GB2174594A

GB2174594A - Security clothes hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2174594A
Application number: GB08610186A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Raymond Pegg
Original assignee: Volumatic Ltd
Current assignee: Volumatic Ltd
Priority date: 1985-05-10
Filing date: 1986-04-25
Publication date: 1986-11-12
Also published as: GB8610186D0

Abstract

A security clothes hanger has support arms 12, 14 for supporting a garment such as a coat, and a hook 24 for hanging the garment on a clothes rail or the like. A flexible elongate member 26 is secured at one end to the free end of the hook 24 by, for example, a crimp connection and at its other end as a lockable connector 28 which can be locked to the arms 12, 14 by a lock 30 integral with the arms. In use, with the connector 28 unlocked, the hanger is placed on a clothes rail with the garment in place and the member 26 threaded through an opening in the garment, such as a sleeve, and locked to the arms. The garment cannot then unlawfully be removed without being severely damaged or destroyed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security clothes hanger The present invention relates to security devices for use in preventing theft of garments from retail outlets such as shops and stores.

Garments which are displayed in retail outlets for sale to the general public are often tempting and easy targets for shoplifters and a wide variety of anti-theft devices have been used in attempts to reduce the loss of garments through shoplifting. However, these generally require the securing of a security tag to a garment or the use of heavy chains or the like which can cause creasing or damage to the garment material.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved form of security device.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a security hanger for a garment, the hanger comprising an elongate member extending in an open loop with a hook of the hanger, and locking means for locking said loop in a closed attitude.

The present invention also provides a security hanger for securing a garment to a hanging rail, the hanger comprising supporting arms for supporting the garment in a generally vertical attitude; an elongate member forming a hook of the hanger and arranged, in use, to pass through a through-opening in the garment; and locking means for locking said elongage member in a closed loop.

The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The drawing shows a security garment hanger 10 which has two laterally extending arms 12 and 14 on which a garment may be supported in the usual manner. These arms can be of a fixed length or, as shown in the drawing, of adjustable length. Each arm of the illustrated hanger has a telescopic extension end arm 16, 18 which enables the width of the hanger to be adjusted to suit varying sizes and types of garment. The extension arms 16 and 18 are preferably spring biased into either an extended or a retracted position and can be locked in position by suitable means such as knurled nuts 20, 22 in known manner.

The hanger has an upstanding hook 24 the free end of which is secured, for example by crimp connection, to one end of an elongate member 26. The member 26 is of a material which cannot easily be severed and is, for example, high tensile steel cable. The member is conveniently covered with a protective sheath of, for example, plastics material.

The other end of the member 26 is provided with a lockable connector 28 which can be locked to the arms 12 and 14 by means of a lock 30. The lock 30 is key or combination operated.

As can be seen from the drawing the member 26 extends generally vertically when the hanger is in use and when secured by the lock 30 forms a closed loop with the hook 24.

In use, with the member 26 disconnected from the lock 30 the hanger can be placed on a display rail. The member 26 is then threaded through an opening in the garment and the connector 28 engaged and locked in the lock 30. The hanger is then secure on the rail with the garment being secure on the hanger. If the member 26 is passed through, for example, a sleeve of a jacket, neck opening of a dress, or a buttonhole the garment cannot then be removed from the hanger by a thief without being severely damaged or destroyed.

The length of the elongate member 26 can be sufficient to avoid creasing the garment, a length of, for example, 2.2 m. being sufficient for dresses and full length coats. Various length options of the member 26 can, of course, be provided.

The member 26 may be either rigid or flexible.

As will be appreciated, the elongate member may alternatively be secured to the arms and lockable to the free end of the hook, although this construction is slightly more cumbersome than the illustrated form.

1. A security hanger for a garment, the hanger comprising an elongate member extending in an open loop with a hook of the hanger, and locking means for locking said loop in a closed attitude.

2. A security hanger as claimed in claim 1 for securing the garment to a hanging rail or the like, the hanger further comprising supporting arms for supporting the garment in a generally vertical attitude; and wherein said elongatemember is arranged, in use, to pass through a through-opening in the garment.

3. A security hanger as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said supporting arms has a laterally extending telescopic extension arm for adjusting the width of the hanger.

4. A security hanger as claimed in claim 3 wherein said extension arms are spring biased and said hanger further comprises locking means for locking said extension arms in an extended position.

5. A security hanger as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein said elongate member is secured to a free end of said hook and is securable to said arms by said locking means.

6. A security hanger as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein said elongate member is secured to said arms and is securable to a free end of said hook by said locking means.

7. A security hanger for a garment substantially as herebefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Security clothes hanger The present invention relates to security devices for use in preventing theft of garments from retail outlets such as shops and stores. Garments which are displayed in retail outlets for sale to the general public are often tempting and easy targets for shoplifters and a wide variety of anti-theft devices have been used in attempts to reduce the loss of garments through shoplifting. However, these generally require the securing of a security tag to a garment or the use of heavy chains or the like which can cause creasing or damage to the garment material. The present invention seeks to provide an improved form of security device. Accordingly, the present invention provides a security hanger for a garment, the hanger comprising an elongate member extending in an open loop with a hook of the hanger, and locking means for locking said loop in a closed attitude. The present invention also provides a security hanger for securing a garment to a hanging rail, the hanger comprising supporting arms for supporting the garment in a generally vertical attitude; an elongate member forming a hook of the hanger and arranged, in use, to pass through a through-opening in the garment; and locking means for locking said elongage member in a closed loop. The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. The drawing shows a security garment hanger 10 which has two laterally extending arms 12 and 14 on which a garment may be supported in the usual manner. These arms can be of a fixed length or, as shown in the drawing, of adjustable length. Each arm of the illustrated hanger has a telescopic extension end arm 16, 18 which enables the width of the hanger to be adjusted to suit varying sizes and types of garment. The extension arms 16 and 18 are preferably spring biased into either an extended or a retracted position and can be locked in position by suitable means such as knurled nuts 20, 22 in known manner. The hanger has an upstanding hook 24 the free end of which is secured, for example by crimp connection, to one end of an elongate member 26. The member 26 is of a material which cannot easily be severed and is, for example, high tensile steel cable. The member is conveniently covered with a protective sheath of, for example, plastics material. The other end of the member 26 is provided with a lockable connector 28 which can be locked to the arms 12 and 14 by means of a lock 30. The lock 30 is key or combination operated. As can be seen from the drawing the member 26 extends generally vertically when the hanger is in use and when secured by the lock 30 forms a closed loop with the hook 24. In use, with the member 26 disconnected from the lock 30 the hanger can be placed on a display rail. The member 26 is then threaded through an opening in the garment and the connector 28 engaged and locked in the lock 30. The hanger is then secure on the rail with the garment being secure on the hanger. If the member 26 is passed through, for example, a sleeve of a jacket, neck opening of a dress, or a buttonhole the garment cannot then be removed from the hanger by a thief without being severely damaged or destroyed. The length of the elongate member 26 can be sufficient to avoid creasing the garment, a length of, for example, 2.2 m. being sufficient for dresses and full length coats. Various length options of the member 26 can, of course, be provided. The member 26 may be either rigid or flexible. As will be appreciated, the elongate member may alternatively be secured to the arms and lockable to the free end of the hook, although this construction is slightly more cumbersome than the illustrated form. CLAIMS