US2162796A - Safety garment hanger - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1939. J, H, BECKMANN 2,162,796

SAFETY GARMENT HANGER Filed March :51. 1938 INVENTOR Jaco xzzzdfiecd'mazm W ATTORNEY Patented June 20, 1939 vireo STATES ATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements. in a safety garment hanger.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a safety dress or garment hanger 6 characterized by a hanger of conventional construction having a support bar and a hook attached to the center thereof and upon which fingers are supported for engaging the ends of the support bar to clamp portions of a garment -thereon to prevent the garment from slipping from the hanger.

Still further it is proposed to provide the fingers at their inner ends with a bifurcated end, one portion of which is adapted to engage a leaf 'spring supported upon said support bar and the other end of which is adapted to be used as a handle for urging the fingers into operative positions against the action of the leaf springs.

Another object of this invention is to provide the outer ends of the fingers with elements for engaging the garment supported on the support bar for frictionally holding it in position thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide the spring with a plurality of lateral sections of different stiifnesses and to laterally shiftaoly support the fingers-so that they maybe seiectively engaged with one of said sections for controlling the engagement of the end of said finger against the garment on-said; support bar.

': For further comprehension of the invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had-to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly. set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1' is an elevational view of a safety garment hanger constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View. taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 isa view looking in the direction of the line ii of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5+5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to. Fig. 4 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on the line 'l-'l of Fig. 6.

Fig- 8 is an elevational view of a still further 55g modified form of tip for. said finger.

fingers per se. 10,:

The safety garment hanger, according to this invention, includes a support bar lil for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment. This support baris constructed from wood' or similar material. l 5

A hook ii is attached to the'center of the bar Iii. The hook II is constructed from apiece of relatively stiff wire which has one of its ends extending axiallythrough the support bar lil at the 'centerth'ereof and which is provided at its other end with a rounded'portion I l which is adapted to engage a support intl'ie usual manner;

3 A small housing I2 is mounted on the support.

bar and engages the lower extremity of the hook H. The housing IZ is constructed from a piece of sheet metal or other material and it. is substantially rectangular in shape and is formedv at one'of its sides withdownwardly extending lugs l2 by whichit issecurely. attached to the support bar Ii). Thetop wall of the small housing I2 is formed with an opening- I2? throughwhich the hook Ii extends.

A leaf spring 13. substantially oval in shape, is mounted within the housing; Hand has an opening Is through which the lower extremity of the hook. Ill passes, and has its end portions engaging the sides. of the lower extremity of the hook. The leaf spring is constructed from a: piece of spring steel and is bent into substantially'oval shape and has its free ends l3. bent at right angles thereto so as to engage flush against the lower extremity of the hook l I.

Fingers M for engaging the support bar [0 to clamp portions of a garment thereon to preventv the garment from slipping off the hanger have one of their ends pivotally mounted on the housing. Pins l5 extending through the ends of the housing l2 pass through openings I4 formed in the ends of the fingers M for pivotally supporting the same. The end of the fingers l4 adjacent their pivoting points are bifurcated and have a portion M engaging against the leaf spring l3 for holding the fingers I4 in operative or inoperative positions. The other For engaging a garment upon the support bar If) the ends M of the fingers are grasped and urged towards the hook I I for moving the fingers M to their operative position as shown by the full lines on the right hand side of Fig. 1. The garment is then engaged upon the support bar ill in the customary manner and the ends Mi of the fingers are urged away from the hook H to cause the fingers Hi to be moved to their operative positions in which the felt members it will engage the garment for frictionally holding it in 7 position thereon to prevent it from sliding therefrom.

According to the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the ends of the fingers l4 are formed with rubber elements l6 which are adapted to encircle the ends of the fingers l4 and engage against the shoulder portion of a garment for frictionally maintaining it in position on the support bar. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous form.

According to the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the fingers M" are formed at their outer ends with bifurcated ends Hi which are adapted to have small wheels 16" rotatively supported thereon. These wheels I6 are rotatively supported upon pins l1 extending between the ends M The outer periphery of the wheels 16" are formed with serrations Ill which are adapted to assist in frictionally maintaining the garment in position on the support bar l0. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous forms.

According to the modification shown in Figs. 10-13 inclusive the spring l3 has its active portions divided into .a plurality of lateral sections I3 l3 and I3 all of different stiifnesses. The fingers M are laterally shiftable relative to the housing so that the end 14' may be selectively engaged with the different sections of the spring l3 for varying the gripping actions of these fingers. The means for forming the sections of different stiffness comprise reinforcing elements i3 attached to the inner face of the sections l3 for increasing the stiffness of these sections over the section l3. The ends of the sections l3 also butt against the lower extremity of the hook for stiffening these sections to a greater degree than the sections I? and I3 The section l3 has elements l3 attached to its inner face for increasing the stiffness of this section relative to the section l3. Thus the sections W are weakest, the sections 3 are next strongest and the sections ii'l are strongest. The fingers M are adapted to be shifted to the positions illustrated by the dot and dash lines M shownin Fig. 10 for controlling the engagement of these fingers with the garment supported upon the support bar Hi. The outer faces of the sections I3 l3 and I3 are convexed slightly in wards and are adapted to be engaged by the end I l of the fingers 14 for maintaining the fingers in adjusted positions upon the pivot pin l5.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows:

The garment is engaged upon the support bar in a manner similar to that described relative to Figs. 1-5, but in the event that the garment is too heavy and there is not sufficient pressure on the ends of the fingers I4 to maintain the garment in position upon the support bar in, the fingers l4 may be shifted to engage either of the stiffer fingers 13 or I3 for properly supporting the garment on the support bar l0.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A safety garment hanger, cor nprising a sup;

port bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved.

2. A safety garment hanger, comprising a support bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of .a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing .and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said hook being formed from a piece of stiff wire and having one of its ends connected with said support bar at the center thereof and the other of its ends formed into the shape of a hook for engaging a support element.

3. A safety garment hanger, comprising a support bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing .and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered,

and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said hook being formed fro-m a piece of stiff wire and having one of its ends connected with said support bar at the center thereof and the other of its ends formed into the shape of a hook for engaging a support element, said housing being constructed from a piece of sheet metal or similar material and being formed on its bottom wall with downwardly extending lugs by which it issecurely attached to the said support bar and having an opening formed in its top wall through which the lower end of said hook passes.

4. A safety garment hanger, comprising a support bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said leaf spring being constructed from a piece of spring steel and having its free ends turned inwards so as to lay flush against the sides of said hook.

5. A safety garment hanger, comprising a support bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a. garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said fingers being pivotally supported at their inner ends upon pins extending through the ends of said housing.

6. A safety garment hanger, comprising a sup port bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within lower extremity of said,

said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to pre- Vent'the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding the fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said portion of said bifurcated end which is adapted to be used as a handle extends through a slot formed in the top wall of said housing and being adapted to be moved towards said hook or away from said hook for controlling the operative and inoperative positions of said fingers.

7. A safety garment hanger, comprising a support bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portionsengaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said spring having a plurality of lateral sections of different stiffness, and said fin gers being laterally shiftable relative to said housing to have the ends thereof engage the different sections of the spring for varying the gripping action of the fingers.

8. A safety garment hanger, comprising a sup port bar for engaging the shoulder portions of a garment, a hook-attached on the center of said bar, a small housing mounted on said support bar and encasing the lower extremity of said hook, a leaf spring of oval shape mounted within said housing and said leaf spring having an opening in its center through which the lower portion of said hook passes and having its end portions engaging the sides of said lower portion of the hook, fingers for engaging the support bar to clamp portions of a garment thereon to prevent the garment from slipping off the hanger, and said fingers being pivotally mounted on said housing and having bifurcated inner ends, one of the portions of which engage said leaf spring for holding thev fingers raised or lowered, and the other portions of which project from said housing and form handles by which the fingers may be moved, said spring having a plurality of lateral sections of different stiffness, and said fingers being laterally shiftable relative to said housing to have the ends thereof engage the different sections of the spring for varying the gripping action of the fingers, said means for stiifening said sections comprising elements of different stiffness attached to the inner faces of said sections for increasing the stiffness of one section over the stiffness of its next adjacent section.

JACOB HAZAI BECKMANN.

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