GB2277757A - A clothes stall - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothes stall incorporating changing facilities comprises a skeletal framework (3 - 6) surrounding a changing enclosure (40) and having horizontal clothes supporting rails connecting adjacent vertical frame parts. The changing enclosure has walls supported by said framework, and positioned internally of said horizontal rails, and there are access means in the framework for gaining access to, or exiting from, the changing enclosure. The walls are movable to enable entry into, or, exit from, the changing enclosure via the access means. Clothes hangers are removably supported on said horizontal rails to carry articles of clothing outwardly of the walls of said changing enclosure. <IMAGE>

Description

A Clothes Stall This invention relates to a clothes stall, e.g. a market clothes stall, incorporating changing facilities for customers to try on articles of clothing on sale from the stall.

Conventionally one form of market clothes stall comprises a counter on which articles of clothing are displayed with the stall holder positioned behind the counter and customers looking at and inspecting the articles of clothing from the other side of the stall. Such known stall may be provided with a protective roof covering.

Another known type of market clothes stall comprises clothing racks having articles of clothing supported therefrom with the aid of clothes hangers. Normally the clothing racks are arranged to provide the walls of a large enclosure with an opening in the enclosure for customers to enter and leave. The enclosure may be covered and is like the interior of a shop with customers entering the enclosure to view and purchase the displayed articles of clothing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a clothes stall incorporating changing facilities for customers of the stall.

According to the present invention a clothes stall incorporating changing facilities comprises a skeletal framework surrounding a changing enclosure and having horizontally spaced apart vertical frame parts and horizontal clothes supporting first rails connecting adjacent pairs of said vertical frame parts, wall means, defining walls of the changing enclosure, supported by said framework, and positioned internally of said first rails, and access means in the framework for gaining access to, or exiting from, the changing enclosure, the wall means being movable to enable entry into, or exit from, the changing enclosure via the access means, clothes hangers removably supported on said horizontal first rails being intended to carry articles of clothing outwardly of the walls of said changing enclosure.

A clothes stall according to the invention provides a compact stall having changing facilities for users to try on clothes on display at the stall. The framework is preferably intended to be easily assembled and disassembled so that the clothes stall can be easily assembled. and disassembled at its desired location, e.g. at shopping centres, railway stations, airports, department stores, market locaticns or any other convenient area intended for selling or displaying articles of clothing.

The clothes stall may be of any convenient shape, e.g. square, rectangular, polygonal or even circular.

Preferably, the skeletal framework supports a roof which is intended to cover the changing enclosure. The roof is preferably also intended to extend outwardly of the changing enclosure to cover any articles of clothing supported on the horizontal first rails. Conveniently, the roof comprises a skeletal roof framework supporting sheet covering means, e.g. heavy duty flexible covering material such as polyethylene material. Alternatively, however, the roof may be formed of a plurality of roof segments fixed to a central point. For example each roof segment may comprise a framework, e.g. of aluminium, having plastics sheeting, preferably fire-proof sheeting, stretched thereover.

The access means may merely comprise an opening in the framework of sufficient size to enable a person to gain access to, or to leave from, the changing enclosure.

Preferably, however, the access means is moveable into and out of a closed position blocking easy access to or from the changing enclosure. In this case, the access means may comprise a movable horizontal rail, e.g. one of said horizontal first rails, of the framework. Alternatively, however, the access means may comprise a door hinged about a vertical axis for movement into and out of its closed position. If the access means is moveable from a closed position, the wall means is conveniently positioned behind the access means.

Preferably the wall means comprises flexible sheet material, e.g. plastics sheet material or fabric material, which is preferably not transparent. In this case, the flexible sheet material may be provided with a vertical slit therein behind the access means to enable a user to pass therethrough by parting the adjacent. vertical edges on either side of the vertical slit. Alterativel the wall of the chaninging enclosure behind the access means may comprise two overlapping layers of sheet material which can be drawn apart or adjacent sheet materials, defining a corner of the changing enclosure behind the access means, which can be easily parted. It is not essential for the wall means to extend fully around the changing enclosure.

For example, access means may comprise an opening in the framework with a curtain, door or the like in the opening.

In this case, there would be no need for the wall means to extend behind the curtain door or the like in the access opening.

The framework may suitably support clothes supporting second rails, preferably easily detachable from the framework, extending horizontally outwardly away from the changing enclosure. Additionally or alternatively, the roof, if provided, may have horizontal supporting rails positioned outwardly of and above the said first rails and which can act as clothes supporting rails.

Suitably the clothes stall is provided with security boards which can be fixed around the framework to prevent access to clothing supported on the framework.

Conveniently the skeletal framework has top first rails connecting the top ends of each adjacent pair of vertical frame parts, and intermediate first rails connected between the top and bottom ends of adjacent pairs of the vertical frame parts. In the case where the access means comprises a hinged door, the latter may be hinged to one of said vertical frame parts and fill the space between that vertical frame part and an adjacent vertical frame part. In this case, there will be no intermediate first rail connected between the two vertical frame parts in which the door is positioned when in its closed position, but the hinged door may conveniently be provided with an "intermediate rail extending between its vertical sides.

The height of each intermediate first rail and of the intermediate door rail, if provided, may be adjusted depending on the type, e.g. drop length, of clothing to be supported therefrom.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a roof framework and a base framework of one embodiment of a clothes stall according to the invention, the roof framework being shown detached from the base framework; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the base framework shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic plan of the base framework shown in Figure 1 with a hinged door of the base framework in a partly open condition; Figure 4 is a schematic plan of the roof framework shown in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a plan of another embodiment of a clothes stall according to the invention.

Figures 1-4 show a skeletal base framework 1 (Figures 1-3) and a skeletal roof framework 2 (Figures 1 and 4) which are connectible together to form a framework for a clothes stall. Each of the frameworks 1 and 2 is preferably designed to be readily assembled and disassembled so that the clothes stall can be easily erected and dismantled.

The base framework 2 has four upright corner posts 36. The upper ends of the corner posts 3-6 are connected together by four horizontal upper rails 7-10 and the lower ends of the corner posts 3-6 are connected together by four horizontal lower rails 11-14. Horizontal intermediate rails 15-17 are positioned between the upper and lower rails of three of the four sides of the framework. Opposite ends of the rails 7-17 are conveniently detachably received in horizontal sockets (not shown) carried on the corner posts 3-6 and any suitable fixing means (not shown) may be provided for detachably securing the rail ends within these corner post sockets. Alternatively the rails ends may make a push fit connection with the corner post sockets.The top and bottom corner post sockets are fixed on the corner posts, but conveniently the corner post sockets for receiving opposite ends of the rails intermediate 15-17 and adjustably mounted on the corner posts 3-6 to enable adjustment of the vertical height of the horizontal intermediate rails 15-17. In Figure 2, the intermediate rail 15 is shown positioned at a greater vertical height than the intermediate rails 16 and 17.

A gate, generally designated 18 in Figure 2, is hinged at 19 and 20 to the corner post 6. The gate has vertical side rails 21 and 22 connected together by upper and lower rails 23 and 24 and an intermediate rail 25, the height of which is optionally adjustable. A catch (not shown) may be provided for securing the gate 18 in a closed position (as shown in Figure 2).

Rigid right angular pieces 30 are detachably secured to pairs of top rails in each top corner of the framework 1.

Similar right angular pieces 31 are also detachably secured to pairs of bottom rails in each bottom corner of the framework. Thus eight angular pieces 30 and 31 are provided which are attached to the vertical corner posts in any convenient manner. Typically, for example, the opposite ends of each angular piece 3 or 31 are each provided with a part circular cross-section clamping cart which fits over the circular section top or bottom rail and a screw member which releasably clamps the clamping part to the top or bottom rail.

Within the base framework 1, there is provided a changing enclosure, generally designated 40, having side walls 41-44 depicted schematically by chain lines in Figures 1 to 3. The side walls 41-44 may be of any convenient form, but are preferably made of flexible sheet material, such as a plastics or fabric sheet material, which is preferably opaque so as to act as a visual screen preventing any person inside the enclosure 40 being viewed through the side walls. The side walls 41-fl4 are releasably attached to the angular pieces 31 by suitable means, e.g. clips (not shown), positioned a distance X (see Figure 3) inside the top and bottom rails.

The roof framework 2 is designed to be detachably fixed to the base framework 1 and comprises four angular bars 50-53 releasably connected at their centres to a centre connector 54 and having their outer ends releasably connected by outer bars 55-58 by means of four edge connectors 59. The centre connector 54 suitably has four sockets in a generally crucifix-arrangement within which the inner ends of the angular bars 50-53 are received, each socket having a screw device for releasably clamping its associated bar end therein. Each of the edge connectors 59 conveniently has three sockets arranged to receive two adjacent outer bar ends and the outer end of the associated angular bar. The sockets of each edge connector 59 may also conveniently have screw devices for releasably clamping the bar ends therein.

The roof framework 2 has four downwardly extending vertical bars 60 rigidly fixed at 61 between the ends of the four angular bars 50-53. The lower ends of the bars 60 are received in upwardly open vertical sockets 62 fixed at the upper ends of the corner posts 3-6.

A flexible covering 70, schematically shown in chain lines in Figure 1, is positioned over the roof framework 2 so as to extend over the base framework 1 including the changing enclosure 40. In Figure 1 the framework 2 is shown detached from the framework 1, but in use the lower ends of the vertical bars 60 will of course be received in the sockets 62.

The roof can be in the form of an umbrella. In this embodiment the roof is supported by a central post. A plurality of ribs are pivotally mounted on the post and are movable between a first extended position and a second contracted position. A sheet material skin is carried by the ribs. In its contracted state the roof is compact but it may readily be extended.

In use clothes (not shown) are carried on clothes hangers 72 which are supported on the top rails 7, 8 and 10, the intermediate rails 15-17 and the gate rails 23 and 25.

In Figure 3 the clothes hangers 72 are shown schematically as short dashed lines and are only shown on the top rail 10 and part of the top rail 7 although in practice clothes hangers 72 will be removably carried on all of the top rails 7, 8 and 10, the intermediate rails 15-17 and the gate rails 23 and 25. As previously mentioned the height of the intermediate rails 15-17 and 25 can be adjusted depending on what size of clothes are to be supported therefrom.

Users are able to view clothes supported from the hangers 72 by walking around the base framework 1. If a user wishes to try on an article of clothing, the clothes hanger 72 carrying the article of clothing is removed from its supporting rail, the gate 18 is swung open, the user enters into the changing enclosure 40 and the gate 18 is swung closed. The side walls 41-44 and the clothes on the hangers 72 which surround the enclosure 42 act as an effective screen to prevent the user being seen from outside the clothes stall. Entry into, and exit out of, the enclosure 40 can be facilitated by having a vertical slit in the side wall 41 immediately behind the gate 18. Alternatively adjacent vertical edges of side walls 41 and 44 may merely be drawn apart.

Additional clothing may be carried on hangers 74 supported from detachable extension bars 80 extending from the framework 1 or even from the outer bars 55-58 of the framework 2. -In Figures 2 and 3 a single extension bar 80 is shown in dashed lines, but other extension bars (not shown) may be provided, e.g. at other corners of the framework 1. The extension bar 80 is conveniently detachably received in a horizontal socket (not shown) fixed on the vertical post 3. Additionally clothing may be hung and displayed on "vines" (not shown) of fabric or other flexible material supported from the roof.

The clothes stall is preferably designed so as to be easily erected and dismantled. and the frameworks 1 and 2 are thus preferably made of rigid elements, such as steel bars, tubes or rails, which can be easily connected together and subsequently dismantled. This enables the clothes stall to be quickly erected and dismantled on side, e.g. at a market location, at exhibitions or any other indoor or outdoor location. Although not sown, an advertising turret, chimney pot or the like bearing a company logo may be supported in a central position on the top part of the roof structure. The roof may have a frill or pelmet bearing advertising or be suitably decorated.

Another embodiment of a clothes stall according to the invention is designated by the reference numeral 100 in Figure 5. The clothes stall 100 has a roof 101 formed of roof segments 102 and a central advertising "chimney" 103.

In particular it will be appreciated that the clothes stall 100 is substantially circular in a horizontal plane. The clothes stall 100 has a circular section base framework 104 (shown in dashed lines) having spaced apart vertical posts 105 joined by arcuate rails 106 (also shown in dashed lines).

Security boards 107 (shown in dashed lines) may be removably fixed around the periphery of the clothes stall 100 so that the clothes stall can be left for a period of time, e.g. during a lunch break or overnight , in a secure condition with the security boards surrounding clothing supported from the base framework 104. As shown, radially extending base extensions 108 are fixed to the bottom of the framework 104 and receive the bases of rigid uprights 109.

The upper ends of the rigid uprights 109 are detachably fixed to plates or the like on the roof 101. The uprights 109 may suitably be releasably secured in position by one or more padlocks (not shown). The rigid securing boards 107 are fixed to or around the uprights 109 so as to provide a security cordon around the clothes stall 100. The security boards 104 may be secured together by means of a chain (not shown) which links the boards together. Six security boards are shown in Figure 5 and these may be hinged together in two clusters of three security boards each cluster.

Modifications may be made to the clothes stall described above. Although four sided and circular clothes stall have been described, it will be appreciated that the clothes stall and/or the changing enclosure, may be of any other convenient shape., e.g. of other polygonal shape.

Although the roof of the clothes stall is not essential, it is preferable for a roof of some sort to be provided to protect clothing carried on the stall from the elements when the stall is erected outside; to prevent people observing the changing enclosure from above; and to provide a relatively tall stall which is easily visible from a distance.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A clothes stall incorporating changing facilities comprising a skeletal framework surrounding a changing enclosure and having horizontally spaced apart vertical frame parts and horizontal clothes supporting first rails connecting adjacent pairs of said vertical frame parts, wall means, defining walls of the changing enclosure, supported by said framework, and positioned internally of said first rails, and access means in the framework for gaining access to, or exiting from, the changing enclosure, the wall means being movable to enable entry into, or exit from, the changing enclosure via the access means, clothes hangers removably supported on said horizontal first rails being intended to carry articles of clothing outwardly of the walls of said changing enclosure.

2. A stall as claimed in claim 1 provided with a roof.

3. A stall as claimed in claim 2 wherein the roof extends outwardly of the changing enclosure.

4. A stall as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the roof is collapsible and comprises a plurality of flexible roof segments carried by ribs supported by a central shaft.

5. A stall as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the access means comprises a door hinged about a vertical axis and wherein the wall means is positioned behind the access means.

kl A stall as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the skeletal framework has top first rails connecting the top ends of each adjacent pair of vertical frame parts and intermediate first rails connected between the top and bottom ends of adjacent pairs of vertical frame parts.

7. A clothes stall substantially as described herein.