AU2017276172B1 - Support Arm Assembly for a Fold-down Clothes Line - Google Patents

Abstract

A support arm assembly for a fold-down clothes line includes a cam ring for controlling the extension and retraction of a lock attached to a cam follower. The cam ring is also rotated by the cam follower, depending on the cam ring position and direction of rotation, thus controlling the lock differently as the support arm moves in different directions. 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 comprises a support arm assembly for a clothes line, comprising a shaft pivotally mounted about an axis, a first cam follower engaging the shaft and attached to an extendable lock, and a first cam ring mounted about the axis, wherein rotation of the shaft moves the first cam follower along the first cam ring between an extension section which extends the lock and a retraction section which retracts the lock.

[0007] Preferably the first cam ring is free to rotate and further comprises a limiting track extending between a first limit and a second limit, and the assembly comprises a cam stop engaged with the limiting track thereby limiting rotation of the first cam ring between the first limit and the second limit.

[0008] In preference the first cam ring further comprises a peak between the extension section and the retraction section, and wherein when the shaft is rotated the first cam follower engages the peak and rotates the first cam ring in unison.

[0009] The support arm assembly may further comprise a second cam ring and second cam follower operating in parallel with the first cam ring and first cam follower.

[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 clothes line support assembly with support arm extended according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0013] Figure 2 shows the clothes line support assembly with the support arm retracted.

[0014] Figure 3 shows the clothes line support assembly with cover removed.

[0015] Figure 4 shows the support arm of the clothes line support assembly.

[0016] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the support arm.

[0017] Figures 6A and 6B show the rotational range of the cam ring within the hub cover of the support arm.

[0018] Figures 7A and 7B show details of the cam follower within the hub, with Figure 6B being a cutaway view.

[0019] Figure 8 shows a cutaway view of the support are assembly [0020] Figures 9A to 9G show the sequence of moving the support arm assembly from a retracted position to an extended position and back again to a retracted position.

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0021] The drawings include the following integers. 20 support arm assembly 22 bracket 23 lock hole 24 cover 26 pivot bolt 28 nut 30 support arm 32 shaft 34 shaft tube attachment holes 36 mount 38 screw 40 hub 42 pivot hole 44 lock 46 lock chamber 48 cam follower 49 spring 50 hub cover 52 inner flange 54 outer flange 58 cam stop 60 cam ring 62 limit track 64 extension section 66 retraction section 68 peak

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] 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.

[0023] The present invention provides a mechanism for supporting a clothes line that can be engaged and disengaged by simply raising and lowering the clothes line. This allows supports at either end of clothes line to be simultaneously engaged or disengaged.

[0024] The support arm assembly includes a unique mechanism in which the support arm has a cam follower controlling the extension and retraction of a lock. The support arm pivots within a hub that includes a cam ring. The cam ring itself is free to rotate between two limits, thereby interacting differently with the cam follower depending on the direction that the cam follower is moving. The mechanism is exploited to allow the support arm assembly to be locked in an extended position and unlocked again merely by the sequence of raising or lowering support arm.

[0025] A clothes line support assembly 20 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1. The assembly 20 comprises a support arm 30, shown extended, which rotates on pivot bolt 26 held by bracket 22 and sitting within covers 24. Figure 2 shows the assembly with the support arm 30 in a retracted position. Transition between the extended and retracted position is effected simply by rotating the support arm as will be discussed in detail below. Figure 3 shows the assembly again with the covers 24 removed to reveal the generally U shaped bracket 22. The covers are held in place by integral clips and also by the pivot bolt 26 passing through them.

[0026] The support arm 30 is shown in isolation in Figure 4 and in an exploded view in Figure 5. Figure 6A and 6B show a partial cutaway view to show the movement range of an internal cam ring 60 whilst Figures 7A and 7B show the workings of a cam follower 48 which extends or retracts lock 44.

[0027] The support arm 30 comprises a shaft 32 to which a clothes line arm can be secured using holes 34, and a hub 40 which contains an internal cam mechanism and rotates about pivot bolt 26. The pivot bolt 26 together with nut 28 also serves to hold the hub together. Mount 36 allows the support arm to be secured to the bracket 22 using screws 38. The inner workings of the hub are concealed by covers 50 which also serve to house cam rings 60. Figures 6A and 6B show a cam ring 60 sitting within hub cover 50 between inner flange 52 and outer flange 54. There are mirror image versions of the cover 50 and cam ring 60 on either side of the hub working in unison to balance any lateral forces in the mechanism. The cam ring 60 rotates between the confines of the two flanges, but is limited in its range of rotation by cam stop 58 extending from the inner flange. A void in the cam ring, limit track 62, defines the rotational limits of the cam ring. Figure 6A shows the cam ring at maximum counterclockwise rotation whilst Figure 6B shows the cam ring at maximum clockwise rotation. The cam ring 60 includes three sections that interact with the cam follower 48 as the support arm is rotated. The extension section 64 allows the lock 44 to extend under the influence of spring 49 whilst the retraction section 66 retracts the lock, pushing against spring 49. Between the extension section and retraction section is peak 68 which allows the cam follower 48 to rotate the cam ring 60 until the cam stop 58 reaches an end of the limit track 62. As seen in Figure 7A and 7B the hub includes a lock chamber from which lock 44 emerges under the influence the spring 49 and cam follower 48.

[0028] The cutaway view of Figure 8 allows the interaction of the cam components to be appreciated. The bulk of hub cover 50 has been removed, leaving behind the inner flange 52, outer flange 54 and cam stop 58. The cam ring 60 sits between the two flanges and is seen abutting the cam stop 58 and the cam follower 48. As the cam follower 48 is within the extension section 62 of the cam ring the lock 44 is extended.

[0029] Figures 9A to 9G show the sequence of moving the support arm assembly from a retracted position to an extended position and back again to a retracted position. The assembly is shown in a cutaway view as per Figure 8 so the interaction of the various components can be appreciated. Movement of the assembly is effected by raising or lowering the shaft 32, thereby rotating the assembly about pivot bolt 26.

[0030] Figure 9A starts with the assembly in the retracted position with the shaft 32 vertically disposed downwards. The cam ring 60 is shown at a maximum clockwise position in which it comes against cam stop 58. This is nominally where the cam ring would be positioned after the assembly has been retracted. Lock 4 4is extended as the cam follower 48 is sitting within the extension section 64 of the cam ring.

[0031] In Figure 9B the shaft 32 has been raised until the cam follower has moved along the length of the extension section 64 and comes into contact with the peak 68 of the cam ring 60. During this movement the cam ring remains stationary as nothing is acting on it.

[0032] In Figure 9C the shaft 32 has been raised further and in doing so the cam follower 48 pushes against the peak 68 of the cam ring 60 causing the cam ring to rotate in unison. In this position the lock 44 engages with the lock hole 24. This effectively secures the shaft 32 from lowering again, placing the assembly in an extended locked position allowing the attached clothes line to be used. In this position the cam stop 58 has also come into contact with the cam ring 60 preventing any further counter-clockwise rotation of the cam ring under the influence of the cam follower 48. A simple raising motion has thus put the clothes line in a secured extended position ready for use.

[0033] From the locked extended position the clothes line can be lowered again by simply first raising the shaft 32 and then lowering it again. In Figure 9D the shaft 32 has been raised further. As the cam ring 60 is limited in further counter-clockwise rotation by the cam stop 58, the cam follower will no longer push against the peak 68, but instead ride up over it and enter the retraction section 66 of the cam ring. In this position the lock 44 is retracted, leaving the assembly free to rotate in a clockwise direction and lower the shaft 32 again.

[0034] In Figure 9E the assembly has been partially lowered again. As the assembly rotates the cam follower 48 will remain in the retraction section 66 of the cam ring 60 thus keeping lock 44 retracted as it passes by lock hole 23. The assembly rotates freely in the clockwise direction and in doing so the cam follower 48 pushes against the peak 68 of the cam ring 60 causing the cam ring to rotate in unison until the cam ring comes again in contact with the cam stop 58.

[0035] In Figure 9F the assembly is further lowered. As the cam ring 60 has contacted the cam stop 58 it will no longer rotate. The cam follower 48 will now pass over the peak 68 and enter the extension section 64 of the cam ring, allowing the lock 44 to extend again. As the assembly rotates further the cam follower will now proceed along the extension section.

[0036] In Figure 9G the assembly has rotated further and has returned to the fully

retracted position with the shaft 32 vertically disposed downwards. This is the same as the starting position shown in Figure 9A

[0037] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a mechanism for supporting a clothes line that can be engaged and disengaged by simply raising and lowering the clothes line.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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 (4)

1. A support arm assembly for a clothes line, comprising a shaft pivotally mounted about an axis, a first cam follower engaging the shaft and attached to an extendable lock, and a first cam ring mounted about the axis, wherein rotation of the shaft moves the first cam follower along the first cam ring between an extension section which extends the lock and a retraction section which retracts the lock.

2. A support arm assembly as in claim 1, wherein the first cam ring is free to rotate and further comprises a limiting track extending between a first limit and a second limit, and the assembly comprises a cam stop engaged with the limiting track thereby limiting rotation of the first cam ring between the first limit and the second limit.

3. A support arm assembly as in claim 2, wherein the first cam ring further comprises a peak between the extension section and the retraction section, and wherein when the shaft is rotated the first cam follower engages the peak and rotates the first cam ring in unison.

4. A support arm assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second cam ring and second cam follower operating in parallel with the first cam ring and first cam follower.