DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING

Abstract: A device for transporting a number of articles of clothing placed on hangers (24), between for instance a factory and a place of sale has a suspension member (1) adapted to receive the hooks of the hangers and having a pair of suspension hooks (3) for suspending the suspension member from a rod (23), and carrying means (14) for lifting the suspension member off the rod and shifting it between different rods. The suspension member (1) is channel-shaped and the carrying means (14) is formed integrally with a retention member (2) which has a channel shape conformed to the shape of the suspension member and which is connectible to the suspension member to ensure retention of the hooks of the hangers on the suspension member and to allow said lifting-off and shifting of the suspension member.

Description: DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING The present invention relates to a device for transporting a number of articles of clothing placed on hangers, between for instance a factory and a place of sale, which device has a suspension member adapted to receive the hooks of the hangers and having a pair of suspension hooks for suspending the suspension member from a rod, and carrying means for lifting the suspension member off the rod and shifting it between different rods. The transportation of ready-made articles of clothing from the factory to the shop has hitherto been carried out in an unrational way which is time-consuming and does not enable the shop assistants, on receiving the articles, directly to discover if the articles have been damaged during transport. Further, the articles are easily pilfered during transport. The main object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned by way of intro¬ duction which facilitates the transportation of articles of clothing and which is of the disposable type, whereby to obtain greater ease of handling and storage of the devices. Another object of the invention is to provide a device which ensures such sealing of the articles during transport that any manipulation thereof will be disco- vered upon arrival at the place of sale. A still further object of the invention is to pro¬ vide a device which allows transportation of articles of clothing without said seal, for instance within the factory premises where the articles should be collected at different stations. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a compact device which, during assembly thereof, does not affect the articles of clothing on the hangers and which requires but a small storage space. i j . ___O W V Ϊ O ^ The invention will now be described hereinbelow in an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the device according to the invention in the sealed position carry-" ing an article of clothing placed on a hanger; 7. - Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device in a first intermediate storage position without perma¬ nent sealing; Fig. 3 shows the device of Fig. 2 from- the opposite side of the rod; Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 1 and illustrating a sealing device for inter¬ locking a retention member and a suspension member of the device; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the device illustrating a second intermediate storage position without permanent sealing. The device according to the present invention has two main parts. Fig. 1 shows one of these parts, called . suspension member 1 which is substantially elongate and channel-shaped and conformed to a supporting rod 23. The ends of the suspension member each has a flange 10 forming, at its forward portion, a suspension hook 3 for suspending the entire device from the supporting rod; at its rear portion a connecting catch 4 for en¬ gaging a retention member 2 described in more detail below to be connected to the suspension member; at its lower portion a supporting lug 5 for supporting the re- tention member and aligning it with respect to the sus¬ pension member in a sealing position; and, between the supporting lugs and the connecting catch 4,a locking plate 6 for a final one-way sealing of the device during transport. The locking plate 6 has an inclined locking tongue 7 which, in the position shown in Fig. 1, locks and seals the retention member with respect to the sus¬ pension member by engaging an ear 8 provided on the OMPI retention member and having a catch 9. The locking plate 6 is connected to the flange 10, for instance by means of two break-off pins 27 provided at one end of the plate. The locking tongue 7 is formed on the locking plate between the break-off pins and directed towards the suspension hook 2 and inwardly towards a channel- shaped portion 19 of the retention member for snapping in behind the locking catch 9 on the locking ear 8 when the retention member is pivoted into engagement with the suspension member. As earlier mentioned, there is provided between the flanges 10 an elongate channel- shaped suspension portion 11 on whose outer side a cer¬ tain number of " clothes hangers 24 can be hung. In order that the articles of clothing on the hangers should not be unevenly distributed on the suspension portion 11, its outer side is provided with a number of distribution ribs 12 which, by cooperating with the retention member, will ensure the retention of each hanger between two ribs. At the lower portion of each distribution rib, there is a prong 13 which, together with a hole 25 in the retention member, serves to lock and seal a protec¬ tive bag 26 passed over the articles of clothing both to protect the articles and to prevent unnoticed pilfer¬ ing of the articles. The areas of the suspension por- tion 11 between the ribs 12 may be provided with recesses or depressions to economise on material. The other main part of the device, called retention member 2, has, like the suspension member, flanges which are substantially U-shaped. The free shanks 14 of the U-formed flanges should, for heavy loads, be used as handles and together form a two-handle grip. The other shanks 15 of the flanges are formed integrally with a channel-shaped portion 19 which has a shape corresponding to that of the channel-shaped portion of the suspension member, such that when the two members 1, 2 are inter¬ connected, they form a number of gaps for accommodating OMPI the hooks- of the hangers. To economise on material, the retention member is perforated so as to form a lower strip 20 and an upper strip 21 with reinforcing ribs 22 extending therebetween. The retention member has con- necting pins 17 which are disposed at the inner end por¬ tions of the shanks 15 and project away from the channel- shaped portion 19 to engage in the connecting catches 4 of the suspension member ' 1 in the sealing position. The free end of the shank 15 has a connecting pin 18 which is adapted in the sealing position to engage the supporting lug 5 of the suspension member for accurate interconnection of the members 1, 2. The locking ears 8 previously mentioned are disposed between the two con¬ necting pins 17, 18 and project from the concave surface of the channel-shaped portion 19, the locking catches 9 projecting laterally from the retention member so as to snap in behind the respective locking tongue 7 in the sealing position of the device. On the upper strip 21, there is provided a handle 16 which extends towards the free shanks 14 and is intended to serve as a single- hand grip for light loads and in the final sealing posi¬ tion. The device is intended to be coupled together in at least three different ways. One of these is of course the final sealing position shown in Fig. 1, which cannot be undone unless the locking tongue 7 is broken at the break-off pins 27, whereby the suspension member 1 is consumed. The second coupling position is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and represents an intermediate storage position during transport where the pins 17 have been only tempo¬ rarily inserted in the catches 4. The third coupling position is shown in Fig. 5 where the pins 18 have been inserted in the catches 4 and the remaining portions of the retention member bear on points of the suspension member for distributing the load. The device according to the invention is very flexible and can receive hangers already hanging on a rod. This can be achieved by passing the edge of the suspension member provided with the prongs in between the hanger hooks and the rod at the heads of the hooks and thereafter turning the suspension member around the . rod to the position shown in the figures. The reverse procedure can be carried out when the transport device with the articles of clothing has arrived at the shop and the retention member has been released from the suspension member after breaking loose the locking plates from the flanges 10. The suspension member can now be turned about the rod in a reverse .\ " - r e¬ direction and be removed without lifting off the hangers. The transport device according to the invention is moulded, preferably from plastic, and the device, or at least the suspension member, can be melted down after use and reshaped into a new suspension member with . locking plate and break-off pins. OMPI VIPO

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for transporting a number of articles - of clothing placed on hangers (24) , between for instance a factory and a place of sale, which device has a suspen¬ sion member (1) adapted to receive the hooks of the han- gers and having a pair of suspension hooks (3) for sus¬ pending the suspension member from a rod (23) , and carry¬ ing means (14) for lifting the suspension member off the rod and shifting it between different rods, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that the suspension member (1) is channel-shaped (11) ; and that the carrying means (14) is formed integrally with a retention member (2) which has a channel shape (19) conformed to the shape, of the suspension member and which is connectible to the suspen¬ sion member to ensure retention of the hooks of the han- gers on the suspension member and to allow said lifting- off and shifting of the suspension member. 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i s e d in that the ends of either of the suspension member (1) and the retention member (2) are each provided with a connecting pin (17) , and that the ends of the other of said members are each provided with a connecting catch (4) for articulated interconnection of the reten¬ tion member and the suspension member. 3. Device as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c t e - r i s e d in that the connecting pins (17) and the con¬ necting catches (4) are disposed at a location of the respective member remote from the articles of clothing, whereby the carrying means(14)/retention member (2), when said members (1, 2) are interconnected, will be prevented from engaging the articles of clothing. 4. Device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the suspen- - sion member (1) has at least one locking tongue (6, 7) and that the retention member (2) has a cooperating locking catch (8, 9) which for interconnecting the two members is adapted to snap in behind the locking tongue so as to make, together with the tongue, a permanent locking which can be released only by breaking loose the locking tongue from the suspension member. 5. Device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that either (1) • of the suspension and retention members has a number of prongs (13) for perforating one end of a protective bag (26) placed over the articles of clothing when said members are interconnected, and that the other (2) of said members has a corresponding number of holes (25) for receiving the perforation prongs. 6. Device as claimed in claims 2-4, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that the retention member (2) has a second pair of connecting pins (18) or connecting catches which, when the retention member is turned upside down, are insertible in the connecting catches (4) and the connecting pins, respectively, of the sus- pension member (1) to allow interconnection without per¬ manent locking between the suspension and retention members. 7. Device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the carrying means consists of two handles (14) for heavy loads which are each provided at one end of the retention member (2), and of a handle flange (16) for lighter loads which projects from the retention member. OMPI

Inventors: ANDERSSON ULF E, WEGSCHEIDER GUSTAV, ANDERSSON, ULF, E., WEGSCHEIDER, GUSTAV
Applicants: MARKS SPENCER PLC, MARKS AND SPENCER P.L.C.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A47F7
IPC codes: A47G25, B65G9