US1793145A - Bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1931 V|ZZARD 1,793,145

BATHING SUIT, ATHLETIC SUIT, OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 29, 1929 gwuentoz Patented Feb. 17 1931 NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE BA'IHING SUIT, ATHLETIC SUIT, OR THE LIKE .hpplicati'on'filed October 29, 1929. Serial No. 403,229.

The invention relates to bathing or athletic suits and has as an object the provision of the nether portion of a garment of thischaracter having means for supporting the waist of the wearer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment having means to support the abdomen and to confine the hips of the wearer.

lit-is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of-the character referred to having an abdominal and hip support of inelastic material provided with an inner surface of fleece or felt to prevent chill and friction of the skin.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of the character described having an abdominal support which may be laced together to provide accurate adjustment of size.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of the character described provided with shoulder straps to accurately position the supporting portion thereof.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. 1 is a front view;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section; and

Fig. 3 is a detail front view showing the lacing removed.

As shown the device comprises a pair of 3b shorts or trunks 10 of a usual and wellknown form provided with a front opening closed by buttons 11. which may be concealed by a fly as 12.

To support the abdomen and the back of 40 the wearer and to confine the hips, there 1s shown a relatively wide belt or band 13 secured to the upper edge 14 of the trunks 10. The belt 13 is shown as covered upon its ex terior with material 14' of the same character as that of which the trunks 10 are formed and it is considered within the purview of the invention to construct the device with the material of the trunks 10 extending upwardly and continuously over the outside 59 of the belt 13 to the upper edge 15 thereof.

'are constructed, the belt 13 Will be longer lived than the trunks 10 and it is therefore preferred to attach the belt to the trunks by stitching whereby the belt 13 may be removed from the trunks 10 and applied to a new pair thereof.

The belt 13 according to the invention is formed of a material such as rubberized fabric, artificial leather or' the like which is impervious to water upon its treated surface, the inner surface 16 thereof which is exposed to the skin of the wearer being fleece or feltmaterial whereby friction of the skin and the chill which would result from contact of rubber against the skin is thereby avoided.

To adjustably close the front of the belt 13 there is shown lacing 17 engaging eyes 18, 19 in the edges of the belt.

To protect the skin from action of the lacings which might form ridges thereon, there is shown a tongue 20 secured at its lower edge to the upper edge of the trunks or to the lower edge of the belt and which may be drawn upwardly inside of the lacings when they are applied, the tongue 20 as shown in Fig. 1 being ofsuificient length to be drawn down over the lacings upon the outside and to have its end tucked upwardly between the 'belt and the trunks as clearly indicated in Fig. 2 at 21.

T o adjust the waistband 22 of belt 13, there is shown an extension flap 23 which may be provided with a series of clasps of the glovefastener type which may be alternatively ens gaged withthe studs 25 upon the opposite side of the waistband to suit the girth of the wearer.,

To retain the garment at its proper height, there are shown shoulder straps 26, 27 attached at their front and rear ends to the waistband 22, horizontal straps 28, 29 being shown extending over the chest and over the back respectively of the wearer to prevent spreading of thestraps 26, 27 and displace- :ment thereof from the shoulders.

The straps 26, 27 are desirably formed narrower at the shoulder engaging portions 30,

31 than at their vertical portions. Thus formed the suit may readily be worn as a sun suit without an upper garment and will provide substantially the same amount of concealment of the person as many sun suits now in use. upper garment the stitchings 32, 33 connecting the front and the back ends respectlvely of the shoulder straps 26, 27 may be cut and the shoulder straps removed. The use of the straps however is advantageous for the purpose of accurate location of the abdomen and hip confinement belt 13.

By the provisions of the invention persons with prolapsed abdomens or with bulging hips may wear bathing suits of a character at present substantially prohibitive because of appearance, and the weakened abdomen will be supported to prevent the displacement of the internal organs and injury such as rupture.

The support provided by the invention is confined to the parts nee ing support, the lower limbs of the wearer being left entirely free for the movements required in swimming, running, or the like, and the presence of the supporting member in the suit is not readily apparent to the observer: Because of the lacing and the accurate location of the device, the ridges sometimes formed by confinement of the body by abdominal supports will not be evident when this device is worn.

The material of the belt being non-elastic will not shrink when wet and the size determined by the lacing when applied will not be changed by such shrinkage. At the same time the fleece or felt lining in contact with the skin will avoid the usual objections of ,forming the same considerably narrower at the back than shown in Fig.2 and the front thereof may be made of greater vertical width than shown, if desired, for additional support to the abdomen.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I-claim:

l. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, in combination, a pair of trunks, a relatively wide non-stretchable, water-impervious belt secured to the upper portion of said trunks and extending substantially completely around the trunks, a soft fabric lining for said belt to contact with the person of the wearer, a fastening means to close said belt, and a tongue secured interiorly of the adjacent edges of said belt and underlying said lacing to prevent contact thereof with If the device is to be worn with an the body, said tongue extending over the upper edge of said belt and being attachable to a portion of the garment to conceal said fastening means.

' 2. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, in combination, a pair of trunks comprising a relatively wide belt at its upper portion formed of water-impervious nonstretchable material and extendin substantially completely around the tllllfiis, a soft lining for the interior of said belt to contact with the person of the wearer, means to adjustably connect the edges of said belt in accordance with the size of the wearer whereby to support the hips and abdomen of the wearer, shoulder straps connected at their front and rear ends respectively to the upperedge of said belt and at substantially the waist line and adapted to Miss over the shoulders of the wearer where y to position said garment and retain the same in adj usted position.

3. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, in combination, a pair of trunks comprising a relatively wide belt at its upper portion formed of water-impervious nonstretchable material, and extendin substantially completely around the trun (s, means to adjustably connect the edges of said belt in accordance with the size of the wearer whereby to support the hips and abdomen of the wearer, shoulder straps connected at their front and rear ends respectively to the upper edge of said belt and adapted to pass over the shoulders of the wearer whereby to position said garment and retain the same in adjusted tacting surface of soft, material, lacings to iidjustably connect the bpposite edges of said belt, said belt being narrower at its rear portion and curving downwardly about the hips to a widened front portion whereby to pr0- vide hip and abdominal support, an extension upon one side of the waistband of said belt, means to adjustably connect said extensioh to conform to waists of different sizes. ALICE VIZZARD.

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