US2698944A - Combined vanity cape, turban, and apron - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 11, 1955 MARY LOUISE YOUNGHUSBAND 2, ,9 4 NOW BY MARRIAGE MARY LOUISE RAMSBY COMBINED VANITY CAPE, TURBAN AND APRON Flled July 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 11, 1955 MARY LOUISE YOUNGHUSBAND 2,693,944

NOW BY MARRIAGE MARY LOUISE RAMSBY COMBINED VANITY CAFE, TURBAN. AND APRON Filed July 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z4 Z0 25 Z0 3725 29-ai 33 29 27 \II l 29' J0 36' Z3 Z7 )30 $7 3,

ii ti ti ififfiliiq 261/1 I as 35,25 2 I United States Patent 2,698,944 COMBINED VANITY CAPE, TURBAN, AND APRON Mary Louise Younghusband, Chicago, 111., now by marriage Mary Louise Ramsby Application July 16, 1951, Serial No. 236,913

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-174) The present invention relates to a ladys vanity garment capable of being worn selectively either as a cape draped over the shoulders, as a turban pulled up over the hair, or as an apron tied around the waist.

When worn as a cape draped over the shoulders, particularly while applying make-up to the face, or while washing the hair, brushing the hair, etc., the garment serves as a protective covering for protecting the wearers dress, blouse, coat or the like from make-up, falling hair, hair shampoo, water, etc.

When worn as a turban pulled up over the hair or around the hair, the garment can serve to keep the hair dry while taking a shower. It can also be worn as a turban on the beach for protecting the hair against the sun, or as a turban for general outdoor or sports wear to keep the hair in place.

When worn as an apron fastened around the waist, the garment has utility for protecting the wearers skirt or dress, and also is attractive in appearance.

Thus, the general object of the invention is to provide an improved vanity garment which will be capable of the three above described uses: (1) as a cape, (2) as a turban, and (3) as an apron; the garment being instantly usable in either of these capacities without any change, alteration or adjustment in the garment.

A more specific object of the invention is directed to an improved method of making such a vanity garment having the above described features and advantages, whereby the garment can be made at minimum cost, and will have the requisite strength against tearing, or like injury in use. This latter feature becomes more important when making the garment out of some of the plastic materials which are more susceptible to tearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide that part of the garment which fits around the neck and around the head with an improved marginal binding which is elastic in the central portion and non-elastic at the end portions. This marginal binding should have sufficient elasticity to secure the desired snugness of fit around the neck when worn as a cape and around the head when worn as a turban. This elasticity, of course, tends to pucker or gather the material, and this gathered or puckered material is not as attractive in appearance as the smooth non-puckered material. This is particularly true when the garment is worn as a turban, with the marginal edge extending across the forehead. If this part of the marginal binding is puckered across the front of the forehead, much of the attractive appearance is lost, because the garment then begins to look more like a night cap than a turban. I have avoided this objection by confining the elastic material to the central portion of the marginal binding, and by having non-elastic material to each side of this elastic material. Thus, when wearing the garment as a cape, the puckered elastic portion lies around the back of the neck, where it is not readily visible, while the non-elastic smooth end portions lie in the more conspicious positions at the front of the neck. Similarly, when wearing the garment as a turban, the elastic central portion falls around the back of the head where the puckered material is not as noticeable, while the nonelastic, non-puckered end portions extend across the forehead, where they give a smooth attractive appearance.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detail description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention. In the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiments:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a detail elevational view of one improved form of separate marginal strip which I may employ to obtain the above described marginal binding which is elastic in its central portion and non-elastic in its end port1ons;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view showing the anchoring of the non-elastic tape to the end of the marginal binding by a snap fastener;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the garment in use as a cape;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views showing the garment in use as a turban;

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the garment in use as an apron;

Figures 8 and 9 are plan views on a smaller scale showing other embodiments of the invention similar to Figure 1 Figures 10 and 11 are plan views of other embodiments in which the marginal binding having the elastic central portion and non-elastic end portions extends substantially straight across one edge of the sheet of material; and

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are perspective views illustrating the embodiments of Figures 10 and 11 worn respectively as a cape, turban and apron.

Referring first to the embodiment illustrated in Figures l to 5 inclusive, the garment is constructed of a sheet 20 of soft pliable material of sufficient size to drape down over the shoulders when used as a cape, and to pull up well over the hair when used as a turban. For example, I preferably make the sheet approximately 30 inches across, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any such dimension. I preferably use a material which is light, soft and water-proof or water-resistant. As illustrative of one very satisfactory material which I have used in the making of these garments, a polyethylene plastic sheet identified in the trade as Vinylite or Exylin has proven to be advantageous from the standpoint of being inexpensive, easy to work, attractive in appearance, and permanently waterproof. Numerous other plastic materials, rubberized materials, and other waterproof materials now extensively used in the manufacture of pocket types of raincoats are also appropriate or suitable for my improved vanity garment. Other nonwaterproof materials may be used if the garment is not to be worn under a drenching shower for keeping the hair dry. For example, if the garment is only to be used as a cosmetic cape, beach or sport turban and apron, it may be made of such material as turkish toweling, terry-cloth or other non-waterproof fabrics. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the sheet 20 is preferably square or rectangular, but may be of other shapes, as illustrated in the later described embodiments. The outer edges 21 may be plain or may be scalloped for ornamentation, and any desired texture patterns, color patterns and the like may be embodied in the sheet.

Spaced inwardly from all outer edges 21, and located preferably substantially in the center of the sheet 20, is an opening 22 which is adapted to fit around the neck of the wearer in the cape use of the garment, around the forehead in the turban use, and around the waist in the apron use. Around this opening 22 is the above described marginal binding, indicated in its entirety at 23, this binding comprising the elastic intermediate portion 24 and non-elastic end portions 25, 25, the details of which will be later described. This elastic marginal binding 23 makes the opening 22 elastically expansible for a snug fit around the neck, head or waist of the wearer.

In Figure 1, this expansible opening 22 is cut in the sheet as a slit or long, narrow opening having its longer dimension extending diagonally of the sheet. Extending outwardly from substantially the center of said expansible opening 22 is an entrance slit 27, which preferably extends to one of the corners of the sheet 20. The expansible central opening 22 and the entrance slit 27 together form a substantially T-shaped incision in the sheet. The opposite side margins of the entrance slit 27 are suitably reenforced by bindings or tapes 28 extending along the edges of the slit and either sewed, heat sealed or otherwise secured to the sheet. Cooperating pairs of snaps 29, 30 or other like fastening devices are secured to these reenforced edges, such snaps serving to close the entrance slit 27 when the garment is worn as a cape, and also serving to join parts of the garment when worn as a turban or apron.

Referring now to the details of the elastic marginal binding 23 around the expansible opening 22, this is preferably made as a separate piece, as shown in Figure 2, being then secured around the edge of the opening 22. The binding is made up of a narrow strip of the same material as the sheet 20, or of any other suitable material, which, according to one embodiment, has its edges secured together in the form of a flat tubular binding, sheath or piping 26. Disposed within this tubular binding or sheath is a length of elastic tape 32, and to the ends of this elastic tape are secured lengths of non-elastic tape 33. The outer ends of the non-elastic tapes extend from the ends of the binding to form tie strings which are useful when the garment is worn as a turban or as an apron. If desired, cooperating snap fasteners 34 may be provided in the free ends of the tie tapes 33, although these are not essential. The ends of the elastic tape 32 are anchored to the tubular binding or sheath 26 at the fastening points designated 35, as by stitching, riveting by eyelets, or in any other suitable manner. Prior to the anchoring of the elastic tape at the points 35, the tape is either stretched out to a considerable degree, or the tubular binding material is gathered or puckered up, so that after anchoring at the points 35 there will be an ample amount of the tubular binding material puckered up to permit the elastic tape 32 to be stretched out sufficiently to enable the opening 22 to fit over the head in the turban use of the garment. The non-elastic tapes or tieing strings 33 are anchored to the ends of the tubular binding 26 by coacting male and female snap fasteners 36 and 37, which rivet or crimp through the binding material and through the non-elastic tape. The end portions 25 of the tubular binding extending outwardly from the anchoring points 35 to the snap fastener elements 36 and 37 respectively are not gathered or puckered so that they present a smooth appearance across the front of the forehead in the turban use of the garment.

The above described marginal binding unit 23 is fastened around the edge of the opening 22 in any suitable manner, such as by stitching in the case of conventional fabrics, or possibly by heat scaling in the case of heat sealing plastic materials. That part of the sheet 21 lying adjacent to the gathered or puckered portion 24 of the marginal binding 23, to wit, the portion lying between the points 35a, 35a, is correspondingly gathered or puck- F ered so as not to restrict the expansion of this part of the central opening 22. That is to say, the length of the material 21 between the points 35a, 35a is longer than the normal or unstretched length of the elastic tape 32, so as to accommodate the stretching of the elastic tape and the expansion of the opening 22. The above described fastening or anchoring points 35 of the binding, where the ends of the elastic tape 32 have attachment to the sheath, are also fastened or anchored to the sheet at the points 35a, 35a. Figure 3 illustrates one manner of sewing or heat sealing the marginal binder 23 to the sheet 21, but it will be understood that other methods may be employed. For example, the two edges of the binder 23 may embrace the sheet 21 for fastening to opposite sides thereof, or the two edges of the binder may be fastened to the same side of the sheet at different distances in from the edge of the sheet. The tubular sheath 26, together with the elastic intermediate tape portion 24 and the non-elastic end tape portions 25, 25 contained within the sheath, all cooperate together to reinforce the entire peripheral edge of the opening 22 against the possibility of the edges of this opening being torn under stress. Furthermore, the sheath 26 and the nonelastic end portions 25, 25 of the binding tape therein provide a reinforced anchorage for mounting the snap fasteners 36, 37, whereby the sheath and non-elastic tape portions sustain the stresses imposed upon such snap fasteners and prevent the tearing of the fasteners from the garment sheet 24). The binder might also be formed as a hem, but such construction lends itself more readily to the straight-edge embodiments of Figures 10 and 11.

When the garment is used as a cape, as shown in Figure 4, the expansible central opening 22 fits with suflicient snugness around the neck to keep out cosmetics, shampoo, hair, etc. during make-up operations, and also presents an attractive appearance when the garment is worn as a cape on other occasions. At this time, the top snap fasteners 36 and 37 are fastened together at the front of the neck, and the other snap fasteners 29, 30 are usually snapped together to close the entrance slit 27 down the front of the garment. It will be noted that the smooth, non-puckered portions 25 of the expansible opening 22 appear at the front of the neck, and that the gathered portion 24 is in a less conspicuous position at the rear of the neck.

The garment can be converted into the turban use of Figures 5 or 6 by merely pulling it upwardly over the head from the cape use of Figure 4. The rectangular points or the outer edges 21 are merely pulled straight up over the head, and the central opening 22 expanded outwardly to extend around the base of the head at the back and up over the upper part of the forehead at the front. The surplus material above the top of the head can be bunched into the form of an attractive top knot as shown in Figure 5, and held in this position by winding the tie strings 33 around the top knot and tieing these strings together, as shown, or by snapping the snap fasteners 34 together at the ends of the tie strings. In Figure 6, the surplus material is shown curled over into the form of a roll, and this roll is held in place by tieing or snap fastening the tie strings 33 in place around the roll. It will be noted that in each use as a turban, the smooth portions 25, 25 extend across the front of the forehead, and the gathered portion 24 lies in the less conspicuous position around the back of the head.

Figure 7 illustrates the use of the garment as an apron, in which use the entrance slit 27 is at the back. The manner of fastening at the back depends upon the girth of the wearer, being either by tieing or snap fastening the tieing tapes 33 together, or by securing any of the snaps 36, 37 or 29, 30 together.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate modifications in which the expansible central opening 22 is differently shaped, Figure 8 illustrating a substantially circular opening, and Figure 9 illustrating an elongated opening extending substantially in prolongation of the entrance slit 27. In other respects, the constructions are the same as previously described.

In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown modified forms in which the expansible marginal binding extends along a substantially straight edge of the garment. The previous reference numerals designate similar parts in these modified embodiments, except that such reference numerals have a prime sufiix added thereto. The sheet may be of polygonal outline, as shown in Figure 10, or it may have a rounded outline, as shown in Figure 11, with either a straight or scalloped edge, as desired. The expansible binding 23' comprises the elastic intermediate portion 24' and the non-elastic end portions 25, 25, the same as above described. The tubular sheath 26', together with the elastic intermediate tape portion 24 and the non-elastic end tape portions 25, 25' contained within the sheath, extend the entire length of the upper straight edge of the sheet 20' and reinforce this upper straight edge against the possibility of tearing under stress. Furthermore, the sheath 26' and the non-elastic end portions 25, 25' of the binding tape therein provide a reinforced anchorage for mounting the outer snap fasteners 29, 30' and the inner snap fasteners 36, 37', whereby the sheath and these non-elastic tape portions 25, 25' sustain the stresses imposed upon such outer and inner snap fasteners and prevent the tearing of the garment sheet 20, or the tearing of the fasteners from the sheet. Here again, the length of the material 20' between the points a, 35a is longer than the normal or unstretched length of the elastic tape 32', so as to accommodate the stretching of the elastic tape. The resulting gathering of the material 20, when the tape is not stretched, is indicated by the light free hand lines in the sheet 20' immediately adjacent to the length of elastic tape. The sheet 20 is anchored to the ends of the elastic tape 32' at the points 35a, 35a corresponding to the points where the non-elastic tapes 33, 33' are fastened to the ends of the elastic tape 32. This expansible binding 23 may be made as a separate entity and then secured to the sheet, as previously described, but in this straight line form of the garment the binding 23 might also be formed merely as a turned over hem consisting of an integral part of the sheet 20. The tie strings may be provided or dispensed with, as desired, Figure 10 omitting such strings and Figure 11 including them. In any of the previously described embodiments, if the marginal binding 23 or 23 and the tie strings 33 or 33 are both composed of heat sealing plastic, they may be secured together by a simple heat sealing operation.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate the same uses of these modified embodiments as a cape, as a turban and as an apron. The manner of effecting these uses will be readily understood from the preceding description of Figures 4, 5 and 6.

While I have illustrated and described what I regard to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, nevertheless it will be understood that such are merely exemplary and that various other modifications and rearrangements may be made thereinwithout departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a vanity garment of the class described capable of being Worn either as a cape or as a turban, the combination of a sheet of pliable material of sutficient size to drape down over the shoulders as a cape or to be worn around the head as a turban, said sheet having a substantially straight edge along one margin thereof extending the entire longitudinal length of the sheet, a marginal binding strip extending along substantially the entire length of said straight edge and secured thereto from end to end, said binding strip comprising a covering sheath, an elastic intermediate tape in the intermediate portion of said sheath, and two non-elastic end tapes in the outer end portions of said sheath and having their inner ends secured to the outer ends of said elastic intermediate tape, the ends of said elastic intermediate tape being also anchored to said sheath and sheet at fixed attachment points intermediate each end of said sheath, the intermediate portion of said covering sheath and sheet which lies between said fixed points of attachment being gathered or puckered together preliminary to the attachment of said elastic tape thereto so as to provide ample material to accommodate substantial expansion of said elastic tape and of the intermediate portions of said sheath and sheet, and cooperating spaced apart snap fasteners secured to said sheath and to said non-elastic end tapes at points located adjacent to but spaced from the ends of said elastic tape and also located at the outer ends of said sheath.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the nonelastic end tapes extend beyond the ends of said sheath to function as tieing strings.

3. In a vanity garment of the class described capable of being worn either as a cape or as a turban, the combination of a sheet of pliable non-elastic material of sufficient size to drape down over the shoulders as a cape or to be worn around the head as a turban, said sheet having a substantially straight edge along one margin thereof vide ample material to accommodate substantial expansion of said elastic tape and of the intermediate portions of said sheath and sheet, and cooperating spaced apart snap fasteners secured to said sheath at points located adjacent to the ends of said elastic tape and also located at the outer ends of said sheath.

4. In a vanity garment of the class described capable of being worn either as a cape or as a turban, the combination of a sheet of pliable non-elastic material of sufficient size to drape down over the shoulders as a cape or to be worn around the head as a turban, said sheet having a substantially straight edge along one margin thereof extending the entire longitudinal length of the sheet, a marginal binding hem extending along substantially the entire length of said straight edge, an elastic tape in the intermediate portion of said sheet and hem, the ends of said elastic tape being anchored to said hem and sheet at fixed attachment points intermediate each end of said hem, the intermediate portion of said hem and sheet which lies between said fixed points of attachment being gathered or puckered together preliminary to the attachment of said elastic tape thereto so as to provide ample material to accommodate substantial expansion of said elastic tape and of the intermediate portions of said hem and sheet, and cooperating snap fasteners secured to said hem at points located outwardly of the ends of said elastic tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,609 Teuscher June 1, 1897 2,156,495 Hall May 2, 1939 2,379,722 Kase July 3, 1945 2,420,916 Sorge May 20, 1947 2,432,662 Gardner Dec. 16, 1947 2,519,512 Stone Aug. 22, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,849 Switzerland June 3, 1941 603,350 Great Britain June 14, 1948 855,106 France Feb. 5, 1940 652,357 Germany Apr. 2, 1935

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