US505472A - Shirt-stretcher - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORLO J. MARSH, OF TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANA.

SHIRT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,472, dated September 26, 1893.

Application filed May I To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, ORLO J. MARSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Titusville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Flannel-Shirt Drier and Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide a frame for the reception of flannel shirts, the same being adapted to be operated or disposed so as to readily receive a flannel shirt after washing, and to support or stretch the same in its natural position during the operation of drying, thereby avoiding the disagreeable and troublesome shrinking that would often occur when dried in the ordinary way; and, furthermore, to so construct the frame as to be adapted to be readily suspended from a nail, clothes line or other support, and to be adjusted so as to accommodate itself to various sizes of shirts.

With these and various other objects in view j the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is an elevation of a iiannel shirt, the same being placed upon a drying frame constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the .drying frame, the same being bolted to the position it occupies when in the act of receiving the shirt. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the frame being in the position it occupies after the shirt has been placed thereon andis in the act of being dried. Fig. 4 is a detail of the pivotal connection between the inner ends of the drying-arms.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l-l designate the opposite curved side bars, whose outer edges conform as near as possible to the general contour of the body of a person, and the same are connected adjustably at their lower ends through the medium of a transverse connecting bar 2, which bar adjacent to its ends is provided with a series of perforations 3, which are designed to align with a corresponding perforation formed in the side bars 1 and to be connected adjustably therewith through the medium of a thumbnut and bolt 4. In this manner the frame at 1893. Serial No. 474.943.

(No model.)

its lower end may be adapted to receive shirts of various widths. The upper ends of the side bars 1 are slightly widened so as to be disposed inwardly a short distance, and each has pivoted thereto by a thumb-nut and bolt 6 a pair of drying arms 7, the same in contour similating those of an ordinary shirt. By arranging the bolt 6 in different holes 8 a series of which is formed in each of the arms it will be seen that the distance apart between the .upper portions of the side bars 1 may be increased or decreased. The arms 7 are cut out so as to permit a free circulation of air through the shirt, and a similar circulation is permissible through the body portion by reason of the separation of the side bars 1. The arms 7 extend inwardly beyond the bars 1 and are cut out at their meeting edges so as to form lower abutting portions 9, which when they meet serve to maintain each other in a transverse line or at right angles to the remaining portion of the frame. The upper terminals of `the arms have applied thereto metal securing plates 10, and each plate terminates at its outer end in a disk slightly cifset from the plate. The plates are applied to the arms at opposite sides thereof and are swiveled together by a central pin 12. Each plate has a perforation 13, so that when Athe arms are swung down to a horizontal posi` tion, the said perforations align, and the frame may be swung from a clothes line or from a nail as desired. It will be seen that the point of pivot between the arms is eccentricallylocated with relation to the point of pivot loetween the side bars and the arms, so that by a downward swinging of the arms to bring them in a horizontal position the side bars are separated to a greater degree than otherwise, and by a reverse or upward movement of the arms, the side bars are drawn together.

ln applying a shirt the arms are swung to a vertical position, so that they may be readily drawn thereover and aft-er the arms are in position the body of the shirt is drawn down over the contracted frame and the front buttoned. It now simply remains to swing the arms to their horizontal positions thus spreading the side bars or stretching them apart and also the shirt. In this manner the IOO the entire operation of drying, and the fiannel thus dried will require no operation of ironing, but when taken off will be soft and pliable and unshrunken.

From the foregoing description in con nection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a very eicient, cheap and simple device to which shirts may be readily applied after Washing and which will retain them in proper shape during the operation of drying, thereby preventing any possible shrinking'and obviating the necessity of a subsequent ironing.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. In a drying frame of the class described, the combination with the opposite side bars, the lower transverse connecting bar pivoted to the lowerends thereof, of the opposite arms abutting at their inner ends `and hinged at their upper corners and pivotally connected at each side-of said hinge with the side bars, substantially as specified.

2. In a drier frame, of the class described, the combination with the curved side bars and the lower transverse connecting bar, of devices for adjustably connecting the same at its opposite ends to the side bars, the upf per hinged arms adjustably connected to the side bars and abutting between the same, andy justably connecting the same with the upper" ends of the side bars, said arms having their abutting edges recessed to form lower abutting portions 9, the opposite metal plates 10 secured to the opposite sides of the arms at their upper cornersand provided at theirinner ends with-disks, a pivot for the disks, and

4openings formed in the plates adapted 'to align when the arms are in a 'horizontal position, substantially as specified.

In testimony `that Ilclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ORLO J. MARSH.

Witnesses:

J. J. HOLDEN, WILLIAM H. EDDY.

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