AU2016200379B2

AU2016200379B2 - A clothesline assembly and a base assembly therefor

Info

Publication number: AU2016200379B2
Application number: AU2016200379A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Benjamin Hill; Timothy Hooper
Original assignee: Ames Australasia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Ames Australasia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-12-02
Filing date: 2016-01-22
Publication date: 2017-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-02
Also published as: AU2016200377B2; AU2016200377A1; AU2016200379A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a clothesline assembly comprising a frame comprised of first and second arms connected by a cross-member, a supporting strut and a base assembly for each arm, each base 5 assembly pivotably supporting its respective arm and the supporting strut for this arm so that each of these is supported to either side thereof by portions of the base assembly. A second frame inset with respect to the first is also disclosed, along with a base assembly for a clothesline assembly.

Description

2016200379 22 Jan 2016

EDITORIAL NOTE 2016200379 - There are 6 pages of Description the page numbering starts at 2 I l:\jvs\Imcrwovcn\NRPortbl\DCC\JVS\l 5348909_ I .docx-31 07 2017 2016200379 31 Μ 2017 2

A CLOTHESLINE ASSEMBLY AND A BASE ASSEMBLY THEREFOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to both an improved clothesline assembly and a base assembly therefor. 5

PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2010905312, titled “A CLOTHESLINE ASSEMBLY AND A BASE ASSEMBLY THEREFOR” and fded on 2 December 2010. 10

The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to clothesline assemblies of the type known as wall mounted folding frame 15 clotheslines, where clotheslines of this type generally comprise a cantilever rectangular frame that has clothes line extending back and forth across the frame, and where the frame is pivotable about a base between positions horizontal for use, and vertical for storage. A problem with clotheslines of the above described type is that over time, these pivotable 20 mountings can become worn, resulting in slop in the pivotable mountings.

It is against this background that the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed. 25 It is an object of the invention to provide an improved clothesline assembly and/or a base assembly for such a clothesline assembly that ameliorates the above stated difficulties, or which at the least, provide useful alternative to known assemblies.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following 30 description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clothesline assembly comprising: a first 35 frame and a second frame, each comprising a pair of arms connected by a cross-member, the second frame being configured to be smaller than, and located inset with respect to, the first frame; a supporting strut associated with each arm; and a pair of vertical-mounting brackets each having opposed sidewalls and parallel upward guiding channels in which respective arms and supporting struts of the first and second frames are supported and guided such that the first and second frames I I:\jvs\Intcrwovcn\NRPonbl\DCC\JVS\l 5348909_ I .docx-31/07/2017 2016200379 31 M2017 3 are separately moveable between a folded storage position and an erected operative position, and wherein one said arm of the first frame and one said arm of the second frame adjacent said one arm of the first frame are pivotably supported on a common support extending between the opposed sidewalls of their respective bracket. 5

In one form, the clothesline assembly comprises a second frame inset with respect to the first, said second frame comprising first and second arms connected by a cross-member, and a supporting strut for each arm, wherein the base assembly for each arm of the first frame further supports an inset arm and supporting strut of the second frame, so that each of these is supported on either side 10 thereof by portions of the base assembly.

In one form, the or each frame is a pivotable cantilever frame for supporting one or more clothes lines, wherein the or each frame arm is pivotably supported so as to pivot about an aligned axis of rotation. 15

In one form, the supporting struts are pivotably supported so as to pivot about an aligned axis of rotation.

In one form, each base assembly is adapted to secure the or each frame pivotably supported thereby 20 to a vertical surface such as a wall or post.

In one form, the each or frame is pivotable between a substantially horizontal, raised position, and a substantially vertical, lowered position. 25 In one form, each arm is substantially parallel with its supporting strut when these are in the substantially vertical, lowered position.

In one form, each supporting strut comprises a tubular strut body disposed over a strut rod so as to be telescopically shortened and lengthened, and an internal, releasable locking mechanism which 30 permits locking of the supporting strut at a length which sees it supporting the clothesline frame in its raised position.

Also described herein is a base assembly for mounting a clothesline frame to a vertical surface such as a wall or post, the base assembly defining an upright slot in which a frame arm and a supporting 35 strut therefor are pivotably supported.

Also described herein is a base assembly for mounting a pair of clothesline frames to a vertical surface such as a wall or post, the base assembly defining a pair of upright, parallel slots, where in each slot there is pivotably supported a frame arm and a supporting strut therefor. I l:\plw\Intcrwovcn\NRPorihl\DCC\PLW\ 14661 %3_ I docx-19 06/2017 2016200379 19 Jun2017 4

In one form, the base assembly comprising at least a pair of pivotal mounting points, one being for the or each frame arm, and the other for the or each supporting strut therefor.

In one form, the base assembly comprises a support frame, and an insert which comprises the or 5 each slot.

In one form, the support frame comprises a base portion and a pair of side wings which extend forwardly from a pair of parallel upright side edges of the base portion, and the insert nests in and fills the void between the side wings of the support frame. 10

Also described herein is a clothesline assembly comprising a first frame comprised of first and second arms connected by a cross-member, a second frame inset with respect to the first, said second frame comprising first and second arms connected by a cross-member, and a base assembly pivotably supporting the arms so that arms of each of the first and second frames are supported to 15 either side thereof by portions of the base assembly.

Also described herein is a base assembly for a clothesline pivotably supporting ends of first and second clothesline frames portions so that the supported ends of the first and second frame portions are interleaved by supporting portions of the base assembly. 20

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: 25 Figure 1 is a detail view of a base assembly of a clothesline assembly in Figure 1;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the base assembly of Figure 1 from a front side viewpoint; and

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the base assembly of Figure 1 from a rear side viewpoint. 30

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 35 Referring now to Figure 1, where there is illustrated part of a clothesline assembly 1 comprising a first clothesline frame 2 comprised of a pair arms 2a connected by a cross-member (not illustrated), and a 5 2016200379 22 Jan 2016 second clothesline frame 4 inset with respect to the first clothesline frame 1, and comprised of a pair of arms 4a connected by a cross-member (not illustrated). A first array of line lengths extends between arms 2a, and a second array of line lengths extends 5 between arms 4a.

The clothesline assembly 1 further comprises a pair of substantially identical base assemblies 10, one pivotably supporting the arms 2a and 4a on the left hand side of each clothesline frame 2 and 4, along with the support struts 2b and 4b (4b not being visible in Figure 1) therefor, and the other base ) assembly 10 supporting the arms 2a and 4a on the right hand side of each clothesline frame 2 and 4, along with the support struts 2b and 4b therefor.

The support struts 2b and 4b comprise a tubular strut body disposed over a strut rod so as to be telescopically shortened and lengthened. The support struts further comprise an internal, releasable 5 locking mechanism which permits locking of the support struts 2b and 4b at a length which sees them supporting the clothesline frames 2 and 4 in their in use positions.

Each base assembly 10 is adapted to secure each of the first 2 and second 4 clothesline frames to a vertical surface, such as a wall. )

Each of these clothesline frames 2 and 4 is supported by the two base assemblies 10 so that they can be folded between a substantially horizontal position for use, and a substantially vertical, retracted position for storage. 25 Where a user has only a small load of washing to hang up, they need only erect the smaller, inset clothesline frame 4. Where they have a larger load of washing, they can also erect the larger clothesline frame 2.

Each base assembly 10 comprises a steel support frame 20, and an insert 30 which serves as a guide 30 for the clothesline arms 2a and 4a and the support stmts 2b and 4b therefor.

The support frame 20 comprises a base portion 22 and a pair of side wings 24, which extend forwardly from a pair of parallel upright side edges of the base portion 22. Two pairs of slotted apertures (one horizontal, one vertical) pass through the base portion 22 of the support frame 20. Via these apertures, 35 the base assembly 10 can be secured to a vertical surface using fasteners appropriate for the application. 6 2016200379 22 Jan 2016

The insert 30 is a moulded plastic component which nests in and fills the void between the side wings 24 of the support frame 20, and which defines a pair of upright, parallel slots 32 in which the arms 2a and 4a and support struts 2b and 4b therefor locate. 5 Each base assembly 10 provides a pair of pivotal mounting points A and B. A first of these pivotal mounting points A is uppermost and forward most on the side wings 24 of the base assembly 10. ) This first pivotal mounting point A is for the arms 2a and 4a of both clothesline frames 2 and 4 on one side (ie left or right), and the second pivotal mounting point B is for the support struts 2b and 4b, there being one each for each of these arms 2a and 4a.

These pivotal mounting points A and B are comprised of a pair of bolts 50, which extend through 5 aligned apertures a in the case of A, and b in the case of B, in each of the side wings 24, the insert 30 and the clothesline arms 2a and 4a or support struts 2b and 4b as applicable.

Each base assembly 10 may further comprise one or a pair of dress cover plates 60, which are securable (such as by clipping) to the outersides of sidewings 24 to improve the aesthetic of these. ) A salient feature of the above described clothesline assembly, is that by virtue of a new locking mechanism, the tubular steel from which both the clothesline frames 2a and 4a and the strut body are made is the same. This means that both an arm 2a, 4a and its respective support strut 2b, 4b can be located and guided in one and the same slot 32 of the insert 30. 5

An advantage of the above described clothesline assembly 1 is that each of the arms 2a and 4a and their respective support struts 2b and 4b are retained and guided on both sides thereof, for improved guidance and strength of pivotable mounting. This was not the case with previous clotheslines of this type. 0

What is more, in use, the side wings 24 provide a guard, which reduce the likelihood that a user will put their fingers in a position where the may be pinched as either of the clothesline frames 2 or 4 is folded into its retracted position. 35 Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “comprise” and “include" and variations such as “comprising” and “including” will be 2016200379 22 Jan 2016 7 understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an i acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment ) with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A clothesline assembly comprising: a first frame and a second frame, each comprising a pair of arms connected by a crossmember, the second frame being configured to be smaller than, and located inset with respect to, the first frame; a supporting strut associated with each arm; and a pair of vertical-mounting brackets each having opposed sidewalls and parallel upward guiding channels in which respective arms and supporting struts of the first and second frames are supported and guided such that the first and second frames are separately moveable between a folded storage position and an erected operative position, and wherein one said arm of the first frame and one said arm of the second frame adjacent said one arm of the first frame are pivotably supported on a common support extending between the opposed sidewalls of their respective bracket.
2. A clothesline assembly according to claim 1, wherein each frame is a pivotable cantilever frame for supporting one or more clothes lines extending between each pair of arms, wherein each frame arm is pivotably supported about an aligned axis of rotation.
3. A clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting struts are pivotably supported so as to pivot about an aligned axis of rotation.
4. A clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brackets are adapted to secure the first and second frames to a vertical surface such as a wall or post.
5. A clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each frame is pivotable between a substantially horizontal, erected operative position, and a substantially vertical, folded storage position.
6. A clothesline assembly according to claim 5, wherein each pair of arms is substantially parallel with its supporting struts when these are in the substantially vertical, folded storage position.
7. A clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each bracket further comprises a base portion and a pair of side wings which extend forwardly from a pair of parallel upright side edges of the base portion, and said arms of the first and second frames nest in and fill the void between the side wings of the bracket.
8. A clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the parallel upward guiding channels are defined by an insert mounted within the bracket.
9. A kit of parts for a clothesline assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.