US2926439A - Laundryproof plastic insignia and name plate holder-cover - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1960 HOLICK 2,926,439

LAUNDRYPROOF PLASTIC INSIGNIA AND NAME PLATE HOLDER-COVER Filed Jan. 25, 1957 i v I I WM,

LAUNDRYPROOF PLASTIC INSIGNIA AND NAME PLATE HOLDER-(IOVER John William Holick, Bryan, Tex. Application January 25, 1957, Serial No. 636,308

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-1.5)

This invention relates to a type of laundryproof, flexible plastic article or device adapted to be secured permanently to a garment, particularly a uniform, for the sake of displaying indentification, which will serve a need for such article or device as will not catch or snag on overgarments, harnessing straps, or on anything else. My invention is an improvement to such extent over other articles used for a similar purpose that it obtains a certain usefulness where such other articles fail.

It is well known that under certain conditions it is not desirable to wear anything on the clothing which may catch or'snag on other objects so as to be hazardous or annoying.

One embodiment of this invention is a new kind of device for holding and protecting a name plate (which may also bear an insigne) on the clothing. Another embodiment is a new and improved rank insigne, such as rank insignia for officers of the armed forces, of the type designed for use where conventional metal insignia cannot be used or are not practical.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which, being laundryproof, supple, and transparent, can be permanently secured to a garment so that a name plate (which may also bear an insigne), of leather, cardboard, or other material may be exhibited therein in such manner that both the name plate and the holder will be free of any snagging or catching on any other object such as harnessing straps, overgarments, rigging cards or the like, or when the wearer is passing through close places or working in small compartments.

Another object is to provide a laundryproof, flexible, rank insigne of a type designed to be permanently secured to a garment, which will have great durability, will retain its original luster in gold or silver coloring, and will be free of any snagging or catching on any other object such as harnessing straps, overgarments, rigging cords or the like or when the wearer is passing through close places or working in small compartments.

The present invention provides, as a specification, a new and useful device, hereinafter called a name plate holder, for exhibiting a persons name on his clothing in a manner that will fulfill certain requirements not achieved by other devices for similar use. While it is simple and inexpensive, it eliminatessnagging or catching and at the same time makes possible enough display space for including onthe nameplate other media ..of identification in addition to the persons name, thereby being particularly well adapted to retain a leather name plate. It can be used on flight clothing, fatigue clothing, or wherever it is desirable to eliminate snagging or catching, yet obtain neatness and-fine appearance.

As another specification, this invention provides a kind of rank insignia of the non-metal or flexible type for officers of the armed forces, or other persons for which its use may prove advantageous, which has as its principal feature, similarly as the foregoing specification in the form of a name plate holder, that of being free of snagging or catching on other things. The insignia of this invention are capable of excellent durability, will reatent I structed of plastic or resinous materials, except for metallic pigments used in coloring, and can be produced at relatively low cost with high quality.

Other features and advantages will be evident from the description to follow and from the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof.

In this drawing, with like characters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a plan view of a captains rank insigne of the type of this invention.

Fig. 2, on a slightly reduced scale, is a plan view of a majors or lieutenant, colonels rank insigne of the same type as Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 (same scaleas Fig. 2) is representative of a lieutenants insigne of the same type as Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in perspective view, showing a curved shape intended to indicate flexibility for attaching to a garment.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view outlining a name plate holder of the type of this invention.

Fig. 6. is a plan view of a name plate holder (reducedscale of Fig. 5) illustrating it as stitched to a garment, forming a pocket.

Fig. 7 illustrates how a name plate or card is inserted in or withdrawn from the holder.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of the holder with a name plate therein. The flap does not show in this illustration for the reason that it is folded back and behind the name plate.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view 99 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a illustration of a rank insigne attached to the shoulder of a uniform.

Fig. 11 is a view of a name plate holder with name plate therein and of a rank insigne as they are normally located on a uniform.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, an assembly is provided in which a flexible plastic symbol 12, having a lustrous gold or silver color, is encased by bonding between an upper mold section 13 of colorless transparent flexible plastic sheet material and a lower section 14 formed either of flexible plastic sheet material or of a suitable resinous coating applied in liquid form. Thus an article of insignia is fabricated in which the symbol 12 is clearly visible through the transparent upper mold section 13. The upper and lower sections 13 and 14 are extended on all sides from the symbol 12 so as to form a flange for attaching to a garment.

Certain of the symbols, such as bars, are characterized a smooth surface, but others, such as the design of a leaf or of an eagle, are properly represented in relief pattern of the surface, which is obtained by embossing or molding. Suitable material for the symbols 12, available with laundryproof metallic coating, which can be molded or embossed with intricate detail of pattern, may be described as flexible vinyl sheeting with metallic coating. A suitable material for the upper mold section 13 is available and may be described as flexible, colorless, transparent vinyl sheeting which can be heat molded. For the lower section 14, the same transparent vinyl sheeting or a similar material, here either colorless or with color impregnated, may be used. There are also available resinous materials in liquid form which will produce a film having the desired properties.

taken along the line can be produced at low cost in multiple mold laminae form or by any other method as may be employed by persons skilled in the art.

The use of such plastic materials as herein described for the construction of the insignia of this invention makes possible the enduring metallic colors and the rendering of intricate detail in the features of the symbols such as is required of a majors, colonels, or lieutenant colonels symbol of rank. Conversely, the use of textiles, fine braids and the like for making flexible rank insignia for ofiicers will not produce fine quality of detail or durable metallic colors.

With further reference to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a name plate holder of the type of this invention which is constructed of a single member, and is of flexible transparent vinyl sheet material, or the like. In Fig. 5 the name plate holder is illustrated in plan view. The broken line O-O marks the location of a fold line, and while it is understood the device is of one piece, the designations main body 10a and flap portion 10b to the right and left of the broken line OO are given for the sakeof description. In Fig. 6 (reduced in scale) the numeral designates a portion of a garment with a name plate holder 10 attached thereto by means of stitching 16 along the edges of three sides of the main body 10a, forming a pocket with an opening beneath the fold line O--O. Fig. 7 is illustrative of how a name plate 17 of leather, cardboard, or the like (which may also bear an insigne) is passed beneath the flap 10b, through the opening beneath OO and into position between the holder 10 and the supporting material of a garment 15. In Fig. 8 a name plate 17 is shown in wearing position being clearly exposed to view through the transparent holder 10. When the device is in wearing position, with plate inserted, the flap portion 10b is out of view, being folded at the line OO backward and behind the name plate 17 as shown in Fig. 9, which is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

Name plate holders of the type of this invention can be manufactured by the simple operation of cutting a pattern to shape from transparent vinyl sheeting, or the like, preferably of a thickness of from .0020 to .0030. Such vinyl material as described herein is durable, supple, and laundryproof, will not fail at stitched lines, and is capable of recovery from folding or creasing. Furthermore, it is excellently adapted for forming the flap portion 10a of the holder 10, requiring no groove or mark at the line 0-0, and can be stitched to garments by means of ordinary sewing machines, such as used in the household or in tailoring shops.

Various methods of construction or other materials may be employed by persons skilled in the art to. which this invention appertains, and the sizes, shapes, or thicknesses of these articles or devices may be varied to conform to certain requirements. It is also possible to produce these articles or devices with fewer or more parts or with differcut relative positions of the parts. I therefore consider as my own all such modifications or adaptations of the forms of the articles or devices herein described and illustrated as may reasonably fall within the scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a garment of fabric material subject to exposure to weather, repeated folding, laundering, dry cleaning, steam pressing and the like, a rank indicating device impervious to adverse effects by the same exposure as the garment, said device comprising a sheet of plasticmaterial having resilient shape restoring characteristics, a three dimensional flexible symbol con structed of resilient shape restoring material, said sheet of plastic material including an upper transparent layer overlying the symbol and revealing the same in relief, and a lower layer underlying the symbol and bonded to the upper layer thereby forming a sheet of plastic material, said sheet of material extending laterally beyond the symbol a substantial distance about the entire periphery thereof and having an inner surface for area wide intimate conforming contact with a garment, and a peripheral row of stitching extending through the fabric of the garment and the outer edge of the sheet of material closely adjacent to the edge thereof and entirely therearound for permanent attachment to the garment while it is subject to exposure to the weather, repeated folding, laundering, dry cleaning and steam pressing.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet of plastic material extends beyond the symbol a distance sufiicient to accommodate a presser foot of a sewing machine.

3. A rank indicating device adapted to be stitched to a garment comprising a sheet of plastic material having resilient shape restoring characteristics, a three dimensional flexible symbol constructed of resilient shape restoring material, said sheet of plastic material including an upper layer overlying the symbol and revealing the symbol in relief, and a lower layer underlying the symbol and bonded to the upper layer thereby forming a sheet of plastic material, said sheet of material extending laterally beyond the symbol a substantial distance sufficient to accommodate the presser foot of a sewing machine about the entire periphery of the symbol, said sheet of plastic material having an inner surface for area wide intimate contact with a garment and adapted to receive a peripheral row of stitching extending through the sheet of material closely adjacent to the edge thereof and entirely therearound for permanent attachment to a garment while the garment is subject to exposure to various weather conditions, repeated folding, laundering, dry cleaning and steam pressing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,306,627 Rieb June 10, 1919 1,323,977 Gaunt Dec. 2, 1919 1,788,211 Steiner -5. Jan. 6, 1931 2,051,665 West Aug. 18, 1936 2,361,670 Whitehead Oct. 31, 1944 2,449,727 Sloane Sept. 21, 1948 2,628,452 Gladstein Feb. 17, 1953 2,671,902 Grue Mar. 16 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,153 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1916 555,427 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1943 456,484 Italy Apr. 5, 1950

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