US557733A

US557733A - Clothes-line prop

Info

Publication number: US557733A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1913-04-07

Description

(No Model.)

B. P. WALKER.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

N0. 557,733. Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

WITNESSES NVENTOR Z BY)Z/'0 ATTO Units STATES 1 ATENT FFICE- EDlV ARD P. \YALKER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CLOTH ES-LINE PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,733, dated April 7, 1896.

Application filed August 1, 1895 T0 aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EDIVARD P. WALKER, a citizen of the Fnited States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Props; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is, first, to enable the line-holder to be self-securing when applied to a movable or stationary support second, to prevent breakage of the line-holder in lateral strains, tending to spread the linegrasping parts, and, third, to prevent the accidental disengagement of the clothes-line from the line-holder.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an ordinary clothes-line with the improved lineholder applied to a pole and engaging with the line. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the improved line-holder shown connected with the broken upper portion of the pole and in dotted lines the position of the separate yielding sides of the line-holder in resisting strains and permitting the entrance and removal of the clothes-line. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the improved line-holder as seen in Fig. 2, showing a portion of the clothesline at the point of greatest strain. Fig. a is a detail view, in perspective, of the improved line-holder. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the upper or slotted end of the prop with the line-holder removed. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of lineholder.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the improved line-holder, which consists, essen: tially, of the yielding jaws a a and the securing-shank B. The shank B is made from a single spring-plate, which is bent at a point equidistant from both ends in the arc of a circle at Z), so as to form a spring, one plate, 1), extending therefrom upwardly a considerable distance in a straight line, and also inclined outwardly at an angle to a horizontal line in the proper degree. To the upper end of the plate Z) is connected the yielding plate or jaw Serial No. 557,882. (No model.)

a, the lower end of which extends outwardly at an angle to the side of plate I), and is extended upwardly a short distance in an elongated curved line, as at (F, thence bent downwardly and inwardly in a curved line toward the lower portion of the jaw a, and terminated a short distance above the upper end of the plate I), forming a hook Q The other plate, b extends upwardly in the same manner and the same height as the plate I), to the upper end of which is connected the jaw a, which is precisely the same as the jaw a and is bent in the direction of the jaw a, and terminated the same distance above the plate b as described of the jaw a, also forming a hook similar to the hook a The line-holder may be made from a single piece of spring-steel, and the parts a a may be tempered separately from the shank B and in a different degree.

0 represents a pole of ordinary height, to the end of which the line-holder A is secured in the following manner: The upper end 0 of the pole is at right angles to the sides 0 0'. In the upper end of the pole O and extending from the end 0 of the bar in the direction of the lower end of said pole and equidistant from the sides 0 0 is a transverse slot 0 which is the same length as the side 6' of the shank B. Beneath the slot 0 is a circular opening 0 which communicates with the slot 0 The line-holder is then secured to the pole by first compressing the plates 6 b and inserting the same in aclosed position in the slot 0 the portion 1) entering the opening 0 In the slot 0 the width of which is slightly in excess of the combined thickness of the plates 5 b the plates spring outwardly or expand against the sides of the slot and retain the line-holder securely in position, while the portion 1), which is driven within and fits snugly the opening 0 in the end of said pole, prevents accidental side movement of the line-holder.

In the operation of the line-holder in connection with the clothes-line the line-holder is placed in a position beneath with the line between the parts a a and as pressure is applied the jaws (I. a open sufiiciently to admit the line.

In the sway of the line, and particularly as the angle described by the pole G from the ground is increased,the strain is brought upon one j aw, causing it to bend over, which movement is checked by the upper end of the pole against which it comes in contact. In this manner the breakage of the line-holder is prevented. During the sway of the clothesline from whatever cause the line is prevented from disengagement from the line-holder and enters the hooked portion of the jaw, at which point no accidental removal is permitted. The line-holder is disengaged from the line by permitting the line to enter between the parts a aof the jaws a a and drawing upon the line-holder, the parts of which yield for this purpose.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the outwardly-c urved jaws of the line-holder with the upper ends extended in an upward direction and curved outwardly in opposite directions and thence downwardly a short distance. The upper end of the pole is grooved at 0 so as to admit the under side portion of the jaws, and thus prevent the breakage of the jaws when strain is applied, the jaws being secured to the pole, as described in Figs. 1 and In my improved line-holder I have attained a serviceable and readily-applied device which maybe attached to a fixture in a horizontal position as well as vertical and will adapt itself to all of the varied requirements of clothes-line props.

Having fully described my invention, what I new claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a clothes-line prop a clothes-pole having a transverse slot in the upper end thereof and a circular opening beneath and communicating with said slot, opposite yielding line-holding jaws having a shank composed of separate plates connected with said jaws at their respective upper ends arranged within said transverse slot in said pole and having their lower ends connected together and bent in the arc of a circle and extending within the circular opening in said pole as and for the purpose described.

EDWARD I. XVALKER. Vitnesses:

C. E. LIVERS, S. L. O. IIASSON.