Concealed wire structure for an outer garment

Claim 2

In an outer garment: a. a fabric section formed generally to fit the upper torso of the body of the wearer, said fabric section having a pair of arcuate upwardly opening recesses in which bra cups are adapted to be inset; b. a pair of bra cups having arcuate lower edges adapted to conform to the edges of said arcuate recesses; c. a line of stitching for attaching each bra cup to the edges of said arcuate recesses, each of said lines of stitching defining a flange concealed on the inside of the garment, the distal edges of said flanges being free, said stitching being concealed from external view by said body member; d. a wire receiving sheath for each cup, each sheath extending along the corresponding said line of stitching and attached to the corresponding cup and fabric section only at said flange and interiorly of said garment whereby the said sheath is concealed from exterior view.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a bra cup reinforcement wire disposed in each sheath.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein each flange is defined by spaced parallel lines of stitching.

Claim 5

A concealed bra cup stiffener wire structure for a woman''s swimsuit or like outer garment having a body member and attached bra cups, said structure comprising: a pair of flanges interior of said garment, each formed by stitching together in outer surface facing relationship the adjacent fabric edges of said body member and a respective bra cup, said stitching not extending through the exteriorly visible portion of said body member; a stiffener wire surrounding fabric sheath sewn to each flange, the combined thickness of said sheath fabric and said flange separating said wire from said body member to prevent the exterior surface of said body member from conforming to the transverse curvature of said stiffener wire.

Claim 6

A concealed bra cup stiffener wire structure for a woman''s swimsuit or like outer garment having a body member and attached bra cups, said structure comprising: a pair of flanges interior of said garment, each formed by stitching together in outer surface facing relationship the adjacent fabric edges of said body member and a respective bra cup, said stitching not extending through the exteriorly visible portion of said body member; a stiffener wire surrounding fabric sheath sewn to each flange, the combined thickness of said sheath fabric and said flange separating said wire from said body member to prevent the exterior surface of said body member from conforming to the transverse curvature of said stiffener wire.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a generally U-shaped stiffener wire enclosed in each sheath by spaced parallel rows of stitching, at least one of said rows catching said flange.

Claim 8

In an outer garment: a. a fabric section formed generally to fit the upper torso of the body of the wearer, said fabric section having a pair of arcuate upwardly opening recesses in which bra cups are adapted to be inset; b. a pair of bra cups having arcuate lower edges adapted to conform to the edges of said arcuate recesses; c. a line of stitching for attaching each bra cup to the edges of said arcuate recesses, each of said lines of stitching defining a flange concealed on the inside of the garment, the distal edges of said flanges being free along the arcuate recesses; d. a wire receiving sheath for each cup, each sheath extending along the corresponding said line of stitching and attached to the corresponding cup and fabric section only at said flange whereby the said sheath is concealed from exterior view; e. a bra cup reinforcement wire disposed in each sheath, and f. wherein each sheath comprises fabric stitched along parallel rows to enclose said wire, at least one of said rows catching said flange.

Claim 9

In an outer garment: a. a fabric section formed generally to fit the upper torso of the body of the wearer, said fabric section having a pair of arcuate upwardly opening recesses in which bra cups are adapted to be inset; b. a pair of bra cups having arcuate lower edges adapted to conform to the edges of said arcuate recesses; c. a line of stitching for attaching each bra cup to the edges of said arcuate recesses, each of said lines of stitching defining a flange concealed on the inside of the garment, the distal edges of said flanges being free along the arcuate recesses; d. a wire receiving sheath for each cup, each sheath extending along the corresponding said line of stitching and attached to the corresponding cup and fabric section only at said flange whereby the said sheath is concealed from exterior view; e. a bra cup reinforcement wire disposed in each sheath, and f. wherein each sheath comprises fabric stitched along parallel rows to enclose said wire, at least one of said rows catching said flange.