US1102711A - Dress-form. - Google Patents

Description

A. D. BAILEY.

DRESS FORM.

APPLIOATION IILED 111m. 17, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914 THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTOLI'IHOH WASHINGTON, D c,

"oNrrnn sTA'rEs rNrnNr orricn. r A

ANNA DEANE BAILEY, on. NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRESS-FORM.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my im proved form or dummy complete; Fig. 2 a

' side elevation of the form or dummy decl is screwed into a hollow rod g,

tached from its pedestal and skirt form; and Fig. 3 a detail view of a part of the inner face of the skirt form detached.

The object of this invention is to so con struct the dummy that it shall approximate the human figure and also that each dummy or form shall be capable of a wide range of adjustability not only as to height but also as to transverse dimensions, whereby it is possible by selecting a dummy or form most nearly approaching the figure of the person whose gowns are to be fitted thereto to adjust the dummy exactly to the vertical as well as horizontal dimensions of the person in question. By thus providing for a wide .range of adjusting capacity in each dummy it will be possible to put my invention on the market in a less number of sizes than is possible with the forms or dummies now on the market and it will also be possible to make the dummy conform more nearly to the special dimensions of the figure the dummy is intended to be a facsimile of, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing av designates a base plate or board mounted on suitable casters and provided on its under side with a series of hooks Z) and on its upper side with a central internally threaded post 0.. Screwed into this post a is a rod (Z whose upper part is threaded in a direction opposite to the lower extremity which screws into the post 0. The upper part of this red is inserted through a central opening in a plate or block 6, a squared part f being formed or fastened on the rod to enable it to be readily turned. The upper extremity of this rod and on the extreme upper end of this rod g is screwed or otherwise adjustably mounted a circular block 71,,

A textile fabric casing i surrounds the Specification of Letters Patent.

. the shoulders.

in various directions to thereby make it conform very closely if not which are attached Patented July *7, lard.

Application filed August 17, 1912. Serial No. 715,674.

rod g and the part of rod end to the top block it, and at its lower end to the bottom block 0. This casing is so made that when it is filled out or inflated it approximates the human figure from the top of the neck down to the knees, includ ing a small portion of the arms adjacent to This casing is filled with granulated cork up to a point at or near the base of the tubular neck portion j of the easing. The filling material is preferably granulated cork but it is possible to use other material having the same capacity, and this material is packed into the casing with sufficient compactness to firmly but not rigidly fill out the casing. Each arm stump is closed by a block 75 to which the fabric is fastened, and each block 79 is connected by a rod Z to the central rod g, the connection being preferably by means of an eye m formed on the rod Z preferably inclined upwardly. -Nuts 0 are threaded on the projecting ends of the rods Z, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

A. loose tubular fabric 79 connects the lower end of'the rod 9 to the block 6 and surrounds the upper end of the rod (Z, whereby the rod 0? may be removed from the block 6 for the sake of compactness in shipping and reinserted when the figure is erected or assembled without serious interference by the granulated filling material, this tubular fabric serving to not only hold the rod 9 in the center of the figure but also to guide the threaded rod into the rod 9 when it is reinserted A tubular apron g connects the block 6 to the base a, a slit r being provided from its top edge downwardly to enable it to be slipped off and on over the base a, this base a being considerably larger in diameter than the block 6. The upper edge of this apron is detachably'connected to the block 6 by suitable rings and hooks and detachably connected to the base a by means of a series of flexible tabs or tapes 8 to the inner face of the apron q and are adapted to hook over the hooks Z; on the under side of the base a, each tab 8 being provided'w'ith a series of eyeleted holes to provide for vertical adjustment. The block 6 is to be so located as to be approximately in line with the knees and is so dimensioned as to approximate the diameter of the figureat the knees while the base a is of a diameter to approximately cover the p d above the block a. this casing being connected at its upper person are located when standing in a nat;-'

circular space within which the feet of the ural position. To accommodate persons of different heights the rod (Z may be screwed into or out of the tubular post 0 and the tabs amaybe adjusted accordingly, so that this downwardly flaring apron g mayv be drawn approximately taut. This apron q is of a suitable fabric that will readily receive pins, andits purpose is to form an annular support against {which the skirt of the gown may rest in draping the gown andin locat- ,ing folds and plaits and determining and ascertaining .their appearance when the gown is actually worn by the person for whom it is intended, i

By employing granulated cork. orlsimilar material as a filling substance and by leaving an empty space, at the top of the casing and by employing a suitable fabric as a material for the casing, I am enabled to make wide range of adjustments as to ment, has the peculiar capacity,

. of staying where put,provided the casing.

' vertical and lateral dimensions of the body portion of the dummy. Granulated cork, (i. 6. small pieces of cork of irregular dimensions) l have ascertained by experiso to speak,

be of the character hereinbefore set forth, namely, muslin or other flexible textile fabric. This covering or casing has the capacity of yielding within reasonable limits but isjnot springy or elastic in the sense 1 great frictional qualities that when the mass.

that it tends strongly to return to a normal position, andthe particles of cork have such is locally shifted by pressure or manipula-' tionof the hands the particles will remain original position.

in thelpositions they are shifted to even though there be a slight tendency on the vpart of the fabric to pull them back to the verse dimensions of the figure at any point between the two blocks 6 and h by simply shifting the cork by a sort of massage operation on the exterior of the figure; for instance the waist dimension can be illcreased by forcing some of the cork par-' ticles up into the waist portion of the figure or from above downwardly into that portion and likewise with respect to the bust and hip dimensions. In other words, this the special and perhaps abnormal or vunusual.

fiexiblefabric casing and the filling of frictional yielding particles such as cork gives to the body portion of the dummy asort .of plastic nature in that within the yielding limits of the fabric employed the figure maybe changed from its factory shape withoutdismantling it, to make it accord With dimensions of the figure of the person who is to wear thegowns. At the knee portion of the figureI have shown the cork particles,

packed tighter than at the remaining part For these reasons it is possible with my device to vary the trans *sible to actually tack the gown of the figure since it will be seldom, if ever, necessary to shift the particles at the knee portion of the figure.

The leaving of the upper part of the casing empty gives a wider range of adjustment in that it permits a portion of the cork to be shoved up into the neck when the transverse dimensions of the figure at points lower down are to be considerably reduced. The rods Z together with, their threaded nuts 0, assist in narrowing the dummy at a point above the waist line; By

and to take up the surplus vmaterial in the I neck of the casing if the neck be shortened,

- I provide a series of rings 25 on the exterior of the neck which are adapted to engage in hooks located at intervals around the edge of the block it. This adjustable neck block 72, together with the adjustable connection betweenthe rod (Z and the rod 9 enable the vertical length of the body portion of the dummy to be varied within the capacity of the figureand when the body of the figure is thus. variedv the cork filling may be manually shifted about. within the casing all points throughout the length iof the figure. It will thus be observed that I provide for a practically universal adjustment to get the proper transverse dimensions at of the dummy orv form and it will be observed also that throughout the length of the figure it is possible to pin the garment to I the figure and thus assist in fitting and draping the garment; and it will be observed that the pins may be inserted in the body portion of the dummy in the manner of tacks, that is, forced their full length into the body of material, so that it is pos to the figure at any point from the knee line to the neck of'the figure.

I A feature of importance, it will" be ob served lies in the fact that .from the neck to the knee my form or dummy can be readilymade to very closely approximate the figure of the that this capacity is a'novel one, and that it is an exceedingly advantageous one will be apparent to those skilled in the art of fitting garments since the great objection to the dress forms now on the market is vthat hanging or draping of thegarment owner and it is believed from the splrit of my invention.

cannot be actually determined or ascertained until the garment is tried on the wearer.

It Wlll be obvious that my invention 1s best carried out by the use of a form con-t range of adjustment by local displacement and makes the manipulation of the filling to obtain the adjustments easier.

I/Vith my improved dress form, experiment has shown me usual range of adjustments provided for in the forms now on the market by a consider ably less number of sizes, it being possible, I believe, to provide for this wide variety in the dimensions of human figures. by placing on the market three sizes which,

to the trade would be known as numbers 36, 39 and 42.

It will be understood that variations in the details of construction of this appliance may be resorted to by me without departing It will be understood also that the apron 9 may be used as a guide for marking and cutting the lower edges ofskirts by providing the same with a suitable gage such as a series of annular lines (1.

Having thus described my inventlon, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a device of the class set forth, a

dress form shaped approximately to the human body from the neck to the knee, a base plate and means for supporting the form on said base plate, said base plate having a d1- ameter greater than that of the lower end of the form, a tubular fabric apron detachably connected to the lower end of the form and slitted vertically for a portion of its length, and means for detachably connecting the apron to the edge of the base plate, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a support, a dummy or lay figure supported thereon and embodying an exterior textile fabric casing and a filling of comminuted frictional packing material, said casing being flexible and said filling material being packed to firmness only and being capable of local permanent readjustment by exterior manual manipulation in the manner of plastic material, and a standard extending through the mass of packing material and serving as an interior support therefor.

3. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a support, a dummy or lay figure supported thereon and embodying an that I can cover the I exterior textile fabric casing and a filling of comminuted frictional packing material, said. casing being flexible and said filling material being packed to firmness and being capable of local readjustment by exterior manual manipulation in the manner of plastic material, and an extensible supporting rod within the dummy whereby the height of the dummy may be varied.

4;. Ina device of the class set forth, the combination of abase, a dress form supported thereon and approximating the human figure said form consisting of an outer casing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted cork, said filling being capable of local permanent displacement and readjustment by exterior manual manipulation, said cork fillbeing packed to firmness only.

5. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a base, a dress form supported thereon and approximating the human figure, said form consisting of an outer casing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted frictional material capable of local displacement and readjustment, a supporting rod embedded in the packing material, a removable screw rod entering the bottom of the form and engaging the lower end of said rod, and a flexible protecting tube for said screw rod.

6. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a base, a dress form supported thereon and approximating the human figure, said form consisting of an outer casing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted frictional material packed to firmness so as I to be capable of local displacement and readjustment, and means for positively contracting or squeezing the form in the line of the shoulders.

7 In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a base, a dress form supported thereon and approximating the human figure, said form consisting of an outer casing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted frictional material packed to firmness so as to be capable of local displacement and readjustment by external manual manipulation, a space being provided between the upper extremity of the casing and the top of the filling or packing material within the casing.

8. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a base, a dress form supported thereon and approximating the human figure, said form consisting of an outer casing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted frictional material packed to firmness and capable of local displacement and readjustment by external manual manipulation, a space being provided between the upper extremity of the casing and the top of the filling or packing material Within thecasing, and means being provided for shortening the neck portion of the form or dummy.

' I length of the dummy.

packed to firmness only to give plasticity to the mass and thus render it'capable of local permanent displacement by exterior manipulation.

'10. An apparatus of the class'set forth, comprising a base, a standard attached thereto, and a dummy or form aflixed to and surrounding 'said standard, said dummy approximating the exterior'shape of the human form from the neck to a point below the hips and consisting of a'flexible fabric casing and a filling of comminuted frictional material packed into the casing to firmness only, the filling material and casing extending the full length of the dummy, said filling material being capable 10f, local permanent readjustment by exterior manipulation to thereby permit the diameter and contour of the dummy to be varied at 11. In adevice of the'class set forth, a

base, a dummy mounted thereon and shaped approximately to the human body from the points along the neck to the knee, means for adjusting the dummy vertically with respect to the base,

and a fabric apron connecting the lower end of the dummy to said base, means being provided for varying the effective length of the apron in accordance with'the adjustment of the dummy with respect to the base.

12. In a device of the classset forth, the combination of a'base, a dress form support ed thereon and approximating the human figure, said form consisting of an outer cas :ing of textile fabric, a filling of comminuted frictional material packed to firmness so as r to be cap'ablejof local displacement and 'readjustment, and means for positively contracting or squeezing the form in the line'of the shoulders, said means embodying a mem .ber centrally arranged within the dummy and a pair of rods connected to said member and extending upwardly to the respective shoulders of the dummy, screw means being provided for tightening or'loosening the parts.

signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANNA DEANE BAILEY. CHARLES D. DAVIS,

CHARLES LOWELL HOWARD. v

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0 2mm,

' Washington, D. G."

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my

Images