US812011A - Clothes-frame. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED FEB; 6, 1.906.

' G. W. BRODE. CLOTHES FRAME.

CHARLES W. BRODE, OF NEW GOMERSTOWN, OHIO.

CLOTHES-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed August 21, 1902. Serial No. 120,543-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BRODE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New Comerstown, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Frames, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes-frames.

The object is to provide a frame which shall afford the greatest possible drying facilities with economy of space and cost and one which when folded up requires a minimum space to store it iii.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frame embodying my invention extended in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side view of the frame when closed up ready for storage or transportation; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the frame, showing the manner in which clothes may be hung upon In the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate the longitudinally, vertically, and oppositely folding sections of the frame, composed, respectively, of upright members 3 4 and 5 6 and the upwardly and downwardly folding members 7. The upright bars 3 4 and 5 6 are pivotally connected at 8, and each of the bars 7 is pivotally connected near its outer end to one of the upright bars. The inner ends of the bars 7, which lie in approximately the same planes, are superposed and pivotally connected to one of the uprights 9 10. These uprights 9 10 are likewise pivoted at 8 and serve both to join the sections 1 and 2 end to end and also to form the base on which the sections fold vertically and inwardly. The two bars 7, which are arranged in proximity to the pivotal connections 8 of the uprights, are carried each by one of the frame-sections, one being pivoted to the uprights 6 and 10 and the other to the uprights 4 and 9. This arrangement of the bars in proximity to the pivots 8 allows for the lateral spreading of the sections which compose the frame and also provides for the utilization of the central vertical longitudinal planes of the frame for drying purposes.

The bar or brace 11, which is pivoted at 12 to the upright 6 or to one of the bars 7, is notched at 13. This notch 13 engages with a pin 14 on the bar lO-to form a means for looking the frame against longitudinal movement or swaying. The brace is held securely in place on the pin 14 by a gravitating and au I tomatically-acting button or catch 16, pivoted to the upright 10 and adapted at its free end to bear on the brace.

Located above the pintles 8 and securely fastened at either end to each pair of upright bars 3 4 and 5 6 are the chains 15. These chains act automatically as stop devices to limit the outward spread or rotation of the uprights about the pintles 8. It will be understood that I do not limit myself to this single form of stop device, as any other suitable stop device or equivalent may be used to accomplish the same result. The device also may be located-below instead of above the pintles 8.

To fold the frame, the upright bars are revolved about their pintles 8 until all the members of the frame lie .in the same or parallel planes. Then the brace 11 is disengaged from the pin 14, the central uprights 9 and 10 are elevated, and the sections 1 and 2 are folded down about the central uprights until "the parts of the frame assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 2.

An important feature of my invention consists in the fact that in order to fold the frame all of its members must lie in the same or in parallel planes. Owing to this fact, when the frame is set up ready for use there is no dan- 'er of its collapsing if, perchance, the brace ecomes disengaged. Furthermore, even though the brace 11 become disengaged the frame may be lifted from place to place when filled with clothes, likewise without any danger of having it collapse. The reason for this is that as the uprights are revolved about their pivots or, in other words, the frame is spread the planes of the bars 7 connected to one series of uprights and. those of the bars 7 connected to the other series are no longer parallel. If an attempt is now made to fold. the frame, the two bars 7 which are secured nearest the pivotal connections of the uprights will contact with the upright bars to which they are not secured and which lie in another plane, so that folding or collapsing is prevented.

Another important feature of my invention is clearly shown in Fig. 3. After each of the bars 7 has been hung with clothes .it is still possible to utilize the frame, on account of the width at its top, for drying large artilike-by laying them across the tops of the upright bars. As shown, they may hang down over the frame without coming into ales-such as sheets, table-cloths, and the' contact with any of the articles hung upon the bars 7. The capacity of the rack is thus largely increased, and this is derived from the plan of construction, according to which the two sections which fold vertically together are each composed of two members, which cross each other in X fashion and are pivoted together at 8, and this is accomplished While still maintaining great economy in construction, only two shapes of bars being required and the number of pivots minimized by uniting the inner ends of bars 7 in pairs With a single pivot.

What I claim is- A folding rack consisting of two longitudinally-foldable and laterally-spreadable sections, each section comprising a pair of uprights arranged side by side and pivotally joined together at points between their ends and a series of longitudinal members arranged on the outside edges of the said upright members on opposite sides of said pivotal connections and having their outer ends pivoted to said uprights, the inner ends of said longitudinal members which lie in approximately the same planes, being overlapped and pivoted to one of a pair of transversely-pivoted uprights which serve as a joining means for the two sections, each section having a single longitudinal member arranged in proximity to the transverse pivotal connections of the uprights, and on opposite sides of the frame from each other, and having their inner ends pivotally connected each to one of the aforesaid uprights joining the said sections together, respectively, substantially as set forth In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES WV. BRODE.

Witnesses FRANK MEEK, CHARLEY SMITH.

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