GB2369045A

GB2369045A - Rain resistant canopy assembly for a rotary line dryer

Info

Publication number: GB2369045A
Application number: GB0027964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wayne J Day
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-16
Filing date: 2000-11-16
Publication date: 2002-05-22
Also published as: GB0027964D0

Abstract

A rain resistant canopy assembly for a rotary washing line dryer, comprising; a rain-resistant, flexible canopy sheet,6, having apertures or connectors at its centre,(Fig 2, 15), and at multiple fixture points remote from its centre,(Fig 2, 16); and multiple arm fixtures,(12 and 20), arranged to connect, in use, permanently with the canopy sheet either through the respective apertures or with the said connectors at the multiple fixture points, and a prop,8, that fits into the existing post, and supports the centre of the canopy such that the canopy is able to cover the dryer in use only when required.

Description

Rain Resistant Cover for Washing Line Dryer

This invention relates to outdoor rotary type washing line dryers which have multiple splayed arms for supporting washing lines.

Putting washing out to dry in rainy weather is problematic; a rain shower would mean that the washing needs to be dried again, so it is common practice to remove partly-dried washing from the line if rain is predicted, only to have to put out the washing on the line yet again when the weather is more reliably dry. Washing lines are often positioned outdoors where there is no protection from the rain.

The invention provides a rain resistant canopy assembly for an outdoor type rotary washing line dryer, having multiple splayed arms disposed equi-angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, comprising; a rain-resistant, flexible canopy sheet having apertures or connectors at its centre and at multiple fixture points remote from its centre; and multiple arm fixtures arranged to connect, in use, permanently with the outer ends of the respective splayed arms and to engage releasably the canopy sheet either through the respective apertures or with the said connectors at the multiple fixture points, and a prop for supporting the centre of the canopy sheet above the vertical post by engaging with the top of the vertical post and through the central aperture or with the central connector of the canopy sheet such that the canopy is able to cover the dryer in use only when required.

Preferred features are the invention are described in the Claims which follow this description.

The invention also provides an outdoor rotary type washing line dryer as described above having multiple splayed arms disposed equi-angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, and a canopy assembly as defined above assembled over it with the prop connected to the common vertical post, the arm fixtures connected to the ends of the arms, and the canopy sheet engaging with the arms at the fixture point and with the prop at the centre of the canopy sheet.

Further, the invention provides a method of assembling a rain-resistant canopy as described above on an outdoor rotary type washing line dryer having multiple splayed arms disposed equi-angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, comprising: adapting the outer ends of the arms and the top end of the vertical post for connection to the prop and the arm fixtures; connecting the arm fixtures permanently to the respective outer ends of the arms and connecting the prop permanently to the top end of the vertical post; and fitting the canopy sheet over the assembly by engaging the apertures or connectors with the arm fixtures and the prop.

In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is side elevation of part of a rotary type washing line dryer with a canopy, in accordance with the invention, but with the canopy broken away so as to reveal the dryer components; Figure 2 is a plan view of a canopy sheet used in the example of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of means for fixing the canopy releasably to the arms of the dryer ; Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a connector for a vertical extension post used in the example of figure 1.

A conventional outdoor rotary type washing line dryer is shown in Figure 1, but modified in accordance with the invention. The conventional part of the dryer 1 consists of a vertical post 2 which, when purchased, has an end cap at its upper end to close off a cylindrical or square section tube. In this example there are four equi-angularly arranged, splayed arms 4 connected to a cylindrical-shaped sliding bracket 3 by hinges, with the bracket 3 able to slide up and down the post to 4 raising or collapsing the arms. The arms, when erect, are held at an angle of about 300 to the horizontal, and they support a matrix of washing lines 26 in a web-like structure on which to hang washing to dry. Only portions of a few of these lines 26 are shown in Figure 1. The arms 4 are held in their erect positions by four respective struts 5 connected by hinges to the top 7 of the central post and also hinged to the arms 4 about half way along their length. The arms are also closed off with end caps (not shown) at their respective ends 10.

The end caps for the conventional dryer are removed when the canopy assembly embodying in the present invention is fitted. In their place, there are four respective arm fixtures 20 shown in greater detail in Figure 3, and an extension post 8 connected by way of a fixture 22 to the existing vertical post 2 as shown in greater detail in Figure 4.

A canopy sheet 6 is releasably assembled as a day cover, when wet weather is predicted. This canopy 6 is shown in more detail in Figure 2. It consists of a square sheet of polythene, 1mm to 2mm thick and approximately 2 mm square. It has a central aperture 15 and four apertures 16 on the diagonals equally spaced from the centre, each aperture protected around its edge by a rubber eyelet 19 shown in greater detail in Figure 3. These five eyelets at apertures 15 and 16 are the fixture points for securing the canopy releasably onto the adapted frame of the dryer. The canopy sheet is cut along the diagonals from its corners to the eyelets at the apertures 16, as shown at 18. This divides the canopy sheet into a central portion 14 which, in use, forms a pyramid-shaped canopy, and four edge skirt portions 13 which drop vertically to protect the sides of the hanging washing in use. Thus the sheet bends about the lines 17 shown in Figure 2, through an approximate right angle when it is assembled in use.

Each of the four arm fixtures 20 is shown in Figure 3, and comprises a partspherical knob 12 formed as an integral plastics moulding with an open cylindrical stub 21 which fits into the open end of the tubular arm 4 in the same way that a plastics ridged cork fits into a glass bottle. The arm fixture 20 is forced into the end of the arm 4 and is held in by friction sufficiently securely that it is retained effectively permanently. It also prevents the ingress of moisture, thus replacing the end cap with which the dryer was originally supplied.

The knob 12 has a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the eyelet 19 so as to be insertable releasably through the eyelet 19 by resiliently deforming its structure. This connects the canopy releasably and securely to the end of the arm.

As shown in Figure 4, a double-ended open tubular connector 22, with a central disc 25, forms an effective permanent inter-connector for the open tubular ends of the extension post 8 and the vertical post 2. The ends 23 and 24 are a push fit, as is the case with the cylindrical portion 21 of the arm fixture 20.

The dimensions and shapes of these various components for adapting the conventional dryer and of the canopy are of course selected to suit the products currently on the market, and can be, in principle, any shape, size and material. In this example, there are four arms and the canopy is square, but some dryers have three arms which would probably involve a triangular canopy in which the apertures 16 are on the lines between the centre and the apices of the triangle. However, the canopy, whilst it is preferably polygonal, could be of any shape adequate to protect the clothing to be dried. Whilst edge skirts 13 are preferred, these are not essential, and the apertures 16 could be formed at the edge or close to the edge.

Other means for supporting the centre of the canopy above the washing lines are of course possible, but the post 8 is preferred.

In the example shown in the drawings, the tubular extension post 8 is approximately 300mm high and 18 mm in diameter. The inter-connector 22 of Figure 4 is a plastics socket, formed as a unitary moulding, for receiving not only the vertical posts 2,8 but also for supporting the lines 5 which hold up the arms 4.

The arm fixtures 20 are plastics end caps, which may be of tubular or rectangular construction to suit the appropriate dryer. In the example of Figure 2, the fold lines 17 between the eyelets are approximately 1,450mm apart, so that the edge portions 13 are about 275mm wide.

The canopy sheets are preferably printed, during manufacture, with advertising or promotional material, for example for advertising washing powder. The sheet material may of course be different from polythene, and could be vinyl (PVC) or textiles. It should be at least rain resistant, and could be waterproof.

The open structure of the canopy still allows the washing to dry in the open air, as there is sufficient air movement beneath it.

The canopy sheet and fixing components and the extension post would probably be all sold as a kit, for adapting a conventional dryer. The user would fit the extension post 8 either by removing the existing plastic cap or by drilling a hole in it. Similarly, end caps, if any, on the arms would be removed, or holes drilled in them, and the arm fixtures 20 pushed in. Once the framework has thus been assembled, the sheet 6 can be fitted by pulling the rubber eyelets over one arm, and then an adjacent arm, the centre pole and then the other arms, forming an umbrella. To hang washing on the dryer if the day cover sheet 6 is already in place, the sheet 6 can be lifted off one or two of the arms, and then replaced after hanging the washing so the exercise can then be repeated on the opposite side to hang washing on that side.

Instead of having apertures, the canopy sheet could have connectors such as flexible loops secured, by plastics welding or stitching for example, at the same fixture points, for fixing in use to the ends of the arms and/or the prop.

The canopy sheet need not be square-it could be triangular, or another polygonal shape, or even circular or irregular. If it is triangular, the fixture points would conveniently be located between the centre and the respect apices, preferably equally spaced from the centre.

Claims

1. A rain resistant canopy assembly for an outdoor type rotary washing line dryer, having multiple splayed arms disposed equally angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, comprising; a rain-resistant, flexible canopy sheet having apertures or connectors at its centre and at multiple fixture points remote from its centre; and multiple arm fixtures arranged to connect, in use, permanently with the outer ends of the respective splayed arms and to engage releasably the canopy sheet either through the respective apertures or with the said connectors at the multiple fixture points, and a prop for supporting the centre of the canopy sheet above the vertical post by engaging with the top of the post of the vertical post and through the central aperture or with the central connector of the canopy sheet such that the canopy is able to cover the dryer in use only when required.

2. A canopy assembly according to Claim 1, in which the canopy sheet has the said apertures.

3. A canopy assembly according to Claim 2, in which the edges of the apertures in the canopy sheet are supported by eyelet rings through which the arm fixtures and the prop may project to form the connection releasably.

4. A canopy assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the prop is a post with a fixture at one end for engaging with the vertical post in use, and a fixture at the other end for releasably engaging the central portion of the canopy by projecting through the central aperture or by engaging with the central connector as the case may be.

5. A canopy assembly according to Claim 3, in which the arm fixtures have knobs for releasable engagement through the eyelets by resiliently deforming the eyelets during insertion and removal.

6. A canopy assembly according to any preceding Claim, in which the multiple fixture points are also spaced from the outer edge of the canopy sheet so that an edge skirting forms a vertical drop, in use, below the outer ends of the splayed arms at the side of the dryer to protect drying washing.

7. A canopy assembly according to any preceding Claim, in which the canopy sheet is polygonal.

8. A canopy assembly according to Claim 7, in which the canopy sheet is square, with four fixture points located on the diagonals at equal distances from the four corners, thereby forming, in use, a pyramid canopy with four dependent vertical skirts.

9. A canopy assembly according to Claim 7 in which the canopy sheet is triangular, with three fixture points located between the centre and respective apices equally-spaced from the centre.

10. An outdoor rotary type washing line dryer having multiple splayed arms disposed equi-angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, and a canopy assembly according to any preceding claim assembled over it with the prop connected to the common vertical post, the arm fixtures connected to the ends of the arms, and the canopy sheet engaging with the arms at the fixture point and with the prop the centre of the canopy sheet.

11. A method of assembling a rain-resistant canopy assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 9 on an outdoor rotary type washing line dryer having multiple splayed arms disposed equi-angularly about and supported centrally from a common vertical post, comprising: adapting the outer ends of the arms and the top end of the vertical post for connection to the prop and the arm fixtures; connecting the arm fixtures permanently to the respective outer ends of the arms and connecting the prop permanently to the top end of the vertical post; and fitting the canopy sheet over the assembly by engaging the apertures or connectors with the arm fixtures and the prop.

12. A canopy assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 9, or a dryer according to Claim 10, in which the canopy sheet is of plastics material.

13. A canopy assembly or a dryer according to Claim 12, in which the plastics material is 1 mm to 3 mm gauge polythene.

14. A canopy assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 9,12 and 13, or a dryer according to Claim 10,12 or 13, in which the arm fixtures are plastics mouldings.

15. A canopy substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A washing line dryer assembly including a canopy, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of assembling a canopy over a washing line dryer, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.