US2883988A - Brassieres - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1959 H. LEE

BRASSIERES Filed July 26, 1957 INVENTOR. BY Helen Lee United States Patent BRASSIERES Helen Lee, Atwood, -Calif., assignor to S.D.S. Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 26, 1957, Serial No. 674,444

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-470) This invention relates to brassieres and has for one of its objects the provision of a garment of this character and of such construction that comfort in wear is assured, and with maximum support for the breasts attained without constriction; without encirclement of the breasts with rigid stiffening elements and with a minimum of materials, fastening elements or the other parts often incorporated in brassiere construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a brassiere of this nature, a simplified breast-supporting means in the form of reinforced segments forming parts of the breast cups and which segments engage the breasts gently but effectively along the outer sides and below the breasts and support the same without encompassing or encircling the breasts or placing undesirable constriction upon them.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a brassiere which shall have all of the required elements necessary for completely satisfactory supporting function, yet can be made dainty in appearance, lightweight and attractive without sacrifice of any features required of a well-fitting, comfortable brassiere.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a front opening brassiere, closeable at the front by means of a single fastener; of breast cups characterized by the fact that each cup incorporates a lower breastsupporting segment reinforced by a flexible stiffener extending centrally of the segment for the length of the same and tending to maintain the segment directed out wardly and in breast-supporting position, and of an arcuate reinforcement extending around a portion only of the breast cups and co-operating with the segment in maintaining a support for the breast at its outer side and in its lower area.

With these, and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a brassiere constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the brassiere showing one of the breast cups;

Fig. 4 is a view of the inside of one of the breast cups with parts broken away to disclose construction, and

Fig. 5 shows the fastening elements for coupling together the ends of the brassiere at the front of the garment.

The body of the garment is generally indicated at 1 and the same consists primarily of a longitudinally-extensible band having a transverse, central rear seam 3 and reinforced at the sides by pockets 2 and 4 each containing a stiffening strip. The material of the band or body 1 may be the elastic material that is stretchable longitudinally of the band but has little if any transverse elasticity. The breast cups are indicated respectively at 5 "ice and 6, and since both of the same are similar in shape and construction, a description of one will suffice for both.

The major portion of the edge of each cup is defined by an elongated curved pocket 7, containing an arcuatelyshaped stiffening wire 8 and padded at the rear or inside of the garment as indicated at 9. The location of the pocket and the stiffener 8 therein is such as to shape and support the cup along the outer side and below the same. The pocket 7 has one end located at the upper edge of the band or body 1 as indicated at 10 and its other end terminates at the end 11 or 11a of the band. Each of the breast cups 5 and 6 includes a segment 12 which is so positioned with relation to the cup as a whole as to form a substantial portion of it, particularly along the outer side and lower portion of the cup. The segment 12 is composed of an outer ply of a closely woven but flexible yet inelastic fabric 13, and a lining 14 of a relatively lighter and considerably thinner fabric. Each of the segments 12 is so positioned in relation to its cup that the segment has its central or median line, defined by the line of stitching 18, extending angularly and inwardly toward the center of the garment, said median line starting at the base of the cup and at a point located outwardly of the vertical center line of the cup. The angularity of the median line of the segment 12 is such that the apex of the segment is located near the center of the cup but slightly inside of the vertical center line of the same. This arrangement of the segments is such that the segments lend support to the breasts to an increased extent at the lower and outer sides of the same.

The lining 14 is of greater area than the fabric 13 and extends for the complete area of the cup and thus the lining projects above and beyond the material 13 of the body of the segment. A relatively lightweight trimming material 15, which can be of lacy nature is secured to the outer edge of the segment 12 and projects from said edge in a manner to cover and conceal the projecting part of the lining 14. The body of the cup is thus actually composed of the segment 12 and light fabric 15 extending radially therefrom, the cup so formed being lined by the material 14.

The segment 12 has its base end secured under the stitching 16 and the segment has its apex 17 located adjacent to the center point of the cup but slightly to the inner side of the vertical center line of the cup. Located centrally of the segment 12 and facially secured thereto by the median line of stitching 18, is a strip 19 of plastic material or some other substance which is relatively stiff yet possesses sufficient flexibility to enable it to adapt itself to bust curvature. This reinforcing strip 19 extends from the base of the segment 12 at the pocket 7 to the apex 17 following the angular median line of the segment and tends to project the segment forwardly and slightly upwardly while allowing the segment to adapt itself to the curvature of the breast. The reinforcing strip thus lends firmness and support to the segment and enables it to support the breast along the outer side and below the same.

The shoulder straps indicated at 20, have one end engaged with hook fasteners 21 that are in turn engaged with the loops 22 secured to the upper edge of the linings 14. At their opposite ends the shoulder straps are attached to the loops 23 secured to the upper edge of the body or band 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the brassiere is of the front-opening type and the two forward or front ends 11 and 11a of the body or band 1 are adapted to be detachably joined or united by means of detachable fastening elements shown respectively at 25 and 26. The fastener member shown at 25 is attached by loop member 27 to the end 11 of the body. The complementary fastening member shown at 26 is attached by loop member 28 to the end 11a of the body. Provided in the fastener member 25 is an oval opening through which a stud 30 formed on fastener member 26 passes when the two fastener members are disposed with their axes at right angles. After the stud 30 is passed through the opening 29 and the two fastener members are moved to make their axes co-axial they will be locked together. The shank 31 of the stud 30 is cylindrical, permitting its rotative movement within the opening 29. The head of stud 30 is oval and thus it prevents removal of the stud out of the opening 29 unless the two fastener elements are in axial mis-alignment.

From the foregoing, the structure and advantages of the improved brassiere will be apparent. The single coupling or fastening together of the ends of the brassiere at the front of the garment provides exceptional ease in donning or removing the garment. The support of the breasts along the outer sides and from below by the curved segments, and the reinforcing thereof by the central strips 19 is such that while the garment can be worn with exceptional comfort, a firm support of the breasts is assured in a manner to prevent lateral spread and undesired expansion. These and other advantages are attained by the described structure as will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

Having described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a brassiere, a breast cup having a portion of its edge defined by an arcuate pocket containing a stiffening element, said pocket beginning at the top edge of the cup and terminating at the center line of the brassiere, the body of the brassiere having meeting ends at said center line, which ends are provided with coupling members for detachably uniting said ends at the front of the garment, the coupling members having their lower ends located below the lower limits of the cups the breast cup having a lower and outer side portion composed of a segment of relatively firm material, said segment starting at the edge of the cup and extending toward and terminating at a point slightly inwardly of the center point of the cup, said segment being provided with a central stiffening strip extending from its point of outer termination at the apex of the segment and at the inner side of a center line of the cup to the edge of the cup, the

4 outer termination of the stiffening strip being located at a point situated outwardly of the center line of the cup.

2. In a brassiere, a body having breast cups, a stiffener extending arcuately around the edge of each cup, the body having a pair of ends with means for coupling the ends together at the front of the brassiere between the cups, the lower ends of the coupling means being located at a position below the lower limits of the cups, each cup including a segment starting at the lower end of the cup and having its greater area located to the outer side of a vertical center line through the cup, the segments each having an apex located nearer to the center point of the cup but to the inner side of the vertical center line thereof, each segment being reinforced by a stiffening strip positioned along the median line of the segment and having its lower end located at the edge of the cup and to the outer side of the vertical center line of the cup, said stiffening strip having its upper end terminating at the apex of the segment and located to the inner side of said vertical center line.

3. In a brassiere, a garment body in the form of a band which is uninterrupted at the rear of the garment body and has its ends meeting at the front and at substantially the center line thereof, said ends being provided with interengaging fastener members to unite said ends at the front and center of the garment, the garment being provided with breast cups, each of said cups being composed in part only of a lower segment portion of relatively firm material, each segment being reinforced by a single central stiffening strip only, said strip extending inwardly and upwardly along a median line of the segment from a point located outwardly of the vertical center line of the cup to a point located inwardly of said center line, each cup including an upper portion of substantial width and composed of relatively thin, non-supporting fabric extending outwardly from the edge of the segment and cooperating with the segment to form the breast cup, the central stiffening strip terminating at the upper end of the segment and being omitted from the upper non-supporting portion of the breast cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 856,914 Runyon June 11, 1907 2,485,570 Cousins Oct. 25, 1949' 2,719,301 Witkower Oct. 4, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 985,525 France Mar. 14, 1951

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