US2590297A

US2590297A - Garment hanging fixture

Info

Publication number: US2590297A
Application number: US149201A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred A Curtis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-03-11
Filing date: 1950-03-11
Publication date: 1952-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-25

Description

March 25, 1952 A. A. CURT|S,H

GARMENT HANGING FIXTURE Filed March 11, 1950 v K l IVENToR. 26 .f4/m CMQ Us] Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,590,297 GARMENT HANGING FIXTURE Aurea A.. Curtis, 11, Glendale, Calif.

Application March 11, 1950, Serial No. 149,201

` (C1. al1- 89) 8 Claims. 1

My invention relates generally to garment hangers, and more particularly, to a fixture for this purpose which may be secured to a vertical surface such as a wall or door of a closet.

- FixturesV of the class above stated have been constructed in the past, but have had various difliculties, among which has been the fact that previous contrivances were of relatively complicated construction, thus unnecessarily adding rto their cost of manufacture. Another disadvantage of previous devices has been that they have been relatively diiiicult to use, requiring a num'- ber of successive manual operations, both in hanging up or removing a garment therefrom. With a View of overcoming the foregoing difliculties, it is a major object of my invention to provide afixture for hanging garments such trousers, skirts, and the like, which 'incorporates a minimum of working parts, thus being simple to manufacture and to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the class described in which the working parts `are completely enclosed, whereby to present a neatappearance and to prevent other garments or material from snagging or catching` on the fixture when brushing by it.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the class described which substantially eliminates yany possibility of tearing or otherwise damaging garments hung therein.

A further object is to provide a garment hanging fixture from which the garment may be released by a simple, one-hand operation.

A still further object is to provide a hanger o1" the class described which rmly lgrips the .garment at a plurality of points so as .to suspend the same in anunwrinkled condition.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a X-ture into which a garment may be inserted to be hungr therein without the necessity of any manual operation of the fixture itself.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment 'of' the invention, consideration being given like# .rise to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is afront perspective view of a fixture embodying the invention, showing the cuis of a pair of trousers suspended therein;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the vhanging fixture shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device shown `in Figure 2;.

' Figure 4 `is an elevational section taken on the lined-4 vin Figure 2, with the parts being 'shown' in their normal rest position 'in full line, and in a release position in phantom line;

Figure 5 is an enlarged lfragmentary horizontal section taken on the line ,E- in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is -an enlarged fragmentary oblique :section taken on the line 't--S in .Figure 3';

, and the operating member I8. n "V25 may move independently of the voperating Figure 7 is a perspective view of an operating lever employed in the fixture shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the gripping jaws employed in the iixture of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the exposed portions of the fixture embodying my invention include a. curved downwardly opening housing Ill, having end slots I I formed therein, and a forwardly projecting operating handle 22. In Figure l, a pair of trousers 9 is shown suspended in the device, the cuffs being gripped by a pair of cam-like jaws 25, and projecting slightly through the slots I I.

As can be seen best in Figures 3 and 4, the rearward wall of the housing or frame I0 is provided with openings I2 by which the housing may be secured to a vertical wall I5 by means of attachment screws I3, or the like. The housing I0 also lserves as a `chassis or frame for the working parts of the device and the forward wall is slotted, as indicated at I4, to clear the operating handle 22.

An operating member I8, the nature of which can be seen best in Figure 7, is transversely posi- .-tioned within the housing I0, adjacent the lower Vthe pivot 20 outwardly. Thus, to install the operating member I8 in the housing I, the separate pivot member 20 is pressed inwardly compressing the spring 2I until the member I8 can be inserted into the housing, the pivot I9 entering its appropriate socket Il, the other end of the member I8 being slid into proper alignment, whereupon the pivot 2t snaps outwardly into .its socket il. As will be later described, the gripping jaws 25 are installed with the operating member I8.

As seen best in Figure 7, the member I8 is formed integrally with the outwardly projecting handle 22 and a pair of inwardly extending arms .23, which are positioned between bosses 21 formed on the inner faces of the jaw members 25. It will be noted that the space between the bosses .2l is somewhat greater than the width of the arms 23 so as to allow a small amount of lost `motion between the arms 23 and the respective jaws 25 operated thereby.

` The jaws 25 are provided with pivot apertures which lit over the pivot members I9 and 20 Thus, the jaws member I8, except as such independent movement is limited by the bosses 21 which embrace the operating arms 23. The jaws are placed over the respective pivots I9 and 2B of the member I8 at the time the latter is installed in the housing I0.

As can be seen best in Figure 5, the portions of the end walls 35 of the housing IIJ which lie rearwardly of the terminal slots II (to the right in Figure are thickened so as to form an abutment IIa to contact the peripheries of the jaw members 25. Thus, a garment which is inserted upwardly into the slots I I will be gripped between the jaws 25 and the abutments IIa.

From an examination of Figure 3, it will be seen that, due to the cam-like shape of the jaws 25, and due to thel disposition of the pivotal axis of the member I8, a garment inserted upwardly into the slots II causes the jaws 25 to rotate upwardly (counterclockwise in Figure 3), permitting the garment to move between the jaws 25 and the abutting wall edge. It will also be seen that downward force exerted on a garment so inserted will normally urge downward rotation of the jaws 2'5 and thus increase the aforesaid gripping action.

To further assure the gripping action of the jaw members 25, a double torsion spring 32 is mounted on the operating member I8, and has a central V-shaped projecting portion 33 which bears against the inner front wall of the housing I 0, and a pair of terminal arms 34, each of which is anchored against one of the bosses 21 of one of the gripping jaws 25. The bias of the spring 32 is such as to urge clockwise rotation (Figure 4) of the gripping jaws about the pivotal aperture 26. Thus, a tight pressure of the jaws 25 against the abutting wall edge is assured, and a garment inserted between the jaws 25 and the wall edge is firmly held at all times.

To assure that the jaw 25 will grip the garment against which it bears, yet will not damage the garment, the gripping edge is provided with a peripheral pad 28, the nature of which can be seen best in Figure 6. Here it will be seen that the pad, which may be of rubber, synthetic rubber, or similar resilient plastic material, is of a T-shaped cross-section, having the stem of the T inserted in a peripheral slot 29 formed in the jaw 25.

Should the thickness of the material inserted under one of the gripping jaws 25 be greater than that under the other-jaw, as for example, when a garment seam would happen to fall under one of the jaws, the garment will still be rmly gripped by both of the jaws 25 due to the aforesaid lost motion between the jaws 25 and the operating member I8.

When it is desired to remove a garment from the hanger, a simple downward motion on the handle 22 serves to rotate the member I8 in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 4) raising the arm 23 against the uppermost bosses 2l on the two jaws 25, and thus rotating-the jaws 25 to release the gripping pressure and permit the garment to drop out of the slots II. In such removal operation, it is convenient to loop the garment over one arm to suspend the same independently of the hanging fixture, and thereupon with the same arm operate the lever 22 to release the garment as aforesaid.

In inserting a garment, as for example, the pair of trousers 9, the same are gripped by their cuirs at the creases therein, and the cuffs simply inserted upwardly into the slots II forcing the jaws 25 to rotate rearwardly, and permitting the cuffs to be inserted into the position shown in Figure i. Thereafter, when the garment is released, the weight thereof will cause downward rotation of the jaws 25 to grip the garment as aforesaid. l

Inasmuch as the above described device does not depend for its eicacy on close tolerances or carefully machined surfaces, the entire unit may be constructed of cast or molded parts, requiring no machining operations. The unit may be constructed of a variety of diierent materials, such for example, as die-cast zinc or aluminum base alloys, or molded of thermo-setting or thermo-plastic materials.

While the device shown and described herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it will be realized that it is capable of some modication without departure from the spirit of the invention. For this reason, I do not mean to be limited to the form shown and described, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a box-like housing having fastening means formed therein to mount the same with a rearward wall thereof against a vertical surface, said housing having a downwardly disposed opening and laterally spaced, aligned, vertical, open-ended slots formed in end walls thereof adapted to receive a fiat folded garment inserted upwardly thereinto; an operating member mounted in said housing on end pivots aligned on a horizontal axis parallel to said surface, said axis being forward of said slots; a pair of gripping members mounted on said end pivots and each having an eccentric jaw abutting the rearward edge of one of said slots whereby rotation of said gripping member in a direction to move said jaw downwardly, urges said jaw toward said slot edges to grip a garment against said abutting edge, and rotation of said gripping members in the other direction moves said jaw away from said edge to release said garment; a pair of arms formed on said operating member and extending radially from said axis adjacent said gripping members; a pair of bosses formed on each of said gripping members and positioned to loosely embrace said arms whereby to form a lost motion driving connection between said operating member and said gripping members; an operating handle formed on said operating member and extending radially from said axis outside of said housing to permit manual rotation of said operating member about said axis to release said gripping members; and a torsion spring mounted on said axis and operatively connected to said housing and gripping members, said spring being biased to urge rotation of said gripping members in said downward direction.

2. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a, frame having means to attach the same to a vertical surface and having a pair of horizontally spaced, fixed abutments formed therein; a pair of gripping members each mounted in said frame adjacent one of said abutments for independent pivotal movement toward and away from said abutment; spring means connected to said frame and gripping members to urge the same towardsaid abutment to grip material inserted between said gripping members and abutments; and an operating member movably supported in said frame and operatively connected to said gripping members to effect concurrent movementl thereof away from said abutment to release material gripped as aforesaid.

3. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means to attach the same to a, vertical surface and having a pair of horizontally spaced, fixed abutments formed therein; a pair of eccentric cams each having a jaw portion and each mounted in said frame adjacent one of said abutments for rotation about a horizonu tal axis to move the jaw portion of said cam toward and away from said adjacent abutment; a torsion spring connected to said frame and each of said cams to urge rotation of the latter in a direction to move said jaw portion thereof against said abutment to grip material between said cams and abutments; and an operating member pivotally supported in said frame, said operating member having operative connection with said cams to effect concurrent rotation thereof away from said abutments to release material gripped as aforesaid.

4. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means to attach the same to a vertical surface and having a pair of spaced, fixed abutments formed therein; a pair of gripping members mounted in said frame adjacent said abutments for independent pivotal movement toward and away from said abutments; spring means connected to said frame and gripping members to urge the same toward said abutments to grip material inserted between said gripping members and abutments and an opera"- ing member movably supported in said frame and having lost motion connections with said gripping members to effect concurrent movement thereof against the urging of said spring to move said gripping member away from said abutments to release material gripped as aforesaid.

5. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a box-like housing having fastening means formed therein to mount the same with a rearward wall thereof against a vertical surface, said housing having a downwardly disposed opening and laterally spaced, aligned, vertical, open-ended slots formed in end walls thereof to receive a iiat folded fabric material inserted upwardly thereinto; a pair of eccentric cams each having a jaw portion and each mounted in said housing adjacent one of said slots for rotation about a horizontal axis to move the jaw portion of said cam across said adjacent slot to abut the opposite edge thereof; a torsion spring connected to said housing and each of said cams to urge rotation of the latter in a direction to move said jaw portion thereof against said slot edge to grip said material in said slot between said cam and edge; and an operating member pivotally supported within said housing, said operating member having an operative connection with each of said cams to effect concurrent rotation thereof away from said slot edges to release said material gripped as aforesaid.

6. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means to mount the same on ing member and extending radially from said axis adjacent said cams; a pair of bosses formed on each of said cams and positioned to loosely embrace said adjacent arm whereby to form lost motion connections between said operating member and said cams; and an operating handle formed on said operating member and extending radially from said axis outside of said housing to permit manual rotation of said operating member about said axis to release said cams.

7. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means to mount the same on a vertical surface, and having a pair of horizontally spaced, fixed abutments formed therein; an operating member mounted in said frame on end pivots aligned on a horizontal axis parallel to said surface, said axis being forward of said abutments; a pair of eccentric cams each having a jaw portion and each positioned adjacent one of said abutments and mounted on one of said pivots for rotation thereon to move the jaw portion of said cam toward and away from said adjacent abutment; a pair of arms formed on said operating member and extending radially from said axis adjacent said cams; a pair of bosses formed on each of said cams and positioned to loosely embrace said arms whereby to form lost motion connections between said operating member and said cams; an operating handle formed on said operating member and extending radially from said axis outside of said housing to permit manual rotation of said operating member about said axis to release said cams; and a torsion spring mounted on said axis and operatively connected to said housing and cams, said spring being biased to urge rotation of said cams in an abutment-engaging direction.

8. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means to mount the same v on a vertical surface and having a pair of horizontally spaced, xed abutments formed therein; a pair of eccentric cams each having a jaw portion and each mounted in said frame adjacent one of said abutments for rotation about a horizontal axis to move the jaw portion of said cam downwardly and toward, or upwardly and away from said adjacent abutment; a torsion spring connected to said frame and each of said cams tourge said downward rotation thereof to grip material between said cam and adjacent abutment; a pair of pads of rubber-like material, one secured to each of said jaw portions to increase the grip thereof against said adjacent abutment; and an operating member pivotally supported in said frame, said operating member having operative 'connection with said cams to effect concurrent upward rotation thereof to release material gripped as aforesaid.

ALFRED A. CURTIS, II.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS