GB2482683A

GB2482683A - A clothes airer

Info

Publication number: GB2482683A
Application number: GB1013367.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mao Chungen
Original assignee: BETTER HOME PRODUCT ZHEJIANG CO Ltd
Current assignee: BETTER HOME PRODUCT ZHEJIANG CO Ltd
Priority date: 2010-08-09
Filing date: 2010-08-09
Publication date: 2012-02-15
Also published as: GB201013367D0

Abstract

A clothes airer comprises a support post 20, a boss 30 slidable on the post 20 pivotally supporting at their lower ends four arms 40. Each arm 40 is linked to a hub 46 by a respective connector piece. A flexible elongate tie (80, fig 4) having a first region extending upwardly from the boss 30 to a bearer (48, fig 7) located on the post 20 above the boss 30 and a second region extending downwardly from the bearer (48, fig 7) to a tensioner (50, fig 4) is used to raise and lower the boss 30 and the arms 40. The boss is preferably raised by means of a manually operated winch (50, fig 4) and handle (52, fig 4) which winds up the cord (80, fig 4). The winch (50, fig 4) is lockable and has a unidirectional frictional arrangement tending to resist unwinding of the cord.

Description

Improvements in and relating to clothes airers This invention relates to clothes airers or dryers particularly, but not exclusively, airers known as rotary airers having a central post which supports collapsible arms which in turn support multiple lengths of clothes line.

GB 279925 describes a rotary clothes airer which is not collapsible, but which does describe a lifting mechanism for lifting the arms of the airer up and down. The mechanism includes a threaded rod which lies partially within the 1 0 post, which is moved by a hand operated bevel gear, and causes said lifting.

A more simple mechanism is desirable which is less costly to produce.

According to the invention, there is provided a clothes airer comprising a support post, a boss slideably mounted to the post, and one or more arms including proximal ends supported at the boss, the airer being characterised in that there is further provided, a flexible elongate tie having a first region extending upwardly from the boss to a bearer located on the post above the boss and a second region extending downwardly from the bearer, and a tensioner for pulling the second region and thereby raising the boss and arms on the post.

In an embodiment the arms are pivotally attached to the boss, and preferably, the airer further comprises at least one connector extending from the post to the or each arm, such that said raising of the boss causes the arms to pivot outwardly on the boss.

In an embodiment the or each connector is a rigid member and extends pivotally from the top of the post to a location on the or each arm which is between the proximal end and a distal end of the arm.

In an embodiment, the bearer is located at or adjacent the top of the post.

In an embodiment, the tensioner is a winch or windlass having a horizontal axis winding area for winding the tie by means of rotation and thereby tensioning the tie during said winding.

In an embodiment the winch has a rotatable crank handle for manually rotating the winding area, which handle includes a lock for inhibiting said rotation, and thereby locking said winding area against rotation.

Preferably said lock comprises first features formed on or connected to the handle and complementary second features connected to the post, arranged such that said first and second features are engageable when brought together to inhibit or prevent said rotation.

Preferably said first and second features are circumferentially facing interlocking serrations.

Preferably said winch further comprises a friction mechanism which is operable to allow generally free winding rotation of the winding area, in one sense, to raise the boss, but, but inhibits rotation in the other sense. Thus the boss can be raised readily, but its falling can be inhibited to prevent the handle from spinning out of control as the tie is pulled by the weight of the boss, arms, and possibly clothes attached thereto.

In an embodiment, said friction mechanism includes a ratchet wheel mounted on the rotational axis of the winding area, and rotatable therewith, and pawl arranged to allow rotation of the wheel in said one sense (raising the boss) and restricting said rotation of said wheel in the other sense (lowering the boss).

In an embodiment, the wheel is mounted to slip under friction relative to the winding area, so that when the wheel's rotation in the other sense is restricted by the pawl, the rotation of said winding area not prevented, but is inhibited by frictional engagement with the then generally static wheel.

In an embodiment, the winch includes a pair of opposed housing members mounted on either side of the post, and the winding area is within the post supported on the housing members.

Preferably the winding area includes a shaft which has an extension, extending outwardly of the post and outwardly of a first of the housing members, and the handle is attached to the extension.

In an embodiment, said first and second serrations are formed on the handle and the first housing member respectively, at or adjacent the extension.

Preferably, the friction mechanism is disposed between a second of the housing members and the post.

The invention may be performed in various ways and an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a clothes airer according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of a clothes airer shown in Figure 1 in its extended condition;

IF

Figure 3 shows a side view of the clothes airer of Figures 1 and 2, in its collapsed condition; Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a component of the clothes airer shown in the previous Figures; Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the component shown in Figure 4, in an assembled condition; and Figures 6 and 7 show further sectional views through components of the clothes airer shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a clothes airer 10, also known as a clothes drier. Although this airer 10 can rotate in a holder fixed to the ground (not shown), about an axis X in the directions indicated by reference A, this rotation is not essential. The airer includes a central post 20, a boss 30 slideable on the post 20, supporting, in this case, four arms 40, which in turn support multiple lengths of clothes line 42. In addition the airer 10 includes connector pieces 44 equal in number to the number of arms 40.

Arms 40 are collapsible so that they take up less space when not in use..

The boss 30 is slideable up and down on the post 20 in the direction of the arrows indicated by reference B. Arms 40 are pivotally connected to the boss 40 at their proximal ends 41. Connector pieces 44 are pivotally connected to the post by means of a hub 46, and are pivotally connected at their other ends to each of the arms 40.

Movement of the boss 30 downwardly causes the arms to pivot in the direction of arrows C therefore to collapse the airer.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the airer 10, showing more clearly the details around the boss 30.

Figure 3 shows the arms 40 in their collapsed condition with boss 30 lowered, connector pieces 44 are lowered also. Lowering and raising of the boss 30 in the directions indicated by reference B is achieved by means of a winch 50, which is described in more detail below.

Refering to Figure 4, the winch 50 is manually operated by means of a handle 52 mounted to a crank 54. The crank has a square hole which engages with a square peg 58 which is an extension of a winding shaft 62, extending away from a winding area 60. In use, handle 52 is used to rotate the winding area 60 about an axis Y in the directions indicated by a reference D. This rotation winds and unwinds a tie, in the form of a flexible cord 80. In turn this action tensions or releases the cord 80, and consequently lifts or lowers the boss 30, as will be described in more detail below.

The shaft 62 of the winch 50 is supported in a housing comprising two halves 64 and 66, each of which is bolted to the post 20, by means of bolts 68.

The post 20 is made more rigid at the winch area, by means of a guide block 70 fitted within the post 20.

The winch 50 has further refinements. In particular, the crank 54 includes axially facing serrations 57 which can be brought into interlocking engagement with complimentary serrations formed on the housing 64. In normal use the serrations 57 are held off the serrations of the housing 64 by means of the urging force exerted by a coiled spring 72 mounted between the crank 54 and the housing 64. The spring 72 can be compressed by means of turning a locking knob 74 through 1800 and forcing the crank 54 toward the housing 64.

As the knob 74 is turned, the urging force of the spring 72 is overcome and the serrations 57 are brought into engagement with the complimentary serrations formed on the housing 64. This inter-engagement locks the crank 54 and handle 52 in place preventing winding of the cord 80 in either direction.

Additionally, when the handle 52 and crank 54 are free to rotate, the winding of the winding area 60 in one sense is free, but is inhibited by a mechanism 76 in the opposite sense. In the direction of arrow Dl the mechanism 76 allows free rotation of the winding mechanism to pull the cord 80 and so raise the boss 30.

In the opposite sense, i.e. rotational direction D2, a ratchet wheel 78 is restrained in rotation by means of abutment with a pawl 79. If the handle 52 is further rotated then the ratchet wheel 78 will slide in frictional engagement with friction washers 77 on either side of the wheel 78, because the friction washers 77 are locked against rotation relative to the shaft 62. This means that when it is intended to lower the boss 30 on the post 20 the winch will simply stop or resist movement in any position, rather than rotate under the influence of gravitational forces on the boss 30 and its respective arms 40.

Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the winch 50 in its assembled condition. It will be noted that the housing 64 and crank 54 have been brought together by means of rotation of a locking knob 74, such that the serrations 57 on the crank 54 and the serrations 67 on the housing 64 are in interlocking engagement such that the crank 54 and therefore the shaft 62 is locked in position. In Figure 5 the bolts 68 are omitted.

Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the boss 30 slideably mounted to the post 20. Inside the post, the cord 80 is visible. Referring additionally to Figure 7, the hub 46 is shown in section. The hub 46 is rigidly mounted to the top of the post 20 and includes a bearer 48 which acts as a low friction guide for the cord 80 such that when tension is applied to the cord 80 in the direction of arrow BI by means of the winch 50, then an external portion 82 of the cord 80 is forced to move in the direction of arrow B2. Thus, tension of the cord 80 causes the boss to move upwardly in the direction of arrow B2. The bearer 80 is formed from a low friction plastics so that wear on the cord 80 is minimised. Additionally, the hub 46 includes a guide pin 49 to prevent the cord 80 from coming adrift from the bearer 48. When the winch is rotated to slacken the cord 80, then the boss will be lowered on the post under its own weight.

Variants, modifications, additions and omissions relating to the description above are possible within the ambit of the invention and will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee. For example, four arms 40 and connector pieces 44 have been described, although it will be apparent that one or more arms 40 and connector pieces 44 could be employed. It is preferred that the post 20 is formed from metal, for example galvanised steel, and that the hub 46 and boss 30 are formed from plastics mouldings however, other materials could be employed. It is intended that the components of the winch 50 are formed from metal and/or plastics material, although again, other materials could be employed. The post 20 is in this instance generally central to the extended arms 40, although the post need not be central and could be to one side of any arms used. The locking mechanism on the winch 50 employs complimentary serrated formations, although other locking mechanisms could be employed, for example insertion of a pin in a hole or mechanisms which increase frictional loading on relatively rotatable parts. The cord 80 is preferably formed from woven plastics such as nylon, however, other materials including braded metallic materials and other flexible materials could be employed.

The invention provides a novel clothes airer with additional safety features allowing the prevention of the collapsing of the airer arms and the controlled collapsing of the arms.

Claims

Claims 1. A clothes airer comprising a support post, a boss slideably mounted to the post, and one or more arms including proximal ends supported at the boss, the airer being characterised in that the airer further comprises, a flexible elongate tie having a first region extending upwardly from the boss to a bearer located on the post above the boss and a second region extending downwardly from the bearer, and a tensioner for pulling the second region and thereby raising the boss and arms on the post.
2. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms are pivotally attached to the boss.
3. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the airer further comprises at least one connector extending from the post to the or each arm, such that said raising of the boss causes the arms to pivot outwardly on the boss.
4. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the or each connector is a rigid member and extends pivotally from the top of the post to a location on the or each arm which is between the proximal end and a distal end of the arm.
5. A clothes airer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearer is located at or adjacent the top of the post.
6. A clothes airer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tensioner is a winch or windlass having a horizontal axis winding area for winding the tie by means of rotation and thereby tensioning the tie during said winding.
7. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 6, wherein the winch has a rotatable crank handle for manually rotating the winding area, which handle includes a I0 lock for inhibiting said rotation, and thereby locking said winding area against rotation.
8. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lock comprises first features formed on or connected to the handle and complementary second features connected to the post, arranged such that said first and second features are engageable when brought together to inhibit or prevent said rotation.
9. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first and second features are circumferentially facing interlocking serrations.
10. A clothes airer as claimed in claims 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein said winch further comprises a friction mechanism which is operable to allow generally free winding rotation of the winding area, in one sense, to raise the boss, but, but inhibits rotation in the other sense.
11. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 10, wherein said friction mechanism includes a ratchet wheel mounted on the rotational axis of the winding area, and 15'* rotatable therewith, and pawl arranged to allow rotation of the wheel in said one sense and restricting said rotation of said wheel in the other sense.
12. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 11, wherein the wheel is mounted to slip under friction relative to the winding area, so that when the wheel's rotation in the other sense is restricted by the pawl, the rotation of said winding area not prevented, but is inhibited by frictional engagement with the then generally static wheel.
13. A clothes airer as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the winch includes a pair of opposed housing members mounted on either side of the post, and the winding area is within the post supported on the housing members.
14. A clothes airer as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein the winding area includes a shaft which has an extension, extending outwardly of the post and outwardly of a first of the housing members, and the handle is attached to the extension.
15. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 14, when dependent on claim 9, wherein said first and second serrations are formed on the handle and the first housing member respectively, at or adjacent the extension.
16. A clothes airer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the friction mechanism is disposed between a second of the housing members and the post.