US2483692A

US2483692A - Clothesline tightener

Info

Publication number: US2483692A
Application number: US715031A
Authority: US
Inventors: Day Thelma Maude
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-12-09
Filing date: 1946-12-09
Publication date: 1949-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1966-10-04

Description

@CE. 4, 119490 T, DAY 2,483,592

CLOTHESLINE T IGHTENER Filed Dec. 9, 1946 INVENTOR Thelma Maue Day Patented Oct. 4, 1949 CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER Thelma Maude Day, Egmont, British Columbia,

Canad Application December 9, 1946, Serial No. 715,031

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes line tighteners.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a clothes line tightener which automatically increases the tension on the line as the load is increased thereon.

Another object is the provision of a clothes line tightener which does not interfere in any way with the normal operation of the line,

A further object is the provision of a clothes line tightener which functions regardless of the direction in which the line is moved.

Yet another object is the provision of a device of the nature described which does not require any attention or adjustment while the clothes are being hung on the line.

A still further object is the provision of a clothes line tightener which gradually increases the tension on the line as the clothes are fastened thereon to counterbalance the load, and which decreases the tension as the clothes are removed.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists essentially of a clothes line tightener comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally supported at a point spaced from its ends, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line may extend, and bearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereof over which one of the runs of the line may extend, as more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the clothes line tightener, and

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, $53 is an arm which may be formed in a single piece or by spaced sides II and I2 which are joined together at one or both ends in any suitable manner. This arm is adapted to be piv otally supported at a point spaced from its ends, and for this purpose a supporting member 13 is provided which is preferably U-shaped and is pivotally connected at its free ends to the arm by a pin [4, said arm being positioned between the sides of the member. The supporting member extends beyond the adjacent end of the arm.

A clothes line pulley I8 is mounted on the arm I!) adjacent One end thereof. If the arm consists of the sides H and i2, as shown, this pulley is mounted between the sides, and said sides and the pulley fit freely between the sides of the supporting member.

A clothes line 19 is adapted to extend around the pulley i8 and has upper and lower runs 20 and 2|, respectively. A hook 22 may be provided at the outer end of the member R3. The opposite end of the clothes line extends around an ordinary pulley, or it may extend around the pulley of another one of these clothes line tighteners.

The arm [0 is provided with bearing means adjacent the end thereof opposite the clothes line pulley end over which the upper run 20 of the line extends. This bearing is preferably in the form of a roller or pulley 24 mounted between the sides H and I2 and over which the line extends. The pivot point of the arm I8 is preferably located below the upper run of the line as it extends over the two pulleys.

If desired,

guards

25 and 26 may extend respectively around the pulleys I8 and 24 to keep the line thereon.

The clothes are hung on the lower run 2! of the line. As the load increases thereon, the pulley 1'8 is drawn downwardly causing the arm In to pivot about the pin I4. This raises the pulley 24 causing it to move the upper run 20 of the line upwardly to increase the tension on the line. As the load on the line is increased, so the tension thereon is automatically increased. As the load on the line is reduced, the pulley l8 rises and the pulley 24 moves downwardly, thus decreasing the tension on the line. In view of the fact that the only members touching the line are pulleys or rollers, this device does not interfere in any way with the normal operation of the line, nor does it matter in which direction the line is moved.

I claim:

1. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm lying substantially in a horizontal plane, supporting means pivotally connected to said arm at a point spaced from the ends of the latter, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having two runs may extend, and bearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereof over which one of the runs of the line may extend, said arm pivoting on its supporting means when a load is applied to the clothes line run which is free of the bearing means.

2. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, supporting means pivotally connected to said arm at a point spaced from the ends of the latter, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having an ll-11 B! and a lower run may extend, and bearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereof over which the upper run of the line may extend, said arm pivoting on its supporting means when a load is applied to the lower run of the clothes line.

3. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, supporting means pivotally connected to said arm at a point spaced from the ends of the latter, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one. end thereof around which a clothes line having; an upper and a lower run may extend, and a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end:

thereof over which the upper run of the line may mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having an upper and a lower run may extend, and a pulley mounted on thearm adjacent the opposite end thereof over which the upper run. of the line may extend.

5. A clothes line tightener comprising an. arm, a supporting member pivotally connected to the arm at a point spaced from its ends, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having an upper and a lower run. may extend, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite. end thereof over which the upper run of the line may extend, and means. associated with each pulleyfor keeping the line thereon.

6. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, a U-shaped supporting member having spaced sides pivotally connected at its free ends to the arm at a point spaced from the arm ends, said arm being positioned between the sides of the member, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having an upper and a lower run may extend, said pulley fitting freely between the sides of the supporting member, and a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereof over which the upper run of the line may extend.

7.. A device according to claim 6 in which the supporting member extends beyond the adjacent end of the arm.

8. A device according to claim 4 in which the pivot point of the arm is closer to the clothes line pulley end thereof than to its opposite end.

9'. A' device according to claim 4 in which the pulley over which the upper run of the line may extend just bears against said line when there is no load on the latter.

THELMA MAUDE. DAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Anderson July 13,, 1943