US543020A - Clothes-drier - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- (No Model.)

B.VF. HOLMES, CLOTHES DRIER.

No. 543,020. Patented July 23. 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. P. HOLMES.

v CLOTHES DRIER. No. 543,020. Patented July 23, 1895.

FIGfSQ @it 522. A OLU j MM.

fm 1y/Magg UNITED i STATI-3s PATENT OFFICE.

BETTIE F. HOLMEs, or AVONDALE, OHIO.

CLOTHES-omen.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,0.20` dated July 23, 41835.

Application filed April 17, 1895.

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, BETTIE FLEISCHMANN HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Avondale, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Clothes- Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact-description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention comprises a light frame consisting preferably of six distinct coupled sections, which can be folded together in a very compact condition and stowed away in an ordinary trunk; but When said sections are opened and properly fastened together they afford a commodious rack capable of'holdin g ,a number of dresses and other articles of Wearing-apparel, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of my clothes-rack when completely opened and ready for use. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the successive steps of folding together one-half of said rack. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the rack when completely closed and ready to be packed within a trunk. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 representA three dierent modifications of the invention. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a rack, the base of which is composed of a single frame and its top united by a rider composed of three separable parts or sections. Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing this form of rack folded together, the three sec-v tions of said rider being seen under said rack.

The lower section of my rack is composed of two counterpart frames or sills A A B B united at their inner ends by transverse stretchers a b and so hinged or coupled together at C C as to be readily opened to the position seen in Fig. 1, thereby aording an extended horizontal base for the entire structure. Pivoted to the outer ends of these sills, as at o b', are main upright sections composed of standards D D E E united at bottom by stretchers d e and capable of being maintained in an erect position by inclined braces F G or otherwise. These braces are preferablyof metal, are hinged to the sills at f g, and their free ends are notched to engage serial No. 546,166. (no man with pins H that project from the standards, as more clearly seen in Fig. 2. Furthermore, these braces are notched at f g to engage with pins a b of the sills when the rack is folded together. The object of these main upright sections is to carry extension-sections capable of increasing the height of the rack, said extension-sections being composed of side rails I I J J of practically the same length as the standards D D E E.

i ij 7" are stretchers that unite the upper and lower ends of the rails, so as to preserve them in their proper parallel positions with reference to each other. of these sections may be obtained in a number of different Ways, the rails I I (seen in Fig. l) being provided with longitudinal tongues 1l that traverse similar grooves dof the standards D D and being held in place by a pin d; but the other section .I J is pivoted to the standards E E at k k and is held in place by a pin K, which may pass completely through said rails and standards and thus serve as a means for suspending towels and other small articles.

Again, in addition to the stretchers 'i fijj, the side rails may be provided with a number of extra rounds, as seen at L L', thereby -increasing the capacity of the rack without rendering it much heavier.

M isa wire cord or other flexible suspender having hooks mm at its opposite ends to engage over the stretchers ij.

When my rack is completely Opened and ready for use, the braces F Gr preserve the standards D D E E in a position at right angles to the horizontal base A A B B', and the pins d K retain the extension-'sections I I', .I J', vertically in line with said standards, while at the same time the cord or line M unite the upper ends of said sections, thereby aording a very commodious structure, upon which dresses and other garments can be readily hung.

The line M will hold a number of dresses and skirts, and by using another similar line, coupled to the stretchers t" j', the capacity of the rack will be nearly doubled, and a still greater range of utility will be afforded by the rounds L L of the extensible sections.

To pack up the rack, the hooks m m are first disengaged from the stretchers ij, and

The extensibility IOC 'the upper sections are then lowered. It these sections are arranged as seen at I I', the pin el is pulled out and said rails I I are slid down between the standards D D and allowed to rest upon the stretcher (l, after which act the brace F is disengaged from one of said standards D. These standards are then swung down to a horizontal position, so as to fit snugly between the sills AA, the brace F having first been turned over and supported upon the pin a,; but if the extension-sections are arranged as seen at .T J the pin K is lirst pulled ont, the railsJ J turned down exactly parallel with the standardspE E', as seen in Fig. 2, and the brace G is uncoupled from the standard E. After this proceeding the standards are swung down to ahorizontal position and confined between the sills B B and the brace supported upon the pin b. This condition of the rack is seen in Fig 3. The next step consists in folding the base-section A A and its'eoupled accessories iu under the other base-section B B'and itsA connected adjuncts, which reduces the rack to the compact condition seen in Fig. 4, and the line M being now passed around the bundle and tied at m there is no danger of any of the parts becoming lost. The folded sections now occupy but very little space and can be readily packed in the bottom of any ordinarysized trunk, and after arriving at its destination the rack can be unfolded and set np by any lady, and without being compelled to use screwdrivers, wrenches, or other unhandy implements. It will thus be seen that my rack is avery great convenience for travelers, as it enables a person to hang garments, tbe., in rooms which are destitute of wardrobes and clothespresses.

The above describes the preferred form of my rack; but it is evident that the details ofthe same may be greatly varied, one modification being seen in Fig. 5, where a rider7 is substitnted for the clothes-line M. This rider is composed of two sections N N', hinged together at n, and having near its end a groove n', adapted to engage over the stretcher c',- butin Figs. 6 and 8 the rider consists of three sections O O O, the central section O being provided with a tubular socket o to receive the end section O. This central section may also have a longitudinal bore 0 to admit a dowel-pin o, projecting from the otherend section O, the three-partrider thus produced being capable of con neeting the tops of the extensible sections by means of grooves 0', that engage over the stretchers ij.

In another modification (seen in Fig. 7) the' standards D D are tubular, and the side pieces I 1 and stretcher 71 ofthe saine are made of a single piece of wire or light rod, the stretcher being bent in its center, as at t", to afford a convenient place for attaching the line M or rider N. After the extensible section I 1 has been raised to the desired height it is retained in place bya set-screw I.

Again, Fig. 2 shows that the inclined brace G may be duplicated, as at G.

In another modification of my invention (seen in Figs. S and 9) the base of the rack is composed of a singleframe A, having the standards D D E E applied to its opposite ends, while the three-part rider O O O is supported upon the upper stretchers ij of the extension-sections I 1 J .I and projects horizontally some distance beyond the ends of the structure. Fig. 8 shows, also, that the extensionsectiou I I may be applied to the standards D D' in the same way the 0pposite section J J is applied to the other standard E E. Furthermore, this illustration shows that the removable pins K may be connected to the standards D E by cords or light chains 7c".

R r represent, respectively, hooks and sta ples wherewith the folded raclc is securely fastened together.

I claim as my invention- 1. A folding clothes-rack consisting of a base; main sections coupled to the outer ends of said base; devices for maintaining these main sections in place; extensible sections applied to said main-sections; devices for maintaining these extensible sections in place; and a coupling that unites their upper ends, in the manner described, and for the purpose stated.

2. A folding clothes-rack consisting ofa pair of base sections A A a, B B b, hinged together at their inner ends, as at C, C; main upright-sections D D CZ, E E c, coupled to the outer ends of said base sections, as at ct', b; braces F, G, that maintain said main sections in place; extensible-sections I I fw', .I Jjj,applied to said main sections; pinsfor maintaining said eXtensible-sections in place; and a connection engaged with the stretehers t' j, of said extensible-sections, all as herein described and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. l

BE'l"`IE F. HOLMES. Witnesses:

JAMES I1. LAYMAN,

R. HOLMES.

ICO

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