US2539555A - Collar form - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 A. w. SERIO 2,539,555

COLLAR FORM Filed Sept. 14, 1944 Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAR FORM Anthony W. Serio, Elmira, N. Y.

Application September 14, 1944, SerialNo. 554,065

8 Claims. I 1

This invention relates to a collar form. The invention is more particularly directed to a collar form which acts as a dryer to set the starch in the collar of a shirt and also to effect a smoothing of the collar neck band. This collar form moreover efiects setting of the collar and the band in its natural round condition, and thereby provides greater comfort to the wearer of the shirt in that the collar is of the contour of the Wearers neck and that all wrinkles and uneven surfaces of the neck band of the collar have been removed.

It is customary in ironing a shirt, upon completion of ironing the shirt, to button the shirt collar and fold the, shirt. As this buttoning and folding is usually performed after the shirt is ironed, the collar has a tendency to take an outof-round shape and the neck band therefore is wrinkled. Under these conditions the starch in the collar and neck band set and when the wearer applies the shirt and the collar about his neck there are wrinkles in the collar band which irritate the neck, and the collar being out-ofround, must be shaped by the hands of the wearer to effect a round condition and fit about the neck. This collar form is designed particularly for domestic use by a laundress in the home, but it may well be used in commercial laundry establishments. In using the present collar form, the laundress proceeds with the ironing of the shirt in the usual way until the shirt is completely ironed and then after the shirt is ironed, the collar form is inserted within the buttoned neck band of the collar, and within afew minutes effects a setting of the starch of the collar and neck band and a smoothing of the interior of the neck band. When this is completed, the laundress has had about time to iron another shirt, and therefore the ironing of the shirt and inserting of the collar form, which acts as a dryer, can be repeated as long as there are shirts to be ironed without any delay by the collar form to effect its setting of the starch in the collar and neck band and smoothing of the neck band. It is an object of my invention to provide. a collar form which acts as a dryer for setting the collar and neck band in circular or round shape and eliminate any wrinkles or uneven surfaces of the collar neck band.

,It is another object of my invention to provide a collar form consisting of two similarly- .shaped sections which are automatically expanvide a collar form which is electrically heated and having a plurality of expansible sections so as to permit ready insertion within a buttoned collar and effect setting of the same and the neck band and smoothing of the collar band.

It. is another object of my invention to provide a collar form which is electrically heated and provided with suitable guards so that the user will not burn or scorch her hands when inserting or removing the device from a shirt collar.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a collar form consisting of expansible similarly-formed sections and handles from each section extending upwardly therefrom which permit of ready grasp of the user so as to bring the two sections toward each other and automatically lock the same for insertion in a collar of a shirt, and providing means for release of the two sections for automatic expansion to set the collar and neck band in circular or rounded condition and simultaneously effect smoothing of the interior oi the collar band.

With these and other objects in view, the in vention. consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts herein,- after fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the collar form;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

i Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalview on the. lines '44 of Fig. 3;. and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View on the lines 5.5 of Fig. 2. i The invention will be'more readily understood by referring to the drawings wherein the collar form as a whole is denoted at C and consists of .two similarly-shaped 'arcuate sections 5 and 7. {These sections 6 and l are of substantially the same shape as the conventional collar which is attached to a shirt. In other words, the form ends 6 and l are pointed in the same manner as the points at the ends of a shirt collar. The sections are preferably made of metal and the exterior surface of each-issmoothed andpolished.

arcuate band 8 and a similarly-rounded arcuate inner band 9. The forward end it of each outer arcuate band 3 is flanged at a right angle as is also the forward end ll of each of the inner arcuate bands 9. The two right angle flanges I and H are in overlapping and contacting relationship, and thus there is provided a space or chamber l2 within each of the arcuate members 8 and 9. The rear ends of the arcuate members 9 are hingedly connected together by a conventional piano-type hinge i3 and a pintle I3 is inserted in the inter-connected eyes of the hinge to hold the two sections together, the hinge being interiorly of the collar form as shown. Opposite the hinge Hi, there is a shield M which closes up the gap when the two sections are brought toward each other. This shield may be suitably spot welded within the chamber of the two sections, and is preferably spot welded adjacent the extreme outer edge of the outer section 8, but may be otherwise attached thereto.

The two arcuate sections 8 and 9 are held together by means of a plurality of screws 85 which pass through the outer section into screw threads in the inner section 9.

Disposed within the chamber i2, formed by the inner and outer sections 8 and 9, there is a conventional electrical heating element I on either side of which there is disposed an asbestos sheet H. A suitable thermostat (not shown) may be embodied in order to control the heat emanating from the heating element I6.

Each section 6 and i has its upper edge It! and its lower edge l3 flanged at a right angle thereto, which flanges overlap similarly-formed right angle flanges 2t and 2i on the inner arcuatesections 9. This construction permits acomplete enclosure for the electrical heating element l6 within the chamber i2 of each of the arcuate Sections.

Suitable handles 22 and 23, preferably of fibrous non-heat conducting material are attached at diammetrically opposed points within the collar form by means of securing elements in the form of a plurality of screws 24 which pass through the innermost arcuate sections 3 and are screw-threaded in engagement with the lower projecting portions 22 and 23 of the handles 22 and 23. It will be seen that the handles 22 and 23 project upwardly above the top of the collar form as a whole. The right handle 23 has a passageway or opening 25 therein which serves as a means for the introduction of the electrical conductor 23 therethrough and the attachment of the end of the latter to a binding post 27 which, of course, is attached to the heating element 53 within the chamber H2 in each of the arcuate sections. This binding post 2'! consists of the usual contact-making screws 28 and binding nuts 29. As will be seen by Fig. 3, the end of the conductor '25 is attached in electrical transmission relation to the binding post 21.

The conductor 26 with its attachment plug P is of usual construction. In order to accommodate the binding post 27, the recess 23a is provided in the lower portion of the handle 23.

The enlarged lower portions 22 and 23 are each provided with oppositely-disposed recesses 33. These recesses 33 provide a means for mounthandle 22 and 23 as will be clearly seen by referring to Fig. 3, but they may be made separately and attached to each handle. The guards 30 serve a definite purpose in that when the user grasps the handles 22 and 23, there is not the slightest possibility that the users hand or fingers will contact the upper edge of either of the arcuate sections t and 7. It is to be understood that these guards are formed of non-heat conducting material and therefore they will not become hot when the collar form is in use. The guards are slightly spaced from the upper edge of each of the arcuate sections as indicated at 3|.

A pivoted catch 32 is provided so as to maintain the two arcuate sections 3 and 1 in their non-expanded condition, as shown in Fig. 2, and when released, to permit the two sections to expand, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. This catch 32 is preferably of metal and is pivotally mounted or connected to the handle 23 as at 33 by means of a screw or other suitable securing means 34. The other end of the catch 32 is provided with an elongated slot 35, which slot is enlarged as at 36 at one end thereof. A suitable right angle finger piece 37 extends from the top of the catch 32 and this finger piece is preferably surrounded by a plastic or fibrous non-heat conducting shield or cover 33. A screw or similar means 33, which is provided with an enlarged head, is engaged in the slot 35 of the catch. Slot 35 permits the two sections to move toward and away from each other for a predetermined distance and to lock the two arcuate sections 6 and 7 together. by means of the enlarged opening 36 which, when the catch'drops down, automatically engages the shaft of the screw or the like 33.

In using my collar form, it will be assumed that the two arcuate sections 3 and 'i are held in T8.- tracted positions by means of the catch 32 as shown in Fig. 2, and that a laundress has, of course, inserted the attachment plug P in a suitable electrical outlet and that the collar form is heated. Then the laundress simply inserts the heated collar form in a shirt, which has already been ironed and the collar thereof buttoned, and lets it stay there for a few minutes, during which time the starch in the collar is set in a circular or rounded condition, and simultaneously therewith the collar form effects a smoothing-out of any wrinkles in the interior of the collar band and a setting of the collar band in a smoothed condition. It is to be understood that when the collar form has been inserted in the buttoned collar of the shirt, the laundress simply places a finger underneath the finger piece 3?, moving the same upwardly and thereby releasing the two sections to be expanded gently, yet firmly enough, by means of the spring S, to effect the smoothing, of the collarband and setting the starchin the latter as well as setting the starch in the collar. Then,"to remove the collar form, the laundress simply grasps the two handles, moving them to? ward each other and this will eiiect an automatic locking of the two sections in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2, due to the fact that the catch will fall by gravity and the enlarged opening free, means for heating the sections and a handle for each section extending above the collar form to be grasped for insertion and removal of the form from a buttoned shirt collar band attached to the shirt.

2. An electrically heated ring-like collar form of the general configuration of a buttoned collar that is stitched to a collar neck band of a shirt comprising two sections hingedly connected together interiorly adjacent opposed ends of the sections with the other ends thereof free, a handle for each section extending above the top of the form to be grasped for insertion and removal of the form from a shirt collar band, means for expanding the two sections within predetermined limits when inserted in the collar band, and a releasable lockable catch for maintaining the two sections in a retracted condition during insertion and removal of the form from the buttoned shirt collar band.

3. An electrically heated ring-like collar form of the general configuration of a buttoned collar that is stitched to a collar neck band of a shirt consisting of two sections hingedly connected together adjacent opposed ends of the sections with the other ends thereof free, means for expanding the sections, handle means connected with each section and extending above the sections, which handle means when grasped permits the said other free ends of each section to be brought toward each other in a non-expanded condition, and means for releasably locking the two sections in non-expanded condition when the form is inserted in a buttoned shirt collar band.

4. A ring-like collar form of the general configuration of a buttoned collar that is stitched to a collar neck band of a shirt consisting of two hingedly connected sections, handle means connected with each section and extending above the top thereof, electrical heating means within each section and electrically connected with each other, and an electrical conductor means extending through and beyond one of the handles and connected with the electrical heating means.

5. A collar form as described in and by claim 4 wherein a spring is disposed between the two handles and a pivoted catch is mounted on one of the handles and in engagement with means on the other handle whereby the two sections may be locked in a non-expanded condition, said catch when being released permitting the spring to expa'nd the two sections so as to engage the neck band of a shirt collar and efiect setting of the starch therein and a smoothing of the neck band of the collar.

6. A ring-like collar form of the general configuration of a buttoned collar that is stitched to a collar neck band of a shirt consisting of two electrically heated hingedly connected sections with a handle associated with each section and extending vertically above the top thereof, each section having a top and bottom edge, and guard means extending over a substantial portion of the top edge of each section so as to prevent the user from burning of the user's fingers.

7; A collar form as described in and by claim 6 wherein the guard means is integral with each handle.

8. A ring-like collar form of the general configuration of a buttoned collar that is stitched to a. collar neck band of a shirt consisting of electrically heated pivotally and relatively movably connected together sections, each section having form and having its ends secured to each handle,

and means for releasably locking the collar form :in a non-expanded condition during insertion of the form in the collar band of a shirt.

ANTHONY W. SERIO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,705 Gilbert May 15 1883 440,972 Talbot Nov. 18, 1890 1,102,399 Eileau July 7, 1914 ,1,316,190 Sackerman Sept 16, 1919 1,336,559 Gutzwiller Aug. '7, 1918 "11,426,187 Harrison Aug. 15, 1922 1,477,602 Simon Dec. 18, 1923 1,650,571 Paley Mar. 5, 1927 1,933,287 Vita Oct. 31, 1933 1,992,388 Moseley Feb. 26, 1935 2,051,854 Holloway Aug. 25, 1936 2,170,075 Holloway Aug. 22, 1939

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