GB2472490A - Portable washing line - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing line is a compact system that does not need clothes pegs or washing line posts and may be attached to e.g. the side of a vehicle. At least one arm 2 or multiple arms may be placed at different positions. These may fit on arm holders 3 located on a tubular holder 1. The arms may trap the clothes or washing in between two parts of the arms by closing up together. The facing edges of arms may have anti-slip ribbed surfaces for extra grip of the washing or to hold coat hangers within the ribbed channels. The arms may alternatively incorporate magnets into each trapping part to pull the arms together to securely hold the washing. The system may also fold or be disassembled for easy storage. In an alternative form the system may be arranged as a rotary or whirligig washing line.

Description

Portable or static washing line

Detailed description

Version one This drying system comprises of a tubular holder 1 that may have between one to six split arms 2 figure 1, that may be permanently fixed to the tubular holder I or which can be attached & detached fi-om the tubular holder 1, and can either be screwed on a receiving surface of caravan, mobile or static home, by way of the fixing bracket 4, or by using two magnets 5 to magnetise the metal fixing brackets 4 at the top and bottom, to the caravan, motor home or similar so that no drilling of caravan or leisure home wall is needed.

The split arms 2a & 2b may contain a strip of light but strong metal or similar strong material to keep the arms rigid for longer life of the washing line system, or alternatively may have small corresponding magnets inside each arm 2a & 2b for greater pull of the arms 2a & b. together The drying systems may have between 1 to 6 split arm options according to consumer needs; figure 1, with one split length on top of the other on each arm; figure 2, whereby the washing is placed between the two parts figure 6 and held in place by tightly holding together with either an elasticised loop 6 or eyelet strap; 7 which would be attached to the end of the top half of the arm 2a. The elastic loop or eyelet hole strap;7 pulls down onto the holding notch; 8 under the end of bottom part of the arm 2b to hold the two arms taut together to secure the washing in between the arms; 2 when these two halves are placed together, this eliminates the need for pegs.

The meeting edges of the split arms 2 may have ribbed surfaces 9 fig.2, of anti slip material for extra hold and the ribbed channels for holding coat hangers shown in figure 5.

The split arms 2 will fit into an arm holder 3 which in turn will fit into the tubular holder 1. The end of the arms 2 closest to the tubular holder 1 and the arm holder 3 may incorporate a spring coil mechanism 11 that would enable the split arms 2 to pull out of the arm holder 3 but still be attached by the spring coil 11 and fold down. Another version may be that the arms 2 will be independent of the washing line system but will tightly slot into the arm holder 3 and may be secured by a locking pin. These facilities will enable the washing line system to take up less room when storing. The following version may also have these fold down or attachable/detachable arms.

Version two of this washing line system comprises of the same tubular holder 1 and fixing brackets 4 but each arm is of one continuous single tubular loop 13 shape and therefore used differently. The washing is hung through (he loop 13 and secured in place by sliding down the holding shutter 17 from within the shutter holder 16 at the top of the loop arm 13 by means of a sliding pin 15. This will hold the washing securely in place without the need for any kind of pegs. The holding shutter 17 may be made of thick rubber with a ribbed surface 9 bottom edge shown as 9 on figure 2.

Both of these versions of the travel washing line system have a whirligig /rotary version figures 4 & 8

Background

This Invention relates to a portable or static outdoor washing line/clothes dryer with multiple arms, which does not need any pegs to hold the washing.

Drying washing outside usually needs sonic form of pegs, clips or holding mechanisms to secure the clothes on the line in the wind. Pegs are usually spring loaded plastic pegs or wooden pegs. The spring loaded pegs are harder for people with hand/finger joint pain and stiffness and these pegs break easily.

Wooden pegs do not hold the washing as well as spring pegs.

A lot of people find pegging washing out to be time consuming, the process of pegging on and off the line and storing pegs somewhere dry and cool, as the weather deteriorates these. Both plastic with metal pegs and wooden pegs and the latter can go mouldy if left wet.

Another problem that some people find with pegs is that they can trap fingers, and some pegs can have recycling issues.

For all types of caravans, motor homes and mobile homes, at present the hook on window' rail seems to be the best or only option which needs for the window to be open and unlocked, and needs pegs to keep the washing on the rails on windy days. On caravan and touring trips the typical plastic rope type washing line is sometimes used and although it can be tied to somewhere on the mobile home, it needs a post or tree or other to secure the loose end.

There are two styles to the portable washing line systems, the difference only in the arms.

These peg free washing line systems could be caravan mounted or wall mounted to any upright and secure surface, and may come in rotary/whirligig version.

Statement of Invention -Advantages

To overcome these problems the present Invention proposes a lightweight portable screw-on or magnet; 3a fixed washing line system to the wall of caravans, motor homes, mobile homes, chalets and apartments; fig.3.

This washing line system eliminates the problem of finding a post, fence or tree to secure a traditional clothes line when holidaying with a mobile home.

This washing line system gives the advantage of not having to use pegs or clips at all to hold the washing; figure 1, pg 1 of 4 diagrams It could also solve the problem of where to hang a washing line in a small courtyard, small garden or shared community garden, because you could use the wall of your dwelling, shed or garage wall with this washing line system; fig.3.

Because very little space is needed.

The system could also be used in any type of garden large or small, where there is a flat upright surface to screw onto or maguetise to, for use on small washdays. drying swimwear and towels and for drying off tea towels and towels before putting in the wash basket. Ideal for use when washing out the odd garment or two.

Preferably swimwear and underwear can be placed over the arm 2b through the legs and straps, and tea shirts through the sleeves for extra security of staying on the line and then the top part of arm 2a is brought down onto the bottom to secure with either elasticised loop 6 or eyelet strap 7, figure 6 This gives the advantage of not having to use pegs or clips at all and the multiple use of movable arms; fig. 2 which gives space between them to allow the washing to have more air around it for drying.

Because the inner area of the two parts of the arms are of ribbed non slip material 9, this gives more grip onto the washing and the grooves of the ribbing 9 will also be able to hold coat hangers for jackets shirts and the like; figures 5&6 on pg. 3 of 4 diagrams.

Version two; is that the clothes are simply hung through the loop and the sliding pins 15 are slid down to bring down the holding shutter 17 from the inside top part of tubular loop which is called the shutter enclosure 16, down onto the washing to hold securely in place.

The holding shutter 17 may be made from thick rubber or other anti slip strong material and maybe of ribbed surface 9 at the bottom, as with version one drying system figure 2, the advantage being for extra hold and the ribbed surface 9 would be for coat hanger provision as shown figure 5 and 6.

Background

An example of the Invention will now be described by the accompanying drawings, 1. Tubifiar holder 2. Split arms top a, bottom b 3. Arm holder.

4. Fixing brackets 5. Optional holding magnets for mobile and leisure homes 6. Elasticised loop 7. Eyelet strap 8. Holding notch 9. Ribbed surfaces 10. Depicts top part of arm moving away from bottom part 11. Spring coil 12. Fabric with eyelet holes or non corrosive chain link to hang coat hangers 13. Tuibifiar loop arm 14. Tuibifiar loop arm with slide down 15. Sliding pins 16. Shifiter enclosure 17. Holding slwtter 18. Whirligig or rotary version of Thbfflar loop armed dryer -figure 8