Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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KNITTED BOXER SHORT WITH IMPROVED CROTCH BOTTOM AND METHOD
FOR MAKING SAME
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a knitted lingerie article corresponding to
what is
currently marketed under the name "boxer short" and which generally designates
a short
knitted underpants, for men as well as for women of all ages. It is understood
here that
the term boxer short is not limited to the short underpants but also extends
to long
underpants, for example of the type known under the name "long boxer short",
"legging",
etc.
BACKGROUND
The boxer short is a relatively complex article as it is intended to cover the
low part of the
trunk as well as the top part of the thighs over a sufficient length. It
comprises a panty
portion ended at its upper portion by a belt positioned at the waist, and at
its lower
portion by two lapels separately positioned on the thighs. It is commonly made
from a
knitted tube corresponding to a diameter allowing to seamlessly dress the low
part of the
trunk, and is equipped during a confection operation of a sewn crotch bottom
allowing to
link the two tubes dressing the thighs. We know how to knit on the circular
machines
such as the machines SANTONI of SM8-8 type, for example for diameters
comprised
between 10 and 16 inches (between 25 and 40 cm), tubes intended for of the
confection
of boxer shorts with a double belt in the top portion and a double lapel in
the low portion,
this tube may be knitted in both directions (belt-lapel or lapel-belt). We
also know the
confection of the tube bottom to make the low part of the boxer short, with an
attached
bottom which can be made on the same type of knitting machine. According to
the
known prior art of documents US2000073 and FR2805285, the crotch bottom or
gusset is
a substantially rectangular piece which is put between the edges of two slots
or incisions
performed at the front and at the back of the knitted tube. The enclosed FIGS.
1 to 3 show
in more detail this confection operation. The boxer short 101 is made in the
shape of a
knitted tube, with an upper belt 102 and a lower border 103, where lapels or
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reinforcements corresponding to future thigh passages are formed or may be
formed. The
knitted tube 101 comprises a front face 105 and rear face 106 (in one piece
since it is
about a circular knitting). The portion 104 intended to form the front pocket
of the boxer
short intended to maintain the genitals is represented by hatching on the
front face 105.
We proceed (FIGS. 1 and 2) to a cutting operation creating an incision 107 at
the front
part 105 and an identical or different incision 108 at the back 106 of the
knitted tube, in
the middle, at its lower portion. The incision 107 has edges 110, 111 and the
incision 108
has edges 112, 113. Each incision 107, 108 is then laterally spaced apart and
stretched, as
suggested by the arrows of FIGS. 1 and 2, so as to put substantially, in the
extension of
one another, the edges 110, 111 on the one hand and 112, 113 on the other
hand, and
form thus substantially rectilinear bottom lines which are sewn together by
means of a
substantially rectangular crotch bottom 115 (called here "bottom lines" the
lower edges of
the front and the back of the tubular knitted fabric, intended to be sewn to
one another,
between the thigh passages, directly or by means of additional pieces of
crotch bottom
such as the gusset). The document FR2805285 had represented an improvement
compared to the classical confection by providing bottom lines with a
different length at
the front and at the back and by making the crotch bottom 115 with different
elastic zones
at the front and at the back. This suggestion has allowed to partially solve
an often
encountered problem with this type of garment, namely the absence of wearing
comfort,
related in particular to the presence of troublesome seams at the crotch
and/or to a bad
conformation of this bottom to the anatomy of the wearer, and more
particularly to the
presence of troublesome seams on the front at the genitals, in particular for
man.
However, the wearing comfort remains to improve further and this is the
purpose of the
present invention. More precisely, it is about finding a new method for the
confection of
the crotch, remaining simple, but leading to an improved comfort.
We know, from the documents WO 2012087210 and WO 2011008138, two methods for
the confection of boxer shorts from two knitted rectilinear strips which are
applied one on
the other. These documents teach that it is possible to tie the two strips
together according
to some patterns of parallel or T lines which are then incised, so as to give
rise to
particular crotch shapes. These two methods do not relate to the confection of
the boxer
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shorts from tubular knitted fabric and do not give transposable teaching to
this
manufacturing method.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The purpose of the invention is achieved thanks to a method for manufacturing
a boxer
short comprising the circular knitting of a main tube, the preparation of a
crotch bottom,
the cutting in the low portion at the front and at the back of the incisions
tube, the
opening by lateral extension of the incisions to form first and second
globally transverse
bottom lines and the sewing of the crotch bottom to the globally transverse
bottom lines
for forming the crotch and the thighs passage and for confectioning the boxer
short,
characterized in that we cut, respectively at the front or at the back, two
incisions
forming, by opening of the incisions, a first globally transverse bottom line
composed, on
the one hand, of a low transverse edge and, on the other hand, of a top
transverse edge of
bottom line rising higher than the low transverse edge, in that at least one
incision is cut,
respectively, at the back or at the front, forming, by opening of the
incision, a second
bottom line having at least one low transverse edge, in that the crotch bottom
is prepared
in the shape of at least one crotch piece, and in that said low transverse
edge of the first
bottom line is sewn to a portion facing the low transverse edge of the second
bottom line
and in that the at least one crotch piece is sewn between the top edge of the
first bottom
line and a portion facing the second bottom line.
Preferably, particularly for a male garment, it is at least at the front that
the two incisions
are cut, the back may have just a single incision. It is indeed at the front
that it is mainly
appropriate to improve the comfort of the garment. However, it is possible to
provide a
boxer short where the two incisions are provided at the back and only one at
the front. It
is also possible, and sometimes even advantageous, to provide a boxer short
where the
front as well as the back include two incisions.
The incisions may be formed at the front and/or at the back of the knitted
tube by simple
symmetrical incisions with respect to the median vertical axis of a front or
rear face,
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which are vertical or slightly oblique with respect to the vertical. The
incisions are
preferably rectilinear, but may also be curved, formed of segments, etc.
The two incisions formed on the front (or rear) side, are in a preferred
embodiment, two
substantially vertical and symmetrical incisions with respect to the median
axis of the
boxer short. When the knitted fabric is laterally stretched to open these
incisions and
form the first globally transverse bottom line, a kind of central tab is
formed between the
incisions, the edge of which will constitute the low transverse edge of the
bottom line,
surrounded on either side by two lateral ends of bottom line rising higher
than the tab
edge. In this case the crotch bottom is prepared in the shape of two separate
crotch
pieces; the low edge of the front tab is sewn, situated in the middle of the
first bottom
line, in the middle of the second facing bottom line and the two separate
crotch pieces are
sewn between the ends of the first bottom line and the ends facing the second
bottom
line.
If the second bottom line is formed by a single incision, normally on the rear
face, this
second bottom line after lateral extension of the incision is substantially a
rectilinear
transverse or slightly arched line. Advantageously, the length of the cuts at
the front and
at the back is not the same: the length of the cut at the back is normally
superior to that of
the cuts at the front so as to form two transverse bottom lines which have a
substantially
equivalent transverse extension.
Thus, according to this embodiment, there is a method for manufacturing a
boxer short
comprising the circular knitting of a main tube, the preparation of a crotch
bottom, the
cutting in the low portion at the front and at the back of the incisions tube,
the opening of
the incisions for forming first and second bottom lines and the sewing of the
crotch
bottom to the bottom lines to form the crotch and the thighs passage and for
confectioning the boxer short, characterized in that we cut at the front two
incisions
forming, by opening of the incisions, a first bottom line composed, on the one
hand, of a
low edge of front tab between the two incisions and, on the other hand, of two
lateral
ends of bottom line rising higher than the tab edge, in that an incision is
cut at the back
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forming, by opening of the incision, a second bottom line, in that the crotch
bottom is
prepared in the shape of two separate crotch pieces, and in that said front
tab edge is
sewn, situated in the middle of the first bottom line, in the middle of the
second bottom
line and in that the two separate crotch pieces are sewn between the ends of
the first
bottom line and the ends of the second bottom line.
The second bottom line is situated, after confection, at the rear side of the
boxer short, so
that the tab portion fastened thereto and which comes from the front portion,
seamlessly
surrounds, and therefore without discomfort, the genitals of the wearer. The
two crotch
pieces are rejected on the edges of the tab and participate in the formation
of the thigh
passages.
In a variant of this same embodiment, it may be provided that the second
bottom line is
equally formed by two substantially vertical and symmetrical incisions, in
which case
there is formed by extension of the incisions, a central tab provided with a
low edge: the
low edge of the first tab is sewn on the low edge of the second tab and the
separate crotch
pieces are sewn between the ends facing the first and the second bottom line.
In this
variant, the length of the two cuts at the front and at the back is
advantageously the same,
so as to form two transverse bottom lines which have a substantially
equivalent
transverse extension.
According to a second embodiment, the two incisions formed at the front and/or
at the
back of the knitted tube are in the shape of a double T incision, that is to
say an incision
including the T base starting from the edge of the knitted fabric and the T-
bar
transversely disposed at the base. When the knitted fabric is laterally
stretched to open
this double T incision and form the first globally transverse bottom line, a
low edge is
laterally formed on either side of a central portion of the bottom line which
rises higher
than the edge situated at the two ends of the bottom line. In this case a
crotch bottom in
the shape of only one separate central piece is prepared; the low double
lateral edge
situated at the ends of the first bottom line is sewn to the portions facing
the ends of the
second bottom line and the central piece is sewn separate from crotch between
the central
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portion rising higher than the first bottom line and the central portion
facing the second
bottom line.
The shape of the two incisions forming a T may admit variations: for example
the
branches of the T bar may be curves and/or may not be completely at right
angle with
respect to the T base.
If the second bottom line is formed by a single incision, normally on the rear
face, this
second bottom line after lateral extension of the incision is substantially a
rectilinear
transverse or slightly arched line. Advantageously, the length of the cut at
the back is
superior to that of the T at the front so as to form, at the back and at the
front, two
transverse bottom lines which have a substantially equivalent transverse
extension.
In a variant of this same second embodiment, it can be provided that the
second bottom
line is also formed by two incisions forming a T, in which case a bottom line
substantially resembling the first bottom line is formed by extension, with a
low edge on
either side of a higher central portion. The low edges facing the two bottom
lines are
sewn to one other, and the central piece separate from the crotch is sewn
between the less
low central portions of the facing bottom lines. In this variant as in the
others, the length
of the two cuts at the front and at the back is provided so as to form two
transverse
bottom lines which have a substantially equivalent transverse extension.
Thus according to the invention, it is understood that the at least one of the
two bottom
lines obtained by incisions and lateral stretching is not exclusively
rectilinear transverse
but on the contrary, though always globally transverse, it comprises, on the
one hand, a
low transverse edge (in one portion, for example central portion, or in many
portions, for
example lateral portions) and, on the other hand, a top edge of bottom line
rising higher
than the low transverse edge (this top edge being possibly in two portions,
for example
lateral portions, or in one portion, for example central portion), whereby,
when this non
rectilinear bottom line is placed facing the other bottom line, the low edge
can be directly
sewn to the other line and the crotch piece(s) can be placed between the top
edge and the
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other line.
We used here the verb "sew", but it is clear that this term does not only
cover the seam
with a thread, but any method allowing to assemble edge to edge two textile
pieces.
As said above, the second bottom line is advantageously substantially
rectilinear or
arched in shape. It is understood that in this case, said low edge of the
second bottom line
extends over the entire length of the bottom line.
The first bottom line is advantageously in the shape of broken line.
The low edge of first bottom line (for example that of the tab in the first
embodiment)
may be formed by the low border of the circular knitted fabric itself, after
possible
unrolling of the lapel which was formed during knitting when appropriate, or
long after a
transverse complementary cut at the front, between the incisions, to remove
the lapels.
The crotch portion(s) is/are advantageously obtained also by knitting, the two
pieces
(when there are two) can be easily formed from a common draft, which may be
obtained
from a transversely cut strip. The crotch portion(s) can also come from
another knitted
fabric than the knitted fabric of the boxer short itself, another jersey type
material. These
two portions may, according to their material, possibly bring an additional
benefit to the
product: ventilation ("mesh" type material), anti-friction type material, anti-
irritation
treated material, etc.
The invention also relates to a boxer short obtained by the method above.
It is about a boxer short formed in a knitted main tube, including a front and
a back
linked in low portion by a crotch bottom separating two thigh passages, the
low portions
of the front and of the back ending with a first and a second bottom line
globally
transverse between which the crotch bottom is sewn, characterized by a first
globally
transverse bottom line composed, on the one hand, of a low transverse edge
and, on the
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other hand, of a top edge of bottom line rising higher than the low transverse
edge, a
second bottom line having at least one low transverse edge, in that said low
transverse
edge of the first bottom line is sewn to a portion facing the low transverse
edge of the
second bottom line, and in that the crotch bottom is in the shape of at least
one separate
crotch piece sewn between the top edge of the first bottom line and a portion
facing the
second bottom line.
In a particular case of embodiment, it is about a boxer short formed in a
knitted main
tube, including a front and a back linked in low portion by a crotch bottom
separating two
thigh passages, the low portions of the front and the back ending with a first
and a second
bottom line between which the crotch bottom is sewn, characterized by a first
bottom line
composed, on the one hand, of an edge of front tab and, on the other hand, of
two lateral
ends of bottom line rising higher than the edge of tab, in that the crotch
bottom is in the
shape of two separate crotch pieces, and in that that said edge of front tab,
situated in the
middle of the first bottom line, is sewn in the middle of the second bottom
line and in that
the two separate crotch pieces are sewn between the ends of the first bottom
line and the
ends of the second bottom line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following
description. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings on which:
FIG. 1 schematically represents in a front view a knitted tube at the first
step of its
confection, according to the prior art.
FIG. 2 schematically represents in a back view a knitted tube at the first
step of its
confection, according to the prior art.
FIG. 3 schematically represents in a bottom view the knitted tube of FIGS. 1
and 2, after
sewing of the crotch bottom, according to the prior art.
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FIG. 4 schematically represents in a front view a knitted tube at the first
step of its
confection, according to the invention.
FIG. 5 schematically represents in a back view a knitted tube at the first
step of its
confection, according to the invention.
FIG. 6 is a view of a crotch draft according to the invention.
FIG. 7 is a view of a lateral crotch piece according to the invention.
FIG. 8 schematically represents in a bottom view the knitted tube of FIGS. 4
and 5, after
sewing of the two lateral pieces of the crotch bottom, according to the
invention.
FIG. 9 represents in perspective in a low angle view a particular example of
embodiment
of a boxer short in accordance with the invention.
FIGS. 10A to 13'C represent various embodiments of the incisions at the front
and at the
back of the tubular knitted fabric, and FIGS. 10'A and 12'A, similar to FIGS.
3 and 8,
illustrate the shape of the crotch obtained according to the method of the
invention. More
precisely,
FIG. 10A describes the first preferred embodiment of the invention, with two
front
vertical symmetrical incisions, one back vertical incision, with in FIG. 10'A
the
illustration of the corresponding crotch.
FIGS. 10B and 10C are two variants of this first embodiment, where the frontal
symmetrical incisions are oblique.
FIG. 11A describes an alternative variant of the first preferred embodiment of
the
invention, two front symmetrical vertical incisions, two back vertical
symmetrical
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incisions, with in FIG. 11 A, the illustration of the corresponding crotch.
FIGS. 11B and 11C are two variants of this first embodiment, where the frontal
symmetrical incisions are oblique.
FIG. 12A describes the second preferred embodiment of the invention, with two
front T-
shaped incisions, a back vertical incision, with, in FIG. 12'A, the
illustration of the
corresponding crotch.
FIGS. 12B and 12C are two variants of this second embodiment, where the
incision
forming the T-bar has a curved or oblique shape on the horizontal, with, in
FIG. 12'C, the
illustration of the crotch corresponding to FIG. 12C.
FIG. 13A describes an alternative variant of the second preferred embodiment
of the
invention, with two front and back T-shaped incisions, with, in FIG. 13'A, the
illustration
of the corresponding crotch.
FIGS. 13B and 13C are two variants of this second embodiment, where the
incision
forming the front T-bar has a curved or oblique shape on the horizontal, with,
in FIG.
13'C, the illustration of the crotch corresponding to FIG. 13C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The enclosed FIGS. 4 to 8 show in detail the confection operation of a boxer
short
according to the invention according to a first preferred embodiment. As
according to the
prior art, the boxer short 1 is made in the shape of a knitted tube, with an
upper belt 2 and
a lower border 3 corresponding to future leg cuffs. The knitted tube comprises
a front
face 5 and a rear face 6. It is further represented in hatching on the front
face 5 of the
portion 4 intended to form the front pocket of the boxer short intended to
maintain the
genitals. There is defined on the knitted tube a vertical direction going from
the belt 2 at
the top to the lower border 3 and a transverse direction, orthogonal to the
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direction, and going from one side of a front or rear face to the other.
According to the invention, we proceed (FIGS. 4 and 5) to a cut operation
creating two
parallel vertical incisions 7 and 7' at the front 5 of the boxer short 1:
these incisions have
edges 10, 11 and 10', 11' and form a tab 14 having a lower edge or low edge
16. The
lower edge 16 may be directly the edge of the knitted tube if the lapel is not
formed yet,
or be the edge of the tab 14 after dismantling the lapel, or even--and
preferably--be
obtained by the shortening of the tab 14 through an additional transverse cut
(not
represented) between the two incisions 7, 7'. In practice, the contour portion
4 may
advantageously go lower than it has been represented on FIGS. 4 and 8 (to
avoid
confusing the reading) and come in the tab 14 between the two edges 11, 11'
and almost
until to its low edge to ensure more comfort to the genitals.
We proceed at the back part 6 of the knitted tube to a central vertical
incision 8, creating
two edges 12, 13.
We also prepared, preferably in a knitted fabric, two lateral crotch pieces
15, 15' in one
piece 17 represented in FIG. 6, which can itself be obtained by cutting a long
knitted
strip. The piece 17 includes, on its two edges, borders 23, 23' with lapels
corresponding
to portions 3 of the tubular knitted fabric 1 intended to form the thigh
passage. An
oblique cut 18 allows to form, from the piece 17, two pieces 15 and 15'
symmetrical in
rectangular trapezia. The piece 15, represented on FIG. 7, includes, in
addition to its
reinforced edge 23, parallel edges 1510 and 1513 and an oblique edge 1511.
We then go to the sewing of the crotch pieces 15, 15' on the knitted tube. For
that, each
incision 7, 7' is laterally spaced apart, in the transverse direction, so as
to put the edges
10, 11 and 10', 11' substantially in the shape represented in FIG. 8, where
they are at an
obtuse angle together, always with the tab 14 therebetween and the edge 16
thereof at low
portion. These elements form a broken front bottom line 10, 11, 16, 11', 10',
in which the
edge 16 is a low edge and the portions 10, 11, 11', 10 a top edge (with
respect to the low
edge). In the same time, the incision 8 is spaced apart so as to put the edges
12, 13
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substantially in the extension of one another, as represented, so as to form a
practically
rectilinear rear bottom line 12, 13.
the low edge 16 is then sewn in the middle of the rear bottom line 12, 13, in
the portion
facing the low edge 16, and the lateral crotch trapezia 15. 15' are attached
and sewn
between the lateral portions of front bottom line 10, 11 and 10', 11'
constituting the top
edge and the ends of the rear bottom line 12, 13. The lateral crotch trapezia
15, 15'
therefore participate in the constitution of each thigh girth 19 by the
reinforced edge 23.
23'.
The shape of the lateral crotch pieces 15, 15' is not limited to the
trapezium. These pieces
can also be triangular, or of other shape, and their edges are not necessarily
rectilinear,
but may be curves. Likewise, the rear bottom line 12, 13 represented
rectilinear on FIG. 8
can be arched, curvilinear or broken.
An example of a boxer short obtained in accordance with the invention is
represented on
FIG. 9. It shows the lateral crotch pieces 15, 15', placed inwardly and
forwardly of each
thigh. The front edge 16 forms with the rear bottom line 12, 13 a seam 20
which extends
more or less in an arc between the thighs; two sewing branches go from this
seam 20,
sewing the lateral pieces 15, 15' at the edges 10, 11, 10', 11'. The fact that
the front edge
16 joins the rear bottom line 12, 13 situated at the back allows to carry to
the back the
seam and the resulting discomfort in a less sensitive zone, which
significantly contributes
to the improved comfort of the boxer short of the invention.
The invention is particularly well combined with an embodiment of the front
contoured
portion in the more or less oval zone 4 shape surrounded by a peripheral
marginal zone
21 made within a mesh different from that of the zone 4, advantageously a more
elastic
mesh (higher elasticity module).
On FIGS. 4 to 8 the preferred embodiment of the invention was described in
detail, but it
will be seen on FIGS. 10 to 13 that we can, without departing from the spirit
of the
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invention, bring several modifications to what has been described, according
to the exact
way with which the two incisions are made on the face that receives them, and
on the
number of incisions on the other face. Figures are too schematic to allow to
easily
understand the principle of the modifications. The tube 1 is represented with
its front face
5 and rear face 6, either in perspective, or in a bottom view after assembling
the crotch.
On FIGS. 10A and 10'A is resumed the basic construction of FIGS. 4-5 and 8,
with two
symmetrical vertical incisions 7, 7' at the front and one 8 in the middle at
the back, which
allow to obtain a globally transverse bottom line at the front formed of a low
central edge
16 and of a top double lateral edge 10, 10' (the vertical portion, which
passes from one to
the other, is neglected). This front bottom line cooperates with a
substantially rectilinear
rear bottom line to which it is directly sewn at the low edge 16, and linked
by means of
the crotch pieces 15, 15' on the ends.
The variations of FIGS. 10B and 10C are distinguished by the symmetrical
slightly
oblique position of the front incisions 7, 7'.
According to FIGS. 11A and 1 l'A, we provided two vertical symmetrical
incisions 7, 7'
at the front and 8, 8' at the back, thus this results in two quite similar
front and rear
bottom lines which are directly sewn to one another by their low edge 16 and
on the sides
by means of the separate crotch pieces 15, 15'.
The variations of FIGS. 11B and 11C are distinguished by the slightly oblique
symmetrical position of the front incisions 7, 7'.
According to FIGS. 12A and 12'A, a vertical central incision 8 was provided at
the back,
and two central T-shaped incisions, 7, 7' were provided at the front, thus
this results in
that the rear bottom line is still rectilinear and that the front bottom line
is characterized
by a low edge 16 rejected on the sides while its top edge 10 directly formed
by the
incision 7' is central. The low edge 10 at the ends is directly sewn to the
portion facing
the rear bottom line, while the top central edge 10 is sewn to the portion
facing the rear
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bottom line by means of the separate central crotch piece 15.
The variations of FIGS. 12B and 12C are distinguished by the curved or oblique
shape of
the T branches, that is to say, of the second incision 7, which leads as it is
seen on FIG.
12'C to a slightly modified shape of the top edge 10 and therefore of the
separate crotch
piece 15.
According to FIGS. 13A and 13'A, a double incision in T 7, 7' and 8, 8' is
provided at the
front and at the back, which leads to two bottom lines of identical shape
which will be
sewn edge to edge at their end portions end forming the low edge 16 and by
means of a
central crotch piece 15 at their top edge 10.
The variations of FIGS. 13B and 13C are again distinguished by the curved or
oblique
shape of the T branches, that is to say, of the second incision 7', 8' of the
incisions of the
front face and rear face, which leads as it is seen on FIG. 13'C to a slightly
modified
shape of the top edge 10 and therefore of the separate crotch piece 15.
14
