GB2323525A - Laundry rack - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding or rigid laundry rack assembly is disclosed which can be hooked over and supported from a door. The rack can also be turned upside-down or the arms 2,3 pivoted below the rack 1 to allow the rack to be supported above a radiator or a balcony rail.

Description

DESCRIPTICN IMPROVE LAUMIY RACR.

Technical Afield This invention relates to the drying, ironing and airing of laundry.

Backaround Art Existing laundry racks typically are free standing on the floor or pull out attached to the walls or ceiling or hooked over radiator or bath or when outside rotary fixed into the ground or line posts.

Disclosure of Invention According to the present invention the laundry rack provided is such that it can be used hooked over a radiator or over a door or balcony rail or, intro brackets attached to the wall and when not in use can be folded up into a flat pack.

The assembly consists of rack 1, support arms 2 and 3, and rack extension 4 ( if required ) as shown in Fig 3.

The assembly is shown folded flat in Fig 1.

The support arms 2 and 3 which are captive and pivot about the side members of rack 1, are opened out through 90 degrees as shown in Fig 2.

The assembly is shown in-situ hooked over the top of a door in Fig 3, this being a typical example, with rack extension opened out.

The assembly is shown in Fig 4 with support arms 2 and 3 opened out through 270 degrees where the arms are prevented fran revolving further by suitable means.

The assembly is shown hooked over the top of a radiator in Fig 5 with the rack above at such a height above the floor so has to give sufficient distance to hang shirts etc. fran coat hangers.

Fig 6 shows example of means whereby the support arms are prevented fram revolving further than the required 270 degrees (approx) movement required to support the rack assembly as shown in Figs 4 and 5 and also to give lateral support to the assembly this being achieved by means of stops which are part of the arm assemblies as shown in Example 1, whereby the stops come in contact with the underside of the cross members of rack 1, thus preventing further rotary movement.

Example 2 shows means whereby the end lengths of the support arms have a scrolled profile around the pivots as shown thus enabling the rod ends to act as stops against the rod ends of the cross members of rack 1 when rotated through 270 degrees. Extension 4 pivots about the second cross member of rack 1, when opened out and rests on top of the outside frame member of rack 1.

The structure is constructed of plastic coated, stainless or plated metal wire or plastic and is not restricted to a round section. Double sided hooks are provided to facilitate the required dual action.

Fig 7 General Arrangement of Assembly.

Fig 8 shows details of front end attachment of support arm 2, to rack 1, which is positioned above the rack in a suspend position the drawing of this attachment representing a part helical coil around the side member of rack 1, with profiled end and is viewed from the front of the rack together with a view fran the side of rack.

Fig 9 shows details of front end attachment of support arm 2, to rack 1, which is positioned under the rack in a support position where the support arm is shaped in such a fashion so as to engage the underside of cross member of rack 1, thus preventing further rotary movement of support arm when,it is in the required vertical position.

Fig 10 shows details of assembly of front end attachment of support arm 2, to rack 1, where the end attachment of support arm 2, which is held in a vertical position and orientated beneath rack 2, as shown, is lifted upwards until it is in contact with the underside of rack 1, and then rotated as shown into its operating position about the side arm of rack 1.

Fig 11, 12 and 13, shows details of assembly of rear end attachment of support arm 2, to rack 1, this operation to be carried out AFTER the front end has been attached in order to make the assembly possible.

Fig 11 shows support arm 2, positioned in a near horizontal position where it is then sprung over the rear of rack 1 when the helical scroll at the end of the support arm is moved downwards then threaded from below and about the rear member of rack 1 this being done with an upwards and rotating screw like movement.

Fig 12 shows support arm 2, positioned at the rear left hand corner of rack 1 where the support arm is rotated along its helical scroll about the corner radius when the arm springs back along the axis of and is held captive by the side arm of rack 1.

Fig 13 shows end view of support arm 2.

Fig 14 shows support arm in its working position where it is held captive, can slide along and is free to rotate about side arm of rack 1.

Support arm 3, is similar but opposite hand.

Fig 15 shows double sided hook assembly one side profiled to go over radiators of different widths and the other over doors.

Fig 16 shows example of cam type adjustment which Tray be required on bottom arms to accommodate different widths of radiators.

Fig 17 shows a rack assembly where the support arms are sprung and held captive between two side arms 4, located at each side of the rack assembly 5, with the support arms shown in three positions these being: Position 1. Assembly folded.

,, 2. ,, supported from above.

,, 3. ,, supported from below.

Fig 18, shows the details of support arm in these three positions together with the ends of the arms 1A, 2A and 3A, respectively, relative to side arm 4, and rack assembly 5, where the support arm is prevented from rotating further at position 3, when the end of the arm 3A, comes into contact with the underside of the side member of rack assembly 5.

Fig 19, shows a configuration where the support arm 2, is shaped in such a manner that when the assembly is supported fran below the support arm is prevented fran revolving further when it comes into contact with the underside of the cross member of rack 5.

Fig 20, shows a configuration with the side members of the rack formed so as to provide a hinge pin at each end with the ends of the side arms formed so as to make a hinge when sprung into position onto the pins.

Fig 21, shows a configuration with the hinge pins located to suit on the top of side members of the rack with support arms profiled to suit.

Fig 22, shows typical section of pivot arm assemblies with pivot arm in:- 1,stored position. 2, suspend position. 3, support position.

When the support arms are not required to retract when folded for storage purposes then the pivot arm lengths will be shorter.

There are other configurations which will fulfil the requirements of this invention when supported from a radiator when lateral support on the 'X' axis (see Fig 7) is provided by the resistance of one of the support arms due to it being prevented from rotating in a clockwise direction and fran the other support arm which is prevented fram rotating in an anti-clockwise direction with the vertical sides of flutes on the radiator preventing lateral movement.

Transverse support on the 'Y' & 'Z' axis is by pivotal reactive forces against the insides of the front, top and rear of support hook assembly against top and sides of radiator. The contours, configurations, sections and dimensions together with the materials of construction are empirical within the boundaries of this invention.

Fig 23 shows the side support arms profiled in such a manner that they provide the least obstruction at each side of the assembly to laundry hung by coat hangers or other means from the rack, whilst the horizontal members of the support arms can also be used to support laundry. In this example the side members of the rack are profiled as shown with the ends of the cross members welded to each of the side members and thus forming a rack.

With top pivot arms of sufficient length the side arms will be able to slide along these pivot arms so that when the rack is folded flat the support arm assemblies are contained within the racks boundary.

Fig 24 shows a non-folding rack with a single and also a double sided support hooks.

The sizes of sections, number and orientation of bars, reinforcement, welding, bending configeration and overall dimensions are empirical and will be to suit laundry support and structural requirements and also production methods used wether it be wire bending, plastic injection moulds or a combination of both. Wall support brackets may also be used.

Claims (8)

1. An improved laundry rack assembly which is able to be supported from the top but located above a radiator or balcony rail or fram the top of a door or fran brackets or other suitable shaped structure by means of double sided hook type attachments to side members which form part of a folding or rigid rack made fran wire or plastic or any combination in such a manner that the laundry is located above and in front of the radiator whilst lateral support is given to the structure to prevent it folding over to one or other side on a plane parallel to the front of the radiator or rail.

2. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1, where the double hook profile is such that it is able to slide over and be located around the top profiled surface of a radiator and provide vertical and perpendicular support fran the top of the radiator.

3. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1 and 2, where the lateral support is given by means of each arm being prevented from rotating more than 90 degrees approx. to the vertical by means of suitable obstructions to this movement afforded by the side members of the rack.

4. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1 where helical scroll attachments are used in an original manner to quickly attach and make captive the side arm assemblies to the side members of the rack.

5. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1 where the side members of the rack are used as pivot arms.

6. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1, where the double hook profile is such that it is able to slide over and be located around the top profiled surface of a door and provide vertical and perpendicular support fran the top and vertical face of the door lateral restraint not being required.

7. An improved laundry rack assembly as stated in Claim 1 where the structure is rigid.

8. An improved laundry rack assembly substantially described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 24 of the accompanying drawings.