US2777130A - Adjustable size garments - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 15, r1957 c. KELLER ADJUSTABLE SIZE GARMENTS Filed June 14, 1954 C. KELLER ADJUSTABLE SIZE GARMENTS Jan. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR. CLARE KELLER mgm@ United States Patent O ADJUSTABLE SIZE GARMENTS Claris Keller, Union, N. J.

Application June 14, 1954, Serial No. 436,465

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-75) This invention relates to wearing apparel and, more particularly, to means for forming removable pleats at the neck line of a garment, and also at the waistline.

An important object is to provide pleats that can be opened to facilitate washing and ironing.

Another object is to effect opening and closing of the pleats by means of an inexpensive tie passed through loops associated with the respective pleats in back of said garment.

Yet another object is to form the loops by providing longitudinally spaced pairs of slits in a tape extending along an adjacent edge portion of the garment.

Another object is to provide means as stated which, when embodied in the neck line, can include a plurality of groups of pleats spaced apart about said neck line to provide an attractive garment design.

A further object is to so form and arrange groups of removable pleats about a neck line as to permit said pleats to be used for changing the appearance and general type of neck line, and also for changing the length of the garment. It is proposedin this way to particularly adapt the invention for embodiment in childrens dresses, in which adjustments for length due to the childs growing must be made with notable frequency.

It is further proposed that the neck line and waistline ypleats coact to change both the length and waist of the garment in selective amounts to insure a proper fit at` all times during the childs growth.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the pleat means embodied in the front of the neck line of the blouse, the pleats being shown as they would appear .when the blouse is being worn.

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 in which the pleats have been opened, portions being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the inside of the opened pleats as seen from the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 yis an enlarged transverse sectional view substanmuy on line s s of Fig. 4. t

Fig. 6 is a view showing a modified neck line pleating ICC Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on line 10--10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. ll is a sectional view on line 11-11 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modification.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view on line 13--13 of Fig. 12.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally in Fig. l to a blouse, although at this point it will be noted that the pleats embodied in the neck line of said blouse could, with equal facility, be formed in the neck line of any other suitable item of wearing apparel, such as a dress. In any event, a front group of pleats is provided on said neck line, and has been designated generally bythe reference numeral 12.

As will be noted, the material of the garment 10 has been designated by the reference numeral 14, and secured to the neck line of the garment is a tape 16 extending along said neck line for the full circumference thereof in the present instance. The tape could be extended only partially through the neck line circumference if desired, but in either event the tape, as shown in Fig. 5, is registered along one longitudinal edge, with the neck line edge, extending lengthwise of the neck line edge on the inner side of the fabric body 14 of the garment.

The tape 16 is stitched as at 18 to the fabric body 14, throughout the length of the inner longitudinal edge of said tape. Straddling the outer longitudinal edge of the tape, and the registering edge of the fabric body 14, is a binding 20, stitched to the tape and body 14 as at 22.

Formed at selected intervals longitudinally of the tape 16 are pairs of slits, the slits of each pair extending transversely of the tape 16 and terminating inwardly of the lines of stitching 18, 22. Each pair of slits deiines a transversely extending loop 24 in the tape, the ends of which can be reinforced against tearing by lines of stitching 26 extending longitudinally of the tape across the end portions of the loop 24.

A tie, formed from a length of ribbon material or the like, has been designated by the reference numeral 28, and is passed through the several loops 24. The tie 28, when drawn tight as in Fig. 2, contracts the normally widely spaced loops 24 into close proximity to one another, thereby to fold upon themselves the portions of the gar-ment intervening between said loops, to define pleats 30.

It will be observed that when the garment is to be washed and ironed, the tie would be loosened as in Figs. 3 and 4, and could, in fact, be completely removed. In this event, the removal of the tie permits the garment to be spread ilat, with the pleats being fully opened. Washing and ironing of the garment is thus measurably facilitated. Of course, as soon as the garment is to be worn, the tie can be drawn tight to form the `several pleats, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the garment to a substan-tial extent.

As shown in Figs. 6-8, `shoulder or side groups of pleats 34 can be used, at `opposite edges -of each of the shoulder strap portions 35 `of a sleeveless garment 32, and as shown in Fig. 7 could be left open, when the garment is being worn, thus to increase the size of the neck line and permit the blouse or other item Iof wearing apparel to be worn in lan off-the-shoulder effect. ln other words, the neck line size and type can be changed by reason of the pleating arrangement shown, and increases the Versatility of the garment. Further, as will presently appear, the overall length of lthe garment can be changed. The shoulder strap portions are formed as relatively Ishort pieces of material set int-o the garment at the shoulders and Vstitched at their front and back edges to spaced end.

portions of the shoulder straps. As shown in the drawings, shoulder straps or portions 35 have a tapered shape so as to be wider adjacent the arm Openings than adjacent the neck opening (see Figure 7).

In this form of the invention, in providing the inner Apleat group 34 of each shoulder strap portion, a tape can be Aextended about the neck line, in the same manner as in the tirst form, which tape would be formed with spaced pairs of slits denin'g tie-receiving loops 36. The loops 36 are adapted to form, at Vthe shoulders of the garment, pleats 38 extending outwardly in opposite directions from the neck in side-by-side relation, that is, extending from the neck line in the direction of the arm openings of the garment. A tie lo is passed through the several loops 36, and when desired, is pulled upon to draw the loops together and form the several pleats 3S, the tie being knotted in a bow or its equivalent.

Similar tapes are extended about the edges of the arm openings so as to be disposed at the outside edge of cach shoulder strap and are vprovided with loops and ties aligned transversely of the shoulder strap with the loops 36 and tie 40.

In this way, shoulder pleatings are provided on the garment, making the garment appear as -in Fig. 6. At this time, the neck line of the garment is relatively reduced in size, and the entire garment is pulled upwardly by gathering of the shoulder portions thereof, thus in effect reducing ythe garment length.

If it is desired to extend the length of the garment due to the childs growing, the pleats are left open as in Fig. 7 at the shoulders 41 of the garment. This causes the neck line to be increased in respect to its size, and may also cause the general type of neck line to be changed. Thus, the opening of the pleats can provide an Aoit-the-shoulder neck line on the garment. Further, the lowering of the shoulder portions of the garment in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 will increase the overall length of the garment,

to better accommodate the same to the childs height.

Of course, the invention is adapted not only for incorporation in childrens dresses, but in adults garments as well.

In Figs. 9 and l0, a modified frontfpleating is illustrated, incorporated in a garment 42. In this form, the pleats are arranged in a group 44, the pleats 46 of said group being at. However, theloops 48 associated with the respective pleats, receiving a tie t), are the same as in the first form, so that the pleats can be opened or closed at will.

In Figs. 6 and l1, waist pleat groups 52, spaced apart at the front of the garment, are formed by securing a tape 54 to the inner surface of the garment by stitching 56. The tape extends through the full circumference of the garment in the illustrated example, but it can be coniined to the front if desired. In any event, at the locations selected for pleat groups 52, the tape is slit to form loops in the same manner as tape 16 and a tie is passed through each series of loops so formed. Thus, when the child is small the pleats at the waist can be gathered as in Fig. 6. When the waist size increases on account of the childs growth, the waist pleats are opened as in Fig. 7.

In Figs. 12 and 13, the garment 58 includes a body 60. The shoulder portions 62 Iof the garment, unlike shoulder portions 35, include sleeves. Each portion 62 is iirst cut to a suitable shape from a pattern, and its ends are then stitched together at 64. The portions 62 are then stitched at front and back as at 65 to 'the adjacent parts of the garment body, thus providing in the garment shoulder portions formed with sleeves having arm openings 66 about which are provided bindings 68.

Each shoulder portion 62 has an outer group 70 of pleats 72 formed by a tie 74 extended through interiorly located loops, in the manner previously described herein. An inner group 76 of pleats 78 at the garment neck line, is also provided, and may as shown be somewhat smaller than the group 70. This promotes proper hanging of thc garment from the shoulders when the pleats 72, 78 are left open. A tie 8d is used for joining the pleats 78, and extending about the neckline is a continuous length ol binding 32.

inall forms of the invention, of course, there is the common desirable characteristic wherein the pleats can be fully opened to facilitate washing and ironing. Further, in all forms the opening of the pleats or closing thereof can be selectively employed to vary the appearance ot the garment. Still further, it is `to be understood that in each form, the tie can be passed through any desired number of the loops, `thus reducing or increasing the number of pleats in each particular group ot pleats, to any extent desired. This may be particularly advantageous in the form shown in Figs. 6-8, in which a number of adjustments for length and waist size of the garment can bc etected, by selection of a selected number of loops 36 through which the ties 40 are to be passed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that l do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved 'to all changes and modiiications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent l. An adjustable size garment, comprising a garment body having neck and arm openings formed therein with opposite shoulder portions extending between each of said arm openings and the portion of the neck opening adjacent thereto, means including a pair of spaced arrays of loops extending along each of said shoulder portions with one larray adjacent to the arm opening edge and the other adjacent to the neck opening edge of each of said shoulder portions, and Va tie for `each of said arrays of loops for drawing the same together and forming ornamental pleats in the material of said shoulder 'portions thereby to alter `the size including the length of said garment in accordance with the extent to which said loops are drawn together.

2. An adjustable size garment, comprising a garment body having neck and arm openings formed therein with opposite shoulder portions extending between each of said arm openings and the portion of the neck opening adjacent thereto, said shoulder portions each being tapered and increasing in width outwardly from the neck opening to the shoulder opening, means including a pair of spaced arrays of loops extending along each of said shoulder portions with one array adjacent to the arm opening edge and the other adjacent to the neck opening edge of each of said shoulder portions, `and a tie for each of said arrays of loops for drawing the same together and forming ornamental pleats in the material of said shoulder `portions thereby to alter the size including the length of said garment in accordance with the extent to which `said loops are drawn together.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,078,217 ouerns Nov. 11, 1913 1,524,345 Du Bo'se Jan. 27, 1925 2,492,097 Katz Dec. 20, 1949 2,649,589 Shltong Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,598 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1905 11,094 Great vBritain May 27, 1899 148,295 Austria Ian. 11, 1937

Images