US2620953A

US2620953A - Garment hanger

Info

Publication number: US2620953A
Application number: US784275A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-11-05
Filing date: 1947-11-05
Publication date: 1952-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-09

Description

Dec. 9, E952 W, E MAR-HN 2,620,953

GARMENT HANGER Filed Nov. 5, 1947 Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to garment hangers and more specically to certain improvements incorporated in a newly d-esigned metal type of wire hanger enhancing the field of use thereof by reason of such improvements.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a general utility hanger having multiple means for holding different kinds of garments while transporting the same or for storage purposes in clothes closets, etc., which multiple means are embodied as clamp units formed and arranged to suspend certain garments from the hanger which normally required special kinds of separate hangers for this pur- Pose.

It is another object of this invention to utilize a common coat or dress holding wire hanger of single Wire construction and to form portions of said single wire into clamp means which do not interfere with the normal use of the hanger but which provide additional means for supporting womens skirts, womens slacks, mens trousers and other similar garments of this kind.

This invention also provides clamp means of improved design each of which have dual gripping elements to tightly grip the garment or garments submitted thereto to insure against dislodgement under all normal handling conditions.

' To further increase the efficiency of the hanger it is contemplated to vary the gripping effects of the dual or multiple portions of each of the clamping units so as to equalize the tension between both holding zones for the purpose of accommodating clothes of various thickness as 'would be exemplified by a pair of trousers wherein the combined thicknesses of the cus are considerably greater than the combined thicknesses of the leg portions thereof. This same arrangement would well apply to a womans skirt since the double thickness of the waist band is comparably much thicker than the thickness of the two adjacent portions of the skirt proper.

A further object of the present hanger and more specically of the clamping units made a part thereof is to provide such clamps with overlapping portions that form a means to easily open such clamps for the insertion of a garment. The units have oppositely disposed wire elements that will cause a separation between the entry clamping parts to facilitate insertion of a garment.

And this function may be readily carried out with little effort through a twist of such opposite -parts by the fingers.

All other objects and advantages relating to hangers of the present invention shall hereinafter be emphasized in the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings disclosing a preferred construction of hanger together with certain modifications thereof all coming within the purview of the fundamental concept oi this invention, such drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general side elevational view of a hanger designed in accordance with the advantageous features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one of the clamping means employed by the hanger of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional View of the clamping means to illustrate certain details of construction thereof and substantially as viewed along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is another cross sectional View taken horizontally through the clamping means and substantially as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fragmentary part of a hanger illustrating a modified clamping means incorporated into a garment hanger;

Fig. `6 is a bottom view of the portion of the hanger shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is another perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a garment hanger illustrating a still further modified arrangement of clamping means; and

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the modied clamping means shown in Fig. 7.

The hanger of the present construction preferably comprises a single continuous length of metal wire formed as an open loop by means of a lower run l terminating in a spaced pair of

vertical legs

2 and 3 having diagonally positioned garment shoulder supporting wires 4 and 5, the latter continuing toward each other` in the general plane of the hanger with wire 5 ending in a supporting hook 6 and with Wire 4 having its end l coiled about the stem portion of the hook 6 to complete the hanger loop.

Intermediate the lower run I of the hangel` are formed a pair of clamping means generally indicated at 8 and 9 that are appropriately spaced from each other and from the

end legs

2 and 3 of the hanger for best accommodating certain articles of clothing both as to clamping same securely or as to having such articles draped over run l between the means 8 and 9 or between either of the former and their next

adjacent hanger legs

2 or 3.

As best seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, each of the hanger means 8 and 9 are constructed by offsetting the midportion I of the lower run I of the hanger and by overlapping portions of the ends of the wire I0 and wire I as indicated at II and I2 respectively in Fig. 4. At the terminal ends of the overlap, wires I and I0 each have vertical legs I3 and I4, continuing in horizontal runs I5 and I6 which come together in an overlap substantially centrally of the overlap of the clamp means. At the overlapping meeting points of runs I5 and I8 the continuous wire of the hanger is vertically formed into a second Wire loop to provide a clamp loop I1 that lies in a plane angularly disposed with respect to the general plane of the hanger per se, and as here illustrated is shown as formed at right angles to the plane of the hanger. All of the described wire parts together form a resilient Wire loop that functions to clamp and hold garments.

With clamp means of this arrangement it is possible to obtain dual clamping parts for each individual clamp as indicated at spaced locations at I8 and I9. The clamp part I8 is made through the overlap II and I2, while the loop I1 has its starting ends resulting in the meeting of wires I5 and I6 to form the loop and to provide the clamp part I9 in spaced and superimposed relation with respect to the lower run of wire I.

Loops I1 also serve to limit the upward insertion of a garment into the hanger clamps 8 and 9. As seen in Fig. 3, it may also be advantageous to space the opposite clamp wire ends at I9 to create a larger initial opening at this point while having the coacting overlapping wires II and I2 in contact at I8. In so doing. cuifs of trousers may be compensated for during insertion of that portion of the garment into the clamps, by the equalization of the clamping efforts of the two coacting wire parts at each of the clamping locations I8 and I9. In other words, the total thickness of the two cuffs will not cause an overspread between the wire parts at I9 which would tend to separate the connected wire parts at I8 to reduce the actual clamping eiectiveness of the parts at clamp point I8.

With this garment hanger and with the incorporating of the two dual clamping means and 9 into one of the runs of the same, preferably the lower run I, a very efficient hanger results having wide utility in view of its flexibility of application.

Figs. 5 and 6 depict a modified arrangement providing a garment clamp composed of a gothic loop having curved wires 2l and 22 meeting at 23, the apex or top of the loop, and the wires 2I and 22 lead from the overlapping ends 24 and of the

offset wires

26 and 21 respectively. The loop in general comprising

wires

2I, 22 and 23 is angularly disposed with respect to the general plane of the hanger as best seen in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and this angle may be varied if desired and more particularly if an initial separation may be wanted between the overlapping portions of

wires

26 and 21 for garment entry purposes.

In the hanger shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the wires 3I and 32 are disposed angularly with respect to the

horizontal hanger wires

33 and 34. In this form of clamp means. it should be noted that the wires 3| and 32 also overlap and cross at 35 to form a second clamp zone coactlng with the overlapping

wires

33 and 34 forming the first clamping zone at 36.

Wires 3l and 32 are connected with the upper contiguous wire section 31 which joins such wires at substantially

horizontal points

38 and 39, and wire 31 is also disposed angularly with respect to the general plane of the hanger as best seen in Fig. 8. 'I'he angle of wire 31 with respect to the hanger plane may also be varied with apparent facility to obtain variations in the separation of the clamping parts at 35 and 36 of the crossed loops shown in Figs. 1 and 8. This may be done for easy entry of a garment or to accommodate various thicknesses of the same garment as may be encountered at the fastening portion of the garment with the hanger.

In conclusion, it should be noted that each of the forms of hanger shown has further means to cause separation of the clamping parts to receive a garment therebetween. This holds true whether the wire portions of the clamp are normally together or slightly spaced since the parts used to separate the clamping elements of the wires will be effective in either case.

In the first form, the wires I5 and I6 of each of the clamps 8 or 9, may be urged oppositely with the fingers in a plane angularly disposed with respect to the plane of the hanger and in a direction wherein the loop I1 forms a virtual pivotal axis. This will cause a separation of the overlapping wires II and I2 as this action is transmitted to such wires through the legs I3 and I4. Obviously the direction of twist of the fingers must be clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the same results obtain by urging wires 2l and 22 oppositely in the same manner. In Figs. 'I and 8, the clamp can be manipulated similarly by opposite actuation of the loop wires 3I and 32 causing a separation between the

clamp zones

35 and 36. It is also possible to obtain some of the action by twisting the wire 31 although this action may be more effective at the point 35 than at 36 all depending upon the length of wire 31 to provide the necessary leverage. Analogously, a twist of loop I1 would have a similar effect depending upon the leverage necessary and if the twist is made clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4.

The hanger described and its various modified constructions all contribute to produce an inexpensive and practical hanger having advantages and utility that are deemed to be improvements in this art.

Any other modifications or variations in the exact construction, shape of the elements, combinations of parts, or in the substitution of equivalent means in the hanger of this invention shall be governed by `the breadth and scope of the language in the appended claims directed to the salient features incorporated in the hanger of the present design.

What I claim is:

l. A wire garment hanger having one run thereof adapted for supporting skirts or other similar garments comprising a pair of aligned wire sections, an offset wire section extending therebetween and overlapping portions of said aligned wire sections, and single wire loops, each of said single wire loops connecting one terminal end of said offset wire section with an adjacent terminal end of one of the aligned wire sections to support garments by insertion thereof between the overlapping portions of said respective wire sections, each of said wire loops having portions thereof disposed to overlap in spaced relation with respect to the aforesaid overlapping Wire sections to further grasp and hold supported garments.

2. A wire garment hanger having a run thereof adapted for supporting skirts or other similar garments comprising a pair of aligned end Wires, an olset intermediate Wire extending between said end wires and overlapping portions thereof, and individual resilient wire loops, each of said individual wire loops having its end portions directly connecting one of the ends of said intermediate Wire and one of the adjacent portions of said end wires respectively to normally urge the overlapping portions of the wires together for supporting garments therebetween, said resilient loops each having portions thereof disposed adjacent to each other and in spaced relation with respect to the aforesaid overlapping wires to further grasp and hold supported garments.

3. A wire garment hanger having a run thereof adapted for supporting skirts or other similar garments comprising a pair of aligned end wires, an offset intermediate wire extending between said end wires and overlapping portions thereof, and individual resilient Wire loops, each of said individual wire loops having its end portions directly connecting one of the ends of said intermediate wire and with the adjacent portions of said end wires respectively to normally urge the overlapping portions of the wires together for supporting garments therebetween, said individual wire loops each being disposed in radially projecting relation with respect to the line of contact of the overlapping wires and including adjacent parts to additionally grasp and hold supported garments at points spaced from the line of contact of the aforesaid overlapping wires.

4. A wire garment hanger having a run thereof adapted for supporting skirts or other similar garments comprising a pair of aligned end wires, an offset intermediate wire extending between said end wires and overlapping portions thereof, and single resilient wire loops, each of said single loops having end portions for directly connecting one of the ends of said intermediate wire and one of the adjacent portions of said end wires respectively to normally urge the overlapping portions of the wires together for supporting garments therebetween, said resilient wire loops including overlapping sections, and resilient means connected with said sections to urge same into garment grasping relation to supplement the overlapping garment clamping portions of the intermediate and end wires to provide dual garment clamping means.

5. A wire garment hanger having a run thereof adapted for supporting skirts or other similar garments comprising a pair of aligned end wires, an offset intermediate wire extending between said end wires and overlapping portions thereof, and independent resilient wire loops each cornprising a single wire loop for directly connecting one of the ends of said intermediate wire and one of the adjacent portions of said end wires respectively to normally urge the overlapping portions of the wires together for supporting garments therebetween, said resilient wire loops each having overlapping sections, and a second Wire loop connected with the overlapping sections of said resilient wire loops for coaction with said overlapping garment clamping portions of the intermediate and end wires to provide dual garment clamping means, and said second wire loop of each clamping means having a part thereof disposed in a plane angularly positioned with respect to the plane of the associated resilient wire loop to limit the extent of garment insertion into said dual clamping means.

6. A clamping unit for one wire portion of a metal garment hanger comprising at least two hanger supported wires having their ends adjacently positioned to overlap and to form a first garment gripping means, wire legs connected with the terminal portions of said wire ends and extending angularly away from said wires, said legs each having wire fingers adjacently disposed to overlap and to form a second garment gripping means spaced from said first garment gripping means and in parallel relation thereto, and a resilient single open wire loop connected between the ends of the wire iingers to maintain said rst and second garment gripping means in garment grasping position, said second garment gripping means being interposed between said open wire loop and said first garment gripping means, and the closed curved end of said open wire loop comprising a limit stop for a garment when the latter is fully inserted for retainment by the dual garment gripping means.

'7. A clamping unit for one run of wire of an open center garment hanger comprising at least two supported wire ends carried by said one run and in adjacent and overlapping position to provide a first garment grasping means, upright wires continuing from the terminal portions of said wire ends into the open center part of said hanger, wire legs connected with said uprights and arranged to adjacently overlap in spaced relation to said first garment grasping means to provide a second and separate garment grasping means disposed within the open center of said wire hanger and in parallel relation to said first means, and a resilient wire loop connecting said wire legs to normally maintain the cooperative wire parts of the garment grasping means against a garment inserted between said means, said wire loop comprising a stop to limit the extent of garment insertion between said garment grasping means and into the open center of said garment hanger.

WILLIAM E. MARTIN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 588,560 Evans Aug. 24, 1897 2,145,120 Loveless Jan. 24, 1939 2,238,519 Drake Apr. 15, 1941