US2249296A - Hospital brassiere - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1941.

A. l. LIVINGSTON HosPITALBRAssIRE Fired oct. 25, 193s Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT VOFFICE y HosPrrAL BRASSIRE Aleda L. Livingston, Hollywood,` Calif. vfhplieatimi october 2 5, 193s, lseria1No.23c,924 iolaim. (o1. 2 42) This invention relates to ahospital brassire adapted to be Worn by women whoare compelled to lie prone for any length of time as in pre-natal and maternity cases or While undergoing or recovering from an operation.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved brassire which may be easily and quickly put` on; one which may be readily adjusted to Vconform to the shape of the individual Wearers bustand which sh-all give correct, anatomical support to heavyV and pendulous breasts of women patients c onned to bed.

Referring tothe accompany drawing which illustrates a preferred .embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 illustrates the manner inwhich the brassire is secured tothe body of the wearer.

Figure 2 isa front View of the complete article.

Figure 3 is a 'cross section'taken alongxthe line 3 3 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 4 is across section of the shoulder strap taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a lcross section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I-I indipiece by means of safety pins or other suitable securing means The rear edge of each breast portion is reinforced as at I0 and provided with a plurality of eyelets Illa. equally spaced along the vertical edge I0 thereof and .adapted to receive a ribbon or lacing II.

The back member of the brassire is indicated vwith respect to the back of the brassire whereby the brassire may :be quickly and easily tted Cates and includes the complementary breast portions of the brassire which in use, form two girdling members 2, 2 substantially surrounding the body of the wearer beneath the breasts. Each breast portion is provided, in the upper part thereof, with -a fullness to conform to the contour of the breasts, as indicated at 3 in Figure 1 and a supporting tabl 4 is secured substantially mid-Way of the width of the breast portion and at the upper edge thereof. As shown in Figure 2, the fullness at the breast portion of the brassire is designed to form a `cup-shaped breast supporting mem-ber; said cup-shaped member comprising an inner side piece 5, an outer side piece 6 and an intermediate strip member l extending centrally and vertically of said cup-shaped breast-supporting member. 'I'he intermediate strip member 'l is formed of a single thickness of fabric, serves to unite the inner side piece 5 and the outer side piece 6, is extended beyond the top edge 8 of the cupshaped member, and doubled upon itself with the end 4a thereof secured to said top edge so as to form thereby a supporting tab of double thickness for supporting the weight of the breast from the wearers shoulder. Each complementary breast portion is provided with a sternum piece 9 having a reinforced vertical edge 9a which is adapted rto be secured to the vertical edge of the adjacent complementary sternum and adjusted to the shape and size of the individual wearers breasts.

As shown in Figure 3, I3 represents a ap or cover for the lacing and consists of a narrow piece of relatively unstretohabla fabric, each vertical edge of which, as indicated at I3a, is sewn to the inside of the vertical reinforcedeyelet edge of the breast portion I and of the back member I2 respectively. Said flap thereby joins the back piece and breast portions inseparably and also limits the separation of the relatively adjustable breast portions and back member to the extent of its width which may be said to be a measure of the largest size of the brassire; for smaller sizes the flap readily collapses when the lacing is used to draw the breast portions and back piece together. 'Ihe flap also serves as a cover for the lacing to prevent frictional contact thereof with the body of the patient, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Integral with the back member are two shoulder strap pieces Ill-I4 which extend from the t-op and outer edges of the body of the back member. Said shoulder pieces are adapted to extend over the shoulders of the wearer and to be secured by a safety pin I5 or other fastening means to the shoulder tabs 4 on the cup-shaped breast supporting members. 'I'he shoulder straps, when used, are taken up quite tightly as this is the means of supporting the breasts from the side.

As shown in the drawing, the back member and the two breast portions are reinforced with a suitable tape or hemming I6 secured to both the top and bottom edges thereof, said tapes performing an important part in giving correct anatomical support to heavy and pendulous breasts of women patients conned to bed.

Turning now to the specific means for supporting and covering the breasts, the two sections 5 and 6 of the breast covering web are connected by the strap or intermediate member 1 and each seam 'la joining said intermediate member with the respective inner and outer side pieces or sections 5 and 6 extends vertically and centrally of said cup-shaped member 3 and is covered by a tape I6 secured on the outside of said cup-shaped member. However, this intermediate member 1 and the reinforcing tapes do not take any strain but are merely used to connect the two sections 5 and 6 together. This means that no matter how much strain is exerted on the shoulder strap I4, there will be practically no pressure exerted on the bust or nipple. This freedom from strain or pressure, at the nipple, is accomplished by sewing a catenary-shaped supporting tape or binding I6 along the seam I6a joining the body girdling member 2 of the breast portion and the cup-shaped breast supporting member 3, and, as shown in Figure 2, the upwardly extending ends IBD-ISU of said 'binding are joined at substantially right angles to the down-turned ends IGC- |60 of the arcuate upper binding 8. As indicated at l'i-IT, the sections of the breast covering web immediately adjacent and Within the right angles formed by the intersection of said bindings are cut on the square, ythat is tof say, the fabric is 4not on the bias but it is square with reference to the two intersecting tapes 8 and I6 so that-one course of threads of each section of the breast covering web is substantially at right angles to one 0f the bindings. The effect of this arrangement of Athe bindings with respect to lthe weave of the breast covering web is such that the strain in the lower catenary shaped binding I6, due to the weight of the breasts, is all taken in the upper arcuate binding 8 and in the sections II-l'l of the breast covering web cut on the square immediately adjacent and within the right angle formed bythe intersection of the bindings.

In this manner, the breast is supported around the edges where the natural gravity spreading action caused by the patient lying on her back occurs. With the use of this method of suspension, the patients breast is re-shaped or held in position while she is on her back just as if she were standing up.

The brassire is applied by stretching it out on a bed or stretcher and then laying the patient on top of it. Next the sternum sec-tions 9-9 of the breast portions are folded over and pinned with safety pins at the points marked at, a: on the reinforced vertical edges 9 uf-9a. The amount of overlap of the sternum sections, and

. vthe position of the two laces in the side is then sufficient *o adjust the brassire tightly to the particular patient. The shoulder straps H-H are then pulled down over the patients shoulders and pinned to the shoulder tabs 4-4. The shoulder straps are taken up quite tightly as this is the means of supporting the breasts fromthe side whereby sagging of pendulous or heavy breasts is prevented.

Such changes as are within the skill of 'the fabricators can, of course, be made without departing from the invention as herein disclosed.

I claim:

A hospital brassire comprising a back portion and a pair of vfront portions connected to the back portion by lacings so that the brassire is adjustable as to girth, .the front portions having reinforced but pliabler free margins free of attached fastening means and adapted to be adjustably lapped in front and pinned together by safety pins, each of said front portions including a pocket and an upwardly extending tab, and shoulder straps extending `upwardly from said back portion, the free ends of said straps being adjustably disposable in lapped relation to said tabs at the front of the garment to be pinned to the tabs by safety pins.

ALEDA L. LIVINGSTON.

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