CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWEL-RACKS OR CLOTHES-BARS
Year: 1884

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
JAMES HEWITT of 62 Sparkenhoe Street, Leicester, Manager of a Public Company,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL
IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWEL-RACKS OR CLOTHES-BARS, a communication from John
T. Foster of Arlington, Hudson County New Jersey in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of towel-racks or clothes bars designed to be
hung upon or fastened to the wall, and which consist of a base-bracket or wall-plate
on which a series of radial wooden arms or bars are pivoted on a common pin,
one above the other, so that the bar may be swung out or diverged in a fan-like
form to receive the towels or other articles to be dried; or, on the other hand, the
bars may all be swung or folded back flatwise against the wall when not required
for use.
My invention aims to provide a rack of this class which may be made on a larger
scale for a heavier and more extensive range of work than those heretofore made-
such as clothes-horses for laundry uses &c.-and which shall possess greater strength
and capacity with ease of management and portability.
Attached to the wall-plate is a semi-circular stepped iron rim, each arm of the
towel-racks when extended resting on and supported by a separate step of said rim,
and owing to the stepped form each arm is prevented from proceeding beyond a
certain required distance, there are also metal plates shaped as claws attached to
each arm connecting it with its neighbour which likewise prevent any one of the
arms from being more than a given distance one from another when the towel-rack
is wholly or partially extended.
By the combination of said claw-shaped metal plates and the stepped iron rim
the towel-rack may be wholly or partially extended in a fan-like form by the
topmost arm being moved the distance required to extend one or more arms as may
be necessary.

page_text: '
JAMES HEWITT of 62 Sparkenhoe Street Leicester Manager of a public Company
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL
IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWEL RACKS OR CLOTHES BARS, a communication from John
T. Foster of Arlington, New Jersey in the United States of America, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to that class of Towel racks or Clothes Bars designed to be
hung upon or fastened to the wall, and which consist of a base-bracket or wall-plate
on which a series of radial wooden arms or bars are pivoted on a common pin,
one above the other, so that the bar may be swung out or diverged in a fan like
form to receive the towels or other articles to be dried; or on the other hand, the
bars may all be swung or folded back flatwise against the wall when not required
for use.
My invention aims to provide a rack of this class which may be made on a larger
scale for a heavier and more extensive range of work, than those heretofore made-
such as clothes horses for laundry uses &c.—and which shall possess greater strength
and capacity with ease of management and portability; and the invention consists
in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully
described, and then pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved rack with the
arms diverged or outspread. Figure 2 is a front elevation with the arms all folded
flatwise against the base-plate, the outer ends of the arms being represented as
broken off. Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 2 with the arms cut off and
shewn in cross section. Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan or cross section
through the base-plate and the pivot pin of the arms. Figure 5 is a rear elevation
or back view of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a front view of the wall-plate or cleat on which
the base-plate or bracket may be socketted, and thereby supported on the wall.
In the drawings a indicates the wall bracket or base-plate of the device which
as usual is preferably made of cast iron, with a flat back, adapted to rest directly
against the face of the wall or other supporting surface.
d, d indicate the radial bars or arms of the rack, which are strung or pivoted on
a long axial pin c, which passes successively through the inner ends of each of the
bars, and is supported at each end in lugs b, b, which project at right angles from
the front of the base-plate at top and bottom thereof in about the usual manner
as shewn.
The arms d, are thus pivotally supported on said pin c, in close superposed
order, one above the other between the lugs, and are capable as usual, of being
turned on said pin, so as to be swung or outspread in the diverging or fan form,
as shewn in Figure 1 whereby each arm is adapted to support some article
of clothing or other object hung thereon; and when the use of the rack is not
required all the arms may be folded back against the base-plate as shewn in
Figs. 2, 3 and 5.
In Figure 1 the rack is shewn extended and g g, indicate links connecting one
arm with the rest. These links are preferably made in the form of little flat metal

page_text: plates stamped from sheet metal of any suitable kind. The broad and flat face of
each plate rests on the top of each arm, and one end of the plate is bent downwardly
and fastened to the back side of the bar, by a small screw or other fastening, as
seen best at g, in Fig 5 also in Figs 1 and 3, while the opposite end of the plate is
bent upwardly as shewn at g, in Figs 2. 3. 1 and 4 and projects up in front of the
next overlying bar, as will be readily understood from the drawings. A small
tongue h, is cut out of the top or broad face of the plate, and is bent upward
opposite to the back bend g, as seen best in Figs 1. 3 and 5 so as to form a stop
against which the back side of the bar will strike when folded back as seen in
Figs 3 and 5. It will therefore be seen that when all the bars are folded back as
shown in Figs 2. 3 and 5 the back of each overlying bar will be in contact with
the tongue h, on the bar next below it, and that the upper bend or front claw g,
on each of the plates gg, will project up in front of the bar next above it; hence
by seizing the top bar and swinging it round, it will contact with the front claw
on the plate of the underlying bar, and thus swing that bar with it, which in turn
will contact with the claw of the next lower bar, and so on in successive order, so
that when the first bar is moved round to its limit, as shewn in Fig 1 all the arms
will be properly diverged as will be readily appreciated.
The first bar is provided with a catch or hook i, which may be hooked over a
pink, projecting from the top of the base-plate, or, rather, from the top of the
stepped rim, which will then hold or lock the several arms firmly, in their
diverged positions, as fully shewn in Fig 1. It will then be seen that each link
forms a shoe on which its bar rests on the rim f, and thus the bars are prevented
from wearing by contact with the metallic steps of the rim, which usually causes
the bars to sag and droop downward. The plates thus perform a double function.
If desired the hook i, may be pivoted on the top of the base plate and the
pink, may project from the top bar d, or any other equivalent form of catch may
be used if preferred.
.
By reference to Figures 2 and 5, it will be noted that the base-platea, is formed
with a perforated ear a¹, at top and bottom, whereby the base-plate may be screwed
permanently to the wall, so as to fix the rack in a permanent position thereon, if
desired. I greatly prefer, however, to have the rack capable of a readily removable
attachment to the wall, so that it can be hung thereon when in use and easily
removed when not required, and may also be changed from place to place about
the walls of the kitchen or laundry, according to circumstances or for the best
position for drying. For this reason I construct the base-plate, a, with a large
central socket, opening or slot m, of tapering or wedging form, as shewn well in
Figs 2 and 5, with its vertical edges dovetailed, as shewn in the sectional view
Fig 4, and adapted to fit upon or engage with a similarly formed wedging platen,
(see Fig 6) baving its edges dovetailed at a reverse inclination to match the edges
of the slot m, as seen in Fig 4. The plate n, is formed with two screw-holes, as
seen in Fig 6, whereby it may be screwed firmly against the wall or other support
with its narrow end upward, as will be understood. The slot m, in the base-plate
corresponds in form with the wedging-plate n, as before described, but is longer
than the plate at the wide end, so that the wide end may be easily slipped over the
wedging-plate, and when the base-plate is then pressed down on the wedging-plate
the two will become firmly engaged by a wedging dovetailed action as will be
readily understood by reference to Figs 1. 4. 5 and 6, thus enabling the rack to bo
firmly sustained upon the wall in a manner which admits of its easy removal when
required.
A number of the wedging plates n, may be furnished with one of the racks,
so that the plate may be fixed in different positions on the mantel or wall about
or above the fire place or stove, or on the walls in convenient or favorable position
for drying, so that the rack may be changed from place to place as required, or
several may be put in use at the same time, and when not required may be easily
taken down and put away, thus presenting an important advantage in the way of
portability and compactness. The sides or edges of the slot m, and plate n, need

page_text: not be tapering or wedging, as shown, but may be straight, but with dovetailed
edges to engage in the manner described; but I prefer the wedging form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The combination with a base plate a, of the bars d, pivoted thereon, the
semicircular stepped rim f, and the chain of links g g, constructed and applied
to the bars d, substantially as described, whereby they perform the double
function of moving the bars and protecting them from wear, as and for the
purpose set forth.
2nd In a towel-rack substantially as shewn, and in combination with the
base-plate a, the pivot pin c, step part f, and overlying bars d, the series of
links g, secured to the bars d, and having the projections g³, h and g¹, the said
links being attached to the bars, as described, so as to intervene between the bars
and the steps, the hook i, and stud k, all arranged and adapted to serve as and for
the purposes set forth.