The device has carrying arms (3) joined to a vertical bearer by a sliding joint and supported at the upper end of the bearer by a second joint via spreading arms that hold a washing line fed as line sides. The spreading arms can be moved from an approximately vertical position to an approximately horizontal position in which the line sides are tensioned and in which they can be fixed by a latching lever in the sliding joint. The latching lever and/or sliding joint housing has a holder acted on by at least one carrying arm for holding the lever in the unlocked state during closing of the rotary line and in the locked position.
