US3554417A

US3554417A - Carrier device for garments on hangers

Info

Publication number: US3554417A
Application number: US760839A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel W Yorty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-19
Filing date: 1968-09-19
Publication date: 1971-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-12

Abstract

A carrier device for articles such as garments supported on hangers, wherein a flexible strap is formed into an endless band, the strap at one side of the band being threaded through one opening of a buckle frame constructed with two openings therein, a portion of the strap adjacent that which is threaded through said one opening being folded upon itself and passed through the other of said buckle openings to provide an adjustable loop on one side of the buckle for receiving the supporting hooks of the hangers, and a hand grip-carrying loop on the other side, the buckle frame being tiltable upon the application of a pulling or hanging force on the hand grip portion to grippingly engage the strap portions which are positioned in said other buckle opening and retain the hook-receiving loop in its adjusted position.

Description

United States Patent in] ,55 7

[72] Inventor gi S d C Calf 91604 FOREIGN PATENTS l airw tu i ity, i e 11 pp No 760,839 o51,982 /1937 Germany 224/l.l [22] Filed Sept. 19, 1968 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza 451 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 AIwrneyPau1A-We1lem [54] GARMENTS ON HANGERS ABSTRACT: A carrier device for articles such as garments supported on hangers, wherein a flexible strap is formed into [52] US. Cl 224/45, an endless band the Strap at one Side of the b being 224/55 threaded through one opening of a buckle frame constructed Cl 5/10 with two openings therein, a portion of the strap adjacent that Field of Search 294/74; which is threaded through Said one opening being folded upon 224/45, 5 itself and passed through the other of said buckle openings to 56 provide an adjustable loop on one side of the buckle for receiving the su portin hooks of the ban ers, and a hand [56] References cued grip-carrying on th e other side, the bu ckle frame being UNITED STATES PATENTS tiltable upon the application of a pulling or hanging force on 277,494 5/1883 Lindsay (244/49)UX the hand grip portion to grippingly engage the strap portions 577,668 2/ 1897 Stellner 224/45 which are positioned in said other buckle opening and retain 3,362,599 1/1968 Galazin 224/45 the hook-receiving loop in its adjusted position.

PATENTEU JAN] 2 I9?! 7 Quasi l l 1M 1 I l u h 2 v w E IN V ENTO R s mua W V0202 v BY ArraeA/ey The present invention relates broadly to article-carrying devices.

l-leretofore, it has been common practice for travellers and others to carry a plurality of garments on conventional coat hangers of the type used by dry cleaners which have a supporting hook thereon. In order to save time, most people endeavor to carry a plurality of garments at a time and for such purpose may tie the hanger hooks by means of a string. At other times, as in the case where the garment hangers are within a garment bag with the hooks extending through the top of the garment bag, the hooks may be gathered together and simply grasped without having the hooks tied together. In any event, such makeshifts are inconvenient and unsatisfactory and may even result in danger to the persons hand while carrying the garments the hooks tending to adversely affect circulation in the hands or even may damage the skin by being pinched between the hanger hooks or cut by the ends of the hooks.

The disadvantages and possible hazards which may occasion these makeshift methods have been heretofore appreciated, and a variety of approaches have been made to overcome the inherent disadvantages of the aforementioned makeshift procedures by designing a carrying device which could be utilized in connection with a plurality of hangers. One such device is disclosed in the Hooker US. Pat. No. 3,313,460 which provides an elongate ring-shaped handle member of rigid material, which the patentee states may be from about 4 inches or less in length to approximately inches or more. A second rigid ring for receiving the hanger hooks therein is connected to the handle ring at a fixed position or may be slidably supported thereon and includes a universal joint connection between the rings. While this device provides a support for a plurality of hangers, the device is bulky and not easily stowed when not in use. This is particularly important to travellers, in which case it is extremely desirable to have a device which can be folded or otherwise arranged to occupy a small space when not in use. Devices such as disclosed in the above noted patent also have the inherent disadvantage that the possibility of pinching the fingers between moving parts has not been eliminated.

in the present invention, the inherent disadvantages and problems attending the known structures as evidenced by the above noted patent, have been solved by providing a unique carrying device of flexible material, and which embodies an adjustable loop for receiving and embracing the hanger hooks, and which is so arranged that when tensioned by applying force on a hand grip portion of the strap member, the hangerreceiving loop will be retained or locked in its adjusted position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a carrying device for a plurality of articles, and is more particularly concerned with a carrier device for effectively embracing the supporting hooks of a plurality of hangers having garments supported thereon so as to permit their being efficiently and conveniently transported from one location to another, or if desired, stored as a connected group.

l-laving in mind the inherent disadvantages of known devices for this purpose, it is one object of the present invention to provide a carrier device for articles such as garment hangers, which is simple, efficient, and inexpensive to construct, which is easily operated, and when not in use will occupy an extremely small storage space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which has an adjustable loop for receiving the supporting hooks of a plurality of garment han gers, and wherein the loop is adjustable to tightly embrace and hold the hooks during transport of the garments.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing character which includes a novel buckle arrangement for antomatically locking and retaining the hanger hook-receiving loop in an adjusted position when a pulling or hanging force is applied to the handle portion of the device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing a preferred embodiment of the invention without placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a carrier device according to the present invention, the device being disclosed as connected with a plurality of hanger hooks in a manner to permit transporting the garments;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device, a fragmentary portion of a hanger hook being embraced by the device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the same illustrating the interconnection between the hook-receiving loop and hand grip-carrying loop of the device, a buckle member of the connection being in position enabling adjustment of the hookreceiving loop; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary similar view showing the buckle member in position locking the hook-receiving loop in its ad justed position. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM- BODIMENT Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes, a carrier device A according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 in a position of use, wherein the device is connected with the supporting hooks 10 of a plurality or garment hangers (not shown) of conventional construction contained within a garment bag 11, the supporting hooks extending through suitable openings in the top 12 of the bag.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the carrier device is shown as being fabricated from an elongate strap 13 of flexible material such as leather, plastic, or the like. This strap may be of single ply or double plies stitched together, and is interconnected at its ends in any suitable manner but being shown as in overlapped relation as indicated by the numeral 14 so as to provide an endless band.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the band as thus formed is associated with a buckle frame structure 15 constructed of suitable metal or other material to provide a structure having a central bar 16 and laterally spaced

side bars

17 and 18 which are interconnected at their ends so as to form elongate

parallel loop openings

19 and 20 extending along each side of and separated by the central bar 16.

The buckle frame structure 15 is associated with the strap 13 prior to the connection of its ends. As shown in FIG. 3. the buckle frame structure is mounted by threading a side portion 21 of the strap through the loop opening 19 of the buckle. An adjacent portion of the strap is then folded upon itself and pushed through the other opening 20 of the buckle so as to provide a hook-receiving loop 22 on one side of the buckle frame and a hand grip-carrying loop 23 on the other side of the buckle. As thus arranged, it will be seen that the strap portion 21 is carried over the central bar 16 to provide a bite section 24 which frictionally normally secures the side strap portion 21 against shifting movements in the buckle member. The strap portion 25 on the opposite side of the band, it will be observed, passes directly through the buckle loop opening 20 so as to form a slidable connection between the

loops

22 and 23 which permits the loop 22 to be adjusted in such a manner that it tightly embraces the hanger hooks 10 which may be received therein.

it will be observed by reference to H6. 3 that the

strap side portions

21 and 25 have sections which are positioned in the loop opening 20 of the buckle. The strap thickness and buckle opening are so designed that when the plane of the buckle frame is approximately at right angles to the strap portion 25, or only slightly tilted with respect thereto, the strap portion 25 is readily longitudinally slidable through the buckle opening in order to adjust the size of the hook-receiving loop 22 so as to permit its being drawn into tight embrace with the hanger hooks therein. However, when a pulling or hanging force is applied to the hand grip carrying loop, tension will be applied on the strap portion 21 which will cause the buckle frame structure to be tilted in a manner shown in FIG. 4 to a position wherein the strap portions in the opening will be lockingly gripped between the central bar 16 and side bar 18, thus retaining the hook-receiving loop 22 in its adjusted position tightly embracing the hanger hooks 10. Displacement of the hooks will be prevented and the garments readily transported efficiently and easily.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plastic transparent panel 26 may, if desired, be secured as by stitching along side edge margins and one end thereof to provide a pocket for receiving an identifying card having the name and address of the owner thereon.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it will be clearly evident that the delineated objects and features of the invention will be accomplished.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carrier device for garments on hangers having supporting hooks, comprising:

a. a buckle frame formed with a central bar and laterally spaced side bars connected at their ends to provide elongate parallel openings separated'by said central bar;

b. an elongated strap member having connected ends to form an endless band, said strap being threaded through said buckle openings and separated by the buckle into a hanger hook-receiving loop formed on one side of said buckle frame, and a hand grip carrying loop formed in part on said one side and having a major portion formed on the other side of the buckle frame;

c. said band including side portion extending directly between said loops through one of said buckle openings and connecting the adjacent end portions of each loop and being normally slidable therein from one loop to the other for adjusting inversely the relative sizes of the loops, and the band including another side portion extending between and connecting the other end portions of said loops and being threaded through both of said buckle.

openings in bite gripping engagement with said central bar. 2. Another carrier device according to claim 1, wherein said another side portion of the band between said loops is successively threaded through the buckle openings in opposite directions, whereby under the carrying weight of the garments on said hangers, the buckle will be tilted into locking gripped relation with the strap portions in said one of said buckle openings.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,551 ,2 17 Dated January 12, 1971 Inventor(s) Samuel W Yorty It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

--and-- should appear after the semioolo Column 4, line 10,

"side"; line 21,

line 11, --one-- should appear' before "Another" should read --A--.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of May 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FI..ETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

Claims

1. A carrier device for garments on hangers having supporting hooks, comprising: a. a buckle frame formed with a central bar and laterally spaced side bars connected at their ends to provide elongate parallel openings separated by said central bar; b. an elongated strap member having connected ends to form an endless band, said strap being threaded through said buckle openings and separated by the buckle into a hanger hookreceiving loop formed on one side of said buckle frame, and a hand grip carrying loop formed in part on said one side and having a major portion formed on the other side of the buckle frame; c. said band including side portion extending directly between said loops through one of said buckle openings and connecting the adjacent end portions of each loop and being normally slidable therein from one loop to the other for adjusting inversely the relative sizes of the loops, and the band including another side portion extending between and connecting the other end portions of said loops and being threaded through both of said buckle openings in bite gripping engagement with said central bar.

2. Another carrier device according to claim 1, wherein said another side portion of the band between said loops is successively threaded thrOugh the buckle openings in opposite directions, whereby under the carrying weight of the garments on said hangers, the buckle will be tilted into locking gripped relation with the strap portions in said one of said buckle openings.