GB2175495A

GB2175495A - Cover for a clothes line or airer

Info

Publication number: GB2175495A
Application number: GB08513620A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Angela Pauline Sheehan; Michael Thomas Sheehan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-05-30
Filing date: 1985-05-30
Publication date: 1986-12-03
Also published as: GB8513620D0

Abstract

A laundry aid comprises a cover 12 arranged to be suspended above a clothes line 1 or airer to hang down and protect the laundry hanging thereon, but to be readily retracted to allow free access of the atmosphere and readily moved into operative position when required. In figure 2, the cover 12 is suspended by runners 5 on a wire or rail 4 parallel with and above the line 1 so as to extend over the top thereof and hang down with some clearance on the outside thereof. The cover 12 may be moved between retracted and extended positions by means of a rod 9 attached to one end runner 5b thereof, the other end runner 5a being anchored. In fig. 5, the cover is suspended from a plurality of arms 27 movable around a hollow column 23 attached to the top of a central post 21 of an airer 22. The cover may be perforated and have its bottom edge weighted. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Laundry aid This invention relatesto a laundry aid primarily for domestic use.

Much domesticwashing is still hung out on a clothes line orairerto dry orairintheopen air. Intimes ofunsettledweather,this means the risk of the washing needing to be brought in hurriedly in the event of rain or other adverse atmospheric conditions, including a smoky atmosphere. Also, there is a risk that, ifthewashing is left out unattended, the conditions may change, and the washing may become wetterthan it was before it was put out.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a laundry aid comprising a cover arranged to be suspended above a clothes line or airerto hang down and protect the laundry hanging thereon, but to be readily retracted to allow free access of the atmosphere and readily moved onto operative positionwhen required.

In a preferred arrangementfora clothes line, the cover is suspended on awireorrail abovethelineso astoextendoverthetopthereofand hang down with some clearance on the outside thereof. The wire or rail may be parallel with and above the line and the cover may be a sheet offlexible material, such as a textile fabric, a plastics sheet orthe like, suspended from the wire or rail by means of runners extending laterally away from the clothes line in the manner of a clothes hanger. The flexible material is preferably perforated to reduce wind resistance, but is sufficiently closed to reduce the incidence of rain to a significant extent. The covermay have its bottom edgeweightedto keep it hanging vertically and to provide some stability.

The cover may be moved between retracted and extended positions by means of a rod or other extended handle attached to one end runner thereof, the other end runner preferably being anchored.

Alternatively, a drawstring arrangement involving one or more pulleys may be employed.

As an alternative to a flexible cover, a folding or accordion-pleated bellows-type arrangement may be employed, with rigid or semi-rigid elements.

Either type of arrangement may be adapted for use with an outdoor clothes airer.

Anarrangementforsuch anairermayincludea hollow column adapted to be attached to the top of a central post of the airer and providing bearing surfaces for a group ofsupportarmsforthe cover slidably mounted for movement round the column. A fixed support arm may be provided to locate one end ofthe cover.

The invention will befurtherdescribed with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of cover in accordance with the invention in a closed or extended position; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the cover in the retracted or open position; Figure 3 is an end view of a runner; Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternative form of supportfora cover in accordance with a modified form of embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 is an eievation of the support of figure 4.

Figures 1 and 2 show a generally conventional clothes line 1 suspended between two posts 2 and 3.

Above and parallel with the line 1 is a rail orwire4 extending or stretched between the posts 2 and 3 and anchored thereto. A series of runners 5, see also figure 3, is suspended on the wire or rail 4. Each runner 5 has a pair of laterally extending bars 6. An inner end element 5a anchored to the post 2 by means of a hook 2a, and an outer end element 5b has an upstanding hook 7 for co-operation with a hook 8 on one end of a drawing rod 9 having a handle 10. The end element 5b slides on the rail orwire 4.

A cover 12 of flexible material, such as sheet polyethylene or nylon or a suitable textile material, is attached to the runners Sand the end elements 5a and 5b so as to be folded when the outer end element is moved along the rail orwire 4to the position shown in figure 2, and to leave the line 1 exposed. In the event of rain or other inclement condition, the outer end element may be moved to the position offigure 1, using the drawing rod 9, so that the cover is unfolded and is held by the bars6 in a position partiallyto enclose a volume including the line 1 and the laundry thereon.

In orderto reduce wind resistance, the cover 12 may be made of a perforate material. Also, the bottom edge of the cover may be weighted by incorporating a metal or othertape orfillet in a lower hem.

The cover may inclue an end sheet adjacent the end anchored by the inner end element 5a, and once in the position, an additional end sheet may be attached by press studs or by hook and loop tape fastening (Registered Trade Mark VELCRO) or otherwise.

In the position offigure 1,the drawing rod 9 is removed from the hook 7 on the outer end element 5b, and is attached by its hook 8 to a hook on the post 3, where it may be normally housed.

Turning now to Figures 4and 5, a conventional clothes airer is illustrated diagrammatically as having a central post 21 and a plurality of arms 22 (omitted from Figure 4). A cover support includes a hollow column23which isadaptedtofitoverthetopofthe post 21 as illustrated in figure 5 and to be secured by a plurality of wing-headed bolts 24threadedly received inthethickness ofthe column 23 and bearing with their inner ends on the post 21.The bottom end of the column 23 is castellated as indicated at 25 to enable it to extend below the level ofthe arms 22.

Afixed support arm 26 is secured within the column 23 by means of its vertical leg 26a, and extends outwardlyto an anchor means 27 forthe cover.

A plurality of movable support arms 27 have means (not shown) for securing the cover, and are provided The drawing(s) originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

with vertical legs 27a passing down within the column 23. Column 23 has a guidetrack 28 in the form of a cut out to receive a lower bearing 29 on each ofthe legs 27a, and an upper bearing on each of these legs is illustrated at31 at fitting overthetop ofthe column.

The outer end of an extreme one of the movable arms 27 is provided with a drawing rod 32 having a handle 33. This improves access to the arms for drawing the coverto an from the retracted and extended positions.

The arms 26 and 27 may be longerthan the arms 22 ofthe airer if required so thatthe cover could hang freely around the outside of the airer, alternatively they may be, as illustrated, somewhat shorter so that the cover will engage the arms and the arms extending between them.

In ordertoavoidtheweakening effectonthecolumn 23 ofthe provision of a groove 28 extending around a substantial proportion of its circumference, the legs 27a may be arranged to fit round the outside ofthe column and engage upon an externally applied track which there may be secured using an undercut.

Various other modifications may be within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A laundry aid comprising a cover arranged to be suspended above a clothes line orairerto hang down and protectthe laundry hanging thereon, butto be readily retracted to allow free access ofthe atmosphere and readily moved into operative position when required.

2. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 1, for a clothes line, in which the cover is suspended on a wire or rail abovethe line so asto extend overthetopthereofand hang down with some clearance on the outside thereof.

3. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 2, in which the wire or rail is parallel with and above the line.

4. A laundryaid as claimed in claim 3, in which the cover is a sheet of flexible material, such as a textile fabric, a plastics sheet orthe like, suspended from the wire or rail by means of runners extending laterally awayfromtheclotheslineinthemannerofaclothes hanger.

5. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 4, in which the flexible material is perforated to reduce wind resistance, but is sufficiently closed to reduce the incidence of rain to a significant extent.

6. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the cover has its bottom edge weighted to keep it hanging vertically and to provide some stability.

7. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 4,5 our6, in which the cover is adapted to be moved between retracted and extended positions by means of a rod or other extended handle attached to one end runner thereof, the other end runner being anchored.

8. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 4,5 or6, in which the cover is adapted to be moved between retracted and extensded positions by a drawstring arrangement involving one or more pulleys.

9. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 1,2 or3, in whichthecoverisintheformofafoldingor accordion-pleated bellows type arrangement, with rigid orsemi-rigid elements.

10. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 1, for such an outdoor airer, including a hollow column adapted to be attached to the top of a central post ofthe airer and providing bearing surfaces for a group ofsupport arms for the cover slidably mounted for movement round the column.

11. A laundry aid as claimed in claim 10,compris- ing a fixed support arm to locate one end ofthe cover.

12. Alaundryaidsubstantiallyashereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 to 3 orfigures4 and 5 ofthe accompanying drawings.