AU726897B3

AU726897B3 - A bracket

Info

Publication number: AU726897B3
Application number: AU55084/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Raymond Wayne Johns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-01
Filing date: 2000-09-01
Publication date: 2000-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2006-09-01

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: A BRACKET Name of Applicant: RAYMOND WAYNE JOHNS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A BRACKET The present invention relates generally to a bracket for detachably supporting a clamp from which paper is to be suspended and is particularly relevant to clamps for drawings and posters.

According to the present invention there is provided a bracket for detachably supporting a clamp from which paper is suspended, said bracket comprising: a mounting portion being adapted to pivotally mount to a wall support to permit pivoting of the bracket together with the clamp about a vertical axis; a support portion connected to the mounting portion and including a retaining element which is releasably engaged by the clamp wherein the clamp is fulcrumed about and thus supported by the retaining element under the weight of the clamp and the associated paper, the retaining element being configured to prevent movement of the clamp relative to the bracket.

Preferably the bracket is fabricated of tube and/or rod and in profile is shaped generally triangular including a strut and a tension member oriented at an acute angle relative to one another. More preferably the retaining element generally forms at least part of the tension member and the triangular bracket is on one side open with aligned pivot members extending upwardly and downwardly from the tension member and the strut, respectively.

Typically the retaining element includes a fulcrum member adapted to be releasably engaged by a handle of the clamp, and a support member adapted to bear against an upper surface of the clamp rearward of the handle. More typically the fulcrum and the support members are arranged in a horizontal plane and oriented transverse to an imaginary plane defined by the bracket, the fulcrum and 3 the support members being connected via an interconnecting arm which is configured to at least limit lateral movement of the clamp in one direction. In this embodiment the strut together with the tension member are configured to at least limit lateral movement of the clamp in an opposite direction.

Preferably the bracket is fabricated of a continuous length of rod. Additionally the bracket includes a stiffening sleeve being configured to fit about at least part of the strut.

Generally the bracket is fabricated of metal such as stainless steel or mild steel which may be chrome plated.

In order to facilitate a better understanding of the nature of the present invention a preferred embodiment of a bracket will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bracket; Figure 2 is elevational and plan views of the bracket of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a conventional paper clamp supported by the bracket of Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in the accompanying Figures there is a bracket shown generally as 10 for detachably supporting a clamp 12 (shown in Figure 3 only) from which paper such as plans and posters is suspended. The bracket 10 is adapted to pivotally mount to a wall support 13 to allow pivoting of the bracket 10 together with the clamp 12 about a vertical axis 14.

The bracket 10 of this embodiment is fabricated from metal rod and in profile is shaped generally triangular. The triangular bracket 10 includes a strut 16 and a tension member 18 formed continuous with and arranged at an acute 4 angle of around 450 relative to one another. Free ends of the strut 16 and the tension member 18 are formed integral with respective aligned pivot members 20 and 22. The pivot members 20 and 22 of this example together form the mounting portion of the bracket 10 and are designed to be received in aligned apertures of upper and lower rails and 15B of the wall support 13 (see Figure 3).

Preferably, the lower rail 15B includes a pair of spaced apart apertures 17A and 17B both engaged by the lower pivot member 20 so as to provide additional rigidity to and avoid buckling of the strut 16.

Importantly, the tension member 18 includes a retaining element which is configured to be releasably engaged by the clamp 12. The retaining element of this example includes a transverse fulcrum member and support member 24 and 26 adapted to be engaged by a handle 28 and an upper surface of the clamp 12, respectively. The fulcrum and support members 24 and 26 are connected via an interconnecting arm 30 which is bent perpendicular to the transverse fulcrum and clamp members 24 and 26 and is arranged generally parallel to an imaginary plane defined by the bracket 10. The fulcrum member 24 is formed continuous with the strut 16 and the support member 26 is connected to the upper pivot member 22 via a right-angle tie rod 32. The fulcrum and support members 24 and 26 are of a slightly greater length than the width dimension of the clamp 12 which is to be supported by the bracket The interconnecting arm 30 is generally U-shaped and arranged relative to the fulcrum and support members 24 and 26 so as to limit lateral movement of the clamp 12 in one direction. The strut 16 and tie rod 30 restrict lateral movement of the clamp 12 in an opposite direction.

That is, the tension member 18 is configured to define a channel in which the clamp 12 nests.

5 The handle 28 of the clamp 12 releasably engages the fulcrum member 24 at a point spaced from its centre of gravity whereby an upper surface of the clamp 12 is forced upwardly against the support member 26 of the bracket The clamp 12 also includes a stopper 31 in its upper surface, the stopper 31 being designed to restrict forward movement of the clamp 12 relative to the bracket 10 which would otherwise disengage from the clamp 10. The fulcrum and support members 24 and 26 together with the interconnecting arm 30 and a portion of the strut 16 and tie rod 32 in combination form the retaining element of the tension member 18. In operation, the clamp 12 is moved into latching engagement with the retaining element of the tension member 18. The weight of the clamp 12 together with any suspended drawings or posters retains the clamp 12 on the bracket 10. The weight of the clamp 12 and any associated papers or posters also urges the upper pivot member 22 into engagement with the upper rail of the wall support 13. Furthermore, the compression load borne by the strut 16 is supported by the aligned holes 17A and 17B of the lower rail 15B which are engaged by the lower pivot member The clamp 12 is located on the pivoting bracket 10 by performing-the following general steps: the handle of the clamp 12 is slid into engagement with the fulcrum member 24 with the clamp 12 tilted to permit passage of the support member 26 beyond the stopper 31 of the clamp 12; and (ii) the clamp 12 is allowed to pivot under its own weight together with that of the drawings and posters until the support member 26 bears against an upper surface of the clamp 12.

In order to remove the clamp 12 from the bracket 10, the clamp 12 is tilted upward and the fulcrum member 24 slid clear of the handle 28 whilst the support member 26 is 6 raised clear of the stopper 31. The bracket 10 does not rely upon any fastening or anchoring elements but rather its inherent weight wherein the clamp 12 is selfsupporting. The clamp 12 is fulcrumed about the bracket 10 at the fulcrum member 24. Importantly, the retaining element is configured so as to prevent twisting of the clamp 12 relative to the bracket 10 which may otherwise lead to disengagement of the clamp 12 from the bracket The fulcrum member 24 hooks under the handle 28 wherein twisting of the clamp 12 relative to the bracket 10 is restricted.

In its preferred form the bracket 10 is cold formed from a single length of steel rod. The rod may be constructed of stainless steel such as a grade 304 stainless steel, or mild steel which would preferably be chrome plated. It is expected that the bracket 10 of the described embodiment will support a weight of up to about 3 kilograms which typically consists of sixty drawings. The bracket 10 may also be modified for increased loadings. For example, the bracket 10 may include an external sleeve located over the strut 16. The sleeve may be slit longitudinally and clipped over the strut 16. Alternatively, the strut 16 may be cut and the sleeve slid over and then crimped or otherwise fixed at opposing ends to the strut 16. The bracket 10 may also be sized upward for increased loadings. Generally, the bracket 10 is one of a bank of brackets pivotally mounted to a wall support.

Now that a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in some detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the bracket has at least the following advantages: the bracket is relatively simple in design yet effective in operation; (ii) a clamp can be supported by the bracket with minimal likelihood of dislodgment; 7 (iii) the bracket is relatively simple to fabricate or manufacture.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described.

For example, the bracket and in particular the retaining element may be configured differently to that described provided it provides a fulcrum support for a clamp which is prevented from twisting relative to the bracket. The bracket need not be constructed of steel but may in fact be formed of any material which can handle the loadings, such as a rigid plastics material.

All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A bracket for detachably supporting a clamp from which paper is suspended, said bracket comprising: a mounting portion being adapted to pivotally mount to a wall support to permit pivoting of the bracket together with the clamp about a vertical axis; a support portion connected to the mounting portion and including a retaining element which is releasably engaged by the clamp wherein the clamp is fulcrumed about and thus supported by the retaining element under the weight of the clamp and the associated paper, the retaining element being configured to prevent twisting of the clamp relative to the bracket.

2. A bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the bracket is fabricated of tube and/or rod and in profile is shaped generally triangular including a strut and a tension member oriented at an acute angle relative to one another.

3. A bracket as defined in claim 2 wherein the retaining element includes a fulcrum member adapted to be releasably engaged by a handle of the clamp, and a support member adapted to bear against an upper surface of the clamp rearward of the handle, the fulcrum and the support members being connected via an interconnecting arm which is configured to at least limit lateral movement of the clamp in one direction whilst the strut together with the tension member are configured to at least limit lateral movement of the clamp in an opposite direction. Dated this 1st day of September 2000 RAYMOND WAYNE JOHNS By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK