a set of six iron coat hooks that will take a garment only when its owner is no longer within the building.

Six hooks in two rows of three, with rounded tips and ordinary wear to the high points. Each hook remains mechanically capable of supporting weight. When any coat, shawl, or hat is brought within the building and placed upon a hook while its owner remains inside, the garment is not retained and is found within one minute folded on the nearest horizontal surface, without damage. If the owner exits the building boundary with the garment still carried, and another person then hangs the garment on any hook, it remains suspended until the owner re-enters. Upon the owner’s return, the garment is found on the owner’s person or in the owner’s hand, regardless of intervening knots, pins, or stitched closures. Garments of shared ownership are retained only while all owners are absent. Attempts to confound the effect by disguising ownership, exchanging garments, or using unnamed uniforms have failed. The hooks accept parcels and tools without incident.