US3008615A - Garment hanger - Google Patents

Description

N. v. BURY ETAL GARMENT HANGER Nov. 14, 1-961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 27, 1956 Ww M OZ R Z w r o T wa A Rm 3 mi m N 196 N. v. BURY ETAL 3,008,615

' GARMENT HANGER Filed April 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 INVENTORS JVIZie VT Bury Greyory iflferma fiaberi' -M.](OU6ZZ M,M,HQMWM United States Patent 3,008,615 GARMENT HANGER Nellie V. Bury, 80 Ave. B, New York 9, NY; Gregory R. Serrao, 1470 E. 4th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Robert M. Koval, 80 Ave. B, New York 9, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 581,028 8 Claims. (Cl. 22393) This invention relates to gar-ment hangers, and more particularly to hangers of the type comprising oppositelyextended lateral arms adapted to engage and support the,

undersides of the shoulder portions of a garment.

It has been proposed in the past .to provide garment hangers of the above type, wherein relatively narrow bars extend in opposite directions and have spring-charged or biased movable fingers arranged to clamp the shoulder portions of a garment draped on the hanger. Such devices, however, were not entirely satisfactory since the garment tended to wrinkle because of the inadequate support provided even though spring clips were, used, and in that the slope and surface presented to the garment by the hanger did not simulate the human shoulders and therefore did not properly support the garment in a normal position and without undue wrinkling.

The above drawbacks and disadvantages are obviated by the present invention, and an object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved garment hanger which presents broad, sloping supporting surfaces for engagement with the undersides of the shoulder portions of a garment and which has disposed on said broad supporting surfaces spring-biased clamps adapted to engage and se curely hold the garment in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved garment hanger as above characterized, wherein the clamp means may be easily and conveniently actuated to facilitate hanging of the garment or removal thereof, said clamp means comprising in its preferred form members of relatively large or appreciable area which are cooperable with the large or broad surfaces of the supporting portions of the hanger. A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved garment hanger as above characterized, wherein a plurality of spring-charged clamping means is provided on each supporting arm of the hanger, to effect quick and easy placement and removal of the garment and effective support thereof without wrinkling.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved garment hangers having all of the above advantages, which are nevertheless extremely simple in their construction and economical to manufacture.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved garment hanger in accordance with the 'above, which is adaptable to hold evening gowns or dresses of the type which are devoid of shoulder portions, and which are also strapless. f

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the severalviews, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of an improved garment hanger made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top or plan view of the garment hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a garment hanger made in accordance with a modification of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top view of one arm of the garment hanger of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a garment hanger illustrating a further modification of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a garment hanger illustrating yet another modification of the invention.

3,008,615 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a garment hanger illustrating still another modification of the invention, the said hanger being arranged for engaging the shoulder portions of a gown or for supp-ortingthe straps thereof.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective View of the hanger of FIG. 7 but showing the parts readjusted to support a strapless and shoulderless evening gown or dress.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a garment hanger made in accordance with the invention and illustrating a still further modification thereof.

FIG. 10 is a top or plan view of a garment hanger illustrating yet another modification of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a modified form of shoulder engaging member, adaptable for use with the hanger shown in FIGS. 7-10.

.FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another modified form of shoulder engageable member for use with the hangers of FIGS. 7-10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the improved garment hanger shown therein comprises a central cross bar ,10 which may be of slightly bowed shape, having secured to its center an upstanding supporting rod 11 provided With a hooked end 12.

In accordance with this invention there are provided on the opposite ends of the cross bar 10 round, garment-engaging tabular members 13 of appreciable girth, having rounded, remote ends or extremities 14, and having proximal extremities 15 provided with circular faces 16 through which the bar 10 may extend. Each of the members 13 has a relatively large diameter or girth, as for example in the neighborhood of four inches, whereby large, garment-engaging upper and side surfaces are provided which effectively support various garments such as dresses and the like without causing wrinkling thereof. Thus the members 13 simulate the contours of the human shoulders.

Further, in accordance with the present invention, there are provided effective and easily operated, convenient clamping means carried by the members 13, to engage and clamp the supported garment without causing wrinkling thereof or marks thereon. This clamping means as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises pairs of clamping plates 18 and 19 carried by the garment-engaging members 13 respectively. The clamping plates 18 and 19 are disposed adjacent the proximal ends 15 of the members 13, and may have base or supporting portions 20 and 21 secured to the plates 18 and 19 by hinge connections 22, 23 respectively. The base portions 20, 21 may be secured to the members 13 by screws 24 or any other suitable means.

Associated with the plates 18, 19 and base portions 20, 21 are coil springs 25 by which the plates are continuously urged against or in engagement with the garmentsupporting members 13. It will be noted that each of the clamping plates 18 and 19 has an appreciable area, and that the plates are spaced somewhat from each other, thereby toenable them to effectively grip and hold a dress or similar article of raiment without wrinkling or marking the same.

I Moreover, it will be appreciated that the clamping plates may be easily and conveniently lifted to release the garment, or to place the garment in position on the hanger. This may be easily done seriatim or simultaneously, and removal of the garment may be effected'by gently pulling the shoulder portion out of engagement with the clamping plates, where the material of the garment is not too delicate or lacy. 1

.We have found that each of the garment-engaging members 13 may be advantageously on the order of six inches in length, and that the members maybe spaced apart adistance of six inches. The cross bar 10 may be advantageously of stur'dy "construction, with a diameter e ffor example.

Moreover, the various components making up the garment hanger may be constituted of either metal, or plastic or other material. For example, the hook 12 may be of metal, and the remainder of the hanger of plastic, or the cross bar may be of metal. Where the cross bar 10 and members 13 are of plastic they may be easily assembled by utilizing a press fit, with a suitable cement. Also, the garment supporting members 13 may be advantageously formed of wood as well as plastic, orplastic coated wood, for instance.

By the provision of the expansive'surfaces of the members 13 and clamping plates 18 and 19 there is no like lihood of wrinkling or marking of the garment which is carried by the hanger, and the garment will be normally held in the manner similarto that occurring when it is worn.

A modification of the invention is shown'in FIGS. 3-

and 4, wherein the ends'of' a cross bar 10a have threads 27 by which they may be screwed into the'garment'engaging members 13. In place of the pairs of clamping plates 18and19 there is provided a single, curved, expansive olampingplate 28 carried by an arm 29 pivoting'about a pin'30 secured to a mounting bracket 31 which is in turn attached to the member '13 by screws 32. A coil spring 33 is provided to establi h a downward bias for the arm 2 9,'thereby to normallyrnaintain the clamping pla-te28 in engagement with the member 13.

Another modification of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. This construction of garment hanger is similar to that shown in FIGS. l and 2, except that in place of the garment-engaging members 13 truncated members 13a are provided, having substantially flat or planar undersurfaces 35. The surfaces 35 maybe slightly concave to follow the general curvature of the hanger, if desired.

The cross bar 10 shown in FIG. 5 may be secured to the members 13a in any suitable manner, as for example by employing screws, rivets or the like.

Yet another modification of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein instead of the solid members 13 or 13a of FIGS. 1 and 5 there are provided garment-engaging members 13b formed as hollow shells. With this construction the cross bar 10 mayextend virtually to the remote extremities of the shells 13b, and may be adhered to the latter. This type of securement would be especiallyrefiective where both the-cross bar 10 and shells 1312 are formed of plastic material. The clamping plates 18b and19b in FIG. 6 maybe attached tothe shells 13b by anysuitablepivotal connection means, and coil springs 37 may be provided to effect the downward bias of the clamping plates.

The garment hanger shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 comprises a cross bar 40- having secured to itscenter an upstanding hook 41. At the ends of the cross bar 40 are disposed crowned plates or tabular members 42 of generally oval shape, having mounting tabs or'portions 43- secured-by pivot bolts 44 to the bar. The plates 42 may thus be swung from extended positions as shown in FIG. 7 to laterally projecting positions as shown in'FIG. 8. Also, the plates 42 have spring biasedclamps or clasps 45 arranged to grasp and hold either the straps or breast portion or shoulder portions of an evening gown or dress.

Further, pivotally. carried by the extremitiesof the cross bar 40*are clamping arms 46 having pads 47 engagea-ble with the upper surfaces of the-plates 43, to engage and grip either'shoulder straps or shotrlderportions-of 'a gown. Additionally, the pads 47 have'spring biased clamps or clasps 49, to hold shoulder straps or shoulder "pads or back i portion;

The arms 46 are carried by horizontal pivots 50 mounted on upright posts 51 which are-pivotally mounted on the cross bar 40,-" andthus the arms -46 may havenot onlyvertioal arcuateor swinging movement but also horizontal arcuate movement. Accordinglythe arms 46 may FIG. 10, wherein a construction is illustratedwhich is be extended oppositely to the plates 42, as shown in FIG. 8, thereby to engage the front and rear portions of a strapless and shoulderless evening gown or dress. The clamps on the pads 47, as well as the clamps on the plates 42 may function to grip the upper edges of the gown, as indicated, thereby to adequately support the gown in a position-tending to prevent wrinkling.

In FIG. 9 there is shown a garment hanger similar in many respects to that shown in FIGS. 7 'andr8, except that hinges 42b are provided'on'themounting tabs 43a of the plates 42a, thereby enabling said plates to be swung downward from their laterally extended positions (similar to the positions indicated in FIG. 8). Following the'plates 42a when they are swung downward are -the'arms 46,-which--may'thus be utilizedas a clamping means in conjunction with theplates 42a, and the pivotal mounting for the arms 46 is of course arranged to permit such extensive downward arcuate movement.-

In place of theplates 42 and- 42a, conical members 42c maybeprovided as shown in FIG. 11, or-curved disks or segments 42d, as'shown in 12. The conical members 420 and the members-42d may be sufficiently long to accommodate "fairly long sleeves.

A further modification of'the invention is shown in similar in most respects to that shown in'FIG; 7. However, in'place of the narrow cross bar 40' of FIG. 7 there is provided inFIG. 10 a much wider cross bar "401) which is better adaptedto'support' the straps of a gown, particularly if such straps are ofthinorlacyconstruction.

It will bereadily understood that, in accordance with the above, there have been provided noveland advantageous garment hangers having broad and'expansive, shoulder-engaging portions in conjunction with easily actuated and effective clamping means by which the shoulders of a garment are clamped against the said'expansive, shoulder-engaging portions. The clamping means are characterized by large, expansive surfaces by which there is avoided wrinkling or marking of the garment'being supported.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

We claim:

'1. A garment hanger comprisingja cross bar and means for suspending said bar from a supporting member; four pairs of cooperable .clamping'membera'two pairs of said members being pivotally mounted by means of vertically disposed pivots positioned on each endof the cross bar for horizontal pivoting movement, the-members of either pair being adapted to. clamp the shoulder or strap portions of a gown or dress when said two pairs of members extend longitudinallyand outwardly from the ends of the bar, each pair of'mernbers being of greater length than the width of said bar and beingswingable on the bar as a separate unit and the .pairsofmembers ateither end of the bar being swingable individually laterally of the bar to extend in opposite directions and away from the sides of-the bar for engagement with the front and .rear'body portions-of a gown or dress for supporting the same.

2. The invention as-defined in claim-1 in which the upper surface'of one'member-in any'of the saidtwo pairs is adapted to engage and support the inside shoulder portions of a gown ordress- 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which another member of any of the said two pairs has a pad-like portion 015- appreciable'area, cooper-able'with the upper surface of the said 'one'member, .for clamping the shoulder of a gown or dress.

4; The-invention as'defined in claim 2 in which there is an additional clamping jaw on said one member, spaced from thatclamping member which is. c'ooperable'with the one-member, for enabling two spaced upper edgeportions of a supportedgownto be clamped by the members.

5. Theinvention as defined in claim 2. in. which the members of each pair are disposed one above another, and in which the said one member of any of the two pairs is generally cone-shaped.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2, in which the members of each pair are disposed one above another, and in which the said one member of any of the two pairs comprises a curved sheet having a convex upper surface and a concave lower surface.

7. A garment hanger comprising a cross bar and means for suspending said bar from a supporting member, a plate member pivotally mounted on each end of said cross bar by means of a vertically disposed pivot so that said plate members are mounted for pivotal movement in a substantially horizontal plane, clamping members, pivot means pivotally mounting said clamping members on each end of said cross bar in cooperative clamping relation to said plate members with said clamping members disposed above the plate members to clamp the shoulder or strap portions of a garment, a second pivot means mounted on said cross bar adjacent to said first-mentioned pivot means with each pivot means disposed at right angles to each other respectively for mounting the clamping members on said bar for pivotal movement in a substantially vertioal plane and also for pivotal movement in a substantially horizontal plane, the plate members and clamping members at either end of the bar being thereby movable horizontally in opposite directions from their operative clamping relation to each other to extend in opposite directions laterally of the bar to engage front and rear portions of a garment.

8. The invent-ion as defined in claim 7 in which each of the plate members and each of the clamping members has a clasp mounted thereon to clamp the said front and rear portions of the garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,184,743 Griifiths May 30, 1916 1,204,618 Verkler Nov. 14, 1916 1,586,400 Boling May 25, 1926 2,077,717 Schramm Apr. 20, 1937 2,525,142 Levinson Oct. 10, 1950

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