Patent ID: 6058580
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: A47G,Y10T

Abstract:
In a clothes hanger including at least one closed clasping device formed as a pair of closeable clamping elements connected to each other at one end thereof and a resilient force applying member movably slidable over the clamping elements across their connected ends, said force applying element formed as a single piece, U-shaped sheet metal element and having a curved closed end connected to opposed upper and lower longitudinally extending clasp plates arranged to slidably engage the clamping elements to press them together when moved longitudinally to a clasping position and to release them for opening motion when moved to an opposite released position, the improvement comprising:said upper clasp plate bent so that it approaches but does not engage said lower clasp plate, and terminating at a curled over edge that includes a portion that first extends away from the lower clasp plate, then extends directly towards the lower clasp plate, then extends inwardly and under itself towards the closed end of the U-shaped sheet metal element;said upper clasp plate also including a pair of laterally spaced apart aligned stiffener structures extending longitudinally along the upper clasp plate from a location located on the curved closed end of the U-shaped sheet metal element to a location adjacent the terminal end thereof;said stiffener structures formed integrally of the same sheet material forming said U-shaped element to thereby stiffen the bending strength of said upper clasp plate;said portion of the terminal end of said upper clasp plate extending directly toward the lower clasp plate providing a gripping edge for enabling manipulation of the force applying element from a clasping to a released position.