GB2482554A - Freestanding clothes airer with telescopic portions - Google Patents

Abstract

The freestanding clothes airer of the lazy tongs type includes pivoted frame members made up of side arms 12, 14 interconnected by horizontal connecting rods 16 of telescopically extendable form. The connecting rods are extendable so that the spacing of the side arms can be adjusted between an extended position and a retracted position when the frame members are in either of their collapsed and operational conditions. The frames can therefore be extended transversely to provide extended hanging space, or retracted for ease of storage. An alternative freestanding clothes airer of the lazy tongs type includes locking means (28, 30 Figure 5 and 6) having a further frame member 18, 20 pivotally attached 22 to a first frame member 12, 14 and releasably coupleable to a second frame member 12, 14. The further frame also includes two arm portions 18, 20 interconnected by a plurality of generally elongate extendable members 16, 24, 26.

Description

Freestandinci Clothes Airers This invention relates to freestanding clothes airers used in domestic premises for the airing and drying of clothes.

There are many known collapsible airers made up of rectangular frames in a concertina or lazy tongs arrangement for movement between a collapsed position in which the frames are generally parallel, to an operational condition in which the frames lie at angle, presenting an array of horizontal rods or the like for the draping of clothing. There are problems however with such airers because, even when collapsed, they take up a significant amount of space which means that they cannot readily be stowed away in cupboards or the like or where space is particularly limited. In addition, the amount of drying space in terms of footage is fixed and so often the airer will be either under-utilised or have insufficient drying space for the load being dried. We have therefore designed an expandable airer which not only allows for more compact storage than hitherto, but also allows the amount of drying space to be varied as required.

Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides a freestanding clothes airer comprising at least one set of two generally rectangular frames each comprising two side arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally parallel elongate members, the two frames being pivoted together for movement about an axis generally horizontal and parallel with said elongate members, between a collapsed condition in which the frames are arranged generally parallel and an operational condition in which they lie at an angle with respect to each other, characterised in that the elongate members are extendable whereby the spacing of the side arm portions may be adjusted between an extended position and a retracted position when the frame members are in either of their collapsed and operational conditions.

In this arrangement, an airer is provided which can be stowed in a collapsed and retracted position so that it can be readily stored in small furniture units or the like, and occupy greatly reduced space compared to conventional airers.

The device can be moved to its operational condition whilst the elongate members are still retracted to provide a given amount of drying space, and extended as required to provide an increased amount of drying space.

The airer preferably includes means for releasably locking the frames in their operational condition. The locking means may suitably comprise a further frame pivotally attached to one of the first mentioned frames and releasably coupleable to the other. Conveniently, the further frame may be generally rectangular and comprise two arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally elongate extendable members. In this manner, the further frame provides extendable storage in addition to the first mentioned frames.

Advantageously, the further frame is disposed at the upper end of the airer when in the operational condition to provide a number of spaced parallel elongate members in a generally horizontal plane.

Preferably, the further frame is releasably coupleable to one of said first mentioned frames by a coupling comprising a lug engageable with a recess.

Typically, each side member of the further frame has a recess which is engaged by a lug provided on a side arm portion of said first mentioned frames, although this could be reversed.

In conventional airers of the lazy tongs type, the connecting rods lie at different heights and the lower rods may be difficult to access particularly for those who are elderly or infirm.

Accordingly, in another aspect, the invention provides a freestanding clothes airer comprising at least one set of two generally rectangular frames each comprising two side arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally parallel elongate members, the two frames being pivoted together for movement in use about an axis generally horizontal and parallel with said elongate members between a collapsed condition in which the frames are arranged generally parallel, and an operational condition in which they lie at an angle with respect to each other, and locking means for locking the frames in their operational condition, said locking means comprising a further frame pivotally attached to one of said first-mentioned frames and releasably coupleable to the other, said further frame comprising two arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally elongate extendable members.

Although other forms of extendable elongate members may be provided, it is particularly preferred for the elongate members to comprise two or more tubes arranged to be telescopically extendable. Thus, in an arrangement with two telescopic tubes, this provides a robust arrangement in which the elongate members can be virtually doubled in length providing a virtual doubling of the drying space.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above, or in the following description or drawings.

The invention may be formed in various ways, and, by way of example only, a specific embodiment will now be described with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an embodiment of freestanding airer in accordance with this invention in a collapsed and retracted condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the freestanding airer in its operational and retracted position; Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2 but showing the airer in its operational and extended position; Figure 4 is a view of the airer of the previous Figures with the top frame disengaged and pivoted clear of its latching position; Figure 5 is a detailed view of the coupling lug on one of the frame members; Figure 6 is a detailed view on a coupling recess on the end of the horizontal frame member; Figure 7 is another view of the freestanding airer in its operational and extended position; Figures 8(a) and (b) are top plan views on the airer in its operational condition when extended and retracted respectively, and Figures 9(a) and (b) are section views on one of the extending rods of the airer in its operational condition when nearly and fully extended respectively.

The freestanding airer of the this invention is based on a conventional lazy tongs' configuration of multi-tier form in which each tier comprises two rectangular frames (12, 14, 16) pivoted about their mid-points from a collapsed position shown in Figure 1, to the operational positions shown in Figures 2 and 3. Each frame is made of two side arms 12, 14 interconnected by horizontal connecting rods 16 which also act as pivot points for the intersecting arms 12, 14. Although the arms are shown separately in this embodiment, they could of course be portions of a larger U-shaped form. The airer is held in its operational condition by means of a top, horizontal frame 18, 16, 20 that is pivoted at 22 to the upper ends of respective opposed side members and releasably coupleable via a coupling to be described below to the upper ends of the other frame members. The top frame comprises spaced side arms 18, 20 and three parallel connecting rods 16 in a horizontal plane.

Referring to Figure 9, each of the rods 16 is of telescopically extendable form comprising an inner tube 24 and an outer tube 26 connected for sliding movement between the positions shown in Figures 2 and 8(b), where the device is operational but in a retracted position, to the position shown in Figures 3 and 8(a) where the rods have extended. The rods can be adjusted to any intermediate position as required. In the particular embodiment described, this gives four horizontal rods in the top, horizontal, frame and seven rods at reducing levels of the structure.

As seen in more detail in Figures 5 and 6, in this particular embodiment, the coupling between the horizontal frame and the corresponding arms of the upper frame comprises a fitting on the end of each side arm 18, 20 of the horizontal frame which has a U-shaped slot recess 28 which slides over a corresponding lug 30 provided on the side arms 12, 14 of the cooperating frame.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS1. A freestanding clothes airer comprising at least one set of two generally rectangular frame members each comprising two side arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally parallel elongate members, the two frame members being pivoted together for movement in use about an axis generally horizontal and parallel with said elongate members between a collapsed condition in which the frames are arranged generally parallel and an operational condition in which they be at an angle with respect to each other, characterised in that the elongate members are extendable whereby the spacing of the side arm portions may be adjusted between an extended position and a retracted position when the frame members are in either of their collapsed and operational conditions.
2. 2. A freestanding airer according to Claim 1, which includes means for releasably locking the rectangular frame members in their operational condition.
3. 3. A freestanding airer according to Claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a further frame member pivotally attached to one of said first-mentioned frame members and releasably coupleable to the other.
4. 4. A freestanding airer according to Claim 3, wherein said further frame member is generally rectangular and comprises two arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally elongate extendable members.
5. 5. A freestanding airer according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said frame member is adapted to lie generally horizontally in use when said airer is in its operational condition.
6. 6. A freestanding airer according to any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein said further member is releasably coupleable to one of said first-mentioned frame members by a coupling comprising a lug engageable with a recess.
7. 7. A freestanding clothes airer comprising at least one set of two generally rectangular frame members each comprising two side arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally parallel elongate members, the two frame members being pivoted together for movement in use about an axis generally horizontal and parallel with said elongate members between a collapsed condition in which the frames are arranged generally parallel and an operational condition in which they lie at an angle with respect to each other, and locking means for locking the rectangular members in their operational condition, said locking means comprising a further frame member pivotally attached to one of said first-mentioned frame members and releasably coupleable to the other, said further frame comprising two arm portions interconnected by a plurality of generally elongate extendable members.
8. 8. A freestanding clothes airer according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein each elongate members comprise two or more tubes telescopically arranged.
9. 9. A freestanding clothes airer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.