GB2171598A

GB2171598A - Folding garment rail

Info

Publication number: GB2171598A
Application number: GB08505417A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold Austin Loomes
Original assignee: PEL Ltd
Current assignee: PEL Ltd
Priority date: 1985-03-02
Filing date: 1985-03-02
Publication date: 1986-09-03
Also published as: GB8505417D0

Abstract

The present invention, provides a foldable garment-rail comprising an elongate base member 1 having pivot mountings 2 at opposite ends thereof, a side member 17, 27 being pivotally mounted in each of said pivot mountings 2 so as to be pivotable about an axis which is transverse to the length of said base member, releasable means being provided to retain each of said side members 17, 27 in an upright position relative to the base member and a cross-bar 16 releasably mountable between said side members 17, 27, each of said side members 17, 27 being retained by said releasable means in an upright position in which said cross-bar 16 can be mounted to extend between the side members 17, 27, said means being releasable to permit each of said side members 17, 27 to be folded so that it lies adjacent and parallel to the base member 1 after the cross-bar 16 has been detached from the side members 17, 27. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Folding garment rail The present application relates to rails on which garments may be hung in use.

Previously proposed garment rails comprising a cross bar mounted between two upright side members which are fixed to opposite ends of an elongate base member have the disadvantage that when not in use they are difficult to store because they occupy a large amount of space and do not stack together easily. It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment rail which may be folded when not in use to facilitate easy storage thereof.

According to the present invention,there is provided a foldable garment-rail comprising an elongate base member having pivot mountings at opposite ends thereof, a side member being pivotally mounted in each of said pivot mountings so as to be pivotable about an axis which is transverse to the length of said base member, releasable means being provided to retain each of said side members in an upright position relative to the base member and a cross-bar releasably mountable between said side members, each of said side members being retained by said releasable means in an upright position in which said cross-bar can be mounted to extend between the side members, said means being releasable to permit each of said side members to be folded relative to the base member after the cross-bar has been detached from the side members.

Releasable means associated with each of the side members preferably comprises spring biassed means and an interengaging projection and recess, the recess for example being formed in the bottom ofthe side members and the projection being formed on the extreme end of the base member or part connected thereto, for instance a part in which the aforesaid pivot mounting is provided.

Preferably, the base member or the side members is or are provided with stabilizing means to prevent the erected garment-rail from falling over. It is also preferred that at least one of said side members is hollow so that the cross-bar may be stored inside the hollow side member when not in use.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an asymmetric view of the assembled rail, Figure 2 is a detailed section end view of part A of Figure 1 with parts omitted for clarity, Figure 3 is a cross-section side elevation at point A on Figure 1, Figure 4 is a transverse section of one end of the cross-bar in Figure 1, Figure 5 is a transverse section of the side member associated with the end of the cross-bar shown in Figure 4, Figure 6 is an end view of the cross-bar shown in Figure 4, Figure 7 is a side view of the side member shown in Figure 5 and, Figure 8 is an asymmetric view of the folded rail.

Referring now tithe drawings, one embodiment of the folding rail according to the present invention comprises a base member 1 made of mild steel tube. Attached to each end of the base member 1 is a U-shaped bracket 2 made of mild steel, having vertical slots 3 provided in each side 4 of each bracket 2. A mild steel locating pin 5 is welded inside the bottom of the bracket 2, extending upwardly from the middle of the base part 6 of the bracket 2.

Mounted in the brackets 2 are side members 17 and 27 made of mild steel tube. A pair of axially extending slots 8 are provided on diametrically opposite sides of each side member 17 and 27 in the region where the side member is mounted in the bracket 2 such that when the side member is in the upright position, the pairs of slots 8 and the vertical slots 3 are in alignment. Pivot pins 9 extend through the respective vertical slots 3 and pair of slots 8 and are retained by split pins 10. The pivot pins 9 allow the side members 17 and 27 to pivot relative to the bracket 2 and hence the base member 1, while the provision of the pairs of slits 8 allows limited movement of each side member in its axial direction. The vertical slots 3 allow limited vertical movement of the pivot pins 9 relative to the base member 1.

A mild steel domed plug 11, is rivet welded into the lower end of each side member and a plain bore 12 is provided in each domed plug 11 which fits over the locating pin 5 and retains the side member in an upright position. The plug 11 in the side member is urged against the locating pin 5 by means of a compression spring 13, which is provided within the side member intermediate the domed plug 11 and the pivot pin 9. One end of the compression spring 13 bears on the pivot pin 9 and forces itto its uppermost position relative to the base member 1 as defined by the extent of the slots 3 and 8.

Likewise, the other end of the compression spring 13 bears on the plug 11 and so forces the side member axially downwardly with respect to the pivot pin 99. When each side member 17 and 27 is in the upright position, the bore 12 in the plug 11 is urged over the locating pin 5 and so pivotal movement of each side member is prevented.

Each of the.side members has a pair of opposed stabilizing legs 14 projecting radially outwardly and downwardly from a portion of the side member intermediate its upper end and the bracket 2. The lower end 15 of each leg 14 is bent so that it is parallel to the side member and a caster (not shown, is located in the end 15.

A cross bar 16 is releasably mounted at the upper ends of the side members 17 and 27. One end of the bar 16 has a socket 18 mounted thereon, the internal dimension of the socket 18 being marginally greater than the outside diameter of the side member 17 so that the socket 18 can fit over the upper end of the side member 17. The other end of the cross bar 16 has a key 19 provided therein, said key 19 cooperating with a keyhole 20 provided in the upper part of the side member 27. The keyhole 10 is in the form of an elongated slot having dimensions such that the key 19 may only pass through the slot when it is in a particular orientation relative to the keyhole 20. Cut outs 21 provided in the key 19 allow the cross-bar 16, and hence the key 19, is to be rotated when the key 19 is in the keyhole 20.When the key 19 has been inserted into the keyhole 20, rotating the cross-bar 16 through 90" will prevent the key 19 from being withdrawn from the keyhole 19 until the bar 16 is rotated through 900 for a second time and thus the cross-bar 16 is releasably connected to the side member 27. A degree of movement of the cross-bar 16 is allowed and so even when connected to the side member 27 the socket 18 may be placed on or removed from the side member 17.

When assembled, the base member 1,the side members 17 and 27 and the cross-bar 16 form an essentially planar structure, the base member 1 and the cross-bar 16 being substantially parallel, and the side members 17 and 27 also being substantially parallel. Pivotal movement of the side members 17 and 27 is prevented bythe engagement of the locating pins 5 in the bores 12, the compression spring 13 preventing accidental disengagement.

In order to fold the rail,the socket 18 is lifted from the top of the side member 17 and the cross bar 16 rotated through 900 to allow the key 19 to be disengaged from the keyhole 20. The side members 17 and 27 may then be folded by puiling each member upwardly away from the base member 1, against the pressure of the compression spring 13 to disengage the pin 5 and bore 12. The side members 17 and 27 may then be folded so that they lie adjacent the base member 1. The slots 3 in the brackets 2 allow limited movement of each pivot pin 9 relative to the base member 1 so that the first side member can lie alongside the base member 1 and the second side member can lie along the first and above it. The cross-bar 16 may then be inserted into the end of one of the side members 17 or 27 for storage purposes, the internal diameter of the side member 17 and 27 being greater than the outside diameter of the cross-bar 16. Assembly of the rail is achieved by the reversal of the procedure outlined above.

Claims

1. A foldabie garment-rail comprising an elongate base member having pivot mountings at opposite ends thereof, a side member being pivotally mounted in each of said pivot mountings so as to be pivotable about an axis which is transverse to the length of said base member, releasable means being provided to retain each of said side members in an upright position relative to the base member and a cross-bar releasably mountable between said side members, each of said side members being retained by said releasable means in an upright position in which said cross-bar can be mounted to extend between the side members, said means being releasable to permit each of said side membersto befolded relative to the base member after the cross-bar has been detached from the side members.

2. A garment-rail as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said releasable means comprises spring biassed means and an interengaging projection and recess.

3. A garment-rail as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said recess is formed in the bottom of the side members and the projection being formed on the extreme end of the base member or a part connected thereto.

4. A garment rail as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base member or the side members is or are provided with stabilizing means to prevent the erected garment-rail from falling over.

5. A garment-rail as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of said side members is hollow so that the cross-bar may be stored inside the hollow side member when not in use.

6. A garment-rail as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.