Foul Weather Outer Garment

Abstract

A foul weather outer garment is provided to be worn over conventional outer garments. It comprises a sacklike body portion without arms, having a split turtle neck pervious to air and moisture, adjustable as desired, the body portion being substantially impervious to air and moisture and open at the bottom to permit the circulation of air through the garment and about the neck portion from which the air and moisture are exhausted to the atmosphere.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a foul weather outer garment designed to be worn over conventional outer garments to protect the wearer from the elements, especially low-temperature exposure.

The problem of protecting human beings from low-temperature exposure is particularly acute in those circumstances where people are exposed to such temperatures while in a relatively immobile state. This applies especially to hunters, seamen, spectators at outdoor sporting events, and some outdoor constructions workers where the worker does not move about and cannot efficiently perform his job because of the intense cold, as well as others.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an outer garment to be worn over conventional outdoor clothing for the purpose of retaining the natural body heat and otherwise protecting the wearer from the elements.

A further object is to provide such a garment which will permit the user the maximum degree of mobility when desired, and yet accomplish the primary function of keeping him warm. These and other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front view of a garment showing a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is essentially a side view of the upper portion of the garment showing a split turtleneck dickey with fastening means as incorporated in the aforesaid embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the basic garment is constructed of a substantially water- and air-impervious material 1, in sacklike form. A number of synthetic materials are suitable for this purpose, such as films composed of polyethylene, polyethylene terphthalate, polypropylene and other polymers or copolymers known in the art. A preferred material for construction of the body of the garment is that sold under the trademark "Astrolon" and manufactured by the Norton Company, Worcester, Mass. Such preferred materials are fully described in Canadian Pat. No. 824,648 and British Pat. specification 1,155,409. An especially useful material is a laminate composed of two thin plastic films of polyethylene, each about 1 mil in thickness, to which there is first applied a reflective vacuum-deposited layer of aluminum. The two films are adhesively united to a fibrous material, advantageously a skrim of glass fibers, with the aluminized deposits facing one another. By adhesively uniting the layers to the skrim and not to each other, airpockets are formed to improve the insulating properties of the material. The product may be indented during lamination to improve its appearance without sacrificing its insulating qualities.

The plastic material should be resistant to abrasion and so selected that at least the interior film transmits a substantial portion of the infrared radiation from the body of the user to the interior reflective metal layer and retransmits the same back to the body. Preferably the film selected should be capable of transmitting at least 80 percent of the infrared radiation in the 80,000 to 90,000-angstroms range, as is the case with polyethylene.

The body of the garment is enclosed completely on the sides, as by stitching or heat-sealing, and is armless. It should be cut sufficiently full in relation to the size of the user to permit room to move the arms inside and an adequate air space between the body and the garment, a distance of 40 to 50 inches across from one side seam to the other being adequate for most purposes. The length from top to bottom may range from 45 to 60 inches, i.e., to about the ankle of the user. A bell shape or slight flare from top to bottom is preferred. The garment is open on the bottom to allow free circulation of air into the garment and up to the neck, which is so constructed as to breathe and adjust to the heat and moisture content of the space between the garment and the body of the user.

The seams of the body 1, may be protected and enclosed by a binding, 2 of plastic or other water-repellent material on the exterior of the garment to prevent the access of water and air to the interior.

The front of the garment is provided with a central opening secured by fastening means 3, such as a slide fastener operable with the pull of the slide fastener on the inside. The central opening preferably extends below the waist of the user, say about one-half to two-thirds the length of the garment so that it may be donned by stepping into it and conveniently closed from the inside. However, it may also extend the entire length of the garment if desired.

Also in the front of the garment there are provided two further openings secured by fastening means 4 and 4', such as slide fasteners, operable with the pull of the slide fastener on the inside to enable the user to extend his arms outside of the garment as required. These openings may extend from just below the shoulder to about the waist portion of the garment, say about 15 to 20 inches in length. They are preferably slanted inwardly and toward the central opening from the shoulder to the bottom of each such opening at an angle of about 15.degree. to 45.degree. from the vertical to facilitate opening and closing from the inside and use of the arms.

Referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an important feature of the invention is the provision of a split turtle neck 5, composed of a resilient warm fabric which is pervious to air and moisture, about the neck of the garment. The turtle neck 5 may be constructed of wool, acrylic or other synthetic materials, preferably in knitted form and ribbed to impart the desired resilience. The turtle neck is provided with fastening means 6 and 6', preferably a fastener sold under the trademark VELCRO by VELCRO CORPORATION, New York. Such fastening means are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,717,437; 3,009,235; and 3,083,737. A preferred form for this invention is constructed of two members, each affixed to one side of the split turtle neck 5, as by stitching or adhesives, and provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable hooking elements, certain of the hooking elements being hooks and certain of them being loops of flexible resilient material, the hooks and loops being secured vertically to a base affixed to the turtle neck, so that when the extended strap portion 6 of one member is pressed in face to face relation to the other member 6' the hooks on one engage the loops on the other and secure the turtleneck collar about the neck of the user. Since the fastening means is completely adjustable from snug to loose as desired, it enables the user to regulate the flow of air and moisture from the neck of the garment as may be dictated by the conditions of use.

The aforesaid fastening means is independent of the central fastening means for the body portion to facilitate independent adjustment of the neck portion for the purposes described. Other adjustable fastening means such as buttons or snap fasteners could be used for this purpose, but the "Velcro" fastener is particularly preferred because of its flexibility and ease of operation.

The turtle neck 5 need extend only sufficiently inside the neck opening for stitching purposes; but it may also be formed as part of a dickey extending under the shoulder and back portion of the garment if desired. Thus, a flap 7 is shown in FIG. 2 extending down the back, and could extend as much to the waist to provide additional warmth although this is generally not necessary.

The garment thus described is particularly useful in exceptional cold weather to retain the body heat of the user, especially in circumstances where the user is relatively immobile. The substantially air- and moisture-impervious material of the body portion retains the normal body heat and minimizes the chill factor of the elements. The open bottom, coupled with the readily adjustable turtle neck, permits the user to adjust the breathing capacity of the garment and thereby vent hot air and moisture about the neck, through convection, as required under the conditions of use.

This invention finds particular utility as an outer garment for hunters, some outdoor construction workers, seamen, spectators at outdoor sporting events, and others who may be exposed to cold or foul weather while in a relating immobile state. It provides a unique means for warming the body, and yet permits the user to perform necessary functions with the hands through the adjustable openings 4 and 4' as may be required from time to time.

The garment may be modified by providing a hood of material similar to that of the turtle neck, or an air and water impervious material or both. And it may also be provided with a handle for carrying when not in use. Other modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

I claim:

1. A foul weather garment comprising a sacklike body without arms and having a neck opening and open on the bottom, seamed across the shoulder and down the sides and provided with a binding on the exterior of said seams, said body being constructed of a laminate of two layers of polyethylene film on which is vacuum deposited a thin layer of aluminum and having sandwiched therebetween and bonded to the metal layers a reinforcement layer of glass fibrous material, and provided in the front with a central opening for ingress and egress secured by a slide fastener extending below the waist portion terminating above the bottom of the body portion and front arm openings secured by slide fasteners slanted from the shoulder portion inwardly down and toward the central opening at an angle of about 15.degree. to 45.degree. from the vertical, each slide fastener having a pull on the inside for operation from within the garment, and a split turtle neck constructed of a resilient knitted material with fastening means for the turtle neck comprising two members, each affixed to one side of the turtle neck and provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable hooking elements, certain of the hooking elements being hooks and certain of them being loops of flexible resilient material, the hooks and loops being secured vertically to a base on each side of the turtle neck, one said member extending beyond the center edge of the turtle neck so that it may be pressed in face to face relation to the other member to engage the hooks on one member with the loops on the other and thereby secure the garment at the neck.

2. A garment according to claim 1 wherein the turtleneck material extends down into the garment and across the back thereof.