US2627819A - Clothesline trolley - Google Patents

Description

1953 T. FINKBEINER ET AL 2,627,819

CLOTHESLINE TROLLEY Filed Sept. 23, 1949 /v|5a 28a mlw u E\!:l|w "h..

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25 I 2e 37 Fig. 6

' INVENTORS' THEODORE FINKBEINER CHRIS FUNK ATTORNE Y5 Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CLOTHESLINE TROLLEY Theodore Finkbeiner and Chris Funk, Wakeeney, Kans.

Application September 23, 1949, Serial No. man

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to clothes basket support devices and more particularly to improvements in trolleys for movably supporting a clothes basket on a clothes line.

One of the objects or the invention is to provide a rigid trolley frame having spaced clothes line engaging rollers thereon, the frame being provided with suitable means for suspending a clothes basket therefrom.

Another object is to provide the frame with means which permits the clothes basket to be rotated about a vertical axis to different positions of adjustment.

Another object is to lock the clothes basket in a predetermined position of adjustment about the vertical axis of rotation.

Another object is to interconnect the frame and clothes basket by adjustable members.

Another object is to provide the frame with suitable means from which a clothes pin bag or basket may be supported.

Another object is to provide the device with suitable braking means to prevent retrograde coasting down a sagging or inclined clothes line.

Further objects are to provide a device of the class referred to which is simple and rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, and efficient and versatile in operation.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will become more apparent from the description to follow, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation showing a trolley device, which forms the subject of the invention, in position on a clothes line, supporting a clothes basket in suspended relationship;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the trolley device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device as viewed from line 33, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken on line s-4, Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 55, Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-45, Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a side elevation of a fragment of a slightly modified construction; and

Figure 8 is an end elevation as viewed from line 88, Figure '7.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the subject of the invention comprises, in general, a movable trolley frame l0, supported by clothes line H, the frame supporting a clothes basket l2 by adjustable members I3.

Frame 16 is formed of two angularly disposed flat bar members l4, l5, welded to a tube It therebetween, at the lower ends thereof, each bar being bent to provide a lateral portion ll, and a downwardly extending portion I8 to form a U-shaped channel It: in which is disposed a grooved roller Ell, which is supported for rotation by a pin or bolt 2| extending across the channel. The lateral portion ll of one or both of the members it, i5 is provided with an aperture 22 (Figure 5) which receives the hooked end 23 of a wire braking member 24 which lies within the pulley groove, and which has a wedge shape lower end 25 which is grooved as shown at 26 (Figure 6) to conform to the shape of clothes line II, the latter usually being a wire. When the trolley is moved to the left in Figure 5, the pulley rotates freely and the braking member 24 is inoperative. If it be attempted to move it to the right, however, the lower end of the braking member wedges between the pulley and clothes line and prevents rotation of the pulley. Thus, if thereis considerable sag or incline in the wire II and the frame is being moved in a direction up the incline, braking member 24 will prevent retrograde movement of the trolley down the incline. Braking member 24 may be unhooked and removed from the trolley if it is not desired to use it. While only one braking member has beenillustrated, it is to .be understood that such a member may be employed with each of the rollers 20, if desired.

A circular rod 21 is rotatably supported in tube It, the lower end having a fiat cross bar 25 welded thereto and the upper end having a cross pin 29 engageable in pairs of notches 39, 39 and 31, 3| in the top of tube It which look the rod in positions apart. Thus bar 23 may be disposed either parallel to the clothes line or perpendicular thereto.

Bar .28 is provided with apertures 32, near its ends, each aperture having a portion of a hook 33 extending therethrough. A chain 35 is connected at its lower end to an eye 35 on the upper end of a rod 36, having a hook 31 at its lower end adapted to engage a handle 38 of hasket l2, the links ofthe chain being engageable with hook 33. This construction renders memhers is readily adjustable in length by merely disposing chains 34 on hooks 33 in a desired position.

In use of the device the trolley, and basket with washed textiles therein, are disposed on the clothes line as shown in Figure l and as washed textiles, such as 39, are pinned to the line, the trolley is moved therealong, the basket always being in a convenient position. In some cases, such as where a plurality of clothes lines are disposed in parallel relation, it is more convenient to dispose the longitudinal axis of the basket perpendicular to the lines which may readily be attained by lifting bar 28 and rod 21 to position pin 29 in the other set of notches in tube l6.

A chain 49- extends between bars M, 15, the ends thereof being secured thereto by rivets M, or the like, this chain serving to support a clothes pin receptacle, such as a bag (not shown), by a suitable hook thereon engaging the chain. It is apparent that any other member such as a cable or bar could be employed in lieu of a chain.

In Figures 7 and 8 a slight modification is shown in which the swivel connection of bar 29' to tube It; is dispensed with. In this construction bar 28a is disposed between the lower ends of bars [4a, |5a and welded thereto in the position occupied by tube I 6 of the previously described embodiment. This construction has the advantage that it may be more economically manufactured, but, of course, lacks the refinement of the swivel feature of bar 27.

It is to be understood that the invention, as disclosed, is exemplary only and that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, within the purview thereof, and hence the invention is not to be limited to the precise details illustrated except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

A device for supporting" a clothes a clothes line, comprising, a trolley having a rigid frame with spaced grooved rollers rotatably supported thereby an immovable distance apart adapted to engage the clothes line, the frame having a. portion adapted to extend below the clothes line, support means: extending transverselyfrom said portion substantially'the same distan-2e in opposite directions,and tension members connected at their upper ends to opposite ends of said support means, said-members having means at their lower ends ior enga'ging and supportinga clothes basket, the construction and arrangement being such that the device may be attached to and detached froma -clothes line while the tension-members remain connected to the support means.

2. A device in accordance with claim l-wherein said frameisformedof a pair of divergent bars forminga v, the upper end of eachbar supporting one of the rollers and the lower ends being connected to said support means.

3. A-device in accordance with claim 2 wherein a member extends between said bars from portions'intermediate their endsadapted to support a clothes pin receptacle.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support means is connected'tosaid portion for rotation about a vertical axis:

5. A device-in accordance with claim includ ing means for locking said support means at pr determined angular positions about the vertical axis of rotation.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tension members are provided with means for adjusting their lengths,

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein the tension members are each formed of a rod having a hook at its lower end adapted to engage a handle of a clothes basket, and a chain connected at its lower end to the upper end of the rod, the links of the chain being engageable with a hook on the supporting means.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 including a braking device adapted to engage a roller and the clothes line to prevent retrograde movement of the trolley down an inclined clothes line.

9. A device for supporting a clothes basket on a clothes line, comprising, a rigid frame formed of a pair of bars disposed in V-shape relation, each bar having a grooved pulley rotatably supported at its upper free end, the lower ends of the bars being connected together, a cross bar extending in a horizontal direction connected at its center to the lower ends of the pair of bars, apertures near the ends of the cross bar, a hook for each aperture having a portion extending therethrough, a chain for each hook engageeble therewith, a rod for each chain connected to one end thereof, and a hook on the lower end of, each rod adapted to engage a handle of a clothes basket.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the lower ends of the pair of bars are connected to a vertically extending tube, and the cross bar is provided with a vertically extending rod disposed within the tube adapted to rotate therein, whereby the cross bar may be disposed in difierent angular positions, about a vertical axis, with respect to the rigid frame.

11. A device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the upper end of the rod is provided with means for engaging the upper end of the tube to lock the rod to the frame in the different U angular positions.

THEODORE FINKBEIINER. onnrs FUNK.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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