Device for holding garment hangers

Abstract

A device for holding garment hangers is described which has two parts: one preferably inflexible hook part made of plastics material or metal shaped to be carried by a rail and a flexible loop or strap or series of loops, adapted to receive many garment hangers. The two parts are connected flexibly and the loop may be adjusted to alter its separation from a rail. The device allows more garments to be hung from a single rail than previously was possible and is particularly useful in the transport and storage of garments in shops, warehouses and factories. Two devices may be interlocked across a handler's shoulders.

1. A device for holding garment hangers, the device comprising:
 a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics material and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand; and   a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, and providing adapted to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail.   
     
     
       2. A device  according to  claim 1 , for holding garment hangers, the device comprising:
 a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics materials and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand; and 
 a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, and adapted to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail, 
 wherein the second part further comprises adjustable means for altering the distance between the second part and the first part. 
 
     
     
       3. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second part comprises a plurality of loops. 
     
     
       4. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first part is a hook in the form of a closed loop for permanent attachment to a rail. 
     
     
       5. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first part further comprises a latched element for resisting inadvertent displacement from a rail. 
     
     
       6. A method of hanging garments from a rail, comprising hanging the hook of a device according to  claim 1  on the rail, and supporting at least one garment hanger in the loop of the device. 
     
     
       7. A method of hanging garments from a rail, comprising hanging two devices according to  claim 1 , at spaced positions on a rail, and suspending a second rail by means of the loops of the two spaced devices. 
     
     
       8. A device for holding garment hangers, the device comprising:
 a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics material and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface located on an exterior of the ring and facing internally with respect to the hook to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand, wherein the ring and the hook are formed continuously together as one piece from the plastics material; and   a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, the side walls having a width that is substantially greater than the thickness so as to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail.   
     
     
       9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the second part further comprises adjustable means for altering the distance between the second part and the first part. 
     
     
       10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the second part comprises a plurality of loops. 
     
     
       11. A device according to claim 8, wherein the first part further comprises a latched element for resisting inadvertent displacement from a rail. 
     
     
       12. A device for holding garment hangers, the device comprising:
 a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics material and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand; and   a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, the side walls having a width that is substantially greater than the thickness so as to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail,   wherein the second part further comprises adjustable means for altering the distance between the second part and the first part.   
     
     
       13. A device for holding garment hangers, the device comprising:
 a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics material and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand; and   a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, and adapted to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail,   wherein the first part further comprises a latched element for resisting inadvertent displacement from a rail.   
     
     
       14. A method of hanging garments from a rail, comprising:
 hanging two devices for holding garment hangers at spaced positions on a rail, each device comprising a first part formed of substantially rigid plastics material and being in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand; and a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, and adapted to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail; and   suspending a second rail by means of the loops of the two spaced devices.   
     
     
       15. A method of hanging garments from a rail, the method comprising:
 providing a first device for holding garment hangers, comprising:
 (i) a first part of substantially rigid plastics material in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface located on an exterior of the ring and facing internally with respect to the hook to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand, wherein the ring and the hook are formed continuously together as one piece from the plastics material; and 
 (ii) a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, the side walls having a width that is substantially greater than the thickness so as to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail; 
   inserting at least one garment hanger with a garment hanging thereon into the loop between the two side walls; and   hanging the hook on a rail with the arcuate lower surface directly engaging the rail.   
     
     
       16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:
 providing a second device for holding garment hangers, the second device comprising:
 (i) a first part of substantially rigid plastics material in the form of a hook having an arcuate lower surface shaped and adapted to be carried directly on a rail, the arcuate lower surface being smooth so as to slide on the rail adjacent to garment hangers hung directly on the rail, the first part further having a ring spaced from the hook, the ring having a curved upper internal surface located on an exterior of the ring and facing internally with respect to the hook to facilitate carrying a plurality of garments by hand, wherein the ring and the hook are formed continuously together as one piece from the plastics material; and 
 (ii) a second part comprising a loop in the form of a strap of flexible webbing attached to the first part of the second device through the ring, the loop having two parallel side walls extending generally in the same plane as the hook, the side walls having a width that is substantially greater than the thickness so as to provide lateral support for garment hangers in the loop to keep them in an orientation substantially parallel to the garment hangers hung directly on the rail, so as to increase the number of hangers which can be carried by the rail; 
   inserting at least one garment hanger with a garment hanging thereon into the loop of the second device; and   hanging the hook of the second device in the loop of the first device.