GB2409235A - Rotating support - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket for supporting items at convenient angles to adjoining surfaces, comprising a base 1, an intermediate member 2 formed as a ring support, partially rotative with respect to the base, and securable to the base in one of several positions, and a further member 3 formed as an inner rotating housing, partially housed in the intermediate member, and partially rotative with respect to the intermediate member, and limited in movement about a single axis. The bracket is suitable for supporting panels, board or similar to be secured to adjoining surfaces on which there is large variation in fixture angles.

Description

1 2409235

ROTAT I NO SUPPORT

This invention relates to supports which enable items to be fitted at convenient angles to adjoining surfaces.

Supports generally are well known which are designed for fitting items at right angles to the adjoining surfaces.

These are not intended to cater for varying angles of fixture to the adjoining surfaces. In particular, this is lo prevalent with panels and similar planar surfaces such as planks. In such applications where a fixing surface for a panel is angled at other than 90 , the solution often necessitates making special brackets.

The object of this invention is to provide a support which is adaptable to support a panel, board or the like, which is to be secured to adjoining surfaces on which there may be large variations in fixture angles.

Accordingly, there is provided a support assembly comprising a base, an intermediate member securable to the base in one of several positions partially rotative to the base and a further element arranged to be housed rotatively, at least in part, to the intermediate member.

The base may be provided with a partly circular bearing surface to receive the intermediate member. The intermediate member may be provided with holes through which a fixture can secure it in one position to the base. The further element may be part of a panel or else may be separate from a panel and so arranged as to receive a panel.

The further element may have at least one lower surface arranged to support a panel.

Preferably, these supports can be made from metal, plastics or composite materials.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a support according to the first embodiment of the invention. Its proportions and overall axial length are for illustrative purposes only, Figure 2 is a plan view of the support of Figure 1 showing how a panel is fixed at 90 to the adjoining surface, Figure 3 is a plan view of the support of Figure 1 with the panel rotated at an acute angle relative the adjoining surface, Figure 4 is a plan view of the support of Figure 3 with the panel rotated further by partial rotation of an intermediate member, Figure 5 is an isometric view of a further element for the support of Figure 1, Figure 6 is an isometric view of an intermediate member for the support of Figure 1, Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sectional plan views of a support according to the invention, showing differing ways of fixing the parts of the support of Figure 1, Figure 9 is a sectional plan view of the support of Figure 1 showing means of accepting variations in panel/plank thickness. Also shown is a modified arrangement for fixing the support to an adjoining surface, Figure 10 is an isometric view of a further embodiment of the invention arranged to receive a rod or tube instead of a panel, and Figures 11 to 13 are mid-section cross sections to show a rod or tube fitted in the support of Figure 10 and show similarly to Figures 2 to 4 the supported item at 90 , an acute angle and at a further acute angle.

The support assembly shown in Figures 1 to 4 has a base 1, an intermediate rotating member formed as a ring support 2, and further element formed as an inner rotating housing 3.

The axial length of the support can vary to suit its lo application. The dimensioning and material selection of the overall support is engineered to meet service requirements.

The inner rotating housing is retained in its axial position by means of the intermediate rotating ring which is dimensioned to permit axial rotation of the inner rotating housing. The inner rotating housing is dimensioned to accommodate the panel or item it is designed to support which may be an integral part of the inner rotating housing itself. The intermediate rotating ring support 2 is fixed to the base 1. Axial adjustment of this intermediate rotating ring is permitted to suit the required support angle.

Axial rotation of the support assembly is attained by rotation of the inner rotating housing 3, the intermediate rotating ring 2, or a combination of both as depicted in Figures 3 and 4.

The inner rotating housing 3' in a modified form (Figure 5) can be retained axially within the intermediate rotating ring 2 by means of a lip extension 4 which sits on the intermediate rotating ring 2. Similarly, items such as a panel 40 or plank can be retained axially by means of a base plate 5, integral with the inner rotating housing. This base plate can be suitably sized to permit easy removal if necessary.

The intermediate rotating housing 2' (Figure 6) can also be radially strengthened by means of corrugations 8. Such corrugations permit the use of thinner and lighter materials in such a solution. These corrugations can also permit the use of countersunk headed screw fixtures without the need for countersinking the fixture holes.

Means of fixing the base to an adjoining surface 9 can be attained by screwed fixtures 10 through the intermediate rotating ring and base (Figure 7). Another alternative JO (Figure 8) is with the base screwed separately 11 to the adjoining surface 9 and the intermediate rotating ring independently screwed to the base 12. An alternative hidden fixing method (Figure 9) enables the support assembly to be fixed to the adjoining surface by hidden slotted clips 13, which are themselves fixed to the adjoining surface before mounting of the support assembly.

The inner rotating housing is dimensioned to support the intended panel 40 (Figure 9). Limited variations in panel thickness can be accommodated by resilient spacers 14 which are an integral part or are slotted into the inner rotating housing 15. The panel can be fixed to the rotating support by means of extension lips 16 which protrude out of the inner rotating housing (Figure 9).

In a further embodiment as shown in Figures 10 to 13, a support for nonplanar items such as rods or tubes is shown.

This support allows a rod to be fixed to an adjoining surface at angles relative to its base within conical limits.

Figure 10 is an isometric view of the further support. The support has a base 17, an intermediate member formed as an intermediate swivel ball 18, and a further element formed as an inner swivel housing 19. A rod slots into a recess 20, which can be articulated about the base through swivelling the intermediate swivel ball and inner swivel housing.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 show mid-section views of the further embodiment in different positions. Figure 11 depicts the support in a position where a rod 30 is inserted in housing 19 so that it is normal to the adjoining surface 31. Figure 12 depicts the inner swivel housing to be rotated. This can be attained in a 360 rotation about the adjoining surface.

Figure 13 depicts the inner swivel housing and intermediate swivel ball rotated. Both are capable of being swivelled lo 360 about the adjoining surface. It is intended that the intermediate swivel ball is adjusted to a fixed position whilst the inner swivel housing is permitted to rotate.

The intermediate swivel ball 18 is fastened to the base 17 in a similar way to that described in Figures 6, 7 and 8 for the planar rotating support. The base can also be fitted into the support surface by means of a flange 22 (see Figure 12), thus reducing its degree of intrusion from the support surface. Variations in the rod's dimensions and degree of fit within the recess 20 of the inner swivel ball 18 can be accommodated by resilient spacers as previously described at 14 in Figure 9. Similarly, means of fixing the rod 30 can be made by an extension sleeve, Figure 9 (16).

Figure 14 depicts a modified base 17' for a support 21, providing additional support to the intermediate swivel ball when loading is at an acute angle to the supporting surface on the opposite side to the support 21. This additional support can extend radially around the intermediate support ball as required but will reduce the degree of rotation possible.

The intermediate swivel ball 18 as shown in Figure 13 and in Figures 11, 12 and 14 is made in two parts 18' and 18" which are fixed together to retain housing 19 within the ball.

Claims (8)

1. A support assembly comprising a base, an intermediate member securable to the base in one of several positions partially rotative to the base, and a further element arranged to be housed rotatively at least in part to the intermediate member.

2. A support assembly according to claim 1 in which the lo further element is rotatable through 360 relative to the base.

3. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the further element is rotatable through 360 relative to the intermediate member.

4. A support assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the further element is provided with a recess arranged to receive an element to be supported.

5. A support assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the base has outward extensions to provide means to secure the support in a recess.

6. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the further member is arranged to be limited in its movement about only a single axis.

7. A support assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the further element has a recess to receive an element to be supported.

8. A support assembly substantially as described in ( ' 1. . ( . ' accordance with any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

8. A support assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the recess has at least a partial extension across the recess to prevent downward movement of an element to be supported.

9. A support element according to claim 1 wherein the further element is provided with means to prevent axial movement relative to the intermediate member.

10. A support assembly substantially as described in accordance with any one or more of the accompanying drawings. g

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows:

1. A support assembly comprising a base, an intermediate member partially rotative with respect to the base and securable to the base in one of several positions, and a further member housed at least in part in the intermediate member and arranged to be rotative at least in part with respect to the intermediate member, the further member being arranged to be limited in its movement about only a single lo axis.

2. A support assembly according to claim 1 in which the further member is rotatable through 360 relative to the base.

3. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the further member is rotatable through 360 relative to the intermediate member.

So 4. A support assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the further member is provided with a recess arranged to receive an element to be supported.

5. A support assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the base has outward extensions to provide means to secure the support assembly in a recess.

6. A support assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the recess has at least a partial extension across the recess to prevent downward movement of an element to be supported.

7. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the further member is provided with means to prevent axial movement of the further member relative to the intermediate 3 5 member.