On March 1, 2000 David  DeBaene was advised  that the United  States  Patent and
Trademark Office on the patent  application for Pants with Detachable Back Brace
Support had  allowed  fourteen  claims.  The patent will be issued by the end of
June 2000.

The  claims  accepted  are  1-6,  8-14,  16  and 17 on  the  application  Serial
#09/198,646, filed November 24, 1998. These claims are as follows:

1.   Apparel with removable back brace comprising: an article of apparel (with a
     first fastening apparatus affixed thereto; and) a first fastening apparatus
     affixed to the article of apparel;  a back support structure (with a second
     fastening apparatus affixed thereto), comprising:

     an outer wall,

     an inner wall affixed to the outer wall,  defining a channel there between,
     and an inner belt  passing  through the  channel  and being  covered by the
     channel  for a majority  of its  length,  and having a first and second end
     affixed to an elastic central portion; and

     a second fastening apparatus affixed to the back support structure; wherein
     the first  fastening  apparatus  may be engaged  with the second  fastening
     apparatus to removably  affix the back support  structure to the article of
     apparel.

2.   The apparel of claim 1,  wherein the article of apparel  consists of a pair
     of pants which have a reinforcing  means  constructed to protect a wearer's
     knees and add to the durability of the pair of pants.

3.   The apparel of claim 1,  wherein the article of apparel  consists of a pair
     of pants which have a reinforcing  means  constructed to protect a wearer's
     seat and add to the durability of the pair of pants.

4.   The pair of  pants  of  claim 2  further  comprising  a  reinforcing  means
     constructed  to protect a wearer's  seat and add to the  durability  of the
     pair of pants.

5.   The  apparel of claim 4,  wherein  the  reinforcing  means  constructed  to
     protect a wearer's knees and the reinforcing means constructed to protect a
     wearer's seat comprise a padding means.

6.   The apparel of claim 1,  wherein the article of apparel  consists of a pair
     of uniform pants.

8.   The apparel of claim 1 wherein the back support structure fastens about the
     wearer with a cinching mechanism.

9.   The apparel according to claim 1 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

10.  The apparel according to claim 2 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.
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11.  The apparel according to claim 3 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

12.  The apparel according to claim 4 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

13.  The apparel according to claim 5 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting of ; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

14.  The apparel according to claim 6 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

16.  The apparel according to claim 8 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen form
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.

17.  The apparel according to claim 9 wherein the first fastening  apparatus and
     the second fastening  apparatus  comprise one or more fasteners chosen from
     the group  consisting  of; hook and loop type  fasteners,  zippers,  snaps,
     buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, and equivalent fasteners.