GB1411055A - Drying frame for items of laundry which can be folded and unfolded in the manner of an umbrella frame - Google Patents

Abstract

1411055 Clothes dryer LEIFHEIT INTERNATIONAL GUNTER LEIFHEIT GmbH 5 Feb 1973 [5 Feb 1972] 5651/73 Heading A4U A clothes dryer comprises line-carrying arms 11 pivotally carried by and extending radially from a ring 14 slidably mounted on a post 10 and provided with a catch 19 for releasably engaging the post to prevent movement of the ring, the catch including an actuating member 27 connected to a clamp 22 by a spring 31 whereby movement of the member 27 from the release position shown in Fig. 3 to the engaged position, Fig. 4 (not shown), moves the spring past a dead centre position to bias the clamp 22 into its post-engaging position. The arms 11 are pivotally connected by struts 15 to an upper ring 17 having a screw 18 for adjustably retaining it in position on the post 10. A cord 20 for moving the ring 14 along the post 10 extends from the ring 14 round a roller on the ring 17 and then round a roller on the ring 14. The clamp 22 is the shape of a segment of a circle the distance from its clamping face 24 to its pivot 23 progressively increasing from an upper edge 25 to a lower edge so that when the member 27 is moved to its engaged position downward movement of the ring 14 will cause the clamp to be moved under the bias of the spring 31 to its clamping position. The catch 19 may be mounted in a member 37 separably secured within a housing 29. The clamp has a replaceable lining 41 of material such as rubber for engaging the post. The arms 11 when in their folded position are retained in members 16 on the upper ring 17 by cams 55. The struts 15 are pivoted on the arms 11 by members 56 each comprising two parts engaging either side of the arm 11 and riveted together, Figs. 8 and 9 (not shown). In a second embodiment, Fig. 6 (not shown), the catch comprises a rectangular clamp supported by inclined rocking pins so that downward movement of the ring increases the clamping force. The spring is moved past a dead centre position by a sliding member. The latter may be replaced by a rocking member. In a third embodiment, Fig. 7 (not shown), the catch comprises a wedge-shaped clamp backed by a complementary wedge-shaped member. The tension spring may be replaced by a compression spring and the clamp may be replaced by a pawl. The upper ring may have a catch similar to the catch 19. The arms 11 may be fitted on an upper ring and the struts 15 on a lower ring.