The present invention provides a hinge device which allows swivel or pivotal movement in a first arrangement and prevents such movement in a second arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge device characterised in that it comprises a first channel member and a second member slidably arranged in said first channel member, wherein said second member comprises at least a first portion and a second portion such that when said first portion is in said first channel member said second member is swivellable about a substantially longitudinal axis and when at .least a part of said second portion is in said channel member said elongate member is non-swivellable about said substantially longitudinal axis.

Preferably, the channel member is provided as a tubular member.

The hinge device of the present invention will hereinafter be described with particular reference to its use in a clothes line and to hold a bait-board and provide a pivotal mechanism therefor.

The bait-board is particularly intended for attachment to a boat. However, the hinge device of the present invention is of

general applicability and is not limited in its application to the specific embodiments described and illustrated herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a first perspective view of an embodiment of the hinge device of the present invention incorporated into a clothes line, with the hinge device arranged in a first position; Figure 2 is a second perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 1, with the hinge device arranged in a second position illustrating swivel movement; Figure 3 is a third perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 1, with the hinge device arranged in a third position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bracket to attach the hinge device shown in Figure 1 to a support; Figure 5 is a first perspective view of an embodiment of the hinge device of the present invention attached to a bait-board, with the hinge device arranged in a first position;

Figure 6 is a second perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 5, with the hinge device arranged in a second position illustrating swivel movement; Figure 7 is a third perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 5, with the hinge device arranged in a third position;

Figure 8 is a fourth perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 5, with the hinge device arranged in a fourth position illustrating swivel movement;

Figure 9 is a fifth perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 5, with the hinge device arranged in a fifth position illustrating swivel movement; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the hinge device shown in Figure 5, but without the bait-board, and having means to prevent the elongate member from sliding when the enlarged portion thereof is in the tubular member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a clothes line 1 incorporating a hinge device 10 in accordance with the present invention.

The hinge device 10 comprises a first tubular member 12 and a second elongate member 14. The elongate member 14 is provided with a portion.16 of enlarged cross-sectional size. The tubular member 12 comprises side walls.18 connected by a lower wall 20 and an upper wall 22. The side walls 18 and the lower wall 20 form a channel. The elongate member 14 has a longitudinal axis 24 (shown in Figure 2). The portion 16 of the elongate member 14 is substantially square shaped in cross-section. The tubular member 12 is also substantially square shaped in cross-section. The elongate member 14 is longitudinally slidable in the tubular member 12, in the direction of the longitudinal axis 24. The portion 16 is dimensioned such that its side surfaces 26 are in sliding contact with the inside surfaces of the side walls 18, lower wall 20 and upper wall 22 when the portion 16 is contained in the tubular member 12. Accordingly, the elongate member 14 is not swivellable about its longitudinal axis 24 when the portion 16 is inside the

tubular member 12.

The portion 16 is of substantially the same length as the tubular member 12.

The elongate member 14 comprises portions 28, adjacent the ends of the portion 16, that have a cross-sectional size that allows the elongate member 14 to be swivellable about its longitudinal axis 24 when one of the portions 28 is inside the tubular member 12.

The elongate member 14 forms part of a frame 2 of the clothes line 1. The portions 28 of the elongate member 14 is formed integrally with the remainder of the frame 2. The frame 2 is of substantially oblong form. The two shorter members 3 and 4 of the frame 2 are provided with opposed apertures therein. ^* A line or cord 5 is threaded through the apertures in the members 3 and 4 and extends back and forth between the members 3 and 4 in conventional manner.

Clothes and other items to be dried or aired may be hung from the line 5 using pegs, in conventional manner.

The frame 2 of the clothes line 1 may be made from light weight tubular material, e.g. aluminium.

One of the side walls 18 of the tubular member 12 has a plate 30 extending therefrom. The plate 30 is provided with apertures therein.

The hinge device 10 (and thereby the clothes line 1) may be attached to a support using bolts 32 threaded through the apertures in the plate 30 and embedded in the support. In

Figures 1 to 3, the support is shown as a brick wall 50.

Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement for affixing the hinge device 10 to a support.

In Figure 4, there is shown a bracket 34 having apertures 36 therein. The bracket 34 may be attached to a support (not shown) by threading bolts (not shown) through the apertures 36 and embedding them in the support. The bracket 34 is of substantially plate form and is provided with a pushed out portion 38. The pushed out portion 38 forms a slot with the remainder of the bracket 34 into which the plate 30 of the hinge device 10 can fit to thereby hold and support the hinge device 10. This is shown in Figure 4.

The manner of use and operation of the hinge device 10 incorporated in the clothes line 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 will now be described. In Figure 1, the hinge device 10 is arranged with the portion 16 positioned inside the tubular member 12. The frame 2 of the clothes line 1 extends downwardly, and lies adjacent the brick wall 50. In this position, the surfaces 26 of the portion 16 are in sliding contact with the inside surfaces of the side walls 18, lower wall 20 and upper wall 22 of the tubular member 12 and the elongate member 14 is prevented from swivelling about its longitudinal axis 24. The hinge device 10 is placed in this position when the clothes line 1 is not in use. When it is required to use the clothes line 1, the elongate member 14 is slid longitudinally, in the direction of the longitudinal axis 24, inside the tubular member 12 until the portion 16 is positioned outside the tubular member 12 and one of the portions 28 is inside the tubular member 12. This position is shown in Figure 2.

In the position shown in Figure 2, the elongate member 14 is swivellable about its longitudinal axis 24 since the inside surfaces of the side walls 18, lower wall 20 and upper wall 22 do not interfere with the portions 28. The frame 2 of the clothes line 1 may be pivoted in an upward direction about the longitudinal axis 24 of the elongate member 14. The frame 2 is pivoted upwardly through substantially 90° until the frame 2 of the clothes line 1 is substantially horizontal. The elongate member 14 is then slid in the tubular member 12 such that the portion 16 is contained therein. This is shown in Figure 3. In this position, the elongate member 14 is prevented from swivelling about its longitudinal axis 24. When the clothes line 1 is in the position shown in Figure 3, clothes and/or other items (not shown) may be hung from the line 5.

When the clothes line 1 is no longer in use, the elongate member 14 is again slid in the tubular member 12 until the portion 16 is positioned outside the tubular member 12 and one of the portions 28 is inside the tubular member 12. (This position is shown in Figure 2).

The frame 2 is then pivoted downwardly through substantially 90° until the frame 2 of the clothes line 1 is substantially vertical. The elongate member 14 is then slid in the tubular member 12 such that the portion 16 is contained therein. This is shown in Figure 1. The elongate member 12 is thus prevented from swivelling about its longitudinal axis 24. The hinge device 10 may alternatively be held by the bracket

34 shown in Figure 4 which is itself attached to a support, as hereinbefore described. The hinge device 10 may be removed from the bracket 34 and the clothes lines 1 stored away leaving only the bracket 34 attached to the- support. The bracket 34 may be attached to any suitable support. For instance, the bracket 34 may be attached to a vehicle, e.g. a caravan or camper, such that the hinge device 10 of the clothes line 1 may be placed in position in the bracket 34 when in use and removed for storage and travel. In Figures 5 to 9, there is shown a bait-board 100 attached to a hinge device 10' in accordance with the present invention, whilst in Figure 10, there is shown the hinge device 10' without the bait-board 100 to show the structure of the arms attached to the hinge device 10' . Figure 10 also shows means for preventing sliding movement of the elongate member when the enlarged portion thereof is in the tubular member.

The hinge device 10' shown in Figures 5 to 10 is essentially of the same form as the hinge device 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3. Accordingly, the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same parts in Figures 5 to 10 and Figures 1 to 3. A superscript is, however, used in Figures 5 to 10 to clarify the particular drawings which are being described in the specification. The similarity of structure of the hinge devices 10 and 10' will be evident from the identical reference numerals and the description of such structure will not be herein repeated. It is, however, to be understood that the description of the hinge device 10 applies to the hinge

device 10', except as modified by the following description. A bait-board 100 is attached to the portions 28' of the elongate member 14' via arms 101. The arms 101 extend transversely from the free end of each portion 28' in the same direction.

The arms 101 comprise a pair of narrow plate members 102 and 103 and are substantially "L" shaped in cross-section. The narrow plate members 103 are provided with a series of apertures 104. This can be seen in Figure 10. The bait-board 100 is attached to the arms 101 by way of any suitable attachment means 105, e.g. screws, rivets, etc. One of the side walls 18' of the tubular member 12' has a plate 40' extending therefrom. Similarly, the lower wall 20' has a plate 42' extending therefrom. Another plate 44' extends from the end of the plate 42' in a downward manner in the same direction as the plate 40' .

The plates 40', 42' and 44' define a channel-46' (best seen in Figure 10) which is arranged to fit over the gunwale 60 of a boat. The plate 42' may be of adjustable width such that it may accommodate gunwales of different widths. A clamp screw 48' is provided to tighten the hinge device 10* to the gunwale 60. The hinge device 10' is also provided with lock means to prevent the elongate member 14' from sliding along its longitudinal axis 24' (shown in Figure 10) when the portion 16' is positioned in the tubular member 12". This means comprises a bore 70 extending through the portion 16', a hole 72 in the upper wall 22' of the tubular member 12' and

a pin 74. The bore 70 and the hole 72 are provided such that they are aligned when the portion 16' is in the tubular member 12' and the bait-board 100 is in a horizontal position, i.e. as shown in Figure 7 or Figure 9. The pin 74 is provided with a knob 76 and is connected by a chain 78 to the tubular member 12" to which it is affixed by a stud 80. Alternatively, the bore 70 and hole 72 may be provided on alternative surfaces 26' and the walls 18' of the portion 16' and tubular member 12', respectively. When the portion 16' is in the tubular member 12' such that the bore 70 and hole 72 are aligned, the pin 74 may be inserted thereinto. This prevents the elongate member 14' from sliding along its longitudinal axis 24'.

A second bore (not shown) may also be provided extending between the other two surfaces 26' of the portion 16' which could be used to prevent the tubular member from sliding when the bait-board is in its non-use position, i.e. as shown in Figure 5.

The manner of use and operation of the hinge device 10' attached to the bait-board 100 is the same as hereinbefore described with reference to the hinge device 10.

Figures 5 to 9 show the hinge device 10' , having a bait-board 100 connected thereto, attached to the gunwale 60 of a boat via the plates 40', 42' and 44' and the clamp screw 48'. The tubular member 12' and the plate 40' are positioned on the inside of the boat whilst the plate 44' is positioned on the outside of the boat.

Figure 5 shows the bait-board 100 when not in use. The portion 16' is positioned inside the tubular member 12'

preventing the elongate member 14' from being swivelled. Figure 6 shows the portion 16' removed from the tubular member 12' allowing the elongate member 14* to be swivelled about its longitudinal axis 24'. The elongate member 14' may be swivelled upwardly through substantially 90° and the portion 16' reinserted into the tubular member 12' as shown in Figure 7. This prevents the elongate member 14' from being swivelled. In this position, the bait-board 100 provides a first working surface for a user.

The elongate member 14' may also be swivelled upwardly and then outwardly through substantially 270°, as shown in Figure 8, and the portion 16' reinserted into the tubular member 12' as shown in Figure 9. In this position, the bait-board 100 provides a second working surface for a user. The bait-board 100 may be returned to its non-use position shown in Figure 5 by removing the portion 16' -from the tubular member 12' such that the bait-board 100 is pivoted back to the position shown in Figure 5. In the position shown in Figure 7, the bait-board 100 provides a working surface extending over the inside of the boat.

In the position shown in Figure 9, the bait-board 100 provides a working surface extending over the gunwale 60 of the boat on the outside thereof. This position is particularly useful for scaling fish or performing other operations which may produce debris. Any such debris falls into the water rather than into the boat. The elongate member 14' may be prevented from sliding using

- li ¬ the bore 70, hole 72 and pin 74 as hereinbefore described. As an alternative to the use of the plates 40', 42* and 44' and the clamp screw 48' to attach the hinge device 10' to the gunwale 60 a bracket 34 of the type shown in Figure 4 may be used. The bracket 34 is provided on the inside surface of the side of the boat, e.g. on the gunwale 60. In such a case, the plates 40', 42' and 44' would be omitted and a plate 30 of the type used with the hinge device 10 substituted therefor. The lock means for preventing sliding movement of the elongate member 14' when the portion 16' is in the tubular member 12' may also be provided in the hinge device 10 of Figures 1 to 3. However, the means has been shown only in Figure 10 as the other figures do not afford clarity of representation of this feature.

Whilst the hinge device of the present invention has been described with particular reference to its use with a clothes lines and a bait-board, it is understood that it is of general applicability to any uses for which it is suitable.

Further, whilst the tubular members 12 and 12' and the portions 16 and 16' of the hinge device 10 and 10' have been described and illustrated as having a square cross-section, the present invention is not limited to such a shape. Accordingly, any suitable cross-section may be used which prevents the elongated member 14, 14' from swivelling when the portion 16, 16' is inside the tubular member 12, 12'. Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present

invention.