US3127074A

US3127074A - Higgins

Info

Publication number: US3127074A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-31

Description

March 31, 1964 H. HIGGINS 3,127,074

COLLAPSIBLE TROUSER CREASER Filed June 6, 1960 l i u.

A asur United States Patent 6) M 3,127,074 COLLAPSIBLE TROUSER CREASER Harry Higgins, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor to George T. Stacey, Riverside, Calif. Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,182 2 Clm'ms. (Cl, 223-63) This invention relates to the creasing of trousers and slacks andis particularly concerned with a collapsible device for insertion into the legs of trousers and slacks for the shaping of them withcreases.

Trousers and slacks are shaped, usually by pressing, in order to flatten the legs thereof and to establish creases, one at the front and one at the back of each leg. Ordinary use, or wearing, of trousers and. slacks destroys the intended shape, making them baggy at the knee at which place the crease first disappears. The usual shaping methods involve pressing which is done on a domestic basis as well as professionally and which involves considerable time and effort. On the other hand, there are certain fabrics which are damaged pressing, namely hotpressing, in which case shaping may be done by drying the garment in the desired form. Thus, there are advantages in avoiding pressing, including savings in time and in avoiding injury to the fabrics.

A general object of this invention is to provide a device for shaping and creasing trousers and slacks without pressing. With the present invention a device is inserted into each leg of the trousers or slacks and pressure exerted thereby that holds the fabric in the desired condition to which it can be set.

An object of this invention is to provide a device insertable into the legs. of trousers and slacks to straighten them by removing any bagginess at the knee, to restore the crease therein and so as to recreate the tailored form thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device for the purposes above expressed and which yieldingly urges the trousers and slacks into a tailored condition, or pressed condition, with a crease, and when said trousers and slacks are either dry or wet, or merely damp, and all without affecting the surface nap of the material.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the device that I provide for insertion into a leg of a pair of trousers or slacks and shovwng said device in a collapsed condition.

FIG. 2 is a view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 and shows the transition or movement of the sections thereof in pivoting the sections to the condition shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a view of the device showing it in the operative or utility condition.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the initial insertion of the device into the leg of a pair of trousers or slacks.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and shows the device after it is completely inserted into the leg of the trousers or slacks.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on FIG. 3.

The trouser or slack creaser of the present invention is a device that is insertable into the legs of the trousers and which is adapted to expand therein to press or yieldingly urge parts thereof in an outward direction to give full expansion to said garment so as to fully expand it to a uniform shape and size. As is clearly shown throughout the drawings, there is provided a unit of construction for insertion into each trouser leg to be treated. That is, there 3,127,074 Patented Mar. 31., 1964 is used a pair of such devices in the treatment of a pair of trousers or slack, one for each leg thereof.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, I have shown the unit of construction that I provide and which operates as a trouser creaser when inserted into a trouser leg. The unit is shown in a collapsed state or condition wherein the two sections X and Y thereof coincide. The unit is characterized by the two like sections, preferably identical in shape and configuration, and which are pivotally secured together to swing from the collapsed condition of FIG. 1 to a utility position as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 2 shows an intermediate position illustrating the transition from the collapsed condition to the said utility condition.

The identical sections X and Y are coupled by pivot means Z and there is a slide S that restrains the sections X and Y so that they coact against each other to press members thereof in opposite directions, when in the utility condition. As is clearly illustrated, the slide S allows for the transition between the two extreme conditions without the use of securement or special fastening means.

The sections X and Y being alike, or identical, a description of one sufiices for both, as follows: As shown, the sections are each made of a single length of resilient material, preferably a simple spring wire W that is round in cross section. The said wire W is formed in a generally rectangular configuration, and in a fiat plane, having longitudinally extending side members 10 and 11 and

transverse end members

12 and 13. The sections are characterized by the uninterrupted continuity of the wire W, said Wire being coupled at its opposite ends by the structure of the pivot means Z that occurs intermediate the

end members

12 and 13 and at one of the side members 10 or 11. As illustrated, the pivot means Z is at the side member 10, midway between the

end members

12 and 13.

In accordance with the invention, the side members 10 and 11 and

end members

12 and 13 are parallel pairs of elements, the said side members being bowed outwardly away from each other. At least, the side members 11, which I will term the outer side members, are bowed outwardly. The other or inside members 10 can also be bowed, or each composed of two angularly related parts joined at the pivot means Z.

The pivot means Z acts to join the ends of the wire W and to couple the two sections X and Y for rotation relative to each other. In the case illustrated, the means Z involves a pair of plates '15, one at each section X and Y, said plates being rota-tably connected by a pivot pin 20. The plates 15 are alike, or identical, and each is a flat element with portions thereof formed to fasten to the opposite ends of the wire W. In the particular case illustrated, the plate has upturned marginal portions, at one side of the plate, the ends of the wire being engaged thereby. In practice, said upturned portions of the plate are bent to form tubes, a tube at each edge of the plate and parallel with each other, and so as to receive the opposite ends of the wire W that are bent at right angles. Further, there is an upturned tubular portion of the plate extending along one edge thereof and between the first mentioned parallel portions, in order to receive and lock with a second right angle bend in each of the opposite end portions of the wire W.

The pivot pin 20' of the means Z is a simple part, prefera-bly a rivet that engages through aligned openings in the two plates 15 of the two sections X and Y. The pin 20 is headed over at its opposite tenminal ends and so as to allow for free tuining or movement of the two sections X and Y relative to each other.

In carrying out the invention, the sections X and Y are moved or rotated from the collapsed conditions shown in FIG. 1 by provision of a slide S that I provide and which cooperatively couples the two sections X and Y at one end thereof. As shown, the slide 6 is a simple ring that surrounds or encompasses the adjacent wires W of the two sections X and Y. In order to move the sections X and Y to the utility positions shown in FIG. 3, the slide S is moved to a central position at the side members 11, as shown in FIG. 2 so that the two sections X and Y can then be rotated or revolved relative to each other as shown in FIG. 2 Further movement or rotation of the sections X and Y results in the condition shown in FIG. 3 where the slide S operates along the

ends

12 or 13, as the case may be, to act as a stop thereby limiting movement of the sections. In the conditions shown in FIG. 3 the slide S limits movement or rotation of the sections X and Y so that the outer side members of the opposite sections are divergent, as clearly illustrated. Thus, it will be seen that there are divergent side members 10 each of which is bowed outwardly.

In order to insert the trouser creaser into a trouser leg the divergent end portions are compressed together and into overlapping conditions by suitable manipulation, and said end portions are then inserted into the open end of the trouser leg as shown in FIG. 4. With the trouser creaser started into the trouser leg it is a simple matter to apply longitudinal pressure to the outer and opposite end portion thereof thereby sliding the unit into place or posit-ion within the trouser leg as shown in FIG. 5. With the trouser creaser in place, as described and shown, the resilient construction thereof yieldingly urges the outer side members away from each other and in a manner to expand within the trouser leg. It is a simple matter to locate or position the opposite side members 10 at the position of the crease to be formed thereby or to the re-established thereby, as the case may be.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a very simple and practical trouser creaser that is especially useful for insertion into freshly laundered trousers or slacks and that can be readily inserted into working position with the slide S thereof exposed. As shown, the slide S includes a hook 25 adapted to be used {for hanging purposes. Further it will be apparent that it is a simple matter to withdraw the unit of construction from the trouser leg, whereupon it can be collapsed for storage in a relatively small space.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A collapsible unit for creasing a trouser leg and including, a pair of like and relatively movable rectangularshaped sections of spring wire having spaced substantially parallel inner and outer side members, the inner side members of the sections being pivotally joined intermediate the ends of the sections for movement from a collapsed condition with the one section overlying the other to a utility condition with the two sections divergently related.

2. A collapsible unit for creasing a trouser leg and including, a pair of like and relatively movable rectangularshaped sections of spring wire having spaced substantially parallel outer side members to engage the trouser leg, the inner side members :of the sections being pivotally joined intermediate the ends of the sections for movement from a collapsed condition with one section overlying the other to a utility condition with the two sections divergently related, there being a slide encompassing the two rectangular spring sections and operable to one end portion thereof to limit separation of the sections whereby the oppoosite end portion can be sprung inwardly into overlapped engagement for exerting outward pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,999 Kappes Feb. 22, 1916 1,362,839 Bretscher Dec. 21, 1920 1,629,659 Frey May 24, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 238,495 Germany Sept. 25, 1911 70,736 Switzerland Feb. 28, 1915 955,026 France Jan. 4, 1950