SPECIFICATIONClothes HangerThis invention relates to a hanger for hanging articles of clothing such as trousers or skirts.
A known hanger has an elongate or lengthwise main support body having a thickness in the sideways direction such that the elongate sides of the body are in line with opposed plate members defining jaws at each end of the elongate body. The plate members project above and below the elongate body with a spring located between the upwardly projecting parts to force them apart and consequently force the downwardly projecting jaw parts into a closed clamping position.
In placing such hangers on the waistband of trousers for example, the jaws are opened by pressing together the upwardly extending plate parts against the force of the spring and the waistband is inserted into the jaws until the top edge of the waistband engages an under surface of the elongate body. In other words the elongate body is on view above the waistband with the jaws clamping over the waistband.
Disadvantageously the waistband of the article of clothing hangs below the elongate body so that the elongate body is detrimentally visible to prospective customers.
It is desirable to produce a cloth hanger in which such a disadvantage is substantially eliminated.
According to the present invention there is provided a hanger for hanging trousers or skirts comprising a lengthwise body and a pair of jaws at each end of the body, wherein the said body is thinner in a sideways direction than the thickness of each pair of jaws and extends in a plane substantially parallel to a central plane between jaw plates constituting each pair of jaws, and is located between said jaw plates, said body having a depth to act as a guide insertable within the waistband of the trousers or skirt.
In one preferred embodiment of a hanger according to the invention an upper edge of the body is outwardly inclined from a substantially central part of the length of the said body, e.g. the upper edge is lengthwise concave.
Conveniently the jaw plates defining each pair of jaws are pivotally mounted on a flange located along the upper edge of the lengthwise body and extending outwardly from either side of the body.
The opposite bottom edge of the lengthwise body may be provided with an incline surface at each end of the body to facilitate guiding of the body between adjacent parts of a waistband and to avoid engagement of the body between the nip of the clamping jaws.
Preferably, the hanger is of a plastics material and is formed as an integrally moulded unit with the addition of a spring to provide the clamping effect of the jaws.
Preferably, the body is located centrally, in a sideways direction, between the plates of each pair of jaws. In an aiternative embodiment of the body lies substantially in the same plane as one of the plates constituting each pairofjaws.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hanger according to the present invention, andFig. 2 is a bottom view of the hanger of Fig. 1.
Referring specifically to Figs. 1 and 2, the hanger has an elongate or lengthwise body 1 with a supporting hook 2, located centrally thereof and two pairs of clamping jaws 3, 4 located at respective opposite ends of the body.
The lengthwise body 1 comprises a thin flat plate 5 which extends in the plane of Fig. 1 and lies in a plane substantially parallel with a plane centrally between jaw plates of each pair of jaws. A flange 6 extends transversely on each side of the plate 5 along a lengthwise concave top edge of the plane 5 in Fig. 1. The flange 6 extends between and supports the pair of jaws at opposite ends of the body 1.
Each pair of jaws 3, 4 comprises two plate members 7,8 and 9, 10 respectively. Each of the plate members of each pair of jaws is pivotally mounted on the flange 6. A leaf spring (not shown) is located between opposed portions of each pair of jaws extending above the flange 6 such that the spring acts to force the upper portions of the jaws apart and thereby forces the portions extending downwardly from the flange 6 towards each other to provide a clamping effect.
In the embodiment described the main body portion 5 not only serves to support the jaws 3,4 but also acts as a guide to enable the jaws to be quickly and accurately fixed on the waistband of a pair of trousers or a skirt. Inclined end surfaces 11 are located at opposite ends of the panel 5 assist in providing a guiding effect for mounting the hanger upon the trousers or skirt waistband.
The application of the hanger to a pair of trousers which are folded flat with opposite sides of the waistband touching each other will now be described. Initially the jaws 3,4 of the hanger are opened so that the jaws can be placed over the waistband. As the jaws approach the waistband the lower surfaces 11 assist in guiding the plate 5 between the opposite sides of the waistband. The body 1 passes into the waistband of the trousers until the top edge of the waistband engages the flange 6 defining the pivot connection of the jaws with the plate 5. In achieving this end the hanger body between the jaws is arranged to lie inside the trouser waistband and cannot be seen due to concave flange 6 which causes a substantial part of the elongate support body 1 to lie beneath the upper edge of the waistband.Thus the body 1 is hidden completely within the waistband of the trousers leaving only the jaws 3,4 and the hook 2 visible to a prospective customer. Therefore, the customer is able to view the trousers with the minimum of amount of hanger showing. The body 1 of the hanger when arranged on a pair of trousers or skirt also serves to support the central portion of the waistband and prevents sideways movement of the waistband.
The hanger shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with apertures 12 in the plate 5 to minimize the amount of material used in forming the plate 5.
However, the plate 5 may be formed as a solid plate without apertures.
Although the above embodiment has been described with the jaw plates 7,8 and 9, 10 being pivotally mounted on flange 6, the jaw plates may alternatively be mounted on a flange projecting on either side of the plate 5 where the plate 5 projects between each pair of jaws.
It is important that the plate 5 be located between the opposed plates of each of the jaws 3,4 and whilst in the above described embodiments the plate has been described as being located centrally between the clamping plates, the plate 5 can be located between the jaw plates closerto one jaw plate than the opposite jaw plate. Furthermore, the flange 6 can be omitted.
In its preferred form the hanger is integrally moulded from a plastic material and advantageously the hook2 may be integrally hinged to the body.