Invalid{3 s apron and bib
United States Patent [191 Herman 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 1 INVALIDS APRON AND BIB [22] Filed: Apr. 18, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 461,867  
 [52] U.S. Cl. 2/48 [51] Int. Cl A411) 13/10 [58] Field of Search 2/48, 49 R, 49 A; 24/7, 24/9 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,108 5/1901 Perkins 24/9 1,149,950 8/1915 Rindskopf 2/48 UX 1,816,566 7/1931 Burstein ct a1 2/48 2,250,887 7/1941 Brown 2/49 R 2,410,639 11/1946 Dorccy 2/48 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.193.862 5/1959 France 2/49 R 1,030,374 5/1966 United Kingdom 2/48 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Glenn K. Robbins [57] ABSTRACT An apron for use by invalids and the like. A bib portion is fastened around the neck with a snap button and has an apron like front covering the chest and lap of the wearer and provided with a patch type pocket. A napkin holder constructed of plastic or the like is attached to the front in the breast area and has a clamping or gripping means for a napkin which can dangle from the clamping or gripping means to be readily grasped by the invalid for use as required without danger of dropping or mislaying the napkin. The apron may be of any flexible material, as for example terry cloth for easy washability. The napkin holder clamping or gripping means can be constructed of plastic in the fashion of a conventional garter gripping or holding type of clamp.  
 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures INVALIDS APRON AND BIB SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By means of this invention there has been devised a bibbed apron which can be simply employed by invalids, infirm wearers, children of others as desired. The apron is particularly designed for easy wear or use by simply fastening the bib around the neck which is by a snap button or the like. A patch pocket is provided for various types of objects as desired.  
  A special feature of the invention resides in the employment of a napkin holder which grips the napkin placed in it and holds it in a convenient and handy place for instant use. The napkin holder is attached in the breast area of the front of the apron permitting the user to use the napkin without disengagement from the holder. The holder is comprised of a gripping or clamping means which is fashioned in the same type of construction as the conventional garter holder. Thus the holder has a button having a grooved portion around the periphery and which is insertible in an enlarged opening of a key-hole shaped ring with a portion of the napkin placed over the button which is then moveable into clamping position in a slot in the ring. The holder may be attached to the apron at the end of a short piece of strap like material permitting the napkin to be stretched through the elastic nature of the strap like material to wipe the mouth of the user and the like as required.  
  The apron provides a protective cover combining the appearance and function of an apron covering the chest and lap of the user. The apron can be used as a very necessary, practical and efficient item for hospital, institutional and domicilliry needs as well as for use in the home as desired.  
  The apron can be simply fastened about the neck of the user by attendants without requirements of any drawstring in the back of the like which greatly facilitates the caring of the sick, handicapped, the aged and children in order to keep their wearing apparel dry, clean and neat while further eliminating many clothing and bedding changes caused by accidents or spillage in eating, drinking and other functions.  
  The apron can be made of any flexible material but particularly lends itself to fabrication from terry cloth which is flexible, absorbent, clean, neat appearing and can be machine washed where it remains soft and neat without requiring ironing or special handling. The apron can be mass produced from easily obtainable materials and equipment and can be employed without any complications in attachment to the wearer or in use by the wearer.  
  The above features are objects of this invention and further objects will appear in the detailed description which follows and will otherwise be apparent to those skilled in the art.  
  For the purpose of illustration of this invention there is shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof. It is to be understood that these drawings are for the purpose of example only and that the invention is not limited thereto.  
 IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1, is a top plan view of the apron. FIG. 2, is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the top of the apron with one of the neck attachement arms folded over to show the manner of attachment of the snap button.  
  FIG. 3, is an enlarged plan view of the napkin holder in clamping position.  
  FIG. 4, is a fragmentary view taken similarly to FIG. 3, but showing the napkin holder in the open position ready for insertion of a napkin.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The apron of this invention is generally identified by the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. As there shown, it has an enlarged front or chest portion 12 and a lap portion 13 and a neck holding portion 14 in the nature of a yoke having a pair of arms 16 and 18 adapted to fit around the neck. A pocket 20 is provided at one side of the general breast area of the apron while a napkin holder 22 is attached on the other side of the apron.  
  The apron 10 is conveniently made of terry cloth since it is highly absorbent, strong, soft and pliable and can be machine washed to be in wrinkle-free form. It will be understood that other flexible materials may be used as desired.  
  The yoke 18 which fits around the back of the neck of the user is provided with a conventional attaching snap button attaching means 24. This is comprised of a socket 26 sewn on the top side of arm 18 and a ball member 28 sewn on the bottom side of arm 16 which is interfittable in a friction fit manner within the socket 26. The so called snap button is of conventional construction as will well be understood in the art.  
  The patch pocket 20 shown in FlG. 1, is simply constructed by sewing the sides 30 and 32 as well as the bottom portion 34 of a rectangular piece of material to the front 12 of the apron thereby leaving the top portion 36 open for use as a pocket.  
  The apron is bounded by a folded over piece of bias tape 36 sewn around the edges of the apron. The bias tape provides for strength and durability as will be well understood.  
  The napkin holder 22 is best shown in FIGS. 3, and 4. It is comprised of a ring member 40 constructed of plastic or the like, durable enough to withstand extreme hot temperatures. The ring member is attached to the apron by means of a flexible strap or the like 42 which is sewn to a reinforcing piece of material 44 and to the apron front 12. The napkin holder is further provided with a button member 46 which is connected to the ring by a piece of flexible strap material 48. The button member 46 has a peripheral groove at the side such that the napkin can be placed over it with the button member then fitting through an enlarged opening 50 of the ring member and forcible downwardly with the napkin covering it into clamping engagement in a vertical reduced width slot 52. The openings 50 and 52 are in the nature of a key hole and the entire construction provides for a simple means of clamping or gripping the napkin and attaching it to the front of the apron for ready use by the water.  
 Use:  
  The apron 10 of this invention is adapted to be very simply used by invalids, infirm persons, children of tender years as well as members of general public. The user can simply connect the apron when he is sitting in a chair or reclining in a bed by simply fitting the yoke 14 around the back of the neck and connecting the arms 16 and 18 by snapping the snap button in to the socket. Should the user be so infirm as to be unable to do this an attendant can perform this function very simply without disturbance to the user. The requirement of fastening tie strings at the back of the user is avoided and a simple connection of the snap button member is all that is required.  
  The apron when properly connected around the neck of the user has the front portion 12 covering the chest and upper torso and the lower, or skirt portion, covering the lap area. The patch pocket 36 located in the general breast area can be simply employed by the user or by an attendant for inserting matters as desired.  
  The napkin holder 22 attached to the general breast area on the other side of the apron as compared to the patch pocket serves very conveniently to grip napkins or handkerchiefs, small towels or the like. A napkin for example is very simply gripped by simply placing one corner over the button member 46 in the open position as shown in FIG. 4. Button member 46 is then moved into registry with the enlarged opening 50 and then pressed downwardly into the vertical slot 52 in napkin wedging or clamping relation.  
  The closed position where the napkin is gripped is well shown in FIG. 3.  
  The napkin is much more safe to use with the holder than as for example being placed in the patch pocket. Thus for infirm users the dangling napkin depending from the holder can be simply grasped and can be raised to the mouht of the user for example without being removed from the holder. The release of the napkin or dropping by the user and hunting for the napkin has been avoided by this invention since it is firmly retained in the holder and can be used over and over again as desired. Such hunting of dropped napkins or the like by infirm persons or children has often caused accidents by their bending over and falling out of their wheel chair, high chair or bed which is obviated by the instant invention.  
  Thus an apron has been presented by this invention which can be very simply worn in a reclining or sitting position by invalids, children of tender years and users who have difficulty in using their mental or physical facilities. The apron is simply designed of standard materials of construction without any easily encountered metal parts or pins which might cause injury. The machine washability of the apron when manufactured of terry cloth or the like makes it possible to present a clean and easily laundered apron of simple and inexpensive construction.  
  Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as difined by the claims appende hereto.  
 What is claimed is:  
  1. An invalids and childrens apron comprising an apronlike flexible sheet material adapted to cover the chest and lap, a pair of curved members extending in a yoke around the neck of the user and adapted to be fastened together, and a napkin holder clamp means connected to the sheet material at the chest area, in which the napkin holder clamp means comprises a keyhole shaped ring member, a button member engageable in an enlarged portion of the keyhold and forceable in clamping relation with a napkin in an elongated reduced portion of said keyhole.  
  2. The apron of claim 1, in which a pocket is sewn into the sheet material in an area spaced from the napkin holder.  
  3. The apron of claim 1, in which the sheet material is of a washable fabric construction.  
  4. The apron of claim 1, in which the ring is of plastic construction and is connected adjacent the enlarged portion of the keyhole to the apron with the reduced portion of the keyhole depending downwardly.  
  5. The apron of claim 4, in which the button member is of plastic construction and is connected to the chest area of the apron by a flexible band member.  
  6. The apron of claim 5, in which a pocket is sewn into the sheet material in an area spaced from the napkin holder and the sheet material is of a washable fabric construction.