AU2009100956B4 - A clothesline and a line spacer fitting therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A line spacer element for a clothesline assembly is disclosed. The line spacer element comprises a body adapted to be secured to a frame of a clothesline, and a passageway adapted to accept line there through. An associated clothesline assembly and method for securing line to a clothesline assembly 5 are also disclosed.

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: Hills Holdings Limited Actual Inventors: Matthew Joseph Reilly Timothy Hooper David Herschel Nicholls Address for Service: C/- MADDERNS, GPO Box 2752, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention title: A CLOTHESLINE AND A LINE SPACER FITTING THEREFOR The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

A CLOTHESLINE AND A LINE SPACER FITTING THEREFOR This invention relates to improvements to clotheslines, and in particular to portable clotheslines having foldable legs, although the invention need not be so limited. 5 More specifically, the invention relates to improved means for securing line to such a clothesline frame. In the context of the present invention the term 'line' is used in reference to any length of material suitable for use as clothesline, including, but not limited to, various types of cable and cord. 0 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Portable clothesline assemblies generally comprise a frame supporting one or more lines and legs for supporting the frame, where these legs are generally adapted to extend and retract relative to the frame. 5 Generally the frame comprises a pair of spaced apart cross members, and an array of parallel, spaced apart line lengths that extend between these cross members. This array of line lengths is generally effected by threading a single piece of line through a series of '0 spaced apart holes pierced in tubular cross members. This single piece of line can be threaded inside of the cross member and between a pair of adjacent holes, and then passed back and forward between the pair of cross members in this fashion forming the multiple parallel line lengths. Manufacture of such a portable clothesline assembly then involves the piercing of these holes and the threading of the line through the tubular cross members. One particular difficulty with securing line in this fashion is that of 25 controlling the line once it is inside of the cross member. It is against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed. 30 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a line spacer element for a clothesline, the spacer element comprising a body adapted to depend from a clothesline frame portion, the body defining at least one line passageway, wherein in use a pair of said line spacer elements depending from opposing 5 clothesline frame portions will support a line so that this forms a plurality of spaced apart line lengths from the line. In one form the body of the spacer element is elongate, and has a longitudinal axis extending in a direction parallel to the or each line passageway. In one form, where the spacer element comprises a plurality of line passageways, where these are aligned lengthwise along the body of the spacer element. 0 In one form, the or each passageway extends between a pair of apertures. In one form, where the spacer element comprises a single line passageway, there are apertures located at or toward distal ends of the body. In one form the body is adapted to be secured to the frame of the clothesline utilising fasteners. In an alternative, the securement may be via adhesives, adhesive tape or physical interlocking.In a further 5 aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a clothesline assembly comprising a frame supporting at least one line, the line forming an array of spaced apart and parallel line lengths extending between opposing frame portions and separated by line spacer elements depending from the respective frame portions. In one form, the line is secured with respect to a first frame portion at a first end and extends to a 20 second frame portion opposing the first frame portion where it is threaded through a line spacer element that is fixed to the second frame portion before it extends back to the first frame portion where the line is threaded through a further line spacer element, this process being repeated back and forth between the frame portions until the other, distal end of the line is terminated at and secured with respect to one of the frame portions. 25 In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a method of securing a line to the a frame of a portable clothesline assembly, the method comprising the steps of securing at least one line spacer element to a second frame portion, fixing a first end of the line with respect to a first frame portion, extending the line to and through the spacer element secured to depending from the second frame portion, threading the line through the spacer element, and then extending the line back to the first 30 frame portion.In one form, the method includes the further step of extending the line back and forth 3 between spacer elements on each of the frame portions until the other (distal) end of the line is terminated at and secured with respect to one of the frame portions. In one form, the frame comprises a longitudinal spine member with a cross member located at either 5 end, between which the or each line spans. In one form, each leg comprises a pair of struts located at either end of the frame. The pair of struts may have a bracing web extending between them to brace them to form a rigid structure. 0 In order to fully understand the invention, an exemplary will now be described. However, it will be realised that the scope of the invention is not to be limited to precise details of this embodiment and that variations apparent to a skilled person are to be deemed included within the scope of the invention. 5 In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a freestanding clothesline assembly comprising a frame supporting at least one line, the line being arranged into an array of spaced apart and parallel line lengths extending between opposing spaced apart frame portions and separated by line spacer elements depending from the respective opposing frame portions. !0 In one form, the line is secured with respect to a first frame portion at a first end and extends to a second frame portion opposing the first frame portion where it is threaded through a line spacer element that is depending from the second frame portion before it extends back to the first frame portion where the line is threaded through a further line spacer element, this process being repeated back and forth between the frame portions until the other, distal end of the line is terminated at and 25 secured with respect to one of the frame portions. In one form, the assembly further comprises a further frame portion extending between the opposing spaced apart frame portions, and one or more legs for supporting the assembly so that this is freestanding. 30 In yet a further aspect, the present invention may be said to reside in a method of securing a line to a frame of a portable freestanding clothesline assembly, the method comprising the steps of fixing a first end of the line with respect to a first frame portion, extending the line to a spacer element depending from the second frame portion, threading the line through the spacer element, and then extending the 35 line back to the first frame portion, so that the line is arranged into first and second spaced apart line lengths. 4 In one form, the method includes the further step of extending the line back and forth between spacer elements on each of the frame portions until the other (distal) end of the line is terminated at and secured with respect to one of the frame portions. 5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to an exemplary embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein: 0 Figure 1 is a plan view of an exemplary portable clothesline assembly with its legs extended (i.e. in the 'in use' position); Figure 2 is a perspective view of a line spacer element for the portable clothesline assembly in Figure I;I 5 Figure 3 is a front view of the line spacer element in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a top view of the line spacer element in Figure 1; 0 Figure 5 is a perspective view of a frame cross member having spacer elements secured thereto; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the frame cross member in Figure 5 being secured to the remainder of the frame; 25 Figures 7 through 10 illustrate a first end of a line being secured to a cross member with a line end fitting; 4a Figure 1 illustrates the line of Figures 7 through 10 being further threaded through the spacer element of Figure 2; Figure 12 illustrates the second, distal end of line being secured to the cross member with a line end fitting; 5 Figure 13 illustrates final tightening of the line end fitting; and Figure 14 illustrates trimming of excess line at the line end fitting. In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT D Figure 1 shows a plan view of a portable clothesline assembly 10 having a frame comprising a longitudinal spine member 13 with a pair of cross members 11 and 12 secured to the spine member 13 at each end thereof. A pair of legs is pivotably connected to each end of the spine member 13 at a point near each end of the spine member 13. Each of the legs 15 comprise a pair of struts 16 and 17 with a bracing web 18 5 secured to and extending between the pair of struts 16 and 17. The upper end of each strut 16, 17 is connected to a hinge 30 so as to permit the pivotable extension and retraction of the legs 15 relative to the remainder of the frame. There are a plurality of lengths of line 14a extending between each of the cross members 11 and 12. In use, these lengths of line 14a support clothing. In this embodiment, one end of a line 14 is secured 20 with respect to a cross member 11 via a fitting 20 (see Figures 7 through 10) and this line 14 then extends to the opposite cross member 12 where it is threaded through a line spacer element 100 that depending from the cross member 12, before extending back to the first cross member 11 where the line 14 is threaded through a further line spacer element 100 (although it could extend through the first line spacer 100 if this incorporated multiple line passageways), this process being repeated back and 25 forth between the cross members 11 and 12 (see Figure 12) until the other (distal) end of the line 14 is terminated at and is secured with respect to the first cross member 11 via a second fitting 20 (see Figures 13 and 14). At least one length of line 14, along with its requisite fittings 20 and line spacer elements 100 is used on each side of the spine member 13. 5 Each line spacer element 100 comprises a body 102 adapted to be secured to the frame of the clothesline, and at least one passageway 104 adapted to accept the line 14 there through. In the illustrated embodiment said passageway 104 extends through the body 102 and between a pair of apertures 104a and 104b. 5 The body 102 of the line spacer element 100 is elongate and has a longitudinal axis extending in a direction parallel to the or each line passageway 104. Where a line spacer 100 comprises a plurality of line passageways 104, these are aligned lengthwise along the body 102 of the spacer element. Where a line spacer 100 comprises a single line passageway 104, this extends between the pair of 0 apertures 104a and 104b, where the apertures are located near distal ends of the body. The spacer element 100 is moulded from a plastic material.The body 102 has a back surface shaped (flat in this embodiment) and adapted to seat against the cross members 11 and 12. A pair of screw holes 106 pass through the body at positions near passageway 104 apertures (or openings) 104a and 104b. Via these screw holes 106 the spacer member 100 can be screwed to the 5 cross members 11 and 12 using screws 108. It is conceived that line spacer elements 100 may also be secured to the frame of the portable clothesline assembly using adhesives, adhesive tape or physical interlocking. Using these spacer elements 100, a line 14 can be quickly and easily secured to the frame cross member 11 and 12 of the portable clothesline assembly 1. 20 With reference to Figures 7 through 11, where it can be seen that the line end fitting 20 of this exemplary embodiment comprises a base 120 that secures to the cross member 11 (or 12), a bayonet type internal portion 122 through which the end of the line 14 is threaded, and a housing 124 which surrounds the internal portion 122 and is secured thereto via a screw thread 126, the line 14 being captured between the housing 124 and the internal portion 122 of fitting 20. Final tightening of fitting 25 20 can be effected with a tool 130 adapted to grip around housing 124, and surplus line 14 can then be trimmed as illustrated in Figure 14. Alternatively, the line could be tied off directly to the line spacer element 100. In any event, the method of securing the line 14 to the frame using the line spacer elements 100 according to the present invention is quicker and easier than the method which involves piercing holes 30 in the tubular cross members and then threading the line through these. The above method is so simple 6 (particularly by line spacer elements 100) as to be within the abilities of people having only the most basic hand skills and tools. In this way, the clothesline assembly 10 disclosed herein can be sold as a kit of parts which the purchaser must assemble. The act of securing the line 14 to the frame is rendered so simple by the means and method of the present invention that this can be performed by the 5 purchaser of the clothesline assembly kit. It will be understood that the term "comprise" and any of its derivatives (e.g. comprises, comprising) as used in this specification is to be taken to be inclusive of features to which it refers, and is not meant to exclude the presence of any additional features unless otherwise stated or implied. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an 0 acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without 5 departing from the scope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims. 7

Claims (5)

1. A freestanding clothesline assembly comprising a frame supporting at least one line, the line being arranged into an array of spaced apart and parallel line lengths extending between opposing 5 spaced apart frame portions and separated by line spacer elements depending from the respective opposing frame portions.

2. The freestanding clothesline assembly of claim 1, wherein the line is secured with respect to a first frame portion at a first end and extends to a second frame portion opposing the first frame portion 0 where it is threaded through a line spacer element that is depending from the second frame portion before it extends back to the first frame portion where the line is threaded through a further line spacer element, this process being repeated back and forth between the frame portions until the other, distal end of the line is terminated at and secured with respect to one of the frame portions. 5

3. The freestanding clothesline assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a further frame portion extending between the opposing spaced apart frame portions, and one or more legs for supporting the assembly so that this is freestanding.

4. A method of securing a line to a frame of a portable freestanding clothesline assembly, the .0 method comprising the steps of fixing a first end of the line with respect to a first frame portion, extending the line to a spacer element depending from the second frame portion, threading the line through the spacer element, and then extending the line back to the first frame portion, so that the line is arranged into first and second spaced apart line lengths. 25

5. The method of claim 4, including the further step of extending the line back and forth between spacer elements on each of the frame portions until the other (distal) end of the line is terminated at and secured with respect to one of the frame portions. 8