US2303678A - Garment supporting and carrying device - Google Patents

Description

. 1, 1942. w. a. BRACKEN arm.

GARMENT SUPPORTING AND QKRRYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1 940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "min minim-1 m. mull-c I INVENTORS. W4 1i: Max/1:41.

701V 1 D403 BY 5 Z l, 1942'. w. H. BRACKEN ET AL GARMENT SUPPORTI NG AND CARRYING' DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sfxeeb- 2 Patented Dec. 1, 1942 GARMENT SUPPORTING AND CARRYING DEVICE Wallace H. Bracken, Rye, and Milton W. Daub, Great Neck, N. Y.

Application November 20, 1940, Serial No. 366,452

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in garment supporting devices which may be inserted within suitcases, wardrobe cases, or other traveling bags, or which may be used for supporting and storing garments while hanging within a closet or otherwise.

Wardrobe cases of varying sizes have to a considerable extent supplanted the old-fashioned type of suitcase among discriminating travelers, for the very apparent reason that mens coats, trousers, ladies dresses, gowns, etc., when laid one upon the other in a traveling bag, become wrinkled and require pressing in every instance before they can be worn again. No wardrobe has been heretofore devised, however, which will permit the supporting of clothes, both mens and womens, in such a manner as to completely remove the possibility of wrinkling and creasing the garments.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a garment supporting device or hanger structure for body garments, the hanger for mens clothing being only a slight modification of the hanger for womens clothing, which hanger will permit such garments to be supported either within or without a traveling bag or wardrobe case, with the same freedom from distortion, wrinkling, and the like as though such garments were supported on a conventional hanger in a conventional wardrobe closet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved hanger structure for ladies dresses, coats and gowns wherein a plurality of removable hangers of novel construction are supported in a generally rectangular frame in superimposed, stepped relationship, whereby the garments may be quickly and easily placed upon the hangers and the hangersv mounted on the appropriate supports and locked in place. The lower terminal portions of the garments are then wrapped about the structure and the latter may then be placed, preferably in a vertical position, within the traveling bag. The supporting means for the several hangers is so arranged that any one thereof may be removed from or re-inserted upon the support without interference from the other hangers.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved hanger structure for ladies dresses wherein dresses and gowns of any length may be packed with complete freedom from wrinkling or distortion. Another novel feature of the present invention resides in the fact that either horizontal rail may be positioned upwardly in the wardrobe case, it being only necessary to wrap the garment around the rectangular frame until no portion extends below one of the horizontal rails, and the horizontal rail which is now in an upper position may occupy such position when the structure is placed within the wardrobe case.

A' further object of the invention is the provision of a generally rectangular hanger structure of the character described which, when the articles of clothing are placed thereon, will occupy a minimum amount of space laterally within the wardrobe case, and accordingly a plurality of such structures supporting a goodly number of mens and womens garments may be carried within a single bag of relatively small dimansions.

It will accordingly be apparent that another important object of the invention is the provision of a garment supporting structure for ladies and mens garments which will, in effect, permit any type of suitcase to be converted without any special attachments or change therein into a wardrobe case, since no mechanism is required for supporting or otherwise receiving the structures in theinterior of the suitcase or other bag.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a hanger structure for a mans suit wherein the coat is hung from the upper portion of the generally rectangular supporting device, the lower portion of such coat being adapted to be folded around the lower rail thereof, the device then being inverted, whereby the coat is supported in substantially its middle portion around 35 the new upper rail of the supporting device, and the trousers and. vest likewise placed over such upper rail. The hanger structure permits the several garments constituting the suit to thus be hung in such a way as to avoid any creasing or undesired wrinkling of the suit, and particularly the front and arm sections of the coat. When the hanger structure is supported within a closet, the trousers and vest may be supported upon the lower rail with the front of'the coat positioned immediately to the rear thereof. Thus, the user may remove the garments therefrom in the natural sequence in which he places such garments upon his person.

The present improved hanger structure is shown in connection with a special type of wardrobe case of a generally flexible character adapted to carry a plurality of both the mens and womens garment supporting devices, although it will be appreciated that the devices constituting 55; the present invention may be used in connection the provision of a compact garment supporting structure which is light in weight, rigid in construction, and which may have a variety of uses, both in connection with, and apart from, any type of suitcase or the like, and if desired the structure with the garment placed thereon and wrapped thereabouts may be stored in a drawer, or wrapped in paper, or in a conventional cardboard box for carrying, or otherwise.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken front elevation of the preferred form of a ladys garment supporting device constituting the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken front elevation of the hanger supporting structure.

Fig. 3 is a broken vertical section taken on line 33 of Fi 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with a plurality of dresses supported thereon prior to the folding of such dresses around the hanger structure.

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 but shows the position of the dresses after the hanger structure has been inverted and the dresses are partially folded around the device.

Fig. 6 shows the final position of the dresses upon the device before the same is to be inserted within the traveling or other wardrobe bag.

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of the hanger for men's clothing.

Fig. 8 is a broken perspective view of one corner section thereof.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the men's garment supporting device with a mans coat in place thereon before the same has been folded around the lower rail of the structure.

Fig. 10 is similar to Fig. 9 but shows the lower coat section folded upwardly over the front portion of the garment.

Fig. 11 shows the hanger structure in its final inverted position with the trousers and vest supr ported along the now upper rail thereof.

Fig. 1.2 shows the hanger structure for mens garments as the same is being inserted into one form of wardrobe or traveling case in connection with which the present invention may be used.

The womans garment supporting structure comprises a generally rectangular frame It formed with an upper horizontal rail H, a lower horizontal rail l2, and opposed vertical rails l3.

Horizontal rails II and I2 are desirably formed 3,

from thin plywood strips, and the vertical rails l3 are preferably formed from relatively thin, elongated metal strips which are rectangular in transverse section. Adjacent to each end of the vertical rails a substantially rectangular ferrule or socket I5 is secured by welding or otherwise, such ferrule being preferably stamped from flat sheet metal and receiving the terminal portion of each upper and lower horizontal rail therein, such terminal portion being secured by means of atop,

rivet or screw IS.

Each vertical rail has an outwardly curved extension portion I1 extending above and below the upper and lower horizontal rails I! and 12, re-

spectively, such curved extension forming a foot or support extending beyond the horizontal rail and preventing the garment from slipping off the side of the generally rectangular garment supporting structure. This outwardly curved extension portion or foot extends sufiiciently below the lower rail to prevent the structure from resting on the garments passing below this lower edge of the rail. In other words, the feet at the opposed lower edges of the structure, whichever edge is down in any given instance, and not the garments themselves, support the weight thereof when the garments are correctly positioned thereon.

Secured substantially midway between the terminals of the upper rail H is a substantially U- shaped supporting element 29 formed from an elongated strip of fiat sheet metal, the upper terminals 2! thereof being secured to such horizontal rail by means of rivets 22 and 23. Rivet 2-1-3 is somewhat longer than rivet 22 and pivotally supports a hook-shaped hanger member 24 which may be used for supporting the entire device prior to insertion within a wardrobe or other carrying case.

The front wall 25 of the U-shaped support is formed with a plurality of spaced apertures 21, 28 and 29. A portion of the material which is punched out to form aperture?! is bent forwardly to form a lower support 30 for one of the removable dress hangers, and an upwardly extending portion 3i acts to prevent such dress hanger from casual removal from the support 30. The dress hanger 3 3 is formed from an elongated strip of wire having a substantially square, U-shaped portion formed midway between its ends. The opposed vertical portions 36 of such U-shaped portion 35 are enclosed by the terminal portions 3! of a fiat strip 38 which is curved at each end portion to encircle such vertical portions 36.

A combined hook and locking member 49, which is desirably formed from flat sheet metal and is adapted to support the hanger when the same is not in position upon the structure ii), is pivotally mounted midway between the ends of flat metal strip 38 by means of a pin 4|. The hook portion is slightly offset from its pivot portion, as shown at 42, in order to permit rotation without interfering with the body portion of such hanger.

Above pin 4!, when viewed in the position shown in Fig. 2, member 40 is formed with a circular portion 43 having a flat portion 44 on one side thereof. When in this position the upper part of portion 43 resides in an aperture or recess 46 (Fig. 3) formed in the horizontal support 30. and it will accordingl be seen that removal of the hanger is thus prevented. When, however, it is desired to remove the hanger from its support, the hook is rotated to a point wherein the flat surface 44 is .more or less parallel with the lower edge of horizontal support 30. at which time the hanger may be removed, and further rotation of the hook to an upright position permits the hanger to be hung on any suitable member withina closet or otherwise.

The opposed terminal portions of hanger 34 are formed with inwardly curved ring portions 50 which permit a skirt or other similar article desi'gnated as 5| to be hung therefrom. Horizontal support 53 for hanger 34' positioned immediately below hanger 34 is formed similar to support 30, except that upwardly extending portion 5:1 associated with the support is placed closer to front wall 26, and accordingly hanger 34', when in the position shown in Fig 3, is positioned further inwardly than is hanger 34. Support 55 for lowermost hanger 34" is so arranged as to cause such hanger to be positioned substantially intermediate between the front and rear Walls of U- shaped support 26,

In use the garment supporting structure I0 is desirably suspended from any suitable support (not shown) by means of hook 24 which will then occupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Hanger 34 may then be removed from support 20 by means of moving the hook 40 to appropriate position, and thereafter moving the hook upwardly to supporting position, after which such hook may be used to suspend the hanger 34 independently of structure It]. A dress may then be placed upon the hanger in the usual manner, and if desired a skirt 5| may be sup-. ported on the terminal ring portions 50 as previously described. The other hangers 34' and 34" are similarly removed and dresses placed thereon, after which the individual hangers carrying the dresses are returned to the garment supporting member ID, the waist portions of the dresses being positioned to the rear of lower rail I2, all as shown in Fig. 4.

Hook 24 is next rotated to a point wherein it is below upper rail I I, at which time the garment supporting member ID is inverted, as shown in Fig. 5, thus leaving the lower portions of the several dresses below the now lower rail I l After the dresses are pulled taut to avoid wrinkling, the frame i is again inverted, as shown in Fig. 6, and rail ll again occupies the uppermost position. The garment supporting member is now ready to be inserted within a wardrobe case or other traveling bag.

The mans garment supporting member, designated as 65, is generally similar to the ladies garment supporting member I6 in that it comprises an upper rail 66, a lower rail 6'! formed preferably of fiat laminated plywood, as shown in Fig. 8, and vertical rails 69 formed of metal. The terminal portions of horizontal rails 66 and 61 are likewise received within sockets or ferrules 10 which are welded or otherwise secured to the inner surfaces of vertical member 69, and are secured within such sockets by means of pins 1 l. Likewise, outwardly curved extension portions 12 at each end of member 69 form feet or supports for the entire structure, depending upon which end of the rectangular frame is positioned downwards. In other words, when the lower end of coat 19 is folded upwardly, as shown in Fig. 10, and the structure inverted, as shown in Fig. 11, the curved extensions 12 lying below the now lower rail 66 form feet for the frame, and the curved extensions adjacent to now upper rail 6! form supports which may be manually grasped by the user for the purpose of inserting the frame structure with the garments wrapped therearound and supported thereon within the wardrobe case 85, and for removing such frame structure from the case without touching or otherwise disturbing the garments. This dual purpose of curved extension '!2 is important, since if it were necessary to touch the garments when the device is being manually transported such garments would get out of position and an undesired crease would result. Upper rail 65 in this instance includes an integrally formed coat supporting portion 13, although if desired this portion may be separately formed and constitute a removable coat supporting member. Hook I is pivotally carried midway between the ends of upper rail 66 by means of a pin 16.

In use the garment supporting structure 65 is suspended from a suitable support (not shown) by means of the upwardly turned hook 15 shown in Fig. 7, and a coat I9 is placed upon hanger portion 13, the front portion of the coat including the sleeves 80 lying to the rear of lower rail 61. In this instance care must be taken to smooth out all portions of the frontof the coat, and particularly the sleeves 80. Structure 65 is now preferably laid on a'fiat surface and the lower portion of the coat carefully placed in superimposed relationship over the upper portion thereof, all as shown in Fig. 10. The structure is now inverted to the position shown in Fig. 11, and the trousers 82 and vest 83 placed upon the central portion of the coat which is supported upon the now upper rail 61.

The coat 1'9 illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is a jacket of usual length, and it will be noted from an examination of Figs.10 and 11 particularly that the lower end of such coat folds over lower horizontal rail 61 at a point slightly below the center line of such garment. This is an important feature of the invention, since it prevents wrinkling in that part of the garment which is normally wrinkled in the usual run'of rectangular'garment-supporting devices. It will be appreciated, of course, that in the event a topcoat or a formal coat with long tails is placed upon the hanger, its lower edge might extend above the upper rail 66, when viewed as in Fig.

10, and in this instance such lower end of the coat will be placed over such upper rail and folded thereover, care being taken to prevent wrinkling. In this case the garment-supporting element is not inverted, as shown in Fig. 11, but is maintained in the position shown in Fig, 10 when it is inserted within the wardrobe case. When the expression jacket is used in the appended claims, it is intended to mean a jacket of normal length, as shown in Fig. 9, and accordingly the fold line occurs below the central horizontal line of the garment.

. The entire device is now ready to be inserted within a wardrobe case, one type of which is designated as 85 in Fig. 12. This case is generally rectangular in shape and includes a top opening 86. A plurality of thegarment supporting members I0 and 65 may be received in a case of this character without any danger of wrinkling the garments carried thereby. It will thus be seen'that any type of suitcase or the like without the addition of fittings, supporting structures, or otherwise, may receive one or more of the garment supporting devices constituting the present invention, and accordingly the same case maybe used as a'wardrob'e' case for ladies and mens garments.

When the mans garment supporting device 65 is not placed within a case it may be hung in a closet, and in this instance the waistcoat may first be placed upon lower rail 61 and the trousers next placed upon such rail. It will thus be seen that when in this position the garments may be removed in the sequence that they are placed upon the body of the wearer.

It will further be apparent that many modifications and changes may be made in the foregoing structures without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the frames l0 and 65 may be formed from one piece of metal or may be formed from materials other than those specified. In other words, the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings are for illustration merely and are not to be regarded in any limiting sense.

What we claim is:

1. A supporting device for body garments comprising a substantially rectangular frame, the vertical rails of said frame being formed with extension portions at each end thereof providing supports for the corner sections, a depending member secured midway between the ends of the upper rail, a plurality of spaced superimposed angular garment hanger supports associated with said member, each support having an aperture in the lower wall thereof, a garment hanger mounted on each support, a hook pivotally mounted on each hanger at its center, and an extension formed on the hook beyond its pivot, a portion of said extension normally lying within the aperture in the support and forming a lock to prevent casual removal thereof.

2. A device for supporting a plurality of body garments comprising a substantially rigid frame of greater width than depth, a depending member formed of sheet metal and secured between the ends of the upper rail, said member being formed with a plurality of spaced, punched-out portions therein, forming a plurality of superimposed garment hanger supports, each upper support extending further outwardly than the support immediately therebeneath, each support having an aperture in the lower wall thereof, a garment hanger mounted on each support, a hook pivotally mounted on each hanger, and an extension portion formed on the hook beyond the pivot, said extension lying within the aperture in the support and forming a lock for the hanger.

3. A supporting device for ladies body garments comprising a substantially rectangular frame of greater Width than depth, the vertical rails of said frame being formed with outwardly curved extension portions at each end thereof providing supports for each corner section, a substantially U shaped supporting element formed of sheet metal and secured midway between the ends of the upper rail, said support being formed with a plurality of punched-out portions on the front and lower surface thereof, forming a plurality of superimposed garment hanger supports comprising a base portion and a wall portion, each base portion having an aperture therein, a garment hanger formed of an elongated wire with an inverted U shaped central portion mounted on each support, a plate extending between the vertical arms of the U shaped portion, a hook pivotally mounted on each plate, and a curved extension formed on the hook beyond its pivot, said curved extension having a portion normally lying within the aperture in the support and forming a lock for the hanger.

4. A supporting device for a plurality of ladies body garments comprising a rectangular frame, a plurality of garment hangers formed of an elongated strip of material bent at its opposed terminals to form ring portions to act as a supplemental support for garments, and means for detachably supporting said hangers on the frame in superimposed, stepped relationship, said means comprising a depending plate secured to one rail of the frame and having a plurality of punched out portions, the material from such'portions being outwardly and upwardly bent to form hanger supports, each outwardly bent portion having an aperture therein, the upwardly bent portion on each successively higher hanger support extending further outwardly from the plate to support such hangers in stepped relationship, a pivoted member on each hanger at the center thereof and being formed with a portion residing in said aperture to lock the hanger on the support.

5. A supporting device for a plurality of ladies body garments comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a plurality of hangers and means for detachably supporting said hangers on the frame in superimposed relationship, said means comprising a depending plate secured to one rail of the frame and having a plurality of punched out portions, the material from such portions being outwardly and upwardly bent to form hanger supports, each outwardly bent portion having an aperture therein, a pivoted member on each hanger at the center thereof and being formed with a portion residing in said aperture to lock the hanger on the support.

6. A supporting device for a plurality of ladies body garments comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a plurality of hangers and means for detachably supporting said hangers on the frame in superimposed relationship and for permitting one of said hangers to be removed from the support independently of the others, said means comprising a depending plate secured to one rail of the frame, a plurality of angular supports carried by said plate, one above the other, the lower portion of each support having an aperture therein, a combined hook and locking member pivotally mounted on each hanger at the center thereof, and being formed with a portion residing in said aperture to lock the hanger on the support.

WALLACE H. BRACKEN. MILTON W. DAUB.

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