AU2017265009B1

AU2017265009B1 - Support Arm Assembly for a Fold-down Clothes Line

Info

Publication number: AU2017265009B1
Application number: AU2017265009A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Huiji Hui
Original assignee: Shanghai Aodian Hardware & Mechanism Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Aodian Hardware & Mechanism Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-11-21
Filing date: 2017-11-21
Publication date: 2018-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2037-11-21

Abstract

A support arm assembly for a fold-down clothes line includes a rotating lock engaging with a rotating support arm. The lock has differing profiles to either allow the arm to rotate past it in both directions, or in just one direction. The profile presented to the arm is advanced by a spring. This allows the line to be locked in a raised position merely by raising it, raising it again will release the locking mechanism allowing the line to be folded down.

Description

Support Arm Assembly for a Fold-down Clothes Line

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to support arm assembly for a fold-down clothes line.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Fold down clothes lines traditionally have a separate support for either side of the frame, usually with a simple latching mechanism. Quite often the latch is spring activated or a simple catch. To erect or lower a clothes line both latches need to be engaged or disengaged. This can be cumbersome to achieve, particularly when the latch is loaded by the weight of the clothes line frame. Quite often after a first latch has been engaged or disengaged and the user attempts to engage or disengage the second latch, the first latch will disengage or engage itself again.

[0003] Existing designs often require the user to listen to determine when the lock has engaged. If the user lifts too far the lock may disengage again leading to an unsafe situation where the line will fall down again.

[0004] The applicant has identified the need for a simple latching mechanism for a clothes line which can be easily operated, particularly where both latches can be operated simultaneously.

[0005] The object of this invention is to provide a support arm assembly to alleviate the above problem, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In a first aspect the invention provides a support arm assembly for a clothes line, comprising a pivotally mounted arm and a pivotally mounted lock, wherein the arm and lock are mounted such that rotation of the arm will engage the arm with the lock, and wherein the lock has a first profile section that allows the arm to rotate freely past the lock in a first and second direction and a second profile section that stops rotation of the arm in a first direction past the lock.

[0007] Preferably when rotation of the arm in the first direction has been stopped by the second profile, the arm is rotatable in the second direction to disengage the arm from the lock.

[0008] In preference the invention further provides a spring to rotate the lock to a predefined first position when the arm has disengaged from the lock and wherein when the lock is in the first predefined position the first profile is positioned to engage with the arm thereby allowing the arm to rotate past the lock in the first direction.

[0009] Preferably when the arm has rotated past the lock in the first direction, the spring rotates the lock to a second predefined position and wherein when the lock is in the second predefined position the first profile is positioned to engage with the arm thereby allowing the arm to rotate past the lock in the second direction. ...

[0010] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a clothes line support assembly according to the invention in the raised position.

[0013] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the clothes line support assembly in the lowered position.

[0014] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the clothes line support assembly with a cover removed to reveal the internal mechanism.

[0015] Figures 4A to 4H show the movement of the internal mechanism of the as the support arm of the clothes line support assembly is raised and lowered.

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0016] The drawings include the following integers. 10 clothes line support assembly 12, 13 outer casing halves 14 fasteners 20 support arm 21 arm rotation 22 attachment holes 24 arm pivot 26, 27 rounded corner 28 convex end 30 rotating lock 31 lock rotation 32 lock pivot 34 concave side 36 concave lock end 38, 39 end lobes 40 torsion spring 42 spring shoulder 44 spring elbow 46 spring wrist 48 spring end

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0018] The present invention provides a simple but effective mechanism for supporting an arm of a clothes line, eliminating the need for a separate support arm. A locking mechanism operated by movement of the clothes line arm allows the clothes line to be locked in an extended position or retracted. To raise or lower the line the user need only raise the line to its highest point.

[0019] A clothes line support assembly 10 incorporating the present invention is shown in a perspective view in Figure 1with a support arm 20 in an extended position. The support arm extends from between two outer casing halves 12 and 13 which conceal the internal mechanism. The casing is held together by a series of fasteners 14, preferably rivets. The support arm 20 includes attachment holes 22 for fitting a clothes line arm. The support arm assembly is shown in Figure 2 with the support arm in a retracted position. The support arm can be easily rotated by hand about pivot 24 between the retracted and extended position. Moving the support arm around the extended position engages or disengages a locking mechanism as discussed in detail below.

[0020] Figure 3 shows the support assembly with one of the outer casing halves removed to reveal the internal mechanism with the support arm 20 locked in an extended position. In brief, the support arm 20 engages with a rotating lock 30 which is biased towards or held in various positions by a torsion spring 40, thereby presenting different profiles of the lock to the support arm to enable or disable rotation. The support arm 20 and the rotating lock 30 are supported respectively on pivots 24 and 32, separated by such a distance that the support arm will engage with the lock as the support arm is rotated. The support arm 20 includes rounded corners 26, 27, and a convex end 28 to ensure a smooth engagement with the lock as it rotates. The rotating lock 30 also includes rounded features to ensure smooth engagement with the support arm during rotation, including concave sides 34, end lobes 34 and concave lock end 36. The torsion spring 40 has 3 sections that interact with the lock as it rotates: shoulder 42 (visible in Figure 4A), elbow 44 and wrist 46. As the lock rotates it presents different profiles to the arm, the first profile corresponding to the concave sides 34 allow the arm to rotate past the lock in either direction, the concave lock end allows the arm to rotate in a first direction but not in a second, thereby holding the arm in position. The spring end 48 is turned away from the lock to avoid interference. The function of these various feature will be explained below.

[0021] Figures 4A through 4H show the sequence of the support arm being raised from a retracted position to being locked in an extended position, then being unlocked and returned to the retracted position again.

[0022] The support arm 20 starts in the retracted position as shown in Figure 4A and hangs down vertically from the arm pivot 24. The rotating lock 30 is held in a resting position ready to engage with the support arm by the spring 40 with spring wrist 42 and shoulder 44 acting on the concave side 34 of the lock on either side of its pivot point 32.

[0023] In Figure 4B the support arm 20 is being raised and rotates counterclockwise about its pivot point 24 as per arrow 21. The support bar contacts the concave side 34 of the rotating lock 30, first with its shoulder 26, then convex side 28 and shoulder 27, causing the lock to rotate clockwise slightly about its pivot point 32 as per arrow 3. Once the support arm 20 has passed the lock 30, the lock will return to its resting position under the influence of spring 40 as shown in Figure 4C.

[0024] Once the support arm 20 has been raised and the raising force is removed (i.e. the user lets go of the clothes line) it will tend to fall down again as per Figure 4D until the rounded corner 26 comes into contact with an end lobe 38 of the lock. This position is maintained by the spring 40.

[0025] In Figure 4E a load sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 40 has been placed on the supporting arm 20, lowering it slightly. As the support arm lowers, the shoulder 26 rotates the lock 30 to a locked position where the shoulder sits in the concave lock end 36. The geometry of the arm 20 and lock 30 are such that further lowering of the arm is not possible.

[0026] To lower the support arm 20 it is first raised slightly as shown in Figure 4F. Once the shoulder 26 has dislodged from the concave lock end 36, the lock 30 will be free to rotate under the influence of the spring 40 until end lobe 38 lodges in spring elbow 44. Again, the support arm 20 will be prevented from lowering, this time by shoulder 36 of the arm engaging with end lobe 39 of the lock. This position however can be readily overcome as it is only maintained by the torsional force of the spring 40.

[0027] In Figure 4G sufficient downward force is applied to the support arm 20 to overcome the spring 40, allowing the support arm to rotate and pass the lock. Once the arm has cleared the lock it will be free to rotate until it comes to the retracted position again as shown in Figure 4H and the lock returns under the influence of spring 40 to its resting position.

[0028] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a simple but effective clothes line support mechanism. The mechanism allows the clothes line to be locked in an extended position merely by lifting the clothes line, similarly a second lifting action will unlock the line allowing it to be lowered again.

[0029] 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 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. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0030] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A support arm assembly for a clothes line, comprising a pivotally mounted arm and a pivotally mounted lock, wherein the arm and lock are mounted such that rotation of the arm will engage the arm with the lock, and wherein the lock has a first profile section that allows the arm to rotate freely past the lock in a first and second direction and a second profile section that stops rotation of the arm in a first direction past the lock; and wherein when rotation of the arm in the first direction has been stopped by the second profile, the arm is rotatable in the second direction to disengage the arm from the lock; and wherein the support arm assembly further comprises a spring to rotate the lock to a predefined first position when the arm has disengaged from the lock and wherein when the lock is in the first predefined position the first profile is positioned to engage with the arm thereby allowing the arm to rotate past the lock in the first direction; and wherein when the arm has rotated past the lock in the first direction, the spring rotates the lock to a second predefined position and wherein when the lock is in the second predefined position the first profile is positioned to engage with the arm thereby allowing the arm to rotate past the lock in the second direction.