US2473771A - Towel rack - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1949. E. c. SLATE 2,473,771

` TOWEL RACK 2 sneek-sheet 1 Filed June 17. 1946 g3 i; l2 Mg A NvaNTo LDWARD 'QW @ATER June 21, 1949. Exc.. SLATER i 2,473,771

TOWEL RACK Filed June 17. 1946 l 2- Shee'ts-Sheet 2 f f \NvaNToR .1 EDWARD GUY SLATER Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to towel bars. It includes a towel bar structure adapted to be mounted on the wall of a room' or similar vertical support, but which has incorporated therewith a supplementary rack structure which may be pulled out to operative position to provide a number of additional spaced bars or rods on which towels or other fabric articles may be hung, and which may be pushed back to closed or retracted position in which the several bars are housed within the main towel rack bar andare not seen, there being presented what appears to be a conventional towel rack consisting of a horizontal bar betweeen its two supporting brackets which are connected to and extend outwardly from a wall or other vertical support.

It is a primary object and purpose of my invention to provide a novel and particularly useful towel rack and extensible supplementary rack structure associated and combined therewith, having the properties and functions stated, and to provide a novel structure in which a hollow towel rack bar is longitudinally slotted at one side for the passage therein to and the movement outwardly therefrom of the auxiliary supporting rods which when not in use are housed within the main towel rack bar; and said bar is turnable about its longitudinal axis to locate the slot in a position for receiving the auxiliary rods, or for permitting their movement outside. rods are within the m'ain towel rack bar, said Vbar may be turned through an arc of 90 degrees to automatically lock the auxiliary rods and their supports against movement and to position the towel bar so that its slotted side is at the bottom and is not normally seen.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the structure of my invention in retracted position and showing the wall structure on which mounted in horizontal section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the supplementary supporting rod structure pulled out to operative position.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the extended structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the towel bar structure in its retracted position, one of the supporting brackets being shown in side elevation. 7

Fig. 5 is a ragment'arylhorizontal section taken substantially at a central horizontal plane at one end of the main'towel rod member and its support.

Fig. -isa transversel vertical section through When said auxiliary the extended structure,A the section being taken between the ends of therods, or from front to rear in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of a structure illustrating the m'ovable mounting of part of the supplementary supporting rods and a means usable for releasably holding them at a desired location. i

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The support for the towel bar structure of my invention in general will be a vertical wall of a room which may have spaced, opposite vertical sides I and 2 constructed in the usual manner, one at each side of spaced studding 3. It is at an outer side of the wall structure that the towel rod is to be mounted, and in the present disclosure, it is at the outer side of the wall side I, though it could be mounted at the outer side of the opposite side 2 quite as effectively.

In the structure which I have made, two spaced supporting brackets 4 having bases 5 are secured by means of screws passing through said bases. The brackets 4 are hollow and at their outer ends a knob G of generally spherical contour may be secured. Said knobs at their inner sides have openings for the reception of the ends of the main towel bar and from said openings, horizontal slots l (Fig. 6) extend outwardly, as shown.

The main towel bar 8 is a hollow tube of sheet metal which, at one side, is longitudinally slotted for its full length providingv a slot 9 of substantially the same width as the slot l. The tubular bar 8 at its ends is received in sockets in the knobs l and may be held in place by screws I0, one at each end. As shown in Fig. 5, the inner ends of the screws are received inv grooves shaped to receive them made in the outer surface of the rod 8. Said screws are not brought into binding engagement but there is a suil'iient looseness or play of the screws in the grooves that the tubular bar 3 may be turned around its longitudinal axis through a degree arc, so that the slot 9 may be brought into alinement with the slots 1 in the knob 6, as in Fig. 6, or turned toa down position, as in Fig. 4. Therefore, the grooves which receive the inner ends of the screws I0 may be of a length of substantially one-quarterof the circumferential distance around the tube 8, providing stops at their ends for properly positioning and locating the tube 8 at its two extremes of rotative movement. l

The supplemental rack structure has two spaced, horizontal tubular supports Il slidable passing through thevknob 6 and the brackets d.

3 The outer ends of tubes are closed by decorative balls I2, threaded thereinto and at their inner ends by screws I3, the exterior diameter at the heads of which permits their passage into the tubular arms 4 until stopped by engagement against the shoulders I4 therewithin, best shown in Fig, 5. Thus the supporting rods II may be pulled out until the heads I3 engage such shoulders or they may be pushed back until the balls I2 come against the knobs 6.

The tubular rods II are slotted at their inner sides making somewhat elongated horizontal slots I5 closed at both ends, (Fig. 6). adjacent the outer ends of the slots I5 a' rd I6 of small diameter extends between the,tw o telescoping rods II. Two additional rodsI'I ofL the same diameter have their ends received in the slots I5 and are, therefore, movable lengthf wise of said slots. As a simple means of locating the rods I'I when the supplementary 4rackstruc,- tii're, is extended, said siot's at ,tii'oir-ulnt1ersioest at their rear ends and midway between theirends are Shaped `tolprtn'fide concave, reoesses I8 into which theend portions di the` rods .IIare received. ,when the telescoping rods II are pulled ,out the outermost rod .I6 vmoves ,with them, while the two inner rods III are moved to properly space them from` eachotherand from the rod I6 and bar BQ being seatedn in the recesses at I8. Another yform ,of structurefor releasably retaining the ,innerr'and intervinediate rods I1 in proper position is shown in Fig. f7. Each of the rods I1 a short distance from eachend thereof is provided with an inwardly rib I9, A releas-y able latch head2!) having a conical, outer end is located within each end ofmeachurod AI'I and has `an inwardly extendingstem 2l, with a coiled spring 22 around it between thehead 20 andthe rib I9. The telescopic supporting ro'd II may be provided with properly spaced conical seats for the outer ends of. the heads 20. It is evident that therods' I'I in this manner may be releasably held at desired positions.

For the extension or retraction of the suppleinentary rack structure, the tubular towel rod I8 is turned to the position in Fig; 6, withslots 'I and 9 in conjunction. In su'ch position the supplementary rack side supports II may be pulled ont until Stopped by the' screw head I3 engaging the shoulders I4; and the rod I'I located in their desired vsiriacied positions, as in Figs. 2 and 6. When the supplementary rack structure is re'- tracted, it is merely necessary to push the side supporting rod Il inwardly until the balls I2 come against the knobs 6. In this movement, the rods I7 and, lastly, the rod I 6 will pass through slots I and Sand the inner rodr Il c'or'ning against the inner side of the housing rod '8, the two rods I1 willbe moved along the slots I5 an; l, with the three rods ISand I'I 4wholly located within and housed by the main towel bar 8. After this retracing movement has been completed the tubulai rod 3 is turned through a 9`O degree arc from the position shown in Fig'. 6 to that in Fig. 4, the slot 9 in the rod 8 being moved to th under side thereofand an automatic locking or holding of the extensible supplementary rack structure obiainei The structure described is of avery novel,v practical and useful character. The structure can be used solely as a towel rodvhaving a single bar support or it may be extended as described to provide a large addition Vfor vthe supportbf towels or other ortici'es of fabric mare, nu aft'r Immediately 4 it has served its purpose, retracted and out of the way out of sight as described.

While I have described a practical and serviceable structure, various modifications in detail may be resorted, and the invention is not to be restricted to the specific form disclosed.

The invention is defined in the appended claims, and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their Scope.

I claim:

o 11. In a construction as described, a towel rod having horizontally spaced supporting brackets an'da hollow bar extending between them, and asupplemental rack including slidably mounted parallely bars', one 'extending through outward openings in eaho'f said brackets, and a cross rod extending between and connected to said slidably in'mted bars adapted to be received within the, hollow bar, saidh u bfarn being longitudinally Siitii ai' Qr 1' i'fiz f' Sfichieniibnyc'is'iruciiiiiil, iiii'iiri'i' in @faire 1'): and mais ier. .ioiaiiibiyifi .iiiiiinii Seid i'iiiii'w .bei onits brackets for turnin a out its longitudinal axis;4 whereby the' slot Atl'iereiri may' moved into horizontal alinefi'ent' with the cross' rd'for it to"1'3'a's ^s`A tl'irethrough;and after such passage be' turned to another pesitio'n". l y

3. 'z'l'rg'ifc'zll structure as dseribed comprising, two horizoritoliyspoeotbuir supporting brackets, a hollow rack baroxtnding' between the breskis iulipiiimeiiialiek incl'iiiiirie iworiarv alle spaced s iii'ii Siiiiiiiiiiiie. reis' ii. Siidabiy @Xieiidiile ihioiigii ,vlier'iiiig' ifi i'iii; of. Said brackets and movable inoni'rdy and oiitworoni'yith iespeiii ihereiaaiid a plurality 0f rodi exitedins between. said' Sidlsiimiilziiiie, r'fis aridmovab1y, m0'\1nied thereon, wiieibfy they may be Spiifed froiiilea'ch oiherliii be brought' Ciiiieiydjacent, iol .e7-aen other said .hollow having a mifgiiuiifiai Sigi iiiereliiihroiigii whiiihsaid last mentioned rods may pass tobe housed in the holiowriiiisban.

atiis inner siiiiisiidaiilr rii'eiiins tri end rfqrtiphs of the iodsiitiidingj htwenihii where'- bysoiii rossore movable to different positions reiaiiveioeahothen- ,54A @Qriiir'lictioii defined ifi .iiiiiii 3; .Said hollow ,rackpiiait hiwe'ii. ih iii L. mouiitd at its ends foridttioil. @its i'qneir' iiidiiliiil ."Xiii i0 iociiii iiiiilsiet: iiiereiiiii p ifsiiiii for passage o:v the; sind iitazl richiedi; to be thereafter turned to'locate said slot at the underside@ iliehllew bat.;

6; A. iiofiiiltiiciim.es ,dndin ciiiim 3, Seid side supporting rodi of suizplrfinai mici structure .eeii 'awiiisalliineituiiihial .sl'tihiin ifiiowiiiciii .the end pdriiws of the tais extending btweerliihein aie reiv'ii; andiiiinslfireieasr' ably retaining Seid last. meiiiiried fedi.. ai prseieeted s pacoti positioiisbmwheii the supplementen rack is extended outwardly.

7, A rack-triwi1ire as described, Coxnp's'iog. two hollow horizoiitouy spaced proioko't arms hav',- inshizlliiw kiipbsai. their Quieriiids; a hollow rack bar extending.between saidisriqls asuiiblnieniai rack ,s ,iiuiiiie iniiiiidiria tw@` parailr sp'ad houow rods' teies'oopicony mounted on and xieiidiiis through s aiiiliiiw brackets andiifr'i, a horizontal rode L fiins between arid Cimrii- @dio solo mitm, wiiidiipat@ rodi near uit outer, eiiiis thereqfiaqditiiqal milsiiariiei thtl'. to extending betwii ao movabiy 'mounted ori said telescoping rods for spacing from each other and from the rst mentioned rod carried by the side rods, or for movement to bring all of said rods extending between the side supporting rods closely adjacent each other, said hollow bar having a longitudinal slot in one side, and said knobs being similarly slotted at their outer portions and inner sides whereby all of the rods extending between said side supporting rods are receivable within said hollow bar when the supplemental rack is moved inwardly.

8. A construction as defined in claim 7, said hollow bar extending between said bracket knobs being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis thereon, and means for limiting said rotation and for stopping said hollow bar at two extreme positions of movement, in one of which the slot therein is positioned for the passage of said rods extending between the side supporting 6 rods into the hollow bar, and in the other position of which said slot is turned to be at the under side of said hollow bar and interpose a stop against extension of the supplementary rack structure.

EDWARD GUY SLATER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 825,742 Mapel July 10, 1906 838,867 Lalus Dec. 118, 1906 987,884 Jellison Mar. 28, 1911 1,113,880 Darling Oct. 13, 1914 2,259,166 Kendrick Oct. 14, 1941

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