Athletic suit

June 12, 1934.

1,962,984

W. A. GREGO

ATHLETIC SUIT

Filed Jan. 3, 1933

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Patented June 12, 1934

1,962,984

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,962,984 ATHLETIC SUIT Willard A. Crego, Canandaigua, N. Y. Application January 3, 1933, Serial No. 649,989 1 Claim. (CI. 2—67)

This invention relates in general to an athletic suit, and more particularly has reference to a suit adapted for use when engaged in swimming or other sports.

One object of this invention is to produce a garment which may be used either with a pair of trunks or as a complete garment, in which the various parts are so shaped and arranged as to allow the greatest amount of freedom of movement to the wearer, while at the same time the parts will be held against displacement from their proper position on the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment in which the parts necessary for the purpose of covering the body will be at all times prevented from excessive motion with respect to the body so that they may be reduced in size to no more than the areas of the body that are to be covered.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment in which the parts necessary for the purpose of covering the body will be elastic to allow relative movement of various parts of the body and still perform their function, but in which the parts supporting the covering parts will be relatively inelastic to prevent undue movement of the covering parts.

It has been the practice in the past to make and arrange the various parts of suits of this nature in such a manner that the parts necessary for the purpose of covering the body were allowed to slip and move about as the body was moved. This made it necessary for these parts to be made very large in comparison with the areas intended to be covered so that they would adequately cover those areas even when moved from their proposed positions. It will be readily apparent that such suits would unduly interfere with the free movement of the body of the wearer when engaged in athletic sports such as swimming or the like, and would also prevent the most advantageous exposure of the body to the health giving rays of the sun when used out of doors.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of this invention to produce a garment in which are eliminated the above and other disadvantages found in the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood however, that the same are by way of example and illustration only and are not to be taken as in any way limiting the spirit or scope of this invention.

This invention is to be limited in scope only by the prior art and by the terms of the appended claim.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals indicate corresponding 60 parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a front view of a garment embodying this invention, illustrated in position on a model.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1. 65

Figure 3 is a rear view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the crotch portion of the garment shown in Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figure 1 but with parts broken away, and illustrating 70 modification of the crotch portion.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the garment consists in general of a front and a rear or back part and means for joining said parts together. The front 75 and rear parts are of substantially I-form. The rear part is of greater length than the front part.

The front part consists of an upper enlarged head or breast portion 1, an elongated narrow strap, stem or intermediate portion 2, and an 80 enlarged base or abdominal portion 3. The intermediate portion 2 is of materially less width and of materially greater length than that of either the head or base portions. The breast portion, as will be seen in Figure 1, has a pair of spaced 85 oppositely outwardly inclined tapered upper extensions 4 merging into a pair of shoulder straps 5 adapted to pass over the shoulders 6 of the wearer on either side of the neck 7. The breast portion is also provided with a pair of oppositely 90 disposed tapered lateral side extensions 8 to which are secured the forward ends of the body straps 9 which pass around the body just beneath the armpits and hold the breast portion in position. The breast portion is also formed centrally of its 95 bottom with a depending tapered extension 9' Which is of greater width than either of the extensions 4 or 8.

The intermediate portion 2 extends downwardly from the extension 9' of the breast portion 1, and 100 may be formed integral therewith as shown. This intermediate portion is made relatively long and narrow, although not so narrow as the shoulder straps 5 or the body straps 9.

The abdominal portion 3 depends from the lower 105 end of the intermediate portion and is joined thereto by means of an upstanding tapered extension 10 disposed centrally of the top of portion 3 and aligning with the extension 9'. This tapered extension 10 may be integral with both the ab- 110

1,982,984 dominal portion 3 and the intermediate portion 2, as shown. The abdominal portion 3 is also provided with a pair of oppositely disposed tapered lateral side extensions 11 to which are secured the forward ends of the hip straps 12 which hold the abdominal portion 3 in proper lateral position. The abdominal portion is further provided centrally of its bottom with a tapered downward extension 13 of a width suitable to receive the forward end. of the crotch member 14 for the purpose of supporting the same. The intermediate portion s is disposed centrally with respect to the breast portion 1 and the abdominal portion 3. The widths of the portions 1 and 3 are substantially the same. The straps 9 are of greater length than the straps 12.

Referring now to the rear or back part of the garment, it will be seen that this consists of ah upper covering portion 15 for that portion of the back between the shoulder blades, hereinafter termed the shoulder portion, an intermediate stem or strap portion 16, and a lower covering portion 17 for that part of the back at the base of the spine, hereinafter termed the hip portion. The intermediate portion 16 is of materially less width and of materially greater length than that of either the portions 15, 17. The portion 15 is of materially less width than that of the portion 17.

The upper or shoulder portion 15 has a pair of upwardly extending oppositely outwardly inclined tapered extensions 18 projecting from the upper corners thereof and which extend to and join with the shoulder straps 5 previously described. The shoulder portion 15 also has a pair of tapered lateral extensions 19 disposed downwardly and outwardly at the lower corners thereof at an angle. To the ends of these extensions are secured the rearward ends of the respective body straps 9 which have been previously mentioned.

The shoulder portion 15 is provided at its central part of its bottom with a downwardly extending tapered extension 20 from which the intermediate strap portion 16 depends. This intermediate strap portion is materially narrower and of greater length than the corresponding intermediate portion 2 in the front of the garment, having as its function merely the maintenance of the proper relationship between the various parts. The lower end of the intermediate strap portion 16 is joined to the hip portion 17 by means of the upper tapered extension 21 provided on and centrally of the top of the hip portion for that purpose. As shown, the shoulder portion 15, the intermediate strap portion 16, and the hip portion 17 may be formed of a single piece of material.

The hip portion 17 is provided with a pair of tapered lateral side extensions 22 to which are secured the rear ends of the hip straps 12, previously described. The hip portion 17 is also provided centrally of its bottom with a tapered downward extension 23 to which is secured the rear end of the crotch member 14.

The head and base of the front part are arranged below the head and base respectively of the rear or back part. The said front and rear parts are for covering an upper, a lower and a central lengthwise portion of the front and back of the wearer of the garment. The stem portions project laterally a slight distance in both directions from the longitudinal median of the front and the back of the wearer when the garment is worn. The straps 9 are positioned below the top of the front and back parts. The straps 12 are positioned above the bottom 2 of the front and back part. The front part is of a length to have its lower end terminate at the front end of the crotch of the wearer. The back part is of a length to have its lower end terminate at the rear end of the crotch of the wearer. 80

This garment is preferably made of ribbed knit fabric which is quite stretchable and elastic in a direction transversely of the ribs, but which is relatively non-stretchable in a direction lengthwise of the ribs. 85

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the front and rear parts are both formed with the ribs of the knit material disposed longitudinally of the body of the wearer so as to allow lateral expansion of the body in various forms 90 of exercise. The body straps 9 and the hip straps 12 are, on the other hand, formed with the ribs of the knit material disposed horizontally or lengthwise of the straps thus rendering them substantially inextensible. It will readily be seen 95 that when the body expands, the front and rear parts of the garment in which are the portions covering those parts of the body necessary to be covered, will expand and actually become larger so as to perform their function better, 100 while the straps 9 and 12 that hold the front and rear portions in position will not elongate but will remain substantially the same length and thus prevent the front and rear portions from slipping out of position. 105

It is further noted that the crotch portion 14 has the ribs of the material disposed transversely of its length, whereas the ribs in the shoulder straps and in the front and rear parts of the garment, which maintain the crotch mem- 110 ber in position, are disposed longitudinally thereof. Thus when the body expands longitudinally the crotch portion will expand and continue to perform its covering function whereas the shoulder straps 5 and the front and rear parts of 115 the garment will not stretch longitudinally but will continue to support the crotch portion in its proper position.

Furthermore, the straps 12 are positioned to extend about the hips of the wearer and not 120 about the waist. Thus they serve to more positively position those parts of the garment adjacent the crotch, and at the same time leave the waist free for the movement required in the various sports. 125

For the purpose of reinforcing and strengthening the various parts of the garment, the parts are first stitched together and the edges are then hemmed with double rows of stitching as indicated at 24 in the drawing. These double 130 rows of stitching are continuous along each of the free edges left when the parts are sewed together. Thus, one double row of stitching 24 passes up along one edge of the intermediate portion 2, out along the lower edge of the ta- ±35 pered extension 8, rearward along the lower edge of the body strap 9, downwardly along the edge of the intermediate strap portion 16, and forward along the upper edge of the hip strap 12 to form a complete circuit. The other free edges 140 are hemmed in a like manner.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawing, the crotch portion, instead of being formed of a separate piece, which is extensible and elastic, is formed of a crotch extension 25, which may be 14b a continuation of the tapered extension 23 on the hip portion 17. This crotch extension 25 is provided adjacent its end with a pair of straps 26, and the abdominal portion 3 is provided with a pair of buckles 27 to cooperate with the straps 150

1,962,984 for the purpose of closing and adjusting the length of the crotch.

The form illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing is similar to Figure 5 except that the crotch extension, designated as 28 is formed with buttonholes and the tapered extension 13 is provided with a plurality of buttons 29 for the purpose of adjustably closing the crotch.

By virtue of the arrangement set forth in Figures 5 and 6, the length of the crotch may be positively adjusted instead of being elastically adjusted as in the form shown in Figure 1. This allows for the taking up of any stretching which may occur when the suit becomes wet as in swimming and makes the garment adjustable for persons of slightly different body length.

It will be appreciated from the above that a means has been provided for carrying out all the objects of this invention.