US3270892A

US3270892A - Hanger

Info

Publication number: US3270892A
Application number: US411387A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph E Dennis; Ronald A Bolin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-11-16
Filing date: 1964-11-16
Publication date: 1966-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-06

Description

Sept. 6, 1966 Filed Nov. 16, 1964 R. E. DENNIS ETAL HANGER 5 Sheets-Sheet l 2.95 (7 Bil 5 24 f E" 24c FIG. 4

I NV E NTORS RALPH E. DENNIS BY RONALD A. BOLIN ATTORNEY p 1966 R. E. DENNIS ETAL 3,270,892

HANGER Filed Nov. 16, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS RALPH E. DENNIS RONALD A BOLIN AT TORNE Y p 1966 R. E. DENNIS ETAL 3,270,892

HANGER Filed Nov. 16, 1964 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 224 d w I FIG. 8

INVENTORS RALPH E. DENNIS fl ll BY RONALD A. BOLIN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,270,892 HANGER Ralph E. Dennis, 2693 Fairfax Drive, Columbus, Ohio, gig Ronald A. Bolin, 2087 Incheliti Road, Columbus,

Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,387 10 Claims. (Cl. 211113) This invention relates to a hanger device and, more particularly, to an adapter for use with a plurality of coat hangers.

The coat hangers to be used with the adapter of the invention are the usual Wire or wood structures (as ShOlWIl for example in FIG. seen in every clothes closet and comprising a hook and a shoulder portion for engaging the shoulder of a garment. These hangers present a number of problems.

When hangers are hung in a wide clothes closet they present a minimum of difliculty. A rod can be positioned longitudinally across the closet and the hangers can be hung parallel to each other and in planes which are perpendicular to the vertical plane which includes the supporting rod.

If the closet is not deep enough to accommodate the -full length of a hanger it is customary to turn the hangers cross-ways and hang them on spaced hooks or nails which do not extend across the full depth of the closet and there- 'fore accommodate a limited number of hangers.

A second problem with hangers arises when it becomes necessary to move clothing on hangers from one supporting rod to another. This can be very frustrating since attempts to transfer the hangers en masse from one rod to a second rod results in some of the hooks becoming engaged on the second rod with others missing the rod. The alternative to this is to transfer the hangers one at a time, an alternative that can test ones patience.

A third problem arises in commercial laundries where workers place individual hangers on a rack as work is finished and then handle the hanger again when the customer arrives. This method of operation also increases the probability of mixing one customers clothing with anothers. A unit adapter on which all a single customers clothing could be hung would minimize such problems.

Objects It is an object of this invention to provide an adapter for coat hangers which permits the hanger to hang at any desired angle relative to the support; that is, parallel to a supporting rod, perpendicular to a supporting rod or anywhere in between the parallel and vertical positions.

It is a further object to provide a coat hanger adapter which permits of the simultaneous transfer of a number of coat hangers from one rack to another or from one supporting bar to another without individual handling of the hangers.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a coat hanger adapter of simple construction and inexpensive enough to serve as a throw away item for commercial laundries.

We have now found that the foregoing and related objects can be secured in a coat hanger adapter for permitting of the hanging of a plurality of coat hangers on an.

elevated support wherein said hangers hang in substantially the same vertical plane which plane can be turned through an angle of 90 between two vertical planes perpendicular to each other Without changing the position of said adapter, said adapter comprising: (1) means such as a hook or clamp for suspending said adapter from said support; (2) a shank attached to and extending vertically downward from said suspending means; (3) a plurality of spaced shoulders in vertical array extending laterally outward from said shank, each of said shoulders being 3,279,892 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 adapted to support a coat hanger hook; (4) a plurality of stops, one on the outer end of each shoulder to prevent an in situ coat hanger from falling off said shoulder; and (5) a plurality of openings each defined by a shoulder, a stop, and a .portion of the shank and wherein each opening, if geometrically projected to the said vertical planes perpendicular to each other, will effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufficiently wide to accommodate a coat hanger hook.

More specifically we have discovered a coat hanger adapter for permitting of the hanging of a plurality of coat hangers on a horizontally extending rod wherein said hangers hang in substantially the same vertical plane, which plane can be turned through an angle of between a first vertical plane which includes said rod and a second vertical plane perpendicular to said first plane Without changing the position of said adapter, said adapter comprising: (1) a hook or clamp for engaging said rod; (2) a bent sheet integrally formed with and hanging vertically downward from said hook; (3) at least one set of spaced, vertically arrayed openings in said sheet wherein each of said openings, if geometrically projected to the said vertical planes perpendicular to each other, will effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufiiciently wide to accommodate a coat hang- The invention can be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several specific embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coat hanger adapter embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the coat hanger adapter of the invention supporting coat hangers in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane which includes the supporting cross bar;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the coat hanger adapter of FIG. 5 supporting coat hangers in a vertical plane perpendicular to the vetrical plane which includes the supporting cross bar;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of a third alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a view in cross section taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of a fourth alternative embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a view in cross section taken along the line 1111 in FIG. 10.

With detailed reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 16 inclusive, the coat hanger adapter of the invention comprises a hook 20 and a vertically corrugated sheet 21 attached to and hanging vertically downward from the hook 20.

The hook 20 is provided with a web portion 22 and the sheet 21 is provided with an opening 23 to minimize the weight of the structure. The sheet 21 is also provided with

openings

24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24c and 24] into each of which the book of a coat hanger such as coat hanger 25 (FIGS. 5 and 6) can be inserted.

Each of the

openings

24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 242 and 24 is defined (as illustrated by opening 24a in FIG. 1) by a .shank 26, a shoulder 27 upon which a coat hanger can rest, and a stop 28 to prevent an in situ coat hanger from sliding off the shoulder 27. It is the nature of these openings which constitutes an important feature of the invention and this is illustrated in FIG. 2. The coat hanger 25 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is illustrated in FIG. 2 in a first plane by broken line A and in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane by the broken line 25B. A second coat hanger 29 is illustrated in FIG. 2 in the first plane by broken line 29A and in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane by broken line 29B.

Because of the nature of the opening 24 e, the hanger 25 can be rotated 90 between its position 25A in the first plane and 25B its position in the second plane without changing the position of the adapter. Similarly, and because of the nature of the opening 24B, the hanger 29 can be rotated 90 between its position 2A in the first plane and 29B its position in the second plane without changing the position of the adapater. To accommodate a coat hanger in the various positions indicated the openings 24a, 25b, etc. are formed in a manner such that, if each opening is geometrically projected to the said first plane and to the said second plane, each such projected opening is substantially as wide as the coat hanger hook to be accommodated. Thus the distance between the two parallel broken lines 25A representing the first plane of hanger 25 is the width of such a projection on the second plane. Similarly, the distance between the two parallel broken lines 25B representing the second plane of hanger 25 is the width of such a projection on the first plane.

The

openings

24a, 24b and 240 are in vertical array as are the openings 24d, 242 and 24]. As illustrated, the spacing between openings 24a and 24d, the spacing between 24b and 24B, and the spacing between 240 and 24 are equal. Advantage may be gained by positioning lower openings closer to the center of the adapter than upper openings. This provides for less crowding of the hangers. Thus the spacing between openings 24]) and 24a can be slightly less than the spacing between openings 24a and 24d. Similarly, the spacing between

openings

24c and 24 can be slightly less than the spacing between

openings

24b and 24e. In general, each successive opening in a downward direction in a set of spaced, vertically arrayed openings is closer to the center line of the adapter.

FIG. 5 shows the adapter of FIGS. 1-4 being supported by a cross bar 30 and in turn supporting six coat hangers such as

hangers

25 and 29. As illustrated the coat hangers are holding shirts 3-1. In FIG. 5 the vertical plane of the coat hangers is, for practical purposes, one plane and this is coincident with, or at least parallel to, the vertical plane which includes the cross bar 30.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 except the hangers, such as hanger 25, have been rotated through 90 and the vertical plane of the hangers is, as shown, perpendicular to the vertical plane which includes the cross bar 30. It should be noted that, although the vertical plane of the coat hangers has been rotated through 90 the adapter has remained in the same position relative to the cross bar 30. Thus, FIG. 5 represents the use of the adapter of the invention in a clothes closet which is too narrow to accommodate shirts, coats, and the like hung in vertical planes perpendicular to the plane of the cross bar. FIG. 6 represents the use of the adapter of the invention in a clothes closet which is sufliciently wide to accommodate shirts, coats, and the like in vertical planes perpendicular to the vertical plane of the cross bar.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 7, a shank 126 is attached to and hangs vertically downward from a hook 120. Shoulders such as shoulder 127 extend laterally from the shank 126 and are adapted to support a coat hanger hook. A stop such as stop 128 on the outer end of the shoulder 127 prevents an in situ coat hanger from falling 011? the shoulder. I-t maybe noted that the shank structure 126 and the stop structure 128 are identical in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

The adapter of FIG. 7 is provided with

openings

124a, 124b, 1240, 1242 and 124; which are defined (using opening 124a by way of example) by the shank 126, the shoulder :127 and the stop 123. As in the case of the openings 240 etc. in the embodiment of FIG. 1, each of the openings 124a, etc. in the embodiment of FIG. 7 is formed in a manner such that, if it were geometrically projected to a first plane coincident with the plane of the shank 1'26 and to a second plane perpendicular to the said first plane, the projected openings in each such perpendicular plane would be sufiiciently wide to accommodate a coat hanger hook.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show still another embodiment of the invention. A shank 226 is attached to and hangs vertically downward from a hook 220. Shoulders such as shoulder 2 27 extend laterally outward from the shank 226 and are adapted to support a coat hanger hook. A stop, such as stop 228, on the outer end of the shoulder 227., prevents an in situ coat hanger from falling otf the shoulder 227.

Openings

224a, 224b, 224e, 224a and 224 are each defined by (using opening 22411 by way of example) the shank 2 26, the shoulder 227, and the stop 228. FIG. 9 shows the nature of the openings 224a, 224b, etc.; that is, that each can be geometrically projected to two planes perpendicular to each other and efiect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufiiciently wide to accommodate a coat hanger hook.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show still another embodiment of the coat hanger adapter of the invention. A shank 326 is attached to and hangs vertically downward from a hook 320. Shoulders, such as shoulder 327, extend laterally outward from the shank 326 and are adapted to support a coat hanger hook. A stop, such as stop 328, provided on the outer end of the shoulder 327,'prevents an in situ coat hanger from falling off the shoulder 327.

Openings

324a, 324b, 3240, 324d, 3246 and 324 are each defined by (using opening 324a by way of example) the shank 326, the shoulder 327, and the stop 328. FIG. 11 shows the nature of the openings 324a, 3241), etc; that is, that each can be geometrically projected to two planes perpendicular to each other and effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufiiciently wide to accommodate a coat hanger hook.

The coat hanger adapter of the invention can be made of any suitable material such as plastic, aluminum, steel, and the like. The adapter (particularly the structure of FIG. 1), can be stamped out of a single sheet of material, can be constructed with wire (particularly the structure of FIG. 10), or can be formed in any suitable manner.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. l4 is particularly valuable because a large number of such structures can be stored in a small space. The latter advantage is obtained because the unit adapters fit into each other when stacked and therefore occupy very little space. Another advantage of the embodiments of FIG. 1, wherein the openings are completely surrounded by solid material, is that, if the adapter and its complement of hangers is dropped, the hanger hooks tend to remain in the openings and the whole assembly can be picked up easily.

It is to be understood that the above specifically described embodiments constitute preferred embodiments of the invention and are used for purposes of illustration only, that the invention is not limited to the precise forms disclosed, and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention which is described by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A coat hanger adapter for permitting of the hanging of a plurality of coat hangers on an elevated support wherein said hangers hang in substantially the same vertical plane, which hangers can be turned through an angle of between two vertical planes perpendicular to each other, said adapter comprising:

(a) means for suspending said adapter from a support;

(b) a shank attached to and extending vertically downward from said suspending means;

(c) a plurality of spaced shoulders in vertical array extending laterally outward from said shank, each of said shoulders being adapted to support a coat hanger hook;

(d) a plurality of stops, one on the outer end of each shoulder to prevent an in situ coat hanger from falling off said shoulder; and

(e) a plurality of openings each defined by a shoulder, a stop, and a portion of the shank and wherein each opening, if geometrically projected to the said vertical planes perpendicular to each other, will effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufliciently wide to accommodate a coat hanger hook.

2. The adapter according to claim 1 in which the suspending means is a hook.

3. A coat hanger adapter for permitting of the hanging of a plurality of coat hangers on a horizontally extending rod wherein said hangers hang in substantially the same vertical plane, which hangers can be turned through an angle of 90 between a first vertical plane which includes said rod and a second vertical plane perpendicular to said first plane without changing the position of said adapter, said adapter comprising:

(a) a means for engaging a rod;

(b) a vertically corrugated sheet attached to and extending vertically downward from said hook;

(c) at least one set of spaced, vertically arrayed openings in said sheet wherein each opening, if geometrically projected to the said planes perpendicular to each other, will effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufficiently wide to accommodate a coat hanger book.

4. The adapter according to claim 3 wherein each successive opening in a downward direction in a set of spaced openings is closer to the center line of the adapter.

5. The adapter according to claim 3 wherein there are two sets of said spaced, vertically arrayed openings.

6. The adapter according to claim 3 wherein said means is a hook.

7. A coat hanger adapter for permitting of the hanging of a plurality of coat hangers on a horizontally extending rod wherein said hangers hang in substantially the same vertical plane, which hangers can be turned through an angle of 90 between a first vertical plane which includes said rod and a second vertical plane perpendicular to said first plane without changing the position of said adapter, said adapter comprising:

(a) a hook for engaging a rod;

( b) a bent sheet integrally formed with and hanging vertically downward from said hook;

(c) at least one set of spaced, vertically arrayed openings in said sheet wherein each of said openings, if geometrically projected to the said vertical planes perpendicular to each other, will effect, in each such perpendicular plane, a projected opening which is sufiicien-tly wide to accommodate a coat hanger.

8. The adapter according to claim 7 wherein there are two sets of said spaced, vertically arrayed openings.

9. The adapter according to claim 7 wherein each successive opening in a downward direction in a set of spaced openings is closer to the center line of the adapter.

10. The adapter according to claim 7 wherein there are two sets of said spaced, vertically arrayed openings and wherein each successive opening in a downward direction in each set of said openings is closer to the center line of the adapter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 193,919 10/ 1962 Meyer et al. D8 1,561,755 11/1925 Tasefi 52345 1,813,932 7/1931 Kennard 211- 119 2,915,274 12/ 1959 Gustitus 248-317 FOREIGN PATENTS 904,935 9/ 1962 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

3. A COAT HANGER ADAPTER FOR PERMITTING OF THE HANGING OF A PLURALITY OF COAT HANGERS ON A HORIZONALLY EXTENDING ROD WHEREIN SAID HANGERS HANG IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE, WHICH HANGERS CAN BE TURNED THROUGH AN ANGLE OF 90* BETWEEN A FIRST VERTICAL PLANE WHICH INCLUDES SAID ROD AND A SECOND VERTICAL PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST PLANE WITHOUT CHANGING THE POSITION OF SAID ADAPTER, SAID ADAPTER COMPRISING: (A) A MEANS FOR ENGAGING A ROD; (B) A VERTICALLY CORRUGATED SHEET ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY DOWNWARD FROM SAID HOOK; (C) AT LEAST ONE SET OF SPACED, VERTICALLY ARRAYED OPENINGS IN SAID SHEET WHEREIN EACH OPENING, IF GEOMETRICALLY PROJECTED TO THE SAID PLANES PERPENDICULAR TO EACH OTHER, WITH EFFECT, IN EACH SUCH PERPENDICULAR PLANE, A PROJECTED OPENING WHICH IS SUFFICIENTLY WIDE TO ACCOMMODATE A COAT HANGER HOOK.