United States Patent (19) (11 3,712,308 Herbener (45) Jan
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United States Patent (19) (11 3,712,308 Herbener (45) Jan. 23, 1973 (54) GARMENTS FOR WOMEN 2,045,401 6/1936 Mowry................................. 128143 3,040,751 6/1962 Mastenbrook....................... 1281529 76 Inventor: Henry M. Herbener, 803 N. Dawson 3,224,448 12/1965 Diebold................................ 1281.529 St., P. O. Box 977, Thomasville, Ga. 2,224,684 12/1940 Jacobs et al.......................... 1281528 3 1792 2,476,585 7/1949 Cohen.................................. 1281.529 3,449,932 6/1969 Fillmore et al....................... 2/224 X (22 Filed: March 13, 1970 2,493,357 / 1950 Miller................................... 2/224 A (21) Appl. No.: 19,204 OTHER PUBLICATIONS 1 sheet-page 175 of Sears-Roebuck Catalog, 52 U.S. C. ............................. 128/519, 2/224, 2/67 Fall-Winter 1969-Phil. Cat. 239F. (5) Int. Cl................................................. A41c 1100 (58. Field of Search.............. 128/58,519, 528-530, Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin 128/43, 168, 19, 99, 159 X; 2/224, 226, 78 Assistant Examiner-G. V. Larkin R, 78 A., 78 B, 238, 67,240, 71 Attorney-B. P. Fishburne, Jr. 56 References Cited 57 ABSTRACT UNITED STATES PATENTS A garment formed at least in part of elastic material 522,366 711894 Golding................................ 2/338 X has an opening provided in the crotch thereof. A 2,477,353 711949 Strait..... ... 128/529 cover element in the form of a panty also formed at 3,023,49 31 l962 Strahle ................................... 2167 X least in part of elastic material is worm over the main 3,466,667 9/1969 Rosner...... ...2/240 garment to cover the crotch opening and to restore 2,062,596 l2/1936 Monette..................................... 2170 body controlling compression lost in the main garment 2,875,763 3/1959 Marchisella ...................... 128/529 X due to the provision of the crotch opening. The cover 2,960,987 l l l 1960 Rockwell.............................. 1281528 element may be attached to the main garment. The in 3,398,739 81968 Marino...... ... 128/529 vention is applicable to a wide variety of body gar 3,559,654 2/1971 Pope..... ... 1 281519 ments. 746,060 l 21 1903 Frisbie.................................... 2/78B 3,498,298 3/1970 Herbener ............................. 281533 1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN23 1973 3,72,3O8 SHEET 1 OF 3 NVENTOR HENRY M HERBENER AT TORNEY PATENTEDJAH 23 1973 3,712,3O8 SHEET 2 OF 3 FG3 ; , 27 HENRY MERENER (3 (24.4 AITORNEY PATENTEDJAN23 1973 3,7l 2,3O8 SHEET 3 OF 3 NVENTOR HENRYM, HERBENER ATTORNEY 3,712,308 2 GARMENTS FOR WOMEN additional features will appear during the course of the following detailed description. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES With the increasing popularity of elastic body and undergarments "next-to-the-skin' as embodied in FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a body pantyhose, body stockings, corselettes and the like, an stocking embodying the invention and a separately obvious persistent inconvenience for the wearer is formed panty element forming a part thereof. present because of the necessity for substantially FIG. 1A is a partly diagrammatic perspective view il removing the garment in comfort stations. Any gar lustrating the enlargement of the crotch opening in a ment of this character which has a closed crotch is O sitting position. highly inconvenient to the female wearer of the gar FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a body stocking and ment and this has been a major drawback to the permanently connected panty element in accordance complete acceptance of these elastic body garments by with the invention. girls and women of all ages. There is a degree of incon 5 FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 1A showing the ele venience and sometimes embarrassment in their use ments when the wearer is in a sitting position. which many individuals are unwilling to accept. In all FIG. 3 is a composite perspective view showing a other respects, the elastic garments of the class men body stocking with crotch opening and an associated tioned have such great advantages in comfort, warmth, pantyhose garment with full crotch to be worn in con freedom of movement and control of the body contours 20 junction with the body stocking. that they are highly desirable and are every day coming FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 showing into more wide usage as the basic foundation garment a body stocking having a crotch opening and a panty or 'underwear' for females. girdle to be worn exteriorly thereof. The prior art contains a number of teachings of gar FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a full length ments having removable crotch sections or crotch flaps 25 stretch body garment including integral stocking por which may be opened and closed and some of these tions and an associated brief panty element to cover the teachings are quite old in the art. None has proven to crotch opening of the full length garment. be reliable and acceptable to the wearers of the gar FIG. 6 is a perspective view of elastic pantyhose and ments and, in general, this approach to solving the a brief covering panty element showing a further em problem is a failure. 30 bodiment of the invention. Consequently, it is the objective of this invention to FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a girdle and coacting completely and effectively solve the above problem in panty briefs. cident to the elastic body garments of the classes enu FIG. 8 is a similar view of a corselette and coacting merated above. The problem is solved in such a manner panty element. that all of the good features of these stretch garments 35 FIG. 9 is a similar view of another form of corselette are preserved while the single feature of inconvenience and coacting panty element embodying the invention. is eliminated in a manner which will be acceptable to the wearer and which will allow the wearer to have full DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED confidence in the practicality of the garment. EMBODIMENTS More specifically, in accordance with the invention, 40 Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like nu the problem of completely removing the elastic body or merals designate like parts, and making reference first foundation garment in a comfort station is eliminated and the garment may remain completely in place on the to FIGS. 1 and 1A, there is shown a body stocking 20 body with only the necessity for removing a small which is a relatively thin garment formed of material crotch covering garment portion in the nature of a brief 45 which will stretch in all directions, and consequently panty element which may be attached permanently to has the ability to tension the body in all directions. the body garment or formed as a separate element, if Customarily, these stretch garments are made in one preferred. size which will fit substantially all wearers. The body Aside from the convenience feature, the invention stocking 20 applies tension to the body circum maintains the full ability of the composite garment to 50 ferentially and also in the up-and-down direction. properly compression the body and control the body Shoulder straps 21 serve to enhance support in the up contours. The slight loss of compression caused by ward direction and the leg portions of the garment removal of the crotch portion of the foundation gar serve in opposition to the shoulder straps to pull the ment is restored by the effect of the elastic crotch garment downwardly. covering separate or attached brief panty element. 55 In contrast to a conventional body stocking having a The crotch opening provided in the body garment full crotch, the body stocking 20 has a substantial por may actually be a relatively small opening but one tion of the crotch removed so as to form a crotch open which stretches and expands to a large opening when ing or slot 22 which is elongated front-to-rear and may the wearer assumes a sitting position, and this too is a have its ends tapered as shown. The marginal edges of major feature of the invention and a feature which is 60 the slot 22 may be reinforced with stitching in any the key to its practicality. When the wearer is in a posi suitable manner but the slot or opening, like the tion other than sitting, the crotch opening diminishes in remainder of the body stocking, must have the ability size and a degree of tension or control on this region of to stretch in all directions. The opening 22 may be a the body is restored. relatively small opening in the relaxed garment 20, but In view of the foregoing explanation, it is believed 65 when the wearer assumes a sitting position, as illus that the main features and advantages of the garment trated in FIG. 1A, the crotch opening 22 stretches and will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and various becomes considerably enlarged, and this ability of the 3,712,308 3 4 garment is what renders the same so useful and practi already described are preserved with the embodiment cal and eliminates the necessity for lowering or renov of FIG. 4. ing the entire garment in a comfort station. FIG. 5 illustrates a full length one-piece stretch Worn in conjunction with the body stocking 20 and material body garment 28 having integral legs and feet forming an important component of the invention is an and, if desired, a double thickness region 29 around the exterior panty element 23 having a full crotch 24 and hips for added control. This garment exerts tension in preferably formed of the same multi-direction stretch all directions and this feature is conventional in the knit knit material utilized for the body stocking.