Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for applying a thermoplastic adhesive to a portion of a garment in a predetermined pattern. The portion of the garment is initially loaded onto a conveyor device through a loading fixture and a powdered adhesive is screen printed onto said portion in a predetermined pattern. The adhesive is cured in a drying oven and permitted to cool. A cover panel is then placed over the adhesive and the cover panel is fused to that portion of the garment at elevated temperature and pressure. The resultant garment, preferably a woman's undergarment, possesses the combination of unique control, support, shape and aesthetic characteristics.

Abstract: A convertible garment, such as a jacket, tunic or vest, includes a pouch concealed between inner and outer rear walls of the garment, and which can be withdrawn through an aperture in the inner rear wall of the garment for the pouch to be employed as a carrying bag for the garment when the garment is apropriately folded, the carrying bag provided by the pouch having an internal volume in excess of the volume of the garment when appropriately folded and stored within the carrying bag provided by the inverted pouch.

Abstract: A pacifier holder is disclosed, substantially in the shape of a "Y". The upper arms of the Y-shape have VELCRO (TM) hook and pile sections or other suitable fasteners at their distal ends to permit them to be attached to each other behind the infant's neck to position the holder around the infant's neck with the base leg of the Y-shape hanging in front of the infant, on his or her chest. The base leg is provided with VELCRO hook and pile sections or other suitable fasteners near its distal end so that a loop may be formed to engage the ring which typically is provided as part of a pacifier.

Abstract: A jersey for football players and the like. The jersey comprises a body section. The body section includes a shoulder portion having a substantially inverted U-shape as viewed from the side such that it is adapted to overlay the shoulders of a wearer or a shoulder pad on the shoulders of the wearer, a chest portion adapted to cover the chest of the wearer, and a back portion adapted to cover the back of the wearer. The shoulder, chest and back portions are of relatively inelastic material. The body section also includes elastic lateral gussets for laterally tensioning the chest and back portions over the chest and back, respectively, of a wearer so that the chest and back portions fit relatively tightly around the chest and back of the wearer thereby to inhibit opposing players from getting a hand hold on the jersey. The jersey also includes arm portions adapted to cover the arms of the wearer. The arm portions are of relatively inelastic material.

Abstract: A protective garment is disclosed which can be worn about the head and shoulders of a user to protect clothing that is being put on or removed from becoming damaged by contact with the user's cosmetics, coiffure, and facial oils or entanglement with the user's jewelry. The garment is constructed of lace-like material which is lightweight and which does not inhibit the user's vision. A ring member in the upper portion of the garment upon which the material is gathered and an elastic member near the lower portion of the garment, permit its expansion to be comfortably donned and to enclose the wearer's head and hair without disturbing the coiffure.

Abstract: A mastectomy garment includes an underbra, a prosthetic breast pad, and an outerbra. The underbra has a supporting cup for the normal breast and a substantially flat band portion to fit to the chest of the removed breast, enabling a firm, flat-fitting garment over the remaining chest surface of the removed breast. The prosthesis or false breast pad is removably adhered to the outer surface of the flat, binding portion. The outerbra, such as a conventional off-the-shelf brassiere, that overlies and is secured to the underbra forming a composite unitary prosthetic brassiere with the prosthetic breast pad positioned therebetween and means for adjustment of the brassiere to the wearer and individual adjustment of the prosthetic breast pad.

Abstract: A protective vest system useful as a ballistics vest includes a front panel for overlying the chest region of a user, a front carrier containing the front panel, front strap-like elastically stretchable fastening means rigidly affixed to peripheral portions of the front panel and extending to the outside of the front carrier, a rear panel for overlying the back region of a user, a rear carrier containing the rear panel, and strap-like elastically stretchable rear fasteners rigidly affixed to peripheral portions of the rear panel and extending to the exterior of the rear carrier. Cooperating fasteners on the free end portions of the front and rear strap-like fasteners are attached to one another to rigidly secure the front and rear panels to the body of the user. Each panel includes multiple layers of a flexible and foldable impact-resistant material, such as a woven Kevlar fabric, overlying one another and contained within a flexible and foldable jacket.

Abstract: A protective covering specifically designed to be draped over and thereby protect an adult during the feeding of the infant. The structure includes a base specifically dimensioned and configured to embrace or at least partially surround both the neck of the adult and the child being held for feeding such that a panel portion of the base serves to at least partially cover a frontal area of the infant while connected to and extending over a frontal portion of the adult. Structure of the base is further provided to adequately cover and protect both the adult and infant regardless of the infant being supported on the adult on either the right side or the left side thereof.

Abstract: A convertible garment is disclosed characterized by use of an extensible waistband region which is extensible between a first compacted position and a second expanded position which selectively modifies the overall length of the garment to accomodate growth in the user or usage for differing event styles of dress.

Abstract: A garment for wear to provide both lower back and abdominal support and particularly adapted for wear by a pregnant woman. The garment is a panty having a body with a velcro tab sewn to the rear portion above the buttocks for removably affixing a first continuous belt thereto to encircle the wearer around the lower portion of the abdomen and above the buttocks of the wearer. The first belt includes a fastening means providing adjustment of tension and to accommodate growth. The first belt includes a complimentary velcro tab affixed centrally thereof for attaching the first belt includes a complimentary velcro tab affixed centrally thereof for attaching the first belt to the panty. A second belt is secured permanently to the first belt and includes distal portion adapted for attachment to the first belt to provide lower back support.

Abstract: A cloth bib having teething means on the bottom of the bib to enable a child to pick it up and bite on it.

Abstract: A protective leg guard particularly adapted for baseball catchers is disclosed herein and includes a rigid foot guard, shin guard, knee guard and first and second thigh guards, each having secured thereto respective foot, shin, knee, first and second pads, elements pivoting the guards/pads for articulated relative movement, other elements including at least one strap looped about itself and sandwiched between the first thigh guard and first thigh pad and secured to the latter and to the knee guard and the second thigh guard to effect articulated motion therebetween, the shin pad including an upwardly projecting knee protection pad portion in spanning relationship to a gap between the knee guard and the shin guard, and the shin pad having opposite side edges and an ankle bone projection pad portion both of which project appreciably beyond opposite side edges and lowermost convex radius edges of the shin guard.

Abstract: A cap having a crown formed of a plurality of crown segments located in side-by-side relationship and having a visor attached to the crown brim and extending outwardly therefrom. The crown segments are seamed together adjacent to their contiguous edges. The visor is laterally centered on and attached to the front of the crown brim and the junctures of the peripheral edge of the visor and the crown brim are proximate to two of the crown segment seams, such that the visor is centered between those two segment seams. A strip of seam tape is located beneath the segment seams on the inside of the crown. A stay of stiffening material is located under each of the two crown seams proximate to the junctures of the visor and the crown brim and is disposed between the strip of seam tape and the inside surface of the crown.

Abstract: An improved covering device to be used by skiers for protection against snow and moisture that has accumulated on the seat of a chair lift is disclosed. The device comprises a waterproof pad that hangs from the rear of a belt secured about the skier's waist. The pad is rolled up to the belt for storage between periods of use and is held in the stored position by elastic loops slipped over the ends of the roll.

Abstract: A finger protector for hair stylist's fingers, specifically useful to protect the inner first finger joint of the index and of the second finger of one hand from being pierced and cut by scissors used by the other hand during the cutting and styling of hair. The protector is formed as a unitary device and in one embodiment is glove-like having a larger finger end, a narrow wrist band end and an intermediate narrow joining portion which joins the larger finger end to the wrist end. In this glove-like protector only the wrist and the lower joint of the first two fingers are protected. In a second embodiment, the narrow wrist portion and the narrow joining portion are omitted, so that the unitary two-finger protector is fitted over the bottom knuckle up to the first knuckle of the index and second finger. In both first and second embodiments the two tubular finger portions have downwardly beveled open front portions and thickened front wall portions with an interconnecting web defining an angle between about 25.

Abstract: A hair cutting cape having a front funnel-shaped receptacle and a rear funnel-shaped receptacle for receiving hair clippings. The receptacles may be unfolded to an open, flat non-retaining position. The entire periphery or margin of the cape may be turned upwardly to direct hair clippings into one of the receptacles.

Abstract: A garment which is converted into a carrying pack to be worn on an individual's back. The invention comprises a garment, a pocket on the side of the garment, and straps on the inside of the garment, the pocket being invertible such that the garment may be folded therein, forming a carrying bag and exposing straps which enable the carrying bag to be worn on an individual's back.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an improved waist band stay for women's garments comprised of a substantially rectangular, thin, one-piece, laterally free-riding, readily insertable and removable, strip of polypropylene plastic having substantially rounded corners at its leading end with a hanger opening centrally located in the vicinity of said leading end and indicia (markings) located thereon along the length thereof, e.g., calibrated in centimeters and/or inches (and portions thereof) to indicate length and make it simple for the user to cut the stay to the length appropriate for, viz., slightly less than e.g., from about 0.125 inch to about 1.0 inch less than, the wearer's waist measurement. The premeasured and marked strips usually range in width from about 1/2 to 13/4 inches and in lengths from about 30 to about 48 inches with a substantially uniform thickness of about 0.02" to about 0.04" plus or minus 10%.

Abstract: A garment for shielding from an infant's head and hands intravenous and gastrostomy lines infused into the infant during invasive therapy. The garment accomplishes its shielding objectives without restraining the infant's head or limbs while promoting mental health and development through free movement and play. The garment generally speaking is a sleeveless wrap-around type vest provided with a clotch tab attached to the interior side of the front of the vest for anchoring a portion of the infused line located underneath the vest when it is positioned on the infant. The vest is also uniquely provided with an opening for permitting portions of the infused line to exit from beneath the vest and with cooperating components attached to the exterior side of the vest for further anchoring portions of the infused line which have exited from beneath the vest via the opening.

Abstract: A lightweight, flexible sports neck protector is provided for sports players, especially hockey players, comprising an elongated, substantially flat armour member adapted to be positioned about the neck of a wearer and shaped to at least cover vital areas of the wearer's throat, the armour member being made of a flexible slash-resistant material having a slash-resistance of at least about 120 lbs, and means fixed to the armour member for enabling the member to retain a protective shape over the vital throat areas. The neck protector according to the invention is highly efficient in protecting the vital throat areas against lacerations caused by a sharp-edged object, such as a hockey stick blade or a skate blade, while being sufficiently flexible to permit free movement of the head.