US2382310A

US2382310A - Folding clothes rack

Info

Publication number: US2382310A
Application number: US527034A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse S Harding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-03-18
Filing date: 1944-03-18
Publication date: 1945-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1962-08-14

Description

J. S. HARDING v FOLDING CLOTHES RACK Filed March 18, 1944 arrozwns.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 M x r H q H 1 2,382,310 FOLDING cno'rHEs m n Jesse S. Harding, Stoughton, Mass.

Application March 18, 1944, Serial No. 527,034 1 Claim. (01. 211 97) This invention relates to folding clothes racks and has for its general object to provide a folding clothes rack which is especially adapted for traveling purposes in that it can be folded into a small compact space and thus easily packed, while when unfolded, it provides aplurality of supporting arms on which various articles can be hung.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel folding clothes rack which when in use can be hung on a wall or on a door knob or any other convenient support.

The features wherein the invention resides will be more particularly hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the clothes rack embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of one end of the arm-supporting block.

Figure 3 is a side view showing the clothes rack in folded condition.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rack in open or unfolded position, the position of the supporting arms when in folded position being indicated by dotted lines.

My improved clothes rack comprises a supporting member that includes a back board 31 having at its lower end two forwardly extending cheek pieces 4, said back board having provision for hanging it on a wall or some other similar support.

The clothes-supporting arms of the rack are indicated at 5 and these are independently pivoted to a block 6 so that the arms can be swung toward and from each other, and the block 6 in turn is pivotally mounted in the cheek pieces 4 so as to turn about an axis at right angles to the pivotal axes of the arms 5.

The block 6 is shown as formed with a groove "I in one side face, which groove extends longitudinally of the block, and the inner end 8 of each arm 5 is received in the groove 1, each arm being pivoted to the block by means of a nail or other pivot member 9 which extends through the block 6 and the inner end 8 of the corresponding arm 5. The block 6 is shown as provided at each end with a trunnion II) which extends through and is rotatively mounted in the corresponding cheek piece 4 so that the block 6 can swing about a horizontal axis as stated above.

When the block 6 is in the open position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the arms 5 will extend horizontally, this being the operative position of the arms. These cloth-supporting arms 5 can be swung toward each other or folded together, and when so folded, the block 6 can be turned about its horizontal axis to bring the arms into their folded upright position against the back 3 as shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4-.

The back board 3 is preferably provided with pins or projections it between which the folded arms 5 may be received as also shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines, Fig. 4, thereby retaining the arms in their folded-together position.

The back board 3 is provided witha supporting ledge I2 beneath the block 6, said ledge be ing positioned to support the block and hold it in its open position with the arms 5 extending horizontally. This ledge may be formed by the upper edge of a cross piece I3 which is secured between the cheek pieces 4 and is also secured to the bottom of the back board 3.

The transverse dimension of the block 6 is such that when it is in its open position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the edge thereof having the groove 1 therein projects suificiently beyond the front edges M of the cheek pieces 4 so that the pivots 9 are located in front of the plane of said edges [4. This construction has the advantage that it permits the end arms 5 to be swung into open positions substantially parallel with the back board 3 thus providing a wide separation between the arms when they are in their operative open position.

The back board 3 is shown as being provided at its upper end with a hanger l5 which is formed with an opening l6'by which the device can be hung on a nail or hook. The back board is also shown as provided with a large opening I! thus permitting the rack to be hung on a door knob in case no hook or nail is available for the purpose.

When the arms 5 are folded together and then swung into their upright position as shown in Fig. 3, the folded rack occupies a minimum space and can be readily carried while traveling; when opened out and hung on a nail or on the door knob, it provides ampl hanging space for stockings, handkerchiefs and other articles of appar which travelers may wish to dry.

I claim:

A clothes rack comprising aback board adapted to be hung on a wall, cheek pieces secured to the opposite edges of the back board at its lower end, said cheek pieces extending forwardly beyond the front face of the back board, a cross piece extending from one cheek piece to the other at the lower end thereof, a one-piece arm-supporting block between said cheek pieces above the cross piece, said block having a generally rectangular shape in transverse section with one diametrical dimension greater than the other and also having trunnions at its ends which are pivotally mounted in the cheel; pieces, said trunnions being nearer to one of the narrow side faces of said block than to the other, the said. other narrow side face of the block being provided with an arm-receiving groove extending longitudinally there0f,'- a plurality of clothes-supporting arms having their inner ends received in said grooves, means pivoting each arm to the block to swing about an axis at right angles to that of the block, said block being turnable on its trunnions into either a folded position in which 15 said arms are directed upwardly and are folded against the back board or into an open position in which the arms extend horizontally, said block when in the latter position resting on and being held in such position by the 'cross piece, the grooved face of the block extending sufliciently beyond the front edge of the cheek pieces to permit the arms at the ends of the block to swing into an open position substantially parallel to the Wall on which the backboard is hung, and pins projecting from the back board near its upper end and adapted to receive between them the folded arms when they are in their vertical folded position.

' JESSE S. HARDING.