a and 7b show diagrammatic views illustrating in more detail this embodiment as applied to the continuous manufacture of a sleeve with a possibly stretchable wristband or cuff;

FIGS. 8a and 8!) show diagrammatic views illustrating a second embodiment of the method according to the invention as applied to the manufacture through a continuous process of a sleeve with a wristband or cuff which is stretchable and possibly resilient over one portion only of the periphery of the cuff;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing a third embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein that garment portion on which the extensible element is adapted, comprises a slit;

FIG. 10 is a view in cross-section taken upon the line XX of FIG. 9 through said garment portion;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing a fourth embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved being formed with a pair of parallel slits;

. FIG. 12 is a view in cross-section taken upon the line XII-XII of FIG. 11 through said garment portion;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a fifth embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved comprising a large number of discontinuous parallel slits;

FIG. 14 is a view in cross-section taken upon the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13 through said garment portion;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view showing a sixth embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved comprising an opening and flattened tubular piece;

FIG. 16 is a view in cross-section taken along the line XVIXVI of FIG. 15 through said garment portion;

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a seventh embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved comprising a rectangular opening;

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view showing an eighth embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved comprising a box pleat; and

FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a nineth embodiment of the method according to the invention, the garment portion involved comprising a simple pleat.

In the various Figures, the arrows with the letter E located thereabove show the direction of the tractive forces upon stretching whereas the hatched areas correspond to the zones of connection either by gluing or be welding or by seam lines.

7 In FIGS. l-3 which illustrate the conventional method, the terminal portion of garment 1 to which an element 2 of stretchable material is to be applied at edge 3, the element 2 is of substantially rectangular configuration. The side 4 of this element 2 is of substantially smaller length than the edge of the garment part. This side 4 is stretched lengthwise as seen in FIG. 2 and until its length is substantially the same as that of edge 3 of the garment while the side opposite side 4 is left at its original length or slightly greater length still, however, smaller'than the length of edge 3. In this stretched condition of side 4 of element 2, said stretched side is secured as by adhesion, sewing or the like between overlapping portions of edge 3 and side 4 of element 2. When adhesion is complete, as seen clearly in FIG. 3, the tendency of element 2 is to retract towards its original shape, thus forming wrinkles in the garment adjacent its edge 3. Practice of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4-19 inclusive eliminates wrinkle formation in the portions of the garment part.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 6, the general principle of the method of assembling according to the invention will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a garment part 1, for example, whose end edge 3 is to be joined to a stretchable element, part of patch 5 previously shaped to desired form as by cutting from a sheet source thereof. The patch 5 is of a substantially trapezoidal configuration, both opposite sides and 6b being for example slightly curved inwards so as to provide an upper of greater length than the parallel edge 60. The length of the end 6 is substantially equal to that of the edge 3 of the terminal portion of the garment I so that upon assembly they may be positioned in aligned parallel relationship. The connection proper of the stretchable part 5 onto the terminal portion of the garment 1 at and adjacent its edge 3 is achieved as follows: the extensible element 5 is laid flat and without any stretching onto the terminal part of the garment 1, the edge 6 of the element 5 being arranged in overlapping relation to the edge like dimensioned 3 (FIG. 5). The aforesaid parts 5 and I are then connected together for example by gluing, stitching, welding or the like at the common overlapping areas defined by the edges 3 and 6 (FIG. 6). It is afterwards possible and according to care of use to connect together the opposite edges 6a and 6b so as to provide a flared stretchable material sleeve at the connecting area owing to the trapezoidal configuration of the patch 5. The sleeve thus obtained provides a graduaily tightening fit when it is applied onto a limb of the body.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7b is applicable to a continuous moving-band or flow production line for the manufacture of sleeves with extensible and possibly resilient wristbands or cuffs made from a supply roll of material 7 (FIG. 7a). The web of flexible material such as a textile or synthetic material or paper is unwound from a supply provided for example in the conventional form of a roll 7. As it is being fed, the web '7 is perforated transversely and uniformly so as to form successive transverse cuts 8. Application of glue along and upstream of each cut 8 over a transverse gluing area 9 is then affected. The extensible and possibly resilient wristband or cuff 10 provided by being cut out from a strip of stretchable material, is then laid down with its long end edge 6 onto said glue bearing area 9 and then secured by adhesion. The following step consists in effecting a slant glue application along the line 11 corresponding substantially to the length of a sleeve.

The web 7' thus obtained is then folded back unilaterally along the line 12 and both edges of the web '7' which is thus folded back are stuck together along 11 glue bearing line. The tubular sheath thus resulting then is cut obliquely along 13 corresponding substantially to the gluing line 11 and then transversely at 14 in extension of the transverse cut 8. The scrap 15 is re moved and then the tubular sheath is severed at 16 to provide the sleeve members 17. The slope of the generating line of the extensible sleeve portion or cuff 10 thus obtained is in extension of the arm-hole line 17'. Thus sleeve elements 17 with cuffs or wristbands are provided which are ready to be positioned onto a garment article member such as jackets, overalls, blouses, dresses or gowns, and so on.

While this embodiment has been described with reference to a sleeve wristband or cuff 10 is readily conceivable that it is applicable to the stretchable and tightening terminal portion of foot-wear, socks, stockings and so on.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8a and 8b, the web of flexible material 7'a unwound from the roll 7a is cut out at regular intervals so that windows 8a are provided; three of the edges 9a of these windows then have glueapplied thereto on that side of the web 7a which is seen on FIG. 8a and resilient extensible elements 10a cut out from a flexible, stretchable and possibly resilient material are then deposited onto that side at said windows with overlapping of said glue bearing edges so that the downstream edges 10'a of said elements coincide with the downstream edges of said windows (right-hand side of FIG. 8a). As shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 8b, the aforesaid side which will become the inner side of the sleeve receives a glue deposit along the line 11a ending at B at some distance from the edge 10'a in extension thereof; the web 7" is then folded back along its longitudinal axis 12a so that both flap panels thus provided adhere to each other along the line 11a. The tubular sheath thus provided is then cut transversely along the line CDC passing through the edge l0'-a of the extensible and possibly resilient element 10a as well as slantwise along the line 110 that is along AB (right-hand side of FIG..8b). The scrap 15a is then removed. Thus sleeve elements 17a with a stretchable and possibly resilient wristband or cuff are provided, the extensible portion extending over a fraction only of the periphery of the cuff. These elements 17a may then be positioned onto a garment article member such as a jacket, an overall, a blouse, a gown or dress, and so on.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10, the extensible and possibly resilient element 18 has been secured as for example by the seam lines 19 along a b c d onto the garment portion 20 so as to cover a slit 20a provided therein; for the sake of clarity of thedrawings, the element 18 has been shown in FIG. 10 at a substantially increased distance from the garment portion 20.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, the stretchable and possibly resilient element 21 has been secured as for example by adhesion along three of its edges ef, fg and gh and also along a middle line 22 (along ij) onto the garment portion 23 wherein a pair of parallel slits 24a and 24b has been provided; these slits have been provided prior to applying the element 21 but according to an alternative embodiment, these slits may also be provided although less easily after said element 21 has been affixed.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, the extensible and possibly resilient element 25 has been stuck along both of its longitudinal edges Id and mn onto the garment portion 26 which was already provided with a fine network of parallel and discontinuous slits designated by the general reference numeral 27.

The embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 16 corresponds to the application onto the edges of an opening 28 of an extensible and possibly resilient element 29 and to the connection thereof through heat welding along the free edges 0p, pq and qr of the opening 28 onto the garment portion 30 wherein said opening 28 is formed. On that side of said garment portion which is located opposite that whereto the element 29 has been secured, in front of the opening 28, a patch consisting preferably of the same material as the garment portion 30, in the shape of a flattened tube 31 formed with a longitudinal opening of a shape and size corresponding substantially to the opening 28, this tube being also welded along the free sides of the opening 28 as well as towards the end of said opening to its side ends sp and qt.

According to a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 16, the opening in the patch 31 in the shape of a flattened tube could have been given a width different from that of the opening 28, any one of these openings being for example narrower than the other and forming in particular a simple slit or each one of these openings could have been given the shape of'a slit, both slits thus obtained being preferably in front of each other.

In the embodiment of FIG. 17, the opening 38 of the garment portion 33 is surrounded on all sides by the material of said portion and it is covered by an extensible and possibly resilient element 34 secured as for example through gluing or sewing onto the four edges of said opening along u v v u u; it is readily conceivable that such a structure may also be used with possible variations in the shape and size of the opening at the location of an elbow, of a knee or of the chest.

In the embodiment of FIG. 18, the garment portion 35 comprises instead of an opening of the aforesaid kind, a simple box pleat 36 transversely of which has been applied and affixed a plurality of stretchable and possibly resilient elements in the shape of

narrow strips

37a, 37b, 37c, 37d and 37e, respectively. Such a construction may be applied for instance in the back of a garment, the direction of the box pleat being a direction parallel to the waistband, so that the person wearing this garment may effect a trunk exercise without feeling any constraint, even if said garment is simultaneously fitted on the shoulders and the crotch as in the case of an overall; in such a form of embodiment, the affixing of the stretchable and possibly resilient elements is achieved by securing the ends thereof as is seen in FIG. 18, at u and x for instance through welding, gluing or sewing.

The form of embodiment of FIG. 19 corresponds to the application and affixing of an extensible and possibly resilient element 38 onto a fraction of the length of a simple pleat 39 provided on a garment portion 40, the connection being carried out on the garment portion 40 on two of the edges ofsaid extensible element which are parallel to the direction of the pleat.

The method of manufacture according to the invention is fast, of simple use and enables obtention of garment articles at relatively low cost prices.

It is accordingly appreciated that the invention is applicable to the manufacture of garment articles adapted in particular for protection purposes such as blouses and foot-wear articles as well as surgical apparels.

It is to be understood that the invention is not at all limited to the forms of embodiments described and shown which have been given by way of example only. In particular it comprises all the means described as well as their combinations if same are carried out according to the gist of the invention and used within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of assembling in a continuous process utilizing a substantially continuous assembly line operation formed from an indefinite initial web length of garment material, of at least one extensible element onto a predetermined portion of said web to be formed subsequently into a garment component, characterized in that said method comprises steps for:

fashioning said predetermined portion of said web so that it becomes deformable without the web material of said portion being substantially stretched; providing extensible material;

cutting out said extensible element from said extensible material;

applying said extensible element without any stretching onto said predetermined fashioned portion of said web, said web being in a flat relaxed condition and without any gathering of the web;

affixing said extensible element along a part of its peripheries without any stretching onto said portion of said web being in a flat relaxed condition without any gathering of the web along at least one part of the periphery of said predetermined portion of said web and at least at locations where tractive forces occurring upon expansion of said element are concentrated, and

separating a garment component which contains said predetermined garment portion from said web material.

2. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that said fashioning step of said predetermined portion of said web for assembling it with said element is effected so as to enable adequate stretching.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said fashioning step comprises cutting at least one opening in said predetermined portion of said web at an end portion of said portion of said web so that an opening is provided along the edge of said end portion.

4. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said fashioning step comprises cutting an opening in said predetermined portion, said opening being surrounded on all sides by the material forming said portion.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the cutting of said opening is effected without any removal of material from said predetermined portion and in the form of at least one slit.

6. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said fashioning step comprises the formation of a box pleat in said predetermined portion.

7. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said fashioning step comprises the formation of a simple pleat in said predetermined portion.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of said elements in the form of spaced narrow strips is secured onto said predetermined portion in parallel relation to the direction of the tractive forces upon stretching.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said stretchable element is endowed with elasticity.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a patch in the shape of an open flattened tube is secured to said predetermined portion in confronting relationship with said extensible element 11. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that the affixing of said extensible element is carried out by gluing, welding or sewing.

12. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a further step of shaping said predetermined portion of said web to which said extensible element is affixed in order to impart to said predetermined portion a configuration conforming to a corresponding body part.

13. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that said fashioning of said predetermined portion of said web is effected by cutting of at least two parallel slits extending perpendicularly to the direction of said tractive forces occurring during expansion of said extensible element.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that said extensible element is also fixed to the material of said predetermined portion of said web also between at least two of said slits.

Claims

1. A method of assembling in a continuous process utilizing a substantially continuous assembly line operation formed from an indefinite initial web length of garment material, of at least one extensible element onto a predetermined portion of said web to be formed subsequently into a garment component, characterized in that said method comprises steps for: fashioning said predetermined portion of said web so that it becomes deformable without the web material of said portion being substantially stretched; providing extensible material; cutting out said extensible element from said extensible material; applying said extensible element without any stretching onto said predetermined fashioned portion of said web, said web being in a flat relaxed condition and without any gathering of the web; affixing said extensible element along a part of its peripheries without any stretching onto said portion of said web being in a flat relaxed condition without any gathering of the web along at least one part of the periphery of said predetermined portion of said web and at least at locations where tractive forces occurring upon expansion of said element are concentrated, and separating a garment component which contains said predetermined garment portion from said web material.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a patch in the shape of an open flattened tube is secured to said predetermined portion in confronting relationship with said extensible element.

11. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that the affixing of said extensible element is carried out by gluing, welding or sewing.