This invention relates to garment supports of the kind often referred to as "coat hangers".

Coat hangers are conventionally relatively bulky items due to the need for them to extend across the width of the garments to be supported. This can be a problem when the coat hangers need to be transported by the user and when a garment is to be taken off, for example, in cars, offices, trains and other locations.

Numerous attempts have been made to render coat hangers, capable of being reduced in size when not in use. In one proposal, disclosed in US Patent 4004721 it has been put forward that coat hangers can be made up of telescopic sections such that they may be collapsed into a cylinder for compact storage.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved garment support which is compact when not in use.

According to the invention a garment support comprises a central support member, support arms extending outwardly in opposite directions from the support member and downwardly inclined from the support member, and a cross member interconnecting the outer ends of the arms, each of the arms and the cross member being formed of telescopic members whereby the lengths of the arms and of the cross member are extendable and contractible, the inner ends of the arms being permanently united with the support member, and the width of the support being contractible from an operative and extended position.

Preferably at the inner ends of the arms the arms are pivotable or flexible relative to the support member so that the inclinations of the arms are adjustable.

The support may comprise locating means for locating the arms and/or the cross member in an inoperative position of the support. The locating means may be clips releasably receiving the telescopic members.

Conveniently the central support member includes a bracket to which the inner ends of the arms are pivotally connected and the bracket has support means for suspending the support.

The cross member may be in two portions releasable by release means from one another towards the mid point of the cross member, and each portion may be telescopicaUy extendable and contractible. The release means may comprise a screw threaded connection, the two portions being relatively rotatable to disconnect the two portions at said mid point.

In one arrangement the arms and the cross member fold up about the support member and are secured by the locating means. For this purpose the outer ends of the arms are connectable to the cross member through flexible connections whereby the cross member is pivotable relative to the arms.

Preferably the arms are each formed of telescoping cylinders of progressively diminishing diameter and the arms are arranged so that the largest diameter cylinder is connected to the support member.

The cross member may also be formed of telescoping cylinders and a larger cylinder is disposed inwardly of the interconnection of the cross member and the arms.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of embodiments of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a garment support in its

operative position,

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 showing the support with its telescoping members in their fully contracted position.

Fig. 3 shows the support of Figs. 1 and 2 folded up into its non-operative, transport position.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of an alternative garment support and.

Fig. 5 shows a further version of the garment support.

Referring to the.drawings and firstly to Figs. 1-3 a garment support or coat hanger includes a support member 10 having a conventional hook element 11 and a bracket 12 pivotally carrying arms 16, and the support member defining abutments 14 for the arms 16.

The arms 16 extend outwardly and downwardly relative to the support member 10 in the operative position. The inner ends of the arms 16 are pivotally carried on the support member 10 through pivots 13. Each of the arms 16 is telescopic having cylindrical portions of diminishing diameter 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D telescopicaUy located one within the other to be extendable and contractible between operative and inoperative positions of the support. The larger diameter portion 16A is pivotally attached to the support member 10.

The outer ends of the arms 16 are each attached through a flexible link 18 to opposite ends of a cross member 20 so that the cross member 20, when in the operative position, closes the third side of a triangular arrangement with the two arms 16. The flexible link 18 is preferably in the form of a flexible braided wire secured at its ends to the cross member 20 and to one of the arms 16. The link 18 is preferably

enclosed in a sleeve and by use of the link 18 there is provided a universal flexible connection to permit folding up of the support, as will be described.

The cross member 20 is formed of two interconnected telescopic elements 21 and 22, the outer end of each of which is connected through the link 18 to an end of the arm 16. The cross member 20 is in two portions which at their inner ends are interconnected by a connector 23. The connector 23 is arranged to enable the portions 21 and 22 to be disconnected from one another and may comprise a threaded connection having a male part on one portion and a female portion on the other portion released by relative rotation between the portions.

Each of the portions 21 and 22 is formed of cylindrical telescopic members 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D and 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D fitting one inside the other in a similar manner to the arms 16, whereby the lengths of the portions 21 and 22 are extendable and contractible. The cylindrical members are arranged so that the larger diameter cylinders 21A, 22A lie adjacent the connector 23 and remote from the connection 18 with the arm 16.

The garment support can be moved from the extended position as shown in Fig. 1 to a contracted position as shown in Fig. 2 by telescoping the arms 16 and the cross member 20. In the contracted position of Fig. 2 the garment support occupies very little space and may be housed in this position for transportation or storage.

Referring now to Fig. 3 the support can be made even more compact for placing in a pocket or receptacle such as a sleeve or other holder. This is achieved by disconnecting the cross member 20 at the connector 23, pivoting the members 21 and 22 about the flexible links 18 until the members 21 lie parallel to the arms 16 on the underside of the arms. The members 21 and 22 are then clipped to clips 26 carried on the arms 16.

Pivoting of the arms 16 relative to the support bracket 11 brings the arms 16 into the locations 25 and adjacent the hook element 11. When this action is complete the garment support is in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 4 there is shown an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 1 except that the bracket 10 is replaced by a flexible connector 30 which is connected at each end to the upper ends of the arms 16 to interconnect the arms 16. The hook element 11 is secured to the connector 30 at a mid point to provide a support for the coat hanger. To the hook element is fitted a bracket 31 provided with oppositely directed slots to define clips whereby the arms 16 may be secured to the hook element in the folded condition similar to that shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 5 there is shown another form of garment support again similar to that shown in Fig. 1. In this case the hook element 11 is substituted by a support rod 11A which is secured to a plate 33 which is usually a fixed element. The fixed element 33 may be fitted in a car, coach, train or aircraft so that the garment support can be extended from its stowed position into an operating position. If desired the support may be located in the condition shown Fig. 5, i.e. contracted, within a housing to conceal the support. The housing (not shown) may be hinged to reveal the garment support and permitted to be moved into the operative position.

To help locate the support of Fig. 5 in its stowed or inoperative position there is provided a clip 34 mounted on the underside of the support member 10 into which the cross member 20 can be located. In other respects the garment supports of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are similar to those of Figs. 1- 3 and the same reference numbers are used in each embodiment for similar parts.

It will be seen that the garment support is compact when not

in use and effective and robust in supporting garments when required, for example, when a user needs a garment support in vehicles, offices or other locations in which such supports are not provided or would normally be too bulky.