GB2443385A - Enclosed outdoor clothes drying frame - Google Patents

Abstract

An enclosed outdoor drying apparatus 100 for clothes comprises: a drying frame 111 having vertical members 105; horizontal members 113 detachably mounted to the vertical members, e.g. by rods 115; elongate members 116 extending between the horizontal members which can be loaded with wet items of clothing; and a water resistant envelope 121 which covers the frame to allow safe, secure drying of the wet items regardless of weather conditions. In a further embodiment a number of covered frames may be mounted on a common base [as shown in Figure 5].

Description

IMPROV}NTS IN AND RELATING TO DRYING APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to outdoor clothes dryers and particularly those clothes dryers that incorporate a waterproof membrane for protecting the clothes from becoming wet due to precipitation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that conventional, single or multiple span clotheslines offer very little in the way of protection against rain showers, prying eyes or high winds dislodging items of clothing from the lines and that they monopolise a large area of ones garden as they are normally located spanning the garden to take maximum advantage of airflow around the garden.

In an attempt to overcome or mitigate these problems rotary type dryers have been developed. A number of these rotary type dryers include covers in a bid to protect the clothes to be dried however, these dryers encounter problems when the wind increases in strength in that they tend to spin and are liable to become unstable under heavy loading. The stresses caused by this spinning and instability lead, in a number of cases, to critical failure of the dryer with the undesirable chance of injury to anyone standing nearby. A further problem encountered by the covered types of dryer is that in situations where there are high winds, precipitation in the form of rain, sleet or snow may fall at an acute angle to the ground and therefore gain access to the clothes at the periphery of the dryer thus preventing them from drying or indeed wetting them again after they had dried.

It is an aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for housing a plurality of clothing items in a protected environment, the apparatus comprising: at least one rigid frame; a plurality of longitudinal members having ends and located substantially horizontally between upright members of the rigid frame; a plurality of elongate members spanning a substantially horizontal distance between adjacent longitudinal members; a water resistant envelope extending from an upper end of the rigid frame to substantially enclose the rigid frame; wherein a plurality of apparatus are releasably coupled together and mounted on a platform.

Preferably, the envelope has a plurality of apertures capable of allowing air to flow therethrough.

Preferably, the longitudinal members are releasably fixed at their ends to the upright members.

Preferably, the longitudinal members are hingedly attached at their ends to the upright members.

Conveniently, the water resistant envelope includes a door.

Optionally, means are provided for securely fixing the apparatus to a rigid structure.

Preferably, the rigid frame has an angled member extending from an uppermost upright member.

Preferably, the water resistant envelope includes an angled pocket accommodating the angled member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising: a plurality of rigid frames releasibly coupled together, mounted on a platform; a plurality of longitudinal members having ends and located substantially horizontally between upright members of the rigid frame; a plurality of elongate members spanning a substantially horizontal distance between adjacent longitudinal members; a water resistant envelope extending from an upper end of the rigid frame to substantially enclose the rigid frame.

Preferably, the platform will be capable of rotation in the horizontal plane; Preferably the platform will include one or more grooves to accommodate a lower end of an upright member; Optionally, the lower end of the upright members will include a wheel or castor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the water resistant envelope removed to aid clarity; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in figure 1 wherein one of the longitudinal members have been released and hingedly rotated; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in figure 1 wherein the water resistant envelope is substantially enclosing the apparatus; Figures 4 and 5 show perspective views of apparatus according to further embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to figure 1, there is shown a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention, generally designated 100. It is to be understood that a water resistant envelope would, in normal operation of the apparatus cover the apparatus however, for the purpose of clarity this has not been shown.

The apparatus 100 forms a rigid self-supporting frame 111 having a front face 101, a back face 102 and two side faces 103,104. The frame 111 consists of substantially vertical members 105 in the form of a cylindrical hollow tube having an upper end 106, a lower end 107 and a plurality of orifices 108 evenly distributed along a length of the tube and extending therethrough. Fixedly attached to the upper end 106 and the lower end 107 are, via conventional connection fittings 110 are connecting tubes 109 of similar cross-section to that of the substantially vertical members 105. These connecting tubes 109 in communication with the substantially vertical members 105 define the frame 111.

As can be seen from figure 1, a strengthening tube 112, similar in cross-section to the connecting tubes 109 has been introduced to strengthen the frame 111 in situations where more than one group of substantially vertical members 105 are fixed in an end-to-end relationship as shown in the figures, in order to provide increased drying capacity.

It is to be understood that cross bracing, for example could also be utilised to strengthen the frame 111.

The frame 111 further consists of a longitudinal member 113 in the form of a rigid hollow tube 114 in communication with a cylindrical bar 115. The longitudinal member 113 spans a distance between adjacent substantially vertical members 105 at the front face 101 and back face 102 such that the longitudinal member 113 lies in a substantially horizontal plane. In this example the rigid hollow tube 114 is mounted over the cylindrical bar 115 in a sleeving fashion. The cylindrical bar 115 protrudes out of the ends of the rigid hollow tube 114 and passed through the orifices 108 in the substantially vertical members 105 that form, in conjunction with the connecting tubes 109, the front face 101 and the back face 102 of the frame ill. The ends of the cylindrical bar 115 are provided with a screw thread to allow a nut 117 to be wound on thereby securing the longitudinal member 113 in position. The orifices 108 are suitably sized to allow free movement of the cylindrical bar 115 but prevents the nut 117 from passing therethrough.

Attached to the longitudinal member 113 are a plurality of elongate members 116 upon which cleaned clothing items are to be placed in order for them to dry. The elongate members 116 span a distance between adjacent substantially horizontal longitudinal members 113 at each side face 103, 104.

The means of attaching the elongate members 116 to the longitudinal member 113 and means of fixing the longitudinal member 113 to the substantially vertical members 105 are not to be limited to the example described herein but may vary within the scope of the invention. A further example of which consists of the elongate members 116 being fed through apertures in the longitudinal member 113 and knotted to secure the elongate members 116 in position. The longitudinal member 113 being fixedly and releasably located at its ends to the substantially vertical members 105 by a quick release spring loaded pin arrangement as is well known.

A further feature of the frame ill is that lengths of substantially vertical members 105 extend upwardly from the juncture of the connecting tubes 109 and the upper end 106 of the uppermost substantially vertical member 105 at the back 102 of the frame lii and are fixed to a first end 118 of an angled tube 120, the second end 119 of which is fixed at the juncture of the connecting tubes 109 and the upper end 106 of the uppermost substantially vertical member 105 at the front 101 of the frame 111.

Referring now to the perspective view shown in figure 2 which is largely similar to that shown in figure 1 with corresponding features and reference numerals. As can be seen, one of the longitudinal members 113 on the side 103 has been released from its location between the substantially vertical members 105 by unwinding of the nuts 117 from the ends of the cylindrical bar 115 and removing the cylindrical bar 115 from within the rigid hollow tube 114.

Upon removal of the cylindrical bar 115, the released longitudinal member 113 and the associated plurality of elongate members 116 are pivotally rotated about a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical bar 115 between the substantially vertical members 105 on the side 104, from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, thus allowing for longer items of clothing to be hung without obstruction.

Figure 3 shows the apparatus 100 in use with a water resistant envelope 121 partially covering the back 102, sides 103/104 and completely covering the angled tube 120 of the frame 111. A door 122 is provided on the front face of the water resistant envelope 121 corresponding with the front 101 of the frame 111. The door 122 is shown in an open aspect displaying garments which have been hung in the elongate members 116 for drying. Whilst the door 122 is shown opening from the bottom to the top it is to be understood that the door 122 may be opened in any direction or removed completely as may be desired. The envelope also includes an angled pocket to accommodate the angled tube 120.

The water resistant envelope 121 further includes on its faces that correspond with the front 101, back 102 and sides 103/104 a plurality of ventilation means 123 that allow the free flow of air from outside the water resistant envelope 121 to inside the envelope 121 and around the clothing items to be dried whilst preventing the ingress of contaminants such as rain water.

In use, an operative opens the door 122 of the water resistant envelope 121, thereafter items to be dried are placed onto the elongate members 116. If one or more item that are to be dried are of greater length than the remainder of the items then, these longer items can either be placed on the uppermost of the elongate members 116 and allowed to hang between the lower elongate members 116 or, in the case where only longer items are to be dried the lower elongate members 116 and their corresponding longitudinal member 113 can be pivotally rotated about the longitudinal axis of the opposing cylindrical bar 115 as previously described thereby allowing the unobstructed hanging of the longer items. Once all items to be dried have been placed on the elongate members 116 inside the envelope 121 the door 122 is closed to protect the drying items from the outside elements and prying eyes.

An advantage obtained by the inclusion of the angled tube is that any precipitation that falls from the sky onto the uppermost area of the envelope 121 will run off the envelope 121 under the force of gravity.

Referring now to figures 4 and 5 in which a further embodiment of the present invention is shown wherein multiple apparatuses 100 are assembled in various configurations. In each configuration the apparatuses 100 are releasably fixed to one another by conventional joining means and mounted on a platform 124, or may be provided with wheels at the lower end 107 of the substantially vertical members 105. The wheels may be provided with a means of preventing their rotation. In the case of the apparatus not having wheels, the platform 124 may be revolvable. Apertures may be provided on the envelopes 121 in order to facilitate connection of one apparatus 100 to another apparatus 100.

Use of the embodiments shown in figures 4 and 5 is similar to that of the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3 however, when a first apparatus is loaded or unloaded as the case may be, the operative, to gain access to the next apparatus 100 simply rotates the assembly on the platform 124.

It is to be understood that modifications may be made and additions included such as for example, providing a means that enables the apparatus 100 to be securely fixed to a secondary structure such as a house wall or a garden fence without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for housing one or more items that are to be dried in a protected environment, the apparatus comprising: at least one rigid frame; a plurality of substantially horizontal longitudinal members between upright members of said frame; a plurality of substantially horizontal elongate members spanning a gap between said longitudinal members; and a water resistant envelope extending from an upper end of said frame to substantially enclose said frame.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal members are releasably fixed to said upright members.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said longitudinal members are hingedly fixed to said upright members.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said rigid frame includes at an upper end, an angled member.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said rigid frame is provided with means for fixing the apparatus to a rigid structure.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said envelope includes a plurality of apertures capable of allowing air to flow therethrough.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said envelope is provided with a door.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said envelope includes at an upper end proximal the upper end of said rigid frame, an angled pocket accommodating said angled member.

9. An assembly comprising: a plurality of rigid frames releasably coupled together and mounted on a platform; a plurality of substantially horizontal longitudinal members between upright members of said frame; a plurality of substantially horizontal elongate members spanning a gap between said longitudinal members; and a water resistant envelope extending from an upper end of said frame to substantially enclose said frame.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said upright members are provided with wheels at a lower end of said upright members.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the platform is provided with grooves accommodating said lower end.

12. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the platform is provided with grooves accommodating said wheels.

13. An assembly according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the platform is capable of rotation.