US1497840A - Girdle - Google Patents

Description

June 17 1924. 1,497,840

E. E. CLEMENT Granma Filed sept. 2e, 1919 Patented .lune l?, i924.

nnwaitnie. CLEMENT, or ocna'iv'crrv, rivlivv JERSEY.

GIRDLE.

Application tiled September 26,1919. `Serial No. 326,488.

Tol @ZZ w 710m it may concern.' n K lilo it known that I, Enwain E. CLEMENT, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Ocean Cityin thecounty of Cape May and State ot New Jersey, have invented certain newand uset'ul Improvements in Girdles, ot which the tollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to massage appa-` ratus, and as anincident thereto includes a novel itorm o'l' girdle, which .is adapted to support other garments such as stockings. For massage purposes the girdle is combined with a form ot electric vibrator described in my application executed of even date. herewith, tiled September 26, 1919, Serial No. 326,489; said vibrator not being claimed as such herein but only in combination with the girdle and tor the purpose herein set forth.

In my application above referred to the vibrator is shown and claimed as attached to the hand of an operator. In many cases,

however, more than a temporary application of the vibrations is required to produce desired results. As the nerve branches which supply the entire abdominal tract and in tact the entire body, emerge 'from the main trunk in the spinal cord, the most potent results are always obtained by stimulating the socalled nerve centers7 on both sides of the spine. Long continued but gentle massage is called for, because over stimulation has certain after effects such as sympathetic or reflex action which are detrimental to important functioneel the body. An important tract is that near the coccyX, just above the arch of the pelvis, where important muscles are attached and even more important nerves emerge. Stimulation here must be particularly gentle because too .much stimulation over excites the genital system, whose healthy condition, however, Ais absolutely necessary to the lit'e functions, which in a degree depend upon the complicated interrelation between the nerves and the so called ductless glands.

According to my present invention, a girdle is constructed otl non-elastic material such as linen woven with the warp threadsl in the direction of strain and the cross threads at right angles thereto or substantially so, to avoid all distortion or stretching. In order to permit free movement of the wearers body, elastic supports or holdingl means are provided, these being tor a woman hose-supporters, tor example, or for a man gartersgtitting around tlieleg just under the knee. The y same z"anchorage-'gartersf as they may be designated, can be employed for both sexes, and the mans ordiiiaryhose supporte-rs may be attached tothe anchorage garters.`

,j The girdle is worn around the hips, extending acrossnthe back just, above Athe ,pelvic arch, around the top of the hips Yand-down along the lines ot' the groiiis', the vshape ot' the girdle when extended being almost straight and somewhat broader in the middle than at the ends. The vibrator :is stitched with strong linen thread to the middle ol the girdle, on the side which is away from the body ot the wearer. A pocket battery with rheostat for regulating the intensity of the current and hence of the vibrations,

and a flexible cord to the vibrator, complete the apparatus.

My invention is illustrated in the accom-v panying drawing, in which Figure lis a front View of the girdle as it is worn, a portion of the back being broken away to show the vibrator cord in full lines; Figure 2 is a side View of a portion of the back of the girdle and the vibrator; and Figure 3 is a front view of the Vibrator with a portion of the girdle attached.

Referring to the drawing, G represents the girdle, V is the vibrator, C is the cord, B the battery, r/L the rheostat, S the controlling switch, and g g', g2, g3, are hose supporters of usual construction. G is a strip or band of elastic connecting the two end members of the girdle and so placed that it lies across the abdomen of the wearer just above the pubic region and just beneath the ascending projection of the abdomen. The strip Gr is so proportioned and arranged in relation to the girdle as to cause the front ends of the girdle to extend down along the lines of the groins as shown in Fig. 1 where L indicates the lines of the groins. band is shown stitched to the girdle, but one or more buckles or equivalent fastening means may be employed, so that it may be opened or removed for washing or to enable the girdle to be conveniently adjusted to or removed from the person of the wearer.

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the so called anchorage garters, as they are ot ordinary type to lit` below the knee, with buckles, the elastic bands, g, g', g2, g3, being in that case lengthened and attached to them. Vhenr a man wears a girdle these This f Cil garters are particularly necessary, for obvious reasons.

TheV switch VS enables the current from battery B to be cut down until the vibration of the vibrator V becomes almost inaudible, and this gentle humming vibration may safely be applied to the back for any desired time. Where lumbago or'otherV acute conditions exist, the switch may be turned to strengthen the vibration, but suchstrong vibration of course, for reasons already stated, will not be long continued.

vHaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A one piece, girdle comprising a relatively broad back, hip bands integral therewith curving therefrom forwardly over the hips of the wearer and tapered into front straps extending from the hips obliquely downward so as to approach each other along the V`lines of the groins, to the lower part thereof7 and thence extending vertically downward along the front and inner sides of the legs to points inside the knees, a relatively short elastic band connecting said front straps from groin to groin, said band eX'- tending across the lower part of the abdomen of the wearer just above the pubic area, and terminal attaching means -for Vsaid front straps. Y l

2. The girdle as claimed in claim l with back straps secured Vto and extending vertically downward from the hip bands, and terminal attaching means for said back straps;

In testimony whereof l aHiX my signature.

EDWARD E. CLEMENT.

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