Positionable Clothesline Support

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable clothesline arrangement for use with a camper or the like. It has spaced apart extensions, secured to spaced apart surfaces of the camper, to comprise horizontal reaches between which the clothesline is connected. Each of the extensions may be moved, against biasing retaining force, to its non-protruding or storage position, which is preferably 180.degree. from its useful or operative position. Locking or locating means cooperate with the biasing means to maintain the support extensions in either the selected storage or operative position.

Description

The portable clothesline provided by the present invention finds particular application for use as an attachment for campers, camper trailers, mobile homes, or even for stationary garages or tenements located in congested areas. The line supports are adapted for location in an operative or useful position by extending or protruding outwardly at spaced apart positions from spaced apart surfaces of the mobile vehicle or building. The support extensions locate the clothesline itself in one or more horizontal reaches to serve as a multi-purpose clothesline.

The invention may even find application on larger cabin cruisers and houseboats and, in any event, is useful for the beach or lakes for accommodating wet towels or bathing suits. It also serves the purpose of permitting travelers to do their laundry while on the road, being returnable to self-storage or out of the way positions, i.e., non-extended for traveling. Similarly, the invention, when used as an attachment to a garage or closely spaced tenements, enables the horizontal supporting reaches to be flipped to their storage positions when the laundry is taken down, in order that people will not bump into them, particularly after dark.

With the foregoing in mind, it is among the objects of this invention to provide one or more clothesline supports adapted to be secured in spaced apart positions and each having an extending operative or useful position and a non-extending or storage position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide locating means for insuring that the horizontal extensions or reaches are oriented in either the operative or storage position.

Yet another object of the invention is the inclusion of biasing means for cooperation with the locating means to lock the extensions in the selected position.

The invention will better be understood from the following detailed description thereof, when taken in the light of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a camper trailer or mobile home with the present invention attached, and in operative relation thereto;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the mobile home, showing one of the supporting means in its stored location;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the same support in its extended or operative position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the multi-position support; and

FIG. 5 is a top view of the fixed supporting portion of FIG. 4, to show details of the locating structure.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a first supporting means, generally shown at 11, is attached to the surface 13 of the mobile camper or home 15. A second, and identical, support 17 is attached to a surface (not shown) of the camper 15, spaced from the surface 13.

The supports include extensiOns 19 and 19' respectively, which are adapted to be extended in horizontal positions to provide horizontal reaches for one or more reaches 21 and 23 of clothesline. It will be appreciated that the reaches 21 and 23 may comprise a continuous length of line, if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the first support 11 comprises a flat mounting plate 25 having therein a plurality of screw holes 27. The outer edge of plate 25 is preferably rolled upon itself to form the vertical cylinder 29. It will be appreciated that this cylinder may most economically be formed by rolling over the edge and tacking or welding it to plate 25. However, a separate cylinder 29 may be welded to a separate plate 25 to comprise suitable structure. The preferred material is steel but other materials will suffice.

The extension 19 is preferably a steel rod of one-fourth to five-sixteenths inch in diameter, bent into a right angle such that the depending portion freely fits within and extends below cylinder 29. The lower end of extension 19 is threaded, to receive the nut 31, which serves to tension coil spring 33 to the retaining strength desired. Coil spring 33 urges the nut 31, and consequently, the extension 19 downwardly to hold the extension 19 in the position shown in FIG. 4. This is insured because of the locating means comprising at least the ear 35, and preferably oppositely disposed ear 37 (FIG. 5). The ears have conveniently been formed from the cylinder or cylinder portion 29. Approximately, e.g., one-fourth to five-sixteenths inch below the top of cylinder 29, a pair of cuts 41 and 43 is made opposite each other. These cuts may extend for approximately 90.degree. to 120.degree. each, around the periphery of tube 29, leaving some 60.degree. of non-cut cylinder 29 for supporting each of the ears, which are then formed by straightening out the opposite halves of the upper portion of cylinder 29 when it is cut vertically or at right angles down to the cuts 41 and 43. Alternatively, the plate 25 may comprise the rear ear and a single ear 35 may be formed from the tube 29 when it comprises merely a rolled end of plate 25.

Now it may be seen that so long as spring 33 urges nut 31 downwardly, the extension 19 is locked in either its storage position, shown in solid outline in FIG. 4, or in its operative position, shown in dashed outline in FIG. 4. The selected position for extension 19 is attained by raising extension 19, against the force of spring 33, so that its horizontal reach is above the ear 35, and then pivoting it to the storage position of FIG. 2, or the operative position of FIG. 3.

When extra heavy loads are contemplated, as with 30- or 40-feet mobile homes or other long reaches, the plate 25 may extend equally to the right and left of cylinder 29, which in such case may comprise a substantially hair pin or horse shoe bend in the center of the plate 25 to hold the vertical reach of extension 19. However, the inexpensive device illustrated has been found to operate satisfactorily for typical loads.

The clothes loads are supported by the clothesline forming the reaches 21 and 23. This line is most conveniently connected to the horizontal reaches, such as 19 at the outer eye 50 and to the inner ring 51 which may comprise a welded ring or even a bend in 19. In the event two welded rings 53 are employed (as in FIG. 2), in lieu of the connections described in FIG. 4, then the extreme end of extension 19 is preferably covered with a rubber or plastic tip 55 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

It should be pointed out that at times a single support may suffice for the clothesline by running it parallel with, or at an angle to, the camper for anchoring to another trailer, tree, or landmark. However, the advantage of using a pair of supports extendible from the trailer lies in the fact that the trailer may be moved to locate the clothes in the sun but shield them from the wind or dusty conditions. In any event, flexibility may be added by at least securing the receptacles, comprising plates 25 and cylinders 29, to both spaced apart surfaces in order that the extension 19 may be used at either end of the trailer in connection with other fixed anchor.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile shelter having spaced apart opposed surfaces with an intermediate surface, portable supporting apparatus for a clothesline having a useful exterior location relative to the spaced apart opposed surfaces and a non-useful storage position, comprising in combination receptacle means fixed respectively to and flatly against said opposed surfaces; an extension for each receptacle means for supporting the clothesline spaced away from the intermediate surface; said extensions each comprising a horizontal reach having line attaching means for the line and a vertical reach extending downwardly from one end of said horizontal reach; said receptacle means comprising pivotal means receiving respectively the vertical reaches of the extensions to permit the horizontal reaches to be oriented outwardly of said opposed surfaces in opposed useful positions to hold the clothesline and oriented 180.degree. from their outwardly positions adjacent to said opposed surfaces in their storage positions absent the clothesline; locating and guiding means carried by the receptacle means above the pivotal means for locating the extensions selectively in said positions only; and locking means cooperating with the locating means by urging the vertical reaches downwardly to dispose the horizontal reaches in registry with the locating means retaining the extensions in the selected position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivotal means is substantially cylindrical; and the locating and guiding means comprise an upper bifurcated portion of the substantially cylindrical pivotal means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the upper bifurcated portion comprises two spaced apart ears with one of the ears comprising a portion of the receptacle means and said line attaching means comprising an outer loop end on each horizontal reach for receiving the clothesline.