In this specification"clothes"should be interpreted broadly to include anything which can be hung on a clothes line for purposes of drying or airing. Further,"clothes dryer"should be understood to mean any device which includes a plurality of"clothes lines". In particular, a rotary-type clothes dryer should be understood to mean a clothes dryer which includes a generally rectangular frame rotatably mounted on a pole and having a plurality of clothes lines strung between arms in the frame.

A T-pole type dryer should be understood to mean a clothes dryer which includes a plurality of clothes lines strung between two laterally spaced T-shaped poles.

According to the invention, there is provided a drying accessory which includes a cover having a flexible sheet-like body shaped and dimensioned to form a canopy over a clothes dryer; and securing means for securing the cover on the dryer.

The securing means may include a plurality of tie elements fast with and dependent from an underside of the body.

The tie elements may include fasteners of any type, for example, hook and eye type fasteners, at their ends.

The tie elements may be in the form of straps made of "VELCRO" (registered trade mark) or in the form of straps having "VELCRO" (registered trade mark) type fasteners at their ends so that they can be releasably tied to a clothes line in the dryer, or to the frame or to the pole (s) of the dryer.

The canopy may be dish-shaped. Alternatively, it may have a flat top. The securing means may then include an elastic strip around a peripheral edge of the body whereby the body is securable to the clothes dryer.

The body may include a central reinforced region.

The sheet-like body may be rectangular.

By way of development, the accessory may include at least one side panel dependable curtain-fashion from an edge of the body.

In one embodiment, the or each side panel is releasably securable to the edge of the body, typically using a"VELCRO" (registered trade mark) type fastening arrangement.

In other embodiments, the or each side panel is fast with the edge of the body.

In the case of a T-pole type dryer, the accessory may include two side panels dependable curtain-fashion from opposed edges of the body which sides are in use parallel to the clothes lines. In one embodiment, the body includes a third side panel dependable curtain- fashion from a third edge of the body, which is transverse to the edges parallel to the clothes line. Optionally, the body includes a similar transverse fourth side panel.

In the case of a rotary-type dryer, the accessory may include four side panels each dependable curtain-fashion from a side of the body. The accessory may then include fastening means for securing adjacent edges of the side panels together. The fastening means may include tie elements for tying the edges of the side panels together.

The or each side panel may include a transparent window whereby clothes being dried may be viewed.

The cover and the side panels may be of a water-resistant material.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a drying accessory, in accordance with the invention, fitted on a rotary-type clothes dryer; Figure 2 shows a side view of the drying accessory of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of another embodiment of a drying accessory, in accordance with the invention fitted, on a T- pole type dryer.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an accessory in accordance with the invention mounted on a rotary-type clothes dryer which includes a frame defined by arcuately spaced arms 14 which extend radiallyfrom a central hub 16 rotatably mounted on a pole 18. The rotary-type dryer includes a plurality of clothes lines 20 strung between the arms 14.

The accessory 10 includes a cover having a flexible sheet- like rectangular body 22 which is shaped and dimensioned to form a canopy over the clothes dryer. The accessory 10 further includes a side panel 24 which depends from each edge of the body 22. Each side panel has an upper edge 26 and a lower edge 28. Adjacent the lower edge 28 is a longitudinally extending seam 30 within which is threaded a drawstring 32 whereby adjacent side panels 24 may be tied together.

Each side panel 24 is fast with the body 22. In an embodiment (not shown) the upper edges 26 of the side panels 24 are fitted with a "VELCRO" (registered trade mark) type fastening strip whereby the side panels are releasably securable to the body 22.

Each side panel 24 has two spaced circular transparent windows 34 through which clothes being dried on the dryer may be viewed. The side panels optionally include weighting means.

As will be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the sheet-like body 22 is slightly concave or dish-shaped in order to accommodate the

top of the rotary-type dryer and in some embodiments may have elasticised edges whereby it is releasably securable on the dryer. In an embodiment (not shown) the body 22 has a flat-top for accommodating a rotary-type dryer having a flat top.

In other embodiments and optionally, the underside of the body 22 may include"VELCRO" (registered trade mark) straps (not shown) whereby the body may be releasably secured to the arms 14 of the rotary-type dryer.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, reference numeral 100 generally indicates another embodiment of an accessory, in accordance with the invention, mounted on a T-pole type dryer which includes two spaced T-poles 102 and a number of clothes lines 104 strung therebetween.

The accessory 100 includes two types of covers which are indicated generally by reference numerals 120 and 140, respectively.

The covers 120 include a rectangular sheet-like body 122 shaped and dimensioned to form a canopy which partially covers the clothes lines 104. Side panels 124 depend curtain-fashion from opposed edges of the body 122 and are fast therewith. Each side panel 124 has an upper edge 126 and a lower edge 128. Adjacent the lower edge 128 and parallel thereto is a longitudinal seam 130 within which is threaded a drawstring 132 whereby adjacent side panels 124 may be tied together. The lower edges 128 may include weighting means to improve the stability of the side panels in windy conditions.

The cover 140 is identical to the cover 120 except that it has a third side panel 124. Thus, covers 140 are used to cover the ends of the lines 104 whereas covers 120 are used to cover the intermediate portion of the lines 104, between the ends.

It will be appreciated that the drying accessory can be custom made in order to accommodate different lengths of clothes lines and different pole heights, etc.

The Applicant believes that it is an advantage of the invention that it provides a drying accessory which can be used to cover a clothes line in order to prevent clothing being dried from becoming wet as a result of rain, mist, dew, etc.