US2681206A - Continuous clothesline construction - Google Patents

Description

June 15, 1954 H. G. LASSEN 2,681,206

CONTINUOUS CLOTHESLINE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 23, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Hans Gasiau Zczsserz.

flziorrzgy J1me 1954 H. e. LASSEN CONTINUOUS CLOTHESLINE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1 .952

Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS CLOTHESLINE GONSTRUOTION 12 Claims.

This invention relates to continuous clothes lines.

An object of the invention is to provide a continuous clothes line installation in which the likelihood of fouling of the line is minimized.

Another object is to provide an improved sheave unit for acontinuous clothes line.

An additional object is to provide novel means for connecting the two ropes of a continuous clothes line.

A further object is to provide an improved endless clothes line.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description vpoceeds.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken elevational view of a clothes line installation embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the left part of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken as indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. .2, with some parts shown in section.

Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 4- in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken as indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the clothes line engaged with the lower sheave.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 1 but shows both end supports, alike.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, disclosing illustrative features of the invention, there is shown a pair of sheave units H3 and a clothes line unit [2 adapted to besupported thereby, one sheave unit being suspended from a hook is attached directly to a post 16 or other support, and the other sheave unit being suspended from guy ropes, wires, cables or the like It and 28, connected to hooks 22 Se cured to a second support It, as shown in Fig. 1, or directly from a hook 14 attached to a support [5, as shown in Fig. 7. Inasmuch as line units I! of the type here involved may be generally purchasable only in standard lengths, the supports IS in most cases, very likely, will be so spaced apart as to require the use of adjustable means, such as guy ropes or the like, to suspend one of the sheave units.

Each sheave unit if? comprises a pair of sheaves 2-4 and 26 which may be of the same diameter but are preferably or different diameters, the larger sheave 24 in practice being disposed over and preferably inclined about 19 to the smaller one. I provide a U-shaped hanger bracket 28 having a long arm as and a short arm 32, with its long arm-over the upper face 34 of the larger sheave 2 B and its short arm under the lower face .38 of said sheave, and pass a screw 38 through the long arm and the center of the sheave and thread the lower end of the screw in a tapped hole in the short arm, the remainder it of the screw being smooth and serving as an axle journal for said sheave. Washers 42? are preferably arranged about the screw 38 above and below the larger sheave 2d, and a substantially semi-circular plate 34 is secured by said screw and disposed between the long arm 38 and the upper washer and is further secured to said arm as at 6 and has a peripheral downwardly inclined flange 48 which extends peripherally beyond, and toward the plane of, the upper face 3d of the larger sheave. The longer bracket arm 39 has an outer end portion 52 projecting beyond the plate 44 and across the median plane (represented by the dot-dash line 54) or" the larger sheave 2d and has a hole 56 whose rearrnost lower edge portion 53 lies slightly be low said plane.

The short arm 32 of the bracket 23 has an extension 58 over the upper face 62 of the smaller sheave 25, and a substantially L-shaped bracket as has a leg 65 secured as at 58 to the bight It of the bracket 28, and its other leg 72 underlies the lower face 74 of the smaller sheave. A screw F5 is passed through the leg 2'2 and the center of the smaller sheave 2t and threaded into a tapped hole in the extension it, the major portion is of the screw being smooth and serving as an axle journal for the smaller sheave. Washers 86 are preferably provided about the screw 76 at the faces 62 and i i of the smaller sheave 26. The screw it extends at an acute angle to the screw 33, and the rearmost edge portion 53 of the hole 5% lies slightly below the median plane (indicated by the dot-dash line ill?) of the smaller sheave 25.

Referring more particularly to the right portion of Fig. l, the guy element 13 is looped at its inner end 8 3 through the bracket hole 56 of the adjacent sheave unit It, and the guy element 26 is looped at its inner end 86 through the eye as of a bolt 98 having an offset end portion 52 passing through the bracket extension 52 and secured thereat as by nuts as.

The clothes line unit i2 comprises a pair of hemp, plastic, wire-cored plastic or other suitable endless upper and lower ropes we and H22, the lower rope being preferably of somewhat greater length than the upper rope, and the ropes being connected in substantially or generally uniformly spaced relation by a series of preferably rigid uniformly spaced ties or couplings ass. Each coupling ms is preferably formed of an elongated strip of sheet metal or other suitahie stiff material which may have a reinforcing rib H35 therealong and is obtusely bent as at N33 to provide a short arm it Q and a long arm 2 E 2, with free end portions I M and 1 i8, formed so as to be wrapped and crimped tightly about and to the respective ropes Hill and H32 in non slip relation thereto, so that, when the upper rope is supported by the pulley units it), as will appear, the couplings support the lower rope with the lower rope dipping somewhat between couplings, said dipping being of course more pronounced when the lower rope supports clothes.

As is well known, a rope or the like freely suspended at its ends extends in the curve of a catenary, substantially as indicated in the drawings. The dip of the ropes is of course increased when supporting clothes. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and show an assembly with the upper rope we supported by the upper pulleys 2 3, the lower rope H32 being the one on which clothes are to be hung. it is possible, due either to the accidental wedging of clothes between the upper rope its and the upper sheave 24, while the rope is being pulled, or to the operators pulling the upper rope downward while pulling it circumferentially about the upper sheave, that the rope will work down oi? the sheave. in such event, the rope it?) will immediately slip into and engage in the lower sheave 26, and the line unit 22 will continue to operate properly even though it is engaged with a larger sheave 2d at one end and a smaller sheave at the other end. The likelihood that the rope too will slip out of any of the sheaves is minimized, however, by virtue of the fact that each sheave unit H3 is self-aligning, being universally pivotable about the point 58 of engagement of the unit with the hook or hooks it, and with the guy loop 85.

as the case may be. Accordingly each sheave unit is automatically accommodates itself to the pull and direction of pull of the upper rope ltd, so that said rope tends to remain in the grooves of the sheaves with which it is first engaged.

The lower sheave of each sheave unit I6 is preferably disposed substantially within the cylindrical envelope of the upper sheave 2 i, and the sheaves of each unit are arranged so that that portion of the upper flange 82 of the lower sheave which is most proximate to the adjacent bracket hole 58 is adjacent and is preferably overlapped by that portion or" the lower flange 36 of the upper sheave which is most proximate to said hole.

Upon engagement of the rope I85) in the groove of the lower sheave 25, the rope will tend to remain thus engaged just as it tends to remain in engagement with the upper sheave 25,, the sheave units it? then, as before, pivoting relative to the hooks Hi, or the hook and loop 8 5, respectively, and the pivot portions 58 of the sheave units being respectively disposed slightly below the median planes 5:; and as of the sheaves 2t and 28, respectively, so that the rope constantly bears against the upper flange of the sheave with which it is engaged and thus tends to resist dislodgment therefrom.

The housewife, upon discovering that the upper rope Hli! has become engaged with one or both of the lower sheaves 26, can work the rope back into the upper sheaves 2 if she so desires.

It will be noted that the hole 56 of each bracket 28 is made oversize so that each sheave unit H) is freely swingable through a large angle about an axis extending longitudinally of the catenary and passing through the bracket pivot portion 58, so that the rope It!!! will not tend to pull out transversely of the sheaves with which it is engaged during winds of normal or usual strength. When only one side of the lower rope N32 is loaded, the weight of the clothes will tilt both sheave units lil, but the oversize bracket holes 55 permit such tilting so that alinement of the upper rope I99 and the sheaves engaged thereby is not jeopardized and thus there is no danger of escape of the rope from the sheaves under such circumstances.

Due to the fact that the median plane of each upper sheave 24 is above the pivot point 58, the upper rope I99 as noted above bears against the upper flange 34 of said sheave and at times the bearing pressure and friction may be sufficient to cause the rope to work up oft" the upper flange. The shield 44 serves as a safeguard to prevent such escape of the upper rope "it.

In a like manner, the lower flange 3B of the upper sheave 2t performs the same function for the sheave 2B.

The free ends of the flange portion 58 of the shield 44 are flared as at I26 to avoid abrasion of the upper rope Hill.

Also, when only one side of the lower rope IE2 is loaded, there is a tendency of the couplings I04 to pass over the upper sheave 24 and lock the line against further movement. Such fouling is prevented in accordance with the invention by the longer leg E6 of each bracket strap as, said leg extending such a distance that the couplings will engage said leg and be cammed down into proper position so that the line i2 can be moved.

It will be observed that the couplings lee, being cent as above noted, do not interfere with the sheaves, the upper eyes lid of the couplings constituting in effect spaced portions of the upper rope.

By reason of the above noted disposition of the bracket swivel portions 58, the pull oi-the upper rope Eel), regardless of whether engaged with the larger sheaves 2:; or the smaller sheaves 2%, is always directed so as to tend to swing the sheave units in downward and thus to maintain the rope in the grooves in which they are engaged.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention. Hence I do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

1. In a continuous clothes line sheave assembly adapted to be suspended from a hook, a sheave, and a bracket structure on which said sheave is rotatably mounted, said bracket structure having an extension beyond said sheave, a second sheave of substantially smaller diameter than the first sheave and rotatably mounted on said bracket structure, said extension having a hook-engaging swivel portion slightly offset from and at the same side of the median planes of the grooves of said sheaves, said planes defining an acute dihedral angle, the axes of said sheaves being coplanar, the smaller sheave being arranged substantially within the cylindrical envelope of the larger sheave and with a point on its periphery adjacent a point on the periphery of the larger sheave.

2. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave of smaller diameter than and inclined to and substantially tangent to, and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of, said upper sheave, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a suspension hook-engaging swivel portion spaced from said sheaves and slightly below the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is normal to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves.

3. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line,

said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave of smaller diameter than an inclined about to and substantially tangent to, and substantially disposed within the cylindrical envelope of, said upper sheave, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a suspension hook-engaging swivel portion spaced from said sheaves and slightly below the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is nor- Trial to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves.

4. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising a pair of sheaves acutely inclined and substantially tangent to each other, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a swivel portion adapted to bear on a suspension hook, said portion being spaced from said sheaves and disposed slightly to one side of both of the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is normal to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves.

5. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising a pair of sheaves inclined about 10 and substantially tangent to each other, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a suspension hookreceiving hole spaced from said sheaves, the portion of the wall of said hole adapted to bear on the hook being disposed slightly to one side of both of the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is normal to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves.

6. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising a pair of sheaves acutely inclined and substantially tangent to each other, and means J'ournaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a swivel portion adapted to bear on a suspension hook, said portion being spaced from said sheaves and disposed slightly to one side of both of the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is normal to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves, said bracket structure extending across the sheave peripheral portions most remote from said hole.

7. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising a pair of sheaves acutely inclined and substantially tangent to each other, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation, said means comprising a bracket structure having a swivel portion adapted to bear on a suspension hook, said portion being spaced from said sheaves and disposed slightly to one side of both of the median planes of said sheaves and lying in a plane which is normal to said median planes and contains a diameter of each of said sheaves, said bracket structure extending in one direction across that peripheral portion of one of said sheaves which is most remote from said hole and in the opposite direction across and a substantial distance beyond that peripheral portion of the other sheave which is most remote from said hole, for the purpose described.

8. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave of smaller diameter than and inclined to and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of said upper sheave, the lower rim of said upper sheave being disposed adjacent and overhanging the proximate portion of the upper rim of said lower sheave, and means journaling said sheaves in said relation.

9. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave of smaller diameter than and inclined to and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of said upper sheave, the lower rim or" said upper sheave being disposed adjacent and overhanging the proximate portion of the upper rim of said lower sheave, means journaling said sheaves in said relation, and a shield secured to said means and overhanging substantially one-half of the outer periphery of said upper sheave above the location at which the lower rim of said upper sheave overhangs said lower sheave.

10. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave acutely inclined to and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of said upper sheave, the lower rim of said upper sheave being disposed adiacent and overhanging the proximate portion of the upper rim of said lower sheave, means j ournaling said sheaves in said relation, and a shield secured to said means and overhanging substantially one-half of the outer periphery of said upper sheave above the location at which the lower rim of said upper sheave overhaings said lower sheave, the ends of the overhanging portion of said shield being inclined upward.

11. A sheave unit for a continuous clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave inclined to and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of said upper sheave, the lower rim of said upper sheave being disposed adjacent and overhanging the proximate portion of the upper rim of said lower sheave, means journaling said sheaves in said relation, a shield secured to said means and overhanging substantially onehalf of the outer periphery of said upper sheave above the location at which the lower rim of said upper sheave overhangs said lower sheave, and fender means supported by said journaling means and projecting away from said upper sheave in a position to prevent the rope of an endless dualrope clothes line supported by one of said sheaves from swinging accidentally upward over said fender, whereby to prevent fouling of the clothes 12. A sheave unit for a continuous dual-rope clothes line, said unit comprising an upper sheave, a lower sheave inclined to and disposed within the cylindrical envelope of said upper sheave, the lower rim of said upper sheave being disposed adjacent and overhanging the proximate portion of the upper rim of said lower sheave, means journaling said sheaves in said relation, a shield secured to said means and overhanging substantially onehalf of the outer periphery of the upper rim of said upper sheave above the location at which the lower rim of said upper sheave overhangs said lower sheave, and fender means supported by said journaling means and projecting away from said sheaves and disposed to prevent excessive accidental upward swinging of the clothes-supporting rope of the clothes line regardless whether the upper rope of the clothes line is engaged with the upper sheave or with the lower sheave.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 859,812 Harness July 9, 1907 1,152,775 Wiebke Sept. 7, 1915 1,607,477 Potter Nov. 16, 1926 1,780,708 Horscraft et a1 Nov. 4, 1930 2,489,971 Mitchell Nov. 29, 1949

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