US2240561A - Portable clothes-rack - Google Patents

Description

May 6, 1941. F. LA GROT TA PORTABLE CLOTHES RACK Filed Feb. 8, 1940 Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATNT GFFICE PORTABLE CLOTHES-RACK Frank La ,Grotta, New York, N: Y assignor to Conver Steel & Wire 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application February 8, 1940, Serial No. 317,801

3 Claims.

This inventionrelatesto a portable clothes rack.

The rack is particularly adapted for transportation in personal baggage, and for use in bathrooms wherein towel bars are provided, although it is, of course, adapted to other uses.

It is well known that women during their travels and when finding temporary abode in hotels frequently find it necessary or desirable to rinse and dry their silk stockings or underthings. This operation they carry on frequently in the hotel bathroom and after the rinsing operation are at a loss for a rack on which to dry the rinsed articles.

The device that forms the subject matter of this invention may be conveniently packed for transportation in a suit case and may be hung from a towel bar in an extended operative position when in use and folded inoperative position when not in use.

The device may be constructed and of such materials that it will be cheap to manufacture and will not injure the most fragile of underthings.

In the drawing I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in its extended position and suspended from a wall towel bar;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device;

Figure 3 is a view of the rack in its folded condition; and

Figure 4 is an elevation.

The embodiment illustrated consists essentially of side bars I and 2, which may be rectangular or of other cross sectional configuration, and cross rods 3 that extend between the bars, and may be rigidly secured thereto, or certain of which may be rotatably attached thereto so as to present new surfaces to the clothing supported thereby. For instance, the end rods may be rigid with the side bars to insure the rigidity of the frame and the intervening bars may be rotatable.

Of course the bars I and 2 and the rods 3 may be made of any material but I prefer to make the rods of maple, as maple will present a hard smooth surface to the clothes.

A hanger for the frame made preferably of a single piece of wire with some resiliency is attached, removably if desired, to the frame adjacent what I shall term the base end of the frame.

The ends of the hanger are attached to the side bars I and 2 of the frame in such manner that the frame may swing on the hanger as on bearings 4. The arms 5 and 6 of the hanger have offset portions 1 with Which the ends of the side bars I and 2 are adapted to engage when the frame is extended. These arms 5 and 6 are, at their upper ends, provided with hooks that are joined together by a cross bar 9 which hooks are adapted to engage a towel bar such as shown at Ii]. The arms 5 and 6 have wall engaging projections II and the lengths of the offsets I is such that, when the frame is in its folded position the frame will be in a position over dead center as shown in Figure 3.

The arms 5 and 6 are also provided with clasps l2 that are adapted to engage a cross rod 3 and I maintain the frame and hanger in folded-together relation when the device is suspended from a towel rod or is being transported in a suit case.

When being transported the hanger and frame will be in the folded relation shown in Figure 4, and will be secured in this relation by the clasps I2.

When the device is in use and in position to receive clothing the hanger and frame will occupy the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this condition the hooks 8 will engage the towel bar I!) and the frame Will be maintained in its clothes-receiving position (shown in the drawing as horizontal) by the engagement of the side bars I and 2 with the offsets I of the hanger. The weight and leverage of the frame will cause the ends of the side bars I and 2 of the frame or the projections ll of the hanger, or both, if they are coextensive, to engage the wall of the room. The greater the weight on the frame the greater will be the force of this engagement, and the greater will be the tendency of the arms 5 and 6 to pull the hooks 8 downwardly and tightly on the towel bar I0.

When the device is not to be used temporarily, the frame may be swung upwardly as shown in Figure 3 until it passes over dead center of its pivot. It will thus be held in its folded position. If desired, the clasps l2 may be provided to act as a latch for the frame but these clasps may be omitted as will be readily understood.

When the frame is in its extended position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the towels may be hung on the towel bar l0 and through and over the hanger. When the frameis in its folded position the towels may be hung on the towel bar and over the frame. Thus the device will not interfere with the towel supporting function.

It will be realized that modifications of the details of the device may be made without departing from the invention and therefore I do not wish to be limited except as is required by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by a towel rack, including a frame having side bars and cross rods extending between the side bars, a hanger made of a single piece of wire including two legs, each of said legs terminating at one end in a hook, a cross bar joining the ends of the hooks together, the opposite end of each leg being bent to form a cross bar to engage the upper face of the adjacent side bar of the frame and thence forwardly to pivotally engage a side face of said side bar whereby the cross bar is located between the pivot point on the side bar and the inner end of the side bar.

2. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by a towel rack, including a frame having side bars and cross rods extending between the side bars, a hanger made of a single piece of wire including two legs,- each of said legs terminating at one end in a hook, a cross bar joining the ends of the hooks together, the opposite end of each leg being bent to form a cross bar to engage the upper face of the adjacent side bar of the frame and thence forwardly to pivotally engage a side face of said side bar whereby the cross bar is located between the pivot point on the side bar and the inner end of the side bar, the said legs being bowed and having a clasp thereon adapted to engage with a cross rod when the bow is sprung to maintain the hanger folded on the frame.

3. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by a towel rack including a frame having side bars and cross rods extending between the same, a hanger made of a single piece of wire including two legs, one end of each leg being detachably and pivotally engaged with the adjacent side bar and held in engagement therewith by the resiliency of the wire, the other end of each leg terminating in a hook with a cross bar joining the hooks together, each leg adjacent its pivotal point having a portion adapted to engage the upper face of the adjacent side bar whereby the frame and hanger will be maintained in substantially right angular relationship to each other.

FRANK LA GROTTA.

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