GB2340734A

GB2340734A - Storing elongate articles

Info

Publication number: GB2340734A
Application number: GB9817971A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Whiteman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1998-08-19
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-19
Also published as: GB2340734B; GB9817971D0

Abstract

Elongate articles such as gardening tools are stored upright using a device 2 including an elongate bar 6 pivotally supported against a wall by members 4 and upon which is mounted a number of support arms 8,10 which in use project outwardly. The articles may be supported on the arms by pegs 23 adjustably mounted in a slot 24. The bar and arms are clamped in position with wing-nuts 16,20 and when not in use the arms can be pivoted to lie against the wall by loosening either set of wing nuts.

Description

2340734 Storage Device The present invention relates to a storage device

and in particular, though not I exclusively, to a device for supporting elongate articles such as gardening implements and the like in an ordered fashion.

Storage, in an orderly fashion, of gardening implements such as rakes, hoes, spades and forks presents problems. The ends of such implements tend to enmesh with one another when stored too closely together, and this problem is exacerbated when there is very little storage space. One solution is to provide means, such as a hook or nail, to suspend individual implements from a vertical surface such as a wall. The provision of nails or hooks in a confined space may mean that the implements are stored at considerable height, with the inherent danger that the implement may fall when being mounted or demounted. The potential consequences of such are fall are damage to the tool and/or injury to any person in LI the immediate vicinity.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for supporting elongate articles comprising a wall mounting member, an elongate member supported by said wall mounting member and in use adapted to extend parallel to a wall, and a support element, said elongate member having a longitudinal axis, said support element being provided on or about said elongate member and pivotable about said axis towards and away from the wall, wherein the device further includes maintaining means to maintain the support element in a support position away from the wall.

2 The present invention provides a device which is attachable to a wall and has a support element against which one or more elongate articles can rest. The support element can be pivoted towards the wall when not in use to save space.

In a preferred embodiment the elongate member has a circular crosssection and is pivotally supported at opposite ends. In such a preferred embodiment the ends of the elongate member are received in correspondingly shaped recesses of mounting members.

0 C1 The wall mounting members may be provided with clamping means in order that a clamping force can be exerted on the elongate member to clamp it against rotation with respect to the 0 b mounting members. The clamping means may comprise a slot extending from an edge of the Z> ZP 0 recess and a screw type fastener, the screw type fastener being arranged across the slot such 0 that, in use, tightening of the fastener reduces the width of the slot and consequently reduces 0 C) the diameter of the recess.

In a preferred embodiment the device is provided with a plurality of support elements which are spaced from one another along the elongate member. In such a preferred C In embodiment the elongate member passes through correspondingly shaped apertures provided 111 -- Z in the support elements. The support elements may be provided with clamping means in order that a clamping force can be exerted on the elongate member to clamp the support Z3 C elements in place. The support elements may be pivoted so as to engage an elongate article in 1 C:> use.

It will be understood that the support elements can be pivoted against the wall either by pivoting the elongate member relative to the wall mounting members, or in the case where cl 1:1 t> 3 the elongate member is fixed, by pivoting the support elements relative to the elongate member.

The support elements may extend radially with respect to said axis. The support elements may also be movable along the elongate member in a direction parallel to said axis.

0 1:1 The support members may be provided with an additional support surface projecting therefrom. The additional support surface may take the form of a peg. The peg, may project at right angles from the support member. In a preferred embodiment the peg is movable V t:' 4 relative to the support member; for example the support member may be provided with a slot, and the pea, provided with clamping means to enable it to be retained in a desired position t Z> along the slot. The support member may be provided with two pe-s which are spaced from one another. The support arm can be pivoted such that the two pegs engage opposite sides of an elongate article.

I An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which 1 FiCTure I shows a perspective view of a device according to the present invention; 1> 4D Figure 2 shows the cross-sectional view indicated by A-A in figure 1; C, In Figure 3) shows the cross-sectional view indicated by B-B in figure 1; 4=1 C, 4 Figure 4 shows a side view of a portion of a support arm according to an alternative c) embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic side view of a device according to the present C> t> 113 invention in a first operational position; Figure 6 shows a diagrammatic side view of a device according to the present invention in a second operational position; and Figure 7 shows a diagrammatic side view of a device according to the present C -1 invention in a folded position.

Referring firstly to figures 1 to 3 there is shown a storage device 2 comprising a pair of mounting brackets 4, a pivot bar 6 and two support arms 8. 10. The pivot bar 6, which takes the form of a hollow tube, defines a pivot axis 11 and is located within correspondingly shaped recesses 12 in the mounting brackets 4. A slot 14 is provided in each mounting W C5 bracket 4 which extends from an edge of the recess 12. Each mounting bracket 4 is further provided with a screw type fastener 16 which passes through the slot 14 and a wing nut 17. A washer may be provided between the wing nut 17 and the mounting bracket. In use, tightening of a screw type fastener 16 results in a reduction in the width of the slot 14, and consequently a reduction in the diameter of the recess 12. Accordingly, variation of the tightness of the screw type fasteners 16 varies a clamping force exerted on the pivot bar 6.

The support arms 8, 10 are provided with apertures 18 through which the pivot bar 6 C1 passes. Each arm 8,10 is provided with a screw type fastener 20, a wing nut 21, and a slot 22 0 extending, from an edge of the aperture 18 in much the same manner as the mounting brackets 4. A washer may be provided between the wing nut 21 and the support arm 8, 10. As before, by varying the tightness of the screw type fasteners 20, a clamping force exerted on the pivot 1 0 C bar 6 can be varied.

One of the support arms 8 is provided with movable support surfaces in the form of pegs 23. The pegs 23 are retained in a slot 24 by a screw type fastener 26 and a wing nut 28. The fastener 26 and win. nut 28 enable the peas 23 to be moved in the slot 24 and retained in 0 In desired positions. Again a washer may be provided between the wing nut 28 and the support arm 8.

In use, the mounting brackets 4 are attached to the location it is desired to store 0 elongate articles such as gardening implements; typically the wall 30 (fl- ures 5,6 and 7) of a ZP:D C1 garage, outhouse or shed. One or more support arms 8, 10 are threaded onto the pivot bar 6, 0 0 which is then fitted to the recesses 12 of the mountine, brackets 4. The pivot bar 6 is then clamped in place by the screw type fasteners 16 and wing nuts 17. The support arms 8, 10 can then be arranged on the pivot bar 6 at their desired positions. The support arms 8,10 are held 1 in said desired positions by tightening their screw type fasteners 20 and wing nuts 2 1. In the C C5 1 0 embodiment of the invention shown in figure 5 the support arms 8, 10 are positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to the wall 30, while in figure 6 the support arms are 1 0 angled downward towards the ground. The exact position and attitude of each support arm 1 1 will depend on such factors as the number of implements to be supported, the length of the W pivot bar and, as will be discussed further below, the shape and configuration of the implements to be supported.

6 In the embodiment of the invention described above, the support arms 8, 10 are required to be threaded onto the pivot bar 6 before it is fitted to the mounting brackets 4. It is envisaged that an alternative embodiment may be provided with support arms 8, 10 which can be fitted and removed from the pivot bar 6 without it being removed from the mounting brackets 4. This could be achieved by providing a support arm 44 (figure 4) having a proximal end 46 which is open and defines a recess 48 adapted to fit the pivot bar 6. Clamping means 50 positioned across the recess 48 are operable to clamp the support arm 44 to the pivot bar 6.

The device 2 is shown in figure 5 supporting a spade 32. The blade 34 of the spade 1 tn 32 rests on the ground while the shaft 36 of the handle rests against the support arm 8, 10. The spade 32 is supported such that it does not interfere with other implements supported by the device 2, and can be easily retrieved by a user without disturbing or needing to move said c C other implements. The provision of pegs 23 enables a support arm 8 to support more than one implement. while keeping said implements adequately spaced from one another.

Figure 6 shows the device 2 supporting a pair of shears 38 of the type used to trim 1 1 lawn edges. The shears 38 have an irregular shape which has been found to be awkward to support adequately. Here the support arm 8 is angled downwards such that a handle 40 of the CP shears 38 is trapped between the pegs 23. The angle of the support arm 8 relative to the wall 1 1 can be set such that the blades 42 of the shears 38 are not flat to the ground, and hence the 4n weight of the shears 38 urges them against the peas 23. The peas 23 may be contoured to 1 1;W provide recesses into which the handle 40 may be received.

7 When not in use the device 2 can be moved to a stored position shown in figure 7. The support arms 8, 10 are pivoted about the pivot axis 11 so that they lie substantially parallel with respect to the wall 30, and thus do not protrude into the garage, outhouse or shed. To move the support arms 8, 10 to the stored position, the screw type fasteners 16 of the mounting brackets 4 are loosened and the pivot bar 6 pivoted about the pivot axis 11. The pivot bar 6 is retained in the stored position by re-tightening the screw type fasteners 16. This enables the support arms to be pivoted towards the wall 30 without upsetting their relative positions on the pivot bar 6. Consequently the device 2 can be quickly redeployed without the need for detailed readjustment of each support arm 8, 10.

Claims

8 CLAIMS

1. A device for supporting elongate articles in a substantially upright position, comprising a C1 tP 0 wall mounting member, an elongate member supported by said wall mounting member and in use adapted to extend parallel to a wall, and a support element adapted to support the elongate articles, said elongate member having a longitudinal axis, said support element being provided on or about said elongate member and pivotable about said axis towards and away from the wall, wherein the device further includes maintaining means to maintain the support element in a support position away from the wall.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the maintaining means comprises at least one clamp operable to exert a clamping force on the elon,(,,,ate member.

C 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said clamp is provided on the wall mounting member.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said clamp is provided on the support member.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support element extends in a plane perpendicular to said axis.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support element is movable along the elongate member.

9 7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support element is provided with a support surface projecting therefrom and adapted for engagement with an elongate article.

4D 8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the support surface is a peg, 9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the peg is perpendicular to the support element.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the peg is movable along the support element.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the peg is adapted to slide in a slot of the support element.

12. A device as claimed in claim I I and further including a clamp to retain the peg in a desired position in said slot.

13. A device as claimed in any of claims 8 to 12 wherein the support element is provided with two spaced pegs.

14. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the elongate member is pivotally supported at opposite ends by said wall mounting members.

4n 15. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying C drawings.

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