Protective shoulder cover

Oct. 11, I960

2,955,293

L. C. PETERSON

PROTECTIVE SHOULDER COVER

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ATTORNEYS nited States Patent Ofli ce

2,955,293

Patented Oct. 11, 1960

2,955,293

PROTECTIVE SHOULDER COVER

Lucille C. Peterson, 2507 27th St, Parkersburg, W. Va.

Filed Jan. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 707,962

Claim. (CI. 2—49)

The present invention relates to a protective garment and, more particplarly, to a new and improved shoulder bib adapted to be worn over either shoulder so as to prevent soiling of the clothes of the wearer.

An important object is to provide a simple, efficient, and economical protective shoulder bib having means for preventing slipping of the bib when applied to the shoulder of the wearer, and which can be put on or removed at a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

A further object consists in providing the bib with a front portion, a back portion, and an intermediate shoulder portion contoured to snugly fit the neck of the wearer. The bib is preferably formed of three layers of material of substantially the same size and shape, and a stitched dart that forms the neck curve and contours the shoulder portion of the bib to protect the upper portion of the arm. The outer layer of the bib is composed of any suitable light, durable fabric and the intermediate layer of any suitable absorbent material, such as. cotton or the like. The inner or bottom layer is formed of foamed polyurethane, so as to provide a frictional, resisting surface that prevents slipping or accidental sliding of the. bib, when applied to the shoulder of a wearer when burping a baby.

A still further object consists in providing a protective bib in which the exterior cloth surface, the cotton filler, and the inner foamed polyurethane cloth, surface, are quilted together and in which the bib has an inner edge formed with a sharp curved or concaved shoulder portion arranged to snugly engage the neck of the wearer, and the outer side edge of the bib has a gradually curved or convexed shoulder portion of such length as to overlap and extend beyond the shoulder of the wearer. Additionally, the intermediate portion of the protective bib has a stitched dart extending transversely thereof so as to form an upwardly triangular-shaped stay means which serves to reinforce the inner portion of the bib, and which also provides the neck curve of proper fit and the Contoured shoulder portion so that the bib when applied to the wearer, will be maintained firmly in a. fixed position. This stay is shown of triangular shape but may be of any other configuration in order to provide reinforcing means which is stitched to the bib in order to provide a relatively stiff inner portion adjacent the neck of the wearer and an outer flexible portion, thus, providing means for insuring the shoulder portion, properly and comfortably conforming to the contour of the shoulder of the user.

Another object consists in a new and improved method of forming a dart in the shoulder portion of a bib so as to provide stay means for reinforcing the shoulder portion and for insuring the. bib properly and firmly engaging the neck of the wearer. The dart also causes, the outer portion of the bib gracefully to curve over and around the shoulder so as to overlap and protect the upper portion of the arm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claim and drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing the protective shoulder bib in the position it assumes when in use;

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of a folded bib ⁵ constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a detailed plan view of the outer or top layer of the bib showing its shape preparatory to forming the dart and being stitched to the bib;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the outer layer of the ¹⁰ bib showing the central portion thereof folded to form the sides of the dart which are subsequently severed and which also shows the line of stitching connecting the ends of the sides;

Figure 5 is a detailed plan view of the outer layer of ⁵ the bib showing the severed triangular wings or flaps folded to overlap the adjacent surfaces of the bib and stitched thereto;

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view showing the sides of the dart severed centrally so as to form the wings;

²⁰ Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 7—7 of Fig. 5 and showing the wings of the dart stitched to the bib; and

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view of the assembled bib showing the outer flap being reversed so that the ²⁵ wings or flaps of the dart are positioned on the underside of the outer flap.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a protective garment in the form of a protective shoulder bib which is of elongated shape so as to form a front portion or panel 11, an intermediate portion 12, and a back portion or panel 13 (Fig. 2). The bib may be of such a length that, when applied to the wearer, the front portion 11 and the back or rear portion 13 extend almost to the waist of the wearer. The bib is preferably formed of ⁰ three layers of material including an outer or top layer 14, an intermediate filler layer 15, and an inner layer 16 (Fig. 8), which are connected around their marginal edges in any suitable manner, such as by the binding tape 17 and the stitching 18. The three layers are of substantially the same size and shape and may be bound either with the tape 17 dr with lace or ruffled trim, so as to provide a smooth marginal edge extending continuously around the bib. The outer or exterior layer 14 ₄₅ may be formed of any suitable cloth, such as light dripdry cotton, dacron, nylon, or the like. The filler or intermediate layer 15 is made of any suitable absorbent material, such as cotton. The inner or bottom layer 16 is preferably formed of foamed polyurethane which is 5θ generally prepared by the reaction of a polyester having terminal hydroxyl groups or a polyhydric alcohol with a polyisocyanate.

The polyurethanes commercially available today are generally prepared by the reaction of a polyester having. 55 terminal hydroxyl groups or a polyhydric alcohol with a polyisocyanate. When a polyester is employed, it is. normally prepared from components in. which the alcohol is in excess and the polyester desirably has a molecular weight of 1000 or above.

₆₀ To prepare the polyester, there may be used dicarboxylic acids, such as adipic acid, phthalic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, malonic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, sebacic acid, glutaric acid, pimelic acid, and azelaic acid, and dihydric alcohols, ₆₅ such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, tetramethylene - glycol, 2,3-butylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,6-hexane diol, thiodiglycol, etc.

Mixtures of acids and/or glycols can be employed. 70 As the polyisocyanates, there can be employed 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, l-chloro-2,4phenylene diisocyanate, naphthylene-l,5-diisocyanate, 3,3'-dichlorodiphenyl - 4,4' - diisocyanate, hexamethylene

2,955,293 diisocyanate, 3,3'-dimethoxy-4,4'-biphenylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane - 4,4' - diisocyanate, m-phenylene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, triphenyl methane4_j4',4-triisocyanate, etc.

On occasion, a part or all of the glycol is replaced by a pholyhydric alcohol, such as glycerine, pentaerythritol or trimethylol propane.

In place of polyesters, there, are also employed to make the polyurethanes polyester amides, i.e., compounds wherein part of the glycol is replaced by a diamine, such as hexamethylene diamine or ethylene, di-: amine or by an amino alcohol, such as monoethanolamine or monopropanolamine.

As previously mentioned, the polyurethanes can be prepared by employing polyhydric alcohols rather than polyesters. Thus, the polyurethanes can be prepared by utilizing glycols and polyalkylene glycols, e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, tetramethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, hexaethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene glycols of higher molecular weight, e.g., the Carbowaxes having molecular weights of 2400 and 6000,: as well as other polyethylene glycols haying a molecular weight of at least 750, e.g., polytetramethylene ether glycol molecular weight 2440, as well as the corresponding compound with molecular weight 2900. When utilizing these polyhydric alcohols, there are employed with the polyesters the same polyisocyanates, e.g., the arylene diisocyanates, such as 2,4-tolylene diisocyanates. The alcohol modified urethanes are known as the polyether urethanes or in some instances as the polyalkylene ether glycol diisocyanate elastomers. Illustrative elastomers of this type are shown in Schwartz Patent No. 2,749,960.

The polyurethane foams which can be employed normally have a density of about three pounds per cubic foot, although this can be varied in either direction so that other foams, e.g., having a density of two pounds per cubic foot or four pounds per cubic foot are usable.

The inner side: of the elongated bib 10 has straight longitudinally spaced end portions 19 and an intermediate concave shoulder portion 20 arranged to snugly fit against the neck of the wearer when the garment is applied. The outer edge of the bib has substantially straight longitudinally spaced side portions 21 connected by transverse portions 22 to the end portions 19. The side portions 21 are connected to' a convex gradually curved intermediate shoulder portion 23 of such a width as to extend and overlie the shoulder of the wearer. The outer and inner layers of the bib are quilted or stitched together as at 24 or may be plain.

: The contoured intermediate shoulder portion 12 is provided with a stitched dart or seam 25 that forms a triangular stay means for reinforcing the inner shoulder portion and for causing the inner shoulder portion to properly engage the neck 26 of the wearer as at 27 (Fig. 1). The dart 25 also' serves to cause the outer shoulder portion 23 to conform with the curvature of the shoulder and protect the upper portion of the arm. The outer or top layer 14 is initially shaped, as shown in Fig. 3, and the shoulder portion 12 on its inner edge is provided on opposite sides of the transverse center line 28 with spaced concave edges 29 connected by a centrally disposed convex portion 30. The outer layer 14 is also centrally formed with inclined fold lines 31 which converge inwardly from the spaced curved portions 29 so as to merge at a point 32. The triangular-shaped portions 33 between the center line 28 and the fold lines 31 when brought together and folded about the center line 28 form the connected outwardly extending sides 34 that project outwardly from one side of the layer 14 (Fig. 4). These overlapped sides are stitched at their lower edges as at 35 and the upper connected folded portion 36 is severed or cut inwardly from 5 the shoulder portion 29 to the point 32, so as to form on opposite sides of the center line 28, the loose triangularshaped wings or flaps 37 which are then pressed down:-. wardly in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 6) so as to overlap and engage the adjacent surface of the layer 14. 10 The wings 37 are connected to the bib by the lines of stitching 38 so as to provide the substantially triangularshaped dart 25. The layer 14 is then turned or reversed - so that the wings 37 are now positioned to engage the intermediate filler layer 15 (Fig. 8). The binding tape 17 15 is then stitched to the marginal edges of the layers to firmly maintain the same in a fixed position. It will be seen that the stitched dart 25. provides stay means that coacts with the foamed polyurethane layer 16 so as to insure the bib when applied to be properly maintained in 20 a fixed position and comfortably fit the shoulder and neck of the wearer.

Thus, a protective bib is provided which can readily be positioned on either the left or. right side and, when once applied, is maintained in a fixed position so as to 25 prevent damage to the clothes of the wearer and in order that, after the feeding of the infant, he may be properly held so as to relieve the pressure of air in the stomach.

It will be understood that the form of the invention shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may 30 be made, as come within the scope of the following claim,