GB2560415B

GB2560415B - Collapsible clothes airer with vertical top frame

Info

Publication number: GB2560415B
Application number: GB1800402.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard Michael
Original assignee: Vale Mill Rochdale Ltd
Current assignee: Vale Mill Rochdale Ltd
Priority date: 2017-01-13
Filing date: 2018-01-10
Publication date: 2019-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2038-01-10
Also published as: GB2560415A; GB201800402D0; GB201700653D0; GB2560415A8

Description

Collapsible Clothes Airer with Vertical Top Frame

This invention relates to a clothes airer suitable for drying clothes, and which can adopt a closed, collapsed orientation for storage or be moved to adopt an open, extended orientation for supporting clothes and other laundry items.

The invention relates in particular to clothes airers of the type comprising a pair of leg frames which are pivotally mounted relative to one another whereby the leg frames can lie alongside one another in a collapsed orientation of the airer or lie spaced apart in an extended orientation of the airer.

The disadvantage of many constructions of clothes airers is that they are not well suited to the support of long length laundry items. Additionally, even for constructions that are intended to facilitate better support for long length items, the difficulty of converting from a collapsed to an extended orientation of the airer can present the user with particular difficulties and inconvenience.

The present invention seeks to provide a clothes airer well adapted for the hanging of long length laundry items and which also mitigates difficulties in ease of use.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a clothes airer comprises a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted relative to one another for movement about an axle which defines a first axis, a top frame pivotally mounted relative to the leg frames and pivotable about said first axis between a first position, in a collapsed condition of the airer in which the top frame lies alongside a leg frame, and a second position, in an extended condition of the airer in which the top frame lies substantially vertical and extends upwards from said first axis about which the leg frames are pivotally mounted relative to one another, at least one clamp means whereby the top frame may be clamped in said second position or released for movement to said first position, the top frame comprising a first hinge section which is mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis and a leg frame which comprises a second hinge section which also is mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis, said clamp means comprising biasing means which comprises a coil spring to urge the first and second hinge sections away from one another, said coil spring having a first end which bears directly or indirectly against an abutment defined by said axle and a second end which bears against a surface movable under the action of the clamp means, said axle supporting pairs of first and second hinge sections at positions spaced along the length of the axle respectively in proximity to the sides of the airer, and at least one end of the axle being of a reduced cross-section thereby to define an abutment which is an abutment shoulder against which the coil spring may bear either directly or indirectly.

Preferably the airer additionally comprises a linkage, such as an articulated strut or frame, to restrict the maximum spacing of lower ends of the leg frames when pivotally rotated away from one another. Preferably the clamp means is operable to secure the top frame in an upwardly extending orientation only at a position, preferably only a single position, in which that frame lies within a footprint defined by the spacing of lower ends of the leg frames when at their maximum spacing. Accordingly the risk of toppling of the airer is substantially avoided even when heavy items are hung from the top frame.

The clamp means, for example comprising a lever operable to move a cam surface of a clamp means, may be operable to act against the biasing means to bring the first and second hinge sections into contact with one another.

Preferably confronting surfaces of the first and second hinge sections comprise inter engageable formations which are inter engageable only when the top frame lies within the footprint defined by the spacing of the lower ends of the leg frames when at their maximum spacing. Thus, for example, one hinge section may comprise a protrusion and the other may comprise a recess into which the protrusion may be received and which then substantially restricts or inhibits the freedom for the two hinge sections to rotate relative to one another.

Preferably at least one end of the axle is of a reduced diameter in the case of a circular section axle, thereby to define said abutment shoulder against which the coil spring may bear either directly or indirectly. In a preferred embodiment the coil spring bears against one of the first and second hinge sections to urge that hinge section against or towards the axle abutment.

The airer may comprise a side frame a pivotally mounted relative to a leg frame. The airer may comprise a pair of side frames, each side frame being pivotally mounted relative to a respective leg frame.

The side frames may be pivotally secured relative to one another about the same axis as that about which the top frame and two leg frames are pivotally mounted. Alternatively, however, a side frame may be pivotally secured to a leg frame at a position spaced from the axis about which the two leg frames are free to pivot relative to one another.

Features of the airer such as provision of hanging rails on the side frame(s) and construction of foot portions of the leg frames may be of a type and arrangement as hitherto known.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an airer in accordance with the present invention in an extended condition;

Figure 2 is an end view of the airer of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the airer of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of one of the sets of hinge sections and clamp unit of the airer of Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view corresponding to that of Figure 4, in an opposite direction;

Figure 6 is a vertical section of part of the airer of Figure 1 with a clamp unit in a released condition and

Figure 7 is a vertical section of part of the airer of Figure 1 with a clamp unit in a closed condition. A collapsible type clothes airer 10 comprises two leg frames 11 pivotally mounted about a tubular axle 12 for movement between a first, collapsed position, in which they lie alongside one another and a second, extended position as shown in Figure 1 and in which feet 13 at lower ends 14 of the frames are spaced apart.

Each leg frame comprises a pair of leg sections 15 and a spacer bar 16.

In the extended condition the maximum spacing of the lower ends of the two frames 11 is restricted by an articulated spacer frame 17 pivotally secured at positions 18 to the leg sections 15. The spacer frame comprises two sections 17a, 17b inter-connected by hinge links 19, and each of the sections is provided with laundry support rails 20.

Each leg section 15 also has pivotally secured thereto a side frame 24 and side frame support 25 at respective positions 21,22 spaced from the axle 12.

Each side frame 24 comprises a plurality of laundry support rails 26 each engageable by the associated support frame 25 whereby the angle of inclination of the side frame is variable depending on which rail 26 is engaged by the support frame. For engagement with a rail 26 the support frame comprises a pair of recess regions 30 between the support frame arms 27 and support frame cross member 28.

The axle 12 also pivotally supports a top frame 35 comprising a pair of arms 36 and a cross bar 37 which, in use, serves as a rail from which long length laundry items conveniently may be hung. The cross bar 37 is provided with a pair of spaced apart stops 38 such that clothes hangers are prevented from sliding over the ends of the cross bar.

The top frame 35 is held in the upright, extended position of Figure 1 by means of a pair of resiliently biased clamp units 40.

Each clamp unit 40 acts on a set of three moulded plastics hinge sections 41, 42, 43. A hinge section 41 is secured to an end of each tubular metal arm 36 of the top frame. A hinge section 42 is at the end of each tubular metal leg section 15 of one leg frame and a hinge section 43 is at the end of each leg section 15 of the other leg frame 14.

The hinge section 42 (see especially Figures 4 to 6) comprises a plurality of strengthening webs of which some webs 46 extend further than the other webs 47 in the axial direction. The hinge section 43 similarly comprises web sections of different lengths.

Similarly the hinge section 41 of the top frame and the hinge section 43 of one of the leg frames provide confronting and inter engageable surfaces. One section has projections 48 and the other has recesses 49 dimensioned such that when inter engaged the top frame is secured in a determined position relative to the leg frames in the extended condition of the airer.

To enable the top frame 35 to be locked in a vertical position, and to be released from that position for storage of the airer, each side of the airer is provided with a clamp unit 40 comprising a lever 50 which is pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the length of the tubular axle 12. For that purpose each end of the axle is provided with a passage 51 through which extends a pivot pin 52, with end regions of the pin being located in spaced apart apertures 53 of the lever 50. The pivot pin extends also through an opening 54 in a decorative end cap 55 which covers an end of the tubular axle and, in the assembled condition of the airer, has a tubular section that lies interposed between the apertures 53 of the lever 50.

The lever 50 is formed with a curved cam surface 57 which is eccentric relative to the pivot pin axis and which bears against a cam surface 58 at a first, outer face 59 of the hinge section 41. The other, inward face 60 of the hinge section defines an annular abutment 61 against which a first washer 62 is located. A second washer 63 locates against a similar annular abutment 64 of the hinge section 43 and a compressible coil spring 65 is positioned between the washers 62, 63.

The hinge section 43 is formed with a tubular formation 68 surrounded by a plurality of axially extending fingers 70. The formation 68 and fingers 70 extend through the passage 69 of the hinge section 42 and the formation 68 bears against an annular abutment 75 defined by the axle at a position at which the axle reduces in diameter. In consequence the hinge section 42 is held captive on the axle by the hinge section 43 and the hinge section 41 is urged away from the hinge section 43 by the coil spring 65

The aforementioned fingers 70 each have, at a distal end, a hook formation 71 which in the assembled condition of the airer bear against an annular shoulder 72 of the hinge section 43. In consequence the hinge sections 42, 43 are retained to together against axial separation but are able to rotate relative to one another.

It will be appreciated that when the cam is in a release position (see Figure 6) the hinge section 41 is urged away from the hinge section 43 by the action of the coil spring such that the inter engageable formations 48, 49 are spaced apart and the top frame is then freely pivotable about the axle 12.

However, when the top frame is vertical and the inter engageable formations 48, 49 are aligned for inter engagement, operation of the cam lever urges the hinge section 41 to move axially against the spring bias and into engagement with the hinge section 43 (see Figure 7). Thus the top frame is then securely locked in the upwardly extending vertical position.

Claims

1. A clothes airer comprising a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted relative to one another for movement about an axle which defines a first axis, a top frame pivotally mounted relative to the leg frames and pivotable about said first axis between a first position, in a collapsed condition of the airer in which the top frame lies alongside a leg frame, and a second position, in an extended condition of the airer in which the top frame lies substantially vertical and extends upwards from said first axis about which the leg frames are pivotally mounted relative to one another, at least one clamp means whereby the top frame may be clamped in said second position or released for movement to said first position, the top frame comprising a first hinge section which is mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis and a leg frame which comprises a second hinge section which also is mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis, said clamp means comprising biasing means which comprises a coil spring to urge the first and second hinge sections away from one another, said coil spring having a first end which bears directly or indirectly against an abutment defined by said axle and a second end which bears against a surface movable under the action of the clamp means, said axle supporting pairs of first and second hinge sections at positions spaced along the length of the axle respectively in proximity to the sides of the airer, and at least one end of the axle being of a reduced cross-section thereby to define an abutment which is an abutment shoulder against which the coil spring may bear either directly or indirectly.

2. An airer according to claim 1 wherein the clamp means comprises a resiliently biased clamp means.

3. An airer according to claim 1 or claim 2 and comprising a linkage to restrict maximum spacing of lower ends of the leg frames when pivotally rotated away from one another.

4. An airer according to claim 3 wherein said linkage comprises an articulated strut or articulated frame.

5. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the clamp means is operable to secure the top frame in an upwardly extending orientation only at a substantially vertical position.

6. An airer according to claim 5 wherein the clamp means is operable to secure the top frame only at a single upwardly extending position.

7. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising clamp means operable to act against the biasing means to bring the first and second hinge sections into contact with one another.

8. An airer according to claim 7 wherein the clamp means comprises a lever operable to move a cam surface.

9. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and second hinge sections define confronting surfaces which comprise inter-engagable formations which are inter-engagable only when the top frame lies within the footprint defined by the spacing of the lower ends of the leg frames when at their maximum spacing.

10. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one hinge section comprises a protrusion and the other comprises a recess in which the protrusion is able to be received and which then substantially restricts the freedom of movement of the two hinge sections to rotate relative to one another.

11. An airer according to claim 10 wherein said recess and protrusion inhibit relative rotation of the two hinge sections.

12. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each end of the axle is of a reduced diameter to define an abutment shoulder against which a respective coil spring may bear either directly or indirectly.

13. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the coil spring bears against one of the first and second hinge sections to urge that hinge section against or towards the axle abutment.

14. An airer according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising at least one side frame, said side frame being pivotally mounted relative to the leg frames.

15. An airer according to claim 14 and comprising a pair of side frames, each side frame being pivotally mounted relative to the leg frames.

16. An airer according to claim 15 wherein the side frames are pivotally secured relative to one another about the same axis as that about which the top frame and two leg frames are pivotally mounted.

17. An airer according to claim 14 or claim 15 wherein a side frame is pivotally secured to a leg frame at a position spaced from the axis about which the two leg frames are free to pivot relative to one another.