Retractable clothesline device

A retractable clothesline device for storing the clothesline when in a fully retracted position and enabling the clothesline to be readily extended from its retracted position for use, said device comprising:

• an outer housing having a plurality of openings therethrough and including a mounting bracket;
• a spool disposed within the housing having two outer and one central, outwardly extending axially spaced radial flanges;
• said spool having an inner surface with outer edges defining a central axial opening;
• said spool further including a hub with an opening therethrough secured to the inner surface and disposed between the outer edges;
• at least one clothesline extending through two openings in the housing and having each end detachably secured to the spool such that the clothesline is stored on the spool in separate portions on opposite sides of the central flange when in a retracted positon;
• a side of the outer flange nearest the housing including a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending stop members having bearing surfaces;
• a handle slidably disposed on the clothesline for extending the clothesline from a retracted position;
• said handle being readily securable to a generally horizontally extending member;
• a spool bearing having an opening therethrough fixedly secured to the housing, and being disposed between the spool and housing;
• a spindle having inner and outer ends extending through the openings in the hub, bearing and housing;
• the openings in the spool bearing and housing through which the spindle extends defining a square;
• the portion of the spindle which extends through the openings in the spool bearing and housing having a square cross section thereby preventing the spindle from rotating;
• said spindle further including an end portion having a frustoconical shape with the top of the frustum secured to the inner end of the spindle;
• a spirally wound flat metal spring disposed within the central axial opening of the spool having an outer end anchored to the spool and an inner end secured to the spindle;
• said spring being disposed between and in contact with a side of the hub and a side of the spool bearing;
• said spring being in a biased condition when the clothesline is in an extended position and in a substantially unbiased condition relative to the biased condition when the clothesline is in a fully retracted position;
• said side of the spool bearing in contact with the spring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending bearing members having surfaces defining a frustoconical shape to provide for the uniform biasing and unbiasing of the spring as the clothesline is extended and retracted;
• said side of the hub in contact with the spring also having a surface defining a frustoconical shape to further provide for the uniform biasing and unbiasing of the spring;
• a plurality of tapered circumferentially spaced axially extending ribs secured to the side of the hub not in contact with the spring, and the inner surface of the spool;
• said ribs including surfaces tapering inwardly from the outer edge of the spool towards the opening in the hub;
• said surfaces defining a frustoconical shape with the opening in the hub defining the top of the frustum;
• a clamping member pivotally attached to the outer end of the spindle which when in a clamped position exerts an axial force on the outer end of the spindle pulling the end portion into frictional engagement with the surfaces of the ribs thereby securing the spool in a fixed non-rotatable position relative to the spindle;
• and a pin fixedly secured to the clamping member which extends through an opening in the housing and is disposed between two stop members when the clamping member is in a clamped position thereby preventing the spool from rotating a distance greater than the distance between the pin and the furthest of the stop members between which it is disposed.