US3399854A - Garbage can holder - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1968 W. W. PATTERSON GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Filed March 25, 1967 FIG. 2

WOODROW W. fiAJggggON WMW AGENT United States Patent 0 3,399,854 GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Woodrow W. Patterson, 3723 Princeton Ave., Nashville, Tenn. 37205 Filed Mar. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 625,453

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 248121) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An upright ground engaging standard hingedly connected at its upper end portion to a ring loosely surrounding a garbage can maintained horizontal by a flexible can top spanning member.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to holders for garbage cans, and the like.

It is desirable that a means be provided for maintaining garbage cans, and the like, in an upright position to guard against dogs or other roving animals upsetting and removing the contents of the cans as well as preventing loss of lids for the cans by wind action.

The prior art discloses a number of garbage can supports or holders. Many of these prior art devices surround and hold the garbage can in spaced relation with respect to the surface of the earth. While it may be desirable in some instances to support the garbage can in an elevated position I have found that the material necessary to accomplish the elevated supporting of garbage cans renders this type of support more costly in manufacture than is necessary with the present invention. By way of example, two such garbage can elevated supports are disclosed in patents numbered 2,409,326 and 3,160,- 380. Each of the above patents operate satisfactorily but I have found that the same purpose can be achieved by providing an upright ground engaging support hingedly connected with a can surrounding ring maintained horizontal by a flexible lid spanning member.

Summary 0] the invention A strap-iron-like upright support is provided with a tapered end adapted to be driven into the ground. The upper end of the support is arcuately turned back on itself in a closed J-shaped manner to form a horizontal opening. A rod-like split ring has the respective end portions thereof inserted within opposing ends of the eye forming a hinged connection of the ring with the standard. A flexible strap-like member, connected with diametrically opposite off-set sections of the ring, spans the lid portion of a garbage can to be held and maintains the ring horizontally disposed therearound.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an upright ground engaging support hingedly connected with a can surrounding ring having means connected therewith spanning the lid portion of the can.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the holder illustrating, by dotted lines, a garbage can and the can released position of the can surrounding ring; and

FIGURE 2 is an alternative embodiment illustrating the manner of holding a pair of garbage cans, the latter being shown by dotted lines.

Description of the preferred embodiments The reference numeral 10 indicates the holder, as a whole, comprising a standard 12 and a substantially cir- "ice cular can surrounding ring 14. The standard 12 is of strap iron configuration having opposing sides converging at one end, as at 16, for insertion into the ground, indicated by the line 18. The length of the standard 12 is such that the upper end thereof is spaced downwardly of the plane defining the upper end of a garbage can 20, or the like. The upper end portion of the standard is arcuately turned back upon itself toward the garbage can in a substantially J-shape closed loop forming an open ended eye 22 or hinge opening.

The ring 14, formed of tubular or mallable rod material, is of the split ring type having each of its end portions 24 and 26 axially aligned and inserted into the respective end portion of the eye 22 thus forming a hinge connection between the standard 12 and ring 14. Diametrically the ring 14 is substantially greater than the can 20 to be surrounded. The ring 14 is further provided with diametrically opposite upwardly off- set portions 28 and 30, as viewed in the drawings. A flexible strap-like member 32 has its respective end portions surrounding and secured to the respective oflE-set portions 28 and 30 and extends upwardly in spanning relation across the lid 34 of the can.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2 an alternative embodiment of the holder is illustrated at 10A, for holding a pair of cans 20. The modified standard 12A is provided at its upper end with a pair of open ended eyes 22A and 22B which may be cast or formed of tubular material and secured to the upper end of the standard 12A in paralel relation, as by welding. A pair of strap equipped split rings, identical with respect to the ring 14, are similarly engaged by their split end portions with the respective eye openings 22A and 22B.

Operation In operation the standard 12 or 12A is driven into the ground and the respective end portions of the split ring 14 are manually sprung apart and inserted into the eye 22. The lid equipped can 20 is preferably positioned adjacent that side of the standard 12 having the eye 22 thereon. The ring 14 is manually swung from its inactivated dotted line position to the solid line position shown by FIG. 1 wherein the strap 32 spans the can lid 34. This maintains the can in an upright position with the lid thereon. The mass of the ring 14 is such that it remains in place against any lifting action by roving animals or wind action against the can and lid.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garbage can holder, comprising: an upright standard having one end adapted for insertion into the earth; a ring for loosely surrounding a garbage can to be held; hinge means connecting said ring to said standard for vertical pivoting movement of the ring about a horizontal axis; and flexible means engageable with a garbage can to be held for horizontally supporting said ring from said can.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1 in which said ring is split and having its respective end portions axially aligned.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2 in which said hinge means include the upwardly disposed end portion of said standard arcuately turned back upon itself to form a closed loop having lateral open ends loosely receiving the respective axially aligned end portions of said ring.

4. Structure as specified in claim 3 in which said ring is characterized by diametrically opposite off-set portions projecting laterally of the plane of the ring; and in which said flexible means comprises a strap-like member having a length greater than the diameter of said ring and having its respective end portions loosely connected, in surrounding relation, with said off-set portions of said ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Waters 248359 Crurnp 248154 XR Baird 248-146 Paul 21171 XR JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.

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