Dryer For Laundry And Other Objects

Abstract

A pair of tranversely spaced arms are connected by several hanger members from which objects to be dried may be hung. These hanger members may be of two telescopable sections each. Free end portions of the arms each carry a suspending unit composed of an abutment bracket of L shape which is rigid with the arm and a hook which has an extension portion of rod shape guided in a bore of the arm so that the hook can be slit longitudinally as well as turned with reference to the arm. Arresting devices are provided for arresting the hooks against movement relative to the arms.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dryer in general, and more particularly to a dryer for laundry and other objects.

Dryers for laundry and other objects are already known, which are to be hung from an appropriate support and from which in turn the laundry or other objects to be dried will be suspended. It is known to construct such drier so that they may be suspended from a radiator or the like, in order to obtain the benefit of the heat radiated by the radiator and, consequently, to obtain rapid drying of the objects on the dryer. The difficulty with the prior-art constructions is the fact that such constructions always can be used only with a particularly dimensioned support, such as with a radiator of a certain dimension and configuration. The arrangements for suspending the dryer from the support do not permit any adjustments so that the dryer cannot be used inversally. This evidently is a hardship, for instance if the dryer is to be used in different rooms, if the dryer is to be taken along from one location to another, if the owner moves from apartment to apartment or from one house to another where the radiators or other supports may be of different dimensions and configurations. It is then necessary to purchase a new dryer where the arrangement for suspending is of a type that can operate with the new radiator or other support.

Quite evidently the problem here involved has not escaped detection in the art. It is, in fact, known to provide such drier with interchangeable suspending arrangements, so that one suspending arrangement can be provided on the dryer if the latter is to be suspended from a support, such as a radiator, having a certain configuration and dimensions, and is replaced with another arrangement capable of suspending the dryer from a support having different configurations and dimensions. However, on the one hand this requires almost always a certain amount of skill that is quite frequently not available to the user, and it certainly does under all circumstances require the with acquisition of two or more different types of suspending arrangements which must be kept on hand and which may be lost or misplaced so that they cannot be found at the time they are needed. All in all, this approach to a solution of the problem outlined earlier has been found to be quite disadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved dryer of the type here under discussion which is not posessed of the aforementioned disadvantages.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide such an improved dryer for laundry and other objects which can be readily suspended from supports, such as radiators or the like, having various different configurations and dimensions, without requiring the exercise of any particular skill and without requiring that different suspending arrangements be available or be kept on hand.

In pursuance of these objects, and of others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a dryer for laundry and other objects, which briefly stated comprises a pair of transversely spaced arms each having a free end portion, and at least one hanger member for objects to be dried, which hanger member extends between and is connected with the arms inwardly of the free end portions. Finally, there is provided a pair of suspending units each of which is provided on one of the free end portions for suspending the dryer from an upright support. Each of these suspending units comprises, in accordance with the present invention, an abutment member positioned for engaging one side of the support, and a hook member operative for engaging the support at an opposite side thereof, with the latter member being movable with reference to the respective arm.

It is clear that due to the fact that the hook member is movable with reference to the respective arm, and thus also with reference to the abutment member, their relative positions can be adjusted as required and, in consequence, they can engage supports of may different sizes and configurations. Thus, these suspending units make it possible to suspend the novel dryer according to the present invention from any type of support that can be expected to be encountered under ordinary circumstances, including thin panel-type heating elements and larger radiators of the older type.

According to the invention it is advantageous to provide the hook members with a rod portion which is guided in guides of the respective arms both for sliding movement and for rotary movement. Such an arrangement assures not only great versatility but also permits a relatively simple construction and requires a minimum of material for the construction. By resorting to this arrangement not only the distance of the hooks of the hook members from the arms and from the abutment members can be varied, but also the basic orientation of the hooks with reference to the arms and the abutment members. It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the hooks are of right-angular outline, because this configuration assures the most stable engagement and maintenance of such engagement between the hooks and the various types of radiators which are in common use, as well as with many other types of supports.

To permit the hook members to be arrested in desired selected positions, so that they cannot undesirably change their positions, and in order to permit a ready adjustability of the positions of the hook members, it is advantageous to provide arresting devices in the region of or on the arms of the dryer, so that by operation of these arresting devices the hook members may be freed for or arrested against movement. A particularly simple arrangement uses a clamping or wedging approach, because arrangements based upon this principle cannot only be operated very radily but permit an essentially continuous variation in the amount of force applied to the hook members in a sense preventing them from displacement relative to the arms.

If the arms are narrow, the arresting devices may advantageously be provided as sliding elements which are slidable longitudinally of the respective arm and have a portion embracing the rod portion of the respective hook member, with the sliding element being slidable on an inclined guide surface provided on the respective arm and inclined outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of the arm. Thus, by sliding the slider along the inclined surface, a wedging action will be obtained.

It is, however, also possible to provide other arrangements, for instance an arrangement in which the arm carries a turnable element which can be engaged in a threaded bore of the arm so that it can be adjusted for movement axially simply by turning it in the manner of a bolt, or by providing the inner end face of the member which faces the rod portion of the hook member with an end face having a helically receeding engaging track which, when the member is turned about its axis, will similarly turn so that depending on its angular position, portions of the track will move into or out of wedging engagement with the rod portion of the respective hook member. It is also possible to use an eccentric arrangement for wedging or clamping purposes.

Needless to say, it is possible to use a stepped arrangement, that is an arrangement where the hook members can be adjusted in pre-selected increments, in which case a pawl arrangement may be utilized engaging with recesses on the respective rod-shaped portion, or another detent arrangement having a similar operation can be utilized.

In order to assume that the abutments members will always be fully operative and will be capable of withstanding a substantial portion of the forces acting upon the dryer when the same is suspended, is advantageous if the abutment members are constructed as substantially L-shaped angular members which are rigidly connected with the respective arms and have one leg extending longitudinally of the associated arm and another leg which extends normal to the elongation of the arm. Thus, these abutment members can be either placed onto the top of a support with the longitudinally extending leg resting on the top and with the normal leg pressing against the front of the support, or they can be so utilized that the free end of the longitudinally extending leg abuts the front of the support, depending upon the type of support and the manner in which the dryer is to be suspended therefrom. The hook portions can, of course, either engage from above or below inasmuch as they can be turned about the longitudinal axis of the respective arm.

To be able to increase or decrease the length of the dryer intermediate the two arms thereof, so as to be able to accommodate the dryer to different dimensions of the support, it is advantageous if the hanger member or members be telescopable, that is composed of two sections one of which is telescoped into the other and each of which is connected to one of the arms. Advantageously, the sections of the hanger member or members are tubular and of quadratic cross section. Thus, the length of the hanger members can be increased or decreased simply by sliding or telescoping without any decrease in the stability of the dryer per se. Advantageously, the hanger member or members will be connected with the respective arms via sockets provided on the arms, as will be discussed subsequently.

Finally, the free ends of the arms and/or the suspending units may be provided with protective caps or covers, both to protect users from possible injuries (if sharp edges should be present) and to prevent marring of the support on which the dryer is suspended.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a dryer according to the present invention suspended from one type of radiator;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the same support of FIG. 1 but suspended from a panel-type heating element;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dryer of FIGS. 1 and 2, with a portion of one of the hanger members having been omitted to permit illustration of some features;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line V--V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating still a further embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 illustrating an additional embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating a variation of the embodiment in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, it will be seen that here the dryer comprises two transversely spaced substantially parallel arms 10, 11. One or more (in the illustrated embodiment three) hanger members 12 extend between the arms 10 and 11. In the illustrated embodiment these hanger members 12 are each composed of two hollow profiled sections 13, 14 (see FIG. 3) which are telescoped into one another, thus permitting the length of the hanger members 12 to be increased or decreased by sliding them apart or together. In the illustrated embodiment the cross section of the tubular sections of the hanger members 12 is quadratic, although it could of course be of a different shape, including circular. It is advantageous that a minimum amount of play exist between the two cooperating sections so that they can be slidingly displaced relative to one another but will not "wobble." If substantial deviations exist in the cross sections of the two associated sections 13 and 14 it is possible to provide the inner end of the inner section (the section 13 in this case) with a special portion secured thereto and having the desired closer fit so that it will provide a play-free guidance.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show particularly clearly how the free ends of the sections 13 and 14 are connected with the arms 11 and 10, respectively. Each of the arms is provided with a plurality of sockets 15 which have projections 16 surrounded by annular portions 17 with some clearance, so that an annular gap 18 exists between the projections 16 and the associated portions 17. The cross sectional configuration of at least the projections 16 should correspond to that of the sections 13 or 14, that is in the illustrated embodiment it should be quadratic, and as FIG. 3 shows, the section 16 can be offset circumferentially with reference to the portion 17, so that when an end of one of the sections 13 or 14 is placed over the portion 16 and inserted into the gap 18, a clamping action will exist between the portions 16 and 17 so that the respective sections 13 or 14 is tightly engaged and held without requiring separate holding instrumentalities. Of course, adhesive means or other means of securing these sections still further to the sockets 15, may be employed if this is considered advisable.

In accordance with the present invention the dryer is provided on each arm 10, 11 with a suspending unit 19. These units are each composed of two elements, namely a hook portion 20 and an abutment portion 21. Each hook portion 20 is in the illustrated embodiment of right-angular outline and has an extending rod portion 22 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) which is guided on a guide passage 23 of the respective arm 10 or 11. Thus, the rod portion can be telescoped into or out of this guide passage and it can also be turned together with this hook portion about its longitudinal axis. The free ends of the rod portions 22 and/or those of the hook portions 20 may be provided with protective caps 33, 33', advantageously of a yieldable synthetic plastic material. This avoids the possibility of injury and of damage to objects and garments.

As FIGS. 4 and 5 show most clearly, arresting means 24 is provided on each of the arms 10, 11 which permits the arresting of the hook members 20 in any desired angular and longitudinally displaced position. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the arresting means provides for a clamping or wedging action, utilizing a slide element 25 which is arranged in the region of a cutout 26 of the respective arms 10, 11, with the rod portions 22 extending through an appropriate aperture 27 provided in the portion of the respective slide 25, which portion is designated with reference numeral 28. A portion 29 of the slide 25 abuts guide surfaces of the arm 10 or 11 which guide surfaces are outwardly inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the arm and thus also to the longitudinal axis of the respective rod portion 22. The guide surfaces are provided, as the drawing shows, at opposite sides of the cutout 26 on wheel-shaped abutments 30 which are embraced by the portion 29 of the respective slide member 25 and serve to guide the latter for straight-line movement. Evidently, when the slide member is advanced towards the left in FIG. 4, it will pull the rod portion 22 transversely of the longitudinal axis of the respective arm and thus wedge it in place against further movement, or if the slide member 25 is moved towards the right in FIG. 4, said wedging engagement will be released and the rod portion 22 will be free to turn and move longitudinally.

The abutment portions 21, which form the other component of the respective unit 19, are configurated as substantially L-shaped abutments having one leg 31 which extends normal to the direction of elongation of the associated arm and another leg which extends in this direction of elongation and is identified with reference numeral 32.

It is clear from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the dryer according to the present invention can be utilized in many different ways. For instance the dryer can be suspended from heating elements which are of widely divergent configuration and size, and it can be so utilized even by persons who are completely devoid of technical skills. FIG. 1 thus shows that the portions 21 may be placed onto the upper edge of an older-star radiator whereas the hook-portions 20 which are not visible in this drawing, are extended to the opposite side of the radiator from the side where the portions 21 engage, and are hooked over the tubular connecting portions which connect the adjacent ribs of the radiator, the portions 20 assuming the position shown in FIG. 3 in this instance. A completely tight fit and seating of the dryer can be achieved because the rod portions 22 can be longitudinally adjusted. Conversely, the dryer can also be employed on panel-shaped heaters such as shown in FIG. 2, where the connection will be established in the illustrated manner. The adjustability of the hook portions 20 assures that here again the dryer will be properly seated without play, despite the divergence in the dimensions (here the thickness) of the panel-shaped heater of FIG. 2 with respect to the radiator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a different type of arresting means from that employed in FIGS. 1-5. The arresting means in FIG. 6, wherein like reference numerals designate the same components as in the preceeding Figures, utilizes a rotary arresting means 40 having a cylindrical portion 41 which is turnably arranged in an appropriately dimensioned cutout 42 of the respective arm (here the arm 10) and which has a free end 43 facing the rod portion 22 and being provided with a helical twist as illustrated so that, depending upon the rotated angular position of the portion 41 (which is effected by the projecting rib 44) the rod portion 22 is either clamped by engagement with the endface 43 or is released.

The embodiment in FIG. 7 shows an arresting arrangement utilizing a set screw 45 which is threaded into a tapped bore 46 of the arm 10. The free end 47 of the screw 45 can be moved into and out of frictional engagement with the rod portion 22, in the manner which is already well known from set screws. This screw has a knurled head 48 for engagement by the hand of a user.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which an eccentric clamping arrangement is utilized The arrangement is designated with reference numeral 50 and utilizes an eccentric clamping portion 51 pivoted on a pivot 52 and provided with or of one piece with a handle portion 53. In the illustrated embodiment the eccentric clamping portion 51 is in clamping engagement with the rod portion 22, but if the handle 53 is swung about the pivot 52 in counter-clockwise direction, the clamping portion 51 will be displaced with reference to the rod portion 22 so that it will release the same.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the rod portion 22 can be adjusted in increments, rather than continuously as is the case in the preceeding embodiments. In FIG. 9 the rod portion 22 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced recesses or depressions 55, for instance in form of grooves which extend partway around its circumference. The arresting means is designated with reference numeral 54 and has a knurled knob provided with a shaft 56 which has in the region of its front end a wider guide portion 58 which is guided in a guide passage 57 provided on the arm 10. The free end of the portion 58 is provided with a projection 59 which can be inserted into a respective recess 55 that has been made to register with it. The portion 59, also to be considered a detent portion, can simply be retracted from the respective recess by pulling on the knob whereupon the rod portion 22 can then be displaced longitudinally and circumferentially as desired until a new position is found in which it is again to be arrested whereupon the knob is pushed inwardly.

FIG. 10, finally, shows an arresting means 60 utilizing a pawl arrangement. Here, the rod portion 22 is provided with a plurality of sawteeth 61 defining between themselves respective recesses. A pawl 63 is pivotably mounted on a pivot 62 provided on the arm 10, and can be pivoted so as to engage into and be withdrawn from the recesses between adjacent ones of the sawteeth 61. Also mounted on the pivot 62 may be a knob 64 analogous to the knob shown in FIG. 9, which can be engaged and turned to move the pawl into and out of engagement with the respective recesses.

Evidently, other modifications beyond those illustrated are possible and are clearly encompassed within the concept of the present invention. For instance, the cross-sectional configuration of the hanger members 12 can be varied as desired or as needed, and also the particular configuration shown for the members 20 and 21 can be varied without departing from the concept of the present invention.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a dryer, especially for laundry and other objects, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A dryer, particularly for laundry and other objects, comprising a pair of transversely spaced arms each having a free end portion, said arms being elongated and each having a guide means extending in the respective direction of elongation; at least one hanger member for objects to be dried, extending between and connected with said arms inwardly of said free end portions; a pair of suspending units each provided on one of said free end portions for suspending said dryer from an upright support, each of said suspending units comprising an abutment member positioned for engaging one side of said support, each of said abutment members being substantially L-shaped and having two legs one of which extends normal to and the other of which extends in the direction of elongation of the respectively associated arm; and hook members each having a hook portion and a rod portion, said hook portions being of substantially right angled contour, said rod portions extending from said hook portions and being received in a respective one of said guide means slidable longitudinally in the associated arm and also having freedom of turning movement relative to the latter.

2. A dryer as defined in claim 1; further comprising arresting means for arresting said hook members against movement with reference to the respective arm.

3. A dryer as defined in claim 1, said hook members each comprising a hook portion and a rod portion extending from said hook portion and displaceably received in a guide of the respective arm; and wherein said arresting means is provided on the respective arms and operative for arrestingly engaging the associated rod portion.

4. A dryer as defined in claim 3, said arresting means comprising clamping portions mounted for displacement into and out of clamping engagement with the respectively associated rod portion.

5. A dryer as defined in claim 4, said arms each comprising an inclined surface portion; and wherein said clamping portions embrace the respection rod portion and one each slidable longitudinally of the respective arm in contact with the associated inclined surface portion.

6. A dryer as defined in claim 4, said clamping portions each being journalled for rotary movement in a hole of a respective arm, and each having an inclined wedge surface movable into and out of wedging engagement with a respective rod portion in dependence upon the direction of rotary movement.

7. A dryer as defined in claim 4, said clamping portions each having a pivot axis and a wedging surface eccentrically surrounding said pivot axis and arranged for wedging engagement with and for disengagement from, the associated rod portion in dependence upon the direction in which the clamping portion is turned about said pivot axis.

8. A dryer as defined in claim 3, said rod portions each being provided with a plurality of longitudinally arrayed recesses, and wherein said arresting means comprises detent portions provided on the respective arms and insertable into and withdrawable from the respective recesses.

9. A dryer as defined in claim 3, said rod portions each being provided with a plurality of longitudinally arrayed first detents; and wherein said arresting means comprises respective cooperating second detents each provided on one of said arms and mounted for movement into and out of cooperative engagement with the respective first detents.

10. A dryer as defined in claim 1, said hook members and said abutment members each having a free and; and further comprising protective cap means provided on at least some of said free ends.

11. A dryer as defined in claim 1, said hanger member being elongated and comprising a tubular first section having one open end and another end connected with one of said arms, and a second section having a free end telescoped into said open end and also having another end connected with the other of said arms.

12. A dryer as defined in claim 11, wherein said sections are of quadratic cross-sectional configuration.

13. A dryer as defined in claim 11, said arms each comprising at least one socket including an inner portion matingly receivable in the respective other end, and an outer annular portion surrounding said inner portion with annular clearance, so that the respective other end is accommodated in the clearance between said inner and outer portions.