US1620590A - Combined towel rack and clothesline - Google Patents

Description

March 8 1927.

O. R. 'BETTS COMBINED TOWEL RACK AND CLOTHESLINE Filed May 25, 1926 Orr: (is R Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES ORVILLE R. .BETDS, OF SAN IPEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED TOWEL BACK AND CLOTHESLINE.

Application filed May 25,

My invention is a. combined towel rack and clothes line.

An object of my invention is to form a towel rack structure which may be utilized to house a clothes line of the extensible type, whereby the clothes line may be unreeled through the towel rack and stretched along a wall or the like for hanging clothes.

Another object of my invention is to form the towel rack of tubing so that a clothes line may be reeled on the drum. the line extending through the tubing with the free end ofthe line retained at the extreme end of the tubing, such line being extensible and fastened to a hook or the like forming a clothes line.

Another object of my invention is to form the housing for the reels with a device fornr ing a brake so that when a line is drawn out the braking device may be applied, thereby preventing the spring from winding in the line.

My invention will be more readily understood from the following description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my towel rack and extensible clothes line. attached to a wall, with one of the lines drawn out;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 through the towel rack and reeling device;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly broken away, showing the reeling drum;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section illustrating a section through the spring of one of the reels;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, through the reels and their housing;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing a suitable supporting bracket.

The towel rack structure is constructed substantially as follows:

Suitable brackets 1 are utilized to support the tubes 2, the brackets being attached to the wall 3. These tubes merge into or are attached to a reel housing 4 for the clothes line. This housing at the back preferably abuts against the wall and if desired may be secured thereto. However. the brackets are intended to be sufficiently strong to sup port the whole device.

It will be noted that the tubes are preferably parallel sided and adjoining the housing they are in alinement as indicated in Fig. 2, being large enough to accommodate the line as it is reeled in and out as here- 1926. Serial No. 111,672.

under described. In elevation the tubes preferably have parallel sides as indicated by the numeral 7 in Fig. 3. Ornamental knobs 8 with apertures 9 thereon form the ends of the towel rack, it being understood that towels may be hung over the tubes as indicated in Fig. 1.

The mounting for the reels is substantially as follows: e

As illustrated, the housing a has a rear, preferably circular section 10 which clears the wall. The side walls 11 are preferably cylindrical, being open at the front :and having a movable closure plate 12. A round shaft 13 secured in the housing, being preferably riveted or secured in any other suitable manner to the rear wall so :as to be immovable and non-rotatable. VVindi-ng reels 15, of which there are two, are loosely mounted on the shaft; each of these reels having a drum section 16 and an actuating spring 17. This spring is suitably secured to the shaft and to the drum.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 4- that the springs of the inner and outer drums are reversed so that each has a tendency to wind in opposite directions. The free end of the shaft 13 is screw threaded as indicated by 18, having a nut 19 thereon with an operating handle 20.

The clothes line 21 is wound on the drums, there being two clothes lines with their ends secured in any suitable manner to the drums. The lines extend through the tubes 2 and are drawn out of apertures 9 prefrably having rings 22 on the end which prevent there being drawn backwardly into the tubes. Hooks 23 or the like, may be secured to a wall so that when the lines are drawn out they may be hooked as shown in Fig. 1 and utilized for hanging clothes or the like.

The manner of operation of my combined towel rack and clothes line is believed obvious. However, it may be stated that the tension of the springs will preferably be sufficient so that the lines will be drawn in and maintained taut. Should a person for any reason wish to draw out a line and to relieve the constant inward tension, it is only necessary to turn the handle and screw the nut 19 tightly on the shaft 13. This action presses the plate 12 against the reels, thus pressing the innermost reel against the back of the housing. This action creates sufiiclent friction to prevent reeling in or turning out of the line. Thus a person may ob tain a slack line should such be desired.

Such changes may be made as fall Within the spirit of my invention as set fort-h in the description, drawings and claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A combined towel rack and clothes line comprising a housing having a reel therein, a tube connected to the reel housing and having communication therewith, a clothes line extending through the tube and Wound upon the reel, and means to support the housing and the tube on a wall or the like.

2. A. combined towel rack and clothes line comprising in combination a housing, a tube connected thereto, a fixed shaft in the housing, a reel on said shaft, a line extending through the tube and Wound on the reel, a loose plate in the housing'adjacent the reel, and means operatively connected to the shaft to press said plate against the reel, creating a friction whereby the line may be held unreeled in any desired position.

3. In a device of the character described, a pair of tubes having an enlarged housing between the same, a pair of reels mounted in said housing, lines extending through the tubes and Wound on the reels, and means to support the tubes spaced from a Wall or the like, said tubes forming a towel rack on each side of the housing.

4. In a device of the character described, a central housing h ving a plurality of reels, each reel having a drum and a spring, the springs being tensioned to rotate the drums in opposite directions, tubes connected to the housing and extendingin opposite directions, lines through the tubes attached to the drums, means to support the tubes on a wall or the like, and spaced therefrom, said tubes forming a towel rack on each side of the housing, the housing having a shaft, the reels being rota-table on said shaft, a loose plate on the shaft, a nut threaded on the shaft bearing against the plate, and means to operate the nut to frictionally press the reels together and against the back of the housing, thereby preventing rotation of same. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ORVILLE R. BETTS.

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