Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVEMENT IN AND RELATING TO CLOTHES LINE ASSEMBLIES
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to clothes line asseinblies for supporting
clothes
and otlier articles for the purpose of drying and components therefor. The
expression
"clothes line" is understood not to be limited to an arrangement only for use
with clothes
but is intended to cover its use with other articles such as, for example,
towels, sheets or
any other articles which can be secured to it.
Background to the Invention
There are many different types of clothes lines which are currently known.
Generally currently lcnown clothes lines suffer from the disadvantage that
they take up a
considerable amount of space. Although some of these known clothes lines are
collapsible, in order to alleviate this problem they still suffer from the
disadvantage that
they are not very aesthetically appealing. In addition clothes on the line can
be subjected
to adverse weather conditions, such as rain, and bird excrement and also build-
up of dirt on
the lines when not in-use since the majority of clothes lines are situated
outdoors.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clothes line
assembly
which alleviates one or more of the aforementioned disadvantageous.
Summary of the Invention
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a clothes
line
assembly including: a support; a first line carrier which is adapted to have
attached thereto
a plurality of lines to which clothing or other articles can be secured, the
first line carrier
being operatively mounted to the support for movement between an in-use
position in
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which it extends laterally from the support, and a non-use position; the
support including a
support frame which is mountable to a wall or similar structure, the first
line carrier being
pivotally mounted to the support frame for pivotal movement between the in-use
and non-
use positions; and a cover arranged so that when the first line carrier is in
the non-use
position the cover and line carrier can adopt a stowed position in which the
cover can
conceal the line carrier from view, and in which stowed position the cover
substantially
abuts the lines and/or the first line carrier, the cover being operatively
connected to the first
line carrier so that in a deployed position with the first line carrier in the
in-use position the
cover is disposed above and in spaced relation from the lines on the first
line carrier.
The clothes line assembly may fitrther include an additional line carrier
which is
operatively connected to the support for movement between in-use and non-use
positions.
The additional line carrier may be pivotally mounted to the support frame for
pivotal
movement between the in-use and non-use positions. Preferably, in case wliere
there are
two liner carriers when the line carriers are in the in-use position they
extend laterally from
the support frame in spaced relation from one another, and when in the non-use
position
the line carriers over lie one another and the support fraine.
In one form the line carrier may include a carrier frame which may for example
be
generally square or rectangular in shape with the lines extending between
opposed sides
thereof.
The additional line carrier may be similar in structure to that of the first
mentioned
line carrier as described above. Preferably, the peripheral dimension of the
additional
carrier is less than that of the first carrier so that when both are in the
non-use position they
can rest within one another.
The panel may be operatively mounted to the line carrier by connecting links
which
are pivotable for enabling the panel to move between the operative position
and the stowed
position in which the panel is adjacent to and over lies the line carrier.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover
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suitable for use with a clothes line assembly the close line assembly
including a support, a
line carrier which is adapted to have attached thereto a plurality of lines to
which clothing
or other articles can be secured, the line carrier being operatively mounted
to the support
frame for movement between an in-use position in which it extends laterally
from the
support body and a non-use position the cover being arranged so that when the
line carrier
is in the non-use position the cover and line carrier can adopt a stowed
position in which
the cover can conceal the line carrier from view.
The cover may include a panel operatively connected to the first mentioned
line
carrier so that in an operative position with the line carrier in the in-use
position the cover
is disposed above and in spaced relation from the lines on the line carrier.
The panel may
be operatively mounted to the line carrier by connecting links which are
pivotable for
enabling the panel to move between the operative position and the stowed
position in
which the panel is adjacent to and over lies the line carrier.
In another embodiment the support frame includes two generally upright leg
members each including two or more parts connected together in telescopic
fashion for
movement between extended and retracted positions. In this embodiment the or
each line
carrier is operatively connected to the leg members so that at least one of
the line carriers
can be raised and then moved from its stored non-use position to its in-use
position. The
line carrier or carriers and cover may be of the type described earlier.
In yet another embodiment the support frame includes two generally upright leg
members to which the or each line carrier is operatively connected. In this
embodiment
the cover is in the form of a casing having a storage compartment therein the
legs being
movable from a position in which they are disposed within the storage
compartment to a
second position in which they extend from the compartment.
According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a
clothes line assembly including: a support; a first line carrier which is
adapted to have
attached thereto a plurality of lines to which clothing or other articles can
be secured, the
line carrier being operatively mounted to the support for movement between an
in-use
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position in wliich it extends laterally from the support and a non-use
position; the support
including a support frame which is mountable to a wall or similar structure,
the line carrier
being pivotally mounted to the support fraine for pivotal movement between the
in-use and
non-use positions; and a second line carrier being operatively mounted to the
support for
movement between an in-use position in which it extends laterally from the
support and a
non-use position, the second line carrier further being adapted to be spaced
from the first
line carrier when in the in-use position.
The additional line carrier may be similar in structure to that of the first
mentioned
line carrier as described above. Preferably, the peripheral dimension of the
additional
carrier is less than that of the first carrier so that wllen both are in the
non-use position they
can rest within one another.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention drawings
illustrating
example embodiments are attached and in those drawings:
Figure 1 is a schematic first isometric view of a clothes line assembly
according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic second isometric view of the clothes line assembly
shown
in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a front elevation;
Figure 5 is a side elevation;
Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a further embodiment;
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Figure 7 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a schematic illustration of yet another embodiment; and
Figures 9 to 11 are illustrations of further einbodiments.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, there is shown a clothes line
assembly
generally indicated at 10 including a support 12 which is adapted to be
mounted to a
structure such as a wall, fence and the like. The support body may be in the
form of a
frame 13 which is generally rectangular in configuration. Any suitable
fastenings can be
used to attach the support body to the structure.
The assembly further includes a line carrier 16 which is adapted to have
attached
thereto a plurality of lines 17 to which clothing and the like can be
attached. As shown the
line carrier 16 includes a carrier frame 18 of generally rectangular shape
with a plurality of
lines 17 arranged generally parallel to one another and extending between
opposed sides of
the carrier frame 18. The carrier frame 18 is operatively mounted to the
support frame 13
by means of hinges 21 for pivotal movement between an in use position as shown
in the
drawings in which it extends laterally from the support frame 13 and a non-use
position in
which the two frames are disposed in adjacent planes. Pivotal movement of the
carrier
frame 18 as shown by arrow Y in Figure 5 enables it to adopt either its non-
use or in-use
positions. As shown the carrier frame 18 is pivotally connected to the support
frame 13 at
its upper edge.
The assembly 10 may further include an additional line carrier 26 which
includes a
carrier frame 28 with a plurality of lines 27 thereon. The carrier 26 is
similar in structure
to line carrier 16 and is connected to a lower edge of the support frame by
hinges 31. The
carrier frame 28 can also be pivotally moved as indicated by arrow Z in Figure
5 between
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in-use and non-use positions as is the case with carrier frame 18. The
peripheral
dimension in plan of carrier frame 28 is smaller than carrier frame 18 so that
when both
frames are in the non-use position, carrier frame 28 can nest within carrier
frame 18. Each
carrier frame is provided with a respective pair of struts 22 and 32
respectively which hold
the frames in the in use position. Strut 32 may be in the form of a cable.
The assembly further includes a cover 40 which is operatively connectible to
line
carrier 16 so that in an operative or deployed position, with the line carrier
body in the in
use position the cover is spaced from the lines 17 on the carrier 16. The
cover 40 may be
in the fonn of a panel 41 which is operatively connected to the carrier frame
18 by the
connecting links 44 which enable pivotal movement as shown by arrow X in
Figures 5 so
that the panel, in a stowed position, is immediately adjacent the carrier 16.
The panel 41
may include a peripheral side flange 45 which provides for a cavity into which
the carrier
frame 18 can be disposed when in the stowed position. A handle 46 is provided
for
moving the cover between the stowed and operative positions. Stops may be
provided,
adjacent to or integral with a base of the links 44 to inhibit rotation of the
linlcs 44 so that
the panel 41 is held at a selected height above the carrier frame 18 when in
the in-use
position. The stops are disposed so that the links rotate past a perpendicular
or vertical
point, and then the weight of the panel 41 causes the links to remain held
against their
respective stops while the clothes line assembly is in the in-use position.
The panel 41 is maintained generally parallel to the carrier frame 18
throughout the
extension from the carrier fraine to the in-use position, by utilising pairs
of spaced-apart
links 44.
If desired the cover 40 can be completely removed or mounted so that it can
adopt
a position in which it is clear of the carrier frame 18. The cover can be made
of any
suitable material and have any suitable finish. It may be transparent or
opaque. It may
have a picture on its outer surface or a reflective surface. A frame structure
may be
disposed around the peripheral edge of the panel to give the impression of a
framed picture
or the like.
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Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment in which the support comprises a
pair of
telescopically arranged upright members 53 and 54. The upper part of each
telescopic
meinber is in the form of an I-beam 55 and 56 part of which is slidably
receivable within a
slot in the lower end has the line carriers operatively connected thereto and
again the
assembly can be raised and lowered for movement between in use and storage
positions.
Figure 7 is similar to that shown in Figure 6 except that the cover 65 is in
the form
of a panel behind which the line carrier is positioned in the stowed position.
Figure 8 illustrates a further embodiment of clothes line assembly. In this
embodiment the cover is in the form of a casing 70 and the line carrier is
adapted to be
stored in the casing when in the stowed position. The support body in this
case is similar
in form to that described with reference to Figure 6. When in the raised
position it
functions substantially in the same manner as that described with reference to
Figures 1 to
5.
Figures 9 to 11 illustrates other examples of covers. In Figure 9 the cover 80
is in
the form of a casing which holds the line carrier and has a closure panel 81
pivotally
mounted so that it can be opened to enable the line carrier to be accessed.
Figure 10 is similar in structure to Figure 9 except that the closure panel is
slidable.
Figure 11 is an embodiment where the closure panel is the upper wall pivotally
mounted.
Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or
additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements
of parts
without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.
