Suspended article hanger and organizer

Abstract

An article suspension apparatus with a specialized clamp capable of firmly affixing a hanger apparatus to an overhead surface. The clamping ends are cushioned to prevent damage to the mounting surface. The apparatus has a rippled article separator or in various embodiments the article separator is crimped or defined by apertures. The body of the article separator may be rotatable relative to the clamp and mounting surface. The clamp is maintained on the mounting surface through spring biasing, or alternatively, through wheel lock, push lock, slide lock, or spring lock mechanisms.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/711,282, filed Aug. 24, 2005, entitled “GENERAL CONSUMER ASSISTANT APPARATUS” which is incorporated by reference into this application as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for hanging and suspending garments, equipment, devices, or other articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable, reversibly mountable overhead hanger.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Numerous devices for hanging articles, clothing, apparatus, and the like, are described in the prior art. The best known device, a conventional hanger, utilizes a simple hook formed to hang from a closet rod. The base of a rudimentary hanger is widened to provide a surface suitable for suspending articles. While these conventional hangers work well in a closet, suspended from a conventional closet rod, they are ill suited for suspending articles on other structures.

Frequently, during the process of ironing garments, a user will place the pressed garments on a hanger, and then suspend the hangers from the header portion of the door molding, or from the top of the door itself. Hangers suspended from a structure other than a horizontal, cylindrically shaped closet rod, with a diameter less than the hook's minimal width, tend to fall. Indeed, it may be difficult to locate an individual who hasn't experienced the frustration of attempting to suspend a garmented hanger from a doorframe. Even if one is able to carefully place the hanger on the frame, the slightest rotational movement of the hanger will cause the hook to slip from the frame and the garment and hanger onto the floor. Even if the hanger does not fall, any pitching of the hanger, relative to the floor, will cause the garment to slip from the hanger. Further, placing a hanger on a door frame can scratch or gouge the molding. Additionally, while a conventional hanger is ideal for certain types of garments (e.g. button-down shirts) it is imperfect where weight is not evenly distributed on the horizontal portion of the hanger. The unequal distribution of weight results in hanger pitching, may cause articles to fall, and frequently causes articles to be bunched closely together allowing new wrinkles to form. As a matter of practical convenience, users will seek to suspend hangers almost anywhere, to avoid the tedium of walking back and forth to the closet to hang up each freshly ironed article.

One alternative to the above has been to utilize a freestanding garment rack. For example, Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,546, teaches a freestanding hanger device having a plurality of hanger rods rotatably mounted to a support rod thereof. Such racks require assembly, are expensive, cumbersome, and difficult to store. Other alternatives hang from or fit on the door itself. For example, DeBruyn, U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,257, teaches a door mounted hanging device including a door support adapted for coupling with a top edge of a door. Emery, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,902, teaches an over-the-door shelf organizer which is mounted on the door. These devices frequently require mechanical affixation to the door and will often mar the door's surface, particularly over time. Other prior art devices utilize the door's hinges. For example, Milbuorne, U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,696 teaches a rack mounted behind a door utilizing the door's hinge structure. Lowe, U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,511, teaches a mountable hanger apparatus for affixing preferably to door hinges. These prior art devices, which depend upon permanent or semi-permanent affixation to the door or frame or hinges, require of time and effort to install, are difficult to relocate, and are not suitable for travel.

The present invention is not limited to articles of clothing. Finding a suitable location to temporarily suspend parts or cords around the shop or in the garage has always been problematic. Current article suspension devices employ hooks, brackets, or other support means which must be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a supporting beam or structure. This requires installation of the suspending apparatus and precludes easy relocation. For example, Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,626 teaches a hanging storage shelf system suspended from a garage ceiling joist. Webb, U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,783 teaches a utility hook adapted to fit upon a standard overhead garage door track to suspend bulky items therefrom. These systems are designed to be immobile; therefore, utility is limited to the location where the device is installed. Accordingly, these racks lack versatility and do not permit rapid relocation of the suspending means when desirable.

Other solutions require mounting a rack on a wall or door. Obviously this also limits use of the rack to locations adjacent to the wall. Graefe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,581 teaches a portable bicycle repair rack which adjustably supports a bicycle for the maintenance or repair thereof, using a common door as a vertical support member. Further, like the fixed overhead systems, the rack must be installed and is not readily portable. Additionally, in some instances, no true utilizable vertical surface is nearby. Where the rack or hanger suspending apparatus is mounted on a less-than-vertical surface, the article will be at an angle to the user. This is often inconvenient and leads to undesirable results, for instance, when painting an article.

Lastly, working on suspended articles raises special concerns. For example when articles are suspended for purposes of cleaning or painting, the user will require access to all areas of the article. Moreover, during activities such as painting and cleaning, the user will often wish to move the article to a different location and perhaps even outdoors.

Accordingly, a need exists for an article suspending device that is mountable in an overhead position, such as a conventional surface (e.g. a doorframe) or other overhead structure, that will not damage the mounting surface, is quick and easy to set up and take down, and will permit an unbalanced load to be suspended without dislodging the hanger from the mounted surface. Further, what is needed is a hanger that is rotatable about its central axis, and thereby allows access to all areas of the article. What is also needed is a device which is small, portable, lightweight, and collapsible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to solve the above described drawbacks associated with using prior art devices for suspending garments and articles in the home, in the garage, around the workshop, and other locations.

Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide an overhead article hanger that is inexpensive to manufacture. A further object of the invention is to provide a hanger which may be quickly and easily releasably clamped to an overhead structure where the clamp is made of or covered with a material designed to prevent damage to the doorway molding or other clamping surface. A further object of the present invention is to provide a hanger with a sufficiently wide stance to prevent dislodging from the clamping surface where an unbalanced weight is suspended. A further object of the invention is to provide a hanger that is small, compact, and lightweight and ideal for both home and travel uses. A further object of the invention is to provide hanger that evenly separates articles and prevents article bunching which tends to cause wrinkles in clothing and other articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric elevation view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the present invention with clamping ends distracted;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, front elevation view showing the biasing and hinge;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view showing the present invention suspended in an exemplar location;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the present invention placed on the cut-away of the header portion of the door frame;

FIG. 7 is an isometric elevation view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a single hinge and single clamp handle;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment with the hanger body rotated 90-degrees from the frontal position showing a crimped tubular article support section;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment with the hanger body rotated 90-degrees from the frontal position showing an article support section with a plurality of suspending apertures;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of an alternative embodiment illustrating the tubular spring lock;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of two independent alternative embodiments illustrating a wheel lock 54 and a thumb wheel 56;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged side elevation view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a slide lock;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged front elevation view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a slide lock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENT AND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of particular applications and their requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention involves an article suspension apparatus including a hanger body, 10, the article supporting surface of hanger body 10, being a transverse member functioning as an article separator 12, which, in one preferred embodiment, is rippled. In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the article separator 12 is crimped in at least one location 65. In yet another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the article separator 12 is integrally formed of plastic or metal shaped to define a plurality of apertures 75, or may be formed by coupling a similarly shaped strip 70 made of plastic, metal, wood, or other suitable material to the article separator 12. In another embodiment, the article separator 12 is substantially straight. Referring again to FIG. 1, from article separator 12, the hanger body 10 is shaped inwardly to define a side support 16, which is bent to a substantially horizontal position at bend 18. Immediately following bend 18, on each side, the rod bends to a horizontal upper hanger body section 13 which is substantially parallel with article separator 12. Upper hanger body section 13 passes through fittings 48. Referring now to FIG. 4, a biasing means, such as spring 44, is coiled around upper hanger body section 13 the spring's terminal ends 45 making contact with the proximate portion of clamping handles 36B, 38B. Fitting 48 is cylindrically shaped and oriented horizontally relative to its long axis. Fitting 48 is coupled to a vertically oriented cylindrically shaped fitting 46. Fittings 46 and 48 may be one integral metal or plastic unit or two fused cylinders. In a preferred embodiment, fittings 46 and 48 are formed of a flat portion of steel cut and shaped to define two connected cylinders. Alternatively two substantially cylindrical elements are coupled and may, for example, be soldered or welded together.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a first clamping member, in a preferred embodiment, the outer clamping member 38A is coupled to the hanger body 10 by fitting 48. The shape of the clamping members may be varied such that the clamping members are curved or formed in any shape not interfering with the ability to securely fasten the hanger. In a preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the outer clamp handle, 38B, and inner clamp handle 36B are angled at bend 30 such that the handles flare in a frontward/backward direction and thereafter at bend 32 and are substantially horizontal. Clamp handles 36B, 38B insert into fittings 46 which are coupled to fitting 48 as described above. In one preferred embodiment, illustrated by FIG. 3, from fittings 46, the outer clamping member 38A and inner clamping member 36A bend at 28 and extend horizontally 34 and form a 90-degree angle at bend 26, and thereafter bend at 24. Thereafter, as best illustrated by FIG. 1, the rod bends inwardly at bend 22 to form horizontal mounting sections 20 which, in a preferred embodiment, are outfitted with a cushion 40, fitted over horizontal mounting section 20 of inner clamping member 36A, and cushion 41 fitted over horizontal mounting section 20 of outer clamping member 38A. Cushions 40 and 41 fit like a sleeve over horizontal mounting sections 20 and make contact with the mounting surface and prevent surface damage; they may be comprised of any soft material including but not limited to sponge, foam, cloth, rubber, soft plastic, and the like. In an alternative embodiment cushions 40 and 41 are omitted and the terminal end of clamping members, horizontal mounting sections 20, are themselves constructed of a material of lesser hardness relative to the clamping surface under force of said bias.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an inner clamping member 36A and outer clamping member 38A rotate outwardly about an axis central to hinge fittings 48 to open clamp members 36A, 38A when sufficient force is applied to clamping handles 36B, 38B, and close clamp members 36A, 38A when said force is withdrawn and spring 44 biases the terminal ends to a substantially closed position. FIG. 2 illustrates the inner clamping member 36A and outer clamping member 38A as viewed from the front. In an alternative embodiment, a first and second clamping member are of the same dimensions and directly superimposable when viewed from the front. Referring again to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, one or more vertical structural reinforcement support 19, is/are coupled from the upper body section 13 to the article separator 12 to provide the hanger body with additional strength and stability.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the present invention may be mounted on a conventional door frame. FIG. 6, depicts a cross-sectional view of the door frame taken through 6-6 of FIG. 5, illustrating the clamping members 38A, 36A, mounted over the horizontal portion of the door frame with the protective sleeves 41 and 40 in place respectively.

Referring again to FIG. 4, in an alternative embodiment, clamping handles 36B, 38B are omitted and the inner clamping member 36A and outer clamping member 38A are opened by the user's manual distraction of the clamping members. Where clamping handles 36B, 38B are omitted, the terminal ends of spring 45 may be located immediately after, or coupled to fitting 46, or in any substantially similar location adequate to bias terminal ends of clamping members 36A, 38A together.

In an alternative embodiment, the entire structure, including but not limited to hanger body 10, the clamping members, 36A, 38A, the upper body section 13, all fittings, and if included, clamp handles 36B, 38B, are comprised of plastic or other suitable material. The only necessary requirement for such materials is that they do not break when articles are placed on the mounted hanger.

It should be noted that the abovementioned embodiment with metal cylindrical soldered fittings hinges 44, 46 and metal piping is merely one preferred embodiment. The present invention may be practiced through utilizing any materials including but not limited to plastic, wood, and durable rubber. In a specific alternative embodiment, all structures are plastic formed by injection molding or other suitable method.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated by FIG. 7, clamping member 38A is affixed to hanger body 10 and centered relative to the upper body section 13. Clamp handle 36B has been modified to a single side to allow it to open and close at fitting 46 which functions as a singular hinge. Spring 44 may be positioned in any location providing adequate bias, for example around fitting 48 or upper body section 13 with one terminal end making contact with fitting 46 or handle 36B, and the other with vertical reinforcement support 19. Protective sleeve 40 is mounted on the horizontal mounting section 20 of clamp member 36A. From fitting 48, the clamp member is angled outwardly and of sufficient length to permit adequate lever-arm leverage to facilitate opening the clamp sufficiently to secure on a door molding or other suitable structure. The upper body section 13, serves as the mounting support for a inner clamping member 36A and a second clamp 38 coupled by rotatable hinge formed where the hanger body 10 is disposed within fitting and connected to the upper body section 13 disposed in the other

In one alternative embodiment, FIG. 7, illustrates the outer clamping member 38A attached to the hanger body 10, centered along the upper body section 13. A single clamp handle 36B is bent outwardly, sufficient for the outer 38A and inner clamping members 36A to clamp onto a standard door molding. The upper body section 13 is disposed within a singular fitting 48 forming a hinge rotatable about an axis central to upper body section 13. Protective sleeve 40 covers the terminal end of clamping member 36A and opposes protective sleeve 41 the fixed outer clamping member 38A. The outer clamping member 38A and inner clamping member 36B are held firmly on a door frame or other clamping surface through a force sufficient to maintain a snug fit on the clamping surface when articles are suspended, said force may be generated through use of lever, ratchet, spring or slide lock. For example, a mechanical spring placed before fitting 46 may be coiled around upper body section 13 and positioned against a portion of reinforcement support 19 to provide a spring bias adequate to keep clamp mounted above a standard door frame when articles are suspended.

Two additional, mutually independent alternative embodiments are illustrated by FIG. 8. In the first alternative embodiment, article separator 12, formed of tubular, plastic, metal, wood, or other material is crimped, in at least one location, to form the surface of the article separator 12. Said crimping may be accomplished with any tool sufficient to provide permanent deformation of the article separator. The side support 16 is lengthened and angled more sharply. At least one reinforcement support 19 attaches side support 16 to article separator 12. The second alternative embodiment, fittings 46, 48 and spring 44 are disposed within a vertically positioned cylindrical fitting defining an eyelet 60. Side supports 16 are coupled to eyelet 60. Eyelet is coupled to the hanger body 10 wherein a portion of said clamp and portion of said handles pass through said eyelet 60 with the eyelet 60 and hanger body 10 being rotatable about an axis central to the long axis of eyelet 60 said rotation relative to outer 38A and inner 36A clamping members. The eyelet is of sufficient diameter to distract the terminal ends of clamping members 36A, 38A, and the clamp to open when inward force is applied to clamp handles 36B, 38B and they are brought inwardly together. In an alternative, the clamp handles 36B, 38B may be omitted. The tubing extending downwardly from fitting 46 need only be long enough to accommodate the terminal portion of spring 45. In this embodiment, the hinge is completely enclosed within the eyelet, and the clamp is opened through the user's manual distraction of clamp members 36A, 38A.

In another alternative embodiment illustrated by FIG. 9, article separator 12 is shaped to define at least one aperture, and preferably a plurality of apertures. Article separator 12 may be integrally formed of plastic, metal, wood, or other material shaped to define a plurality of apertures, or may be formed by coupling a strip made of plastic, metal, wood, or other suitable material to the article separator 12. The apertures may be evenly spaced.

In an alternative embodiment, the spring is omitted and a alternate means exerts sufficient clamping force to maintain the terminal ends of clamping members 36A, 38A, in firm contact with the clamping surface, and permit the hanger to remain secure, when articles are suspended. It should be noted that various methods may provide the force necessary to oppose the terminal ends of the clamping members, and, for example, releasable slide locks, wheel locks, spring locks, ratchet locks, tension locks, may be used. For example, FIG. 10, illustrates one such exemplar alternative: a spring-loaded locking device. The spring lock is comprised of a tube 50 with a spring 51 disposed therein, said tube mounted along the upper body section 13. The spring exerts outward bias against two cylindrical fittings 52 mounted at either end of the tube, the terminal ends of tube 50 being disposed within the cylindrical fittings 52. The outermost ends of fittings 52 are shaped to define notches through which pass that portion of the outer clamping member 38A and inner clamping member 36A that extends horizontally 34. To lock the clamp, fittings 52 are pushed inwardly, facilitated through use of mounted finger holds 53, such inward force opposing spring bias, the clamp is fastened to the clamping surface, and when force on fittings 52 is released, the notches are biased outward to engage horizontal portion 34 of clamping members 36A, 38A. To secure the hanger, one fitting 52 engages inner member 36A one the outer member 38A. To releases the clamp, inwardly directed force overcomes said bias disengaging clamping members 38A and 36A from the notch.

In another alternative embodiment, FIG. 11 illustrates a wheel lock 54 that may be utilized to keep the hanger clamped firmly on the mounting surface. Wheel lock 54 is depicted where the outer clamping member 38A is coupled to hanger body 10 in a manner similar to the outer clamping member depicted on FIG. 7. The wheel lock 54 is rotatably mounted on reinforcement support 19. After the clamping members 36A, 38A are in place on the clamping surface, the operator, using a thumb or finger, pushes the lock to rotate outwardly wherein the horizontal section 34 of inner clamping member 36A engages concave channel 55 defined within wheel lock 54. One lock will engage the horizontal portion 34 of the inner clamping member 36A, a second lock, mounted on the remaining reinforcement support, will engage the horizontal portion 34 of the outer clamping member 38A, both rotating outwardly to lock and inwardly to unlock.

FIG. 11 demonstrates yet another alternative lock that utilizes a thumb wheel type device 56 defined by an aperture through which upper body section 13 passes, and where said thumb wheel is slidably mounted along the long axis of upper body section 13. The lock makes contact with a spring 57, the spring, mounted along the same plane, exerting outward bias. The surface of device 56 has a raised surface 58 which engages the horizontal section 34 of the clamping members 36A, 38A. In the resting position, spring 57 exerts bias against device 56, the raised surface 58 of which maintains the clamp in the closed position by making contact with the horizontal portion 34 of clamping members 36A, 38A whereby outward rotation of clamping members 36A, 38A is prevented.

Another alternative lock, illustrated by FIGS. 12 and 13, utilizes a Y-shaped slide lock 80 slidably mounted on reinforcement support 19 of the hanger body and flared outwardly to engage the horizontal portion 34 of clamping members 36A, 38A. In the clamped state, lock 80 is slid upwardly along reinforcement support 19 such that depression 82 engages upper body section 13. The horizontal section 34 of 36A, 38A would securely snap into place within the lock's cradle 84.

A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Nonetheless, it is understood and recognized that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also understood that the following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features of the invention described herein and all statements of the scope of the invention, express or implied.

Claims

1. An article suspension apparatus comprising:

(a) a clamp comprised of a first clamping member and a second clamping member wherein said first and second members are operatively coupled and movable relative to one another between an open position and a substantially closed position;

(b) biasing means connected to said first and second members for exerting a force sufficient to bias said the terminal ends of said first and second members toward the substantially closed position;

(c) a hanger body, coupled to at least one of the clamping members,

wherein an article separator, is comprised from a portion of the hanger body and capable of supporting suspended articles.

2. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a pair of handles connected to said first and second outer members whereby inwardly exerted force will overcome said bias causing first and second clamping members to move apart relative to one another whereby said clamp opens.

3. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a cushion covering the terminal ends of said first and second member.

4. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the terminal ends of said first and second member are constructed of a material of lesser hardness relative to the clamping surface under force of said bias.

5. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising an eyelet coupled to said hanger body wherein a portion of said clamp passes through said eyelet, said eyelet and the hanger body being rotatable about a central axis with respect to said clamp.

6. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising an eyelet coupled to said hanger body wherein a portion of said clamp and portion of said handles pass through said eyelet with the eyelet and transverse element being rotatable about a central axis with respect to said clamp.

7. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said transverse member is shaped to define at least one aperture.

8. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said article separator is nonlinear.

9. The apparatus in claim 8, wherein said nonlinear article separator is rippled.

10. The apparatus in claim 8, wherein said nonlinear article separator is crimped.

11. The apparatus in claim in claim 1, further comprising a material strip coupled to said article separator, said strip shaped to define at least one aperture.

12. The apparatus in claim 6, further comprising a material strip coupled to said article separator, said strip shaped to define at least one aperture.

13. The apparatus in claim 6, wherein said article separator is non linear.

14. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein said article separator is rippled.

15. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein said article separator is crimped.

16. An article suspension apparatus comprising:

(a) a clamp comprised of a first clamping member and a second clamping member wherein said first and second members move between an open position and a substantially closed position;

(b) biasing means connected to said first and second members for exerting a force sufficient to bias said the terminal ends of said first and second members toward the substantially closed position;

(c) at least one hanger body, coupled to a second clamping members,

wherein an article separator, is comprised from a portion of the hanger body and capable of supporting suspended articles, wherein said first clamping member is fixed to said hanger body and said second member is hingably coupled to said hanger body.

17. The apparatus in claim 2, further comprising a spring lock mounted on said hanger body said spring lock comprising a tube, a spring disposed within said tube, a pair of outer a cylindrical fittings mounted at either end of said tube, the outer ends of said tube being disposed within the innermost end of said cylindrical fittings wherein the outermost ends of said fittings are shaped to define notches through which pass a portion of said outer clamping member and inner clamping member extending horizontally, wherein said spring outwardly biases said fittings and causes said notches to reversibly engage with said clamping members and wherein inwardly directed force applied to said fittings overcomes said bias and causes said notches to disengage.

18. The apparatus in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of wheel locks wherein said wheel locks are defined as having a concave channel, said wheel locks rotatably mounted on said hanger body wherein manual force is applied to outwardly rotate one lock and said concave channel engages said first clamping members, and manual force is applied to outwardly rotate another lock and said concave channel engages said second clamping member.

19. The apparatus in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of thumb wheels, the surface of said wheels having a raised surface, said wheels mounted on said hanger body, said innermost portion of said wheels making contact with a spring said spring exerting outward bias, wherein said raised surface of one outwardly biased wheel making contact with said first clamping member and said raised surface of another outwardly biased wheel making contact with said second clamping member the raised surface whereby outward rotation of said clamping members is prevented.

20. The apparatus in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of Y-shaped locks slidably mounted on said hanger body wherein said locks are shaped to define a depression that engages a portion of said hanger body and a cradle that engages a portion of said clamping members.

21. (a) a clamp comprised of a first clamping member and a second clamping member wherein said first and second members are hingably coupled and movable relative to one another between an open position and a substantially closed position;

(b) a spring connected to said first and second members for exerting a force sufficient to bias said the terminal ends of said first and second members toward the substantially closed position;

(c) a hanger body, coupled to at least one of the clamping members,

(d) an article separator comprised from a portion of the hanger body and capable of supporting suspended articles.