AU2005229659A1

AU2005229659A1 - Clothesline

Info

Publication number: AU2005229659A1
Application number: AU2005229659A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Danny Raymond Kent
Original assignee: DANNY KENT
Current assignee: DANNY KENT
Priority date: 2004-12-24
Filing date: 2005-11-02
Publication date: 2006-07-13

Description

12679AU

ORIGINAL

Complete Specification Applicant: Title: Address for Service: Danny Raymond Kent and Beverley Rose Kent Clothesline LESICAR PERRIN, 49 Wright Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: N Clothesline SFIELD OF THE INVENTION

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The present invention relates to a clothesline. The clothesline of the invention is adapted for connection to awnings and other temporary structures.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Caravanning is a particularly popular pastime for many Australians. A caravan Oprovides the convenience of a home from home together with the ability to roam S 10 virtually at will. Modern caravans come with an array of sophisticated equipment and the owners and users of caravans have high expectations for a comfortable lifestyle.

Space is, of course, always a limitation and in many instances the caravan owners will rely on facilities provided by caravan sites to supplement those provided by the van itself. Thus, a caravan site generally supplies laundry and clothesline facilities for use by the occupants. Unfortunately, space on clothes drying lines is in high demand and it can be hard to find space to dry clothes. Where a van is not in a specific caravan park but in a remote location there may be no drying facilities at all. However, people still need to dry clothes.

The present invention is directed to this dilemma and provides a clothes line that is adapted for attachment to a caravan awning and one that is capable of being easily and neatly stored when not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a clothes line having a pair of spaced apart line supports, said line supports having means to extend one or more hanging lines therebetween and said line supports having locking means adapted for attachment to a bracket member projecting from a structure.

Typically, the clothesline of the invention is attached to brackets extending from a caravan that are used to support an awing. There is no reason, however, why the clothesline may not be attached to any similar bracket. Awning brackets extend in a O more or less horizontal direction from the side of a van and any pair of similar spaced N brackets can be used for this purpose.

Z Preferably, the line supports each take the form of elongate members having the hanging lines at a first end thereof and the locking means at the second ends thereof.

A clothesline according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means are constructed such that as the load placed on the hanging lines increases the supports are fastened more securely to the bracket member.

SPreferably, the locking means consist of an upper locking means and a lower locking N means. In a preferred form of the invention, each locking means consists of a upper locking lug and a lower locking lug that are longitudinally spaced apart along each line support, thus as the load on the hanging line is increased the upper and lower locking lugs are each independently urged into engagement with the line support. Thus, in use, as the load placed on the hanging lines increases the supports are fastened more securely to the bracket member More preferably, still, each locking lug consists of an angled channel adapted to fit comfortably around a support bracket and a flange by which the locking means is attached to the line support..

In one form of the invention apertures formed in the line supports allow the hanging lines to be threaded therethrough and whereby a single line threaded through the apertures to form two or more hanging lines.

Alternatively, in other forms of the invention a hanging line may be attached to the line supports through external hooks located on the hanging supports around which a line may be fastened.

Conveniently, the locking means are shaped so as to be a snug fit around the respective bracket members and each locking means consists of an angled channel adapted to fit comfortably around the awing bracket and a flange by which the lug is attached to the line support. Furthermore, it is possible for the locking means additionally includes a protective cushion serving to ensure that no damage occurs to the brackets during use.

O DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS z The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates in perspective view a clothesline in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates the manner of attachment of the clothesline of the invention to an awning of a caravan;

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Figure 3 illustrates the clothesline of the invention attached to a caravan in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

Shown in the drawings is a clothesline 10 formed in accordance with the present invention. The clothesline 10 is, in the embodiment under consideration, attached to a caravan awing 12, which in turn is attached to a caravan 14. However, the clothesline of the invention is useful in any number of situations and may be attached to other supports.

The clothesline 10 includes having a pair of spaced apart line supports 16 and 18, said supports 16, 18 having means to extend one or more hanging lines 20, 22 therebetween and said supports having locking means 24, 26, 28,30 adapted for attachment to bracket members 32,34.

The line supports 16,28 each take the form of cylindrical members having the lines 22 at one end thereof and the locking means 24,26 and 28,30 at the second ends 0 thereof. Apertures 36,38,40,42 formed in the line supports 16,18 allow the hanging N lines 20, 22 to be threaded therethrough. Thus, as can be seen the lines 20,22 are in fact a single line that is threaded through the apertures 36,38,40,and 42 to form two Z parallel strands 20 and 22. To avoid the lines 20, 22 being chafed against the apertures, the lines are protected by cushioning sleeves 44,46,48 and It will be appreciated that there are alternative mechanisms by which a hanging line may be attached to the line supports. For example, the support may include external hooks around which a line may be fastened. Such alternative embodiments are clearly within the scope and spirit of the invention. Similarly, the invention is not limited to a clothesline having two hanging lines as depicted and other configurations C are within the scope of the invention.

The clothesline 10 of the invention is attached to brackets 12 extending from a caravan 14 that are used to support an awing. In the form of the invention under consideration the brackets 12 have a square cross section and, it is believed that this is the most frequently encountered bracket geometry, however, the invention able to be adapted to other configurations. The method by which the clothesline 10 is attached to the bracket 12 is best appreciated by reference to figures 1 and 2.

Each support 16,18 has a respective pair of locking means 24 and 26 on the one hand and 28 and 30 on the other. The locking means consist of an upper locking means 24 and 28 and a lower locking means 26 and 30. The use of the terms 'upper' and 'lower' is purely to assist in understanding the invention. In general the brackets are opposed to one another so as to act in opposing directions. As can be seen, the upper and lower locking lugs on each line support are spaced apart longitudinally along the length of the line support and the lower locking lug is located outwardly of the upper locking lug.

The locking means each consist of an angled channel adapted to fit comfortably around the awing bracket 12 and a flange 52 by which the lug is attached to the line support.. A protective cushion 54 in each case serves to ensure that no damage occurs to the brackets 12 from the use of the invention. As can be seen from the drawing the upper locking means 24 and 28 lock around the upper surface of the bracket 12 and the lower locking means 26 and 30 lock around the lower surface of the bracket 12..

N Figure 2 illustrates how the locking means 24,26 and 28,30 are used to secure the clothesline 10 to the brackets 12. The line supports 16,18 are manoeuvred into Z position around the bracket 12 and then they are rotated so as to be generally aligned with the bracket 12 as shown in the lower part of the drawing.

Thus, when a load or weight is placed on the hanging lines 20, 22, the weight generally brings a downward acting pressure on the line supports 16,18. The effect of this is to bring the upper locking means 24,26 and lower locking means 28,30 into engagement around the bracket 12 to thereby secure the clothesline in position on the brackets 12. Furthermore, as the load on the hanging lines 20,22 increases the I supports are fastened more securely to the bracket member.

When the clothesline is not needed disassembly from the bracket 12 is a simple matter and the clothesline 10 may be stored in a minimum of space.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

2. A clothesline according to claim 1, wherein the locking means are adapted to attach to brackets extending from a caravan that are used to support an awing. S3. A clothesline according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the line supports each take the form of elongate members having the hanging lines at a first end thereof and the locking means at the second ends thereof.
4. A clothesline according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means are constructed such that as the load placed on the hanging lines increases the supports are fastened more securely to the bracket member. A clothesline according to claim 3, wherein the locking means consist of an upper locking means and a lower locking means.
6. A clothesline according to claim 3, whereby each locking means consists of a upper locking lug and a lower locking lug that are longitudinally spaced apart along each line support, thus as the load on the hanging line is increased the upper and lower locking lugs are each independently urged into engagement with the line support.
7. A clothesline according to claim 6, wherein, each locking lug consists of an angled channel adapted to fit comfortably around a support bracket and a flange by which the locking means is attached to the line support..
8. A clothesline according to any one of the preceding claims, in which apertures formed in the line supports allow the hanging lines to be threaded Stherethrough and whereby a single line threaded through the apertures to C form two or more hanging lines. Z 9. A clothesline according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a hanging line may be attached to the line supports through external hooks located on the hanging supports around which a line may be fastened. A clothesline according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking Smeans are shaped so as to be a snug fit around the respective bracket members
11. A clothesline according to claim 10, in which each locking means consists of an angled channel adapted to fit comfortably around the awing bracket and a flange by which the lug is attached to the line support..
12. A clothes line according to any one of claims 10 or 11, in which the locking means additionally includes a protective cushion serving to ensure that no damage occurs to the brackets during use.
13. A clothes line according to claim 1, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated: 1/11/2005 Danny Raymond Kent and Beverly Rose Kent By their Patent Attorneys Lesicar Perrin