GB2145924A - Improvements in or relating to a pressing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for pressing an article of clothing, such as a pair of trousers comprises a first member (1) of transparent plastics material, of trapezoidal shape, having a central groove or recessed portion (3). A second correspondingly shaped member (7), also transparent plastics, may be slidingly engaged therewith, the second member also having a groove or recessed portion (9). The co-aligned grooves or recessed portions (3, 9) accommodate a relatively thick part of the article to be pressed defined by the seams thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to a pressing device THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a pressing device and more particularly to a pressing device for pressing articles of clothing.

Whilst it is possible to press articles of clothing by utilising heated pressing surfaces, itis also possible to press articles of clothing by using unheated surfaces which are utilised to trap an article of clothing laid betweenthem for a prolonged period of time. The presentinvention relates primarilyto such a pressing device.

According to one aspect ofthis invention there is provided a pressing device comprising a pair of rigid elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, meansfor coupling the members together with said planarfaces substantially abutting each other with an articleto be pressed trapped therebetween, at least one on said substantially planarfaces being provided with a substantially linear groove or recessed portion, such groove or recessed portion being located substantially medially of the width of the face of the member,to receive a seam or raised portion of an article to be pressed.

It is envisaged that a pressing device in accordance with the invention may be utilised to press a pair of trousers, or a tie. In each case the article to be pressed has at least one seam which extends substantially medially of the article to be pressed. Itwill be appreciated that in utilising a pressing device in accordance with the invention the seamed portion of the article will be located within the area defined by the groove or recessed portion, and the members will then be coupled together with the planar faces thereof substantially abutting each other, thus pressing the remaining portionsofthe article to be pressed.

Preferably the substantially planar faces of both said members are provided with a substantially linear groove or recessed portion, the substantially linear groove or recessed portions being such that, when the members are coupled together, the grooves or recessed portions are co-aligned. One said member may define upwardly and inwardly directed lips constituting said coupling moans, the arrangement being suchthatthe second member may be slid to a position inwhich it is coupled to the first member by means ofsaid lips.

The device may be intended for pressing trousers and in such a case said members are substantially trapezoidal.

Preferably at least one of said members is formed of atransparent material, and thus both said members may be formed of a transparent material.

Advantageously means are provided for suspending the device. Such means for suspending the device may comprise a suspending member defining a hook, and defining means to engage one of said members.

The means to engage one of said members may comprise protrusions formed on the suspending member adapted to be inserted in apertures formed in said one of said members.

In one embodiment recesses are provided in at least one of said members extending inwardly from the outer periphery thereof, said recesses being located to provide access to an article to be pressed trapped between said members.

In another embodiment one of said members may be constituted by part of an article offurniture, such as awardrobedoororthe like.

According to another aspect ofthis invention there is provided a pressing device comprising a pair of rigid elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, means fortrapping the members together with said planarfaces substantially abutting each other with an article to be pressedtrappedtherebetween, at least one of said members being formed of a transparent material.

Additionally the invention relates to a pressing device comprising a first member defining a substantially planarface, said member having, attwo opposed side edges thereof, upwardly and inwardly directed lips, and a second member also having a substantially planarface adapted to be coupled to the first member by sliding the second member into a position in which terminal edges ofthe second member are trapped by said lips of the first member, with the planarfaces ofthe two members substantially abutting each other so that an article to be pressed trapped between members may be pressed thereby.

Furthermore the invention relates to a pressing device comprising a pair of rigid elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, means for coupling the members together with said planarfaces substantially abutting each other, with an article to be pressed trapped therebetween, there being a plurality of cut out portions or recesses extending inwardly from the outer periphery of at least one of said mem bers to provide access to said article to be pressed. In such an embodiment a plurality of cut out portions or recesses may be provided which extend inwardlyfrom the outer periphery of both said elongate members, the recesses on one of said members being positioned to be capable of overlying corresponding recesses provided on the other said member.

In orderthatthe invention may be more readily understood, and so that furtherfeatures thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing a pressing device in accordance with the invention which is intended to be used for pressing trousers, comprises a first member 1,which is of substantially plate-like configuration, having a substantially planar upper surface 2. The member is elongate, and is of substantiallytrapezoidal configuration. The plate is provided with a groove or recessed portion 3which is located substantially medially of the width ofthe planarface 2 of the member.Thetwo long edgesofthe memberareeach provided with an upwardly and inwardly turned lip 4, and the function ofthese lips will become apparent hereinafter.At the wider end ofthe trapezoidal member 1 there are provided two outwardly directed lugs 5, each of which is provided with an aperture 6 therethrough. The member 1 isformed from a transparent plastics material.

A second member 7 is provided which has a substantially planar lowerface 8, the member 7 again being elongate in form and substaniallytrapezoidal shaped. The member 7 defines a groove or recessed portion 9 in the substantially planarface 8, the groove or recess portion 9 extending substantially medially of thewidth ofthefaceofthemember7.Themember7is dimensioned to be slidably engaged with the member 1, the member 7 initially being located in the space defined between the upwardly and inwardly turned lips ofthe member 1 and then being slid axially ofthe member 1, in the direction of convergence of the longer side ofthe member 1 (and thus also in the direction of convergence ofthe longer sides of the member 7), the side edges ofthe member 7 thus become trapped beneath the upwardly and inwardly directed lips 4 provided atthe side edges ofthe member 1.Thus the members are coupled together with the planarfaces thereof substantially abutting each other.

It is to be appriciated thatthe member 7 is also formed from a transparent plastics material.

Asuspending member 10 having a configuration corresponding to that of a conventional clothes hanger is provided, the suspending member 10 thus defining a hook 11 which can engage, for example, a clothes rail orthe like. The suspension member 10 is provided with two protruding support pegs 12, each with an enlarged head portion, and the arrangement is such thatthe support pegs 12 may be inserted through the apertures 6 in the first member 1, and then when the hook 11 is engaged with a clothes rail the entire device may be suspended in a substantially vertical orientation.

It is to be appreciated that when the described device is to be utilised to press an article of clothing, such as a pair oftrousers,the pair of trousers is located in position on the first member 1, with the seams thereof located in alignment with the groove or recessed portion 3, and then the second member 7 is moved into the position in which it is coupled to the first member 1. Since the membersaretransparent the person utilising the device can ensure that the portions ofthe article of clothing to be pressed that are trapped between the opposed planarfaces ofthetwo members are indeed in a flat condition so that only the desired creases are imparted to the article.Since the relativelythick portion of the article to be pressed defined by the region thereof having seams is located between the two aligned grooved or recessed portions, it is possible for a substantial pressing pressure to be applied to the remaining parts of the article of clothing, without the members which are acting as pressing plates being deformed in any way. It is to be appreciated that if pressing members having only planar faces ware utilised, without the described linear groove or recessed portions, then the plates would tend to be deformed by the presence ofthe thick portion ofthe article to be pressed constituted by the seams thereof.

Whilstthe invention has been described byway of example with reference to one particular embodiment it is to be appreciated that many modifications may be effected to this embodiment without departing from the scope ofthe present invention. Far example, it isto be envisagedthatthe pressing device in accordance with the invention may be incorporated in an article of furniture, for example a wardrobe. Whifstthe pressing device in accordance with the invention may be permanently mounted on a wardrobe door, for example and indeedthewardrnbe door could consS tute one ofthe twornembers. In such a case the wardrobe doorwoutd be provided with means thereon for coupling a second memberthereto, with the planarface of thewardrobe door and a planarface of the other member substantially abutting each other. These means may comprise members defining: inwardly directing lips corresponding to the lips 4 described above, the members being screwed or otherwise affixed to a wardrobe door at the appropriate position. The said second memberand/orthe wardrobe door may be provided with a groove or recessed portion, correspondingtothe grooves or recessed portions described above. Again, in such an arrangement, the said second memberwould be made of a transparent material to enable a person utilising the device to ensure that only desired creases are imparted to an article being pressed.

The two members may, in further alternative embodiments of the invention, be hinged together or otherwise connected together. Also, in embodiments ofthe invention, recesses may be provided in the longitudinal side edges of at least one of the two members to permit the exact position ofthe article of clothing to be pressed to be adjusted whilstthe article is within the press. If recesses are provided in both members the recesses may be aligned.

Claims (18)

1. A pressing device comprising a pair of rigidly elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, means for coupling the members together with said planarfaces substantially abutting each other with an article to pressed as trapped therebetween, at least one of said substantially planarfaces being provided with a substantially linear groove or recessed portion, such groove or recessed portion being located substantially mediallyofthe width ofthe face ofthe member, to receive a seam or raised portion of an article to be pressed.

2. A pressing device according to claim 1 wherein the substantially planar faces of both said members are provided with a substantially linear groove or recessed portFon,the substantially linear groove or recessed portions being such that, when the members are coupledtogether, the grooves or recessed portions are co-aligned.

3. Apressing device according to claim 1 or claim2 wherein one said member defines upwardly and inwardly directed lips constituting said coupling means, the arrangement being such that the second member may be slid to a position inwhich it is coupled tothefirst member by means of said lips.

4. A pressing device according to any one of the preceding claims for pressing trousers, wherein said members are substantially trapezoidal.

5. A pressing device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said members is formed of a transparent material.

6. A device according to claim Swherein both said members are formed of a transparent material.

7. Adevice accordingto anyoneofthe preceding claims provided with means for suspending the device.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said means for suspending the device comprise a suspending member defining a hook, and defining meansto engage one of said members.

9. Adevice according to claim8wherein said means to engage one of said members comprise protrusions formed on the suspending member adapted to be inserted in apertures formed in said one of said members.

10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein recesses are provided in at least one of said members extending inwardly from the outer periphery thereof, said recesses being located to provided access to an articleto be pressed trapped between said members.

11. Adeviceaccording to anyone of claims 1 to S wherein one of said members is constituted by part of an articleoffurniture.

12. Adevice according to claim 11 wherein one of said members is constituted by a wardrobe door or the like.

13. A pressing device comprising a pair of rigid elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, meansfortrapping the memberstogetherwith said planar faces substantially abutting each other with an article to be pressed trapped therebetween, at least one of said members being formed of a transparent material.

14. A pressing device comprising a first member defining a substanially planar face, said member having, attwoopposed sideedgesthereof, upwardly and inwardly directed lips, and a second member also having a substantially planar face adapted to be coupled to the first member by sliding the second member into a position in which terminal edges ofthe second memberaretrapped by said lips ofthefirst member, with the planarfaces ofthe two members substantially abutting each other so that an article to be pressed trapped between members may be pressed thereby.

15. Apressing device comprising a pair of rigid elongate members, each having a substantially planar face, means for coupling the members together with said planar faces substantially abutting each other, with an article to be pressed trappedtherebetween, there being a plurality of cut out portions or recesses extending inwardlyfrom the outer periphery of at least one of said members to provide access to said article to be pressed.

16. A pressing device according to claim 15 wherein a plurality of cut out portions or recesses are provided which extend inwardly from the outer periphery of both said elongate members, the recesses on one of said members being positioned to be capable of overlying corresponding recesses provided on the other said member.

17. A pressing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

18. Any novel feature or combination offeatures disclosed herein.