Tie-rack

S. W. LA MAR

TIE-RACK

March 16/1965

Filed Jan. 15, 1963

3,173,545

Sheets-Sheet 1

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STANLEY W LAMAR INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY

March 16, 1965

S. W. LA MAR

TIE-RACK

3,173,545

Filed Jan. 15, 1963

Sheets-Sheet 2

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STANLEY W LA MAR

INVENTOR.

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3,173,545

Patented Mar. 16, 1965

United States Patent Office

3,173,545 TIE-RACK

Stanley W. La Mar, 1607 N. Girls School Road, Indianapolis, Ind.

Filed Jan. 15,1963, Ser. No. 251,522

Claims. (CI. 211—13)

This invention relates to a tie-rack device.

The general objects of my invention are to provide a tie-rack of small and compact size, which without taking up a long expanse of space will hold several ties, and which will be economical to produce and convenient to use.

It is probably not uncommon for men to hang a necktie over a door-knob; and I have found that a door-knob provides a quite usable mount for a single neck-tie. However, even assuming that the user uses a concealed doorknob, such as the door-knob on the inside of a closet door, thus minimizing the untidiness of leaving apparel hanging on a door-knob, a significant disadvantage of a doorknob is that if more than a single tie is hung thereover, the individual ties are not only difficult to distinguish, but if the user should desire to remove an underlying tie, it is rather inconvenient to do so without either tangling the other ties or spilling them onto the floor.

Accordingly, another object of my invention is to provide a novel tie-rack device having characteristics somewhat similar to those of a door-knob, but having useful advantages thereover.

In carrying out my invention, in an illustrative embodiment, I provide a supporting base, generally vertical for mounting on a wall; and the base carries a forwardlyextending series of concentric, semi-circulai’ walls, the walls being both radially spaced and having their leading edges axially spaced. Thus, the invention provides the advantage of a door-knob mounting, yet provides in effect a plurality of door-knobs in a single place, providing both convenience, compactness, and accessibility both of vision and of hanging and removal of ties.

The description of my invention so far given is introductory and rather general; and the foregoing and further and more particular objects, features, advantages, details, and concepts of the present invention will further appear in the following, more detailed description reference being had to the accompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings of illustrative embodiments, in which drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a tie-rack according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken generally along section-line II—II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the lie of such a device when mounted on an associated wall;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating a modified arrangement for the accommodation of an associated mounting screw;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a tie-rack according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, and taken generally along section-line VI—VI of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a front view of a tie-rack according to still another embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, in the first embodiment of my invention I provide a generally semi-circular tie-rack 10, conveniently formed of plastic. It comprises a generally vertical base-member 12, and extending forwardly from the base 12 in cantilever fashion there is provided a vertically-extending series of tie-supporting flanges or mounts 14 formed as blade-like walls or ribs, with suc60 cessively higher mounts 14 extending successively farther laterally than the mount therebeneath.

In FIG. 1, the mounts 14 are shown as being of a generally semi-circular shape, concentrically arranged with successively higher mounts having successively larger radii of curvature, and the mounts 14 are radially spaced, providing between each pair of adjacent mounts 14 a slot or recess 15 into which a tie (not shown) may be placed. And, as shown in FIG. 2, the leading or forward edges 16 of the mounts 14 are axially spaced, the lower mount 14 extending the furthest forward, with successive mounts 14 having their forward edges 16 located successively less forwardly, in a sort of staggered manner. The forward portion 16 of each of the mounts 14 thus provides a forwardly-extending lip or guide 18 which provides ease of guiding a tie onto the mount 14 and into the slot 15.

The rear surface 20 of the base 12 is shown in FIG. 2 as not perpendicular to, but as provided along an angle to, the axis of the mounts 14 such that when the device is installed with the rear base-surface 20 flush against an associated supporting wall 22, the forwardly-extending mounts 14 and the slots 15 are inclined slightly upwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 3, serving to retain ties on the mounts 14.

The lower mount 14 is shown as provided with a hollow core 24, which provides access to a lower mounting hole 26 provided in the base 12. An upper mounting hole 28 is provided in the base 12 adjacent the upper edge of the device; and, providing convenient access to the hole 28, the mount 14 adjacent hole 28 is provided with an open stretch 29.

The holes 26 and 28 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as extending parallel to the axis of the mounts 14, both adding to economy of manufacture, and guiding the associated mounting screws (not shown) to a secure, downward inclination.

A cap 30, which is desirably formed to provide a pressfit into the core 24, is provided to conceal the screw (not shown) which is installed through the hole 26. The cap 30 may be provided with initials of the owner; and it may desirably be of a different color from the base 12 and mounts 14, and it may have design indicia to add ornamental appeal.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification wherein the mounting holes 26α and 28α are shown as perpendicular to the rear surface 20 of the base 12, to guide the associated mounting screws (not shown) perpendicularly into the associated wall, as may be desired particularly when some sort of screw-retaining device is pre-installed in the wall prior to mounting the tie-rack thereon.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification which provides a generally triangularly-shaped tie-rack device 10α having mounts 14α generally horizontal and with the slots 15α correspondingly generally horizontal.

A further concept illustrated in FIG. 6 is that of the forward face 34 of the base-member 12α being of a staggered nature generally in accordance with the staggered nature of the forward edges 16α of the mounts 14α. This provides not only that the slots 15α are of a generally uniform fore-and-aft depth, providing at the rear of each slot 15α an abutment for locating the associated tie in a position in which the tie is accessible both visually and manually, but provides also that a substantial rear void 36 may be provided in the rear base-face 20α, thus achieving economy of material.

Other features and concepts of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may be substantially identical to corresponding features and concepts of FIGS. 1 through 4, thus for brevity will not be here specifically described, the similarity of reference numerals indicating the correspondency.

3,173,545

FIG. 7 illustrates a further modification or embodiment which provides a generally diamond-shaped tie-rack device 106 having mounts 146 of a generally-inverted V-shape, with correspondingly shaped slots 156. Here again, other features and concepts -may be substantially identical to those of the preceding figures and embodiments, and for brevity the correspondency is indicated by correspondency of reference numerals.

Thus it is seen that the various concepts, relationships, and components of the invention co-operate to provide an economical and advantageous tie-rack having desirable characteristics of convenience, compactness, utility, access to. vision and access to tie-hanging and tie-removal.

Accordingly, from the foregoing description of the invention according to the illustrated embodiments, considered with the accompanying drawings, it is seen that my invention provides a novel and useful device having desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the invention; accordingly I wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the embodiments thereof illusrated and described, or to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown.