GB2135871A - Clothes line arrangement and cover therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothes line arrangement comprises two vertical posts 1 supported in the ground 2 and each post has pivotally attached to a point intermediately along its length two arms 3, each of which may swing in a vertical plane through the post upwardly and downwardly. One line is provided on each side of the posts. Each line 4 comprises a horizontal run 8 that passes through eyes 7 at the outer ends of the arms 3, then extends laterally to pass through eyes 6 at the upper ends of the posts, and then downwardly along the posts to handles 5, the handles 5 being common to both lines 4. The handles are secured to the post by means of lower fixing means 9 and may be disengaged therefrom and transferred to upper fixing means 10. This allows the lines to slacken with the result that the arms 3 will drop to a lower position by virtue of the lines running through the eyes 6 and 7 to allow clothes to be hung on the lines. A cover for the clothes line arrangement runs along horizontal guide lines 84, 85 pulled taut between the posts, and is formed from discrete segments or a continuous length folded in convoluted or concertina style, draw lines 81 enabling the cover to be extended along the guide lines or drawn back and telescoped or folded against one post. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A clothes dryer or hoist arrangement This invention relates to a clothes dryer or hoist arrangement primarily for outdoor use and constructed so that clothes may be "pegged out" on a line whilst same is at a lower level and thereafter raised to a higher level.

Known arrangements to which the invention relates comprise a single or multiple line extending between two posts, but a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the line must be slackened to enable clothes to be pegged out and thereafter tightened or propped clear of the ground. Such arrangements also only incorporate a single line or at most a number of parallel lines which are closely spaced.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement whereby clothes may be pegged out with the line at a lower level which can thereafter be raised in a simple manner and in which a plurality of lines are provided which in normal use are widely spaced so that clothes can be adequately dried on each such line.

Broadly, according to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a clothes line arrangement comprising two spaced vertical posts, each post having an arm pivotally hinged to an intermediate point along its length and able to move in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the post, a line extending through an eye at the end of each arm respective spaced post to pass through an eye at the top of the post and downwardly to a point of securement at a lower part of the post, the arrangement being such that the end of the line may be moved down or up the post to cause upward or downward pivoting of the arms and hence raising or lowering of the horizontal run of the line which extends between the arms on respective posts.

In a preferred arrangement each post has two such pivotally mounted arms, each including the aforesaid line with the two lines on each post being secured to a common manually operable member so that the lines can be drawn downwardly together in order to raise the arms and hence the respective horizontal runs.

In the arrangement according to the invention the line in each horizontal run will comprise a single length passing from the securement point on one post to the securement point on the other post.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a cover means for a clothes line extending generally horizontally between two vertical support posts, the cover means comprising a plurality of horizontally extending guide lines pulled taut between the two posts with a cover means running along the guides and comprising material formed from discrete segments, or a continuous length of material folded in convoluted or concertina style and including draw lines enabling the material to be extended along the wires to cover a clothes line extending between the posts or drawn back to be stacked at an end against one post.

This means may be incorporated into an existing clothes line or preferably into the clothes arrange ment according to the first aspect of this invention.

In order to enable both aspects of the invention to be more fully understood reference is now made to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments by way of example only.

In the drawings: Figures 1 to 3 illustrate schemmatically the arrangement of the line between two posts of a clothes drying arrangement, Figure 4 is an end view of one embodiment showing one post, Figure 5 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a detail showing the two positions for the line, Figure 7 is a detail showing the line passing through the end of one of the arms, Figure 8 shows a side view of a line embodying a first embodiment of cover means, Figure 9 shows an end view of the cover means of Figure 8, Figure 10 shows a side view of a further-embodi- ment of cover means, Figure 11 shows an end view of the cover means of Figure 10, Figure 12 shows the operating arrangement for a retractable cover, and Figure 13 is a detail of the cover operating means.

Referring firstly to Figures 4 and 5, these show one embodiment of a clothes line arrangement according to the first aspect of the invention and comprising two vertical posts 1 supported in the ground 2.

Each post has pivotally attached to a point intermediately along its length two arms 3, each of which may swing in a vertical plane through the post upwardly and downwardly. Two lines are provided for each side of the structure, these lines 4 extending from a handle 5 upwardly along the post through an eye 6 at the upper end of the post and thereafter laterally to pass through a further eye 7 in the end of each arm and then to extend in a horizontal run 8 to the other post where the lines passes through a similar configuration to another handle. The handles are secured to the post by means of a lower fixing means 9 and may be disengaged therefrom and transferred to an upper fixing means 10. This will allow the lined to slacken with the result that the arms 3 will drop to a lower position by virtue of the line running through the eyes 6 and 7.Each handle 5 may be disengaged from the lower securement point 9 to be engaged with the upper point 10 independently thus enabling both runs of line 8 to be dropped to a lower position as indicated by position A in Figure 6. When in this position clothes may conveniently be hung along the lines which can thereafter be raised by drawing down the handles 5 to re-engage same with the catches 9 at each side, thereby bringing the arms up into position B.

The operation of the lines to raise and lower the run 8 is also illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. Figure 7 is a scrap sectional view through the end of the arms 3, and as may be seen each line 4 passes through or around an arcuate channel defined by a plastic bearing surface 11 which allows the line to freely run through the end of the arm. A bead 12 may be secured to the horizontal run 8 of the line, this normally being in abutment with the end of the arm when both arms are fully raised or fully lowered, that is into position A or position B. The end of the arm may further include wear-resisting grommets 13to prevent fraying of the line.

Figures 8 to 11 illustrate the second aspect of the invention which comprises a cover 80 which extends along the top line between the posts to serve as a rain shield.

The cover may have a triangular shape as shown in Figures 8 and 9, or as shown in Figures 10 and 11 may be arcuate in profile. As shown in Figure 12 this cover may comprise semirigid segments which can be drawn back by means of a line 81 whereby they telescope into one another, this action being effected by winding mechanism 82 with the line passing over a suitable pulley 83. The cover is supported by horizontally extending guides 84 which are provided between the posts with suitable support members being provided at the ends of each post as shown in the end view of Figure 12A.Figure 13 shows a detail of the arrangement of guides and pulley wire extending between the two posts 1 and Figure 13A shows a stiffening member formed of wire 86 with loops 87 at each end to engage the wires 85 and a further loop 88 at the top to engage the wire 84, the wire 86 then supporting the cover arrangement on the wires and enabling same to be drawn back to one side when not required for use. The cover may be arranged to fold in convoluted manner or concertina fashion and a further wire means 81 may be provided to enable the cover to be drawn across the line as required.

The cover arrangement may be incorporated into existing clothes line by provision of suitable end fixings.

CLAIMS (Filed on 17 Jan 84) 1. A clothes line arrangement comprising two spaced vertical posts, each post having an arm pivotally hinged to an intermediate point along its length and able to move in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the post, a line extending through an eye at the end of each arm on each respective spaced post to pass through an eye at the top of the post and downwardly to a point of securement at a lower part of the post, the arrangement being such that the end ofthe line may be moved down or up the post to cause upward or downward pivoting of the arms and hence raising or lowering of the horizontal run of the line which extends between the arms on respective posts.

2. A clothes line arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each post has two pivotally mounted arms, each including the line with the two lines on each post being secured to a common manually operable member so that the lines can be drawn downwardly together in order to raise the arms and hence the respective horizontal runs 3. A clothes line arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the line in each horizontal run comprises a single length passing from the securement point on one post to the securement point on the other post.

4. A cover means for a clothes line or the clothes line arrangement of any preceding claim, the cover means comprising a plurality of horizontally extending guide lines pulled taut between two posts with a cover running along the guides and comprising material formed from discrete segments, or a continuous length of material folded in convoluted or concertina style and including draw lines enabling the material to be extended along the wires to cover a clothes line extending between the posts or drawn back to be stacked at an end against one post.

5. A clothes line arrangement as described herein, with particular reference to the drawings.

6. A cover for a clothes line as described herein, with particular reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the line to freely run through the end of the arm. A bead 12 may be secured to the horizontal run 8 of the line, this normally being in abutment with the end of the arm when both arms are fully raised or fully lowered, that is into position A or position B. The end of the arm may further include wear-resisting grommets 13to prevent fraying of the line. Figures 8 to 11 illustrate the second aspect of the invention which comprises a cover 80 which extends along the top line between the posts to serve as a rain shield. The cover may have a triangular shape as shown in Figures 8 and 9, or as shown in Figures 10 and 11 may be arcuate in profile. As shown in Figure 12 this cover may comprise semirigid segments which can be drawn back by means of a line 81 whereby they telescope into one another, this action being effected by winding mechanism 82 with the line passing over a suitable pulley 83. The cover is supported by horizontally extending guides 84 which are provided between the posts with suitable support members being provided at the ends of each post as shown in the end view of Figure 12A.Figure 13 shows a detail of the arrangement of guides and pulley wire extending between the two posts 1 and Figure 13A shows a stiffening member formed of wire 86 with loops 87 at each end to engage the wires 85 and a further loop 88 at the top to engage the wire 84, the wire 86 then supporting the cover arrangement on the wires and enabling same to be drawn back to one side when not required for use. The cover may be arranged to fold in convoluted manner or concertina fashion and a further wire means 81 may be provided to enable the cover to be drawn across the line as required. The cover arrangement may be incorporated into existing clothes line by provision of suitable end fixings. CLAIMS (Filed on 17 Jan 84)

1. A clothes line arrangement comprising two spaced vertical posts, each post having an arm pivotally hinged to an intermediate point along its length and able to move in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the post, a line extending through an eye at the end of each arm on each respective spaced post to pass through an eye at the top of the post and downwardly to a point of securement at a lower part of the post, the arrangement being such that the end ofthe line may be moved down or up the post to cause upward or downward pivoting of the arms and hence raising or lowering of the horizontal run of the line which extends between the arms on respective posts.

2. A clothes line arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each post has two pivotally mounted arms, each including the line with the two lines on each post being secured to a common manually operable member so that the lines can be drawn downwardly together in order to raise the arms and hence the respective horizontal runs

3. A clothes line arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the line in each horizontal run comprises a single length passing from the securement point on one post to the securement point on the other post.

4. A cover means for a clothes line or the clothes line arrangement of any preceding claim, the cover means comprising a plurality of horizontally extending guide lines pulled taut between two posts with a cover running along the guides and comprising material formed from discrete segments, or a continuous length of material folded in convoluted or concertina style and including draw lines enabling the material to be extended along the wires to cover a clothes line extending between the posts or drawn back to be stacked at an end against one post.

5. A clothes line arrangement as described herein, with particular reference to the drawings.

6. A cover for a clothes line as described herein, with particular reference to the drawings.