GB2200835A

GB2200835A - Clothes frame construction

Info

Publication number: GB2200835A
Application number: GB08702201A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Nicholas Clegg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-01-31
Filing date: 1987-01-31
Publication date: 1988-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2007-01-31
Also published as: GB8702201D0; GB2200835B

Abstract

A frame such as a clothes airer comprises a pair of support structures (10, 11) supporting a wing (30) between them, the support structures (10, 11) each having a plurality of support members (12, 14, 17, 18, 12', 14', 17', 18') pivotally interconnected so that the support structures (10, 11) are each collapsible from an in-use, upright condition in which the wing (30) extends generally transverse to the support members to a relatively flat folded condition in which the wing (30) extends in generally the same direction as the folded support members characterised in that the wing (30) is connected via pivoted links (35, 36, 37, 38) to at least two support members (17, 18, 17', 18') of each support structure (10, 11). <IMAGE>

Description

"Frome cons$:ruction Description of Invention This invention relates to a frame and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a frame comprising a clothes airer.

According to the invention I provide a frame comprising a pair of support structures supporting a wing between them, the support structures each having a plurality of support members pivotally interconnected so that the support structures are each collapsible from an in-use, upright condition in which the wing extends generally transverse to the support members to a relatively flat folded condition in which the wing extends in generally the same direction as the folded support members characterised in that the wing is connected via pivoted links to at least two support members of each support structure.

By virtue of this connection between the wing and the support structures, the wing may maintain the support structures in their upright condition when suitably positioned, and by moving the wing relative to the support structures, the support members may be released for folding to the relatively flat folded condition.

Preferably the support structures are connected together for rigidity.

For example, cross braces may be provided which are each integral with, or attached to, one of the support members of each supporting structure. At the, in use, lower end of the frame, a cross brace or braces may be provided which comprise feet on which the frame may rest.

The wing and any other cross braces may be used for supporting clothes during airing.

At least one of the support members of each support structure may be pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a second support member preferably also intermediate the ends of the second support member, and at an end, the first support member may be pivotally connected at or adjacent an end of a third support member. The second support member may also be connected at or adjacent an end thereof to a fourth support member, and the third and fourth support members may be pivotally connected together intermediate their ends.

Thus each support structure may comprise a scissor-like construction.

Cross braces which give rigidity to the frame and may provide feet, are preferably integral with the respective first support members of both support structure, and the second support members of both support structures so that the first support members and cross brace, and second support members and cross brace, both comprise a generally U-shaped sub frame. Preferably the cross braces are integral with the ends of the third and fourth support members of each support structure remote from the pivotal connections to the first and second support members, so that the third support members of each support structure, and associated cross brace, comprise a generally inverted U-shaped sub frame, and the fourth support members of each support structure and associated cross brace comprise a further generally inverted U-shaped frame.

The pivoted links which connect the wing to the support structures are preferably all of generally equal length and are pivoted at or adjacent one end to the third and fourth support members of each support structure, the links when the frame is in the upright erect condition, extending downwardly to the wing and being retained by stops of the support structures.

For example the stops may be provided at the pivotal connections between the first and third and second and fourth support members of each support structure, by spacers at the pivot joints.

The links may be connected at or adjacent their opposite ends to the wing which may thus extend generally horizontally below a plane contulning the pivotal connections of the first and third and second and fourth support members of each support structure.

In order to collapse the frame, it will be appreciated that it is necessary to initially raise the wing above the plane to enable the first and third and second and fourth support members of each support structure to be relatively folded and that as the frame is collapsed, the links will be constrained to pivot until they extend generally upwardly from the respective support member so that the wing moves to a position in or above the plane defined by the pivotal connections of the support members.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE I is a perspective diagrammatic view of a frame in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side line drawing of the frame of Figure I in an erected condition.

FIGURE 3 is a side line drawing of the frame of Figures I and 2 shown in a collapsed position, and, FIGURE 4 is an enlarged plan view of part of the frame of Figures 1 to 3, showing the pivotal connection between support members and the wing when the frame is in a collapsed condition.

Referring first to Figure 1, a frame comprises a pair of support structures 10 and II each comprising a plurality of support members connected together.

Each support structure 10,11, is generally identical but oppositely handed, and thus only the construction of support structure 10 will be described in detail.

The structure 10 comprises a first support member 12 which is pivotally connected at 13 intermediate its ends, to a second support member 14, the upper end as seen in the drawings, of the support member 12 is pivotally connected to a third support member 17 whilst the upper end of the support member 14 is pivotally connected at 16 to a fourth support member 18. The support members 17 and 18 are themselves connected intermediate their ends at a pivot shown at 20.

The support structures 10 and II may thus be moved from the erected condition shown in Figure 1, to a collapsed position as hereinafter described, in a scissor-like manner, by virtue of the pivotal connections 13, 15, 16, and 20.

The first support member 12' of the support structure II, is connected to the first support member 12 via an integral cross brace 22 whilst the second support member 14 of the support structure 10 is connected to its corresponding second support member 14' of support structure II via a further integral cross brace 23.

The third support member 17 of supporting structure 10 is connected to its corresponding third support member 17' of support structure I I, via still further integral cross brace 24, and the fourth support member 18 of structure 10 is connected to its corresponding fourth support member 18' of support structure II via yet still further cross member 25 which is integrally formed with the support members 18 and 18'.

Thus the support structures 10 and II collectively comprise four Ushaped frames, the frames containing the cross braces 24 and 25 being inverted.

Thus the support structures 10 and II are connected together for rigidity by the cross braces 22,23,24 and 25, and a plurality of other cross braces some of which are indicated at 26 are provided, over which clothes may be draped for airing.

The cross braces 22 and 23 provide a base on which the frame stands, and feet 27 are provided for stability.

The support structures 10 and 11 support between them a wing which is indicated generally at 30.

The wing comprises a generally rectangular frame 31 which may be made up in sections, and a plurality of cross pieces some of which are indicated at 32, the wing thus being usable to support clothes during airing.

The wing 30 is connected to the support structures 10 and II via four pivoted links which are indicated at 35,36,37 and 38.

The links 35 and 36 are substantially identical to links 37 and 38 although oppositely handed, and thus only links 35 and 36 will be described in detail.

The link 35 is pivotally connected at 40 to the third support member 17 and extends downwardly to a pivot point 41 provided on the wing 30 by a pivot bracket BI which is permanently connected to the rectangular frame 31.

The link 36 is pivotally connected to the fourth support member 18 at point 42 and extends generally downwardly along the support member 18 to a pivot point 43 provided by a further pivot bracket B2 permanently secured to the rectangular frame 31.

Referring now also to Figures 2 to 4, the manner in which the frame may be moved from the erected position shown in Figures 1 and 2, to the collapsed position shown in Figure 3, will be described.

It can be seen from Figure 2 that the wing 30 when the frame is in an erected condition, extends generally horizontally below a plane P which contains the pivot points IS and 16. It can be seen from Figure 4 that the pivoted link 35 comprises a generally bifurcated structure, the limbs of the structure indicated at 50 and 51 being connected by a first pivot 52 which passes through the third support member 17 to provide the pivotal connection thereto, and a stop indicated at 53 which when the frame is in a collapsed position as hereinafter described, abuts the third support member 17.

The stop 53 is carried on a pivot which passes through the bracket Bl which is secured to the rectangular frame 31 of the wing 30 to provide the pivotal connection thereto.

The support members 12 and 17 are connected at pivot 15, but a spacer stop 57 is provided between the flattened ends of the support members and when the frame is in the erected position shown in Figure 2, the stop 57 abuts the limb 50 of the bifurcated link 35 to prevent further downward movement of the link 35 relative to the pivot 15.

Thus as shown in Figure 2, the stop 57 is engaged with the limb 50, and a similar stop provided at pivot 16 #is engaged with the corresponding limb of the pivoted link 36.

Of course, this is repeated for support structure 11.

Thus the frame is prevented from collapsing.

In order to collapse the frame, it is necessary to lift the wing 30 at one side, above the plane P to disengage the stop 57 and the limb 56 of the link 35, and thereafter to lift the wing 30 at the other side in order to release the engagement between the pivoted link 36 and the step between the second and fourth support members 12,18.

Thus the support members 12,14,17 and 18 will be permitted to pivot relative to one another so that the pivot points 13 and 20 are moved closer to one another. As this occurs, the links 35 and 36 will be constrained to pivot in the directions shown by the arrows A and B in Figure 2 about pivots 40 and 42 until the frame reaches the condition shown in Figure 3. It should be explained that for clarity, the frame is not shown in a fully collapsed position when the support members 12,14,17 and 18 will lie generally much closer to one another.

It can be seen that the wing 30 now lies above the plane P and that the links 35 and 36 thus extend downwardly from the respective brackets Bl and B2 to the pivot points 40 and 42, in which condition (as seen in Figure 4) the stop 53 of the bracket 35 and the corresponding stop of bracket 36 may engage the respective support member 17 or 18.

The features disclosed in the foreging description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. Aframe comprising a pair of support structures supporting a wing between them, the support structures each having a plurality of support members interconnected so that the support structures are each collapsible from an in-use, upright condition in which the wing extends generally transverse to the support members to a relatively flat folded condition in which the wing extends in generally the same direction as the folded support members characterised in that the wing is connected via pivoted links to at least two support members of each support structure.

2. A frame according to claim I wherein the support structures are connected together for rigidity.

3. A frame according to claim 2 wherein cross braces are provided which are each integral with, or attached to, one of the support members of each supporting structure.

4. A frame according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein at the, in use, lower end of the frame, one or more cross braces are provided which comprise feet on which the frame, in use, rests.

5. A frame according to any one of claims I to 4 wherein at least one of the support members of each support structure is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a second support member also intermediate the ends of the second support member.

6. A frame according to claim 5 wherein the first support member is pivotolly connected at an end, to a third support member at or adjacent an end and the second support member is connected at or adjacent an end thereof to a fourth support member.

7. A frame according to claim 6 wherein the third and fourth support members are pivotally connected together intermediate their ends.

8. A frame according to any one of claims 5 to 7 where appendent to claim 4 wherein the cross braces which give rigidity to the frame and provide feet, are intregrol with the respective first support members of both support structures, and the second support members of both support structures so that the first support members and cross brace, and second support members and cross brace, both comprise a generally U-shaped sub frame.

9. A frame according to claim 6 where appendent to claim 7 wherein cross braces are integral with the ends of the third and fourth support members of each support structure remote from the pivotal connections to the first and second support members, so that the third support members of each support structure, and associated cross brace, comprise a generally inverted U-shaped sub frame, and the fourth support members of each support structure and associated cross brace comprise a further generally inverted U-shaped sub frame.

10. A frame according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pivoted links which connect the wing to the support structure are all of generally equal length.

II. A frame according to claim 10 where appendent to claim 6 wherein the links are pivoted at or adjacent one end to the third and fourth support members of each support structure, the links when the frame is in the upright erect condition, extending downwardly to the wing and being retained by stops of the support structures.

12. A frame according to claim II wherein the stops are provided at the pivotal connections between the first and third and second and fourth support members of each support structure, by spacers at the pivot joints.

13. A frame according to claim II or claim 12 wherein the links are connected at or adjacent their opposite ends to the wing which in use, extends generally horizontally below a plane containing the pivotal connections of the first and third and second and fourth support members of the support structure.

14. A frame according to claim 13 wherein when collapsed the wing is in a position in or above the plane defined by the pivotal connections of the support members.

15. A frame substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

16. Any novel feature of novel combination of features herein defined and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.