GB2266659A - A hanger - Google Patents

Abstract

A hanger (1) comprising hanging means (2) for hanging a garment and mounting means (27) connected to the hanging means (2) for mounting the hanger (1) wherein the hanger (1) has integral suspending means (28) for suspending a second hanger or a series of hangers from the hanger (1). <IMAGE>

Description

A HANGER This invention relates to a hanger, more particularly a garment hanger.

Hangers are used to suspend garments from rails, hooks and the like and are used both commercially, e.g. in shops and stores, and domestically. In use, the hangers are generally suspended side by side from a rail. The rail is usually positioned at a convenient level above the ground so that the garments can be viewed. However, where the garments are short or small e.g. football shorts or children's garments, the space between the garments suspended on the hanger and the floor is not utilized to maximum effect for storage.

In order to exploit the space between the rail and the floor hangers have been suspended one from the other so that a series of hangers carrying garments can extend between the rail and the floor.

To facilitate the formation of this series of hangers a removable plastics collar is placed around the neck of each hanger from which another hanger can be suspended.

However, the use of removable plastics collars on hangers is inconvenient due to the fact that the collars can become lost and the extra manufacturing materials required to manufacture the collars.

A further disadvantage associated with the use of collars is that the hook of a hanger suspended from the collar must be oriented in a plane perpendicular to the plane defined by the first hanger which can cause creasing and stretching of a garment hanging on the first hanger and which is furthermore aesthetically unappealing.

An object of the invention is to provide a hanger having integral means so that a second hanger may be hung from the first hanger.

According to the invention there is provided a hanger comprising 1) hanging means for hanging a garment and 2) mounting means connected to the hanging means for mounting the hanger wherein the hanger has integral suspending means for suspending a second hanger from the hanger.

Preferably, the mounting means and the suspending means are provided on a neck formed on the hanging means.

More preferably, the suspending means comprises a protrusion oriented in a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to the neck and the mounting means comprises a hook mountable on the protrusion such that the second hanger can be suspended from the first hanger in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the first hanger.

Suitably, the protrusion defines a slot and the hook is insertable in the slot and the protrusion defines an opening at its base, the protrusion of the second hanger being insertable in the opening such that the second hanger can be stacked against the first hanger.

Preferably, the hanging means comprises a substantially horizontal arm, the arm having supporting means at each end for supporting a garment.

More preferably, the supporting means comprises a serrated edge to increase friction between the garment and the hanger and a hook attachable to the garment.

The invention will now be described having regard to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partially cut away front view of three hangers of the invention suspended one from the other; Figure 2 is a cross-section along the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged partial longitudinal cross-section through three hangers of the invention in an unstacked position, and Figure 4 is an enlarged partial longitudinal cross-section through three hangers of the invention in a stacked position.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a hanger 1 of the invention is made up of a body portion having a horizontal arm 2 formed with shoulders 3, 4 at each end respectively. The body portion 2 has a front face 5, a rear face 6, a top edge 7, a bottom edge 8 and two side edges 9, 10 on the shoulders 3, 4 respectively. The edges 7, 8, 9 and 10 are thickened to form a flange 32 around the body portion so that the front face 5 and the rear face 6 are recessed from the edges. The flange 32 strengthens the hanger 1 and provides resistance to bending. This is more clearly illustrated in Figures 2 to 4.

The shoulders 3, 4 are positioned at the end of sloped portions 11, 12 of the arm 2. The upwardly sloped portions 11, 12 are oriented upwards from the horizontal plane defined by the arm 2. The shoulders 3, 4 are made up of downwardly projecting holding portions 13, 14 which are pointed downwards from the horizontal plane defined by the arm 2.

The side edges 9, 10 are located on the holding portions 13, 14. The flange 32 at the side edges 9, 10 is serrated to provide gripping teeth 15 for holding items suspended from the hanger 1. The side edges 9, 10 are also each provided with a downwardly projecting hook 16 for use in holding items suspended from the hanger 1 in place. The hooks 16 can be used to suspend garments having loops by attaching the loops over the hooks 16.

The arm 2 of the hanger 1 has a neck 17 on its upper surface positioned at the centre point intermediate the shoulders 3, 4.

The neck 17 is made up of a base portion 18 having a front face 19 and a rear face 20. The base portion 18 is almost frusto-conical in shape and has thickened side flanges 32, 33 for increased strength and a mounting head 21. Between the base portion 18 and the mounting head 21, the neck 17 is formed into an oval plaque portion 22. The plaque portion 22 is oriented so that it is coplanar with the arm 2. The plaque portion 22 has a front face 23 and a rear face 24 and is surrounded by a thickened flange 25. Identification labels can be placed on the front face 23 or rear face 24 to identify the nature of the garments suspended from the hanger 1.

The mounting head 21 contains an opening 26 along its longitudinal axis in which a hanger hook 27 is inserted. The hanger hook 27 is used to suspend the hanger 1 from a rail or other suitable member.

The front face 19 of the base portion 18 is formed with a protrusion 28 which protrudes from the front face 19. The protrusion 28 is frusto-conical in shape and the sidewall of the protrusion 28 defines two oppositely disposed openings 29, 30 through which a hanger hook 27 may be passed so that the protrusion 28 can support the hanger. Therefore, as shown is Figure 1, a series of hangers 1 can be suspended one from the other by inserting the hanger hooks 27 of each hanger through the openings 29, 30 of the protrusion 28 of the preceding hanger 1.

The manner in which the hangers are suspended one from the other is more clearly illustrated in Figure 2 which also clearly illustrates the flange 32 of the hanger 1 of the invention as compared with the recessed portion of the hanger 1 at the rear face 5 and front face 6.

The hanger hook 27 of each hanger 1 is inserted through the openings 29, 30 of the protrusion 28 of the preceding hanger in series.

Figures 3 and 4 show enlarged partial longitudinal cross-sections through three hangers of the invention in unstacked and stacked positions respectively. As shown in Figure 4, the protrusion 28 projects from the front face 19 of the base portion 18 of the neck 17 so that a hole 31 is defined by the protrusion 28 at the rear face 20.

As shown in Figure 3, when two or more hangers of the invention are stacked such that the protrusion 28 of each hanger is oriented in the same direction, each protrusion 28 can protrude into the opening 31 defined by the protrusion 28 of the preceding hanger so that the hangers may be stacked edge to edge. Furthermore, the hangers 1 can be suspended one from the other with the hooks 27 of each hanger lying parallel to the plane defined by the hangers so that garments hanging on the hangers 1 are not distorted or put out of shape by the hooks 27. Accordingly, the hangers of the invention can be stored in a space saving manner.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention a second hanger is suspended from a small outwardly projecting hook on the first hanger instead of a protrusion with an opening. Alternatively, the second hanger is suspended from a protrusion having a notch in which the hook of the second hanger is inserted.

Claims (8)

1. A hanger comprising: 1) hanging means for hanging a garment and 2) mounting means connected to the hanging means for mounting the hanger wherein the hanger has integral suspending means for suspending a second hanger from the hanger.

2. A hanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting means and the suspending means are provided on a neck formed on the hanging means.

3. A hanger as claimed in claim 2 wherein the suspending means comprises a protrusion oriented in a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to the neck and the mounting means comprises a hook mountable on the protrusion such that the second hanger can be suspended from the first hanger in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the first hanger.

4. A hanger as claimed in claim 3 wherein the protrusion defines a slot and the hook is insertable in the slot.

5. A hanger as claimed in claim 4 wherein the protrusion defines an opening at its base, the protrusion of the second hanger being insertable in the opening such that the second hanger can be stacked against the first hanger.

6. A hanger as claimed in claim 5 wherein the hanging means comprises a substantially horizontal arm, the arm having supporting means at each end for supporting a garment.

7. A hanger as claimed in claim 6 wherein the supporting means comprises a serrated edge to increase friction between the garment and the hanger and a garment hook attachable to the garment.

8. A hanger substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.