GB2475222A

GB2475222A - Collapsible rotary washing line assembly with water-resistant rain cover

Info

Publication number: GB2475222A
Application number: GB0916052A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karen Hanson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-09-14
Filing date: 2009-09-14
Publication date: 2011-05-18
Also published as: GB0916052D0

Abstract

A collapsible washing line assembly comprises a rotary washing line with a central pole (1, Fig 2) and a plurality of spokes (4, Fig 2) radiating from the central pole (1, Fig 1), and a water-resistant rain cover (6, Fig 1) with a corresponding plurality of spokes (7, Fig 1). The washing line spokes (4, Fig 2) radiate from the central pole (1, Fig 1) and extend downwardly, and each of the cover spokes (7, Fig 1) are linked to a corresponding washing line spoke (4, Fig 2) by a pivotal linkage (8, Fig 3) provided in the region of the outer end of the spokes. The washing line and cover 5, (6, Fig 1) are integrated so that the cover 5, (6, Fig 1) collapses as the washing line is collapsed. The spokes (7, Fig 1) of the cover 5, (6, Fig 1) may be parallel to the spokes (4, Fig 2) of the washing line, and the linkages (8, Fig 3) may be rigid and pivotally connected to both the washing line spokes (4, Fig 2) and the cover spokes (7, Fig 1). The cover frame (6, Fig 1) may comprise side panels, which may be pegged to the ground. The cover may be a dark colour in order to absorb light and facilitate drying.

Description

Covered Washing Line The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to collapsible multi-spoke washing lines also, for such lines that rotate, known as rotary washing lines. In particular the invention concerns an assembly of multi-spoke washing line together with a frame-supported water resistant cover that mounts over the washing line.

Field of the Invention

Whenever washing is hung outdoors on a washing line to dry, even on the brightest days, the weather can often change to rain, making the clothes io wet again if they are not temporarily brought in and can delay the drying process by hours or days.

In the context of multi-spoke washing lines! rotary washing lines a simple solution is a shower-proof cover that can be pulled over the frame of the washing line in the event of rain. Such covers are, however, not ideal because they provide negligible clearance between the fabric of the cover and the clothing! washing drying on the lines and thus at least the washing on the outermost lines is heavily impeded from drying while the cover is in place. Such covers, and those which are designed to funnel rainwater down through the centre of the cover do not have good airflow for drying and are best used by only by those who remain on hand to remove the cover at the earliest opportunity when the rain has passed.

Covers for multi-spoke washing lines! rotary washing lines and that have a separate frame for the cover have been developed over recent years and a number of these are the subject of patent applications. Examples of such covers are described and illustrated in x and in the present applicant's own earlier UK patent application GBXXXXXXXXXXX. In that latter application a cover and multi-spoke washing line assembly is described and illustrated that unusually has the spokes of the washing line and of the cover arranged extending downwardly in the erected state. The cover nests over the washing lines but with a clearance of quite a few centimetres, allowing air flow to carry away the moisture evaporating from the washing. The present invention improves upon that disclosure and seeks to provide a covered multi-spoke washing line assembly that is economical and efficient and that is readily collapsed and extended.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly having a centre pole with a multi-spoke washing line head part mounted thereon with the spokes radiating from the pole and a water-resistant cover with a corresponding multi-spoke frame, the head part of the washing line having the lines that carry the washing in use and being mounted to the centre pole upside down' compared to conventional, ie with the spokes extending downwardly from the centre pole in the erected state, and with is the cover mounted to the centre pole over the spoked head part of the washing line with the spokes of the cover also extending downwardly and configured to correspond to the spokes of the head part, wherein each spoke of the cover is linked to a corresponding spoke of the multi-spoke washing line head part by a pivoting linkage located in the region of the distal! radially outer end of the spoke so that the linkages may act as struts to hold the cover at a suitable spacing from the washing when the washing line is erected and the washing line head part and cover are integrated to collapse or erect/open out together in tandem, i.e. in one movement.

Preferably there is the same number of spokes to the cover as there is to the head part and preferably the spokes of the cover are held substantially parallel to the spokes of the head part when the assembly is erected.

Suitably each linkage is a rigid elongate member/rod that is pivoted to the cover spoke at one end of the elongate member! rod and pivoted to the head part spoke at the other end of the elongate member! rod In the collapsible multi-spoke washing line and cover assembly the cover may comprises a centre pole extension that inserts into the centre pole of the multi-spoke washing line to mount the cover on the centre pole.

However, preferably, the cover may mount on the centre pole directly, by a collar or socket that sits onto or fits as a sleeve over the centre pole. Any height extension! adjustment of the pole is preferably by an extension at the base end of the centre pole.

Suitably the cover, once the assembly is erect, overhangs the washing line head part and side panels may be attached to the cover to protect the washing from wind-driven rain that might otherwise enter through the sides. The side panels may suitably be attached using popper fasteners.

Where provided, the side panels may be pegged into the ground either directly or using short guy ropes..

Preferably the cover is of dark colour to attract heat to further enhance natural drying and may desirably be dark green.

If desired, a stand may be provided to enhance stability of the covered washing line.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be more particularly described, solely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multi-spoke frame for a water-resistant canopy; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a multi-spoke washing line assembly having a centre pole with a multi-spoke washing line head part mounted thereon with the spokes radiating from the pole and carrying the lines for the washing Figure 3 is a perspective view of the multi-spoke washing line assembly with the frame for the water-resistant cover mounted in place on top of the centre pole; and Figure 4 a perspective view corresponding to Figure 3 and with the water-resistant canopy in place.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the Figures, the preferred embodiment of the collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly comprises firstly a centre pole 1 that is stood in a ground-installed socket to be able to rotate. That socket may be augmented by an extension tube! pole 2 into which the pole 1 mounts if greater height is required.

A multi-spoke washing line head part 3 is mounted onto the centre pole 1.

io This head part 3 has the spokes 4 that carry the washing lines. The spokes 4 (here illustrated as four in number but which might be three or a greater than four in number) are mounted radiating from the centre pole 1 by a collar 3a that slides down the pole 1 to a fixture point a set distance of eg 20cm below the top of the pole 1 and which is fixed in place.

The spokes 4 are pivotally mounted on the collar 3a to tilt from a stowed state in which the spokes 4 are substantially flattened against the pole 1 to an erected state in which the spokes 4 are inclined at an acute angle of the order of 45 to 80 degrees to the axis of the pole 1, but still pointing downwardly. Each of the spokes 4 is held in the erected state and moved to or from that state by a respective pivoted strut 4a that extends between a point of pivotal attachment to the spoke 4 about mid-way along the spoke 4 and a pivotal attachment to a mounting collar 4b by which the struts 4 are mounted to the pole 1. The strut mounting collar 4b is slidingly mounted on the pole 1 to be slid up the pole 1 to erect the washing line or down the pole I to collapse it again. A latch/lock is provided to stop the collar 4b at the raised position when the line is erected.

The water-resistant cover for the assembly comprises a water-resistant fabric canopy 5 as shown in Figure 4, suitably a dark heat absorbing colour such as dark green, black or brown. The canopy 5 fits over a collapsible frame 6. The frame 6 for the cover is shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The cover frame 6 comprises four spokes 7 corresponding to the four spokes 4 of the head part 3 of the washing line. The number, radial orientation and tilt angle of each of the four spokes 4 of the washing line head part 3 are substantially matched in a corresponding one of the four spokes 7 of the cover frame 6. The spokes 6 are pivotally mounted to a hub that is formed as a mounting cap 7a that, like the mounting collar 3a for the spokes 4 of the washing line head part 3, is fixed in position on the pole 1 but is on the top of the pole 1. The spokes 7 of the cover frame 6 are able to tilt between erect and stowed states that parallel the spokes 4 of the washing line head part 3. They are forced to do so by being linked to the spokes 4 by pivotal linkages! struts 8.

Each spoke 7 of the cover frame 6 is linked to a corresponding spoke 4 of the washing line head part 3 by a respective pivoting linkage 8 that is located in the region of the distal! radially outer end of the spoke 7 or 4 so is that the linkages 8 may act as struts to hold the cover at a suitable spacing from the washing when the washing line is erected and the washing line head part 3 and cover 5,6 are integrated to collapse or erect/open out together in tandem, i.e. in one movement.

Each linkage 8 is a rigid elongate member/rod that has a bent end / pivot pin portion 8a at each end. As shown in Figure 1, the spokes 7 of the cover frame 6 each have a socket 8b for a respective pivot pin part 8a of a linkage 8.

The cover 5,6, once the assembly is erect, overhangs the washing line head part 3 and side panels 9 may be attached to the cover 5, 6 to protect 2S the washing from wind-driven rain that might otherwise enter through the sides. The side panels 9 are attached by popper fasteners 10 and the side panels or cover may be pegged into the ground either directly or using short guy ropes passing through eyes in the perimeter of the side panels or cover.

Claims

Claims 1. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly having a centre pole with a multi-spoke washing line head part mounted thereon with the spokes radiating from the pole and a water-resistant cover with a corresponding multi-spoke frame, the head part of the washing line having the lines that carry the washing in use and being mounted to the centre pole upside down' compared to conventional, ie with the spokes extending downwardly from the centre pole in the erected state, and with the cover mounted to the centre pole over the spoked head part of the io washing line with the spokes of the cover also extending downwardly and configured to correspond to the spokes of the head part, wherein a spoke of the cover is linked to a corresponding spoke of the multi-spoke washing line head part by a pivoting linkage located in the region of the distal! radially outer end of the spoke so that the linkage may act as strut to hold is the cover at a suitable spacing from the washing when the washing line is erected and the washing line head part and cover are integrated to collapse or erect/open out together in tandem, i.e. in one movement.
2. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to claim I wherein there is the same number of spokes to the cover as there is to the head part and each pair of corresponding spokes has a respective said pivoting linkage therebetween.
3. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spokes of the cover are held substantially parallel to the spokes of the head part when the assembly is erected.
4. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the or each linkage is a rigid elongate member/rod that is pivoted to the cover spoke at one end of the elongate member/ rod and pivoted to the head part spoke at the other end of the elongate member/ rod
5. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the cover mounts on the centre pole directly, by a collar or socket that sits onto or fits as a sleeve over the centre pole.
6. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein an extension is provided at the base end of the centre pole to adjust the height of the pole.
7. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover frame has side panels attached thereto to protect the washing from driving rain.
8. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to claim 7, which has the side panels attached using popper fasteners.
9. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly, according to claim 7 or 8, which has the side panels pegged into the ground.
10. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly, according to any preceding claim, wherein the canopy of the cover is clipped into is place on the cover frame.
11. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly, according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is of dark colour to attract heat to further enhance natural drying.
12. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly according to any preceding claim, further in combination with a stand to enhance stability of the line covered washing line.
13. A collapsible covered multi-spoke washing line assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.