US3174663A - Pant stretcher and creaser - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1965 c. J. CAMPBELL PANT STRETCHER AND CREASER l 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1965 INVENTOR.

Charles J. Campbell AGENT C. J. CAMPBELL PANT STRETCHER AND CREASER March 23, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1963 II-Inn "mall/fill;

INVENTOR Charles J. Campbell rawxxxxxx 7!!!!14 AGENT March 23, 1965 c. J. CAMPBELL PANT STRETCHER AND CREASER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 20, 1965 MP 11m 58 INVENTOR Charles J. Campbell AGENI United States Patent 3,174,663 PANT STRETCHER AND CREASER Charles J. Campbell, 132 Rosedale Heights Drive, Toronto 7, @ntario, Canada Filed May 20, 1963, Ser. No. 281,626 4 Claims. (Cl. 223-74) This invention relates to a device for drying, shaping, creasing and smoothing trousers, slacks, shorts, and the like garments. More particularly, it is concerned with providing a mechanically simple, lightweight and portable creaser device of the type that is inserted inside the leg of the trousers and forms a crease by means of pressure applied along the length of the leg by oppositely positioned creasing members.

Most known devices of this nature are generally constructed of a large number of component parts with the result that they are unnecessarily heavy, cumbersome, and awkward to use and store. Also, they are complicated and expensive to manufacture.

Other known devices of relatively simple construction are generally unsatisfactory because they are limited to use with a very narrow range of garment sizes and, in addition, like the more complex devices, they are awkward to use.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a garment creasing device constructed from a minimum number of component parts which is light in weight and which can be easily inserted into and removed from the garment. Another object of this invention is to provide a creaser which is automatically self-adjusting for trousers of any leg width and which maintains uniform, continuous pressure along the length of the creases. A further object of this invention is the provision of a mechanically simple trouser creaser which readily collapses and locks into a relatively narrow width to facilitate storage or insertion into even the narrowest trouser cuffs and legs.

The above and other objects of this invention are accomplished by means of a surprisingly simple mechanical device which comprises a pair of straight-edged creasing structures which are held in spaced apart relationship by suitable support means mounted between the two structures such that they are positioned for convenient simultaneous insertion into a pair of trouser legs or the like. Each creasing structure comprises two relatively thin, straight-edged crease-forming arms which are held in substantially co-planar, spaced-apart relationship by spreading means mounted between the two creasing arms at single pivot points located about midway the length of each arm. The spreading means is spring actuated and is arranged and constructed so as to exert a lateral outward pressure on each creasing arm when the device is in the operative position and is provided with means adapted to lock the creasing arms together when the device is in the non-operative position, such that the width of the creasing structure in the nonoperative or collapsed position is relatively narrow as compared to its operative or expanded width. Thus, the creasing structure, when released from the contracted or non-operative position, expands instantly under the force of tensioned spring means to automatically adjust to the varying widths and shapes of the garment into which it has been inserted. Because of single pivot point mounting of the spreading means between the creasing arms, continuous uniform pressure is automatically maintained along the length of the creasing arms, which are free to expand or contract automatically responsive to the shrinkage or stretching of materials as they may be aitected by moisture, steam or heat. Sharp, straight creases are assured by the straight, sharp-edged configuration of the outer edges of the creasing arms.

The invention is described in detail hereinafter with reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of this invention showing the creasing device in its collapsed or non-operative position;

FEGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the embodi merit of FIGURE 1 showing the creasing device in its expanded or operative position inserted in a trouser leg;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, in detail, takenalong the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1 showing construction and configuration of the crease-forming arms;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 1 showing the creaser support means of that embodiment;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the creaser showing locking means, partly in section for 7 holding the device in its collapsed position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIGURE 5 showing the action of the locking means of that embodiment;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of a creaser mounted on a floor-type support stand showing another embodiment of the creaser locking mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7-showing the attachment of a creaser to a floor-type support;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view along the line 9-9 in FIGURE 8 showing, in detail, the locking mechanism of the creaser illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional View along the line 10-10 in FIGURE 8 showing the locking mechanism of FIG- URES 7, 8 and 9 in the unlocked position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawing.

The device illustrated comprises a pair of corresponding creasing structures indicated generally by the numeral 10,

.which are held in spaced, substantially parallel relationship by support means indicated generally by the numeral 11. Each creasing structure 10 consists of two straightedged crease-forming arms 12 which are held in substantially coplanar, spaced apart relationhsip by means of spreading means. The creasing arms 12 are each substantially tubular in cross-section (as shown particularly in FIGURE 3) and have relatively sharp outer edges 13 which accommodate the crease in the trousers when the device is positioned within the trouser leg T as shown in FIGURE 2. The inner tubular portion of the creasing arms 12 preferably is sufiiciently thick to ensure the presence of an air space inside the garment leg which will facilitate drying. 1

The spreading means, which hold the creasing arms 12 in spaced-apart relationship, each comprises a pair of spreader bars 14 having their corresponding outer extremities pivotally attached to the creasing arms 12 by transverse rivets or pins 15. The inner adjacent extremities of the spreader bars 14 are pivotally connected to a first pivot plate 16 by means of transverse rivets or pins 17. A pair of links 18 are pivotally connected at their outer extremities to each of the spreader bars 14 by means of transverse pins or rivets 19; The adjacent extremities of the links 18 are pivotally associated with a second pivot plate 20 by means of. transverse rivets or pins 21. A support rod 22 is rigidly fixed to the first pivot plate 16 and projects through the second pivot plate 20 such that sliding movement of the plate 20 longitudinally along the support rod 22 is permitted. A coil spring 23 is positioned on the support rod 22 between the first and second pivot plates 16 and 29 respectively and has one end secured to each of said plates such that it is under constant tension. The coil spring 23 thus normally functions to force the spreader bars 14 apart because of the 3 contractive force exerted on the pivot plates 16 and 20.

Since the creasing structures of this invention will be commonly used in pairs in order to effect simultaneous creasing or stretching of each of the legs of a pair of trousers or the like garment, support means 11 or 63 are provided for holding two creasing structures in spacedapart relationship for convenient insertion into the gar ment that is to be creased. FIGURE 4 illustrates one such support means as contemplated by the present invention. In this embodiment, the support rod 22 of each creasing structure projects upwards and is fixed in an inverted support housing which secures each of the creasing members 10 in spaced-apart relationship for convenient simultaneous insertion into a pair of trouser legs or the like garment. Pivotally associated with the support housing 30 is a support hook 31 which is attached at the mid-point 32 of the top portion 33 of the support housing 30. In the embodiment shown, the hook 31 is held by a collar 34 on the lower extremity 35 of the hook 31. The

hook 31 illustrated comprises an a-rcuate outer portion 36 and an arcuate inner portion 37 formed integral therewith defining an arcuate slot 38 'therebetween. This design permits either simply hanging the creaser device on a rod 66 as shown in FIGURE 1, or locking the hook on the support line 65 as shown in FIGURE 2.

Alternative to the suspending hook means for supporting the creasing device described hereinabove and illustrated in FIGURES 1-6, the present invention contemplates a floor-type support 63 such as illustrated in FIG- URES 7 and 8. In this embodiment, the creasing structures 10 are held vertically in spaced-apart relationship by a pair of extensions 60, 61 securely fixed to the first pivot plate 16 of each creasing structure such as by means "of transverse pins 62. The extensions 60, 61 form part of the support 63 which can be held in the vertical position by means of a base 64 which is sufliciently stable to prevent upsetting of the creasing device.

The present invention provides means for holding and locking the creasing arms 12 in a collapsed or non operative position for easier insertion into the trouser leg or cuff.

In' the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES l and 2, the tensional force of spring 23is utilized to lock the creasing arms 12 in the locked or nonoperative position, as shown in FIGURE 1. This is accomplished by locating pivot points 19 on spreader bars 14 such that when the spreading means are in their collapsed or non-operative position, said points are inside the null-point defined by an imaginary straight line drawn between pivot points 17 and 21. With this arrangement the tension spring 23 will act to pull the creaser arms 12 together and lock them in the collapsed position once they have been forced past the null-point by manual inward pressure. Thus, the device can be automatically locked in the collapsed position as shown in FIGURE 1 simply by exerting sufiicient inward pressure on the creaser arms 12 to force pivot points 19 inside the nullpoint; and the device can be unlocked and returned to the expanded or operative position by manually forcing the 'crease'r arms 12 outward until pivot points 19 are outside the hull-point. V

The present invention also providesa positive acting locking means which can be utilized alternatively to the spring-actuated locking action described hereinabove. Two embodiments of the positive locking means are illustrated in FIGURES 5 through 10. Referring first to the embodiment illustrated by FIGURES 5 and. 6, this positive locking means comprises a pair of dogs 40 and 41 pivotally mounted on the side walls 42 of support means 43 by means of transverse pins 44. The dogs 40 and 41 are biased outwardly by spring means '45, which are mounted on 'a transverse pin 46 to engage the lip of notches 47 and 48 which are formed on extensions 49 1of the tubes fixed to pivot plates 20 and adapted for free sliding movement along the support rods 22. It will be evident that dogs 40, 41 will engage the lip of notches 47, 48 to hold the creasing members 10 in their collapsed or inoperative position, and when the dogs 40, 41 are released by inward pressure on the lugs 40a, 41a the creasing members 12 will expand, the tube extensions 49 and notch 48 moving to the expanded or operative position 49a, 48a as illustrated in FIGURE 6.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 7 through 10, a separate positive locking means is provided for each creasing structure 10. In'each case, this locking means comprises a pair of dogs 50, 51 which are pivotally mounted on support rod 22 by means of a transverse pin 53. The lower portion of dogs 50, 51 are biased inwardly by spring means 54 wrapped around support rod 22, as illustrated, such that the dogs 50, 51 engage lip 56 of notch 57 formed on tubular extension 58 which is fixed to'the second pivot'plate 20 in the same manner as extension 49 previously described. Thus, when the creasing structure 10 is in the contracted position, the dogs 50, 51 engage the lip. 56, as shown in FIGURE 9, locking the creasing structure in the contracted position. When the dogs 50, 51 are released by manual inward pressure applied at their upper portions, tubular extension 58 is released and the creasing structure 10 expands to its operative position as shown in FIGURE 10 under the force of tensioned spring 23.

In the operation of the creasing device of this invention, the creaser, in the collapsed or non-opeartive position as shown in FIGURE 1, is suspended from a line or rod by hook 31, fixed to support means 11 or alternatively, it is vertically supported. by floor stand 64 fixed to support means 63 such as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. When the hook-suspended embodiment is used, it is preferred to lock the hook 31 on the supporting line 65 as shown in FIGURE 2. Creasing structures 10 are then inserted in each cult or trouser leg and the garment properly positioned thereon. The locking means are released and the creasing arms 12 expand to exert a continuous, uniform pressure along the length of the trouser leg. Final adjustments to ensure stra-i'ghtness of the crease etc., are then made. The pivotal action of suspending hook 31 facilitates this operation. On completion of the creasing operation, e.-g., when a wash and wear article is dry, the creaser is locked in the collapsed position and the garment removed.

The creasing device of this invention has -a number of important advantages. It is light in Weight and easy to use or store; it consists of a minimum number of component parts and is thus inexpensive to manufacture; the outward and inward movement of the creasing arms is positively co-ordinated and controlled allowing the device to be used with a wide variety of garments ensuring straight, sharp creases in all cases.

It will be understood, of course, that modification-s can be made in the preferred embodiments of the invention de scribed and i'llustrated herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for stretching and creasing trousers and the like garments comprising at least one creasing structure having an elongated support member, a pair of oppositely positioned opposed creasing arms carried by said support member, a first pivot plate fixed to one extremity of said support member, two spreader bars each having one end pivotally connected to said first pivot plate and having their opposite outer end-s each pivotally connected to one of said creasing "arms, a second pivot plate slid-ably positioned on said "support member, a pair of links each having one end pivotally connected to said second pivot plate and having their opposite outer'ends each pivotally attached at about the mid-point of said spreader bars, tensioned spring means arranged between and'c'onnected with said first and second pivot plates such that said spring means tends to pull said first and second pivot plates together whereby said spreader bars are forced laterally outward and locking means for securing said creasing arms in a contracted position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the locking means comprises a particular positioning of the pivot points connecting the various parts such that when the creasing arms are in a contracted position the pivot points connecting the spreader bars with the iinks are inside the null-point which is defined by imaginary lines drawn through the pivot points connecting the ends of the spreader arms and the ends of the links to the first and second pivot plates respectively whereby the force of the tensioning spring means will act to hold said creasing arms in said contracted position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the locking means comprises holding dogs positioned on the support member above the second pivot plate, an extension fixed to said second pivot plate and adapted for axial sliding movement along said support member, said extension being provided with catch means adapted for releasable engagement with said holding dogs when said extension is in its most extended position such that said creasing structure can he releasably locked in a contracted position by the action of said holding dogs on said catch means.

4. A device for stretching and creasing trousers and the like garments comprising a pair of creasing structures secured to support means in substantially parallel spacedapart relationship; each of said creasing structures comprising an elongated support rod affixed at one extremity to said support means, a first pivot plate fixed to the other extremity of said support rod, a pair of oppositely positioned opposed straight-edged creasing arms carried by said support rod, two spreader bars each having one end pivotally attached to said first pivot plate and having their opposite outer ends each pivot-ally attached to one of said creasing arms; a second pivot plate slidably positioned on said support rod between said first pivot plate and said suppont means, a pair of links each having one end pivotally attached to said second pivot plate and having their opposite outer ends pivotally attached to about the midpoint of said spreader bars, tensioned spring means circumscribing said support rod between said first and second pivot plates and connected therewith such that said spring means tends to pull said first and second pivot plates together and thereby force said spreader iba-rs laterally outwand; means for securing said creasing structures in a contracted position and means for supporting said pair of creasing structures in a substantially vertical position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,236,167 8/17 Hansen 22363 2,943,773 7/60 Bahnik 22374 X 2,956,714 10/ Rosenthal et a1 22374 FOREIGN PATENTS 949,041 9/56 Germany.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR STRETCHING AND CREASING TROUSERS AND THE LIKE GARMENTS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE CREASING STRUCTURE HAVING AN ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBER, A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY POSITIONED OPPOSED CREASING ARMS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, A FIST PIVOT PLATE FIXED TO ONE EXTREMITY OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, TWO SPREADER BARS EACH HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST PIVOT PLATE AND HAVING THEIR OPPOSITE OUTER ENDS EACH PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID CREASING ARMS, A SECOND PIVOT PLATE SLIDABLY POSITIONED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, A PAIR OF LINKS EACH HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND PIVOT PLATE AND HAVING THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS EACH PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO ABOUT THE MID-POINT OF SAID SPREADER BARS, TENSIONED SPRING MEANS ARRANGED BETWEEN AND CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND PIVOT PLATES SUCH THAT SAID SPRING MEANS TENDS TO PULL SAID FIRST AND SECOND PIVOT PLATES TOGETHER WHEREBY SAID SPREADER BARS ARE FORCED LATERALLY OUTWARD AND LOCKING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID CREASING ARMS IN A CONTRACTED POSITION.

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