US2547777A

US2547777A - Automatic clothesline

Info

Publication number: US2547777A
Application number: US57232A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sam W Ray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-10-29
Filing date: 1948-10-29
Publication date: 1951-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1968-04-03

Description

April 3, 1951 s, w, RAY 2,547,777

' AUTOMATIC CLOTHESLINE Filed Oct. 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3.

Sam W. Ra

INVE R.

BY a062 S. W. RAY

AUTOMATIC CLOTHESLINE April 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29. 19 48 5am W Ray Fl'g. 5.

INVENTOJR.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,547,777 AUTOMATIC CLOTHESLINE Sam W. Ray, Dallas, Tex. Application October 29, 1948, Serial No. 57,232

7 Claims. (Cl. 242102) V a V This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in clothes line assemblies adapted for outdoor or indoor use. V

An object of this invention is to support a clothes line on a shaft mounted for rotation and axial movement in a housing, a clothes line fixed at its ends attached to said rotative and axially movable shaft, together with means responsive to the release of the relatively stationarily supported end of the clothes line for winding the said clothes line in a compact manner,

Another object of this invention is to support a clothes line on the above described shaft, constantly bias the shaft by means of a tortion spring, the force applied by the tortion of the spring rendering a brake mechanism operative this force being obtained by playing out clothes line from the housing, constantly urge the shaft axially by means of a compression spring whereby the clothes line may be automatically wound upon the shaft after the tension on the torsion spring has been at least partially released and whereby the winding may take place automatically as the shaft is influenced and urged axially by means of the lighter spring.

Another purpose of this invention is to supply an attractive device which is eflicient and durablc, easily installed and which may serve many purposes such as the elimination of clothes drop, sagging line and permanently hanging lines.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent to those skilled in the art, in

following the description of the preferred form,

of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention shown in Figure 1, showing the same in use;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 -3 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

- Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 and in the direction of the-arrows, and;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lock mechanism employed in the present invention.

This invention has been developed in order to provide a device which will be acceptable to the general public as one productive of safety, attractiveness, durability and dependability. Often, it is unsightly to leave clothes lines operatively positioned in an apartment, basement, outdoors; etc. 'However, the task of removing the lines although not difiicult is burdensome and tiresome. It is therefore, within the purview of the present invention to supply such a device which may be readily adopted, since it automatically winds the clothes line, by merely unhoo-king one end of the line.

The materials of construction may be many of course, including metal, commercial plastic and any other so desired.

A housing is composed of bosses l0 and I2 respectively with a hollow center section 14 connected therebetween. The bosses may have reduced end portions as is obvious from inspection of Figure 3 in order to accommodate the ends of the hollow center section in overlapping relation therewith.

A central shaft I6 is mounted within the housing for axial movement as well as rotative movement, in the openings at the end of the bosses. Drums l8 and 20 respectively are disposed in spaced relation on the shaft, either fixed thereto by any suitable means or formed integral therewith, as is illustrated in Figure 3. These drums accommodate the ends of a line 20 which is flexible in character.

The said line may be formed in one or two pieces, as desired. This is, of course, but a matter of simple choice. However, it is proposed to utilize the played out portion of the line for clamping engagement with

conventional hooks

24 and 26 respectively as is seen in Figure 2. Either one or more of the desired devices may be utilized at a time, depending on whether two or morelines are desired or necessary.

The said line extends through

suitable openings

30 and 32 respectively which are formed in the hollow center section l4, approximately at the position of the drums.

A compression spring 36 or other suitable resilient urging means is mounted on one end of the shaft l6, reacting on the housing since it is seated thereon and also reacting on one of the drums," thereby transferring the potential energy of the spring 36 to the shaft for axial movement thereof.

However, the force of the spring 36 constantly urging the shaft IS in an axial manner is overcome by the torsional force set up by the tortion end of the shaft l6 and has a number of slots 50 provided therein, serving the purpose of keyways for the keys 52 of a. suitable knob 54. By applying the knob to the shaft in this manner, it is fixed thereto with relation to rotative movement.

A friction brake or clutch is supplied adjacent the knob 54, one or more teeth 5'5 extending therefrom, forming a portion of the brake or clutch. Viewing Figure 5 it will be seen that the tooth 56 illustrated'is adapted to be enmeshed between a number of teeth 58 formed in the boss l0, adjacent the opening an forming the bearing for the shaft [6.

The operation of the brake or clutch mechanism is as follows:

The spring 36 constantly urges the shaft is axially in the housing. In order to limit the axial travel of the shaft 16, a protuberance, in the form of 2. lug or screw 64 is attached to the shaft adjacent the knob 54 but interiorly of the housing. This protuberance 64 engages the boss adjacent the opening 60, thereby limiting the axial movement of the shaft.

In this operational position the

teeth

56 and 58 are out of engagement. Hence, theline or lines may be played out of the housing winding the spring 38 and engaged in fastening devices such as hooks on an opposite, Wall, post or the like. The lines may then be tightened by rotating the knob 54 in the clockwise direction and they are p.

held tightened by applying axially sufficient force to compress the spring 36 thereby allowing the teeth 55 and 58 to become enmeshed. The counterclockwise force created by the tension of the lines sets up a frictional bond between the teeth 55 and 58 sufficient to hold the brake mechanism locked. As clothes or the like are hung on the lines the frictional bond increases due to the additional tension in the lines.

The brake remains in locked position until tension is removed from lines by unhooking them at outer end. Upon relieving the tension on the lines the frictional bond between tooth 5'5 and teeth 58v is removed and spring 36 again urges shaft l6 axially to original unlocked position, thus allowing energy stored in torsional spring 38 to rotate the shaft It in a clockwise direction and thereby rewind the lines.

In order to mount the housing, suitable brackets B8 and 10 respectively may be disposed on the bosses in and i2 in order to accommodate suitable screws. This. is however, but a matter of choice, any suitable supporting means being adapted for use in conjunction with the present invention such as sliding brackets permanently mounted on a support wall or surface, whereby the device may be removed at will.

It is apparent that certain variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the claimed as new is: I

1. A clothes line assembly comprising a housing having spaced openings, a shaft mounted for rotation and axial movement in said housing, a pair of drums fixed to said shaft, a line extending through said openings and secured at its ends to said drums, resilient means reacting on said shaft and said housing urging said shaft in a rotative manner, and a brake associated with said shaft and said housing rendered operative by said resilient means.

2. The combination of claim 1 and a spring reacting on said housing and said shaft of lesser invention, what is efiicacy than said resilient means constantly urging said shaft axially to release said brake.

3. The combination of claim 2 and means associated with said shaft for limiting the axial travel thereof.

4. In a clothes line assembly, a housing having a shaft mounted for rotative movement and axial movement therein, a tortion spring reacting on said shaft and a compression spring reacting on said shaft, said tortion spring resiliently biasing said shaft in a rotative manner and said compression spring urging said shaft in an axial manner, means for retaining a clothes line on said shaft, and a brake mechanism rendered operative by said tortion spring and rendered inoperative upon release of said tortion spring.

5. In a clothes line assembly, a housing having a shaft mounted for rotative movement and axial movement therein, a tortion spring reacting on said shaft and a compression spring reacting on said shaft, said tortion spring resiliently biasing said shaft in a rotative manner and said compression spring urging said shaft in an axial manner, means for retaining a clothes line on said shaft, a brake mechanism rendered operative by said tortion spring and rendered inoperative upon release of said tortion spring, said brake mechanism including teeth associated with said housing and at least one tooth associated with said shaft frictionally retained between said teeth on the housing by the action of said tortion spring, until at least a portion of the potential tortional energy stored in said tortion spring is released, whereupon the compression spring will urge the shaft axially to release said tooth from said teeth.

6. A clothes line assembly comprising a housing having a shaft axially movable and rotatively movable therein, a spring reacting on said shaft and housing, a brake mechanism rendered operative and inoperative in response to axial movement of said shaft and associated with said shaft and said housing for preventing rotative movement of said shaft, a line attached to said shaft and wound therearound so that one end of the line may be pulled from the housing to thereby rotate said shaft for placing said spring under tortional stress.

7. A clothes line assembly comprising a housing having a shaft mounted for axial movement and rotation therein, teeth adjacent one end of said shaft and complemental teeth carried by said housing, a spring reacting on said housing and said shaft urging said shaft axially and urging said teeth in spaced relation relative to each other, a line wound on said shaft, a tortion spring reacting on said shaft and said housing, said springv being stressed when said line is played out of said housing, said teeth adapted to be enmeshed by manually urging said shaft and compressing said first mentioned spring, and said teeth remaining frictionally locked in enmeshed relation by the rotative force applied to said shaft by tension in said line.

SAM W. RAY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 220,793 Bird Oct. 21, 1879 1,777,784 Cole Oct. 7, 1930 2,206,174 Falk July 2, 1940