Clothing case and hanger.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,383, (No model,)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, David A. Ryan, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois,have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothing Cases and Hangers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apio pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in clothing cases and hangers for storing· clothing in such manner as to enable the several suits to be readily removed and inspected withi5 out disturbing the others and for preventing the disarrangement of the stock in clothing stores and in salesrooms and the separation of the garments comprising the several suits.

My invention consists in the construction 2o and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

One object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the clothing-case. .

2.5 A further object is to provide an improved clothing-case having a hanger-arm or a plurality of hanger-arms and hangers for the individual suits of clothing carried by the hangerarms and detachable therefrom, permitting of 30 the ready removal and inspection of the several suits of clothing without disturbing the others.

A further object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the 35 hanger-arms.

A further object of my invention is to effect improvements in the-construction of the hanger-arms and of the individual clotheshangers, which construction permits- of the 4° ready removal of the latter from the former.

A further object of my invention is to effect improvements in the means for supporting hanger-arms in the clothing-case and for permitting the ready removal and adjustment of 45 the said hanger-arms.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a clothing-case embodying my improvements, showing the same equipped with a pair of my im50 proved hanger-arms and individual clotheshangers for the several suits of clothes detachably connected to the hanger-arms. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the means for detachably and adjustably supporting the hanger-arms in the case. Fig. 3 is a detail 55 perspective view of one of the clothes-hanging hanger-arms. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line a a of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the plane indicated by 60 the line δ δ of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the individual suithangers, showing the same detached from the frame. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view, partly in section, of the lower clothes-hang- 65 ing hanger-arm. Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view.of the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line e c of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a similar view taken on the plane indicated by the line d d of Fig. 7. 70

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a clothing-case 1 of suitable dimensions, which is here shown as open on its front side and as provided at its lower side with a drawer 2 for duplicate stock. In practice the front 75 of the case may be provided with glass or other doors to open either vertically or horizontally or with suitable curtains. In the upper side of the case and extending from its back to its front is a hanger-arm 3. A detachable 80 adjustable hanger-arm 4 is also shown in the. case below the hanger-arm 3. I will first describe the former: This hanger-arm 3 comprises a fixed track-section 5 and a longitudinally-movable track-section.6, slidably related 85 thereto and on the under side thereof, each of the said sections or members being I-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thereby the section 5 is provided with laterally-extending upper flanges 7 and similarly- 90 extending lower flanges 8, and the section 6 is provided with the laterally-extending upper flanges 9 and similarly-extending lower flanges 10. The latter are thicker than tlie flanges 9 and are provided with transverse 95 grooves 11, which extend from side to side of the bottom of the section 6 and communicate with transverse slots 12 of less width than said grooves 11, so that shoulders 13 are formed, which form the lower sides of said 100

769,024 grooves. The flanges 7 of the section 5 are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the under side of the top of the case 1, and the length of the said section is equal or substan5 tially so to the extent of said case from front to back.

Near the front end of the hanger-arm section 5, on opposite sides thereof, are secured metallic straps 14 by means of bolts, screws, rivio ets, or the like, the said straps being attached directly to opposite sides of the vertical web of said hanger-arm section 5, being then bent outwardly to lie on the upper sides of the lower flanges 8 thereof, as at 15, and being 15 then bent downwardly to form depending extensions 16, which extend below said hangerarm section 5, the said extension 16 supporting rollers 17 and the axles 18 thereof.

At the inner end of the lower longitudinally20 movable hanger-arm section 6, on opposite sides thereof, are metallic straps 19, which are secured to the vertical web thereof by means of bolts, screws, or rivets, and the said straps are provided with upwardly-extending lugs 25 20 and rearwardly-extending arms 21. The said lugs 20 also extend outwardly to clear the upper flanges 9 of said hanger-arm section 6 and the flanges 8 of the hanger-arm section 5 and carrier-rollers 22, which bear between the 30 flanges 7 8 of the upper hanger-arm section.

The rollers 17, which depend from the upper hanger-arm section, bear between the flanges 9 10 of the lower hanger-arm section 6. Between the rearwardly-extending arms 21 of the 35 straps 19 is mounted a roller 23, which bears against the under side of the fixed upper, hanger-arm section 5.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the lower hanger-arm section is slidably 4° related to and suspended from the upper hanger-arm section and that it may be drawn in a longitudinal direction therefrom and also run inwardly into the case. It will be further understood that the rollers 17 22 and 45 their bearings form stops which limit the longitudinal movement of the section 6, so that it cannot become casually detached from the section 5, and that the said rollers, in connection with the roller 23, preserve tide equilib50 rium of the section 6 when the latter is drawn outwardly. The section 6 of the hanger-arm is adapted to carry a number of individual suithangers 24, each of which has a head 25, provided with an angular flanged portion 26 to 55 bear on the shoulders 13 of one of the grooves 11 and a neck portion 27 to enter the slot 12 and clear said shoulders 13. Hence the said hangers 24 are detachably connected to the lower hanger-arm section 6, are adapted to be 60 attached thereto from either side thereof, and it will be understood that the flanges 26 and neck 27 of the said hanger 24 coact with the grooves and slots of the section 6 to prevent the hangers from turning when attached to the 65 hanger-arm.

A laterally-curved supporting-pendant 28 has its upper end attached to the head 25 of each hanger, and to its lower end is attached a yoke 29, on which may be hung a vest and a coat, as is obvious. The said yoke 29 is formed 7° integral with depending bars 30, of which there are a pair and the lower ends of which are connected by a rod 31, on which a pair of pants when appropriately folded may be hung, .so that each hanger serves for an entire suit 75 of clothes, hence enabling the pants to be kept with the coat and vest of each suit, and thus greatly facilitating the display and sale of the suits.

The lower hanger-arm 4 (shown in the case So in Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. 7, 8, and 9) comprises the relatively fixed section or member 43 and the section or member 44, which is slidably connected thereto. The section 43 is here shown as made of sheetmetal and comprising 85 aflat top45, depending sides 46, inwardly-extending portions47 at the lower edges thereof, and upwardly-extending flange portions 48 at the inner sides of said portions 47. At the front end of the said section 43 eacli side por- 90 tion 46 is connected to its flange portion 48 by a bolt or pin 49, which forms the axle for the roller 50. The flange portions 48 are spaced apart an appropriate distance. On the upper side of the section 43 are longitudinally-dis- 95 posed inturned overhanging flanges 51. The section 44 is T-shaped in cross-section, its head bearing against the under side of the top of the section 43 and its web being between and out of contact with the flanges 48 of sec- 1 =° tion 43. In the lower side of the section 44 are transverse grooves 11 and slots 12 identical with those described in connection with the description of hanger-arm 3. At the inner end of the section 44 its head-flanges 52 105 are cut away to clear a pair of rollers 53, which are mounted on opposite sides of its web on an axle 54. The lower sides of the said rollers 53 are adapted to bear upon the lateral flange portions 47 of the section 43, and their upper 110 sides are adapted to bear against the under side of the top of said section 43, as will be understood. Said rollers 53, in connection with the rollers 50, serve to reduce friction between the several sections of the hanger- 115 arm 4 and to coact as stops to limit the extent of the outward movement of the longitudinally-movable section 44 thereof.

I will now describe improved means for supporting the hanger-arm 4 in the case and per- 120 mitting the detachment of the said hangerarm therefrom and also permitting its vertical adjustment therein. A supporting-stud 55 is secured on the front side of the back of the case in a vertical position and comprises a sec- 125 tion 56 and a section 57, both here shown as made of sheet metal, and the section 57 being formed with vertical side flanges 58 to engage opposite sides of the section 56 and being formed on its front side with an outstanding 130

769,024 tubular or hollow bead 59, which is provided with a plurality of keyhole-slots 60, suitably spaced apart. The section 57 is secured to the section 56 by means of screws or other 5 suitable devices 61, which also serve to attach supporting-stud 55, composed of the said sections, to the back of the case, and.it will be understood that the section 56 serves to materially strengthen the section 57. In connecio tion with the said supporting-bar 55 and with the hanger-arm 4 I employ a supportingbracket 62, which has a horizontal arm 63 at its lower side, flanged, as at 64, to enter the space between the flanges 51 of the section 43 of 15 hanger-arm 4 in order to support said hangerarm, as will be understood, and further provided with a vertical arm 65 to bear against the front side of the vertical bead 59 of the supporting-bar 55 and provided with headed studs 20 66, which enter and coact with the keyhole-slot to support the said bracket, and hence the hanger-arm 4, at any desired vertical adjustment.

From the foregoing description, taken in 25 connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, 30 and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages .of this invention.