Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Priority is hereby claimed to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/765,095, filed Feb. 3, 2006 for a Two Chest Pocket T-Shirt. This invention relates to a shirt and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a two chest pocket t-shirt for use by workmen who need to carry papers, small notebooks, pens, small tools, and other gadgets needed to perform workplace tasks. The pockets of applicant&#39;s invention are designed to retain objects contained within the pockets during normal use. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion 
         [0004]    Workmen often need to have small tools, gadgets, and papers available to perform their assigned tasks. Until now, the only options available were work shirts, usually made of denim or other heavy fabric, or the use of some type of tool belt. Some heavy duty work shirts include two chest pockets, and the chest pockets sometimes include button-down flaps. While providing a convenient pockets for storage of small tools, gadgets, and papers, the heavy duty work shirts are often unsuitable for use warm environments such as hot manufacturing areas and the desert southwest during summer months. Moreover, the heavy duty work shirts are uncomfortable as compared to traditional short-sleeved t-shirts. 
         [0005]    Traditional short-sleeved t-shirts, while comfortable and lightweight, may or may not include a single chest pocket, but any chest pocket is not suitable for carrying the tools, gadgets, and papers normally used by workmen. 
         [0006]    The two chest pocket t-shirt of the present invention, made of ribbed polyester-cotton fabric, provides the comfort of a traditional short-sleeved t-shirt with two chest pockets suitable for carrying workmen&#39;s tools, gadgets, and papers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a two chest pocket t-shirt having a front, a back, sleeves and a neckband. Reinforced left and right chest pockets made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric stretch to accommodate pocket contents but return to their original shape on removal of the pocket contents. The top edge of each chest pocket is further reinforced to permit limited stretching of the top edge and inhibit loss of pocket contents from the chest pocket. 
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a shirt having the comfort of a traditional short-sleeved t-shirt with chest pockets suitable for holding small tools, gadgets, and supplies commonly used by workmen. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a t-shirt with chest pockets which stretch to accommodate pocket contents but return to their shape when the pocket contents are removed. 
         [0010]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become clearfrom the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the two chest pocket t-shirt according to applicant&#39;s invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the two chest pocket t-shirt shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a step-by-step diagram detailing the process of manufacture for each chest pocket of applicant&#39;s two chest pocket t-shirt shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a view of one of the chest pockets of applicant&#39;s two chest pocket t-shirt. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged detail of an upper corner of one of the chest pockets of applicant&#39;s two chest pocket t-shirt. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged detail, partially cut away, of another two chest pocket t-shirt according to applicant&#39;s invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of applicant&#39;s two chest pocket t-shirt shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    In the following description of the invention, like numerals and characters designate like elements throughout the figures of the drawings. 
         [0019]    Referring generally to the drawings and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a two chest pocket t-shirt  10  according to applicant&#39;s invention has a front  12 , a back  14 , a left sleeve  16 , a right sleeve  18 , a neck opening  20 , a front chest portion  22 , a left chest pocket  24 , a right chest pocket  26 , and a neck band  28 . The front  12 , the back  14 , the sleeves  16 , and the neckband  28  are sewn together by well-known and traditional sewing techniques. The pockets  24 ,  26  are assembled separately and attached to the chest portion  22  of the front  12 , in the style of an applique, for the reasons explained in detail hereinafter. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , shown therein are the steps required to fabricate the pockets  24 ,  26 . It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the left pocket  24  and the right pocket  26  are of identical construction and interchangeable. A pocket piece  30  is folded along a center line  32  as shown in  FIG. 3 , Steps  1 - 3  and sewn, right sides together, in seams (not shown) adjacent edges  34 ,  36  to create a double-walled pocket panel  38  having an open end  40 . It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the double-walled pocket panel can also be created by sewing on three sides, rights sides together, two separate identical pieces of fabric. 
         [0021]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the edge portions  42 ,  44  of the double-walled pocket panel  38  are folded over as illustrated in Step  3  to create reinforced edge portions  46 ,  48  (See  FIG. 3 , Steps  7 - 9 ). The reinforced edge portions  46 ,  48  consist of 4 layers of pocket piece  30  fabric, i.e., double-walled edge portions  42 ,  44  folded each on itself. 
         [0022]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , Steps  4 - 8 , a pocket top piece  50  has opposing long edges  52 ,  54  and opposing short edges  56 ,  58 . One short edge  54  is folded under to create a double thickness portion  60 . The remaining pocket top piece  50  is oriented in an inverted U-shape as shown in Step  5  and placed over the open end  40  of the double-walled pocket panel  38 . End portions  62 ,  64  of the pocket top piece  50  extend outwardly beyond the reinforced edge portions  46 ,  48 , respectively, of the double-walled pocket panel  38 . In Step  8 , the end portions  62 ,  64  are folded around the reinforced edge portions  46 ,  48  adjacent the open end  40  of the double-walled pocket panel  38  to form the pocket  24 / 26  shown in  FIG. 3 , Step  9 , and double-stitched in place along double-stitching lines  66 . The double-walled pocket panel  38  is sewn to the chest portion  22  of the front  12  using double-stitching lines  68 ,  70 ,  72  along the reinforced edge portions  46 ,  48  and adjacent the center line fold  32 , all as shown in Step  9 . 
         [0023]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1-3 , it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the sleeve  16 , the sleeve  18 , the front  12 , and the back  14  are hemmed to complete the process of making the two chest pocket t-shirt  10 . 
         [0024]    Although the two chest pocket t-shirt  10  according to applicant&#39;s invention can be made of any typical t-shirt fabric, a ribbed polyester-cotton blend is preferred. The ribbed polyester-cotton blend stretches slightly to accommodate the weight and volume of items placed in the chest pockets but returns to its normal shape when the pocket contents are removed. Optionally, the neckband  28  can be made from the same ribbed polyester-cotton fabric, thereby increasing durability. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , applicant&#39;s two chest pocket t-shirt  10 , partially cut away, has bulges  76  in the pocket  24 / 26  caused by pocket contents. The double-walled pocket panel  38  stretches to accommodate the pocket contents, including a pen P. Yet the open edge  78  of the pocket  24 / 26  resists stretching, thereby reducing the likelihood of loss of pocket contents, as a result of the attachment of the pocket top piece  50 . 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 5 , a greatly enlarged detail shows the ribbed polyester-cotton fabric  80 , a portion of the pocket top piece  50 , and the double-stitching lines  66  across the top of the pocket  24 / 26 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6-7 , another two chest pocket t-shirt  110  according to applicant&#39;s invention has a chest pocket  124 / 126 . Instead of a pocket top piece  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a lightweight elastic piece  82  across the top  84  of the chest pocket  124 / 126  helps to keep the chest pocket  124 / 126  closed to prevent loss of pocket contents. 
         [0028]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

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