GB2214068A - Improvements relating to clothes driers - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothes drier has a column (1) with a sleeve (2) slidable up and down it. A plurality of arms (5) are pivatally coupled to the sleeve and stays (8) link the arms to a cap (6) at the top of the column. A clothes line is rove between the arms which, when the sleeve (2) is raised, extend generally radially. The sleeve can be held in this position by being twisted so that a stud (15) on the column (1) engages a selected slot (13, 14) of a bayonet-type fitting. The slots are axially spaced so that the sleeve has different set positions, enabling the line to be kept tensioned as it stretches. A keep (16) is incorporated in the sleeve and is shiftable to block or free the slots (13, 14) so that the stud (15), once engaged, is positively retained. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Clothes Dryers This invention relates to clothes dryers for outdoor use on which clothes are hung to dry naturally. It is concerned with those of the kind comprising a column, a sleeve slidable along and turnable about the column, a plurality of arms, each with one end pivotally coupled to the sleeve and linked elsewhere to an upper point on the column, whereby raising the sleeve spreads the arms generally radially and lowering the sleeve retracts the arms alongside the column, and pin and slot coupling between the sleeve and column for retaining the sleeve in a raised position.

Such a clothes dryer is described in our earlier Patent No. 1325994, and generally it has proved very satisfactory. However, some drawbacks have occasionally been apparent.

A clothes line is strung between the arms, and normally it is a single length rove spirally so that, when the arms are extended, there is a resemblance to a spider's web. Inevitably, after some use the line stretches, and sags between the arms. This may not be very noticeable or serious to begin with, but when the line does become quite slack there are problems. For example, hanging one heavy piece of washing on one span of line can pull that right down, taking additional length from the spans beyond the adjacent arms, so that the piece drags on the ground.

A cure for this is to re-tension the line when the arms are spread. But this is lengthy and tedious, involving starting at one end of the line and working around from arm to arm pulling out each length. The other end is then refastened and the surplus cut off.

Another problem is security of the pin and slot coupling which can occasionally work free.

It is the aim of this invention to reduce the need for this periodic tightening by having an adjustable bayonet fitting and to make it more secure in its raised position.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a clothes dryer of the kind described in which the sleeve has slots at different axial positions, each capable of co-operation with a pin on the column.

Initially, the line will be set so that it will be taut when the uppermost slot is used. As the line stretches, it will become possible to force the sleeve further up the column and engage the next lower slot.

This will push the arms further outwards and "flatter", stretching out the line.

There may be more than two such slots, but obviously there is a limit beyond which it would be unsafe to go.

The arms must always point slightly upwardly from the sleeve.

It is preferred that successive axially spaced slots are branched from opposite sides of a longitudinal channel for receiving the pin as the sleeve is brought into the fully raised position. Thus the sleeve is twisted one way for engagement of one slot and the opposite way for engagement of the next one. This allows finer graduation than that available with all the slots on one side.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a clothes dryer of the kind described in which the sleeve has a keep adjustable to selectively block and free the entry to the or each slot.

Conveniently, this will take the form of a member slidable in a longitudinal channel which receives the pin as the sleeve is moved to the fully raised position.

It may be operated by thumb or finger, and when slid to one position relative to the sleeve, the or each slot is opened to the pin, and when moved to another position the entry to the or each slot is at least partially blocked. If the pin is engaged in a slot, it will then be captive and cannot jump out to release the arms.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a vertically adjustable sleeve for a clothes dryer of the kind described, Figure 2 is a side view, partly cutaway and in section, of the upper portion of such a clothes dryer, including the sleeve, Figure 3 is a vertical section of the sleeve, at right angles to the view of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 2, to an enlarged scale.

The clothes dryer has an upright column 1 of metal tubing. A sleeve 2, conveniently of moulded plastics material, is slidable along this column, and can also be rotated about it. At its upper end it carries a ring 3 with pairs of lugs 4 equally spaced around it, and the inner ends of arms 5 are pivoted between these lugs. At the top of the column 1 there is a cap 6 with corresponding pairs of lugs 7 to which support stays 8 are pivoted. These extend to intermediate points (not shown) on the arms 5, and support those arms in generally radial but upwardly inclined attitudes when the sleeve 2 is raised. When the sleeve 2 is lowered, the arms 5 and stays 8 fold in alongside the column 1.

This is similar to the arrangement described in our earlier Patent No. 1325994.

The sleeve has a divided upper portion 9 embraced by the ring 3 which is captive to it but can rotate about it. The divided parts can flex towards each other to allow the ring 3 to be pressed on past the retaining shoulder 9a. There are thus two diametrically opposed axially parallel channels 10. The lower portion 11 of the sleeve has a thickened portion at its upper end forming a shoulder 12 on which the ring 3 sits, but while this is circumferentially continuous at its outer edge, the channels 10 continue within it and then further into the lower portion 11. Here, one of the channels develops into a longitudinal groove 10a on the inside of the sleeve, while the other channel reverts to being an open slot 10b in the sleeve, for a purpose to be described.Branching from each channel 10 in this portion 11, on opposite sides and at different axial spacings, there are L-shaped slots 13 and 14 for bayonet-type engagement. Only those branching from the channel 10b are shown in full in Figures 1, 2 and 4, but the presence of the opposite slots 13 and 14 is indicated in outline in Figure 1 and parts of both slots 13 appear in the section of Figure 5.

The column 1 has fixed studs 15 at diametrically opposed points, and as the sleeve is raised these enter the channels 10. When opposite the slots 13, the sleeve can be twisted and then lowered slightly, thereby to be retained. If this leaves the line too slack the sleeve can be released, raised further and the studs engaged in the slots 14.

A keep 16 is captive to the channel portion 10b.

This has an upper tongue 17 to engage behind the shoulder 12, a lower tongue 18 which can slide into a recess 19 in the inner wall of the sleeve beyond the closed end of the channel 10b, and lateral ribs 20 either side of the tongue 17 engageable in rebates on the inner sides of the upper part of the channel 10b.

The keep has a concave face to co-operate closely with the column 1, and a groove 21 extends lengthwise of it, as best seen in Figure 2. This groove is open to the top and flared, freely to receive one of the pins 15, is closed at the bottom, and has openings 22 and 23 off to the sides at spacings corresponding to the axial spacings of the slots 13 and 14. When the keep 16 is slid up by its exposed thumb pad 24 relative to the sleeve 2, these openings register with the slots 13 and so the sleeve can be twisted in one or the other direction for the bayonet coupling to be made. However, once it is so made, the keep can be slid down again, and the branches are then no longer fully in registry with the slots 13 and 14, which are blocked, preventing accidental escape of the stud 15.

Claims (6)

1. A clothes drier of the kind described in which the sleeve has slots at different axial positions, each capable of co-operation with a pin on the column.

2. A clothes drier as claimed in Claim 1, wherein successive axially spaced slots are branched from opposite sides of a longitudinal channel for receiving the pin as the sleeve is brought into the fully raised position.

3. A clothes drier of the kind described in which the sleeve has a keep adjustable selectively to block and free the entry to the or each slot.

4. A clothes drier as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the keep is a member slidable in a longitudinal channel which receives the pin as the sleeve is moved to the fully raised position.

5. A clothes drier as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 and as claimed in Claim 3 or 4.

6. A clothes drier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.