US1797037A - Garment support - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1 931.

w. woLFF GARMENT SUPPORT FiledJan. 14, 1929 aff" JZ/ 2 Sheets-Sheefl 2 lil/HT www i my Patented Mar. 17, 1931 autres sra'res PATENT OFFICE WALTER- JJOLFEJ OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH T0 ROBERT H. WENDT, 0F CHICAGO7 ILLINOIS GARMIENT SUPPORT Application filed January 14, 1929. Serial No. 332,347.

The present invention relates to garment supports, and is particularly concerned with garment supports for closets and the like.

None of the garment supports of the prior art have been found capable of supporting any substantial Weight of clothes Without sagging, so that the coat or garment hangers `slide down to the end of the cantilever or hanger arm, piling up at the end or sliding olf at the end of the support. The sagging which is inherent in the prior garment supports of the cantilever type, renders them commercially impractical, and the prior devices have also been relatively expensive in construction, requiring special dies and machinery. Furthermore, the prior devices have not been adaptable to closets of various sizes and shapes, nor have they been capable of utilizing all of the closet space and at the same time giving free access to every gar ment and part of the closet. Y

Y One of the objects of the invention is the provi-sion of an improved commercial form of garment support which is adapted to movably support a Wardrobe of suliicient size to lill an ordinary closet, in such manner that the clothing is all accessible and so that the complete assembly may be moved out of the closet to give access to the floor space, shelves or hooks carried by the Walls.

Another object is the provision of a garment support Which is adaptable to closets of any shape or size, andthe parts of which are reversible for use on the right-hand or lefth and side of the d oor.

Another object is the provision of a garment support of the class described, which is strong and durable and yet light enough in Weight to be carried by the fra-me structure of the closet or door, and a. garment support in which the inherent sag of the devices of the prior art has been eliminated,

Another object is the provision of a garment support which may be so cheaply manufactured that it will be Within the mea-ns of a vast number of purchasers for use in homes,

apartments, hotels and in every environment Where economy of space is important.

. Another object is theprovlsion of a novel supporting bracket for devices of the class described, Which is adapted to be firmly secured to a door frame with a minimum of screws, and in such manner as to support an extremely heavy wardrobe.

Another object is the provision of a novel braking mechanism for garment support-s of the class described, which is adapted to releasably hold the hanger arms in any adjusted position.

Another object is the provision of a novel garment support of the cantilever type which is lighter and stronger than the devices of the prior art and Which may be constructed of a minimum of material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description` and from the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several view-s. Y

Referring to the drawings, of which there are two sheets;

Fig. 1 is a vieiv in perspective of my garment support;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the garment support attached to a door frame;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4t is an elevational view in partial seetion, showing a modified form of construction of the cantilever pivot;

Fig. 5 is a Aview in perspective and partial cross section, taken medially of the pivots of the hanger arms, showing the device for retaining the hanger arms in any adjusted position;

6 is a sectional vieu' on the line 6 6 of one of the hanger arms;

Fig. 7 is a sectional *view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing an installation in a closet having the door non-symmetrically located;

Fig. 9 is a plan View of an installation in a closet having its door at the end of the closet.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, l0 indicates in its entirety my garment supporting device, which preferably includes a support-ing Inn bracket 11, a cantilever 12 and one or more hanger supporting arms 13 and 14. The bracket 11 is adapted to be secured to the wall ot a closet in order to pivotally support the cantileverl 12 and hanger arms 13 and 1st in proper. position within the closet-'as shown in Figs.8''or 9, andto permit'thepivotal movement of the entire assembly of garment support and clothing outside of the closet so that all'pint-sofy the closet'are' readily accessible.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the two-installations illustrated are merely exemplary of conditions which may be readily 'met by using hanger arms of ditlerentlengths, and it is contemplated that with a limited supply of cantileversand hangenfarms ci' A diterent lengths, "any ordinary closetfmay'bev satisfactorily equipped with one ot' the' garment supports. Y

Referring to Fig. 8*,f15fi'n'dicates a closet havinga door opening 16` non-symmetrically located at*'one end ot the closet Las is often the case, and the garment support 10 is there- Ytore provided 'with arms 1? and 1dr ot' lunequal'length. Tlrus the arm 13 is adapted to project backward-into vthe rear end ot the closet and 'utilize the space at thisend of the closet and at the same time, both'of the arms may 'be pivotcd insuch vmanner that the Aentire nevice may beY swung out of the door 16. In any event, the hanger arms should bc shortenough to clear thedoorway 16 when the caiitilever'is moved to thedott'ed 'line position inlfig. 8. y. v s

Referring 'to Fig. 9, the same' devi'celias been instal ed in a closet 17 havinga door opening 18 at its enchand the hangcr'arnis are shown at right angles to each other, leaving the longer arm 1o projecting into the iutcrior of the closet. lt'will thus be observed thatV the wall ot the closet may be provided with a plurality of hooks 19, with shelves Qt) and the floor space may be utilized tor trunks 2l. and as the cntiregarment support may be pivotallynnoied outside of the closet. all ot l floor spaceand wall spacis readily acle. Fluthermore, the 4garmentson the suj'iport'arc conveniently disposed for selection". or they may be'nioved to `the outer dotted liueposition 'tor the purpose et allowing the clothing to'air. rihe "clothes hang rs 22 on the hanger arms 13 and le are merely indicated'diagralninatically,*as any forni of coat hanger-,pants hanger orother clothes hanger may beuscd. s s s `@ne o'ethemost important teaturesot' the present- 'inv'entiou' is the'provision or" a novel cantilever construction which actual-ly capable ot .,ripporting' a considerable weight of clothing' without sagging," ade't'ect which is inherent in all of the devices of the prior art.

l am aware that sheet metal devices for holding garments have been constructed, and other devices'havepivotal arms, but none of .,ployed in the vdevices of the prior art, since any looseness in the pivots or any bending in the armsis magnified at the endv of thecantileverarm.

VAnother important feature of the present invention is the provision of a bracket for rgarment supports of the class described,

which is capable of being firmly attached to a door frame or other part of the closet wall in such manner that itis capable of supporting the weight ot the. garment support and the clothes carried thereby, without sagging or without tearing loose from the wall. In order to accomplish this' result, the bracket 11 has been constructed with a pair of attaching flanges 23 and 24 at right angles to each other and adapted to extend parallel to the portions of the wall adjacent a corner.

Each of the flanges 23 and Eel is provided with spaced apertures 25 preferably located in such position that the screws 26 will eX- tend through the trim 27 into the stud 28, and the flanges 23 and 24' should be of substantial length t'o provide asubstantial area oi bearing surface against the corner ot' the door frame. It will thus vbe observed that when the bracket 11 is installedas shown in Fig. 2,' and the' parts are in the position of Fig. 2, the upper portion of the. flange 23 will bear-against the inside trim "27 and theonly screw; which is subjected to any outward pull is'lthe lower screw 'in the bracket 23, `the two screws 26 -inv the bracket 2l are subjected to a lateral thrust which they are well adapted to withstand,` and this lateral' thrust is lprincipally taken by the flange Qfbearing against Vtbetrim 27.

Vhen the parts of the hanger are disposed asishown in ig. 9, the upper attachingscrews are subjected to a lateral thrust which has a small component tending to pull the screws outward, while the lowerscrews 2G are not subjected to any substantial strain, since the lower Apart of' the bracket-tends to Apress against the corner. It willv be evident that the particular bracket construction shown is capable of providing` anextremely irm connection to a door trameor the like by means ci a very few screws', and the present device may be installedby any layman or house owner not particularly skilled in 'the art, with 4the sameV success as a skilled carpenter,

since'the holesmay be disposed, so that the screws furnished 'will have tobe driven directly into the stud 'which constitutes the firme-st part ofthedoor frame, and since the rightangled tl'inges reintoi'ce .ach other.

The bracket;ll'isprovided with a pair of laterally projecting bearing members 29 and 30 preferably formed integrally with the bracket which may be constructed of cast iron, steel, aluminum or any other metal. In its cheapest form, the entire garment support is constructed of cast iron, which may be coated with colored enamel or dipped in paint, but if desired, the entire device may be nickel plated or otherwise coated, to Iwithstand corrosion, in the moreV expensive devices.

The bearing members 29 and 30 are prefer ably of substantial thickness in order that a substantial bearing surface may be provided,

and the bearings 3.1 and 32 comprise accurately formed cylindrical bores capable of receiving the pintle 33 with a relatively close lit. The pintle 33 comprises a cylindrical bolt of steel or iron having a head 34 and adapted to be slid endwise into the bearings 32 and 33.

lThe cantilever 12 comprises a cast metal member which is preferably curved longitudinally at 35 in order that its outer end 36 may swing farther away from the door opening, clearing the door 37. Furthermore, the curvature of the cantilever 12 enables the user to locate a securing bracket on the interior of the closet and at the same time have the hanger arms swing around the door frame to the outside of the closet. In some einbodiments of myinvention, the curvature of the centilever arm may be eliminated.

In order that the hanger arm may resist the torsional strain which is placed upon it when one of the hanger arms 13 or 14 is unequally loaded, I provide the cantilever with a plurality of longitudinally extending flanges 38, 39, 4() and 41, making the cantilever substantially cruciforni in section in the embodiment shown. The upper and lower flanges 38 and 39 are peculiarly adapted to strengthen the cantilever against bending strains caused by the weight of objects attached to the outer end of the cantilever at 36, while the lateral flanges 40 and 41 are adapted to further increase the strength of the arm against torsional strains. such as would be produced in the arm by the use of arms of unequal lengths or by swinging of both of the hanger arms 13 and 14 to one side of the cantilever at the same time.

At each end of the cantilever 12, the lever is increased in width at 42 to provide a bearing portion 42 of substantial length transversely to the cantilever, and the bearing portion 42 is also provided with an accurately formed cylindrical aperture 43 extending from top to bottom and adapted to form a close fit with the pintle 32.

By making the bearing portion 42 of increased length longitudinally of the bearing 43, the amount of play in the bearing'is greatly reduced, eliminating any possibility of sagging due to the pivotal connection at large area of bearing surface insures a pivotal support without sagging, for a long period of use.

`If desired, the cylindrical portion 44 intermediate tlie bearings 43 may be removed as shown in Fig. 4, forming a cantilever end which is bifurcated,having spaced bearings 43 formed in legs 45 and 46. The laterally projecting 'fianges 40 and 41 are also bifurcated and extended to the legs 45 and 46 to increaseV the strength of the cantilever.

At its opposite end'36, the cantilever 12 is bifurcated to provide a pair of bearing members 47 and 48 best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and the bearing members 47 and 48 may be provided with a plurality of cylindrical bearing apertures 49, 50, 51 and 52 for supporting as many hanger arms 13 and 14 as are desired. One of the bearing members 47 is provided with a threaded aperture 53 adapted to receive a screw bolt 54 for engaging a pla-te 55 which forms a friction device engaging the hubs 56 of the hanger arms 13 and 14 to retain them in any adjusted position. n

The hanger Yarms 13 and 14 comprise elongated metal kmembers which are also preferably formed of cast metal in order to economically provide the type of bearing land the strength which is required in a hanger arm. Each hanger arm preferably includes a substantially cylindrical hub 56 which is pro vided -with a transversely extending cylindrical aperture 57 adapted to closely fit a pintle 58, and the vpiiitles 58 may comprise ordinary cylindrical steel bolts having heads 59 for determining their final position in the bearing..

As the pintles 58 and 32 are arranged vertically, they may always be disposed with their heads on top so that no other fastening means are required, particularly in view of the fact that a close frictional t is highly desirable to eliminate any possibility of looseness or sag at the pivots. The plate comprises a plate of sheet metal having apertures 6() to receive the pintles 58 and suiicient space is provided between the bearing members 47 and 48 so that there is room for the plate 55 between one of the bearing members 47 and the hubs 56.` The plate 5 5 may then be urged against the ends of the hub 56 by the screw bolt 54 constituting an adjustable friction device which will retain the hanger arms 13 and 14 in any adjusted position. Where such a friction device is not employed, the hanger arms will naturally gravitateto the lowest position resulting from the installation of the bracket 11, and this position may not be the most desirable location of the hanger arms within thev closet.

' The friction device will'also rhold the arms IBG 1 upwardy towardits outer en d.

in disposition to which they may beiturhed when swinging the'cantilever: in or out ,of the ]oset, and this is also very l important as it isv desirablethat the arms beswung to such a point that the clothing will ,clear the door without rubbing or dis-placing'the clothing on the hangers. The friction deviceV thus renders the control of the garment-,support possible vin both itsl permanentposition in the closetand inthe movement of the clothing in or out of the closet.

Referring to ig. I5, it will be observed that the npper Aor body portion A(il of the hanger arms slopesslightly upward from the hub 56. This upward slope is purposely exaggerated in the drawing in order to illustrate this feature more clearly.k I/Vheirone of the hanger arms 1.3 or-lly is: loadedalone, or when -both hanger arms extend toward the sameside of E the cantilever 12, a slightamount oftorsion al flexibility in thecantilever arm. l2 tends to slightlyy lower the outer end 62 of the hanger arm, and consequently yit is desirable to have the body ofthe hanger arm slope. slightly The hanger arm yis 4 also provided with an upwardly extendingstop 63 at its outer end for the purpose of preventing the hooks of the hanger from sliding off thearimand it desired, the Abody 6l ,1 nay have a plurality of notches64 `for locating the hooks of the hanser- In order ,to provide a hanger arm having the requisite degree of stiffness, I formf the n s n* i arm with a longitudinally .extendingflange (i-best illustrated 4in Figs. ,5Y and 6, and the flange 65 I may ,be tapered from the hub 56 to the outer fen :lu62 ot' thearm, thus providing an arm of a maximum strengt-h, Without- ,undulyV increasing-,the Weight of the structure which must always be supportedby the cantilever 1 2.

It Will thus v beobserved that the garment .support described is capable of supporting an extremelyheavy Weight of clothi'ngyvithouty any appreciable sag, and the clothing may be moved from the interior of the lcloset to the exterior ot the closet for the purpose of giving accessl either to the closet orto the clothing, as previously v pointed out.

The relatively stiff construction and the elimination of thesag ,which. .has, been inherentfin `thefdevices of' theprior art is the result Vof the, peculiar construction of the f.. presentdevice comprising `the stiff arms and the accurately formed and elongatedlbealring surfaces extending transversely ,to the arms. The supporting bracket is also peculiarly adapted to provide a hrm mode of supporting the. device on the Wall of the closet, and the f rictionydevice is adapted to retain the hanger arms in any adjusted position te preventfthe hangers from swinging, against 'the Wall-:vof the closetpr against theldoorway.

vrWhile 4I-"have illust-rated a-,prelerred embrodinientof my invention, `many modifications may' beQ-nrade Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, and I do not Wish to.4 be, l'i 1 nited to the precise'details ofA construction setfortln-but desire toavail myself ot',l all changes Within the scope of the appended clailn.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim is neiv and desire to secure by Letters Patentfo" the United States, is

In a garmentfsupport, the combination of a Ainet-al bracket having aL pair of flangesy en tending at right angles and a pair ot bearings, `with a hanger arm vhaving a bearing adapted to be received between' the bearings on said bracket, a pinl extending through the bearings of saidvv bracket andsaid arm'to pivot-ally mount said arm on said bracket, laterally Vprojecting and vertically projecting` flanges on said arm to resist torsional strain,` bearing flanges carried by the end ot said arm and a pair of hanger arms each having a4 bearing` located between said bearflanges, said hanger arms being pivotallyT mounted on separate pins, a resilient plate engagingY the lends ot the bearings of said hanger arms, and adjustable meanst'or reguiating the vamount ot" friction between said plate and' hanger armv bearings.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this llthday of January, 1929.

IVALTER IVOLFF.

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