US2631080A

US2631080A - Luggage hanger construction

Info

Publication number: US2631080A
Application number: US125048A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry L Kotkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-11-02
Filing date: 1949-11-02
Publication date: 1953-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1970-03-10

Description

March 10, 1953 H. L. KOTKINS 2,631,080

LUGGAGE HANGER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 2, 1949 [EVEN/Z71 Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE HANGER CONSTRUCTION Henry L. Kotkins, Seattle, Wash.

Application November 2, 1949, Serial No. 125,048

13 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a luggage hanger construction and more particularly to a novel form of hanger support for luggage and a novel type of hanger for use therewith.

In certain types of hand luggage, a hanger post generally is provided for receiving a plurality of hangers positioned thereon to maintain garments, such as coats, jackets, dresses and the like, in position for packing. Such conventional post and hanger arrangements, while operable may be used for packing only a limited number of garments, and particularly those garments havin relatively bulky shoulder pads, since the directly aligned, abutting pads occupy a relatively large volume in comparison with the remainder of the garments. Further, in the conventional post and hanger arrangements, the hangers are suspended only at their centers and tipping of the hangers and garments may occur if the load upon the hangers and the post is not balanced.

The present invention now provides a novel hanger support and hanger which obviates the foregoing disadvantages. Briefly, the present invention comprises a single, depending post extending inwardly into the interior of a piece of luggage adjacent the center thereof. A supporting channel may be provided on each side of the post, each channel extending alongside the post in spaced parallel relation thereto.

The hanger is provided with a central slot for receiving the post and spaced elongated bearing surfaces, one of which is adapted to engage the post and the other of which is adapted to engage one of the supporting channels, so that the hange may be positioned upon the post and moved to either side thereof. The hanger is thus supported by the channel and the post at spaced points along the length of the hanger.

In this manner, it is possible to alternately stagger the hangers laterally with respect to the single supporting post with the shoulder pads of the garments supported by the hangers being similarly staggered laterally from direct abutting relation to reduce the bulk of a plurality of garments supported by the hangers depending from the single post. Also, the hangers are supported at spaced points by the central post and the channels extending parallel thereto to prevent tipping of the hangers, even though the load imposed thereon is unbalanced.

If desired the channel may be omitted and the hanger supported entirely by it engagement with the post and by the engagement of a projecting portion thereof with a wear-plate secured to a wall of the lug age above the post and extending laterally therefrom.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved luggage hanger construction which permits the staggering of adjacent garments positioned within the luggage.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger support and hangers therefor, the hangers being supported at a plurality of laterally spaced points against tipping and being stag ered with relation o one. another to reduce the overall bulk of articles supported thereby.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a novel hanger support and hanger construction including a single, central supporting post, means defining a supporting channel extending in spaced parallel relation to the post, and a hanger for engaging both the post and one of the supporting channels.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an article of luggage equipped with a novel hanger construction, the hangers being supported at spaced points in stasgered relation to the post to prevent tipping oi the hangers under an unbalanced load and to reduce the bulk of a plurality of articles supported thereon.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a piece of luggage provided with a novel luggage hanger construction of the present invention and illustrating the positioning of a plurality of garments on the hanger construction;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged View similar to Figure 1 further illustrating the novel hanger construction I Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to. Figure 2 illustrating the positioning of a hanger upon the hanger post; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective plan view, with parts broken away and in section, illustrating the hanger post and wear plate con struction of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, reference numeral Hi refers generally to an article of luggage including a side wall H and a marginal wall 12 carried thereby.

The wall it carries on. its inner surface a generally rectangular wear plate Ill secured thereto by means of rivets It. The wear plate 13 is pro vided with marginal flanges i5 extending in wardly from the wall it and terminating in in turned supporting surfaces it. coextensive with the wearplate i3 and cooperating therewith to define spaced, parallel channels.

A supporting post 17 is carried by the wear plate M, the post I! comprising a continuous closed band having deflected terminal ears is lying flush with the wear plate .13 and secured by suitable means as rivets. [9. The post I! provides a lower supporting wall 2n in spaced -relation to the wear plate 13 and a connecting web portion 21 of reduced width extending normally to the wear plate [3. The supporting wall 2% of the post I! lies midway between the inturned supporting channels 16 of the wear plate 53.

Each of the hangers 23 comprises a lower, bowed, garment supporting portion 24 having a central upwardly extending portion 25 provided with a central embossment 26 on one side face thereof. A bracket 21 is secured to each hanger 24 by means of a depending recessed portion 28 fitting over the embossment 26 and a rivet 29 extending through the hanger body and the bracket. An auxiliary hanger hook 3B is also secured to the hanger body 24 by rivet 2S and is pivotal thereabout.

The bracket 2'! includes a pair of oppositely directed arcuate arms 3| extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the dependent central portion 28, the arms terminating in closely spaced, generally horizontal, inturned bearing arms 32 defining a slot 33 therebetween. The bearing arms 32 have outwardly extending terminal portions 34 and upturned extreme end ears 35.

The positioning of a hanger 23 upon the post I! is illustrated in Figure 4, in which it will be seen that the space 33 between the inwardly extending arms 32 of the bracket 2'! is of sufficient width to receive the reduced width portion 2| of the post I! therebetween, although the slot or space 33 is of less width than the supporting wall 23 of the post ll.

After the hanger 23 has been positioned on the post as shown in Figure 4, the hanger is moved laterally to one side or the other of the post with the terminal end 34 of the outer arm 32 and the upstanding protuberance 35 thereof being entered in the corresponding channel defined between the wear plate l3 and the associated inturned guiding portion 18 thereof.

It will be seen that when the hanger is moved to this position, it is maintained against tipping movement by the closely spaced relation of the upstanding ears 35 to the wear plate l3, by the bearing of the arm end portion 34 against the supporting surface l6, and also by the bearing engagement of the opposing bearing arm 32 with the supporting surface 20 of the post H. In this manner, each hanger is firmly supported by its bracket which contacts, at spaced points, the post i! and one of the channels formed by the inturned surfaces or guiding portions 16 of the wear plate l3.

If desired the portions l and 16 may be omitted in which case the hanger is supported by engagement with the post I! and by engagement of an ear 35 with the inner surface of the wear plate 13.

In the illustration shown in Figure 1, a pair of garments G are illustrated as positioned upon a pair of alternately offset hangers 23. It will be noticed from this illustration that the shoulder pads of the respective garments G are offset from one another through a distance equivalent to that through which the hangers are offset from the central post 11. It will be appreciated that even though the load of the garments G be unbalanced upon the hangers 23, the hangers will not tip through any appreciable distance due to the spaced supports provided. for the hanger by the post I1 and the spaced channels.

The hangers may also be positioned at any desired point intermediate the extreme positions shown on the drawings or may be hung centralized in reference to the post l1. They may be locked on the post i! against accidental displacement or movement axially thereof by any of the conventional locking means now used with single post hanger assemblies.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginal wall surrounding a storage space, comprising a supporting post extending into the interior of said space in closely spaced and parallel relation to said wall, a wear plate interposed between said wall and said support and having a marginal flange having a surface parallel to and spaced from said post, and a laterally movable hanger having a bracket portion provided with spaced supporting arms movable, upon lateral movement of said hanger, into simultaneous engagement with said post and said wear plate flange surface respectively.

2. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginal wall enclosing a storage space, comprising an elongated wear plate abutting the inner surface of said wall and having spaced terminal channel portions extending inwardly into said space, a post mounted centrally of said wear plate and extending inwardly therefrom into the interior of said space intermediate the channel portions of said wear plate, and a laterally movable hanger having a bracket portion provided with spaced supporting arms of a span less than the distance between said channel portions engaging said post and one only of said wear plate channel portions respectively to support said hanger thereon in a laterally offset position with respect to said post.

3. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginal wall enclosing a storage space, comprising a wear plate in extended surface engagement with said wall and secured thereto, said wear plate having inturned terminal channels extending transverse to the width of said wall and in spaced relation thereto, a hanger support secured to said wear plate in spaced relation thereto and having a central supporting portion intermediate the channels of said wear plate and extending parallel thereto, and a hanger having a bracket portion provided with a pair of spaced elongated supporting arms of a span less than the distance between said channels, said hanger being transversely slidable relative to said plate and said support to position said hanger with one only of said arms engaging one of the channels of said wear plate and the other of said arms engaging the supporting portion of said support.

4. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising a supporting post having a supporting surface in spaced parallel relation to one of the interior walls of said article, and a hanger having a bracket provided with a transverse slot at least partially defined by an elongated bearing surface for engaging the supporting surface of said post, said slot permitting lateral sliding movement of said hanger, thereby accommodating the arrangement of a plurality of said hangers on said post in laterally offset relation to reduce the overall bulk of articles carried on said hangers.

5. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising a single central post having a supporting surface in spaced relation to one of the walls of said article, and a, hanger having a bracket provided with a transverse slot defining an elongated bearing arm insertable between the bearing portion of said post and the associated wall of said article, said slot accommodating lateral sliding movement of said hanger bracket relative to said post to offset alternate hangers laterally.

6. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising a wear plate abutting the wall of said article and having spaced inturned channels, a supporting post secured to said Wear plate centrally thereof, said post having a supporting surface in spaced relation thereto and in substantially the same plane as said channels, and a laterally slidable hanger having a bracket provided with an elongated transverse slot defining adjacent elongated bearing surfaces for engagement with said post supporting surface to accommodate relative lateral sliding movement thereof, and said hanger having outwardly extending arm portions lying beyond said slot for engaging said channels of said wear plate one only at a time when said hanger is slid relative to said post.

7. In an article of luggage, the improvements of a hanger post carried by a wall of said article and having a supporting surface in spaced relation thereto, a hanger having a bracket provided with an elongated transverse slot defining elongated bearing arms having a gap therebetween adapted to receive said post and one of said bearing arms engaging a supporting surface of said post upon lateral movement of said hanger relative to said post to support said hanger therefrom, and the other of said arms extending into closely spaced relation to said wall to limit movement of said hanger about said post.

8. In an article of luggage, a post secured to a wall of said article and having an inner supporting surface in spaced relation thereto, a hanger having a laterally slotted bracket providing elongated spaced arms having upstanding terminal projections, said arms being adapted to slidably engage the supporting surface of said post with said upstanding projections in closely spaced relation to the luggage wall supporting said post, whereby upon relative lateral sliding movement of said hanger relative to said post, said movement being accommodated by the slotted bracket, one of said arms engages the supporting surface of said post and the upstanding projections limit tipping movement of said hanger relative to said wall.

9. In an article of luggage, a marginal wall defining an interior space, a central post carried by said wall, a plurality of hangers each having a laterally slotted bracket providing an elongated arm having a bearing surface adapted to engage said post, and means spaced from said arm for limiting tipping movement of said hanger relative to said wall, whereby said hangers may be moved laterally of said post into relative offset relation thereto to reduce the bulk of articles carried by said hangers with said means limiting movement of said hangers relative to said wall, and the slotted brackets accommodating such lateral movement.

10. In an article of luggage, a bearing plate secured to one wall thereof and having spaced inturned bearing ears, a hanger support mounted between said ears and in substantially the same plane, and a plurality of hangers, each having oppositely directed elongated supporting arms defining corresponding slots and adapted for engaging a supporting surface of said ears and post respectively, whereby said hangers may be moved laterally, with said slots accommodating such movement, to offset relation to reduce the overall bulk of articles carried thereby.

11. In an article of luggage having side and marginal walls defining an interior space, a hanger construction comprising a supporting post secured to one of the article walls and having a supporting surface in spaced relation to a wall of said article, and a plurality of hangers each having a laterally slotted bracket secured thereto, said bracket including oppositely directed elongated supporting arms having central portions for slidably engaging the supporting surface of said post and outer portions extending into closely spaced relation with a wall of said article, said hangers being laterally slidable with respect to each other into oifset relation while maintaining said supporting arms in engagement with said post and said outer portions preventing tipping of said hangers about said post, the lateral slidable movement of said hangers being accommodated by said slotted brackets.

12. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginal wall enclosing a storage space, comprising a hanger post projecting from said wall into said space and having a portion extending transversely of said wall in spaced relation thereto, spaced supporting surfaces also extending transversely of said wall in directions parallel to said post and in spaced relation thereto, said supporting surfaces also being spaced from and substantially parallel to said wall, and a hanger having a bracket providing central bearing surfaces and outer bearing surfaces, the distance between said outer bearing surfaces being less than the distance between said supporting surfaces, each of said outer surfaces being adapted to engage a respective one of said supporting surfaces, and one of said central bearing surfaces being adapted to concurrently engage said post, whereby said hanger is retained and supported in a position laterally offset from said post by the engagement of one of said central bearing surfaces with said post and one of said outer bearing surfaces with its respective supporting surface.

13. In an article of luggage, a supporting post carried by one wall of said article, a laterally shiftable hanger having a bracket provided with terminal outwardly projecting arms having a gap therebetween adapted to receive said post when said hanger is laterally shifted therethrough and having bearing surfaces on either side of said gap for alternatively slidably engaging said post, and that arm opposing said post engaging bearing surface extending into closely spaced relation to said one wall to prevent tipping of said hanger about said Dost.

HENRY L. KOTKINS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,274,045 Derman Feb. 24, 1942 2,479,831 Goodman Aug. 23, 1949 2,518,603 De Leonardie Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 160,325 Germany May 3, 1905 382,385 Great Britain Oct. 2'7. 1932