The invention relates to a clothes hanger having a central piece with a suspension hook and separately manu- factured end pieces which are connectible to the central piece so as to form a garment-supporting surface. The in¬ vention also relates to a method for making such a clothes hanger.

With a view to reducing stock-keeping costs and meet- ing customers' requirements, the traditional way of making clothes, that is producing a spring and an autumn collec¬ tion in large series, has been superseded to an increasing extent by small-scale production. A wide variety of diffe¬ rent garments are made in small series, generally in low- wage countries, for distribution to the retail trade, and the models which turn out to be selling well are there¬ after manufactured on subsequent order, and at short no¬ tice, often in the country where the articles should be sold. The increased variety of garments means larger modi¬ fications depending on the changes of fashion and, thus, also variations in the breadth across the shoulders of the garments.

Thus, a manufacturer of clothes hangers is faced with the necessity, often at short notice, to be able to supply not only the commonest clothes hanger sizes but also hangers of less common types.

A further tendency within the textile and clothing industry goes towards increased emphasis on the distinc- tive character of different chain stores, ranging from the circle of customers who is the primary target group, to the interior fittings of the stores and also such items as specific clothes hangers. These clothes hangers are then expected to be provided with a certain logotype and have a special colouring.

All this means that a manufacturer of clothes hangers must either have a large assortment of different clothes hanger models available or have an extensive machine out¬ fit to be able to meet customers' requirements in a rea- sonable time. Both these alternatives are however best suited for large-scale production and are not in keeping with the current tendency towards smaller series in the textile and clothing industry.

The primary object of the present invention thus is to provide a new type of clothes hanger which meets cus¬ tomers' requirements and allows flexible manufacture as well as high manufacturing capacity.

A further object of the invention is to permit fixing separately manufactured end pieces to the central piece of the hanger to provide a solid connection between the cen¬ tral piece and the end pieces and an even and continuous garment-supporting surface on the clothes hanger.

These objects are achieved by means of a clothes hanger of the above-mentioned type having the features re- cited in claims 1-5 and by the above-mentioned method hav¬ ing the features recited in claim 6.

By making the clothes hanger from a separate central piece and two separate end pieces, it is possible in an easy way to meet customers' demands for clothes hangers of varying size, shape and colouring. For example, the cus¬ tomer will be able to combine his specific, visible cen¬ tral piece with end pieces of different sizes and may thus obtain, at a low cost, several different hanger sizes. It is of course also conceivable, also at a low cost, to pro- duce hangers with end pieces of varying designs, as well as hangers with differently coloured central and end pieces.

Also clothes hangers without such special features can be manufactured in a cost-effective way since the smaller parts included in the hanger allow a higher pro¬ duction rate thanks to the increased number of inserts in

the mould. The economic advantage over the prior art tech¬ nique becomes more evident with larger sizes.

Because of the division into central and end pieces, it is also possible to reduce the number of moulds. In order, with prior art technique, to manufacture the common six hanger sizes of 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48 cm, one mould is required for each size, i.e. six moulds are re¬ quired, whereas with the present invention this number can be reduced to five, two for the central piece and three for the end pieces. By combining different central and end pieces, it is then possible to arrive at the desired num¬ ber of six sizes.

The special method of connecting the end pieces to the central piece yields a hanger which can be given an exterior design corresponding to that of a clothes hanger made in a single piece.

One embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an elevation of a clothes hanger according to the invention with a joint between the central piece and one end piece shown in cross-section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of a central piece seen in the direction of arrows A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows one half of a central piece from above. Fig. 4 shows an end piece from the end thereof facing the central piece, as seen in the direction of arrows B in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows an end piece from above. Fig. 6 is a part sectional elevation of a clothes hanger according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 shows the clothes hanger in Fig. 6 from above. Fig. 8A is a section taken along the line III-III in Fig. 7 with the end piece removed for greater clarity. Fig. 8B is a section similar to that of Fig. 8A with the central piece removed.

The clothes hanger 1 shown in Fig. 1 consists of plastic and is of the U-beam type having a central piece 2 with a suspension hook 3 and two end pieces 4. The end pieces 4 are permanently and positively connected to the central piece 2 so as to form an integral unit.

To ensure the interconnection of the different pieces, the separately manufactured central piece 2 (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided at its ends with an end surface having a peripheral engagement portion 5 extending up to the edge of the central piece. Inwardly of the engagement portion 5, there is provided a web 7 with a plate 8 spaced from the engagement portion 5 so as to define a groove 9 between the plate 8 and the engagement portion 5. The se¬ parately manufactured end pieces 4 (one of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5) have in their ends facing the central piece 2 an end surface which has a peripheral engagement portion 6. Upon assembly, these engagement portions will engage each other so as form a positive transition between the central piece 2 and the end pieces 4. Inwardly of the engagement portion 6, there is a re¬ cess 10 which is open at the bottom for receiving the web 7 of the central piece 2. The recess 10 also has an undercut portion 11 into which the plate 8 of the central piece 2 is inserted for connecting the central piece 8 to the end pieces 4. In order to increase the strength of this connection, the recess 10 is defined by a bottom wall 12 which, upon assembly, will engage the plate 8 of the central piece 2.

The clothes hanger is assembled in a separate working station where solvent or glue is first applied to the end surf ces before the end pieces and the central piece are joined together for permanent interconnection.

Figs. 6-8 show a second embodiment of the clothes hanger according to the invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in respect of the connecting member on the central piece and the connecting recess on the end pieces.

Fig. 6 shows a clothes hanger having a central piece 14 and end pieces 15. The central piece is provided at its ends with a U-beam-shaped extension forming a connecting member 13. The connecting member has a smaller width and a smaller height than the remainder of the central piece, the difference corresponding to the wall thickness of the end piece. The step existing between the central part of the central piece and the connecting member forms an en¬ gagement portion 17. The connecting member is connected with a supporting wall 21. Adjacent the engagement por¬ tion, the connecting member 13 has two dovetail grooves 19 provided on opposite side surfaces of the connecting mem¬ ber. Further, the connecting member has two connecting holes 23 on its top surface. The end piece 15 has a connecting recess 16 extending between one end of the U-beam-shaped end piece and a boun¬ dary wall 22. At the opening of the connecting recess, there are provided two dovetails 20 adapted to fit into the dovetail grooves 19 on the central piece. Further, there are two connecting pins 24 for engaging in the con¬ necting holes 23 in the connecting member. The end piece wall at the opening of the connecting recess 16 forms the engagement portion 18 of the end piece.

When assembling the central piece 14 and the end pieces 15, the connecting recess 16 accommodates the con¬ necting member 13. The connecting pins 24 engage in the connecting holes 23, and the supporting wall 21 and the boundary wall 22 engage each other.

The permanent assemblage is suitably carried out by applying glue to the connecting member before assembly.

Alternatively, or as a complement, the connecting pins can be subjected to ultrasonic welding or otherwise heated after assembly to produce a collar in the end of each con¬ necting pin. Although the invention has been described above with the male connecting member provided on the central piece and the female connecting member on the end piece, it is

of course also possible to provide the female connecting member on the central piece and the male connecting member on the end piece.