US2340540A

US2340540A - Collapsible costumer

Info

Publication number: US2340540A
Application number: US361423A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lange Morris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-10-16
Filing date: 1940-10-16
Publication date: 1944-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1961-02-01

Description

Feb. 1, 1944. M. LANGE COLLAPSIBLE COSTUMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1940 5 m A M v/ m Mm R O k 3 j 3 %M w w j 1. Z

w w a UN m A? W &

ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1944. M. LANGE COLLAPSIBLE COSTUMER Filed Oct. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOfi.-' 4 0091s LANGE ATTORNEY ziiwmlwill 1-11m. B i lx w t m mama Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics COIMPSiSItQfiZS'I-UMER Morris Lange, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application October 18, 1940, Serial N0. 881.,3 5 Claims. (Cl. 312-173) This invention relates to costumers or garment racks and particularly to portable, collapsible costumers suitable for use on special occasions where extraordinary crowds are likely to gather.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention, it may be well to point out that on occasions such as funerals in private homes, where the facilities for accommodating garments is limited, the undertaker usually supplies a folding rack which attempts to serve the purpose. The costumers of the prior art have been cumbersome, awkward to handle, and generally cupied valuable space.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a collapsible costumer which folds compactly into a carrying case, which case also serves as the base of the rack.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character with a novel folding hat rack.

A further object is to equip the supporting standards of such devices with folding Joints that automatically snap into place and which are easy to operate.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description and claims together with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation partly in section of the costumer constituting the invention with parts of the carrying case'broken away to show the construction and assembly, and showing certain parts in alternate positions illustrating the method of collapsing the device.

Figure 2 is a front view of the closed case with parts broken away to show assembly;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device in opened position taken along the lines 1-8 of the Figure 4;

Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section of the costumer illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view of a hat hook and support taken along the lines 5-! of the Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top view of an umbrella retainer taken along the lines i-ioi' the Figure l; and

Figure 7 is a'front view of a supporting member joint.

The collapsible costumer constituting this invention consists primarily of three main parts. There is first the horizontal case or container membensecond, the support members, and third, the rack member. Each of these elements will be described in detail and in the order iustset forth.

The base member II is simply a compact carryingcasehaving aiiatbottom li,side walls and perpendicular ends I! thereon. The top of the case, indicated by the character it, is provided with a carrying handle it, and is secured to the case member II when in the folded or closed position by the trunk catches or fasteners M. This lid or closure member is also serves as a shelf when the device is in its open or extended position.

In order to prevent the device from tipping when it is open and retaining the garments, telescoping leg supports li are mounted on the bottom ll. These telescoping supports It or extendable leg members it consist of channel members II which are rigidly attached to the bottom II and extend laterally thereof. An inner arm or tube portion I8, slidable within the channel or outer tube ll, extends outwardly of the sides of the case, The outer ends of the arms II are providedwith rubber pads or feet I9. Mounted on the inside of the arm is is a simple spring catch 20 which engages one of the holes II in the bottom of the channel or tube ll. When the arm II is fully inside of the tube II, the spring catch 2! engages the hole 2|, and when the arm II is extended fully, the catch 20 similarly engages the hole ilo. There are two support elements adjacent to each end of the bottom ll. One arm on each end extends outwardly to the left, and one arm II on each end extends outwardly to the right, so that when the four arms are extended fully, the'base oi the costumer stands on an area almost twice the area of the case bottom ll.

The inside ofthe case It is partitioned oi! into compartments which are suitable for containing a number of coat hangers it, and two umbrella holders 50. These will be described in detail hereinafter. In the drawings, the longitudinally extending partition 23, together with the side wall of the case, forms a compartment for retaining the umbrella holders 5!, and similarly, the partition 24, together with its neighboring wall, forms a compartment for retaining a supply of coat hangers ll. 7 a

The frame or collapsible support member for the device consist of vertical, tubular uprights II and 31, hingedly connected together at the joints 0 which when in the extended condition are perpendicular to the'bottom member II. The lower tubular supports II are a little shorter than thelengthofthebase ll. Theseareattachedto the base |l so that when folded inward or toward each other, the supports 33 fit into the case and are parallel to the base when in a folded conditlon. In Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown in broken lines the manner of folding the supports into the carrying case; and Figure 2 shows the vertical supports completely folded therein. A bracket member 32, which is simply a length of U shaped metal commonly referred to as a channel iron, is attached to the base on the inside of the case about midway between the two long side walls and quite close to the end walls I2. .I'hese brackets 32' extend longitudinally of the case. Immediately above the brackets 32 and attached to the end walls'l2, are vertical brackets 33 which have substantially the same shape and size as the previously described horizontal brackets 32. Two spaced triangular plates 3| are fastened to and connected with the side walls of the channelled

brackets

32 and 33. The vertical supports 33 are pivotally connected by means of the horizontal pin 34 to the parallel triangular plates 3| as shown in the Figures 3 and 4. Mounted on the pin 34 and engaging the support 33 is a spring 35, the tension of which urges the supports 33 to an upright or vertical position. This construction and spring 35 is clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. The

brackets

32 and 33 are also referred to herein as stabilizing means for the reason that when the supports 33 are folded into the case, they fit into the open or channel portion of the brackets 32 and are held rigid and firm in the case. Similarly, when the supports 33 are fully opened, they'are engaged by the vertical brackets 33 and they are then held in rigid engagement with the end walls l2.

The upper support members 31 are just a little shorter than the lower support members 33, so that they too might conveniently fit into the closed case.

The two

support members

33 and 31 have a unique connection means. This joint 43 can, when the device is opened, retain the

members

33 and 31 in rigid vertical alignment. For this purpose there is provided a fixed collar 4|, which is firmly attached to the lower support 33. This collar has an inside diameter sufficient to receive the upper support 31 and is open on its outer side so as to permit free pivotal movement of the upper support 31. The upper support 31 has a hinge member 42 attached thereto, which hinge member engages the fixedcollar 4| by means of the hinge pin 43.

Slightly above the hinge 42 there is mounted a slidable collar 44 on the upper support member 31. This slidable collar 44 is provided with a tongue or clip 43, which engages the fixed collar 4| when the two supports 33 and'31 are in perfect alignment. This slidable collar 44 is held downward so that the tongue 48 engages the fixed collar 4| by a spring 45, which is inside the tubular support 31. The lower end of the spring 45 is attached to the tab or ear 43 on the support 31,

and is attached to the slidable collar 44 by means of the pin 41. Thi pin 41 is rigidly attached to the collar 44 and passes through a curved slot or hole 43 in the upper support member 31. The tension of the spring 45 urges the collar downward, By simply rotating the slidable collar 44 in either direction, the pin 41 rides the curved slot 43 so'that' the tongue 43 is raised sufficiently to disengage the upper edge of the fixed collar 4|. .When the slidable collar 44 is so rotated, the

supports

33 and 31 may be easily folded.

The lid member or cover l3, heretofore referred to 'as a top horizontal portion, indicated by the character 33 in the drawings, serves as a shelf for hats, packages, etc. Extending downwardly from the shelf portion 33 and Just a little inside the ends thereof, are two Y shaped brackets 3|. The top end of the vertical support 31 is hingedly connected to the lower end of the bracket 3| so that the support member 31 may fold inward when the device is collapsed. A simple hinge pin 32, which engages the top end of the support 31 and the lower end of the bracket 3|, is provided for this purpose. Slightly above the top of the supports 31 and attached to the two brackets 3|, there is a bar member and particularly a tubular rod 33 which extends longitudinally and horizontally under the helf 33. This tubular rod 33 is included to provide a convenient means for I holding the coat or garment hangers 55. In order to provide extra room for so supporting the garment hangers 55, extension or telescoping members 34 are inside of the tube 33. These extension members 34 may be withdrawn by grasping the handle or knob 35 on the outer surface of the brackets 3|. The Figure 1 of the drawings shows the extension bars 34 drawn out to provide extra hanging space; and the Figure 4 shows the bars 34 in the collapsed position which permits it to be received by the case l3.

The hat hangers 33 of which there are six projecting outwardly on each side of the device, are attached to a length of angle iron 31. The ends of these lengths of iron 31 are pivoted to the ends |2a of the lid member l3 as indicated by the pivot pins 33 in the drawings. This permits the hat hangers 33 to be extended or placed in a substantially horizontal position when the costumer is opened for use, or they may be turned downward so as to fit into the carrying.

case |3 when the device is collapsed. The Figure 3 of the drawings shows howthe hat hangers 33 may be either opened or closed. In order to retain the hat'hangers 33 and the angle'iron 31 in a firm or rigid open position, there is provided a catch member 33. This is simply a small lever 33 pivoted to the bracket 13 and mounted on the lid member |3, so that the notch 12 in the lever '33 engages an edge of the angle iron 31. The small spring 1| urges the catch 33 into engagement therewith.

Two umbrella supports are provided for the device. These are simply water-proof bags 53 which fit on and hang from the semi-circular frame 5|. The frame 5| may be made of wire bent as shown in the Figure 6 with a small hook 53 at its middle, which fits into the holes 52 of the support members 33 and are held in place thereby.

To set up the costumer, the user first draws the arms it out of the channeled tubes I1 as far as they will go in order to extend the base.'

The snaps or looks H are unfastened and the lid l3 lifted vertically as far as it will go. This lifting operation automatically straightens the vertical supports 33-31, and when perfectly straight, the joints 43 will snap into place holding the supports rigid. The two horizontal rods 34 are withdrawn from the tube 33 as far as they will go; and then the hooks 33 are swun outward and upward until firmly held in place by the spring members 33 and finally, if necessary, the bags 53 are hung on the vertical supports 33 as shown in the Figure 1. When closing the device, the aforesaid operations are simply reversed.

It will now be clear that there is provided by 2,840,540 this invention a collapsible costumer which accoznplishes the objects of the invention. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form it is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there are many other forms or modifications of the invention which are also considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. A collapsible costumer, comprising in combination, a container having a bottom and side walls, collapsible support members hingedly mounted in the container andbeing perpendicular to the said bottom when in an extended position and parallel thereto when in a folded condition, a bar member mounted on the support members receivable by the container when the support members are in the folded condition, and a lid member having a plurality of hooks thereon mounted on the bar member and closing the container when the support members are collapsed and in the folded condition. 2. A collapsible costumer of the type defined in claim No. 1, and further characterized by the said hooks being foldable and receivable'by the container when the support members are in the folded condition and extendable outwardly of the lid member when the said support members are in the extended position.

3. A collapsible costumer, comprising in combination, a container having a bottom and side walls, collapsible support members hingedly mounted in the container and being perpendicular to the said bottom when in an extended positionand parallel thereto when in a folded condition, and a lid member mounted onthe support members andclosing the container when the support members are collapsed and in the folded condition the said lid member having a plurality of foldable hat hooks thereon extending outwardly when the costumer is extended and being receivable by the container when the costumer is folded.

4. A collapsible costumer of the type defined in claim No. 3, and further characterized by the lid' member having a horizontal bar dependins therebelow.

5. A collapsible costumer, comprising in combination, a container having a bottom portion and side walls, collapsible support members hingedly mounted in the container and being perpendicular to the-said bottom when in an extended position and parallel thereto when in a a folded condition, a lid member mounted on the support members and closing the container when the support members are collapsed and in the folded condition, the said lid member having a plurality of foldable' hat hooks thereon extending outwardly when the costumer is extended and being receivable by the container when the costumer is folded and extendable leg members mounted on the said bottom portion retaining the aforesaid members upright when in the extended position.

MORRIS LANGE.