US3335873A

US3335873A - Clothesline rack

Info

Publication number: US3335873A
Application number: US495582A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold M Lowe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-13
Filing date: 1965-10-13
Publication date: 1967-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-15

Description

Aug. 15, 1967 H. Mv LOWE 3,335,873

CLOTHESLINE RACK Filed Oct. 13, 1965 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fflreawM. ZOWE BY Czar/152s C AE H E /'//-5 14 rraeuir;

H. M LOWE Aug. 15, 1967 CLOTHESLINE RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 1 5, 1965 Q QM LIP F I N VEN TOR. HA/eazaM. Z aw:

. BY ("A/2o r1452: CAea rHses HA5 Arraemsrs mo Q United States Patent 3,335,873 CLOTHESLINE RACK Harold M. Lowe, 145 Beekman Road, Summit, NJ. 07901 Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,582 7 Claims. (Cl. 211119.15)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clothesline rack having a pair of spaced rail members receiving passes of clothesline therebetween with an adjustable spreader maintaining the rails in spaced relation. The rail members each consist of a tube having a longitudinal slot throughout its length with a locking member disposed within the tube having the ends of the clothesline wrapped therearound and passing through the slot to grip and lock the line within the tube when contracted.

Background of the invention This invention relates generally to clothesline racks and more particularly to an improved structure as well as manner of making and assembling a clothesline rack.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a clothesline rack that is simple in structure and economical to manufacture and assemble through the elimination of unnecessary elements or parts which eliminates unnecessary assembly operations. The structure and assembly of the clothesline rack comprising this invention is an improvement over my Patent No. 2,705,567 which issued on Apr. 5, 1955. This improved clothesline rack provides a structure much lighter due to the elimination of unnecessary structure and thus is easier to assemble for drying clothes or disassemble for storage as compared to its predecessor.

The popular collapsing umbrella type clothesline racks now presently available are provided with hinged members which support spaced parallel rail members between which the clotheslines are strung. This type of clothesline rack is very cumbersome in that it is tall when collapsed and the loose clothes lines have a tendency to catch upon foreign objects as the clothesline rack is transported to its place of storage. Also, the loose clothes lines, when the clothesline rack is folded, have a tendency to become entangled with the ends of the rail members making it difficult to assemble the umbrella type clothesline rack for drying clothes. Furthermore, the clothesline racks of this type have the inherent disadvantage of always having loose clotheslines due to the stretch by the weight of the clothes hung on theclotheslines. Thus, it is necessary to periodically tighten each of the clotheslines in order to take up the slack due to stretching.

Thus, another important advantage comprising this invention is the assembly of a clothesline rack wherein the multiple parallel clothes lines are made taut by adjustment through a single expansion member which is braced between the rail members of the clothesline rack and maintain them in oppositely opposed positions in order to maintain the clotheslines taut. Two expansion members may be provided where the rail members are quite long especially where lengths exceed seven feet.

Another object comprising this invention is the provision of rail members to support the spaced m-ultip-le clotheslines which comprise channel members having flanged edges disposed in spaced relation to form a continuous longitudinal slot and a spacer or line locking member which is smaller in cross-sectional dimension than the rail member but may be shaped to substantially follow, in spaced relation, the contour of the rail member.

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The ends of multiple clothesline are encompassed within the rail member and the spacer member is inserted through the longitudinal slot to embrace, squeeze and lock each of the clotheslines in spaced relationship upon contraction of the rail member flanged edges over the spacer or line locking member. Such a rail member structure for use in connection with the clothesline rack comprising this invention adds strength and stiffness to the assembled rail member and lessens the tendency of the ends of the rail members to deflect inwardly toward one another upon being held in opposed expanded relationship by the expansion member. The channel member and spacer member may be made of light material to bring about the convenience of portability of the clothesline rack and yet retain the strength and stiffness necessary to support the multiple clotheslines for hanging clothes.

Another advantage of the structure comprising this invention is the placing of any number of clotheslines between the rail members varying the space therebetween as desired as well as the overall length of each clothesline.

Another object comprising this invention is the provision of an expansion member having a threaded means to function through adjustment to spread the rail members in oppositely opposed directions in order to stretch the multiple strands of clothesline extending therebetween. The spreader member comprises three tubular sections. The central expansion tube member is of larger diameter than the two end tube sections and has centrally located therein a double stern member, each of the stems being threaded, one a left hand stem and the other a right hand threaded stem. One end of each tube member is provided with a threaded means to receive the corresponding threaded stem upon insertion of the end into the expansion tube member. The other ends of the end tube members engage rigid C shaped brackets, the latter of which slidably fit over the rail members to function also as a means of connecting the clothesline rack to ground posts and at the same time prevent the flanged edges of each of the rail members from separating and thus prevent any possible withdrawal of the spacer member and loosening of the multiple clotheslines.

With the expansion tube member threadably secured to each of the end tube members, the former may be rotated to either cause the end tube members to Withdraw from or recede into the expansion member in employing the spreader member in the clothesline rack comprising this invention. The rotation of the expansion tube member causing the end tube members to withdraw from within the ends of the expansion tube member is the expansion force used to engage the ends of these tube members between the rail members of the clothesline rack to maintain the same in oppositely opposed relationship in order to maintain the multiple clothesline taut.

Another object comprising this invention is the simple method of assembling the rail members in the manufacture of the clothesline rack. Multiple reels of clotheslines may be mounted adjacently, the number of reels depending upon the number of multiple clotheslines desired to be strung between the rail members. The clothesline reels may be mounted on a table surface which possess a large groove which constitutes a form to be used in the assembly of the spacer member within the channel member after the clotheslines from the multiple reels are strung across the channel member in the desired spaced relationship. The flange edges of the rail member are spread sufliciently to permit loops of the multiple lines of clothesline to be forced into the channel member and encompass the spacer member upon insertion of the same into the channel member with the aid of a press. Thus, the press not only functions to insert the clothesline and spacer member within the channel member but also forces these members as assembled into the form provided in the table area to bring about contraction of the flange edges toward one another which squeezes and thus locks the clotheslines, as strung, between the spacer member and the channel member.

The rail member as constructed may be removed from the form in the table surface and moved on down toward the end of the table where it is placed behind a hold member or within another groove in the table surface which acts as a hold member. The second rail member to complete the clothesline rack is then properly placed within the form, pressure applied to the spacer member to insert the same within the channel member and also force the channel member down into the form in order to contract the flanged edges of the channel member and thus, encompass the spacer member and squeeze and lock the clothesline between the spacer member and the channel member. At this time, the clotheslines from the clothesline reels may be cut on the reel side of the clothesline rail member just assembled which completes the structure comprising the clothesline rack exclusive of the spreader member and the means to engage the spreader member to each of the rail members.

Guides may be provided on the table surface on both sides of the contraction form which may be in the form of an eyelet or hook to properly guide each of the multiple lines over the unassembled rail members in proper spaced relation.

From this description of assembly of the clothesline rack comprising this invention, it is evident that the principal improvement comprises the use of only two parts in assembling the clothesline rail member structure of the clothesline rack and it it assembled by merely bending the flanged edges of the channel members, already spread sufficiently to permit the insertion of the spacer member and loops of multiple clotheslines inwardly over and around the spacer member as inserted, in order to lock the clotheslines between each of these members by compression. The locking action is accomplished by the nonuniform contour present in the channel member as well as the spacer member which embrace each loop of the clothesline in many places so that it is virtually impossible for the clotheslines to be pulled out of the assembled rail members even when the rail members are held in oppositely opposed position from one another by the spreader member.

Another object comprising this invention is the provision of rail members having longitudinal grooves or breaks to facilitate in the spreading and contracting of the flanged edges in assembling the rail members.

Another advantage of the structure comprising this invention is the elimination of loss of clothesline resulting from the use of a single strand of clothesline for one single clothesline rack from multiple passes of the clothe-sline. Not only is the stringing of such a clothesline rack cumbersome and time consuming but also considerable length of clothesline is wasted in passing of the same through various parts of the rail members.

The clothesline rack comprising this invention principally comprises three frame members: the two rail members and the spreader member. When assembled, the spreader member stretches the clothesline between the rail members which may be either supported by ground posts or wall brackets or a combination of each or may be supported by suspension from a ceiling.

Summary The present invention may be said to reside principally with the novel structure of the clothesline rail members which each consist of a tube having a longitudinal slot throughout its length to render the tube contractable and permit access of the clothesline, and a locking member larger in cross section than the slot disposed in the tube with the line wrapped therearound such that the locking member cooperates with the contracted tube to grip and lock the line passing from the rail member. This expansion or contraction gripping action may be enhanced by also providing the locking member with expansion and con.- traction qualities. Clamps may also be provided about the rail members to aid in maintaining their gripping or locking action. Further novelty is provided by the inclusion of an adjustable spreader to maintain the rail members in spaced relation.

A principal object of the rail members is to provide quick and inexpensive assembly of the clothesline rack and they permit a novel method of assembling being a part of the present invention wherein the tube is spread open at its slot and insert in a supporting and bending form. The passes of line are then transversely strung across the open slot and the spacer or locking member is then pressed into the tube through the slot taking the line with it and forcing the tube further down into the form causing it to contract to lock the line therein.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification Without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the clothes rack comprising this invention as assembled.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the construction of the spreader and the rail members.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus used in assembling clothesline rail members comprising this invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view in cross-section showing the rail member before assemblage.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation in cross-section assemblage of the rail member.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation with parts in section of a modified form of the bracket clamp member.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the locking means for telescoping end posts.

Referring principally to FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothesline rack 1 comprises the rail members 2 and 3 and the spreader member 4. The rail members 2 and 3 each consists of a channel member 5 and a spacer or line locking member 6 which are both channel shaped members made of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic, which Enay be obtained commercially in the desired extrusion orm.

The spacer or line locking member 6 is retained within the channel member 5 by the flanged edges 7 of the channel member. The flanged edges 7 of each channel member 5 defined a longitudinal opening 8 to permit the entrance or exit of the multiple lines of the clothesline 10. This structure may be generically described as a tube having a longitudinal slot 8 throughout its length which provides lips adapted to grip the line upon contraction of the tube and is so defined in the claims.

The ends of the rail members may be capped or enclosed for the purposes of appearance although structurally not necessary. However, the caps 9 may be provided to hold the spacer member 6 and rail member in proper relation and maintain the flanged edges 7 from spreading apart when the rail members are under tension.

The spreader member 4 consists of three main sections, the first of which is the central or expansion tube member 11. The end tubular sections 12 and 13 are identical in all aspects except for the means 14 and 15 located, respectively, in one end of each of said members. The threaded means 14 and 15 may consist of sockets having a central bore 16 which is threaded. Thus, the socket 14 is provided with left hand threads to mate with the left hand threaded stem 17 of the double stem member 20. The socket 15 is provided with a right hand threaded bore to mate with the right hand threaded stem 18 of the member 20. The end tube members are slidable within the ends of the expansion member 11 and are threadably fastened to the expansion member by the double stem member 20 and the sockets 14 and 15.

Each of the tube members 11, 12 and 13 may be made of light weight material such as aluminum or plastic. The double stem member 20 is provided with an annular head 21 which may be knurled and also may be provided with a groove as illustrated at 22 into which the tubular body of the expansion member 11 is pressed into in order to maintain the double stem member 20 in secured position relative to the expansion tube member 11.

The other ends of the end tube members 12 and 13 are tapered to form a square section 23 which may be either placed over or permitted to engage between the tabs 24 of the C-shaped bracket member 25. The C-shaped bracket member 25 not only provides a suitable connection for the ground posts 26 to the clothesline rack 1 as well as the engagement of the expansion member 4 to the same, but also prevents the flanged edges 7 of the rail members 2 and 3 from spreading apart due to the tension placed on the rail members 2 and 3 by a spreader member 4.

The post holes 26 may be secured to the bracket 25 in any suitable manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the bracket members 25 are provided with notches 27 to receive the triangular shaped ends 28 of the posts 26. The posts 26 may be affixed within the notches 27 of the bracket members by the long bolt 30 which is received through an opening in the rail member. The bolt 30 has a head 31 and a nut 32 in order to secure the post 26 to the bracket 25. The end 28 of the posts 26 may have a vertical slot 29 for adjustment of the height of the clothesline rack.

It should be noted that the ends 23 of the end tube members 12 and 13 need not be secured to the bracket members by any fastening means since the expansion tube member 11, upon expanding in oppositely opposed directions of the rail members 2 and 3, will forcibly retain the ends 23 between the tabs 24 of each of the bracket members 25. The long bolt 30 may be provided with a threaded stem to be received by a threaded bore in each of the ends 23 (not shown), to be utilized in securing the posts 26, C-shaped bracket member 25 and spreader member 4 in fixed relationship. However, the spreader member 4 need not be secured to the rail members 2 and 3 in order to maintain these members in oppositely opposed relation.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the manner of assembling the rail members comprising this invention. Due to the simplicity of the channel member 5 and the spacer member 6, the construction of a clothesline 1 is neat, sturdy and easily assembled as compared to the clothesline racks of the prior art which either consists of many members for bracing or supporting the rail members or consist of rail members which support the multiple passing of the single clothesline.

As shown in FIG. 3, multiple reels 33 are mounted in cascade relation and contain the clothesline 10, and

may be mounted on an axle 34. The axles 34 and 35 are members 40 bias the reels33 in order to maintain a steady line pressure on the clotheslines as they are withdrawn from each of the reels 33 along the table 38.

The table 38 is provided with a deep rectangular shaped groove 41 in which a channel member 5 is supported with its flanged edges 7 spread apart as shown inFIG. 4. The flanged edges 7 are spread sufficiently to permit the passage of spacer member 6 into the channel member 5.

The eyelets 42 guide the multiple lines of clotheslines 10 in proper spaced relationship across the channel member 5 supported in the form 41. As noted in FIG. 4, the

eyelets 42 are slidably adjustable within the groove 43 by loosening of the stem member 44 of each eyelet 42 from the nut 45. Thus, the eyelet 42 may be adjusted to provide for various equal spacing between the multiple clotheslines 10 as desired in constructing the clothesline rack 1 comprising this invention.

, On the other side of the form 41 there is also provided line guides 46 which function as guides in maintaining the multiple lines of clotheslines 10 in proper spaced relationship across the channel member 5 supported in the form 41. The line guides 46 are adjustable in the same manner as the eyelets 42 and are provided with stems 47 which are threadably receivable within the nuts 48 and thus, slidably adjustable within the groove 50 in the table 38.

To complete the assembly of one clothesline rack consisting of two rail members 2 and 3 and adjoining clotheslines 10, upon proper placement of the channel member 5 within the form 41, the spacer or line locking member 6 is forcibly inserted within the channel member 5 by the press 51 causing the multiple lines of clotheslines 10 to loop within the channel members 5. Upon continual exertion or force by the press 51, the channel member 5 is forced downwardly in the form 41 causing the flanged edges to contract toward one another and encompass the spacer member 6 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The press 51 may consist of a press block 52 which may be suitably supported from the table in any convenient manner (not shown) for applying pressure downwardly against the channel member 5. The press 51 is also provided with press pins 53 for inserting the spacer member 6 within the channel member 5 and subsequently forcing the members 5 and 6, as assembled, downwardly into the form 41.

After the assembling of the first rail member of a pair of rail members 2 and 3, the same may be removed from the form 41 and carried on down the table 38 by drawing the clotheslines 10 from the reels 33 to the position as indicated at 54 on the table surface 38 which may be a stop member or a large groove 55 in the table which securely holds the rail member in the position 54 so that tension may be maintained in the clotheslines 10 between the reels 33 and the rail member as positioned at 54. At this time, the clotheslines 10 may be checked to see if they are properly inserted within the line guides 46 in order that the guides 42 and 46 may maintain each of the clotheslines 10 in proper parallel and spaced relationship across the channel member 5. This rail member would be the second rail member of the pair of rail members 2 and 3 to complete clothesline rack comprising this invention.

Upon insertion of the spacer member 6 within the channel member 5 and contraction of the flanged edges 7 by the press 51, as previously described, each of the clotheslines 10 may be cut at any suitable point between the second assembled rail member and each of the guides 42 such as indicated at 56 in FIG. 5. The cutting of the clothesline 10 may be by any suitable means such as hand shears or cooperative cutting blades for the full width of the table 38.

The next consecutive clothesline rack 1 may be constructed in the same manner by drawing each of the clotheslines 10 from their respective clothesline reels 33 over a channel 5 as inserted in the form 41 until the ends of the clothesline 10 are sufficiently past the flanged edges 7 of the channel member 5 in order to insure that the clothesline 10 will fully encompass the spacer member 6 upon inserting the same in the channel member 5.

On examination of FIG. 3, it is evident that each of the rail members is not positioned normally to the clothesline 10 as withdrawn from the reels 33. The reasons for the placing of the form 41, as well as the position 54 and the rail members at an angle relative to the axial alignmerit of the reels 33, is to insure the proper entrance and exit of each clothesline 10, as depicted in FIG. 5, so that the entrance line and exit line of each single clothesline 1! through the slot 8 are not both simultaneously squeezed against one another between the flanged edges 7 of the channel member 5 upon contraction of the same.

A groove 57 may be provided at each side of the channel member 5 in order to facilitate the separating of the flange edges 7 for insertion of the spreader member 6 by the press 51. The grooves 57 also provide proper contraction of the flanged edges 7 when pressure is applied by the press 51 when inserting the spacer members 6 within the channel member 5 downwardly into the form 41.

It should be carefully noted that the channel member 5 and the spacer member 6 may be of any convenient configuration since the principal feature in constructing these two members is to insure a suificient irregular contour in order that the clothesline 10 is locked in and around the various curvatures of contours after the rail member is assembled and thus insure suflicient locking of the clothesline 10 in the assembled rail member. Thus, the more curves in the cross-sectional configuration of the channel member 5 and the spacer member 6 substantially following in space relation, the contours relative to one another, as assembled, the more securely the clothesline 10 will be held tightly within each of the rail members of the clothesline rack when held under tension by the spreader member 4. The locking of the clotheslines 10 in the rail members 2 and 3 may be improved, further, by roughening the inner surface of the channel member 5 and the outer surfaces of the spacer member 6.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the construction of the C-shaped members 25 wherein the bracket, rather than having the notches 27 is provided with the openings 58 through which the end 26 of the post 28 may be inserted. Through the same openings 58 is inserted the bracket member 60 which has a threaded opening 61 in the center thereof. The thumb screw 62 is received by the threaded opening 61 for holding the post 28 and the assembled channel member 3 within the C-shaped bracket member 25.

The post 28 may be made in several parts of the same cross-sectional contour so that they may be telescoped one within the other in order to vary the height of the clothesline rack comprising this invention. In FIG. 7 there is shown a cross-sectional view of the post 28 comprising two sections 63 and 64. The lock member 65 is slidable within the inner slidable section or leg 63. Upon tightening the thumb screw 66 the flanges 67 of the slidable leg member 63 are forced against the flanges 68 of the ground section or leg 64 in order that the height of the post may be varied and thus maintained at the height desired for the clothesline rack 1. The outer surfaces of the flanges 67 as well as the inner surfaces of the flanges 68 may be roughened or a material added on the surfaces as indicated at 70 to bring about substantial frictional contact upon operation of the thumb screw 66 and avoid any slipping of the slidable leg section 63 within the ground leg section 64.

In regard to FIG. 3 mention has only been made of one single form or groove 41 as well as the hold position designated at 54. It should be carefully noted that in assembling clothesline rack comprising this invention, two grooves 41 may be provided in the table surface 38 as well as to holding position grooves 54 thus, an additional form 41 may be provided in FIG. 3 the additional groove or form 41 would be between the guides 42 and the form 41 already shown in FIG. 3 and would be in parallel relationship with form 41 already shown. Thus, the additional form 41 permits the assembling of an additional channel member 2 or 3 along with the channel member being assembled as shown in FIG. 4 so that the assembly time for the completing each clothesline rack under the method described above may be decreased to a great degree. Thus, upon assembling the second channel member of a clothesline rack as shown in FIG. 4, assembly can be completed of an additional channel member adjacent thereto, which second channel member would be the first of a pair for the next succeeding clothesline rack. The clothesline 10 between the two channel members as assembled in the form 41 may be cut and the second mentioned of such channel members moved up to the holding position 54. The complete operation in using two forms 41 is then repeated.

An additional holding position 54 may be provided in parallel relationship in position to channel 54 already shown in FIG. 3 which may be used in the construction of the shorter or longer lines between the rail members 2 and 3 to produce different sizes of clothesline racks.

I claim:

1. A clothesline rack comprising a pair of spaced rail members each having their flanged edges turned toward one another and disposed in spaced relation to form a continuous longitudinal slot, a clothesline spacer smaller in cross-sectional dimension than said rail member for insertion into each of said rail members through said slot, clotheslines strung in spaced relation and encompassed in said rail members through said slots to be locked in position upon insertion of said spacer through said slot into said rail member and the contraction of said flanged edges over said spacer, bracket means engaging each of said flanged edges to prevent said flanges from spreading, and a spreader member engaging said bracket means to forcibly hold said members in opposed relation and maintain said clothesline taut.

2. The clothesline rack of claim 1 characterized in that each of said rail members has longitudinal grooves in each side to facilitate in forcibly spreading and contracting said rail member flanged edges.

3. The clothesline rack of claim 1 characterized in that said spreader member comprises an expansion tube member having a double stem member secured within the center thereof, two end tube members each having one end with threaded means for insertion within the ends of said expansion tube member, mating threads on the stems of said double stem member, the other ends of said end tube members engaging said rail members, said expansion tube member upon rotation of said expansion tube member to hold in opposed space relation said rail members to render said clotheslines taut.

4. A clothesline rail member for receiving ends of a clothesline in parallel relationship comprising a channel means having flanged edges defining an open slot along one side for the entrance and exit of clothesline, a clothesline spacer for insertion longitudinally into said channel means through said slot, said channel means shaped to follow somewhat, in spaced relation, the contour of said spacer to squeeze and lock each of said clotheslines around said spacer upon insertion of said spacer into said channel means and contraction of said flange edges.

5. A clothesline rail member for receiving ends of clothesline in parallel relationship comprising a channel member having generally a U-shaped configuration with oppositely opposed flange edges at the opened end of said configuration for the full length of said channel, said flange edges defining a longitudinal slot, a clothesline spacer smaller in cross-sectional size than said channel member but shaped to approximately follow, in spaced relation, the contour of said channel member, said flanged edges and the sides of said U-shaped channel member separated sufliciently to permit the insertion, longitudinally, of said spacer within said channel member to squeeze and lock each pass of clotheslines strung in spaced relation through said slot between said spacer and said channel member upon contraction of said flange edges.

6. The method of assembling a clothesline rail member in the manufacture of a clothesline rack consisting of the steps of inserting a channel member into a form with its open end flanges limiting its extent therein, stringing clotheslines across the channel member in parallel relationship, pressing a spacer member into the channel memher to encompass the clotheslines and to simultaneously force the channel member further down into the form to contract the flanged edges toward one another over the spacer member in order to squeeze and lock in position the clotheslines between the spacer and channel member.

7. A clothesline gripping rail member consisting of a tube having a chamber therein and a longitudinal slot throughout its length providing lips adapted to grip the line upon contraction of the tube, a line locking member larger in cross section than said opening and disposed in said chamber but spaced from the Wall surface thereof to permit the passage of a line to be locked therearound,

said locking member cooperating with the walls of said chamber to grip and lock each individual line passing therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.