US2288551A - Clothes hanger - Google Patents

Description

1 June 30, 1942. R J SHANAHAN 2,288,551

CLOTHES HANGER Filed Feb. 15, 1940 INVENTOR R2 01121 Jamas fihazzafzcm ATTORNEY.

Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES HANGER Richard James Shanahan, Evanston, Ill. Application February 1 5, 1940, Serial No. 319,000

4 Claims. (01. 223-95) This invention relates to a new and improved type of clothes hanger and more particularly a new and improved type of hanger for trousers.

At the present time it is customary to hang trousers either by folding them in the middle over the lower portion of aconventional coat hanger, or by suspending them upside down from the cuffs. This usually results in the contents of the pockets falling to the floor. Furthermore, folding the trousers will often either cause the crease to be removed or other undesirable creases to be formed. When the trousers are suspended from the cuffs most of the weight is downward 7 a hanger of the character described which is an unsupported type of hanger and may be hung on a rod or bar in the same way as the conventional type of clothes hanger as distinguished from the supported type of hanger which has to be fastened to a wall bracket or otherwise fixed to. a door or the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a new and improved type of trousers hanger in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the hanger shown in Figure 1; y

Figure ,3 isa side elevational view showing the manner in which the trousers are supported by the hanger.

Referring to Figure 1, the hanger illustrated comprises a pair of trousers supporting members 2 and 4 each curvingat one end at points 6 and 8, respectively, then uniting at point Ill and finally terminating in a hook portion I! which is adapted to slide on a clothes rod or any other suitable supporting member. At the opposite ends of supporting members 2 and 4 is a locking device l4 comprising curved end portions I6 and I8 which can readily be engaged and disengaged provided as desired in order to hold the trousers in place or to remove'them, as the case may be.

It will be observed that this type of hanger is generally asymmetrical orrunsymmetrical as distinguished from the conventional clothes hanger which is symmetrical. The hook portion I2 is preferably off center, as

center in order to properly balance and support the average trousers. In some cases, however, it may be desirable to have the hook in the center or substantially midway oi the length of members 2 and 4.

The manner in which the hanger is used is shown in Figure 3. To use the hanger the ends f5 and I8 are unlocked 0r disengaged, as shown in Figure '2, and the loops 20 of the trousers 22 are passed over supporting members 2 and t, as shown in Figure 3. The front of the trousers is preferably placed on the hanger first and is, therefore, adjacent the curved end t, as shown in Figure 3, while the rear of the trousers is adjacentthe opposite ends or supporting members 2 and l and-lock or fastening means M. After the trousers are in the position shown in Figure 3, the fastening means i i is preferably engaged by overlapping and engaging curved members I6 and I8, as illustrated. While a locking member such as the locking arrangement I! is not absolutely essential, it represents a preferred embodiment of the invention.

It will be understood that some variations may be made without departing from the spirit of i the invention. For example, other types of locking arrangements may be the locking arrangement it.

The materials of construction of the hanger employed instead of may be varied rather widely. For example, the

supporting members 2 and 4 may be rods, bars or. heavy wire. They are preferably made of metal, although any other suitable material of construction may be used. They preferably have some flexibility, although they should be rigid enough to support the trousers Without substantial sagging. In the hanger illustrated in the drawing the supporting members 2 and 4 continueinto curved portions ii and 8, respectively, which in turn are twisted or united to form the normally horizontal portion i0 and finally to form the hook portion i2 so that the hanger is made out of one continuous piece of stock. l he bound orunited portion l0 causes the supporting members 2 and 4 to separate or spring apart when the locking members l6 and I8 are disengaged. It is not essential that the united porshown in Figure 1. vIt is usually desirable to have the hook I! ofl.

though this arrangement is preferred. The hook member I2 may also be in a separate piece and may be connected by a link or other suitable means to the portion l0. If desired the hanger may be heavier at some parts than at others, as, for instance, in the region illustrated by numerals 6 and 8. Other variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While the art of making clothes hangers is 'old and highly developed, as far as is known no one has ever heretofore provided a trousers hanger of the type herein described which may be employed to hang trousers in an upright position and thereby avoid spilling the contents of the pockets and the necessity for removing the contents of the pockets. The type of hanger herein described has the further advantage that it is the unsupported type of hanger and does not have to be fixed to a wall ora door. The manner in which the trousers are supported by the hanger is extremely simple. Little time is required by the user in order to hang up a pair of trousers. By using this type of hanger the trousers may be hung without destroying the creases. Balance is contributed by having the hook substantially ofi center with respect to the middle of the hanging or supporting members. The trousers are retained in position, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, by the provision of a simple type of locking means on the ends of the supporting members whereby these members may be readily fastened together after the belt loops of the trousers have been passed thereover. These results are all accomplished by means of an extremely simple construction whichmay be manufactured commercially at a very low cost. The invention is therefore believed to represent a substantial contribution to the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent of the United. States is:

1. A clothes hanger formed from a substantially continuous piece of heavy wire comprising a pair of side by side freely separable supporting members having free ends and separable fastening means adjacent thereto to fasten and unfasten said ends, and with the ends opposite said free ends bent upwardly and backwardly in the general direction of the free ends to form a hook member adapted to support the hanger from a suitable supporting means.

2. A clothes hanger formed from a substantially continuous piece of heavy wire comprising a pairof side by side freely separable supporting members having free ends and separable fastening means adjacent thereto and integral therewith to fasten and unfasten said ends, and with the ends opposite said free ends bent upwardly and backwardly in the general direction of the free ends to form a hook member adapted to support the hanger from a suitable supporting means, said hook member being off center with respect to the middle of the supporting members in a direction away from said free ends.

3. A clothes hanger formed from a substantially continuous piece of heavy wire comprising -a pair of side by side freely separable supporting members having free ends and separable fastening means adjacent thereto to fasten and unfasten said ends, and with the ends opposite said free ends bent upwardly and backwardly in the general direction of the free ends to form a hook member, and means above said bent portion to bind said wire together while permitting said wire to separate freely below said bent portion.

4. A clothes hanger of the character described formed from a substantially continuous Piece of heavy wire doubled upon itself to form a pair of side by side supporting members substantially parallel when held together at their free ends and adapted to support a pair of trousers by the belt loops, curved interlocking means formed from each of the free ends of said supporting members and adapted to interlock to fasten said ends together, an upward bend in each of said supporting members opposite their free ends, a hook member formed from the central portion of said wire and disposed above and off center with respect to the centers of said supporting members, and means between the upper part of said bend and said hook member binding said wire together whereby said supporting members separate freely.

RICHARD JAMES SHANAHAN.

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