US2797102A - Combination portable clothes basket and stand - Google Patents

Description

A. M. ADAMS 2,797,102 COMBINATION PORTABLE CLOTHES BASKET ANDFSTAND June 25, 1957 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1955 y; .2." Fig INVENTO June '25, 1957 A. M. ADAMS 2,797,102

COMBINATLQNPORTABLE CLOTHES BASKET AND STAND 7 Filed Oct. 11, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

J1me 1957 A. M. ADAMS 2,797,102

COMBINATION PORTABLE CLOTHES BASKET AND STAND Filed Oct. I |.l, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO United States Patent() COMBINATION PORTABLE CLOTHES BASKET AND STAND Aaron M. Adams, Philadelphia, Pa. Application October 11, 1955, Serial No. 539,788 4 Claims. (Cl. 280-30) My invention relates to a new and useful combination portable clothes basket and stand has for one of its objects to provide a wheeled and foldable stand collapsed into a relatively small parcel for storage purposes and readily and quickly extended for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide the stand with an adjustable step to be used by a person for reaching clothes line supports, such as hooks, and the clothes line itself, if desirable, which are normally beyond the reach of the user.

Another object of this invention is to mount the stand on casters and to so arrange the step that its own legs are normally out of contact with the ground or other equivalent supporting surface and which legs are caused to contact the ground when a person mounts the step, said step legs being devoid of casters whereby movement of the stand will substantially be prevented while the step is occupied.

Another object of the invention is to detachably connect the frame elements whereby they may be disconnected and the whole device packed, stored in a warehouse, shipped and delivered in a knocked down condition.

Another object of this invention is to construct certain elements of the frame so they may be utilized as a clothes line holder.

A further object of the invention is-to provide a clothes basket constructed for cooperative removable connection with a portion of the stand.

A still further object of the present invention is to construct the clothes basket in a novel manner in order to provide a primary receptacle or compartment for clothes and secondary receptacles or compartments for clothes pins and the like, said secondary receptacles partly constituting the clothes basket hangers for supporting the basket on the movable stand when the latter is set up for use;

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the combination portable 2,797,102 Patented June 25, 1957 2 hand end of Fig. 3 which, for purposes of description, will be considered as the front end.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the frame and showing in dotted lines some of the initial positions of certain elements during the folding operations.

Fig. 7 also is a side view of the frame substantially completely folded for storage purposes.

In carrying out the invention as herein embodied there is provided, primarily, a portable and movable stand 15 including a top frame 16 consisting of a pair of parallel side rails 17 and parallel end rails 18 at right angles to said side rails. The side and end rai'ls integral with or separate from one another.

On one end of the frame 16 at both sides thereof are swingingly and detachably mounted, what is termed for convenience of description, the front legs 19 by means of appropriate bolts or screws 20 passing through the upper ends of the legs and the side rails and suitable nuts 21. In order that both front legs 19 shall move in unison they are braced by a cross piece 22 detachably secured in place to said legs by appropriate means indicated by the nuts 23.

On the opposite or rear end of the frame 16 at both sides thereof also are swingingly and detachably mounted the rear legs 24 by means of appropriate bolts or screws 25 passing through the frame side rails and said rear legs adjacent their upper ends and suitable nuts 26. The rear legs 24 are also tied together and braced by a cross piece 27 which is detachably secured at opposite ends to said rear legs by suitable means represented by the nuts 28. The upper portions of the rear legs 24 are fashioned into arcuate extensions 29 to constitute holders for a clothes line 30, Fig. 1, which can have one end tied to one extension holder and then Wrapped back and forth around both of the extension holders.

Both pairs of legs 19, 24 are temporarily held in their adjustments, wherein they are perpendicular to the frame, by their respective fastening devices including the nuts 21 and 26 and are further supported and braced by the collapsible or contractible connecting member 31. The connecting member 31 comprises telescoping outer and inner tubes 32 and 33, respectively, the latter sliding within the former and being held in the retracted and extended positions by a set screw 34 having threaded connection with the outer tube 32 and projecting through the same for contact with the inner tube 33. The outer end of said outer tube 32 is attached to the cross piece 27 and designed to rotate about the axis of said cross piece 27 for a purpose to be later described. The inner tube has a notch 35 adjacent its outer or free end to engage a portion of the cross piece 22 which also has a notch 36 to receive the notched out portion of the connecting member, particularly the inner tube thereof.

One pair of legs, as the forward legs 19, are pivoted inside of the top frame while the other pair of legs, as the rear legs 24, are pivoted outside of said top frame. By this arrangement one set of legs occupies less transverse space than the other set of legs and therefore the sets of legs can pass each other when swung up underneath of the top frame and nest together when the stand is folded. All of the legs of the stand are provided with casters 37 or wheels whereby the apparatus may conveniently be moved or wheeled about.

A step 38 is swingingly mounted on the cross piece 27 for rotation approximately ninety degrees about the axis of said cross piece 27 whereby said step may be swung into a substantially horizontal position or raised to a location between the pair of rear legs 24 and under certain conditions depressed below the horizontal position or detachably hingedly connected at their upper ends to the outer or free end of the step by fastening means such 3 as screws 40 and nuts 41. The legs 39 of the step are joined and braced by a cross piece 42 to prevent spreading thereof. Means is provided to normally hold the legs 39 -ofthe step 38 out .of, contactwith the ground-or.- slightly elevated relative to-the surface on.which=;the-v casters 37 rest and said means may includeksiderails'. 43 detachably pivotally connected to the step legs. 39 and to the adjacent rear legs of ,the standaas indicated at '44 39, rails 43, and relatively fixed stand legs 24 is freely:

movable upon oscillation of the step-and rails between the upper phantom position. of Figure 6 and its lower solid line position-with the lowerstep leg ends spaced slightly above thesupporting floor surface. However, upon the application of a downward force on the step, as by the foot of a user, the rails 43 will be placed under sufficient tension. to allow the lower ends of the step legs 39 to engage with the supporting floor surface and prevent movement thereon of the entire device. Since the legs 39 do not have casters or wheels the stand and step will not move about while said step is occupied. This permits a relatively short person to reach clothes line supporting hooks or hangers located at a considerable height as well as the line attached thereto without the necessity ofemploying a chair or stool and because of the relatively large ground area occupied by the complete apparatus the chance of tilting which might result in injury is reduced to a minimum.

A clothes basket 46 either of foraminous material, as in Fig. 2, or of sheet material, as illustrated in Fig. 1, includes a bottom 47, opposed side walls 48 and opposed end walls 49 and these side and end walls may beformed rigid as integral parts of the bottom- 47 or hinged thereto in. order to be folded inwardly upon said bottom to form a small parcel. Each end wall 49 has an outwardly extending return bend along the top edge constituting a fiangeor hanger 50 which engage and rest upon the respective end rails of the top frame of the stand to assist in supporting the basket on said stand. To further assist in supporting the basket on the stand the side walls 48 of the basket also have outwardly extending return bends along their top edges which constitute flanges or hangers 51 to engage and rest upon the respective side rails 17 of the top frame of the stand. Certaimof the basket hangers, preferably one or both of the side hangers 51, are extended and fashioned into the form of relatively small receptacles 52 for clothes pins or other articles which it may be desirable to keep separated from clothes in the main basket compartment.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that on a day when washing is to be done the stand is set up outdoors and the step used to fastenthe clothes line on hangers at considerable height and, if desirable, also utilized for reaching the clothes line while hanging out washed clothes to dry. The basket with'the wet clothes therein is carried out and placed on the stand which can readily be moved about for the convenience of the user and the basket being in an elevated position the clothes can easily be. handled without the person having to. stoop to pick them up. Likewise the clothes pins, if in the receptacles '52 are easy of access as needed. After the clothes are--dry detaching the connecting member 31fromthe cross piece 22; and ,telescopingrthe.1inner tube 33 .into the outer-tube 32, then loosening the nuts 21 and 26, then swingingthe front leg structure inwardly against the top frame 16 and finally swinging the rear leg: structure inwardly towards said top frame and the folded front leg structure with the step swung into position against the rear leg structure which can be accomplished before or after said rear leg structure is swung into folded position. The collapsed condition of the frame can be maintained by merely tightening the nuts Hand 26; The folded stand, Fig. 7, then can be stored in a small space until such time as it is to again be used.

It is to be particularly noted that this device is especially useful for persons of short stature since it provides an elevated platform with theclothes line and contents of the basket within easy reach of the user.

By substituting a panel, table top, tray and the like for the basket the apparatus may be employed as a tea wagon or similar device.

Of course I do .notwish to belimited .to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of. the appendedclaims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as. new and useful is:

l. A stand for a clothes basket comprising an oblong frame including side and end rails, a pair of front legs detachably and pivotally secured to the. insides of the side rails at one end of theframe, a cross piece detachably secured to said front legs adjacent the bottom ends thereof, a pair of rear legs detachablyand pivotally secured to the outsides of the side rails .at the other end of the frame, a cross piece detachably securedto said rear legs adjacent their lower ends, an adjustable extensible and retractable connectingv member having one end secured to the cross piece of the rear legs leaving the other end free, said free end having a transverse notch to engage a portion of the cross piece of thefront legs which also has a notch to receive a portionof the connecting member at the back of its notch whereby said legs areheld perpendicular to the frame, the front. legs being foldable inwardly against the frame when the connecting member is detached and said rear legs then being foldable inwardly against theframe outside of the front legs in nested relation, upwardly and outwardly projecting curved extensions on the upper ends of the rear legs-to function as holders for a clothes line wrapped thereabouhcasters on the lower ends .of theindividual. legs whereby the device may be rolled about onthe ground, a step hingedly mounted on the cross piece of the rear legs whereby it may be moved into a substantiallyv horizontal position, depressed and raised to a position in proximity-to the rear legs,step legs pivoted to the outer free end of the step and out of contact with the ground while said step is in the horizontal or raised position and contacting the ground when the step is depressed due to the weight of a person standing thereon, and oblique sidemembers pivoted to the step legs and the stand rear legs to norm lly retain the step in the substantially horizontal lowered-position.

2. The structure in claim 1,. in combination with a rectangularv clothes basket fitting inside of .the frame and provided with hangers engaging the side and end rails of said frame to removably mount the basket on. the stand.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, in combination with a rectangular clothes basket fitting inside of the frame of the stand and including side and end Walls, return bend flanges on said side and end walls to engage the side and end rails respectively of said frame to removably mount said basket on the stand,.and receptacles formed with the side flanges and positioned outside of the frame side walls.

4. In a device of the class described, an oblong frame including side and end rails, a pair of front legs pivotally secured to the insides of the side rails at one end of the frame,- a crosspiecesecured to said -front legs adjacent to the bottom ends thereof, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured to the outsides of the side rails at the other end of the frame, a crosspiece secured to said rear legs adjacent to their lower ends, a connecting member having one end secured to the crosspiece of the rear legs and having its other end detachably interengageable with the crosspiece of the front legs whereby said legs are held perpendicular to said frame, the front legs being foldable inwardly against the frame when the connecting member is detached and said rear legs then being 'foldable inwardly against the frame outside of the front legs in nested relation, upwardly and outwardly projecting extensions on the upper ends of the rear legs to function as holders for a clothesline Wrapped thereabout, castors on the lower ends of the individual legs whereby the device may be rolled about on the ground, a step hingedly mounted on the crosspiece of the rear legs whereby it may be moved into References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,436,647 Huey Feb. 24, 1948 2,657,936 Fabel Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 215,135 Great Britain May 8, 1924 185,645 Switzerland Nov. 2, 1936

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