Garment drying apparatus and method

Abstract

A garment drying device particularly adapted for drying pants such as jeans, khakis, chinos, shorts, or other types of trousers. The garment drying device includes a spreader bar having a hanger retained thereto and the ends of the spreader bar are provided with arcuate surfaces and spring clips shaped so as to be juxtaposed to the arcuate surfaces for clipping to the opening of the pant legs with the result that the pants are hung to dry in an inverted position, promoting air flow for even drying of the pants, so that the wet weight of the material comprising the pants exerts constant downward force on the pants, minimizing shrinkage of the pants in the vertical dimension.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for drying a garment comprising:
 first and second clips;   an elongate spreader bar having said first and second clips affixed proximate the ends thereof; and   the inside surfaces of each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.   
     
     
         2 . The drying device of  claim 1  wherein the inside surfaces of said clips are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips. 
     
     
         3 . The drying device of  claim 2  wherein said garment retaining structure comprises a bow extending from the inside surfaces of each of said clips. 
     
     
         4 . The drying device of  claim 3  wherein each of said bows is comprised of a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open. 
     
     
         5 . A device for drying a garment comprising:
 first and second spring-loaded clips;   an elongate spreader bar having arcuate surfaces formed either at or proximate the ends thereof, said first and second clips being affixed to the respective ends of said spreader bar and being formed so that the spring-loaded portion of said clips is juxtaposed to the respective arcuate surfaces; and   each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.   
     
     
         6 . The drying device of  claim 5  wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips. 
     
     
         7 . The drying device of  claim 5  wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open. 
     
     
         8 . A method of drying a garment comprising the steps of inverting the garment, gripping the garment at an opening of the garment, retaining the garment on a spreader bar for hanging the garment in the inverted position for drying, and opening one or more of the openings of the hanging garment for promoting airflow through the inverted garment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  additionally comprising the step of retaining the opening of the garment open during drying.