GB2233032A - Line securing fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

The fitting 10 for securing a line specifically of a rotary clothes dryer comprises a body member 11 having a recess 12 therein and at least two apertures 15 that each extend into the recess, and a plug 13 that is releasably locatable within the recess, wherein the line 16 is held within the recess 12 by the plug 13 and extends into and out of the recess through the apertures 15. As shown, plug 13 has triangular ridges 17 interengageable with corresponding ridges in recess 12, and a chamfered lower portion (19, Figure 3). A spigot 18 is used to locate fitting in a tubular arm. The fitting 10 can be used as a start point for line 16 (Figure 1) or for holding an intermediate portion (Figure 2). A procedure for securing a line 16 to a plurality of fittings 10 on a rotary dryer is described. <IMAGE>

Description

S E L. O 9. K F I T T I N s This invention relates to a line lock fitting which is used for securing a line that passes therethrough to the fitting.

Preferably the line lock fitting is used in the ends of the arms of a rotary clothes hoist or dryer, and is used to secure the clothes line extending between the ends of each arm.

However, it will be realised that the invention need not be limited to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Rotary clothes lines or dryers are well known, and in particular those clothes lines having a plurality of radial arms with a clothes line suspended around the arms are also well known. An example of such a rotary clothes line is shown in Fig. 1 of our Australian Patent No 574117.

As is explained in that patent specification, when a rotary clothes line or dryer is loaded on one line, the arms will tend to spread, unless some form of locking of the clothes line in relation to the arm is employed.

The abovementioned Australian patent shows an attachment referred to as a line lock which is installed on the end of each arm of the rotary clothes hoist, within which the clothes line is tied and knotted, thereby preventing movement of the arm relative to the clothes line. This prevents the arms from spreading when a large weight of clothes are hung on a span of line between two arms, and it in turn prevents the clothes from being lowered closer to the ground. In addition, it avoids unnecessary load being applied to the connection members that secure the arm to the upright post.

However, it has been found that the task of tying the line to the fitting is time consuming and a need exists to provide line locking with reduced assembly time.

Therefore, it is an object of this present invention to provide an improved line lock fitting for securing line in relation to the fitting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its broadest form, a line lock comprises a body member having a recess located therein, at least two openings in the body that each extend into the recess, and a plug that is releasably located within the recess, wherein line to be secured in relation to the fitting is held within the recess by the plug and extends into and out of the recess through the openings.

In order to hold the line securely, a surface of both the plug and the recess may have a plurality of parallel ridges, where both surfaces are interengageable when the plug is located in the recess. The line is positioned between the surfaces, and the clearance between the surfaces may be designed to wedge the line.

Preferably, the body member is provided with openings which allow the line to extend into and out of opposite sides of the body.

The fitting preferably is provided with a spigot, and in one use may be fitted into the ends of the tubular arms of a clothes hoist. Additional apertures may be provided on the side of the body member from which the spigot projects such that the line may extend out of the fitting and along the arm.

Further, the fitting may be provided with additional recesses and apertures which facilitate the hanging of garments therefrom.

In a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of using a line lock fitting on a clothes hoist which has a plurality of arms with line lock fittings at the end of each arm comprising securing an end of a length of line to a first line lock fitting in the end of a first arm, and in turn, Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a line lock fitting with the plug part way positioned within the recess in the body member.

In addition, Fig. 1 shows a fitting having an end of a line extending into and being held on one side of the fitting, and the return portion of the line extending into and being held on the other side of the fitting; Fig. 2 shows a line lock fitting with the line extending through the fitting from one side to the other; and Fig. 3 shows a part cross-sectional view of line lock fitting.

As shown in Fig. 1, the line lock fitting 10 comprises a body member 11, with a recess 12 therein, and a plug 13.

The body is provided with apertures 15 which allow the line to extend into and out of the recess 12.

The plug 13 has a surface comprising a plurality of parallel ridges 17, and the recess 12 has a corresponding set of ridges which interengage with the ridges 17 on the plug 13. The ridges 17 are triangular in cross-section. Sufficient clearance is provided between the interengaging ridged surfaces, such that a line 16 can be compressed or wedged therebetween.

In order to facilitate positioning of the plug 13 within the recess 12 when line 16 is placed within the recess, the plug 13 is provided with a chamfered lower portion 19 which allows the plug 13 to be readily positioned within the recess 12 and engage the line 16. As the plug 13 is pushed into the recess 12, the plug 13 progressively urges the line 16 to a position shown in Fig. 3 and thereby wedges the line 16 between the ridged surfaces of the recess 12 and plug 13.

As a result of the plurality of parallel ridges 17, the line 16 is also crimped which further aids in securely holding the line 16 within the fitting 10.

securing the line to each adjacent line lock fitting such that the line is secured transversely with respect to each arm, upon return of the line to said first line lock fitting, it is secured to this fitting such that the line extends through one of said further openings along said first arm to a point where it is secured to said arm, whereupon the line is in turn secured to each adjacent arm, but is secured to each of the arms in a direction opposite to that used in securing the line to said fittings, whereupon when the line returns to said first arm it is secured to this arm such that the line extends along said arm, away from the first fitting, to another point where it is secured and the line is in turn secured to each adjacent arm, but is secured to each of the arms in a direction that is opposite to that previously used, and such procedure of securing the line to the arms is repeated until the line is secured to the clothes hoist in a spaced manner along each of the arms.

Preferably, there are provided means along the arm to hold the line captive in relation to the desired position on the arm.

An example of such a means may comprise a cleat having a tortuous slot into which the line is fed, and whereupon when the line is positioned within the cleat, it is not readily moved or dislodged through normal usage. in such an example, the line is not necessarily secured in respect of the cleat.

Accordingly, it is an aspect of this method of using the invention that the line, which is arranged along each of the arms in concentric circuits which are evenly spaced along the arms, in alternate directions so as to prevent the load on each of the lines from causing sagging of the lines. By alternating the direction in which the line is fitted to the arms, this effectively secures the line in respect of the cleats and arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder in some detail with reference to, and as illustrated, in the accompanying drawings which show a clothes line arm terminal fitting.

In order to locate the fitting 10 within the tubular arm of a rotary hoist, the fitting 10 is provided with a spigot 18. The spigot 18 is sized so as to provide an interference fit within the end of the tube.

In use, the fitting 10 can be used either as a start point for securing a line 16 to the body member 11, or as a means for holding an intermediate portion of the line 16 and locking it in relation to the body member 11.

In a method of using the line lock fitting 10 on a clothes hoist, an end 20 of the line 16 is initially secured in place within the fitting 10, whereupon the line 16 extends to the next arm and associated fitting 10. At the next arm, the line 16 is placed within the fitting 10 as shown in Fig. 2. That is, the line is positioned within the apertures 15 on the sides of the body 11, and then the plug 13 is inserted within the recess 12 to thereby lock the line 16 in relation to the fitting 10.

This procedure is repeated in turn at each of the fittings 10 until the line returns to the first mentioned fitting 10. The plug 13 of the first fitting 10 is then removed,, and the return portion of the line 21 is then installed within the opposite aperture 15 to which the end 20 was inserted, and plug 13 is inserted into the recess 12 so as to secure both portions of the line 16 in relation to the body 11.

It will be obvious to a skilled person that the tension of the line between adjacent fittings 10 can be adjusted so as to provide even spacing of the clothes hoist arms, and provides sufficient tension that the lines will not sag significantly under normal loading.

The return portion 21 extends along the arm to a position where it is secured in a cleat. This point is spaced a distance from the fitting 10, and a similar cleat is provided at the same positioning on each of the arms. The line 16 is then fed in turn to each arm and is held in position by each of the cleats.

The direction of the line is fed opposite to the direction upon which it was installed within the fittings 10. Upon return of the line to the first cleat, the line is then installed within that cleat, and again the line is attached to a cleat which is spaced a further distance from the first cleat, and the line is then in turn attached to the cleats in each of the arms. The direction in which the line is fed is opposite to that of the previous circuit around the clothes hoist arms.

By providing a plurality of cleats along each of the arms at equidistant spacing, the line can be positioned on the arms of the rotary hoist in a plurality of circuits so as to provide the required length of line for hanging of clothes. By continuously alternating the direction in which the line is fed onto the arms, there is less of a tendency for the line to move in relation to the cleats under the load of attached clothes.

From a brief consideration of the above description, it will be clear that the invention provides a simple and effective means of installing line to a clothes hoist, in addition to being inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

Claims (11)

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A line lock fitting for securing a line in relation to the fitting comprising; a body member having a recess located therein, at least two openings in the body that each extend into the recess, and a plug that is releasably located within the recess, wherein line to be secured in relation to the fitting is held within the recess by the plug and extends into and out of the recess through the openings.

2. A line lock fitting in accordance with claim 1, wherein two of said openings are on opposite sides of the body member.

3. A line lock fitting in accordance with either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said plug further comprises a surface having a plurality of parallel ridges, and said recess further comprises a surface having a plurality of ridges, both said ridged surfaces being interengageable when the plug is located in the recess, such that the line is held between said ridged surfaces.

4. A line lock in accordance with claim 3, wherein sufficient clearance is provided between said ridged surfaces such that the line is wedged between said surfaces.

5. A line lock in accordance with either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said ridges have a triangular cross-section.

6. A line lock in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the body member further has a spigot for securing the fitting to the end of a tube.

7. A line lock in accordance with claim 6, wherein two of said openings are on opposite sides of the body member and that the axis of the spigot is transverse to a line between said two openings.

8. A line lock in accordance with claim 7, wherein a further two openings are provided on the same side of the body from which the spigot projects.

9. A line lock in accordance with any preceding claim used to lock a clothes line in relation to the arm of a clothes hoist.

10. A method of using a line lock, according to claim 8, on a clothes hoist which has a plurality of arms with line lock fittings at the end of each arm comprising, securing an end of a length of line to a first line lock fitting in the end of a first arm, and in turn, securing the line to each adjacent line lock fitting such that the line is secured transversely with respect to each arm, upon return of the line to said first line lock fitting, it is secured to this fitting such that the line extends through one of said further openings along said first arm to a point where it is secured to said arm, whereupon the line is in turn secured to each adjacent arm, but is secured to each of the arms in a direction opposite to that used in securing the line to said fittings, whereupon when the line returns to said first arm it is secured to this arm such that the line extends along said arm, away from the first fitting, to another point where it is secured and the line is in turn secured to each adjacent arm, but is secured to each of the arms in a direction that is opposite to that previously used, and such procedure of securing the line to the arms is repeated until the line is secured to the clothes hoist in a spaced manner along each of the arms.

11. A line lock fitting substantially as described hereinbefore and in accordance with and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.