UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.
JOSEEYJOHNSON, OENEV YORK, X. Y.
CLOTHES-DRIVER.
Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,599, dated August 14, 1860.
To all whom it 'may concern:
Be it known that I, JOSEE JOHNSON, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Clothes-Drier, Intended more Especially for Drying Clothes in the Open Air; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a. full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichy Figure l represents the apparatus when ready for use. Fig. 2 represents the same in a loosened condition. Fig. 3 represents it folded for stowage and Fig. 4 a portion of the latter on a larger scale shows the construction and elfect of the joints.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings and letters of reference marked thereon.
A, B, and C are three straight bars or rods of wood of proper length and size. I prefer to make them as light as is consistent with strength that they may be the more easily ortable. A and B are hinged together by a liolt D at or near their centers, and so also are A and C, the bolt E which unites the latter standing at right angles to and a little above that which unites A and B, at these joints I introduce washers O and I which hold the rods a little distance apart as represented. The rods A, B and C are capable of turning on the bolts D and E so as to diverge as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or to lie parallel as shown in Fig. 3 at pleasure. lVhen they are spread or opened so as to stand in the position shown at Fig. 1 they form the outline of two triangular pyramids joined at their apeXes.
In manufacturing my improved clothes drier I hold the rods in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and stretch several series of cords F, G, H horizontally from one to another of the upper portions of the rods fastening them permanently to each rod. The several articles to be dried are supported by being suspended in any well known manner to these cords. The inclination of the rods A, B, C such that the clothes depending when extended is from the y cord F hang at a little distance from those depending from G, and those depending from Gr at a little distance from those from H, etc., so as to allow a circulation of air through these spaces. The form of the device at the top being entirely open or free from any obstructing frame work within inducesv a motion of the air through these spaces if a current of air is passing the de Vice in any direction. An additional cord L of proper length is passed under the lower half of the rod A and permanently attached to the rods B and- C near their upper ends as represented. Similar cords M and N are passed under the other rods and connected to the tops of those corresponding thereto on each side. A series of notches a, b, and c are made in the several rods at the points represented. lVhen the middle point in the cord L downward and inserted into one of the notches t it remains therein holding itself in a tightly strained condition. The cords M and N may be held in a similar manner by the notches and c, and when thus held the rods A, B, C, are rigidly confined in the position shown by Fig. l. On releasing these cords L, M, N by pushing them out of their respectivenotches and allowing them to hang in a slack condition as shown in Fig. 2 the corresponding ends of the rods A, B, C may be readily brought together and the whole device then assumes the form shown in Fig. 3 in which latter condition it can be stowed in a very small space until it is again required for use.
The cords F, Cr, II are not compressed between the rods A, B, C on closing the latter together, because the washers O and I hold the rods at a distance apart equal to or greater than the diameter of the said cords as shown by Fig. 4.
A cord P is attached to one of the rods near the center and provided with a suitable hook by which the apparatus when adjusted may be secured to any suitable fixture provided for the purpose below to prevent it from moving under the force of the wind.
The cords L, M, N may be set in the highest or lowest of the respective notches a, l), 0 according as the cords shall become stretched.
My invention is cheaper, lighter and more is seized by the hands and drawn y durable than any other device of equal effect being arranged for action together substan- 10 known to me. tially as specified.
Having now fully described my invention In witness whereof I have hereunto set what I claim as new therein and desire to my hand in the presence of two subscribing 5 secure by Letters Patent iswitnesses.
In combination with the hinged frame or JOSEE JOHNSON. rods A, B, C, and suspending cords F, G, H, Witnesses: the straining cords L, M, or N, operating THOMAS D. STETSON, to secure and release the rods, and the whole A. SNYDER.