Improvements in Garments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899 -Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Garments.
I, JEREMIAH ANDERSON SCRIVEN, of 32-34, West 15th Street, New York City,
(Borough of Manhattan), in the County and State of New York, United States
of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention is more especially directed to improving the insertions of an
elastic nature used in garments, and it consists in the combination with inelastic
sections of an elastic member connecting adjacent sections comprising a plurality
of layers of elastic fabric, the wales or ribs of one fabric running at an angle
to the wales or ribs of the other layer of fabric and so set in the garment as to
receive the lateral and longitudinal strains on the garment, along lines running
diagonally to the wales, ribs or threads of both layers.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
which shows a garment made of fabric of a general inelastic character combined
with insertions of fabric of a general elastic character. It will be understood,
however, that the invention is not limited to such garments. I will likewise
have it understood that wherever in this specification I use the terms "elastic"
and "
inelastic" they are thereby used in a relative sense merely, as it is well
known that all fabrics are more or less elastic, so therefore in using these terms
I merely express the fact that one portion of a garment possesses greater inherent
elasticity than another portion and it is with this understanding that I use the
terms" elastic" and inelastic."
In the drawing
Figure 1 is a representation of a man wearing an undergarment embodying
my invention;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in plan of the interior of the crotch of the
garment shown in Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the interior of the crotch of a modified
form of construction embodying my invention;
Figure 4 shows my invention embodied in an elastic insertion in the form
of a stripe; and
Figure 5 shows the insertion shown in Fig. 2 detached from the garment with
its parts folded back to clearly illustrate or exhibit the construction.
The fundamental underlying idea of the invention is the employment in a
garment of a particularly efficient elastic member of a garment comprising a
plurality of layers of fabric secured together and having their wales, ribs or
threads crossing each other, that is to say the wales, ribs or threads of one layer
run across the wales, ribs or threads of the other layer whereby a most efficient
member or insertion is produced, which insertion will have great elasticity
diagonally of the wales, ribs or threads and by reason of the juxtaposition of
the threads in the adjacent layers will readily resume its shape after being
stretched.
In Fig. 1 the invention is shown as embodied in a pair of drawers. In this
figure, a indicates the front sections of the drawers and the rear sections. The
front and rear sections of the drawers are preferably of what I term inelastic

page_text: material or fabric secured together by elastic insertions c and elastic insertions d.
As before stated, these elastic insertions d are of a peculiar nature. The elastic
insertion d is shown opened out in Fig. 5 in which figure two layers of fabric
are shown, one and the other 2. It will be observed that the threads, ribs
or wales of the fabric are disposed at right angles to the threads, ribs or wales
of the fabric so that the greatest possible elasticity diagonally of the ribs will
result from this construction, as it is well known that most fabrics of an elastic
character stretch most readily when pulled or strained in lines running at an
angle to the lines of the wales, and no matter in which direction the strain occurs,
one layer will inevitably assist the other layer to resume its original position,
thereby producing a highly efficient garment. I prefer that the insertion
should be rectangular and set in the garment in the manner shown in Fig. 3,
wherein the said insertion serves as the means to connect the inelastic sec-
tions ab at the crotch of the garment and has its front edge parallel to the cross-
wise insertion c so that the insertion & could be made longer and extended entirely
up the back of the garment if desired.
It is well known that the strains in drawers occur laterally of the crotch when
the legs are spread and longitudinally of the crotch when the wearer stoops over.
By observing Figure 3, it will be noted that each of these strains will occur
diagonally of the wales of both fabrics, that is to say, along the lines of the
greatest elasticity of the insertion d.
In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown a slightly modified construction of the inser-
tion wherein the said insertion is set with its front angle extending into
or in proximity with the front opening or fly e of the garment.
In this case, however, the wales of the two fabrics are crossed (see Fig. 5)
and are parallel to the sides of the rectangular insertion, but the said insertion
is so set in the garment that the lateral and longitudinal strains occur diagonally
of the wales of both layers of fabric.
In Fig. 4 I have shown the preferred construction of the insertions c which
are in the form of a stripe. In this figure the inelastic, sections a bare united
by an elastic insertion comprising a strip of fabric et laid face to face with and
secured to a strip of fabric 2, the wales or threads in the fabric e running at
an angle to the wales or threads of the strip of fabric whereby the highest
elasticity is attained longitudinally and laterally. Both of these structures
may be combined in a single garment or either one used alone in a garment.
Aside from the general utility of elastic insertions constructed in the manner
described such character of elastic insertions are highly useful in the positions
in which they occur in the construction illustrated, but it will be understood
that I do not limit myself to the positions occupied by the insertions in the
garment illustrated in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In an undergarment, the combination with inelastic sections of an elastic
member connecting adjacent sections comprising a plurality of layers of elastic
fabric, the wales or ribs of one fabric running at an angle to the wales or ribs
of the other layer of fabric and so set in the garment as to receive the lateral and
longitudinal strains on the garment along lines running diagonally to the wales,
ribs or threads of both layers, substantially as described and for the purposes
set forth.