US3834065A

US3834065A - Fabric decorating kit

Info

Publication number: US3834065A
Application number: US00333182A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Glass; B Kaelin; A Katzman
Original assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Current assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date: 1973-02-16
Filing date: 1973-02-16
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10
Also published as: DE2405660A1; FR2218121A1

Abstract

A clothing kit for dolls which includes articles of doll clothing made of fabric, the fabric having a preprinted design thereon so that the clothes can be colored within or along the design according to taste. The articles of clothing have snap-on decorative trim and accessories. Also included in the kit is a fabric stretcher which generally includes a flexible band which forms a generally circular loop. The loop is self-biased toward a circular configuration and has a diameter greater than the greatest distance between interior opposing surfaces of a partially closed article of clothing. When the band is resiliently forced into an article of doll clothing, the fabric is stretched outwardly around the band holding the fabric such that opposite sides of the fabric are spaced from each other. When the fabric is so held around the band, the fabric may be colored by an ink felt pen or other appropriate marking member without the liquid color running from one sheet of the fabric to an opposite sheet across the interior of the clothing.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Glass et al.

[451 Sept. 10, 1974 FABRIC DECORATING KIT [75] Inventors: Marvin 1. Glass; Bette M. Kaelin;

Allison W. Katzman, all of Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 333,182

[52] U.S. Cl. 46/1 R, 2/75, 2/243 B [51] Int. Cl A63h 33/00 [58] Field of Search 46/1 R; 2/243 B, 75, 265; 38/102, 102.1, 102.2, 102.3, 141; 223/63, 65, 111, 112; 269/481 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 971,969 10/1910 Bullis 223/65 X 1,456,764 5/1923 Corbin... 223/65 X 1,476,310 12/1923 Sicklen 223/63 1,555,255 9/1925 Roberts 223/63 2,382,907 8/1945 Persin 2/265 2,868,424 l/l959 l-lelton 223/63 3,482,744 12/1969 Schlemon 223/63 Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever Attorney, Agent, or FirmCoffee & Sweeney 5 7] ABSTRACT A clothing kit for dolls which includes articles of doll clothing made of fabric, the fabric having a preprinted design thereon so that the clothes can be colored within or along the design according to taste. The articles of clothing have snap-on decorative trim and accessories. Also included in the kit is a fabric stretcher which generally includes a flexible band which forms a generally circular loop. The loop is self-biased toward a circular configuration and has a diameter greater than the greatest distance between interior opposing surfaces of a partially closed article of clothing. When the band is resiliently forced into an article of doll clothing, the fabric is stretched outwardly around the band holding the fabric such that opposite sides of the fabric are spaced from each other. When the fabric is so held around the band, the fabric may be colored by an ink felt pen or other appropriate marking member without the liquid color running from one sheet of the fabric to an opposite sheet across the interior of the clothing.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to clothing for dolls or the like.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Dolls and particularly dolls with removable clothes have always been favorite items for children throughout the years. Some articles of doll clothing are made of fabric which is usually presewn or formed to the shape of a desired item of clothing, such as dresses, pants, or the like. The fabric which is used to form the clothing can be thought of as having an outside surface upon which a design is preprinted thereon, and an inside surface which forms the interior of an article of clothing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide new and improved clothing for dolls, or the like, using removable trim and accessories.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new means of decorating doll clothing by liquid coloring, along with means for supporting the fabric in a stretching manner so that the coloring will not run from one sheet of the fabric to a juxtaposed sheet while the coloring is applied thereto.

These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by one embodiment currently contemplated which provides for trim and accessories to decorate the articles of clothing, and attaching means for removably securing the trim or accessories to the a11;icles of clothing. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the attaching means is in the form of male and female snap means.

The fabric has a preprinted design at least on the outside surface thereof. The design provides an outline so that one may color the fabric within or along the outline in any desired color by suitable coloring means.

The doll clothing kit also includes fabric supporting means for insertion within the interior of an article of clothing to be colored. The fabric supporting means stretches and holds the fabric in such a way that the inside surfaces of the garment or other article of clothing do not touch. Therefore, liquid coloring will not run from one sheet of fabric to the other across the interior of the item of clothing.

The fabric supporting means generally includes a flexible band which forms a generally circular loop. The loop is self-biased toward a circular configuration and has a diameter greater than the greatest distance between opposing inside surfaces of the items of clothing to be colored. The fabric is stretched around the portion of the band as it is resiliently forced into the article of clothing.

The fabric stretching band also includes holding means for preventing the band from slipping out of the interior of an article of clothing after insertion therein. The band holding means includes a resilient string connected at one end to an outside portion of the band and having a clip at the other end for connection to the fabr1c.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of various items of doll clothing used with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an article of clothing showing the snap fastening means;

FIG. 3is a perspective view of the fabric stretching means used in the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of an article of clothing held by the fabric stretching means of FIG. 3, preparatory to coloring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to FIG. 1 in greater detail, various items of the doll clothing of the present invention are shown. Articles of clothing include, specifically, a dress 10, briefs l2, and a pantsuit l4. Decorative trim and accessories in the form of a scarf 16, bow 18, flower 20 and belt 22 also are provided. The decorative trim and accessories are adapted to be removably secured to the articles of clothing.

The fabric comprising the dress 10 and pantsuit 14 has a preprinted uncolored outline design 23 thereon.

This design 23 is intended to be colored in or along by a child with different colored felt pens 24, or other appropriate marking means, according to his taste.

The decorative trim and accessories, and the articles of clothing have attaching means in the form of male and female snap means. Specifically, dress 10 has female snaps 26a and 26b, pantsuit 14 has

female snaps

26c, 26d and 26e; belt 22 has female snap 26f and male snap 26g; bow 18 has male snap 26h; flower 20 has male snap 26i. Scarf 16 has two double-

sided snaps

26j and 26k, one side being female and the other side being male. By providing the articles with the snap means, a child is able to removably and interchangeably place any decorative effect on any piece of clothing.

As best shown in FIG. 2, snap 26k of scarf 16 snaps into snap 26j on the other end of the scarf forming a closed loop. In this configuration the scarf still has the male portion of snap 26j facing inwardly and the female portion of snap 26k facing outwardly. The snap 261' of the flower 20 then can be snapped into the female portion of snap 26k and the male portion of snap 26] can be snapped into the female snap 26a on the dress 10 or snap 260 on the pantsuit 14 (See FIG. 1).

The bow 18 may be snapped into snaps 26a, 26b or 260 on either the dress or pantsuit. Likewise, the belt 22 can be snapped together around the waist of either the dress 10 or pantsuit 14.

For ease of discussion, the fabric comprising an article of clothing such as the pantsuit 14 will be deemed to comprise an outside surface 28 whereon the design 23 is printed, and an inside surface 30. The inside surface 30 of the fabric when formed in an article of doll clothing forms an enclosed interior with openings 32 for the different appendages, leg openings, arm openings and head openings (See FIGS. 1 and 4).

The problem with coloring the doll clothing with liquid coloring from a felt pen 24 is that the coloring is likely to bleed through the fabric from one sheet to an adjacent juxtaposed sheet. Accordingly, when an article of clothing is laid flat on a surface, liquid coloring which is applied to an outside surface 28 of the fabric will run and bleed through the fabric and the interior of the article of clothing resulting in discoloration of the outside surface 28 of the sheet fabric therebeneath. In order to prevent this running or bleeding, a fabric supporting means, generally designated 34, is provided.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the fabric supporting means 34 is seen to generally comprise a spring steel band 36 having means, generally designated 38, at the ends thereof for connecting the band 36 into a generally circular loop. The connecting means 38 include a tab 40 at one end and a mating 90 angularly oriented slot 42 at the other end. The band is adapted to be twisted to fit tab 40 into the slot 42 and released for interengagemerit, closing the loop.

ln use,the fabric supporting means 34 is inserted into one of the appendage openings 32. As shown in FIG. 4, the band 36 is forced into a leg of the pantsuit 14. Because the band 36 is resilient, it can be deformed in order to insert it within the interior of an article of clothing whereupon it tends to expand to stretch the fabric. As one can appreciate, due to its resiliency, the band 36 will have a tendency to slip out of the interior of an article of clothing through the appendage opening 32. In order to prevent this, band holding means, generally designated 44 is secured between the fabric and the inside of the band. The band holding means 44 generally includes a resilient stretchable string or rubber band 46 attached to the band 36 at one end thereof by means of a retaining ring 48 and has an alligator clip 50 secured to the other end of the string 46. In use, the clip 50 is secured to the fabric as shown in FIG. 4 to hold the band within the article of clothing.

wtaaihe"raaa asgaang ineans 3 4 is inserted in an article of clothing as above described and as shown in FIG. 4, none of the inside surfaces 30 of the fabric touch one another. Accordingly, a child coloring the fabric with a liquid color would not discolor any other fabric by virtue of bleeding or running across the interior of an article of clothing.

- H5156gliYlie inveT ibh diselbsed herein has been directed or oriented to doll clothing, it is to be understood that various of the features, particularly the stretch band'for fabric coloring and its related components could be used as well with childrens clothing, for instance.

' Thefoi'eg oingdetailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim: I. A fabric decorating kit comprising: at least one article of fabric formed in a generally tubular configuration, said article of fabric having a continuous inside surface and a continuous outside surface, and outside surface of the fabric having a preprinted outlined design thereon for coloring according to taste; generally liquid coloring means for coloring the outside surface of the fabric within said design; and

fabric supporting means for insertion within the tubular interior of said article of clothing and for holding and stretching the fabric so that the inside surface will not touch itself, whereby said supporting means may be inserted in said article of fabric so that when coloring the article the liquid coloring will not run from the outside surface on one side of the tubular article of fabric through the interior thereof to the outside surface on the other side of said article of fabric.

2. The kit of claim 1 wherein said fabric supporting means includes a flexible resilient band forming a generally closed loop, said loop being self-biased toward a circular configuration having a diameter greater than the greatest distance between interior opposing surfaces of the article of fabric, whereby the band can be forced into an article of fabric through an opening therein so that at least a portion of the band is positioned within the interior of the fabric whereupon the fabric is stretched around the enclosed portion of said band.

3. The kit of claim 2 wherein said band comprises a resilient elongated flat thin strip joined at its end by connecting means.

4. The kit of claim 2 wherein said fabric supporting means includes band holding means for preventing the band from slipping out of the interior of an article of fabric after insertion therein.

5. The kit of claim 4 wherein the band is sufficiently large that a portion of the loop thereof extends outside of the fabric and said band holding means includes resilient string means connected at one end to the outside portion of the band, and means at the other end of the string means for removably connecting the string means to the fabric.

Claims

1. A fabric decorating kit comprising: at least one article of fabric formed in a generally tubular configuration, said article of fabric having a continuous inside surface and a continuous outside surface, and outside surface of the fabric having a preprinted outlined design thereon for coloring according to taste; generally liquid coloring means for coloring the outside surface of the fabric within said design; and fabric supporting means for insertion within the tubular interior of said article of clothing and for holding and stretching the fabric so that the inside surface will not touch itself, whereby said supporting means may be inserted in said article of fabric so that when coloring the article the liquid coloring will not run from the outside surface on one side of the tubular article of fabric through the interior thereof to the outside surface on the other side of said article of fabric.