A cover assembly for a rotary washing line

This invention relates to a cover assembly for a rotary washing line (often referred to as a rotary dryer).

According to the present invention, there is provided a cover assembly for a rotary washing line, comprising a base having means for supporting a rotary washing line, a support structure upstanding from the base in spaced apart relationship from the support means and a cover suspended from the support structure to in use overlie a rotary washing line supported by said support means.

Preferably, the base has further support means for swivellably supporting the support structure. In this case, the cover assembly may further comprise means for releasably securing the support structure in a selected one of at least two alternative angular positions relative to the further support means.

This enables the cover to be selectively secured so as to overlie a rotary washing line permitting clothes to be hung out in all weathers and, on a sunny day, to be selectively secured so as to overlie, for example, a table and chairs on an adjoining patio.

Typically, the support means and further support means are each in the form of sockets. The sockets may be upstanding from the base or the base may be inverted so that the sockets extend into the ground so as not to create an obstruction.

Advantageously, part of the support structure is pivotable between a first position in which the cover is in an operative position and a second position in which the cover is in a stowed position.

Preferably, the support structure further comprises means for locating the upper end of the rotary washing line.

The base may be collapsible and/or retractable for ease of storage and/or transportation.

Preferably, the cover is in the form of a parasol movable between an open operative position and a closed retracted position. In this case, the parasol is preferably capable of containing the upper end of a rotary washing line when in its retracted position. The parasol may be movable between its operative and retracted positions by a flexible elongate element extending through the support structure.

Advantageously, the cover is tiltable. In this case, the cover assembly may further comprise means for releasably and selectively locking the cover in a non-tilted position and in at least one tilted position.

Preferably, the rotary washing line is movable between an open operative position and a closed retracted position. In this case, the rotary washing line is, preferably, movable between its operative and retracted positions by a further flexible elongate element extending through the support structure. The first mentioned flexible elongate element and the further flexible elongate element may be extendible/retractable by a winch mechanism on the support structure. The winch mechanism may comprise gearing so that the parasol and rotary washing line are non-synchronously moved between operative and retracted positions. The winch mechanism may be motorised.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a cover assembly according to the present invention.
• Figure 2 is an exploded side view of the support structure together with a perspective view of the hinge assembly connecting two parts of the support structure together,
• Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the cover assembly in a first condition overlying a rotary dryer,
• Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the cover assembly in a second condition overlying a table and chairs,
• Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the cover in a stowed position,
• Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of one end of a modified support structure, and
• Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing a further modification to the support structure.
• Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing yet a further modification to the cover assembly, and
• Figure 9 is a fragmentary view showing a winch assembly for operating the parasol and rotary washing line of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, the cover assembly shown therein comprises a generally H-shape base 10 having a longitudinally extending member 11 and two cross members 12 extending perpendicularly to the member 11 at opposite ends thereof.

Sockets 13 and 14 are secured to and upstand from opposite ends of the longitudinal member 11.

A rotary washing line 15 is supported by the socket 13 and an upstanding support structure, comprising a mast 16 and an arm 19, is swivellably supported by the socket 14. The sockets 13 and 14 may be stabilised relative to the base 10 by braces 17 and 18, respectively.

The arm 19 extends laterally from the upper end of the mast 16. As shown, the arm extends away from the mast 16 in an upwardly inclined lateral direction, although it could extend in a horizontal direction or even in a downwardly inclined lateral direction.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arm is formed in two parts 19a and 19b. As shown the part 19a is integral with the mast 16 and merges into the mast 16 with a gentle curve. The part 19b has at its free end a depending end portion 30 which supports a cover 20 in the shape of a parasol. The end portion 30 is also provided with a tapered location member 21 for location within the upper end of the rotary washing line 15 in order to stabilise the latter. The location member 21 is attached to a screw threaded rod 31 which is threadably engaged with a nut 32 fixed to the end portion 30.

The two arm parts 19a and 19b are connected together by a hinge assembly 22 comprising two hinged plates 23a and 23b secured to respective arm parts 19a and 19b. The hinged plate 23a has apertured lugs 24 at its four comers and the hinge plate 23b has apertured lugs 25 arranged centrally adjacent its upper and lower edges respectively. A hinge pin 26 can be located in the apertures of the upper lugs 24 and 25 and a hinge pin 27 can be located in the apertures in the lower lugs 24 and 25. This allows the two hinged plates to be disconnected for ease of storage and/or transportation and also allows the upper pin 26 to be removed so that the arm part 19b can pivot downwardly in order that the cover 20 can take up a stowed position alongside the mast 16 (as shown in Figure 5).

The socket 14 and/or the mast 16 is provided with at least two angularly spaced apart apertures 28 which can be aligned with an aperture 29 in the other of the socket 14 or mast 16 to receive a pin enabling the mast 16 to be releasably secured in a selected one of at least two alternative angular positions relative to the socket 14. This allows the mast to be arranged in the position shown in Figure 3 with the cover 20 overlying the rotary washing line 15 or in the position shown in Figure 4 overlying, for example, a table and chairs on an adjoining patio. The rotary washing line 15 could also be removed from the socket 13 and, in that case, a table could be placed over the socket 13.

The base 10 could be collapsible and/or retractable for storage and/or transportation. For example, the longitudinal member 11 could comprise two telescopic parts and/or the cross members 12 could be pivotably connected to the longitudinal member 11.

The base 10 can simply lie on the ground or could be set in the ground with the sockets 13 and 14 extending upwardly or downwardly into the ground.

Figure 6 shows a modification to an end of the arm 19 enabling the parasol 20 to be moved between an open operative position and a closed retracted position in which it collapses over the upper end of the rotary washing line 15 when the latter is also in a collapsed (or stowed) condition.

The depending end portion 30 of the arm 19 has an upper support 35 in the form of a disc shaped cradle to which the main struts (not shown) of the parasol are hingedly connected. A disc shaped guide 36 is provided at the lower end of the depending arm portion 30 for guiding four nylon cables 37 which extend into the arm 19 through slots 38 in the depending end portion 30 just below the upper support 35. These nylon cables 37 are connected within the arm 19 to a single cable 39 which is attached to a winch (not shown) on the mast 16.

The lower ends of the cables 37 are connected to an annular parasol erection member 40 to which first ends of erection arms (not shown) of the parasol 20 are hingedly connected, these erection arms being hingedly connected at second ends to respective main parasol struts.

The parasol erection member 40 is of sufficient internal diameter to enable it to extend over the upper end of the rotary washing line 15 when the latter is in a collapsed (or stowed) condition as shown in Figure 6. In this position of the parasol erection member, the canopy of the parasol will also adopt a collapsed condition.

In order to extend the canopy, the parasol erection member 40 is raised by the aforesaid winch until the parasol erection member 40 fits rigidly over a locating hub 41 on the underside of the guide 36. The rotary washing line 15 can then be extended.

Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, there is shown therein a further modification to the arm 19 enabling the parasol to be tilted.

An end portion 19c of the arm 19 is connected to the main part of the arm 19 for swivellable movement about the longitudinal extent of the end part 19c. A tubular coupling sleeve 44 is fixed inside the end part 19c of the arm. This coupling sleeve 44 is swivellable within the main part of the arm 19. Two arcuate slots 45 are provided in the coupling sleeve 44 at diametrically opposite positions and these cooperate with a pin 46 which extends across the arm 19 to limit the extent of the swivellable movement of the part 19c. A spring loaded catch 47 is mounted on the main part of the arm 19 so as to extend through a slot 48 in the main part of the arm 19 and into one of three angularly spaced slots 49 in the coupling sleeve 44. The spring loaded catch 47 is released by a cable 50 extending to a trigger (not shown) on the mast 16 and this catch enables the end part 19c of the arm to be releasably and selectively locked in any one of three positions, these being a central position in which the parasol is not tilted and two end positions in which the parasol is tilted, typically by about 50°, in opposite directions, respectively.

Referring now to Figure 8 of the drawings, there is shown therein yet a further modification of the cover assembly enabling the rotary washing line 15 to be moved between a closed retracted position and an open operative position.

The arm 19 is similar to that shown in Figure 6. An annular raising element 55 is mounted on the pole 54 of the rotary washing line 15 below a slider 56 which is movable along the pole 54 to move the rotary washing line between a closed retracted position and an open operative position. The annular raising element 55 is connected to two nylon cables 57 which extend through the disc shaped guide 36 and into the arm 19. The nylon cables 57 are connected within the arm 19 to a single cable 58 which is attached to a winch on the mast 16.

Each of the cables 57 is formed in two parts which are connected together by releasable ball and socket joints 59.

A support pin 60 attached to the pole 54 by a chain is provided for fitting in a hole in the pole of the rotary washing line 15 below the annular raiser 55 when the ball and socket joints 59 are to be released to enable the parasol 20 to be tilted to one side. The pin 60 will then hold the rotary washing line 15 in an open operative position.

As shown in Figure 9, the winch mechanism comprises a handle 61 and two pulleys 62 and 63 spaced one above the other. The pulleys are rotatable by the handle 61 through gearing 64. This gearing 64 is designed so that the parasol 20 will open first and the rotary washing line 15 will begin to open subsequently so as not to foul the parasol.

The winch mechanism of Figure 9 could be motorised and could be operated by remote control. It could also be replaced by two independently operable winches.

In order to ensure that the rotary washing line 15 does not slip down from an open operative position to a closed retracted position, tension springs 65 are mounted inside the mast on opposite sides of each pulley 62, 63.

The cover assembly described above therefore has a dual application of both keeping clothes on a rotary washing line dry and shielding, for example, a table and chairs from the sun.

The embodiment described above is given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

For example, the support structure, comprising the mast 16 and the arm 19, can be formed in a plurality of sections releasably connected together. This allows the support structure to be dismantled for ease of storage and transportation. The socket 13 could be provided with a plurality of adjustable screws for clamping the pole of the rotary washing line in the socket. This will allow for varying diameters of poles. A handle could be provided on the mast 16 to facilitate swivellable movement thereof. An interchangeable brace could be provided between the base 10 and the mast 16 to stop leaning or swaying of the mast. In this case the base 10 may be extended to the right as shown in Figure 1.