US2319384A - Clothes hamper - Google Patents

Description

Mai 18, 1943 T. .1. cALpAN ET AL CLOTHES HAMPER Filed Feb. 12, 1941 v 2 Sheets-Shea? l rg/gsow,

Patente d May 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE) CLOTHES HAMPERH Terence J. Callan, Park Ridge,'and' Victor L. Erickson, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Welmaid Products, Chicago, 111., a partnership consisting of Terrance J. Callan and Victor L. Erickson Application February 12,1941, Serial No. 378,618 4 Claims. (01. 206-8) This invention relatesto a clothes hamper and more particularly to 'such' hamper in which the bag for soiled clothes or the like islhel'd. in upright position with" its 'mouth held distended in'open position to quickly and easily permit soiled clothes, towels, or other articles to be washed, to be thrown thereinto, and when the bag is sufficiently filled enable it to be quickly released from the supporting means and the outer supporting shell lifted up away from the bag.

The placing into-a bag of soiled clothes, towels, linen or other articles to be laundered, as heretofore done has been attended with much difficulty and time consumption, for the reason that when a bag alone is used the operator must first stop and open the mouth of the bag, then insert the soiled articles one at a time or in small bunches into the bag, and then close the mouth of the bag, which are clumsy, time consuming operations, or when the'ordinary hamper is used the soiled articles must first be removed from the hamper and then put into a bag in the manner reand supporting means at the open top, and a-b'ag having means at the mouth to removablyreceive a ring so that the edges of the distended mouth of the bag will rest upon the supporting means of the shell and be in position to permit soiled articles to be easily andquickly thrown thereinto,

and when the bag is filled to theldesired extent allthat is necessary is to, with one stroke, pull the ring away from the mouth of the bag and lift the shell upwardly away from the bag leaving the filled bag on the fioor and ready to be carried to the place of laundering. This gives in effect a hamper with a large open mouth having a bag removably mounted therein, the bag when receiving soiled linen also having a large open mouth into which the linen can be tossed, and the bag when filled be instantly and easily removable from the outer supporting shell and an empty bag 'quickly and easily inserted into the shell.

Among the objects of our inventionare the elimination of the disadvantages and the accomplishment of the advantages referred to above.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities inherently possessed by our invention will later more fully appear.

Our invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangementof parts illustrated-= in the accompanying drawings, and

the present invention we while we have shown therein preferred embodiments, we wish it understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the'spirit of our invention,

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of our novel hamper showing the supporting shell, with a bag in position therein, and'a cover'on the top.

Fig. 2 is a view similarto Fig. 1 but with the cover omitted. Fig. 3 isaperspective view of the cover, looking toward the under side thereof. y Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryvertical median section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. l f

Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 8. l l

Fig. 6 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 7 is a vertical median section onthe line 1-4 of Fig. 2 and showing the bag partly in elevation and supported in operative position within the supporting shell.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the ring removed from themouth of the bag, the mouth of the bag partly closed; by the elastic therein, and the baghaving dropped down to the floor and the shell in po'sition ready to be lifted up away from the bag. i

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the shell and bottom part of the bag, showing theshell-j partly removed from the bag.

Fig. 10 is a perspective distending the mouth oi the bag and supporting the bag'from the top of the shell.

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the ring as partly inserted into the mouth of the bag.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the mouth of the bag'distended with the ring completely in position therein.

Fig. '13 is a perspective view of the bag alone and without the ring in position in the mouth thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the

supporting shell -I of our improved hamperis preferably of upstanding cylindrical shape open at the bottom, and top, and formed at the top with means later describedfor supporting the distended mouth of the bag! when in position in the shell for receiving soiled clothes, linen or other articles. The shell may be of any desired construction and of ornamentalexterior appear ance, and for illustrative purposes only is shownas having a cylindrical body of wire netting 3 of view of the ring for.

- netting 3 and against the feet at circumferential points slightly below the extreme top of the netting, and a bottom ring 5 fixed in a similar manner to the wire netting near the extreme bottom thereof. As seen in Fig. 5, the top ring 4 is formed at suitable circumferentially spaced points with inwardly extending projections or bends 6, three being shown although a greater number may be used if desired.

The bottom ring 5 is also formed with spaced projections or bends I which extend inwardly and downwardly to serve as supporting feet when the hamper is stood upright on the floorv or other supporting base. Four of the bends! are shown for illustrative purposes, but it is understood that any other number may be used as desired. Smoothly surrounding the cylindrical body 3 is an ornamental covering 8 of textile or other formation as desired to enhance the appearance of the shell. While for illustrative purposes we have shown and described the cylindrical body 3'fas' being made ofwire netting, we wish it under stood that said cylindrical body can be of any other suitable construction desired, and is not to be limited to a cylinder but may be square or of any other non-cylindrical shape desired. The covering 8 when made of textile material is tightly applied over the wire netting 3 and extended inwardly at the top to form the flexible neck 9,

which has sewed or otherwise fixed around its inner circumference the edging material II] of cloth or the like, and which is fixed to the body of the neck 9 so as to form in cross-section a hollow beading to receive an elastic band II .to flexibly hold the neck 9 extended inwardly but Figs. 4 and 7. If the material of the neck 9 is more stifi in nature it need not extend entirely to the ring 4, but it may or-rhay not contact said ring at the bends 6 when the bag is filled or partly 'fille'd as desired.

The covering 8 at the-bottom edge is likewise formed with a hollow edging I2 to receive an elastic band I3 to hold the bottom edge tautly inwardly around the bottom edge of the wire The bag 2 is formed at the mouth end with a tubular edging I4 similar to the edging III at the top of the covering 8 and likewise containing an elastic band I5, the bag proper depending from said edging It. Extended outwardly and upwardly from the edging I is a collar portion I6 of flexible nature such as a textile material, but which, if desired, could be of rubber or other flexible substance. Stitched or otherwise fixed to one or both sides of the upper edge of the collar portion I6 is another tubular edging I'I similar in construction to the tubular portion I4 described above, and also containing within its hollow interior an elastic band I8 which, as is also true of said mouth partially closed when the bag is re-v leased from the supporting shell and during its later transportation. The material of the collar portion I5 is formed at boththe tubular edge portions I4 and H with gathers in order to give a desiredamount of fullness to the collar portion I6 for apurpose that will later-be more fully understood.

mg or other purposes. :sides of the grill work 23 and just within the edge As will be understood in Figs. 4 and 7 and 10 to 13, the construction of the collar portion I6 and the tubular edge portions I4 and I! with their elastic bands is such that when in normal position they are drawn to more or less of a closed condition, while they are stretchable to an open position to enable articles to be laundered to be quickly thrown into the bag. Assuming the bag mouth to be in normally partially closed condition as seen in Fig. 13, it may be distended to be held in open position by the ring I9 to which is secured any suitable flexible handle 20 which may be an elongated piece of cloth, cord, string or other device that may be quickly grasped by the hand to pull the ring out of its position in the distended bag mouth. As will be understood in Figs. 10 and 11, one edge of the ring I9 is first inserted in the fullness of the collar portion I6, after which the collar portion may be pulled entirely around the circumference of ring I9 and be held therearound by reason of the elastic band or other elastic material within each of the tubular edge portions I4 and I7. Fig. 11 shows the collar I6 being applied to ring I9 with the tubular edgings being stretched over the ring. Fig. 12 shows this operation as being completed and the mouth of the bag held in distended or open position, it being understood that the ring I 9 is at such timepositioned in the fullness of the collar portion I6 with the tubular edge I! above the ring and the tubular edge I4 below the ring.

With the mouth of the bag in open position as shown in Fig. 12, the bag is then inserted into the shell I, the marginal portions of the open top of the bag being supported on the neck 9 of the outer covering 8, which neck if the material thereof is suificiently flexible will bend inwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7 to rest against the inwardly extending projections 6. of ring 4 to support the distended top of the bag in open position at the top of the shell.

When the bag is full or partially full as desired, the ring I9 may be quickly and easily removed from the collar portion I6 by merely giving a quick and easy upward pull to the flexible handle 28, whereupon the ring iscaused to instantly leave its position in the collar portion I6 between the flexible edges I4 and I! and the bag drops to the bottom of the shell to rest on the floor or other base upon which the shell may be standing. The shell is then quickly and easily removed by lifting it upwardly away from the bag 2, leaving the bag available to be carried away and a new bag inserted in the shell after the manner described above.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, if desired We may apply a cover 2! to the top of the shelI I when the hamper is not in use, such cover having the handle 22 which may be easily grasped'to lift the cover away from the hamper when desired to throw soiled linen or the like into the bag 2 through its distended month which, as explained above is supported in open position at the top of the shell. The cover is formed of a metallic grill work 23 welded, soldered or otherwise secured to a ring 2 which in turn has stretched thereover a suitable flexible textile material with elastic around its inner edge 25, which is formed in a manner similar to the tubular edge portions it and ii for enabling the textile material to be removed from the cover for renewal, cleans- Depending from opposite 25 are downwardly extended portions 26 that are bent from the wire of the grilling so as to furnish means for preventing the cover from sliding ofi of the shell laterally. The covering material 8 may be of waterproof material or not as desired, it being understood that such covering will be ornamental to give the hamper a more pleasing appearance in the home or wherever it is being used.

While in Figs. '7 and 4 we have shown the neck 9 of the covering 8 flexed downwardly against the ring 4, it will be understood. that it may or may not contact ring 4 depending upon the stifiness of the goods used. When depressed downwardly against the ring 4 as shown in Fig. 4, the cover 2| will fit more closely against the top edge of the shell, but this is dependent on the stiffness of neck 9.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. In a hamper, a shell comprising a light weight body portion, inwardly extending projections at the upper end of the body portion, said body portion having means to rest on the floor and support it in vertical position, a bag having a neck portion formed with a pair of circumferential elastic edges spaced apart from each other axially of the bag and formed between said edges with fullness, a, ring over which the upper one of said elastic edges is stretched, said ring and neck portion being supported on said projections and holding the open mouth bag in the shell, and means projecting from the ring to enable it to be instantly pulled from the neck portion, the bag dropped on the floor and the shell quickly and easily lifted off of the bag.

2. In a hamper, a shell comprising a wire netting body portion, a ring fixed to said wire netting near the top, a ring with downwardly extending feet fixed to the wire netting near the bottom, inwardly extending projections on the top ring, an ornamental flexible covering on theexterior of the wire netting, a bag within said shell having a neck with a pair of axially spaced elastic edges with fullness therebetween, a ring in the fullness'stretching said elastic edges and forming an open mouth for the bag, said ring and adjacent portions of said fullness being supported on said projections, a handle on said ring, said handle being adapted'tfo be pulled upwardly to remove the ring from the bag mouth permitting the mouth to collapse,{the bag drop to the floor, and the shell be easily removed by lifting it upwardly away from the bag.

3. In a hamper, a bag havin at its open end a pair of axially spaced elastic neck edges with fullness therebetween," a ring in said fullness holding said edges stretched open and forming an open mouth for the' bag, and a support holding said ring and fullness with the bag in upright position, and handle means for pulling the ring from between said edges to collapse the bag mouth.

4. In a hamper, an open-ended shell, inwardly extended supporting projections in the open top of the shell, said shell having a flexible covering on its exterior, the covering extending inwardly at the top of the shell and above said projections, a bag in said shell, the bag having a neck provided with a pair of axially spaced elastic neck edges and formed between said edges with fullness to permit the bag mouth to be distended, and also to move to partially closed position, a ring inserted in said fullness to hold said bag mouth distended and the bag positioned within the shell with the neck and ring supported loosely on the inwardly extended portionof the shell covering and said projections, and a handle extending from said ring adapted to be grasped and pulled to quickly release the bag from the shell, said shell being of a height somewhat greater than the length of the bag so that when the ring is removed from the neck of the bag the filled bag will drop to the floor and the shell may be lifted away from the bag.

TERENCE J. CALLAN.

VICTOR L. ERICKSON.

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