United States Patent (19) (11 3,732,870 Herbener (45) May 15, 1973
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Patent (19) (11 3,732,870 Herbener (45) May 15, 1973 54) FOUNDATION GARMENTS HAVING Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin RESILIENT CONTROL UNITs Attorney-B. P. Fishburne, Jr. 76 Inventor: Henry M. Herbener, 803 N. Dawson St., Thomasville, Ga. 3 1792 57) ABSTRACT 22 Filed: Nov. 3, 1971 Foundation garments of the girdle, corselet, panty gir dle and bikini types feature resilient abdominal con (21) Appl. No.: 195,210 trol units and simplified pocket structures for such units, wherein the number of fabric layers is held to a (52) U.S. Cl................................................... 128/533 minimum to reduce bulkiness. Each control unit is 51) Int. Cl................................................. A41c 1100 constructed to allow complete freedom of movement 58 Field of Search.................. 128/567-571, 533, of the body so as to promote comfort while continuing 428,431, 429, 443, 577, 578,559 to exert abdominal control and causing the garment to maintain a proper position on the body at all times. 56 References Cited Improved means are provided to completely eliminate the possibility of the main vertical rib of the control UNITED STATES PATENTS unit from jabbing into the body during stooping or 3,498,298 3/1970 Herbener............................. 128/533 bending and the control unit possesses improved 3,295,531 1/1967 Herbener.... ... 1281570 X means coacting with the simplified pocket to center 2,774,073 12/1956 Herbener.......................... 1281569 X 3,148,681 9/1964. Herbener........ ... 1281570 X the unit laterally, to seat the unit properly in the 2,632,891 3/1953 Herbener............................. 128/533 pocket and to maintain the upper margin of the gar 2,785,408 3/1957 Beurie.................................. 128/533 ment straight and taut for added neatness. 5 Claims, 43 Drawing Figures 165 PATENTED WAY 151973 3,732,87O SHEET 1 OF 8 FG FIG 2 40 NVENTOR HENRY M. HERBENER AITORNEY PATENTED ARY | 51073 3,732,87O SHEET 2 OF 8 PATENTED 4AY 15373 3, 732, 87 O SEET 3 OF 8 FIGI) (PRIOR ART ) 83 78 74 72 FG NSAscies 78 77 FG4 PATENTED MAY 151973 3,732,87O SHEET OF 8 104, - 6. 95 93 O5 - - Y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------ f V . v f, w f PAND MAY 51073 3,732, 87 O SHEET 5 OF 8 ----\~-º--–-- PATENTED MAY 151973 3,732,87O SHEET S OF 8 5. r 295 FIG 27 FIG 2936 35 35 PATENTED MAY 151973 3,732,87O SHEET 7 OF 8 FG3 36 44 46 43 48 47 49 PATENTED MAY 151973 3,732, 87O SHEET 8 OF 8 3,732,870 1. 2 FOUNDATION GARMENTS HAVING RESLIENT and the needs of a particular wearer. For example, the CONTROL UNTS length of the vertical control rib may be varied to suit The objective of the invention is to improve upon the the circumstances. Each garment therefore becomes prior art particularly as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. substantially custom-made. The invention therefore 3,498,298, issued to Herbener, on Mar. 3, 1970. More has a very high degree of versatility in connection with specifically the objectives girdles, to improve the con a variety of types of foundation garments. The inven struction and efficiency of operation of the metallicab tion possesses many additional features of novelty and dominal and garment control resilient units which are advantages which will become apparent during the employed in foundation garments of the type featured course of the following detailed description. in said prior Herbener patent and in the present appli O cation including girdles, corselets, panty girdles, bikini BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES type garments and the like. The resilient metallic con FIG. 1 is an interior elevational view of the front wall trol units of the present invention include a basic single of a corselet embodying a form of the invention, a part circle or loop type having a vertical abdominal control of the garment rear wall being broken away. rib which has guided free movement on the front wall 15 of the garment to accommodate all movements of the FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of an abdominal wearer of the garment. The unit promotes comfort, and garment control unit employed in a pocket struc controls the abdomen and positions the garment prop ture on the corselet. FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal transverse section erly on the body during all movements by the wearer. taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2. The basic single circle control unit may possess straight 20 horizontal rib elements at the top or bottom of the cir FIG. 4 is a similar section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. cle or at both locations and such rib elements may be 2. connected directly into the wire loop or may be formed FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section as attachments to the connectors which join the ends taken on line 5-5 of FIG, . of the wire loop. Additionally, the horizontal rib ele 25 FIG. 6 is a similar section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. ments at the bottoms of single circle units may carry 1. tabs to center the unit laterally with respect to a pocket FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of structure on the garment front wall. Generally speak a pocket structure on the interior of the corselet front ing, the above-enumerated novel features are also in wall adapted to contain a removable abdominal and corporated in double circle or loop control units of the garment control unit as depicted in FIG. 2. types employed on corselets or on high waisted girdles, FIG. 8 is an enlarged central vertical section taken on as well as on certain garments which employ oval type line 8-8 of FIG. 1. control units having main vertical ribs as a part thereof. FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line Additionally, the invention embodies improved and 9-9 of FIG. 8. simplified pocket formations for the various types of 35 FIGS. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic side elevations il control units employed on the garments which pocket lustrating the improved manner in which the control formations have a reduced number of fabric layers, unit of the invention supports the top of the corselet thus adding to the comfort and flexibility of the gar and prevents the garment from gapping from the chest ment and reducing its bulk or thickness. In general, by in comparison to the prior art. means of the features embodied in the invention, the 40 FIG. 12 is an interior side elevation of the front wall garment possesses increased flexibility and comfort as of a girdle embodying a second form of the invention, well as increased control of the body of the wearer par parts broken away and parts in section. ticularly in the critical abdominal area and also control Flg. 13 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line of the garment itself on the body and in particular the 13-13 of FIG. 12. top marginal edge thereof which is maintained straight 45 FIG. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on and taut. line 14-14 of FIG. 12. Additional important features of the present inven FIG. 15 is an interior side elevation similar to FIG. 12 tion reside in the provision on the various forms of gar showing a modification of the invention as applied to ments of thin highly flexible short rib elements posi girdles. tioned to have sliding contact with the main movable 50 FIG. 16 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line control rib of the resilient unit, to increase the mobility 16-16 of FIG. 15. and efficiency of the unit itself and to eliminate entirely FIG. 17 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the possibility of the main rib jabbing into the body. line 7-7 of F.G. S. The pocket structures which contain the control units FIG. 18 is a horizontal section taken on line 18-18 have been improved to render them more economical 55 of FIG. 15. and to more properly center the unit laterally on the FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of a pocket garment front wall and guide the main control rib verti structure employed on the girdle as illustrated by FIG. cally with complete freedom of movement of the main 15. control rib. In at least one form of the invention, a FIG. 20 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to unique comfort pad is provided as a part of the pocket 60 FIG. 15 showing a further modification. structure and serves as a convenient closure for the FIG. 21 is a longitudinal vertical section taken online pocket and also serves as the support element for the 21-21 of FIG. 20. auxiliary thin ribs against which the main control ribs have guided sliding engagement. FIG. 22 is a side elevation showing a modification of 65 the control unit for a girdle of the type depicted in FIG. Since the entire resilient control unit is readily re 20. movable and replaceable in all forms of the invention, FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG.22 showing a double variations therein may be employed to suit the figure loop control unit for use in high waisted girdles. 3,732,870 3 4 FIG. 24 is a vertical section taken on line 24-24 of the interior of the garment front wall 42 by suitable FIG. 23. stitching and an abdominal control unit 43 shown iso FIG. 25 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a lated in FIG. 2 is received removably within the pocket modification of the construction and mounting of short structure 41.