US2804246A - Garment hangers - Google Patents

Description

7 1957 N. E. BROOKE 2,804,246

GARMENT HANGERS Filed June 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. F|4 NORMAN E. BROOKE ATTORNEY g- 27, 1957 N. E. BROOKE 2,804,246

' GARMENT HANGERS Filed June 23, 1955 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NORMAN E. BROOKE ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1957 N. E. BROOKE 2,804,245

GARMENT HANGERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 23, 1955 as j 40 5.

v r i as 1 s 40 INVENTOR NORMAN E. BROOKE ATTORNEY United States Patent GARMENT HANGERS Norman E. Brooke, Washington, D. C.

Application June 23, 1955, Serial No. 517,588

18 Claims. (Cl. 223-96) This invention relates generally to the class of apparel apparatus and is directed particularly to improvements in garment hangers, more especially hangers of the type adapted for hanging or suspending mens trousers.

The present invention is directed to a hanger of the same general type or character as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 476,870 filed December 22, 1954, now Patent No. 2,777,620, dated May 15, 1957 and embodies certain patentably distinct refinements, or improvements, thereover.

As pointed out in my prior application the majority of hangers for suspending mens trousers, womens skirts and the like embody two cooperating jaw members between which the garment is gripped. The jaw members are usually attached each to a leg of resilient or springy material and the legs are connected to a hook or other means by which the device may be hung up.

The legs of resilient or springy material are held in drawn together relation to grip the garment therebetween by some means, such as an encircling slide ring, and they are biased so that when the holding slide ring is shifted upwardly thereon they will spring apart.

When a part of a garment is placed between the jaws, the slide ring must be forced down to bend or spring the legs together to close the jaws. The legs are thus under tension and because of this and also because of the fact that they are upwardly convergent, there is' a camming force imposed on the connecting slide ring tending to move the ring upward and this condition is made increasingly worse with the increasing of the thickness of material placed between the jaws. While attempts have been made to prevent this slipping of the lock ring by roughening or serrating the surfaces of the legs over which the ring slides, this does not wholly remove the difiiculty since the roughened surfaces eventually become smooth and the ring will then slip and fail to hold the legs together and the jaws closed.

A particular or principal object of the present invention,as was the object of my prior invention, disclosed in the above identified application, is to provide a hanger having co-operating resilient, or spring, legs, connected together at one end and carrying at their other ends coacting gripping jaws of novel form whereby when they are sprung into working position by a slide or slip ring therearound, they will not impose a camming force on the ring tending to reversely shift it, regardless of the bulk or thickness of material placed between the gripping jaws of the amount of strain imposed on the spring legs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment hanger embodying co-operating jaw members between which a garment is gripped wherein a pair of leg members connects the jaws with a means by which the hanger may be suspended and which leg members are designed in novel form whereby one is flexed into a substantially parallel relation with the other when a sliding coupling surrounding the two legs is shifted towardithe jaws, the form of the legs being such that when they are drawn together no such angular convergence will exist which would tend to cause the coupling to slip away fromthe jaws and thus allow the same to spring open.

The present general practices of providing mens suits with two pairs of trousers makes it desirable to have hangers which will properly support both together in such a way that one may be put on or taken ofi without dis turbing the other one which may be already secured thereon.

With the type of conventional trousers hanger designed to hold one pair only it is sometimes possible to'grip the cuffs of two pairs of trousers between the jaws thereof but this puts a great strain on the spring legs of the hanger because the legs are prevented from coming toether to the extent they should and the slide ring or coupling must be pushed down with great force. The

spring legs are thus flexed under great strain and they are also disposed at a wide angle so that the slide will not stay in place but tends to slip up and release the jaws. Also, when it is possible to put more than one pair of trousers on a hanger intended to hold only one pair it is not possible to release one pair without releasing the.

other.

A further object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing, is to provide a new and novel device for hanging, or suspending, mens trousers by the cufis, which overcomes the difliculties described in connection with the hanging of two pairs of trousers by the provision in a unitary structure of two pairs of gripping jaws having associated therewith co-acting supporting spring legs which are so designed that either, pair of jaws may be opened independently of the other and also so that exceptionally thick folds or layers of material may be placed between either pair of jaws and the slide member coupling the legs may be moved to jaw closing position where it will remain without danger of slipping. v p

A still further object of the present invention -is to provide a new hanger device for mens trousers, or other garments, wherein two adjoining but separately operable pairs of jaws are providedwith one jaw forming member being common to both pairs and wherein a new and improved spring leg assembly is employed which is strong and'du-rable and easy to assemble and connect with the other elements of the hanger structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in one embodiment thereof, a construction in which a number of the elements are so formed as to be interchangeable or usable in more than one location in the structure thereby reducing the number of difierent parts designs.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in another embodiment, a novel constructional feature by a hook part lies;over and longitudinally of the central,

bar. In one arrangement the side partshave theirouter ends secured to the ends of the central bar and slope upwardly in convergent relation to join the hook which lies above the transverse center of the central bar. In

another arrangement the side parts, or legs are' secured to the central bar inwardly of the ends of the latter and converge upwardly to jointhe book. A hinge plate is secured to and beneath the convergent ends of the side parts below the hook and to each side of this plate there is pivotally attached a hanging, outwardly swingable suspension hinge having two spaced arms; across and between the lower ends of which an outer, or lateral, jaw .bar is secured.

The hinge .plate also carries two .nested spring leg units which straddle the plate between the same and the convergent ends of the frame side parts. The inner ar ase one of these units embodies two :legs which have'lower ends secured in, onto, the central bar'while the outer one-of the units also embodies-two legs which lie against or substantiallyparallelwith, the inner unit legs and have their free ends eaehloosely, or slidably, coupled with an outer jaw bar. Each leg .of the outer .unit and the adjacent leg of the inner unit is encircled by a slide ring and the outer legs are spring biased to swing out away from the'adjacent leg ;of the inner unit when the ring'is slid upwardly. *The outer legs thus, when released, swing the attached 'jaw bar out away from =the' central jaw on the suspension hinge. Because ofthe arrangernent whereby the adjacent 'slide encircledlegs are substantially parallel throughout 'the major portion of their n h the an le term d wh he l s r s a a d leve s r n w,- Thus t e li e is ine ble u or do n iihlitt e .efie t sad when it is 93.

h oute ia is ra i e in to rip a ren of a garment e en i an the d a en i 3 95m? ce al a t e es a es; nea l pa ll that .fe ee i m s d o the slide tending to move it upwardly on the legs.

.11 o e b diment o t e e ion t a m l Parts e m r e n ili f a in P at an s d spring units are secured together by'welding or riveting the frame :to the hinge plate in such a manner that the spring units .will be locked in position to the hinge plate. v

In the hereinbefore referred to other embodiment a cap plate overlies the hinge plate and is locked thereto by bending parts thereof around adjacent parts of the hinge plate andclamps portions of the frame and of the nested spring units to the hinge plate without eme m ii of i t e din o he like.

O he c s and ad nta f the in n i n l become apparent as the descriptionofthe same proceeds and theinyention will ,be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a partof the specification with the understanding that the invention may be changed or'modified solong as such changes or modifications mark no :material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings:

Figure dis a view in perspectiveofa garment hanger constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on a reduced scale, taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing one sidejaw bar in open position.

Figure 3 is an end elevation on a reduced-scale of the-hanger showing a garment secured in one side there- Figure 4 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 44'of1Fig. 1. e

Figure 5 is a viewin perspective of the clamp plate Pe see, be e being .fi l d in t e l F u 6 is a ie n Pe p et e o t hin Pla P rse, et r h ng fi edi th a sembly- Figure 7 isla sectional detail showing, how the ends e the es fo t e nne sp ing y ke a e e t the s en-- I tral jaw bar.

Figure 8 is a view in r e i ei an the mb d ment of the invention.

Figure 9 is. a viewpinperspectrve ,of stiilanother emframe leg toan-end of the central Fi ure .12 is else a ie elseii substantiall en the line 12-12 of 0. V

Figure 13 is a view in bottom plan of the hanger of Figure 1 illustrating the way in which the jaw bars in closing, or when closed witha garment therebetween, engage first at their outer ends. I

Figure 14 is a view sirnilar to Figure 13 but showing one pair of jaws with a part of a garment gripped therebetween and showing how the. outer jaw bar is somewhat more fiattened to tightly grip the garment.

Figure 15 is a bottom view of the hanger showing the jaw barsin fully open position.

. Figure 16.is a. sectional detail, the section being taken on the line 1616 of'Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that three embodiments of the invention have been disclosed but it will also be seen that certain new and novel features are presented in each.

The form or construction of the invention constituting the first embodiment, is illustrated in Figures 1 to 7. This is generali-y designated 10.

Where-in the different embodiments the same or duplicate structural elements are shown the same reference characters-will be employed to simplify the description.

The-hanger generally designated 10, comprises a main or centraljaw bar 12,which. may be formed of wood, metal, plastic or any other suitable material as may be found desirable. Wood, however, is preferred.

The central bar 12, is between, or has extending along the sides thereof, the movable, or side jaw bars 14, which are preferably of thin metal, such as aluminum, although any other suitablemetal plastic or other material which will serve the desired purpose, may be used.

The central bar is of rectangular cross section and it is preferred that. the side faces 12a be of a width, or height, slightly greater than the width of the top and botm iae s 1: an l e respe y:

The ends 12d are flat, or cut square with .the' longitudinal faces, and each end face has a slot 16 (Fig. 16), formed therein for thepurpose hereinafter set forth.

' The central jaw bar 12 is approximately the same in vertical width as the side jaws 1.4 and each side jaw coacts with theadjacent side of the central bar to form a garment clamp for securing the cuffs of a pair of pants or a past oi .eil the rment iMidway of itsfends the vertical sides of thecentralbar are provided with thellong inbowed recesses 18 and the mid portion of each outer jaw bar 14 is outwardly bowed as 1 'eate a A so as is e a Sh n pa ll y in'Figures l3 and 14, the portions of the outer jaws extendiiig from opposite sides of the bowed mid-portion are siightiy convergent toward the mid-portion. Thus, when the opposing jaw bars 12 and 14 are pressed tosethen the eu er nd it ba l en a e iii'el a e st th e pee n ente ends of t bar e d h fully pressed thereag'ainst this bar, a space is provided betweenithe confrohting bowedportions 18 and 20 to accommodate extra thickness of material. .With this construction it will be seen that the maximum gripping action occursbetween the outer ends of the jaw bars when the jaws are closed so that slipping of this material from between the jaws cannot occur.

The opposed faces of the central jaw bar andthe side or movable jaw bars are covered with felt or other suitable friction material as indicated respectively at 21 win, i

The numeral 2} generally designates a frame which is conneeted tothe centralbar in the manner about to be described. By rneans of this frame the ;hanger is. suspended and this frame also assists in maintainingcertain of the parts of the hanger together. l

The frame 23 is preferably formed of a single length of metal of narrow band form, such as steel, or it maybe formed of any other material suitable for the purpose,

or it is possible to employ a heavy gage wire if desired although band material is most satisfactory.

The material of the frame 23 is bent or shaped by being folded on itself midway of its ends as at 24. The double thick portion thus formed is then bent in a curve or arc to form the hook 25, terminating in the shank portion 26 which is made up of the two substantially parallel portions 25a.

The lower ends of the two parts 25:: of the hook shank merge into the oppositely directed curved knees '27 each of which leads into a short foot portion 28. These foot portions each joins by a slight down curved part 29 with the upper end of a long downwardly and outwardly directed arm 30.

Each arm 30 terminates in the inturned finger 31 which is secured by friction in the slot 16 in the adjacent end of the central bar, being forced by pressure into the slot to effect such securement.

The numeral 32 generally designates a hinge plate which lies beneath the hook shank portions 25a and the outwardly directed foot portions 28.

The hinge plate 32 comprises the substantially rectangular metal piece 33 which is pressed to form the channel 34 which extends from one edge to the other.

Paralleling the channel, the metal piece has a portion of each side turned or rolled under forming the flanges 35 shown in Fig. 6, which in the assembling of the device are further turned or rolled under to form hinge sleeves asshown in Fig. 1, which finished sleeves are designated 36.

As illustrated, the foot portions 28 lie, in bled device, in the channel 34.

The hinge sleeves 36 parallel the central bar 12 and each has extending loosely therethrough to turn therein, the connecting portion 37 between the two side arms 38 of aninverted substantially U-shaped hinge frame, generally designated H.

The arms 38 in this preferred form of the invention are in divergent relation in the direction of the outer or swingable jaw bars 14. Each arm terminates in a flattened part 39 which is secured in an approved manner, as by a spot weld 40, for example, to the outer side of the jaw bar.

The numeral 41 generally designates the actuating and locking mechanism for the movable or swingable jaw bars the assem- 14 and which mechanism is carried by the hinge plate 32.

The mechanism 41 comprises an inner yoke 42 of spring steel preferably in the form of a flat strip or band and an outer yoke 43 of the same band or strip steel within which the inner yoke is framed. V

The inner spring yoke comprises a top cross piece 44 which joins together the side legs 45 which have the inwardly extending lower end portions 46, which terminate in the downwardly directed anchoring portions 47. These terminal anchoring portions are secured or held together by an encircling band or collar 48, and below the collar the terminal portions are frictionally secured in a socket 49, in the central jaw bar. 2

In assembling the parts use may be made of a suitable glue or cement in the socket 49, if desired, to assist the friction engagement in holding the parts together although this is not essential as theyoke cannot rise because of the attachment of the cross piece 44 to the frame and other parts as hereinafter described.

The outer yoke 43 also has a top cross piece 50 which lies along the top of the cross piece 44 of the inner yoke and connects together the side legs 51.

The legs 51 extend along the outer sides of the inner yoke legs 45 and are of sufiicient length to extend across the outer sides of the outer movable jaw bars 14.

Each jaw bar 14 has secured to the outer side of the outbowed portion 26 'thereof by welding or any other suitable means, the guide plate 52'which is formed-with the, nut-pressed rib portion 53, extending between the nel 54.

The lower end of the adjacent spring leg 51 is slidably engaged in the channel 54. The spring legs 51 are biased to spring outwardly to swing the jaw bars 14 on the hinges H, the bars 37 turning in the sleeves 36 and in this movement, as well as in the closing of the jaw bars 14 toward the central jaw bar 12, the end of the spring legs will slide in the channels 54.

As shown the outer yoke 43 of the actuating mechanism is of U shape and the inner yoke 42 is of like shape except that the end portions of the legs are bent to extend inward and then extend longitudinally to engage in the socket 49. The yokes enclose the hinge plate and the superimposed cross pieces thereof extend over the top of this plate and pass between the knees 27 of the hook shank portions 25a.

Positioned over and covering the major part of the top of the hinge plate 32 is a clamp plate 55. This plate comprises the body 56 of suitable metal of a width greater than the width of the hinge plate body 33 and has portions of each side bent down to form the clamping flanges 57.

The flanges 57 and an adjacent part of the body 56 have open slots 58 cut therein and in line with these slots the center of the body 45 has the hook shank receiving opening 59.

Between the opening 59 and the side slots 58 the material of the body 56, is pressed out to form the two guide channels 69.

The slots 58 and guide channels are of proper dimensions to receive the two cross pieces 44 and 50 and the central opening 59 is of proper size to snugly receive the shank portions 25 of the hook, in the assembled structure, as shown.

The numeral 61 designates slide rings or bands which encircle each two adjacent legs 45 and 51 of the actuating and locking mechanism. As will be readily obvious when the ring or band 61 is slid down on the encircled legs the jaw bar attached leg 51 will be flexed at the top end Where it joins the cross piece 50 and brought into close side by side relation with the inner yoke leg 45 and the adjacent jaw bar 14 will come into clamping relation with the side of the central bar 12. The spring leg 51 may be slightly outwardly bowed and when the slide ring draws the leg inwardly and a thickness ofmaterial is gripped between the jaw bars the spring leg 51 will tend to bow out slightly so that the two legs will be held in close side by side relation and there will be no influence applied to the ring tending to cause it to slip up and release the gripped article as shown in Figure 3.

In the assembling of the hanger the frame 23 is positioned over the hinge plate body 33 with the foot portions 28 in the channel 34 and one foot portion is secured by spot welding it to the bottom of the channel, as indicated at 28a.

The bar portions 37 of the hinge members H might superimposed top parts 44 and 50 over the top of the hinge plate body, under the unsecured other foot portion 23 and positioned between the inclined faces of the knees 27, as shown in Fig. 4.

28a is forced into the slot 16 in the adjacent end of the f central jaw bar and the other finger 31 at the opposite end of the jaw bar forced into the adjacent slot 16.

The clamp plate body 56 may then be applied in knees 27 will be engaged and will be drawn together and compress thepa rts'44and 50 between the underfaces of knees 27 to draw the portions 25a f the hook shanks together and alsopress the unsecured foot portion 28 into the channel '34. v I

The flanges 57 of the clamp plate body 56 are then bent in around the hinge sleeves 36 to firmly lock the clamp plate to-the hinge plate and secure the several parts together.

The outer jaw bars maythen beattached by slipping,

the ends of the outer spring legs in the guide channels 54 a'ndwelding, or otherwise securing, the ends of the hinge legs 38 to the sides of the jaw bars 14, as shown.

With the construction thus described it will be seen that the parts embodying the cross pieces of the spring yoke and the foot portions of the frame are secured togetherin a novel manner which requires no bolts or rivets, and only a single spot weld for holding one foot portion 28 in position on the hinge plate while the other elements are worked into place. I

In Figs. 8 and 10,- another embodiment of the invention is illustrated which shows a simpler construction but one I in which more fastening elements or welds are required to maintain the parts in assembled relation.

It will be seen that the hinge plate, here designated 132 is of the same construction as in the first embodiment,

as are the central jaw bar 112; the side or swinging jaw 'In this second embodimentthe frame generally des-' ignated 123 has the two foot portions 128 secured by the spot welds 12 8a, or by rivets or other suitable means, in the channel 134 which is formed across the plate body 133, and the cross pieces 144 and 150, of the spring yokes 142 and 143 are firmly clamped down between the knees "I ZIinstead of the one foot'portion and the cross pieces 'being clamped; down by a clamping or locking plate such as the plate 55.

Also in this second embodiment the legs 130 of the frame are shown as each, having a straight end portion 131 which issecured flat against the end face of the central jaw bar by a suitable fastener 131a which may be in the form of a screw, a nail having spiral ribs aroundthe K middle portion of the shank to hold it in place as indicated 131li'in Fig.1;0, or any other securing means. In this connection it is specified that this means of securing the ends of the arms to the ends of the central jaw bar may be used in the first described embodiment and vice versa.

Since in all other details the construction of this second embodiment is the same as the first, it is not believed that further description of the same is required.

In another construction, shown in Fig. 9, there are shown a slightly modified form of the hinge and means for coupling the legs thereof to the side of a swinging jaw bar. a

In this figure the outer ends of the hanger may be of the same form as in the preceding figures. Also the top part embodying thehinge plate and the manner in which the actuating and locking mechanism and the frame are secured together, may be as shown in either of the pree in enbqdim nts- In. s s hi dtpr n sh w n. F s- 9. he h n e p a qn a lr d i aa ed 2. 1 a h la s, .2 c i d by i l l a as a b r A4 a e den r n the plates ri he easttems .6 re uti i ed to Secure h ds, o s 5 ,2 8.01 hei in s Hrl q t ble jaw'bars. j V

As'will'be readily apparent'when the plates 241 are secured to the movableljaw bars 214, the sleeves 236 thereof will extend across the-jaw bars and the channel 253 will face the bar so that it may receive the free end of the leg 256 of the outer spring yoke 243.

The ends of the legs 238 of the hinges are inserted in the sleeves 236 and may be secured therein in any suitable manner, as by welding or by indenting the wall of the sleeve to force the indented part into the leg therein.

Another arrangement for the frame part of the struc-' ture may be as shown in the fragmentary side view forming Fig. 11, where, instead of extending the arms to the outer ends of the central jaw bar as, for example the arms and 130 areshown, they may be secured in the top of the central jaw bar. j r

In this Fig. ll, the frame is generally designated 323 and the'arms aredesignated 330. These arms extend down to the top of the central jaw bar 312 which has the recesses 312a formed therein, into each of which recesses the end of the arm is inserted.

To insure a good connection between the end of the arm 330 and thecentral jaw bar, in the recess, the end of the arm may have an aperture 313 and the recess filled with a suitable cement 314, which will enter or extend through the aperture and lock the end of the arm in place. 1

As will be readily seen the other parts of the structure which are shown in Fig. 11, are the same as in another described embodiment and no description is therefore considered necessary.

From the foregoing itwill be apparent that the garment hanger of the present invention in its several embodiments is unique in a number of features.

The spring yokes of the actuating and locking mechanism for the spring yokes are readily assembled and secured in operativeposition. Because of the novel manner in which these yokes are formed, withou't sharp bends, and the manner in which they fit over and are supported by hinge plate, in the assembled structure, the'flexing of the legs of the yokes incident to the opening and closing of the jaws, will not cause the legs to weaken. Thus the life of the yokes, and therefore of the hanger, will be indefinite.

By provision of the support hinges having legs thereof attached to the outer swinging jaw bars, particularly in those embodiments shown where the legs are spread widely apart, such as the legs of hinges H and H1, no appreciable twisting of the attached jaw bars 14 and 114 respectively, will occur when the jaws are in open position. Thus a strong and relatively rigid construction is had.

Because of the novel construction and arrangement of nism it is possible to securely fasten or grip between either outer'jaw bar and the central jaw bar thicknesses of material which it is impossible for any other known type of hangerto grip, without the risk of the slide ring, such as the ring 61 of Fig. 1, or the corresponding ring in the other figures, slipping from position and releasing the article.

At the same time, when it is desired to remove the article, the ring can be shifted up on the legs without the slightest difficulty; and sliding it down to grip the article is as easily accomplished,

In trousers hangers of: the form presently available, where the coacting jaw bars are straight and substantially inflexible, it is a common experience to have them grip the trousers coffin the thick seams part thereof, but let the outer portions slip out from between the jaws.

In the present invention this cannot occur because of the form of the outer jaw-bars where the outer end portions are closer to the central jaw bar than the central portions as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 and due to the ,resiliencyof the outer jaw bars and the springcompression placed on theouter jaw bars when the-slides 61 areforced down to draw in on the-spring legs 51. Thus, no matter how much difierence may exist between the thickness of the material lying between the outer ends of the coacting jaw bars and that lying between the opposing mid-portions, when the middle portion of the material is secured the outer portions will also be firmly gripped and cannot slip.

I claim:

l. A garment hanger comprising two coacting jaw bars, means for suspending the hanger comprising a pair of elongate members attached to one jaw bar and rising in convergent relation thereover and joining a suspending element above the transverse center of said one jaw, an elongate hinge member comprising two elongate legs joined together at one end by a hinge bar, means coupling said hinge bar to the convergent ends of said elongate members laterally of the members whereby the legs of the hinge member may swing outwardly from said one jaw bar, means securing the other jaw bar to said hinge legs, an elongate spring member connected at one end above said transverse center of said one jaw to said convergent ends and positioned in a plane perpendicular to the transverse centers of the jaw bars and attached at its other end to said one jaw bar, a second elongate spring member lying along the outer side of the first spring member and attached at one end to said convergent ends and joined at its other end to said other jaw bar, said second spring member being biased to swing its other end and said other jaw bar outwardly, and a slide coupling between said spring members for drawing the second spring member toward the first mentioned spring member.

2. A garment hanger comprising two juxtaposed jaw bars, a suspension element disposed above the transverse center of one bar and coupled thereto by two downwardly diverging legs, an elongate support hinge pivotally coupled at one end to the suspension element and attached at its other end to the other jaw bar to swing said other jaw bar relative to the one jaw bar, and an actuating andlocking mechanism for said other jaw bar comprising a pair of elongate strips of spring material lying one over the other in a plane perpendicular to and passing through the transverse centers of the jaw'bars and both secured at one end to the suspension elementand having their other ends extending towardthejaw bars, one of said strips at the other end, thereof being attached tolthe said one bar, the other strip being coupled at its other end to the other jaw bar, said other spring strip being biased to urge the outward swing of the other jaw bar on said support hinge, and a shiftable connector between the spring strips for drawing the same and the jaws together.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the coupling between said other end of the said other strip and said other jaw is slidable to permit relative movement between said other jaw and the said other spring strip when the latter jaw swings on the hinge.

4. A garment hanger comprising a central jaw bar, a lateral jaw bar at each side thereof, a suspension element disposed above the transverse center of the central bar and coupled thereto by two downwardly diverging legs, a hinge plate secured to said legs at and extending in width across the convergent ends thereof beneath the suspension element, a pair of elongate support hinges coupled in laterally outwardly spaced relation to the suspension element to and depending from opposite sides of the plate to swing outwardly relative to the central bar, each of said hinges being joined at its other end to a lateral jaw bar, resilient means operatively coupled between each lateral jaw bar and the central bar and urging outward swinging of the lateral bar relative to the central bar, and means for drawing the lateral jaw bar inwardly against the resistance of said resilient means.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein said resilient means embodies two elongate yokes nested one within the other, each said yoke having a top portion and two side leg portions, the inner one of the nested yokes, having the legs thereof secured to the center jaw bar and the outer one of the nested yokes having each of the legs thereof attached to a lateral jaw bar.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein the atthereof beneath the suspension element, said plate having a hinge sleeve along each'of two opposite sides and extending longitudinally of the jaw bars, a pair of elongate support hinges for said lateral jaw bars, each support hinge comprising two legs connected by a cross bar, each hinge having its cross bar positioned for turning movement in a hinge sleeve and having its legs attached to a lateral jaw bar on opposite sides of the transverse center thereof,

resilient means operatively coupled between each lateral jaw bar and the central bar and normally urging outward swinging of the lateral bar relative to the central bar, and means for selectively drawing the lateral jaw bars inwardly against the resistance of said resilient means,

8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein said resilient means embodies two elongate yokes nested one within the other, each yoke including a top portion which lies across the top of the hinge plate and two side legportions, the legs of the inner yoke being secured to the central jaw bar and the legs of the outer yoke being connected each to a lateral jaw bar, and means whereby the suspension element clamps the said top portions in position upon the top of the hinge plate.

9. The invention according to claim 7, wherein said suspension element embodies a hook having two downwardly extending shanks each joined to one of said downwardly diverging legs by an inclined knee portion, said knee portions having opposing spaced under faces, said resilient means embodying two elongate yokes nested one within the other, each yoke including a top portion and two side leg portions, said top portions lying one upon the other across the top of said plate between and engaged by the opposing under faces of said knee portions, the legs of the inner yoke being secured to the central jaw bar and the legs of the outer yoke being connected each to a lateral jaw bar, and means securing the suspension element to the hinge plate, said knees being pressed in clamping engagement with the said top portions of the yokes when the suspension element is secured to the hinge plate.

10. The invention according to claim 7, wherein said suspension element embodies a hook having two downwardly extending juxtaposed shanks each joined to one of said downwardly diverging legs by an inclined knee portion and a short foot portion, the knee portions having spaced downwardly diverging opposed under faces and the foot portions being oppositely directed, said hinge plate having a channel in which said foot portions lie, said resilient means embodying two elongate yokes neste one within the other and each yoke having a transverse top portion and two side leg portions, said top portions 12. The invention according to claim 10, wherein the last means comprises a clamp plateoverlying-the hinge plate and having-an opening through which said shanks extend, opposite edges of said opening engaging and bearing down on the top sides of said knee portions, and

means securing the clamp plate tothe hinge plate comprising opposite edge portions of the clamp plate turned under the hinge sleeves of the hinge plate.

13. A garment-hanger comprising a central jaw bar,

a pair of lateral jaw barsbetween which the central bar is positioned, a suspension means comprising a hook disposed over the" transverse center of the central bar and having a pairof downwardly extending shanks terminating in oppositely diverging knees, the knees joining oppositely directed straight foot portions and the foot portions joining outwardly and downwardly extending legs directed longitudinally of the central bar and each terminating-at-an end of the central bar, means securing'each leg end to the bar, a hingeplate-lying beneath the said knees and foot portions, means securing the plate to the foot portions, a pair of elongate support hinges each comprising two legs and a connecting hinge bar therebetween, means pivotally coupling each hinge bar to a side of the hinge plate with the legs extending down and secured to the adjacent lateral jaw bar on opposite sides of the center thereof, each lateral jaw bar between the hinge legs attached thereto-being outwardlybowed and having the portions on oppositesides of the bowed part angled-inwardly toward the central bar, means coupling the hinge plate with the central bar midway between the ends of the latter, a substantially U-shaped spring yoke straddling the hinge plate and having a central portion lying between said knees and secured thereby to the plate, the yoke having two legs loosely attached outwardly,;and shiftable means coupling the spring legs with the said means coupling the hinge plate with the central barfor drawing the spring legs and attached lateral jaw bars inwardly.-

14.- The invention according to claim 13, wherein the said loose attachment of the spring legs to the lateral jaw;

bars comprises a guide forming means-carried by each lateral jaw bar and having the guide extending across the bar and having an end portion of the spring leg slidably positioned therein. 1 j

12 15. T he invention according to claim 13; wherein the said-loose attachmentof thespringlegs to the lateral jaw bars embodies a plate secured to the outer face of each lateraljjaw bar and formed'with'achannel facing and extending across the jaw, bar and having an end portion of the spring. leg slidably engaged therein.

16. The invention according to claim 15, wherein said hinge plate and the channeled plates secured to the lateral jaw b'arsare of'duplicate form, each having in addition to-the-channelasleeve-formed across two opposite sides,

the sleeves of the hinge plate each forming a part of the said means pivotallycoupling-a hinge bar to the hinge plate and the sleeves of-the plates secured to the lateral,

jaw-bars having the legsof the hinge means secured therein;

17; A garment-hanger comprising two elongate jaw bars, asuspension element,; means connecting the suspen-. sion element -to one jaw bar above approximately the intersection of' the longitudinaland transverse centers,

thereof, anelongate hinge member attached to the other jaw bar at points spaced longitudinally and on opposite sides; of" the transverse center thereof, huge means coupling the hinge member adjacent to and in outwardly spaced relation with the suspension element whereby the hinge member and, the said other jaw bar may swing outwardly from said one jaw bar, a spring leg secured against movementat one. end to said hinge means and joined at its other end; to said other jaw bar for movement relative thereto and biased to urge swinging of the said other jaw bar outwardly, and means for effecting the swinging of the hinge member and said other jaw bar inward against the bias of the spring leg.

18. The invention according to claim 17, wherein said hinge'means includes a plate body secured to the first stated means below the suspension element, the said onev end of the spring leg being secured to the plate body and the other end of the spring leg being disposed across the said other jaw bar approximately at its transverse center.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES-PATENTS 696,940 Cazier Apr. 8, 1902 1,047,295. Riedl Dec. 17,1912 1,876,139 Feldman Sept. 6,1932 2,463,136 Baser Mar. 1, 1949

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