US20050098517A1

US20050098517A1 - Frame for supporting clothes lines

Info

Publication number: US20050098517A1
Application number: US10/939,441
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Reid
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-09-15
Filing date: 2004-09-14
Publication date: 2005-05-12

Abstract

A frame for supporting clothes lines, which is mounted out of way over a bathtub or in a shower.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to clotheslines which are used to hang clothes and other articles for air drying.

BACK GROUND OF INVENTION

This arrangement features the ability to leave the dryer in place while the bathtub or shower is in use. It is easily installed and removable if necessary. Most other arrangements have to be continually removed and set up again after the bathtub has been used.
It may be constructed so some components are cut to length by the end user or they can be supplied with a means for adjustment.
This product will save power for drying small quantities of articles and will be more convenient in many circumstances than using a powered appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The frame to hold the clothes lines may be made of many materials such as wood dowels, metal or plastic with many configurations which use various combinations of the adjacent walls, ceiling and shower curtain rod to support the frame which contains the clotheslines. All have the feature of being overhead so they can remain in place while the bathtub or shower is in use.
Three configurations are shown with an elongated H shaped frame and one with a U shaped frame. In the preferred arrangements the end members are notched or have a fitting at one end which approximates the diameter of the shower rod. These end members are slightly longer than the horizontal distance between the shower rod and the back wall of the bath tub alcove so one end rests against the back wall and the other on the shower curtain rod. Another element many be used so the frame is supported by the ceiling above the shower curtain rod. In another arrangement the legs may be bent up at the ends and screwed to the ceiling with wall anchors.
The frame can be supported by the shower curtain rod alone when there is a clamping device on the end of the H to attach it to the shower curtain rod and the rod is prevented from turning by installing a screw through the rod mounting bracket into the rod.
The clothes lines are strung through holes in end members and may be secured by tying or by fasteners.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These as well as other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those familiar with house wares from the following detailed description of the preferred arrangements of the invention as used for drying articles such as clothes.
FIG. 1 is a view of an arrangement of the dryer looking from the outside of the bathtub alcove at the shower curtain rod level which shows two end tubes separated by a central tube with clothes lines running back and forth between the separated tubes.
FIG. 2 is a view on FIG. 1 looking on the right hand side in direction of arrow I and shows the end tube resting against the back wall of the tub alcove with the other end supported by the shower curtain rod through a cutout fitting on the end of the tube which approximates the diameter of the rod.
FIG. 3 shows a right end view in the same direction as FIG. 2 but instead of resting against the back wall, the dryer frame is supported by an additional inclined vertical member which rests against the ceiling.
FIG. 4 is a section in the direction of arrows II showing the construction used in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 to join the end tubes to the central tube which may be PVC plastic glued together.
FIG. 5 shows an end view in the direction Figures of 2 and 3, arrow I, FIG. 1, where the dryer frame is attached to the shower curtain rod by a clamping device.
FIG. 6 shows a view on the top of the joint in the direction of arrows III at FIG. 5 using metal tubing.
FIG. 7 shows a screw in the shower curtain rod support bracket.
FIG. 8 shows an end view in direction of arrow I where the end members are U shaped and attached to the ceiling.
FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of FIG. 6 in the direction of arrow IV, FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 shows a clamping device to make tube lengths adjustable.
FIG. 11 shows how the clothes lines are strung and held in place with a screw.
FIG. 12 is an arrangement of two L shape pieces joined together to form a U shaped frame used in the same manner as show in FIG. 1.
FIG. 13 shows how a doughnut shape ring is used as a gauge to guide the marking of tube lengths, also a support for the end of the shower curtain rod is shown which is a U shaped pad with adhesive backing attached to the wall when the shower curtain rod is the type just held in place by spring pressure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A frame with clothes lines may be supported in a number of ways above a bath tub so that wet articles drip into the tub. The walls, ceiling can be used in part or combination. The frame is shown in some of it's preferred arrangements which may in part depend upon which material the manufacturer has most available or prefers to use.
The approximate location of a shower head 10 is shown to be out of the way of all configurations of the dryer frame. The central tube 1, is used to hold tubes 2 and 3 apart and may be fixed size since most bath tubs and their alcoves are a more or less a standard length. Tubes 2 and 3 are joined by a tee 4, which may be standard PVC irrigation pipe and fitting, and glued together. Tube 3 may be cut to length by the end user or be adjustable in length by various means or as shown in FIG. 10. The end cap 5 is of the same material as 4 and may also be glued or slid into place. The frame consisting of the foregoing components are resting on the shower curtain rod 8 facilitated by the notched out fitting 6. One end of the fitting is glued to 3 or is a push fit and the other end is notched to approximate the diameter of the shower curtain rod, 8. End 5 rests against the back wall 11, FIG. 2, of the bathtub alcove so that the inclined the length of the end tube assembly consisting of 5,2,4,3, and 6 is greater than the horizontal distance between the rod 8 and the wall 11.
An alternative to using the wall 11 for support is to use the ceiling 12 as shown in FIG. 3 with the use of 13 and 14 where 13 is a special fitting used to join 3 and 14 with central notch to approximate the diameter of the rod 8. Since the frame assembly weights more than items 5 and 14 the assembly stays in place resting on rod 8.
After the frame is assembled the clothes lines 7 are installed. FIG. 11 shows how they may be secured using small sheet metal screws 33 with large heads for lines which run through holes at one side and continue through the holes at the other side and return through the next adjacent holes giving two strung lines from one piece. It was found a continuous line running through all the holes was difficult to manage. It was better to have the lines in pairs as described in the foregoing.
FIG. 5 shows how the shower curtain rod 8 by itself can be used to hold up the the dryer frame which is shown in metal tubing. Clamp parts 15 are made so they clamp rod 8 when machine screw 16 and nut 17 are tightened. Screw 18, FIG. 7, is fastened through the shower curtain rod bracket 9 to stop the rod 8 from turning.
FIG. 6 shows how the central rod 1 can be joined to 2,3 and 4 when they all are replaced with metal tube. FIG. 9 is an exploded view at the metal tubing joint where screw 19 passes through the flattened and formed end 1, and the end tube 3, and scewed into nut 20 to hold the joint together.
FIG. 8 is a view in direction of arrow I in which 2, 3, and 4 are replaced by a one piece U shaped metal tube at both ends which is bent over at the ends 22 so a wall anchor 23 may attach the assembly to the ceiling 12
Since the exact location of the shower curtain rod 8 is unknown some components such as 3 and 14 will have to have a finish cut to length by the end user or a means provided to adjust the length as shown in FIG. 10. In this case the tubes can be in two parts 24 and 28 with one sliding on the other. The outer tube has a slot slot 25 in both sides so when clamp 26 is tightened by screw 27 it stops them from sliding and the length can be set.
In FIG. 12 the frame is made of two L shaped components 29 and 30 to reduce the number of components. The end of 30 is swaged down in diameter at 31 so it fits inside 29. Soft sleeves 32 rest against wall 11 and other ends rest against rod 8 with fitting a fitting similar to 6.
The length of tubes 3, 14, 29 and 30 need to be cut with reasonable accuracy. To aid in this a doughnut shaped ring 33. FIG. 13 may be supplied. The thickness of ring 33 corresponds to the distance between the ridge where the tubes stop in 6 and bottom of the semicircular groove on the other side as indicated by dimension 35, FIGS. 12 and 13.
With the tube placed against the shower curtain rod 8, FIG. 13, in the required position, the length can be marked with marking pencil 34 around the tube using ring 33 which is a sliding fit on tube 3,14,30, or 29.
Although a detailed description of the preferred methods of providing an overhead dryer is given herein, it will understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made to such embodiments which would be apparent in making the product without departing from the sprit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A frame with clothes lines positioned above a bathtub so that it does not have to be removed to use the bath tub or shower.

2. A frame with clothes lines supported by the bath tub shower curtain rod and walls of the bathtub alcove.

3. A frame with clothes lines supported by the bathtub shower curtain rod