US1787165A - Garment stretcher - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1930. L. w. PEEBLES 1,787,165

GARMENT STRETGHER Filed May 9, 1929 7 o 8 O "l l- 1 INVENTOR, low/.98 WPeeb/e ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30,. 1930 I hire LOUISE W. PEEBLES, OF HAWTHORNE, NEXV JERSEY GARMENT STRETCI-IER Application filed May 9,

This invention relates to garment stretchers of the class embodying a plurality of longitudinal members and folding and lengthwise extensible and collapsible links connecting them, whereby garments or other articles of various shapes and sizes may be stretched transversely of said members and when the stretcher is not in use, it may be folded into very small m compass. hat I contemplate by this invention is to provide in such a stretcher for stretching of an article longitudinally of said members as well as transversely thereof, whatever the size or form of the article and while still preserving the stretcher capable of folding into small compass when not in use. Further, the object is to provide the stretcher with a simple attachment whereby the sleeves of a garment, of whatever size and shape, may be stretched at the same time that the garment itself is stretched.

In the drawing, Figs. 1, 2 and 8 show the stretcher more or less extended and with the parts properly arranged to receive three different types of garments, certain parts being removed in Figs.

2 and 8;

Fig. 4 shows the stretcher folded, with certain parts removed;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing how the garmentarm stretching attachment is mounted; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6, Fig. 5.

11 designates the two side, and 2 the in,- termediate,longitudinalmembers. These are 23.3 connected at their end portions by the folding and collapsible links, each such link consisting of two link elements 4 respectively pivoted to the members and overlapping each other, their overlapping portions being longi- 2O tudinally slotted, as at 5, and receiving in their slots a screw 6 which is mounted in the intermediate member 2 and has a nut 'Z, the screw and nut forming a clamping means. So much is known in the art and forms the 25 body structure of the improved stretcher.

The stretching is usually accomplished by inserting the structure in the article partially collapsed and then forcing the intermediate member lengthwise to cause spacing of the members 1, after which the members are se- 1929. Serial No. 361,556.

cured by the clamping means. The members 1 and 2 and the links may assume various positions, as indicated for example by Figs. 1, 2 and 3, for the transverse stretching of garments of various forms and sizes, for instance, a sweater body in Fig. 1, a trousers leg in Fig. 2 (where the lower link is shown removed for that purpose) or a childs cap, fitting over the top of the stretcher, in Fig. 3.

It is occasionally desirable that the memher 2 should permit the folding point 6 of one link to move toward or from the folding point 6 of the other; for instance, assume the upper link is to have a certain degree of flexure and a certain spread to suit a givenshoulder form then if points 6 and 6 were fixed with respect to 2 the spread of the lower link, to suit extreme hip measures, would be limited by member 2 notpermitting the lower link to be fully straightened. Wherefore I provide a slot 8 in member 2 receiving, say, the the upper clamping means (3.

As so far described the stretcher is only adapted for exerting stretching strain transversely of the members 1 and 2. In many instances, for example, in stretching a sweater, the garment requires to be stretched longitudinally of said members; Garments, of course vary in length and occasionally also a garment might have a lower edge which is not perpendicular to its length; again a garment may become distorted so that in one line its length is greater than in another. I therefore provide the cross-bar 9 and, having also provided a longitudinal slot 10 in themember 2, I arrange therein a screw-andnut clamping means 11 like that already described and which carries the cross-bar, as by the screw penetrating the latter; this bar has means to attach the garment thereto, as a longitudinal row of hooks 12. The bar can be set in the slot at any elevation and in any such angular relation to the members 1 and 2 as the circumstances require upon releasing and then retightening the means 11.

It will be noted that the ends of the upper link are pivoted to the extreme ends of the members 1 l so that the angle formed will be devoid of any projection that would exist M; to

if the link were attached to said members short of their said ends and in many cases distort the garment when being longitudinally stretched.

For certain stretching, as of the sleeves of a garment, I provide the stretching form shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. On the pivot 14 connecting the upper link with the members 1 is pivoted a loop 15 in the form of a metallic strip rebent on itself so as to provide an eye 15a the hole or eye proper of which extends transversely of the pivot. This removably receives the downwardly bent oif end 16a of a flexible heavy wire form 16 rebent between its ends and having its other end 163) bent off at right angles to the end 16a. End 16?) is adapted to be received by any of a row of holes 17 formed in the adjoining member 1 lengthwise thereof and successively spaced from the loop. The effective width. of this form may be varied to suit the sleeve or other part to be stretched thereby by shifting end 166 to one or the other of the holes. This form, which is reliably held in place when its ends are formed and held in the manner described, may be readily removed.

"When a garment like a sweater, for example, is stretched the shoulder portions rest on the top link, with the neck around the intersection of its elements and the garment lower down, as at the bottom, is engaged with the hooks of bar 9, the stretching lengthwise of the members 1 and 2 thus taking place between the link and said bar. If the garment is a small one, like a childs cap, the bar 9 and its clamping means can be detached and placed higher, as shown in Fig. 3, where the clamping means is shown engaged with one of the slots of the upper link 4-.

Fig. 4 shows the stretcher in collapsed state, ready for shipping, at which time the forms 16 are preferably removed and packed with it, though if their ends 166 are disconnected they may be folded into small compass with the rest of the stretcher.

Having thus fully described by invention what I claim is:

1. A garment stretcher including a body structure and a rebent wire stretching form having its ends bent off at right angles to each other, the body structure having a hole receiving one of said ends and in which it is held substantially fixed and also holes successively spaced from the first hole and any one of which is adapted to receive and hold the other of said ends.

2. A garment stretcher including longitudinal members, connecting means pivotally connected to them, a loop arranged on the pivot between said means and one member and a rebent flexible form having one end engaged in the loop, said member having means to attach the other end of the form thereto at points successively spaced from the loop.

3. A garment stretcher including a body structure comprising longitudinal members arranged in substantially the same plane and means for adjustably securing them in variously spaced relations to each other, a pivoting device adjustable lengthwise of said members and clamped to one of them, and a crossbar pivoted substantially at a point midway its length on said device and pivotally movable in a plane substantially parallel with the first plane,- said cross-bar having means both sides of its pivot to which to attach a garment and the garment being also adapted to be attached to a part of the body structure removed from the cross-bar lengthwise of said members.

4. A garment stretcher including a body structure comprising three longitudinal members arranged in substantially the same plane and means for adj ustably securing them in variously spaced relations to each other, a pivoting device adjustable lengthwise of said members and clamped to the intermediate one of them, and a cross-bar pivoted substantially at a point midway its length on said device and pivotally movable in a plane substantially parallel with the first plane, said cross-bar having means both sides of its pivot to which to attach a garment and the garment being also adapted to be attached to a part of the body structure removed from the cross-bar lengthwise of said members.

5. A garment hanger comprising a pair of overlapping link elements, means on which each such element is adjustable lengthwise of-itself and also is capable of pivotal movement, longitudinal members having their extreme corresponding ends pivoted to said elements to permit them to swing, and arm forms outstanding from the longitudinal members and adjustable thereon independently of the adjustment of the link elements.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUISE W. PEEBLES.

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