AU2003204228B2

AU2003204228B2 - Universal folding hanger bracket

Info

Publication number: AU2003204228B2
Application number: AU2003204228A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David George Cook
Original assignee: MATTANE Pty Ltd
Current assignee: MATTANE Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-05-16
Filing date: 2003-05-16
Publication date: 2010-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2023-05-16
Also published as: AU2003204228A1

Description

1 UNIVERSAL FOLDING HANGER BRACKET Technical Field 5 This invention relates to an improvement in devices used to attach or support other items from tent poles. Background Art 10 For most people the method used to attach items such as lamps, ropes or clothes to a tent pole has been to tie the item to the pole or use sticky tape to tape the item to the pole. Both these methods have inherent problems in that the item could slip and fall to the ground. Also while camping it is often desirable to support items off the ground to protect them from damage. 15 It would be desirable if a device was available that addressed one or more of the problems of the prior art referred to above. Summary of the Invention 20 The present invention thus provides a hanger bracket adapted to be mounted to an upstanding post or pole, said bracket including a collar having a central axis adapted to be slidably engaged with said pole for longitudinal movement therealong, means for releasably securing said collar at a selected position 25 along said pole, an elongated arm and mounting means at one end of said arm, an elongated slot in said mounting means extending in a direction transversely of said arm for mounting of said mounting means to said collar, said mounting means being moveable between a first position in which said slot extends substantially longitudinally of the axis of said collar and in which said mounting 30 means supports said arm in an erected position extending substantially horizontally in use from said collar and a second position in which said slot extends outwardly of said collar and said arm is in a folded position hanging downwardly in use from said collar.

2 Typically, the collar comprises a moulded plastic collar which is capable of sliding up and down a tent pole and the securing means suitably comprises a thumb screw. The central hole in the moulded plastic collar suitably allows poles such as tent poles of varying size to be centered and firmly secured by use of 5 the thumb screw. Preferably the mounting means extends to one side of the arm and the elongated slot extends substantially normally to the arm. Preferably the elongated slot can receive a pin or bolt on the collar so as to connect the 10 mounting means to the collar. Preferably in the first position of the mounting means, the pin or bolt is located at one end of the slot and in the second position of the mounting means, the pin or bolt is located at the other end of the slot. The one end of the slot is suitably located adjacent the arm and the other end of the slot is suitably located remote from the arm. Preferably the mounting 15 means is of a U-shaped configuration with the slot defined at least partially between opposite legs of the U. The arm may be provided with a recess or notch on its underside aligned with the slot for positively locating the pin or bolt in the first position 20 Preferably in the first position, the collar acts as a stop to the mounting means to prevent pivotal movement of the mounting means such that the arm is supported in a cantilever manner from the collar. Preferably the collar includes spaced flanges between which the mounting 25 means is located and the pin or bolt extends between the flanges and freely through the slot in the mounting means such that the mounting means and thus the arm are captured to the collar. Preferably the arm and the mounting means are integrally formed. Preferably 30 the arm and mounting means are formed from a rod typically of steel. Preferably the arm is provided with or formed with a hook at its outer free end. Preferably the hook is substantially coplanar with the mounting means.

3 Brief Description of the Drawings Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which 5 Fig. 1 is a view of a hanger bracket according to an embodiment of the invention in a folded unlocked position; and Fig. 2 is a view of the hanger bracket of Fig. 1 in its operative folded position. 10 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring firstly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a hanger bracket 10 according to an embodiment of the invention which includes a tubular collar 11 having a central 15 opening 12 with a central axis X-X. The opening 12 is adapted to be located over a pole such as tent pole of the like 13 (shown in dotted outline) so that the collar 11 may be slid therealong to a desired location. The collar 11 is provided with a thumb screw 14 which may be rotated by hand to engage the pole and locate and lock the collar 11 at a desired position along the pole 13. The collar 20 11 is also provided on its side opposite the thumb screw 12 with a pair of parallel flanges 15 which extend longitudinally of the axis X-X of the collar 11 so that they are normally oriented in substantially vertical planes in use. A hanger arm 16 is mounted to the collar 11 by a mounting means 17 which is 25 formed integrally with the arm 16, the mounting means 17 being at one end of the arm 16 and extending substantially normal thereto. The arm 16 is elongated and includes a hook 18 at its free outer end. The mounting means 17 for the arm 16 is in substantially the same plane as the hook 18 and has an elongated slot 19 extending substantially normal to the arm 16. The mounting means 17 30 as illustrated is of a U-shaped configuration and the slot 19 is defined between opposite legs 20 and 21 of the U, the legs 20 and 21 extending substantially at right angles to the arm 16.

4 Typically the arm 16 and mounting means 17 are formed integrally of a rod such as a steel rod which is bent at one end to form the hook 18 whilst the opposite end of the rod is formed into the elongate U-shaped configuration extending normal to the arm 16 so as to define the slot 19. The first leg 20 of the U 5 shaped mounting means is bent at right angles to the arm 16 and the other leg 21 is formed from the free end of the leg 20 which is back towards the arm 16 so as to lie substantially parallel to leg 20. For positive location of the arm 16 in the erected position, a locating recess or 10 notch 22 is provided at the end of the arm 16 adjacent the mounting means 17 as an extension of the slot 19. The recess or notch 22 is defined by a portion of the arm 16 which is deformed on the side of the arm 16 opposite the U-shaped mounting means 17. 15 A bolt or pin 23 is provided to extend between opposite flanges 15 of the collar 11 and through the elongated slot 19. The bolt or pin 23 is of a diameter less than the width of the slot 19 such that the bolt or pin 23 can move relatively along the slot 19. 20 In use the collar 11 is located over the upright pole 13 such as a tent pole and slid therealong to a desired position where the hanger bracket 10 is to be located. The collar 11 may then be locked in that position to the pole 13 by tightening of the thumb screw 14. 25 In the inoperative or folded position of Fig. 1, the bolt 23 is at one end of the slot 19 and the arm 16 hangs downwardly from the collar 11. In this position, the mounting means 17 and slot 19 extend outwardly from the collar 11 and post or pole 13. 30 When require for use, the arm 16 is rotated clockwise from its position of Fig. 1. This will cause the U-shaped mounting means 17 to move to a substantially vertical position and the bolt or pin 23 to move relatively to the opposite end of the slot 19 as shown in Fig. 20. In this position, the collar 11 acts as a stop to 5 the lower end of the leg 20 of the mounting means 17 to prevent pivotal movement of the mounting means 17 and thus arm 16 about the pivot pin or bolt 23 such that the arm 16 is supported in a substantially horizontal attitude in a cantilever manner and is capable of carrying loads by hanging of items from 5 the hook 18. Further in this position, the pin or bolt 23 is positively located in the notch or recess 22 formed in the underside of the arm 16. For collapsing or folding of the arm 18, the mounting portion 17 is elevated in the direction A of Fig. 2 until the pin or bolt 23 is moved relatively to the opposite 10 end of the slot 19 which permits pivotal movement of the arm 16 in an anti clockwise direction to the folded position of Fig. 1. The terms "comprising" or "comprise" or derivatives thereof as used throughout the specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated 15 features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s, integer/s, component/s or group thereof. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such variations and modifications thereto as would be apparent to 20 persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 25 30

Claims

1. A hanger bracket adapted to be mounted to an upstanding post or pole, said bracket including a collar having a central axis adapted to be slidably 5 engaged with said pole for longitudinal movement therealong, means for releasably securing said collar at a selected position along said pole, an elongated arm and mounting means at one end of said arm, an elongated slot in said mounting means extending in a direction transversely of said arm for mounting of said mounting means to said collar, said mounting means being 10 moveable between a first position in which said slot extends substantially longitudinally of the axis of said collar and in which said mounting means supports said arm in an erected position extending substantially horizontally in use from said collar and a second position in which said slot extends outwardly of said collar and said arm is in a folded position hanging downwardly in use 15 from said collar.

2. A hanger bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elongated slots extends substantially normally to the arm. 20

3. A hanger bracket as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said elongated slot is adapted to receive a pin or bolt on the collar so as to connect the mounting means to the collar.

4. A hanger bracket as claimed in claim 3 wherein in the first position of the 25 mounting means, the pin or bolt is located at one end of the slot and in the second position of the mounting means, the pin or bolt is located at the other end of the slot.

5. A hanger bracket as claimed in claim 4 wherein said one end of the slot 30 is located adjacent the arm and the other end of the slot is located remote from the arm.

6. A hanger bracket as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said mounting 7 means is of a U-shaped configuration and wherein said slot is defined between opposite legs of the U.

7. A hanger bracket as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein said 5 collar includes spaced flanges between which the mounting means is located and wherein the pin or bolt extends between the flanges and freely through the slot in the mounting means such that the mounting means and thus the arm are captured to the collar. 10

8. A hanger bracket as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 and including a recess or notch on the underside of said arm adjacent said slot for positively locating said pin or bolt in the second position of said mounting means.

9. A hanger bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein 15 said arm is provided with or formed with a hook at its outer free end.

10. A hanger bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said arm and mounting means are integrally formed from a rod. 20

11. A hanger bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.