US1922989A - Device for suspending towels, drying cloths, and other objects - Google Patents

Description

A. A. TERRY Aug. 15, 1933.

DEVICE FOR SUSPENDING TOWELS, DRYING CLOTHS, AND OTHER OBJECTS Filed May 27, 1931 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED, STA

a 'DEVIGE roa SIl SPENDIN G TOWELS, DRY- ING CLOTHSyAND o'rmm OBJECTS Albert Augustus Terry, Middle Brighton, Victoria,

' Australia 1 Application May 27, 1931, Serial 190,540,4 1, and in Australia February 16, 1931 ,7

11 Claims. (01. 211-89) The primary object of this invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and eflicient means whereby towels, drying cloths and such like articles may be securely suspended in such manner as to facilitate drying thereof and to permit quick and easy removal of the articles when so desired. I

A device according to the invention enables towels, cloths and such like articles to be readily suspended from one or more points in such manner that they are proof against inadvertent removal or from removal by pulling the suspended articles downwardly or outwardly. The suspends ed articles may, however, beremoved very easily when so desired. In addition to facilitating the drying of the articles the invention has the fur ther advantage that the articles mayl be suspendedin a tidy manner.

The invention is particularly well adapted for 4 use in bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens for as in factories, workshops and'stores for anal-,

ogous purposes, and in fact wherever it isdesired to, provide for the ready and secure suspension of textile, fabrics-or like articles and the quick and easy detachmentthereof when so desired. The term towel recited hereinafter and in the claims is intended to include the articles mentioned above.

this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for suspending towels and'other articles in accordmice with this invention;

Figure 2 is an end view on an enlarged scale of the device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary-elevation, looking at the rear of the deviceand showing a manner of suspending a towel or the like there- Figure 4 is a vertical section on line IV IV of Figure 3. I

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a device accordv 4 ingto a modification;

Figure 6 is a cross section of the device seen in Figure 5.

A device in accordance with this invention comprises a front-member 2 adapted for attachement to a wall, table, shelf or other suitable object so as to extend lengthwisein a substantially horizontal attitude, this member, or theupper edge or portion'thereof, being of somewhat zig-zag r form having a series of' longitudinally spaced sallents, tongues 01'' like portions 3 with upwardly 1 Referring to the drawing which forms part ofv will only increase the wedge like; gripping effect produced by the flexible line and the inclined sides of the tongues on the corner'portions 11a of the convergingside edges 4, the tongues being separated by gaps 6 of V or like form.,

Extending substantially horizontally behind the member 2 and'against or adjacent the rear thereof so as to intersect said tongues or like portions 3' and the intervening gaps 6 intermediately of their height or depth is a flexible line 7 such as a length of wire, cord, twine, tape or the like, which is connected at its ends as at 8 to the end portions of the member 2. Theflexible line 7 may be moderately taut so that it will not sag beneath. the bottoms of the gaps 6 or the roots of the tongues3 of the front member.

7 The front member} Should preferably beapplied to its supporting. structure so that it is spaced therefrom. 4 1 I To suspend a'towel, cloth or such like article 11 from the device, the corner portions 11a at one side or end of the article may be applied from the front of the device so as to extend first rearwardly over the flexible line "I at longitudinally spaced intervals thereof aligned with two of said gaps fi in the front member, and then downwardly andjforwardly in front .of the device as indicated more clearly at the left hand side of Figure'l and in Figure 4. It will be found, that the top corner portions (forthe time being) of a the article will be effectuallyheld by and between the" flexible line '7 and the inclined sides 4 of the tongues ofthefront member; and that pulling downwardly and/or forwardly upon the article article. The article may thusbe retained suspended in a spread or unfurled attitude as indicated" at theleft of Figure 1, which is most conducive to drying, of the article.

[It will be obvious however that a considerable number of articles may be simultaneously releases thewedge like grip produced by the flexible line 7 and'the tapered tongues3 and entirely frees the article from the device.

:According to' the preferred constructional form 'the front'member iscomposedv of wire of appropriate gauge as in Figures 1 to4 suitably shaped into. substantially zig-zagform having a contour 2 and is suitably secured thereto, as by spot welding it to the roots of the tongues 3. reinforcing member has turned back end per; tions forming brackets 18 terminating in eye lets 19 to pass screws or the like for attaching the device to a supporting structure."

one or more intermediate supporting braclrets 18a each consisting of a length of wire secured to the front member preferably at or adj acentthe top oi one 'of the tongues 3. The intermediate bracket alsoprevents1the line '7- from being accidental- 1y raised over the top of-the tongues and inter-- fer ing wi'ththe' attachment of a towel .or the like to the device; In this embodiment, the connections between the ends ofthe line 7 and the front member 2 com-prise loops 21 one ateach endof the line which'ireely encircle the adjacent verj-' tical portions 16 of the member 2.. Each of these'vertical portions 16 may'besprovided with a pair ofvertically spaced stops 22 to thereby lit-nit the vertical movements of the end portions ofthe" line; Byproviding for this limited vertical movement of the end portions of theline '7 it is ensured that the'desiredwedging action may beobtained between the end portions of the line and the end tongues so that towels or the like may be readily suspended from the end tongues as well as the intermediate tongues. 7

According' to the modification illustrated in Figuresb and- 6, the front member may be in the form'of a comparatively'thi-nelongated strip 2a of wood, sl'ieetmetal compressed flbrousmaterial or other suitable'material orcomposition, having its upper portion recessed'or cutaway to -form the tongues 3a with upwardly converging side edges aan'd interveningigaps Go as aforesaid.

The tips 3 b of the tongues should preferably-be flattened or rounded. Such 'strips can be produ'ced ver'yf economically by mjuttingfstamping,

moulding or other methods.-

Brackets or distance pieces iszi'may" be pro videdat the ends of the strip Zd to facilitate its attachment to a wall, table, shelf or'othe'r suitable support. and to ensuite that the strip is spaced sufiiciently clear ofthesup ert.

'lfi'he line 7 extends longitudinally behind the strip 2a" approximately midway of the heightof the tongues 3a and may be adaptedat its opposite endstopass freely through vertical slots 23in the strip thereby permittinglimited ve rtical move- I ,ment of the end portionsof the line; Each end of the line may be provided with anenlargement 24 to prevent its withdrawal from the. respective slot.

Having now described my invention what I :claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentisz' 1.'A towel rack comprising a front member adapted for attachment to a supporting structure and having a series of longitudinally spaced up- :stahding salients or tongues having upwardly converging side'edges and separated by gaps, and

, a flexible line extending longitudinally behind said front member in such a plane as to intersect said tongues and said gaps intermediately of their saidsupport;

spaced forwardly therefrom, said member havheight, said flexible line cooperating with the tongues to retain a towel therebetween.

'2. A device as claimed in claim wherein said flexible line is connected to the end portions of the end portions of said line are capable of limited movement in a substantially vertical direction.

4.,A device as claimed in claim 1 and includ ing'brac'ltets' or' arms extending rearwardly from The front member 2 may also be provided with said front member for retaining it to a suitable ii l l flling' structureiin forwardly spaced relahorizontally, said-front member having a series of longitudinally spaced upstanding .salie nts or tongues with upwardly converging'side edges providingbetween the tongues gaps of .substantially Vform, and, a flexible line extending substantially horizontally, proximity to the rear face of said front member intermediately of the height of said tongues and said gaps, said flexible line cooperating with the tongues to retain a towel therebetween.

, 6. A towelrackcomprising a member com- 1 posed of wireand having a seriesof longitudinally spaced upstanding tongueswithupwardly cone verging sides forming-between'the tongues gaps of substantially y form, said member being adapted for attachment to a supporting structure so as; to extend substantially horizontally-and a flexible line extending longitudinally behindf said first member intermediatelyof the height of; said tongues-and cooperating with the tongues to retaina towel therebetween. I

7.; A; device as claimed; in claim Sand having a [reinforcing member extending; longitudinally of saidfirst mentioned member and secured to said tongues at or near: their lower ends-.; I

8. A towel rack comprising a member composed of wire shaped: to substantially zig-zag form having a series of longitudinally spaced upstanding tongues with upwardly converging sides forming. between the tongues gaps of substantially V form,

rearwardly extending portionsat; the ends of said I 1 member forretaining it in forwardly spaced relationship to a support, and a flexible line extending substantially horizontally and in proxunity to the rear of said member intermediately of the-height 1 of said tongues adaptedto c ooperate with the tongues to grip a towel, and a member extend-ingrearwardly from the upper portion of one of said tonguesand attachable to 9. A device as claimed in claim Sand ha-Ving a 3 T reinforcing member extending longitudinally of the zig-zag member and secured to said tongues at or near their lower, ends;

10:=A-device of the character described comprising a member composedof wire having a series oflongitudinally spacedvupstanding tongues with upwardly converging sides forming between the tongues gaps of; substantially V form means retaining saidmemberto a support so that; it

ing a substantially vertical portion at each end,

a reinforcing member extending longitudinally of the first mentioned member and secured to said tongues near their lower ends, said reinforcing member terminating at its ends in rearwardly projecting portions forming brackets for retaining the device to a supporting structure.

ALBERT A. TERRY.

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