Garment anti-theft device

A garment anti-theft device for captively receiving at least one clothes hanger of the type having a hook with a free distal end, the hook being configured to receive a support arm of a clothes rack to suspend the hanger in an operative position, the anti-theft device comprising:

• a body having at least one opening therein of a size large enough to receive a free distal end of a hook of a hanger introduced by movement of the hanger free distal end in a first direction into the opening;
• a cover;
• means for attaching the cover to the body for movement selectively between an open position and a securing position,
• the cover, in its open position, allowing the free distal end of a clothes hanger to be directed a) in a first direction into the body opening so that the hanger is supported in an operative position on at least one of a support arm on a clothes rack and the body and b) out of the opening by movement of the free distal end of the hanger oppositely to said first direction,
• the cover in its securing position blocking a hanger in its operative position so as to prevent a free distal end of a hanger in the operative position from being moved oppositely to the first direction out of the body opening;
• and
• means for locking the cover to the body in its securing position,
• wherein the body has an elongate bottom wall, an open top, and a peripheral side wall defining a trough-like structure, the opening being in the bottom wall of the body, the cover, when in its securing position, covering at least part of the open top to prevent lifting of a hanger out of the body opening.

A garment anti-theft device for captively receiving at least one clothes hanger of the type having a hook with a free distal end, the hook being configured to receive a support arm of a clothes rack to suspend the hanger in an operative position, the anti-theft device comprising:

• a body having at least one opening therein of a size large enough to receive a free distal end of a hook of a hanger introduced by movement of the hanger free distal end in a first direction into the opening;
• a cover;
• means for attaching the cover to the body for movement selectively between an open position and a securing position,
• the cover, in its open position, allowing the free distal end of a clothes hanger to be directed a) in a first direction into the body opening so that the hanger is supported in an operative position on at least one of a support arm on a clothes rack and the body and b) out of the opening by movement of the free distal end of the hanger oppositely to said first direction,
• the cover in its securing position blocking a hanger in its operative position so as to prevent a free distal end of a hanger in the operative position from being moved oppositely to the first direction out of the body opening;
• and
• means for locking the cover to the body in its securing position,
• wherein the attaching means comprises a hinge facilitating pivotable movement of the cover between its open and its securing positions.

A garment anti-theft device for captively receiving at least one clothes hanger of the type having a hook with a free distal end, the hook being configured to receive a support arm of a clothes rack to suspend the hanger in an operative position, the anti-theft device comprising:

• a body having at least one opening therein of a size large enough to receive a free distal end of a hook of a hanger introduced by movement of the hanger free distal end in a first direction into the opening;
• a cover;
• means for attaching the cover to the body for movement selectively between an open position and a securing position,
• the cover, in its open position, allowing the free distal end of a clothes hanger to be directed a) in a first direction into the body opening so that the hanger is supported in an operative position on at least one of a support arm on a clothes rack and the body and b) out of the opening by movement of the free distal end of the hanger oppositely to said first direction,
• the cover in its securing position blocking a hanger in its operative position so as to prevent a free distal end of a hanger in the operative position from being moved oppositely to the first direction out of the body opening;
• and
• means for locking the cover to the body in its securing position,
• there being in combination with the garment anti-theft device a clothes rack having a support arm suspended above a support surface, the garment anti-theft device further comprising double-sided tape for connecting the body to the support arm.

A combination hanger and garment anti-theft device for captively receiving the hanger, said combination comprising:

• a hanger having a garment support portion and a hook defining a mouth for suspending the hanger in an operative position in which the garment support portion depends from the hook;
• means on the garment anti-theft device receivable within the mouth of the hanger for supporting the hanger in an operative position;
• and
• means for securing the hanger on the supporting means operatively associated with the supporting means, the securing means being selectively positionable between a) an open position wherein the mouth of the hanger may freely receive and disengage the supporting means and b) a securing position wherein the mouth of the hanger receiving the supporting means is prevented from disengaging the supporting means,
• the supporting means and the securing means, with the securing means in the securing position, being of a size such that the mouth of the hanger cannot receive either of the securing means and supporting means so as to maintain the hanger in its operative position.

A combination hanger and garment anti-theft device for captively receiving the hanger, said combination comprising:

• a hanger having a hook defining a mouth for suspending the hanger in an operative position;
• means receivable within the mouth of the hanger for supporting the hanger in an operative position;
• and
• means for securing the hanger on the supporting means operatively associated with the supporting means, the securing means being selectively positionable between a) an open position wherein the mouth of the hanger may freely receive and disengage the supporting means and b) a securing position wherein the mouth of the hanger receiving the supporting means is prevented from disengaging the supporting means,
• the supporting means and the securing means, with the securing means in the securing position, being of a size such that the mouth of the hanger cannot receive either of the securing means and supporting means and be suspended thereby in an operative position,
• wherein the supporting means comprises an elongate bottom wall, an open top and a peripheral side wall defining a trough-like structure, the bottom wall having at least one opening of a size large enough to receive a free distal end of the hook of the hanger introduced by movement of the hanger free distal end in a first direction.

A garment anti-theft device for preventing removal of a hanger from a support arm of a clothes rack, the garment anti-theft device comprising:

• a body for engaging a portion of a hanger to support the hanger in an operative position;
• means for securing the hanger to the body in an operative position on the body, the securing means being selectively positionable between a) an open position wherein the hanger is engageable with and disengageable from the receiving body and b) a securing position wherein the hanger is not disengageable from the body;
• a lock selectively positionable between a) a locking position for locking the securing means in the securing position and b) an unlocked position independently of the securing means;
• and
• cooperating means on the body and lock for allowing the securing means to assume the securing position only with the lock in the locking position.

A garment anti-theft device for preventing removal of a hanger from a support arm of a clothes rack, the garment anti-theft device comprising:

• a body for engaging a portion of a hanger to support the hanger in an operative position;
• means for securing the hanger to the body in an operative position operatively associated with the body, the securing means being selectively positionable between a) an open position wherein the hanger is engageable with and disengageable from the receiving body and b) a securing position wherein the hanger is not disengageable from the body;
• a lock selectively positionable between a) a locking position for locking the securing means in the securing position and b) an unlocked position;
• and
• cooperating means on the securing means and lock for allowing the securing means to assume the securing position only with the lock in the locking position,
• wherein the body comprises an elongate bottom wall, an open top and a peripheral side wall defining a trough-like structure, the bottom wall having at least one opening of a size large enough to receive a free distal end of a hook of the hanger introduced by movement of the hanger free distal end in a first direction.

A garment anti-theft device for preventing removal of a hanger from a support arm of a clothes rack, the garment anti-theft device comprising:

• a body for engaging a portion of a hanger to support the hanger in an operative position;
• means for securing the hanger to the body in an operative position operatively associated with the body, the securing means being selectively positionable between a) an open position wherein the hanger is engageable with and disengageable from the receiving body and b) a securing position wherein the hanger is not disengageable from the body;
• a lock selectively positionable between a) a locking position for locking the securing means in the securing position and b) an unlocked position;
• and
• means for the securing means to assume the securing position only when the lock is in the locking position,
• wherein the mans for securing comprises a cover, and a hinge attaching the cover to the body for pivotable movement selectively between an open position and a securing position, the cover covering the open top in the securing position thereby blocking movement of a free distal end of a hanger received in the opening in a direction opposite to the first direction.