IES62301B2

IES62301B2 - A clothes line and canopy arrangement

Info

Publication number: IES62301B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Patrick A Moore
Original assignee: Patrick A Moore
Priority date: 1994-09-26
Filing date: 1994-09-26
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Also published as: GB9706213D0; AU3532295A; WO1996010112A1; IES940766A2; GB2308808B; GB2308808A

Abstract

A free-standing clothes line with a canopy arrangement, is provided wherein the clothes line comprises a central pole (1), means for connecting the pole to a base, a crown arrangement (2) fixed or rotatable about the pole, a collar (4) movable up and down the pole with respect to the crown, wherein arms (3) are articulated with respect to the crown and radiate therefrom to support a canopy, and has struts (5) articulated with respect to and radiating from the collar (4) at their proximal ends, and connected at their distal ends to the arms (3). The arrangement is characterised in that the struts (5) are articulated at their distal ends to the outer ends of the arms (3), and in that the collar (4) is moved down the pole, away from the crown (2) to open out the arms, and is moved up the pole, towards the crown, to collapse the arms, and wherein the struts are adapted to support a plurality of clothes lines (11). An additional base support may be provided by a table surface (7a) defining a hole through which the central pole (1) is adapted to pass, which table is supported by legs (8a) to act a steadying support for the pole.

Description

A CLOTHES LINE AND CANOPY ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to a clothes line and canopy arrangement, 20 in particular to a collapsible rotary clothes line including an integral canopy arrangement.

A conventional rotary clothes line comprises a central pole which is secured to a heavy base or anchored in the ground, with three or more 25 upwardly-directed spokes radiating from a crown, rotatable about the pole and supporting lines stretched from one spoke to another on to which clothes may be pegged. It is known to provide a canopy-supporting arrangement which may be fitted as an accessory on top of an existing rotary clothes line over which a canopy or tarpaulin 30 is thrown so as to keep the clothes dry in the event of a shower of rain. Such an arrangement is described in Irish Patent Specification No. 59902 and comprises supports resting on the outer tips of the spokes and secured thereto, which supports meet at an apex which is spaced from the crown of the rotary clothes line. This arrangement is 35 not readily collapsible and has to be detached from the spokes of the rotary clothes line, if the clothes line is to be collapsed for storage or when not in use. 1372S - 2 The cover may also act as a sun shade, when clothes have been hung out to dry in bright sunlight, which may fade or discolour certain dyed fabrics.

Another example of a removable, but non-collapsible cover for a rotary clothes line is disclosed in GB-A-2,263,395. This arrangement includes a triangular sheet of waterproof material supported by the spokes, but also includes side flaps which hang downwards from the edges of the cover.

EP-A-547,591, GB-A-2,259,002, EP-A-475,668, GB-A-2,247,401, GB-A-2,224,432, EP-A-357,803 and EP-A-283,530 all disclose various arrangements of protective covers for rotary clothes lines.

Umbrella or parasol-type arrangements have also been proposed, for example in DE-A-3,702,086, DE-A-3,233,127 and EP-A-526,615.

The present invention provides an improved umbrella-type canopy arrangement for a rotary clothes line. This has the advantage that the cover is attached in situ over the clothes line and is raised and lowered in the manner of an umbrella so as to collapse the whole arrangement about the central pole with minimal force and in an easy and safe manner. An improved base support is also provided by the present invention, as it will be appreciated that the provision of a canopy adds to the weight of the clothes line, and increases the strain on the base in windy conditions.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotary clothes line with an umbrella-type canopy arrangement, wherein the clothes line comprises a central pole, means for connecting the pole to a base, a crown arrangement rotatable about the pole, a collar movable up and down the pole with respect to the crown, wherein arms are fixed to the crown and radiate therefrom to support an umbrella-type canopy, with » spokes fixed to and radiating from the collar and connected at their outer ends to the outer ends of the arms, the spokes supporting a plurality of clothes lines, characterised in that either the arm or the spoke defines a bend adjacent to its outer end, in that a pivotal connection is provided to connect the outer ends of the arms to the outer ends of the spokes, the arrangement being adapted to prevent a - 3 pinching or scissors action between the arms and spokes when the arrangement is collapsed.

’ In another aspect, an additional base support is provided by a table surface defining a hole through which the central pole is adapted to * pass, which table is supported by legs to act as a steadying support for the pole.

Advantageously, a separate skirt portion is provided which is attachable to the edges of the umbrella canopy, by suitable means, for example by hook and loop fastener strips.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the arrangement, with the canopy removed, and showing the arrangement in a collapsed condition in dashed outline, Figure 2 is an enlarged detail side view of the U-shaped connections shown at A in Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a side view of al alternative table arrangement to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a rotary clothes line arrangement comprising a central pole 1, which preferably is telescoped in two sections for height-adjustability. The pole 1 supports a crown 2 which is fixed to the top of the pole, but is free to rotate about the pole. Four arms 3 are pivotally connected to the crown 2, and are adapted to support a flexible canopy made from plastics or fabric (not shown). A collar 4 is free to slide up and down the pole 1, with respect to the crown 2 and supports a series of four spokes 5 radiating outwardly therefrom. The outer ends of the spokes 5 are connected to the outer ends of • 35 respective arms 3 by means of a U-shaped connection 6, shown in greater detail in Figure 2.

A table surface 7, including inwardly directed struts 8 may be supported entirely by the pole 1. However, an alternative table - 4 arrangement is shown in Figure 3, in which the table surface 7a is supported by legs 8a which bear directly on the ground surface 9, and thus provide additional base support for the pole 1. It will be appreciated that a table surface 7 or 7a will be useful when hanging out clothes to dry, and has the alternative use of a garden table, which may be used in conjunction with the canopy as a sun shade.

Figure 2 shows in more detail the pivotal connection which joins the outer ends of the arms 3 to the spokes 5. The outer ends of the arms 3, or for that matter the spokes 5, may be hooked, or a U-shaped bracket or end piece may be provided, but generally a bend is provided in either the arm 3 or the spoke 5 adjacent to its outer extremity and a pivotal connection 10 interconnecting the two. It will be noted that when the respective arms 3 and spokes 5 are pivoted about the connections 10, i.e. when the arrangement is being collapsed to the position shown in Figure 1 in dashed outline, a gap B remains. This arrangement serves to prevent a scissors action or pinching action, which could be dangerous if a persons hand were to be caught between the spokes and arms when collapsing the arrangement.

In order to collapse the arrangement the collar 4 is pushed upwardly when a catch has been released, such that the weight of the arms 3 is preferably balanced sufficiently to collapse the arms with a minimal force being applied to pull the arms downwardly. A string or pulley arrangement may be provided for this purpose, if desired.

It will also be appreciated that the canopy of plastics or fabric material is secured and permanently attached to the arms 3. A skirt may be provided hanging downwardly from the edges of the canopy and attached thereto with hook and loop fastener strips, e.g. Velcro (trade mark).

A series of clothes lines are stretched between holes 11 provided in the spokes 5 in a known manner. The collar 4 is perferably made from nylon material, and may be teflon coated for less friction. The arms 3, spokes 5 and pole 1 are preferably made from round section aluminium.

Claims

CLAIMS 5 1. A rotary clothes line with an umbrella-type canopy arrangement, ♦ wherein the clothes line comprises a central pole (1), means for connecting the pole to a base, a crown arrangement (2) rotatable about the pole, a collar (4) movable up and down the pole with respect to the crown, wherein arms (3) are fixed to the crown and radiate therefrom to 10 support an umbrella-type canopy, with spokes (5) fixed to and radiating from the collar and connected at their outer ends (6) to the outer ends of the arms, the spokes supporting a plurality of clothes lines (11), characterised in that either the arm (3) or the spoke (5) defines a bend adjacent to its outer end, in that a pivotal connection (10) is 15 provided to connect the outer ends of the arms to the outer ends of the spokes, the arrangement being adapted to prevent a pinching or scissors action between the arms and spokes when the arrangement is collapsed.
2. A rotary clothes line according to claim 1, in which an additional 20 base support is provided by a table surface (7a) defining a hole through which the central pole (1) is adapted to pass, which table is supported by legs (8a) to act as a steadying support for the pole.
3. A rotary clothes line according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which a 25 separate skirt portion is provided which is attachable to the edges of the umbrella canopy, by suitable means, for example by hook and loop fastener strips.
4. A rotary clothes line according to any of claims 1 to 3, 30 substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.