US2508037A - Brassiere - Google Patents

Description

E. K. LA ROE BRASSIEERE May 16, 1950 Filed Jan. 8, 1947 INVENTOR 753 K. Le Roe A BY ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.-

2,508,037 anassnmn Else K. La Roe, New York, N. Y.

Application January 8, 1947, Serial No. 720,736

This invention relates to brassieres.

Broadly, it is an object of my invention to provide a, brassiere which supports the breasts without pressure on the tissues of any portion of the breasts.

A further object of my invention is to provide cups for the breasts so formed that no seams cross the central portion at the nipple area.

Heretofore, various brassires, both domestic and' foreign have become fashionable and are constructed so that the breasts are encircled by velvet covered wires, whalebone or plastic m'a- I terials. Such brassires are expensive and are usually made to order.

A detachable item is also known which is sold as a separate device which can be attached to the brassire proper by snaps, sewing or pinning to such brassieres. These devices. especially for strapless evening brassires are so constructed that the breasts are supported by wires, whalebone or plastic materials placed in vertical positions. By covering such wires, whalebone or plastic material, seamsare created and the materials bulk "about such supporting members so that the sensitive tissue 'of the breasts become irritated due to such extra material and seams.

Brassieres which are custom made or purchased ready to wear contain double under seams, especially the lower medium quadrant or the lower half which is the dominant support for the breasts. Such seams or darts or the lining for the wire, whalebone, or plastic supports exert double pressure upon the underlying soft tissues. This pressure is generally greatest where the darts or seams meet at the nipple area. The brassieres heretofore manufactured have a pointed appearance at the nipple area which is produced solely by the type of construction of the brassire. In my brassire the construction is such as to create a more natural line and appearance of the breast and nipple. Any pointed construction is harmful and dangerous in the light of recent medical and surgical experience and knowledge. I have therefore, provided a breast covering construction wherein the central portion of the material has no seams. darts or wire, whalebone or plastic covered device covering such central area. I have given special attention to provide a constructionwherein the nipples are free, because the open ducts of the nipple and the supersensitive tissue at and around the nipple should at all times be protected, so that no irritation results. My type of construction is also based on physiological and pathologic. considerations.

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) A further object of my invention is to provide a construction wherein the seams are turned upward instead of inward to prevent any irritation at any parts of the body because of suchseams.

It will be evident that any brassiere constructionwherein the nipples are free from irritation is particularly valuable for pregnant and nursing elastic members to support the breast covering members in order to provide proper suspension so that friction and irritation is prevented, particularly of the submammary fold.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of my invention, reference is had to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front plan view of the brassiere. partly in perspective.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the breast pocket cut away.

Figure 3 is a side sectional view of a modified breast pocket cut away, and

Figure 4 is a front view of a breast showing the skin tension lines.

Referring to the drawing, numeral l0 represents a brassire comprising of a pair of breast covering members ll, preferably made of silk; however, other strong like materials, such as tulle, batiste, rayon, nylon, lace and other like materials may be used. Breast covering members II are formed from two pieces of material l2 and i3. Piece i2 is cut from a piece of material having a two way stretch. The ends of the material curve upwards so that the stretch of the fabric runs circumferentially, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The second piece 13 is a two way vertical stretch, the upper part being pulled horizontally to make a fan shaped segment of about forty degrees; the segment between H and one as it appears upon a clock. The areola and nipple portion may be made of a single piece of material I, as shown in Figure 3 with the central or nipple portion I5 pressed in the form of a cupped cylinder, to house the nipple. However, the nipple portion IS may be separated from the areola portion H, as shown in Figure 2. The sections are then connected together by 'O E-d a s l8 ithout doubling over the material. When the the segments are thus fagoted, the breast covering members form cupped cylinders while the central portions IE or it provide cupped cylinders for the nipples so that no irritation takes place. The material or segments l2 and it have the stretch follow the skin tension lines as indicated by the arrows in Figure l and as shown by the skin tension lines in Figure 4. I prefer to use a fabric for the cupped cylinder of sufficient porosity to permit the passage of air in the area of the areola and nipple.

Since the material is turned over and not under no irritation will result because the underneath side presents a smooth surface against the body.

The fundamental idea of my brassiere is the subject of the breast without any pressure on the tissues, that is the support eliminates the dragging weight from the lower part of the breast without pressure on the upper part. To thoroughly understand the reason for my structure I have hereafter briefly described the structure of the breast.

The breast is one of the most complicated parts of the human anatomy. Each breast is composed of from twelve to eighteen individual glands, each one of which contains a system of tubes. These tubes are formed around the circular base of the breast like the spokes of a wheel, converging toward the center and meeting in the main tubes which feed directly into the nipple and through it supply the milk to the nursing child. Each one of these branching glands is embedded in fatty and connective tissue which gives the breast its firmness; and each one of the glands is protected from its neighboring gland by connective tissue.

The whole arrangement is somewhat similar to a bunch of grapes. The milk ducts, which resemble grapes, are found at the end of each one of the branching fibres. These fibres are rather like the small stems to be found on each grape, which connect with the main stem.

The fragility of the mammary gland will be understood when its pomtion on the chest is explained. The great pectoral muscle appears as a large, partially opened fan. The pointed end, beginning at each shoulder bone, spreads widely apart toward the center of the chest, in sheets of muscular fibres which reach in width from the collar bone to the breast bone. The fibres are firmly attached to the breast bone along its full length. This great pectoral muscle forms a solid base for the breast.

This pectoral muscle is covered with a fascia, which means a network of fibrous tissue. With its complicated network of ducts, glands and fat tissue, the breast is a completely separate formation which is fastened to the pectoral muscle merely by a network of connective tissue. The connective tissue is interwoven on one side with the fascia covering the pectoral muscle which spreads over each side of the chest, as explained, and on the other side,- it is embedded in the fasciaror fibrous tissue, which encloses the entire globe of the breast.

Whatever tends to injure or to compress the connective tissue which holds the breast will eventually destroy, first its firm support and then its shape. The connective tissues fundamentally give the breast its smooth roundness, and permits the breast to stand any normal strain and change, enabling the breast, cooperatively with the marvelous elasticity of the outer skin, to expand and return to its original size without losing its contour. Even during the nursing period, that is the period of lactation, women who have properly relieved their breasts of strain have emerged with slight damage to their breasts. Should any pressure or constriction take place upon the breast, there is a possibility of one or more of the numerous glands to become inactive, thus setting up a blockade that eventually spells trouble. It is therefore important for every part of the breast to function properly.

The outer skin covering the breast is of extremely fine texture. Because of its elasticity, it also plays an importantpart in maintaining the shape of the breast. The elastic fibres act to hold the breast in shape and to prevent it from sagging. If the outer skin loses its elasticity, or if its elasticity is overtaxed by too great an accumulation of fat, the breast begins to sag, even though its base is still attached to the fascia by the connective tissue. Then the connective tissue must bear the whole strain of the dragging weight, without any help from the skin, and gradually the fibres also begin to stretch until the weight of the entire breast again rests upon the already weakened skin. That begins a vicious circle, skin and fibres alternately sagging which in the end leads to deformity.

I have therefore provided a covering for the breast which follows the elastic fibres of the breast, that is the lower and side segments of the breast pocket has circumferential stretch while the upper central segment stretches fanwise.

The skin tension lines illustrated and followed in my breast pocket structure were established by Carl, Ritter von Edenberg von Langer in 1881 as subcutaneous fibre connective trabeculars in the derma and subcutaneous tissue, such tension lines regarding the female breast being arranged in a fan shape from the areola in a slightly fanwise and substantially vertical direction of approximately forty degrees, while the remaining skin tension lines are arranged substantially in a circumferential direction.

Since it has been proved that the trabecular fibroconnective tissue actually increases diametrically according to the strain to which it is subjected; the importance of my breast pocket structure becomes evident. The substantially vertical skin tension lines between H and i (as compared to the numerals of a clock) are increased diametrically especially in instances of heavy breasts so that my breast supporter will prevent a pendulous condition especially when the strain of the heavy parenchyma is superior to the loose support of the retro-mammary connective tissue. It can be seen that by the fabric of my breast pocket supporters stretched in the direction of the natural skin tension lines, support is given to the upper medial area and the lower portion of the breast.

Joining the two breast covering members H, I provide a pair of crossed elastic members is which are stitched together at their central portion or cross point 20. Where the members is run tangent to the breast pockets II, the memhers. I! are stitched to the upper part of theoverlapping hem 2|. Hem 2| is turned outward, that is to the front so that no undue pressure will be upon the skin tissue. This will permit expansion of the chest or lateral movement of the breasts without restriction or binding, at the same time exerting a mild force to continually keep the breasts in normal position. At the opposite sides of pockets II are two tangential elastic members 22 and 23 so that members ll, 22 and 23 form a square. The ends of elastic members 22 and 23 are stitched to lateral supporting members 24-25 which pass around the anterior serratus muscles and may be separably joined together at the back by hooks," and eyes 21. The eyes 21 are attached in elastic piece 20. which in turn, is attached to the extreme end of the lateral supporting member 25. Straps 2! and 30 are made of non-elastic material and are attached at "-35 where the members I. and 22 are joined, the opposite ends are attached to the back of the lateral supporting band 3|. Band 3| has its seams 3233 turned over and stitched so that no irritation results beneath the edges of the band 3|. Band 3| is attached to the upper portion of the lower central part of the breast covering member ll, thus preventing the brassiere from riding up. The free ends of band 3! have hooks l6 and eyes 31 attached to cooperate with one another, eyes 31 being attached to a small elastic piece 38 which is joined to one end of band 3|, providing a fastening means to retain band II in position, while the elastic piece ll provides suflicient expansibility to resiliently retain band It in position, preventing restriction and providing free play for the muscles.

It is within the realm of my invention to provide a variety of fundamental breast shapes for the three basic breast types, that is the discoid, hemispheric and conic. Each of such variations may be produced in various sizes known to the industry, such as small, medium, large and extra large.

It is obvious that various changes and modiflcations may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention. I

I claim:

1. A brassiere comprising a pair of bust receiving pockets at the front thereof, said pockets attached to a pair of tangential elastic members crossing between said pockets, elastic tangential members at the sides opposite to said first named elastic members substantially forming a square,

the outer ends 01 said square attached to lateral body embracing members, means for separably joining the ends of said body embracing members, a body supporting and embracing band attached .to the bottom edge of each of said bust receiving pockets, means for separably joining the ends of said body supporting band, shoulder straps attached at one end at the upper ends of said squares and the opposite ends at the rear portion of said body supporting band, each of said bust receiving pockets comprising a circular substantially conical portion and a segment portion, said circular portion being approximately 320 degrees of the circle leaving a V-shaped opening in its upper central part approximately 40 degrees, said segment portion attached by stitching within said V-shaped opening, said segment portion stretchable to a greater extent in the width than vertically, said circular portion stretchable circumferentially.

2. The brassiere in accordance with claim 1 including a porous cylindrical shaped nipple portion attached at the center of each of said bust receiving pockets.

ELSE K. LA ROE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,802,464 Frieland Aug. 28, 1931 2,016,614 Rawetzky Oct. 8, 1935 2,391,417 Hill Dec. 25, 1945 2,418,016 Edelston Mar. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 787,498 France July 8, 1935 191,857 France Sept. 30, 1935 I

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