US2538237A - Resilient hatrack - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1951 D. F. EFNER 2,538,237

RESILIENT HATRACK Filed June 2, 1947 DEAN F EFW Efi INVENTOR.

ATTORN E Y5 Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BESILIENT HATRACK Dean F. Efner, Seattle, Wash. Application June 2, 1947, Serial No. 751,828

1 Claim.

My present invention relates generally to the art of storage racks or supporting devices, and more particularly to a resilient hat rack.

The more general use of the closed car, of a sedan or coup type, is making it more and more unnecessary for the person in such a car to be inconvenienced by wearing his hat. Normally, such cars are well heated and ventilated so that in effect, the same living conditions that would prevail in an oifce or at home are present, and under such conditions the averagevpassenger in a modern automobile will usually prefer to take off his hat, and then he is confronted with a storage problem. I

It is to overcome the deficiencies of many types of storage racks noted to date that I have provided my resilient hat rack. This rack is so arranged that it can be quickly put in the desired place of use, or removed from that point. Further, it is of such shape and resilient construction that it can be easily stored without damage.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is toprovide a hat storage rack that can be placed on the inside lining of a sedan or coup type of automobile during the time that it is desired to use the same.

A further object of my present invention is to provide means that will resiliently hold the rack in the desired position by stretching the supporting material away from a central point.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a resilient hat storage rack that, because of its easily conformable structure, can be made to fit a wide variety of bat types and sizes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hat storage rack that can be quickly installed and just as quickly taken out of its position of use for storage in some other more convenient place.

A further object of my invention is to provide a Wire form of tempered material so that, in

storage, it may be placed in an out-of-way loca tion, and pressure of other items against it will not permanently deform it or render it unfit for further use.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my resilient hat rack.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the interior of aclosed car body with my rack in place and with a gentlemans hat stored in said rack,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the lining of an automobile body top showing the manner of using my hat rack. Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral [0 designates the 'U-shaped portion of my hat rack. This should be proportioned with a distance between the parallel side bars l2 and i4, so that it will normally accommodate the largest of the hat sizes intended for use with the rack. Side bars l2 and 14 are joinedby the curved connecting base I which, preferably, is semi-circular. At their opposite ends, legs l2 and M are provided with a rather sharp bend, as at 18 and 20, and from these points the wire is continued at substantially a right angle to the legs to form the loop portions 22 and 23. Disposed between bends l8 and 20 and loop portions 22 and 23 are straight rest portions l9 and 24. The loop portions terminate in the pointed securing hook members 25 and 26. For the most satisfactory use, it has been found that if the lower legs of the loop portion as 28 and 30 lie at a reasonable height above the plane of the side bars l2 and I4, there will be a minimum of interference with the hat brim. Further, if the upper loop portions as 32 and 34 are substantially parallel in the vertical plane above legs 28 and 30, the brim of the hat can lie within the open loop portions and thus be least interfered with or creased. It has further been found desirable to have the upper engaging hook portions 25 and 26 also lie in the vertical plane of members 28 and 32, 30 and 34 respectively.

At the center of the connecting bend it, I provide a third loop member 40. This has a lower leg member 42, an upper leg portion 44 forming a loop portion, and the engaging hook 46, all fashioned in keeping with the structure of the other two hooks and loops, wherein the hook engaging member 46, legs 42 and 44 all lie in a plane normal to the plane established by legs 12 and M. It is to be noted that the lower leg 42 is raised by the bend at 38, so that legs 42, 28 and 30 all lie below the plane established by side bars I2, 84 and curve [6, and are similarly disposed, angularly, with that plane. Similarly engaging hooks 25, 26 and 46 all lie in a plane parallel to the plane of side bars [2 and I4 and above it. A straight spacing or rest portion 4'! connects bends i6 and 38 and functions similarly to portions l9 and 24 in providing a spacing member for the hooks and a rest for the hat brim to slide or rest The use of my hat carrier or rack is probably best illustrated in Fig. 2 and normally the easiest way to determine the most satisfactory position is for the prospective user to take off his hat and place it conveniently with the brim against the inner linin of the car top. This will establish a position where he can easily replace his hat or secure it. With the location thus established, the central hook 40 is first inserted into the fabric of the car-top lining with the engaging portion 46 hidden above the surface of the fabric lining.

With the hat rack temporarily positioned by the engagement of hook 40, side members l2 and I 4 are then brought together slightly, and the hook engaging portions 25 and 26 likewise engaged in the fabric lining of the car top. When pressure i then released, it will be noted that each of the three hooks are mutually cooperative in insuring the lasting positioning of the rack,

gaging portions 25, 26 and 46 were to be reversed and the car-lining fabric placed in tension over the entire ceiling of the car, there would be considerable stretch in the lon runs of material, and folds and puckering would occur at the point where the rack is put in place. All this is ob- *Viated by the reversing of the hooks and by localizing the stretch to the relatively short span between the three attaching hooks.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in :the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of a resilient hat rack.

' Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

' A hat rack for attachment to a fabric covering surface, comprising: a first and a second re- "silient single wire forming said hat rack; said first wire having a large U-shaped portion with a base and two legs; said second wire and a portion of said first wire at the free end of each leg being all similarly shaped and having a substantially straight rest portion extending out wardly from and in the plane of said U-shaped portion, a loop portion connecting with said rest portion at a small downward angle to said rest portion, providing means whereby said U-shaped portion and said rest portions have a slight clamping action on the brim of a hat between said portions and the attaching surface, with the upper portion of the loop lyin in a plane which is parallel and close to the plane of said U-shaped portion, and a hook portion connecting with said loop portion, the hook and loop portions being curved oppositely. the rest hook and loop portions lying substantially in a common plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said U-shaped portion, said hook portions each having a substantially straight pointed end which is directed outwardly with respect to said U-shaped portion and lies in a plane substantially parallel and close to the plane of said U-shaped portion, said rest portion at the free end of each leg connecting at substantially right angles to said leg, said rest portion of said second wire being secured to said U-shaped portion at approximately the mid point of said base and lying on a line approximately bisecting said U-shaped portion.

DEAN F. EFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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