Hills Hoist: Difference between revisions
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The Hills Hoist is considered by historians to be a minor addition to an existing American design. An American hoist, holder of US patent 434921 of 26 August 1890, is the earliest known patent for a ‘rotary clothes line’. A slightly different looking model was offered for sale in America by an American firm, the Hill Dryer Company, and was also advertised for sale in 1914. (Despite its similar name, this American company had no connection with the Australian Hills company.) |
The Hills Hoist is considered by historians to be a minor addition to an existing American design. An American hoist, holder of US patent 434921 of 26 August 1890, is the earliest known patent for a ‘rotary clothes line’. A slightly different looking model was offered for sale in America by an American firm, the Hill Dryer Company, and was also advertised for sale in 1914. (Despite its similar name, this American company had no connection with the Australian Hills company.) |
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The Adelaide ironfounders and |
The Adelaide ironfounders and blackdicks company A. C. Harley advertised an ‘Improved Rotary and Tilting Clothes Drying Rack’ in the Sun Foundry Illustrated Catalogue in 1914. Australian Lance Hill holds the Australian Patent (215772 lodged 22 March 1956) for the crown and pinion winding mechanism only. |
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==Features== |
==Features== |
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Revision as of 06:41, 20 August 2006
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The crown and pinion winding mechanism of the Hills Hoist rotary clothes line was invented by Lance Hill in 1945. The rotary clothes line itself had been invented 55 years before in 1890 by an American. It was popularised in Australia by Lance Hill and is a common sight in Australian and New Zealand backyards. It is considered one of Australia's most recognisable icons, and is used frequently by artists as a metaphor for suburbia in Australia.
It is widely ( and incorrectly ) believed by the public to be an Australian invention. However, other Australian and American precursors existed decades before it was produced in 1945 in the Adelaide suburb of Glenunga by Lance Hill.
History
Australian Lance Hill invented (215772 lodged 22 March 1956) the crown and pinion winding mechanism used in the rotary hoist that he sold.
Harold Ling, who was Hill's brother in-law, assisted Lance in starting the Hills Industries business; Ling had returned from the war and could not readapt to his old job and approached Hill to see if he had a job available. Ling and Hill then became partners in 1946. Alf Hill, who was Lance Hill's father, provided the startup capital for the business, which has been successful.
Born in the USA
The Hills Hoist is considered by historians to be a minor addition to an existing American design. An American hoist, holder of US patent 434921 of 26 August 1890, is the earliest known patent for a ‘rotary clothes line’. A slightly different looking model was offered for sale in America by an American firm, the Hill Dryer Company, and was also advertised for sale in 1914. (Despite its similar name, this American company had no connection with the Australian Hills company.)
The Adelaide ironfounders and blackdicks company A. C. Harley advertised an ‘Improved Rotary and Tilting Clothes Drying Rack’ in the Sun Foundry Illustrated Catalogue in 1914. Australian Lance Hill holds the Australian Patent (215772 lodged 22 March 1956) for the crown and pinion winding mechanism only.
Features
Features of current Hills clothesline include the following:
- The height of the clothesline can be raised and lowered with a lever.
- The clothesline can rotate.
- It is a compact way of hanging your clothes on the line.
- It can be folded up and taken out of the ground.
Reasons for popularity
The clothesline solved problems that were emerging in Australian backyards after the war, including:
- It addressed the lack of space in the backyard.
- A full load of washing could fit on one clothesline.
- It did not gouge holes in the lawn like the old props.
- It saved effort and time in drying the clothes.
- It was a strong, durable and reliable clothesline.