US2749075A

US2749075A - Clothes pole and line connector

Info

Publication number: US2749075A
Application number: US292887A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mary E Altergott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-06-11
Filing date: 1952-06-11
Publication date: 1956-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1973-06-05

Description

June 5, 1956 M. E. ALTERGOTT 2,749,075

CLOTHES POLE AND LINE CONNECTOR Filed June ll, 1952 E a E a .f2-7. V517 Z-Dz-f United States Patent() CLOTHES POLE AND LINE CONNECTOR Mary E. Alter-gott, Chicago, Ill. Application June 11, 1952, serial No. 292,887

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-353) This invention relates to improvements in a clothes pole and line connector, and more particularly to an ornament Afor attachment to the upper end of a clothes pole for positive engagement with a clothes line so that the pole willl not shift sidewise relatively Ito the line, fall, and thus drop the clothes on the line into contact with the ground, although the invention will have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various devices for connecting a pole or the like to a rope, cable, or other line-like element, have been developed, but in all instances of which I am aware, such devices were not as easily mounted on a pole as desired, especially by a housewife, did not provide a well defined channel for the line, were not as positive in their gripping action as desired, had no limits to the adjustments, and in most cases were not sufiiciently economical.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a simple and economical form of pole and line connector, which connector may be made of simple sheet metal stampings.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pole and line connector, with the connector so formed as to provide substantially a socket for the reception of the end of the pole, which may simply and readily be attached to a pole, and is subject to reasonable adjustment to t an individual pole.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a pole and line connector in which the connector provides a channel-like recess for the line, with a pivotal lever to not only hold but also compress the line in such recess, there being limiting means to stop the lever in the proper holding position.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pole and line connector, wherein the connector is so shaped as to provide a ledge over the top of the pole when attached thereto, to prevent relative forces between the line and pole from tending to loosen the connector from its attachment to the pole.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pole and line connector so constructed as to be simply operable with only one moving part, and wherein the line is not only located in a fixed position relatively to the socket or connector, but is also compressed in a plurality of directions when engaged.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a pole equipped with a connector embodying principles of the instant invention, showing the same in operative connection with a line;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the same character and location as Fig. 1, but illustrating the connector in open position, released from the line;

,mice

Figure 3 is a transverse plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line III-'III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

As shown on the drawings:

While the instant invention may have other uses and purposes, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, for purposes of clarity ythe invention is illustrated as mounted on the commonly known clothes line pole, for association with a clothesline. In the illustrated instance, the clothes pole 1 is of the most used style, namely rectangular in cross section. It will be understood however that the instant invention may be associated with substantially any shape 'of pole, including round, oval, square with rounded corners, etc.

As stated above, the invention may comprise a pair of simple metallic stampings, and includes a back plate 2 having angularly disposed side wings 3 3 which are also turned inwardly at the rear as indicated at 4, to form a socket for receiving the upper end of the pole 1. Obviously, if the pole is of diiferent shape than rectangular in cross section, the side wings may be bent accordingly to intimately embrace the pole, while no other part of the structure need be changed. The side wings are apertured to accommodate securing means such as screws S which are engaged directly into the pole to firmly join the connector to the pole.

As seen best in Fig. 4, the upper end of the connector extends above the pole, and the back plate 2 is provided with an inwardly disposed channel formation 6 to receive the line 7. It will also be noted that this channel formation 6 provides a ledge, as indicated at 8 in Fig. 4, extending over the top end of the pole which, together with the side wings 3 3, provides a definite socket for the top end of the pole. This ledge at 8 prevents any downward stresses or forces from the line on the pole from loosening the connector, the structure remaining firmly connected to the pole throughout long usage.

Pivotally connected as by a pivot stud 9 to the backing plate 2 only is a locking plate 10, the lower portion of which forms a hand lever 11 having wings 1212 bent outwardly therefrom for easy engagement by the lingers and thumb of a user. When in use, the plate is shifted to the position seen in Fig. 2, open position, and then the line 7 is inserted in the channel 6, and the plate is pivoted approximately or 80 to the locked position as seen in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the upper edge of the locking plate 1t) is cut partially on the slant as indicated at 13, while the remainder is substantially flat as indicated at 13a, in Fig. 2. The slanting edge 13 facilitatcs the entrance of the plate into a groove or slot formed by a reverse fold 14 in the upper portion of the back plate 2, as clearly seen in Fig. 4. The straight edge portion 13a, of course, stops the plate in locking position by engagement with the top of the groove, as clearly seen in Fig. 1. Accordingly, it is impossible to move the locking plate too far when connecting the pole with the line.

It will also be especially noted that the locking plate 10 is provided near its upper end with a transverse series of grooves or indentations 15 which, when the plate is disposed in locking position, parallels the channel 6. These grooves, as illustrated in Fig. 4, frictionally grip the line 7, and compress it inwardly. At the same time a similar row of grooves or indentations 16 formed in the upper wall of the channel 6 tend to compress the line 7 downwardly, when the line is forced firmly into the groove by the locking movement of the plate 10.

Thus, the connector may, by the simple pivotal movement of the locking plate 10, be firmly engaged with a clothes line 7 or the like so that even in a very high wind, when a heavily laden line may sway considerably, there is no danger of slipping movement of the pole relatively to the line which might result in the falling of the pole with the consequent dropping Aof the line suflicient to permit the clothes to contact the ground. It will also be noted that the instant invention is extremely simple in construction and operation, very economical, and long lived.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a pole and line connector, a back plate carrying a pole receiving socket, a line receiving channel in said back plate with the underside thereof providing a ledge for contact with the top of the pole, a series of indentations in the upper channel wall, a groove formation above said channel, a locking plate pivoted to said back plate and movable to locking position with the upper margin thereof received in said groove formation, means to limit the pivotal movement of said locking plate, and a series of indentations in the margin of said locking plate op posite said channel.

2. In a pole and line connector, a back plate for attachment to a pole, a depressed portion in said back plate forming a line-receiving channel, a locking plate pivoted on said back plate to swing over said channel into a position to lock a line therein, means on said back plate to engage the edge of said locking plate when in locking position to limit pivotal movement of said locking plate, a series of inward projections on said locking plate to frictionally engage a line in said channel and compress it into said channel, and a similar series of projections on one wall of said channel to augment the compression of the line.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,196 Palmer June 21, 1887 622,788 Varcoe Apr. l1, 1899 666,228 Briggs Ian. 15, 1901 688,164 Franke --.Q Dec. 3, 1901 989,368 Knoder Apr. l1, 1911 998,431 Theimer Iuly 18, 1911 2,379,377 Riegel .lune 26, 1945