GB2258610A - Garment hangers - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment hanger comprises arms 1, 2 extending outwardly from a central portion 3 and garment gripping means fixedly located towards the outer ends of each arm, the gripping means at at least one end being a clamping means comprising two plate members 9, 10, the first of which is mounted fixedly on the arm, one plate member having a locking member 17 extending outwardly and engaging the other, the locking member being attached to or bearing on, a limited portion of the edge of an opening 18 in the second plate member to urge the second plate member against the first plate member when the locking member is engaged. <IMAGE>

Description

GARMENT HANGER This invention relates to garment hangers and particularly garment hangers having gripping means at each end of the hanger.

A major consideration for retail establishments in selling various types of clothing, particularly women's clothing, is the display of such clothing. Differences in the manner of displaying the same garment can significantly affect the sale of that garment.

One manner of displaying garments is on a garment hanger in which there are provided at the end of each of two limbs extending from the centre portion of the hanger gripping means particularly clamps.

The clamping means used is usually in the form of plates or similar clamping means in which an area of the garment is held, as distinct from clips. By appropriate disposition of the clamping means where the garment is folded round the ends of the garment hanger, much of the body of the hanger can be hidden by the garment itself providing a more attractive appearance for the garment on the hanger.

However, clamping means available to date have tended to interfere with the disposition of the garment about the ends of the hanger and also have failed to provide a means of clamping which holds the garment firmly and yet, as mentioned, allows relative freedom in the disposition of the garment on the hanger.

Thin hangars as presently known are frequently provided with gripping means in which the grip is effected by two panels hingedly connected to each other and urged together by spring means or held together when in the closed position by means of a grip or lock on the side of the clamp opposite to that in which the hinging means is mounted. Such hangers often do not provide the necessary gripping of garments and, moreover, the location of the locking means when used interferes with the disposition of garments between the two plates of the clamp.

Clamping members have been suggested in which at the hinge means there is also provided a resilient closing member, for example a spring, which forces the two sides of the clamp together. This however, requires a strong construction about the hinge means and very often a rather clumsy construction around about that hinge structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes hanger in which the above mentioned features are substantially eliminated.

According to the invention there is provided a garment hanger with arms extending outwardly from a central portion and garment gripping means fixedly located towards the outer ends of each arm, the gripping means at at least one end being a clamping means comprising two plate members the first of which is mounted fixedly on the arm, one plate member having a locking member extending outwardly and engaging the other, the locking member being attached to or bearing on, a limited portion of the edge of an opening in the second plate member to exert a torsional force along the portion of the second plate member between the edge of the opening and the edge of the plate member which torsional force urges the second plate member against the first plate member when the locking member is engaged.

This is compared to devices in the past in which the locking means is mounted on an edge of the gripping means or, even if it is a member extending into an opening in one of the "plates" it merely locks the members together and there is no structure which could create a torsional force.

In a preferred form the locking member extends from the first plate member and locks by bearing against the outer surface of the second plate member. The plate members can be of various shapings but a frame structure is preferred i.e. a relatively thin outer ring surrounding the area to be gripped and gripping along the periphery of the frame. The defined gripping means can be provided at both ends of the hanger or the defined means at one end and a different means, for example a serrated surface or other form of clamp at the other. Preferably the clamp is at the end of the hanger but there could be provided an arm at the end around which the garment is folded and is then gripped by the clamp positioned inwardly of the actual end.

In a preferred form the plate members are rectangular and the opening in the second plate member is parallel to one rectangular edge. Where a rectangular frame is used for the second plate member then the locking member can bear against one edge of the frame. The locking member is generally mounted adjacent to the arm to leave a maximum portion of the edge of the plate available for entry of the garment. Usually a strap will be provided to join the second plate to the hanger when the locking member is disengaged. This strap can take the form of a hinge between the plate.In a preferred form, the lock and hinge will be disposed along the edges of the clamping means which are at right angles to each other and, particularly preferred, is a structure in which the hinging means is disposed along a surface extending approximately at right angles from the main direction of the arm and on the inner edge of said clamping means while the clip is mounted on the edge of the clamping means adjacent to the arm. Such a structure permits access to the clamping means both from the outer edge and upwardly over the lower edge.

Although it is preferred that the hinge means be on the edge of the clamping device which is inwardly of the ends of the hanger, and the locking device on the edge of the clamping means which is adjacent to the main body of the hanger, nevertheless the two can be interchanged. Also, the hinge means and locking member need not be on adjacent sides of a rectangular structure but could be more immediately adjacent to each other.

When the locking member is engaged the tension along the locking member imposes on the portion of the second plate lying between the edge of the opening and the edge of the plate a torsional force which urges the second plate against the first. For there to be adequate torsional torque the locking member must only impart force against a relatively minor length of the edge of the opening and the edge of the plate such that a torsional force will be developed. Preferably, therefore, the limited portion of the edge is less than 20% of the length of the relevant edge of the opening.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an embodiment of the invention with the clamping means closed, and Figure 2 is the same embodiment with the clamping means opened.

The clothes hanger as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a pair of elongate arms 1,2 extending outwardly from a central region 3 at which a support hook 4 is located for supporting the hanger on a rail for example. A clamp 5 is mounted on each arm at the outermost end 6 thereof remote from the support hook.

In the embodiment disclosed the pair of arms 1,2 are of an integral one piece construction of substantially I-shaped crosssection which is slightly bowed with the support hook 4 central region extending from the hollow or concave side 7 thereof.

The clamp 5 mounted on the outermost end 6 of each arm is a rectangular frame member 8 having two plate members or overlying portions 9,10 of substantially identical form which are interconnected by a hinge 11 along an innermost edge 12 of the frame extending outwardly from the arm. As shown in the drawings each rectangular frame portion has bottom member 13 and the fixed clamp 9 has top member 19 and the hinged clamp 10 has top member 14 interconnected by inner and outer side members 15,16.

A first plate or clamp portion 9 is mounted directly on the arm so that its outer side member 15 defines the innermost end of the hanger.

The second plate or clamp portion 10 pivots about the hinge 11 on the innermost side member 16 of the clamp to lie with its top member 14 extending in the open position of Figure 2 in a direction substantially parallel to its adjacent clamp member.

The hinge 11 not only allows pivotal movement between the clamp portions 9,10 but also allows for a sliding movement in a direction of arrow A laterally of the arms 1,2 for unlocking the first and second clamp portions. In this latter respect the first portion 9 fixed to its respective arm has an outwardly and upwardly extending lug 17 as a coding member to define a space between the lug and first member 9 into which the second clamp member 10 slides and is locked against pivotal movement to the open position of Figure 2. A raised lip 18 is provided on the second member to act as a stop against the lug 17.The locking member thus extends through the clamp portion 10 to bear against the outer surface of the clamp portion.' The inner lip of the lug 17 is chamfered (not shown) as is the entry edge of the top members 13,14 to facilitate entry of the member 14 and to give a camming effect as the member enters which enhances the torsion along member 14.

The hinge is sufficiently flexible as to not only allow pivotal movement but also to allow the second member 10 to slide upwardly until it clears the lug when it can then be pivoted open. When the second clamp member is in position behind the lug 18 the second clamp member is urged against the first clamp member with sufficient firmness as to ensure that a portion of a garment positioned between the first and second clamp portions is held between then in conditions of use.

This urging of the clamp portions together is by reason of the torsional force along the member 14 resulting from the tension along the lug 17 when the two clamp portions 9 and 10 are locked together.

The torsional force along member 14 is enhanced by the triangular configuration as shown in which the depth of the edge of the frame decreases from the centre towards the ends.

In operation, a garment will be positioned along the hanger on the side of the beam opposed to that on which the clamping members are disposed and then portions of the garment will be folded around each end of the garment hanger to be disposed along the clamp member 9. The hinged second clamp member 10 will then be placed against the side of the garment opposed to that adjacent to the frame member 9 and the two frame members will be locked together by the locking lug 17. By this position of the hinge and locking means, access is allowed to the clamp member at each end of the garment hanger and also inwardly along the lower surface of the clamp member and the clamp members are held together without the use of a powerful spring located near the hinging means. This permits a much lighter construction of the hanger whilst allowing positive support for a garment without the parts of the hanger interfering with the garment.

Claims (16)

1. A garment hanger with arms extending outwardly from a central portion and garment gripping means fixedly located towards the outer ends of each arm, the gripping means at at least one end being a clamping means comprising two plate members, the first of which is mounted fixedly on the arm, one plate member having a locking member extending outwardly and engaging the other, the locking member being attached to or bearing on, a limited portion of the edge of an opening in the second plate member to exert a torsional force along the portion of the second plate member between the edge of the opening and the edge of the plate member which torsional force urges the second plate member against the first plate member when the locking member is engaged.

2. A garment hanger according to Claim 1 wherein the locking member extends from the first plate member and locks by bearing against the outer surface of the second plate member.

3. A garment hanger according to either of Claims 1 and 2 wherein two clamping members are provided, one at each end of the hanger.

4. A garment hanger according to either of Claims 1 and 2 in which the outer plate member is a non-rectangular frame.

5. A garment hanger according to either of Claims 2 and 3 in which the plate members are rectangular and the opening in the second plate member is parallel to one rectangular edge.

6. A garment hanger according to Claim 5 in which the second plate member is a rectangular frame and the locking member bears against one edge of the frame.

7. A garment hanger according to Claim 6 in which the first plate member is also a rectangular frame and the locking member is mounted on the edge of the frame adjacent to the arm of the hanger.

8. A garment hanger according to any one of Claims 2 to 7 in which the locking member comprises a U-shaped member into which the edge of the opening in the second plate engages.

9. A garment hanger according to Claim 8 in which one edge of the U-shaped member is chamfered to assist the entry of the edge of the other plate member.

10. A garment hanger according to Claim 9 in which the edge of the opening in the second plate member is also chamfered.

11. A garment hanger according to any one of Claims 1 to 10 in which the limited portion of the edge of the opening is less than 20% of the length of the opening.

12. A garment hanger according to any one of Claims 6 to 11 in which the portion of the second rectangular frame subjected to torsion has a depth from frame edge to opening edge which is at a maximum at the point of engagement with the locking member and which is at the minimum at the ends of the side of the frame.

13. A garment hanger according to any one of Claims 1 to 12 in which the two plate members are joined by a strap member.

14. A garment hanger according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 in which the strap member constitutes a hinge for the two plate members.

15. A garment hanger according to Claim 14 wherein the plate members are rectangular frames, the locking member is on the edge adjacent the arm of the hanger and the hinge is on the inward edge of the frame relative to the end of the arm.

16. A clothes hanger substantially as hereinbefore described in the drawings.