US3678942A

US3678942A - Method of making precut and preset wig and precut and preset wig

Info

Publication number: US3678942A
Application number: US69984A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dominic C Abbott; Godfrey Chen
Original assignee: Abbott Tresses Inc
Current assignee: Abbott Tresses Inc
Priority date: 1970-09-04
Filing date: 1970-09-04
Publication date: 1972-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-25

Abstract

An already machine made wig is cut and set as desired and styled as necessary for a desired effect. The wefts are each removed from the wig foundation and their length and location recorded. The length of hair on each weft and the sections therealong is also recorded for each weft. The character of the curl and set for each weft so removed is also recorded for each weft and any variation of the sections therealong. Then wefts of hair are made up according to the recordings of the length of the weft and the length of the hair in the sections therealong. A set is applied to each weft according to the record for each weft. Each weft is attached to a wig foundation in accordance with the recordings of locations. The wig can then be further styled as desired by combing and is ready for wear.

Description

United States Patent Abbott et a]. 1 July 25, 1972 54] METHOD OF MAKING PRECUT AND 3,444,865 5/1969 DeVita ..132/s3 PRESET WIG AND PRECUT AND 258,662 5/1882 McCarthy ..132/53 PRESET WIG Dominic C. Abbott, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Godfrey Chen, Kowloon, Hong Kong Abbott Tresses, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. by said Dominic C. Abbott Filed: Sept. 4, 1970 Appl. No.: 69,984

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 823,400, May 9, i969, abandoned.

Inventors:

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1969 Trowbridge ..35/59 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeill Attorney-Marvin B. Rosenberg, David J. Mugford, lrving Holtzman, George A. Mentis and Ralph D. Gelling [57] ABSTRACT An already machine made wig is cut and set as desired and styled as necessary for a desired efiect. The wefts are each removed from the wig foundation and their length and location recorded. The length of hair on each weft and the sections therealong is also recorded for each weft. The character of the curl and set for each weft so removed is also recorded for each weft and any variation of the sections therealong. Then wefts of hair are made up according to the recordings of the length of the weft and the length of the hair in the sections therealong. A set is applied to each weft according to the record for each weft. Each weft is attached to a wig foundation in accordance with the recordings of locations. The wig can then be further styled as desired by combing and is ready for wear.

14 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 06 0 M00004. 1.22.... vva vvvvn Patented July 25, 1972 METHOD OF MAKING PRECUT AND PRESET WIG AND PRECUT AND PRESET WlG This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 823,400 filed May 9, 1969 and now abandoned.

In such wigs heretofore it is necessary for the hair stylist to first cut the wig hair to the desired style after applying the wig to the customer. This involves time and the judgment of the stylist. Note is made of the features of the customer and the wig is then removed from the customer and later set and curled. The customer may have to return a number of times for trial fitting and further cutting and trimming may be necessary.

In this manner of wig fitting and styling caution is observed of necessity in trying to not cut and trim the hair too short. Most usually unless the stylist is unusually expert the error of cutting and trimming is in not cutting and trimming a sufficient amount. The wig is really not sufficiently styled.

It is an object of this invention to provide for precut and preset wigs that provide a ready to wear selection for the customer with just minor combing for further styling as may be desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ready to wear wig that fits neatly at the hair line.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wig that has wefts of hair that have been precut and preset before being sewn onto the wig foundation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide more economically produced wigs that at the same time afford a wide selection of a quality produce that is well styled for the customer and is ready to wear.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, the description and the claims that follow.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view side elevation of the wig foundation with representations of wefts without hair for illustration purposes as are sewn to the wig foundation but with hair lengths of the various wefts generally noted; and

FIG. 2 is a view looking at the right of FIG. 1 and showing the rear of the foundation but with some representations of hair attached to the wefts showing the precut stepped lengths in a rather abrupt manner without a set.

Throughout the description like reference numbers refer to similar parts.

A stretch netted foundation 11 has a front edge 12 that extends from adjacent a temple area of the wearer across the forehead to the other temple area. Side edges 13 extend upwardly and rearwardly from the ends of the front edge to above the ears of the wearer. A rear edge 14 extends from the top of the side edges 13 in a curved manner along the rear hair line. The crown of the foundation is at 15 at the top.

In the approach to the invention a machine made wig (not shown) has previously been made and provided with the usual excessively long hair. This wig has been cut and trimmed to a desired style and then its hair has been set and styled as desired.

This wig has each weft of hair removed and its location on the wig is carefully recorded for further usefulness as will be explained. The length of the hair is measured and recorded for the sections therealong as the length may vary. For each weft of hair the curl and set character is recorded for the sections therealong. The set may be uniform throughout the weft of hair or it may vary in character by section depending upon the particular style already provided in this master-wig. The measurements are made as to length of the wefts for an unstretched wig foundation.

There is made up wefts of hair according to length of wefts recorded with the recorded accompanying lengths of hair. The wefts of hair are set with the proper character of curl and set in accordance with the recording for each weft of hair.

The foundation 11 in an unstretched condition has sewn to its rear inside edge 14 a weft of hair as designated for that position. To the outside of the rear edge there is sewn the weft of hair 18 premade for that edge in accordance with the prior recordings for the same as taken from the master wig. These rear edge wefts of hair for the represented particular master wig have hair approximately l /inches long.

Spaced about one-quarter of an inch above the weft of hair 18 and sewn to the outside rear edge 14 is a firstly spaced upward weft of hair 19. This extends parallel to the weft l8 and from one side edge 13 to the other side edge I3 and has hair approximately lkinches long in this example. Each of the spacing of the wefts of hair is approximately one-quarter of an inch except in some instances as will be explained the ends of the wefts converge to abutt each other or terminate adjacent another weft extending at an angle thereto.

Spaced above the first spaced upward weft I9 is a secondly upwardly spaced weft 20.

An inside (not shown) and an outside weft 21 is sewn to the foundation adjacent the side edges 13 and extends upwardly and rearwardly beyond the location of the ear of the wearer and adjacent the ends of the wefts l8, l9 and 20.

Above the weft 20 and extending horizontally are about five or six spaced apart parallel wefts 22 each of which also has hair of approximately l /zinches in length and terminate at their ends at the weft 20.

Four or five spaced apart wefts of hair 23 extend above the plurality of wefts 22. The lower first three of these wefts 23 extend from weft 20 on one side, around the back of the foundation in a general horizontal manner, to the weft 20 on the other side of the foundation. Each end of the upper two wefts 23 extending from adjacent the front edge 12 of the foundation at the temple portion of the wig, firstly from each end in a generally horizontal attitude, then generally parallel to the side edge wefts 21 and then around the back of the foundation in a generally horizontal manner. These wefts 23 have hair approximately 2 inches long.

An inside (not shown) and an outside weft of hair 24 are sewn to the foundation adjacent the front edge 12. The inside weft has hair 3 /zinches long while the outside weft 24 has hair 3 inches long. I

A spiral of wefting 25 starts at one end at the front edge outside weft 24 at one temple portion above the wefting 23 and in a clockwise manner as viewed from above the foundation. The spacing is about one-quarter of an inch as is the other weft spacing. It terminates adjacent the top most portion of the foundation at crown 15 where the spiral spacing decreases as the weft terminates closely adjacent the crown 15. The lower six or seven circles of the spiral 25 have hair approximately 3%inches long while the upper rest of the spiral wefting has hair of 4 to 4/2inches in length.

At the crown there extends a number of strands of hair 26 as desired to complete the wig. The various wefts have been preset according to the recording of set for each weft before sewing onto the foundation.

Minor styling as necessary by combing completes the wig when applied to the wearer.

There may be provided by this method economical and highly desirable precut and preset wigs. Much if not all of the heretofore guess work in wig styling and delay and disappointment for the customer is eliminated. The customer actually knows in advance what she is buying and how it looks on her.

Having regard to the foregoing disclosure, the following is claimed as the inventive and patentable embodiments thereof:

1. A process for making substantially identical ready-towear precut and prestyled wigs of the machine-made type, on a mass production basis employing wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation, comprising, forming a plurality of wefts of hair, said wefts being formed to several predetermined different hair lengths correlated to the location at which each weft is to be attached to the foundation and the hairstyle the finished wig is to have; then setting the hair in each so formed weft as required, in a manner correlated to said same location and hairstyle; attaching the so formed wefts to these correlated locations on a foundation so as to thereby form in situ a precut and prestyled wig; and repeating a multiplicity of times the steps as defined above of forming the wefts of hair, setting the hair in the wefts, and attaching the wefts to a foundation to reproduce a multiplicity of substantially identical precut and prestyled wigs each having the same hairstyle.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 in which thewefts are sewn to a stretch foundation.

3. Precut and preset ready-to-wear wigs of the machinemade type made in accordance with the process of claim 1.

4. In the process for making wigs by attaching wefts of hair to a wig foundation, the improvement which comprises, measuring and noting the length, location and style of the wefts of hair on the foundation of a model wig; using the data so obtained to precut and preset wefts of hair to correspond in length and style to the noted length and style at the noted locations on the wig foundation; and attaching, to the so noted locations on the wig foundation the corresponding wefts of hair which have been so precut and preset, such that the wefts,

when attached to the foundation, together form a preselected hair style on the foundation without further substantial cutting or styling.

5. Precut and preset ready-to-wear wigs of the machinemade type made in accordance with the process of claim 4.

6. A process for making a precut and prestyled wig of the machine-made type employing wefts of hair sewn to a stretch netting foundation comprising, determining and noting, for a plurality of weft locations on the foundation of a model wig having a selected hairstyle, the length and style of the hair of the wefts sewn to the foundation; forming similar wefts of hair by cutting and setting the hair of the wefts according to the noted lengths and style; and sewing the corresponding cut and set wefts to the foundation at the locations on the foundation corresponding to the locations on the model wig from which the notations of style and length were made so as to thereby produce a wig which is prestyled and precut to duplicate the model wig.

7. A method of precut and preset wig making of the machine-made type which has wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation comprising the steps of taking an already machinemade uncut and unstyled wig and cutting, setting and styling the same as desired while on said wig foundation whereby is formed a master wig model; then removing each weft from the wig foundation of the model wig; recording each wefts location on said foundation as each weft is removed from the foundation; measuring and recording the length of the weft removed and the length of the hair in said weft for sections along the wefts length; noting and recording the character and section location of the set and styling of the hair of each weft and any variation in sections therealong; preparing wefts of hair according to the recorded measured length of the wefts and hair along the sections; setting and styling each prepared weft according to set and style as recorded; and attaching said prepared wefts to a wig foundation in accordance with the recorded location for said so prepared wefts, thereby making duplicate precut and preset wigs patterned after the master wig model.

8. A method of precut and 'preset wig making of the machine-made type which has wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation comprising the steps of taking an already machinemade uncut and unstyled wig and cutting and setting the same; using this so prepared wig as a master wig model for making further wigs by, noting each wefts location where attached to the foundation; measuring and noting the length of the weft and the length of the hair in said weft for sections along the wefts length; noting the character and section location of the set of the hair of each weft and any variation in sections therealong; preparing wefts of hair according to the noted measured length of the wefts and the length of the hair along the sections; setting each prepared weft according to the set as noted; and attaching the so prepared wefts to a wig foundation in accordance with the noted location for said so prepared wefts, thereby making duplicate precut and preset wigs patterned after the master wig model.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the wefts of the cut and set wig are each removed from the wi foundation of the prepared master wig model and then their ocatlon on the wig foundation is noted along with subsequently measuring and noting the length of each weft, the length of the hair in said weft for sections and the character and section location of the set of the hair.

10. In the process for making machine-made wigs on a mass production basis, by attaching wefts of hair to a wig foundation, the improvement which permits the mass production of substantially identical precut and preset wigs each having the same preformed desired hairstyle comprising, measuring and noting from a model wig, the length and style of the hair in the wefts attached to the foundation as well as the location of each such weft, using the data obtained to form wefts of hair, in which the hair is precut to the noted length and preset to the noted style; and attaching to a wig foundation each so formed precut and preset weft at the noted location on the foundation corresponding to the noted length and style, such that the precut and preset wefts, when so attached to the foundation, form a substantial duplicate of the model wig.

11. A process for making machine-made precut and prestyled wigs on a mass production basis having performed the process of claim 10 comprising, repeating a multiplicity of times the steps of forming wefts of hair in which the hair is precut to the predetermined noted length and preset to the predetermined noted style; and attaching to the wig foundation the so formed precut and prestyled wefts, to thereby reproduce a multiplicity of substantially identical precut and prestyled wigs having the same hairstyle as the model wig.

12. A process in accordance with claim 11 in which the wefts are sewn to the foundation.

13. A process suitable for mass producing substantially identical machine-made ready-to-wear precut and prestyled wigs employing data available from a model wig indicating the positions of the wefts on the foundation of the model wig, and the length of the hair, and character of the curl in the hair in the wefts at each such position, comprising constructing wefts of hair for attachment to a wig foundation by forming wefts of hair to several different predetermined hair lengths determined by the data correlating the length of the hair in each weft to the position at which it is to be attached to the foundation; then curling and setting the hair in the so formed wefts according to the data further correlating the curl in each weft according to the position at which the weft is to be attached to the foundation; and attaching the so formed preset wefts to the correlated positions'on the foundation so as to thereby form in situ a precut and prestyled wig wherein each wig so produced has the same preformed hairstyle without significant deviation from wig to wig.

l4. Precut and prestyled, ready-to-wear wigs of the machine-made type made in accordance with the process of claim 13.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,678 .942 D d Julv 2s 1972 Inventor) Dominic C. Abbot-t et a1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, after line 4, insert Heretofore it has been the practice in wig making generally to make up a wig either a handmade wig or a machine made wigwith excessive long hair In the hand made -wig a wig. foundation of netting has hair hand tied (double knotted) to the'corne'rs' of the netting, seven or eight strands of hairat a time in the better made wigs Machine made wigs have wefts of hair made with excessively long hair and these made up we'fts are sewn to the wig foundation in spaced apart relation.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attestz- I MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. c, MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC4050 (IO-G9) i USCQMMoDC 603764259 7 u.$. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 8 93 o

Claims

1. A process for making substantially identical ready-to-wear precut and prestyled wigs of the machine-made type, on a mass production basis employing wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation, comprising, forming a plurality of wefts of hair, said wefts being formed to several predetermined different hair lengths correlated to the location at which each weft is to be attached to the foundation and the hairstyle the finished wig is to have; then setting the hair in each so formed weft as required, in a manner correlated to said same location and hairstyle; attaching the so formed wefts to these correlated locations on a foundation so as to thereby form in situ a precut and prestyled wig; and repeating a multiplicity of times the steps as defined above of forming the wefts of hair, setting the hair in the wefts, and attaching the wefts to a foundation to reproduce a multiplicity of substantially identical precut and prestyled wigs each having the same hairstyle.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the wefts are sewn to a stretch foundation.

3. Precut and preset ready-to-wear wigs of the machine-made type made in accordance with the process of claim 1.

4. In the process for making wigs by attaching wefts of hair to a wig foundation, the improvement which comprises, measuring and noting the length, location and style of the wefts of hair on the foundation of a model wig; using the data so obtained to precut and preset wefts of hair to correspond in length and style to the noted length and style at the noted locations on the wig foundation; and attaching, to the so noted locations on the wig foundation the corresponding wefts of hair which have been so precut and preset, such that the wefts, when attached to the foundation, together form a preselected hair style on the foundation without further substantial cutting or styling.

5. Precut and preset ready-to-wear wigs of the machine-made type made in accordance with the process of claim 4.

7. A method of precut and preset wig making of the machine-made type which has wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation comprising the steps of taking an already machine-made uncut and unstyled wig and cutting, setting and styling The same as desired while on said wig foundation whereby is formed a master wig model; then removing each weft from the wig foundation of the model wig; recording each weft''s location on said foundation as each weft is removed from the foundation; measuring and recording the length of the weft removed and the length of the hair in said weft for sections along the weft''s length; noting and recording the character and section location of the set and styling of the hair of each weft and any variation in sections therealong; preparing wefts of hair according to the recorded measured length of the wefts and hair along the sections; setting and styling each prepared weft according to set and style as recorded; and attaching said prepared wefts to a wig foundation in accordance with the recorded location for said so prepared wefts, thereby making duplicate precut and preset wigs patterned after the master wig model.

8. A method of precut and preset wig making of the machine-made type which has wefts of hair attached to a wig foundation comprising the steps of taking an already machine-made uncut and unstyled wig and cutting and setting the same; using this so prepared wig as a master wig model for making further wigs by, noting each weft''s location where attached to the foundation; measuring and noting the length of the weft and the length of the hair in said weft for sections along the weft''s length; noting the character and section location of the set of the hair of each weft and any variation in sections therealong; preparing wefts of hair according to the noted measured length of the wefts and the length of the hair along the sections; setting each prepared weft according to the set as noted; and attaching the so prepared wefts to a wig foundation in accordance with the noted location for said so prepared wefts, thereby making duplicate precut and preset wigs patterned after the master wig model.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the wefts of the cut and set wig are each removed from the wig foundation of the prepared master wig model and then their location on the wig foundation is noted along with subsequently measuring and noting the length of each weft, the length of the hair in said weft for sections and the character and section location of the set of the hair.

13. A process suitable for mass producing substantially identical machine-made ready-to-wear precut and prestyled wigs employing data available from a model wig indicating the positions of the wefts on the foundation of the model wig, and the length of The hair, and character of the curl in the hair in the wefts at each such position, comprising constructing wefts of hair for attachment to a wig foundation by forming wefts of hair to several different predetermined hair lengths determined by the data correlating the length of the hair in each weft to the position at which it is to be attached to the foundation; then curling and setting the hair in the so formed wefts according to the data further correlating the curl in each weft according to the position at which the weft is to be attached to the foundation; and attaching the so formed preset wefts to the correlated positions on the foundation so as to thereby form in situ a precut and prestyled wig wherein each wig so produced has the same preformed hairstyle without significant deviation from wig to wig.

14. Precut and prestyled, ready-to-wear wigs of the machine-made type made in accordance with the process of claim 13.