US1959840A - Garment hanger - Google Patents

Description

D. N. PEIRCE GARMENT HANGER Filed Feb. 18 1932 :NVENTOR M Z5. M

BY 1 'r" VMW ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 22, 1934 GARMENT HANGER Daniel N. Peirce, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

Application February 18, 1932, Serial No. 593,757

2 Claims.

This invention relates to garment hangers and is especially concerned with a trousers hanger of a novel type.

, As a primary object, the invention has in view the provision of a trousers hanger which may readily be manipulated by the use of one hand only, thus leaving the other hand free to handle and arrange the garment being inserted in or a removed from the hanger.

More specifically, this invention provides a hanger of the type referred to just above which is arranged for easier and more convenient operation, as compared with hangers formerly used.

How the foregoing, together with other objects and advantages are attained will be more apparent from a consideration of the following description making reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a trousers hanger constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Figure 2 is an end view taken from the left of Figure 1.

In the two figures, the garment or trousers gripping elements are indicated at 3-3, these elements, of course, being arranged to grip the trousers therebetween. The hanger further includes a head or handle part 4 which may conveniently be provided with a hook 5 preferably fixed on the part 4 as. against rotation thereabout.

At each end of the part 4 a portion of reduced cross-section 6 is preferably provided and a wire spring device is bent around each portion 4 6 as indicated at '7. Each spring has terminal or leg portions 8 and 9 which are extended for connection with the gripping elements 3-3. In the preferred arrangement, the legs 8 and 9 cross substantially in the manner indicated in Figure 2 i and the spring is bent in such manner as to yieldingly urge the gripping members 33 toward each other.

In order to separate the gripping elements 3-3 I employ a device preferably including a bent wire piece having a hand-grip portion 10 disposed in position to be conveniently grasped, together with the head or handle part 4, in one hand. This device has its ends 11-11 bent inwardly at each side of the hanger to be journalled within loops 12 which are formed in the legs 9 of the springs connected to one of the gripping elements. The parts 10 and 11 of the hanger actuating device are connected, at each side, through an additionally bent shoulder portion 13 which is positioned to bear against the legs 8 of the springs which are extended to the opposite gripping element 3.

In accordance with this invention, and as clearly illustrated in the drawing, the hand-grip portion 10 of the actuating device is disposed radially outwardly, with respect to the terminal portions l111 (which constitute an axis for rotative movement), beyond the shoulder portions 13 which engage the spring legs 8. By arranging the parts in this manner, the hanger may readily be opened by grasping the parts 4 and 10 in one hand, even though the springs be of relatively great pressure (this being desirable in order to firmly grip the garments to be supported), since very considerable leverage may be obtained by arranging the hand-grip radially outwardly, from the axis of rotation, beyond the crank or shoulder parts 13.

Still further, in order to obtain a better pulling angle between the handle 4 and the hand-grip 10, I preferably onset the hand-grip circumferentially from the shoulder portions 13, so that the actuating piece, in effect, takes the general form of a bell crank which is pivoted, as at 1111, at the extremity of one of its effective arms.

It is further to be observed that, in the preferred embodiment, I mount and construct the spring devices in such manner as to grip the handle part 4 therebetween. That is, the spring devices are so bent or so mounted in the gripping elements 3 that they exert a longitudinal pressure on the part 4 adjacent to the shoulder providing the relatively small diameter portions 6 and thus, by friction, prevent rotation of the handle 4 with its hook 5 unless intentionally moved by hand. The purpose of this feature is to prevent dropping of the hook to a position between the spring devices at the sides of the hanger, in which position it would interfere with convenient engagement of the hand-grip 10 during opening of the hanger.

It will also be observed from inspection of the drawing that the two legs 8 and 9 of each spring are so bent adjacent to the reduced spindle portions 6--6 and also intermediate the ends thereof, that the lower extremities of the spring legs lie directly opposite each other transversely of the hanger. In this way, the reaction of the shoulders 13 formed on the opening lever is direct and, as a result, no torsional strains are imposed on the springs or the other parts to which they are connected. Such an arrangement is also of advantage since the points at which the spring legs 8 and 9 are secured to the gripping elements 3 are equally spaced from each other in each instance.

In the preferred arrangement, furthermore, the spring devices are so formed, as well as so secured to the gripping elements 3, that the said elements extend in planes which are substantially parallel to each other when they are spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the garment which they are adapted to engage. Thus, as seen in Figure 2, upon complete closure of the hanger, the gripping elements 3 are somewhat angled with respect to each other, although as just pointed out, when they are spaced slightly from each other they lie in substantially parallel planes and, therefore, the gripping action is at its maximum when the hanger is in use.

A still further advantageous featuresof the hanger construction is involved in the arrangement of the spring legs 8-9 in such manner as to cross each other at a point spaced substan tially below the handle 4. This crossing of the spring legs and also the curvature thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 2, are of advantage in easing the operation of the hanger and further in preventing raising of theoperating member 10 to a position in which it would become locked, i. e., to a position at or beyond that which might be termed dead center. Thus, upon release of theoperating element 10, downward movement thereof is always assured under the action, of the springs and this, in turn, ensures unobstructed closure of the gripping slats 3.

What I claim is-:---

l. A garment hanger including cooperating gripping elements for engaging a garment, a support member, a spring at each end ofthe support member bent around a portion thereof and having leg: portions extended for connection with said elements tourge them toward each other, and means for separating said elements including a loop bent in the leg of eachspring which is extended to one gripping element, and a cranklike piece having its ends journalled in said loops to provide an axis for rotative movement, said piece further having shoulder portions arranged to bear on the leg of each spring which is extended to the other gripping element, and having a hand-grip portion disposed radially outwardly from said axis beyond said shoulder portions, the hand-grip portion being offset from said shoulders circumferentially of said axis.

2. A garment hanger including cooperating gripping elements for engaging a garment, a support member, a spring at each end of the support member bent around a portion thereof and having leg portions extended for connection with said elements to urge them towards each other, the leg portions of each spring being arranged to cross each other at a point spaced substantially from the support member but intermediate the said member and the gripping elements, and means for separating said elements including a loop bent in the leg of each spring which is extended to one gripping element, the loop of each springbeing disposed at a point closely adjacent .to the crossing point of the legs thereof, and a cranklike piece having its ends iournaled in said loops to provide an axis for rotative movement, said piece further having shoulder portions arranged to bear on the leg of each spring which is extended to the other gripping element, and having a hand-grip portion disposed radially outwardly from said axis beyond said shoulderw portions whereby the oifsettingof. the hand gripv portion provides leverage to facilitate opening movement of the hanger and, at the same time, the proximity of the spring loops to the point at which the springlegs cross serves to prevent excessive opening movement or sticking of the crank-like piece. 1 r

DANIEL N. PEIRCE.

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