US2185688A - Garment bag - Google Patents

Description

J. D. HARGIS I Jan. 2, 1940.

GARMENT BAG Filed Aug. 9, 1938 Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT BAG Jane D. Bargis, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 9, 1938, Serial No. 223,930"

\ 2 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to bags for maintaining hanger supported garments in a clean or dust-proof condition. More particularly the invention relates to that type of garment bag which is adapted to be hung from'a horizontal rod in a closet or like storage space and comprises a rectangular fiber-board top, a rectangular fiber-board bottom, and a front, a back and sides of thin impervious transparent material such as Pliofllm"or Cellophane and also comprises beneath the margins of the top a rectangular wire frame having a centrally disposed cross-piece which is bent up and down to form a horizontal series of U-shaped loops for receiving the hooks of the garment hangers.

In a bag of this type it has heretofore been customary to employ a single externally disposed hook which is pivotally connected to, and extends upwardly from, the central portion of the cross-piece and is adapted to be placed in hooked relation with the closet rod in order to support the bag in a hanging manner. In practice it has been found that a garment bag having a single hook is objectionable for several reasons. In the first place when the bag is completely filled with garments the weight of the garments near the front and back causes the ends of the cross piece to bend downwardly to such an extent that they distort the central portion of the frame so that it does not properly support the fiber-board top and the latter, as a result sags and in some instances cracks. Secondly, when garments are suspended or supported from one and only of the loop forming cross-piece the frame and top are caused to be tilted downwardly and as a result the front, back and sides are subjected to such buckling adjacent to the top that they sometimes crack and thus end or materially decrease the life of the bag.

One object of the invention is to provide a garment bag which is an improvement upon, and eliminatesthe objectionable features of, the single hook type of bag. In general the improved bag comprises a pair of hooks which are pivotally connected to, and extend upwardly from, the ends of the cross-piece and serve when in hooked relation with a ,closet rod effectively and emcientlyto prevent distortion of the frame when the bag is filled; with..garments and in addition prevents or precludes any tilting of the frame and top and resultant cracking or buckling of the front, back and, sides of the bag when garments are hung from one end of the loop equipped cross-piece only.

Another object of the invention isto provide advantages and characteristics of the present garment bag will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals ofreference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a garment hanger embodying the invention in suspended relation with respect to a horizontally extending closet rod;

Figure 2 is an inverted horizontal sectional view showing the construction, design and arrangement of the wire formed frame which underlies the margins of, and. serves to support against bending, the top of the bag;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view of the top portion of the bag; and

Figure 4 is a perspective of one of the rubberwashers which serve to plug or close the eyelets against the passage of dust therethrough.

The bag which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is adapted to be hung or suspended from a horizontally extending rod R in a closet v or like storage space and serves as a container A or receptacle for housing garments on hangers H and to maintain the garments in a clean or dust-proof condition. As the main parts thereof, the bag comprises a rectangular top 5, a rectangular bottom 6, a front I, a back 8, a pair of sides 9, a frame 10, and a pair of hooks II. The top- 5 is formed of fiber-board or like material and is supported from the rod R by the frame Ill and the hooks II, as hereinafter described. It is flat, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and is preferably faced with sheets i2 of Pliofilm? or like thin impervious transparent material.

The bottom 6 is the same in size as the top 5 and is likewise formed of fiber-board. It is faced with Pliofilm or like material and is adapted to close the bottom of the garment compartment within the bag. The front, back and sides are formed of Pliofilm or like material and are suitably joined or connected at their upper margins to the margins of the top 5. The bottom margins of the front, back and sides are suitably secured to the margins of the bottom 6. The side margins of the front I are connected by way of seams l3 to the front margins of the sides 9 and the side margins of the back 8 are joined by seams l4 to'the rear margins of the sides. One of the sides is provided with a vertically extending centrally disposed full length slit I5 which permits access to be had to the interior of the bag. A hookless or zipper-type fastener I6 is applied to, and serves to close, the slit. When the fastener I6 is open the garments may be inserted into or removed from the bag interior.

The frame I0 is rectangular, as shown in Figure 2, and is slightly smaller than the top 5. It

underlies the margins of the top and fits within and abuts against the upper margins of the front, back and sides of the bag. The frame is preferably formed of wire and consists of a pair of side pieces H, a pair of end pieces 3, and a cross-piece I9. The end pieces l8 of the frame extend between and are connected by integral bends to the ends of the side pieces and serve to hold the side pieces in laterally spaced relation. The cross-piece I9 is formed separately from, and is centrally disposed with respect to, the side pieces. It is formed of wire of the same gauge as the side and end pieces of the frame and has the central portion thereof bent up and down, as shown in Figure 3, to formv a plurality of U-shaped loops 20. The latter are adapted to receive and hold in laterally spaced relation the hooks of the garment hangers H. The upper portions ,of the loops abut against the central portion of the top 5 of the bag and serve to hold such portion against sagging. The ends of the cross-piece l9 are bent upwardly and then downwardly to form a pair ofupwardly extending inverted U-shaped loops 2|. These loops project upwardly through a pair of eyelets 22 in the top 5 and serve as anchoring means for the hooks II. The eyelets extend through holes 23 in said top and are disposed a slight distance inwardly of the central portions of the side pieces ll of the frame Ill. The hooks II are formed of wire and have the lower ends thereof bent around the upper ends of the loops 2| so that they are pivotally connected to the-loops and extend lengthwise of the side pieces of the frame. They are adapted to be hooked onto the closet rod R, as shown in Figure 1, and serve when in hooked relation with the rod to suspend the bag in an upstanding position. The extremities of the crosspiece l9 extend outwardly from the inverted U- shaped loops 2| and are bent around the central portions of the side pieces I! so that the crosspiece is fixedly secured in place with respect to the frame. The central portions of the side pieces IT, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, are bent or struck downwardly to form depressions 24 for the ends of the cross-piece I 9. These depressions serve to space the bent extremities of the cross-piece from the superincumbent or superjacent marginal portions of the top so that they do not bear against or distort in any way such top portions. By employing two hooks II and having them located at the ends of the crosspiece l9 instead of at the central portion of the latter, the frame and top are effectively held against tilting when garments are hung from one end of the cross-piece only. By preventing tilting of the top when the bag is in suspended relation with respect to the cross-rod R, there can be no buckling or cracking of the front, back and sides of the bag and the life of the bag as a whole is thus materially prolonged. Another advantage of employing. two hooks at the ends of the cross-piece [9 instead of a single hook at the middle or central portion of such piece is that the weight of the garments when the bag is full cannot distort the frame I 0 and the latter efficiently supports the top and hold the same fiat. By preventing any bending of the top, cracking of the top is avoided as well as buckling and resultant cracking of the front, back and sides of the bag. Should heavy garments be suspended from the central portion of the cross-piece any downward deflection of the cross-piece will" not affect or distort the side pieces of the frame because the latter are at all times maintained in their proper position by the supporting action of the two hooks ll. Y

In order to seal or plug the eyelets 22 against the passage of dust therethrough into the interior of the bag two washers 25 are provided. These washers are formed of rubber or any other like suita-ble elastic material and are mounted on the central portions of the inverted U-shaped are dished or cup-shaped, as shown in Figure 4, and have slits 26 in the central portions thereof for accommodating the loops. The slits terminate 1 in round end holes 21 which are the same in size as, and receive the side pieces of, the loops 2| of the loops 2|, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. By having the washers downwardly dished or cup-shaped the eyelets are effectively sealed. When the washers are in place the bent lower ends of the hooks ll overlie the washers and assist in holding the latter in sealed relation with the eyelets.

To install the bag it is only necessary to hook" the hooks ll around the closet rod. When the hooks are in place the bag, as hereinbefore described, is supported in an upstanding position and the cross-piece IQ of the frame is main tained horizontally. When it is desired to use the bag, the fastener I6 is opened and garments on hangers are inserted into the bag and the hangers hooked onto the U-shaped loops 20.

There hereinbefore described bag may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and is both practical and durable because of the double hook arrangement which serves to prevent transverse tilting of the top 5.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters loops 2| at the ends of the cross-piece l9. They rod and comprising a substantially rectangular flat top with holes in the central portions of its longitudinal margins, and also comprising a front, back and sides depending from the top and formed of thin flexible material, a rectangular frame underlying the margins of the top and embodying a centrally disposed wire-formed cross-piece having the central portion thereof bent up and down to form a series of U-shaped 10 loops positioned adjacent to the under face of the top and adapted to receive the hooks of garment hangers, and also having its end extremities connected to the central portions of the side pieces of the frame and the portions thereof immediate- 15 ly inwards'of said end extremities bent to form inverted loops projecting upwardly above the first mentioned loops and through the holes respectively, and a pair of laterally spaced hooks connected pivotally to,the inverted loops above 20 the top and adapted to be hooked onto the rod.-

2, As a new article of manufacture, a garment bag adapted to be suspended from a horizontal rod and comprising a substantially rectangular flat top with holes in the central portions of its 25 longitudinal margins, and also comprising a and down to form a series of U-shaped loops positioned adjacent to the under face of the top and adapted to receive the hooks of garment hangers, and also having its end extremities connected to the central portions of the side pieces 10 of the frame and the portions thereof immediately inwards of said end extremities bent to form inverted loops projecting upwardly above the first mentioned loops and through the holes respectively, a pair of laterally spaced hooks connect- 15 ed pivotally to the inverted loops above the top and adapted to be hooked onto the rod, and thin. centrally slitted, hole engaging and sealing washers of elastic materal mounted on the portions 20 of the inverted loops which project upwardly beyond the holes and having apertures at the ends of the slits for receiving the side portions of said inverted loops.

JANE D. HARGIS. 26

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