GB2032512A

GB2032512A - Device for Hanging up Sports Rackets

Info

Publication number: GB2032512A
Application number: GB7932455A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: KOLBE U
Current assignee: KOLBE U
Priority date: 1978-09-20
Filing date: 1979-09-19
Publication date: 1980-05-08
Also published as: FR2436594A1; NL7907019A; DE2840787B2; FR2436594B3; DE2840787C3; DE2840787A1

Abstract

A device for hanging up a sports racket comprising a plate of resilient material having suspension means (3) at one end and, at the other end, slots (10, 11) forming lateral limb portions (8) and an intermediate limb portion (9), the limb portion (9) having a projecting holding lug (19) to engage a racket inserted between the limb portions (8 and 9), after they have been sprung apart, even if the racket has a cover thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for Hanging Up Sports Rackets The invention relates to a device for hanging up sports rackets such as those used for tennis, badminton or squash.

Tennis, badminton and squash rackets when hung up for display or storage are generally engaged on a support member which projects horizontally from a wall or board and has an upturned free end, the rackets being engaged on the support member with the support member passsing between strings of the racket.

This manner of storing rackets gives rise to difficulties when the racket has a protective cover, since the cover on the racket prevents the support member from passing between the strings. The racket can be hung up without a cover and the cover stored separately or rackets with covers on can be stored on pairs of support members which pass on either side of the shaft of the racket below the head. Such single support members and support members in pairs have the disadvantage that where a plurality of rackets are stored on the same support member or pair of support members, all rackets in front of the particular racket to be examined must be disengaged from the support member or members before said particular racket can be disengaged.

Clamping devices for hanging up floor or dishcloths have been proposed comprising two flexible limbs which can be bent apart from each other and between which the cloths can be clamped. However, these devices are only suitable for light deformable articles which can be pressed into position between flexible limbs.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for hanging up sports rackets comprising a plate of resilient material having at one of its ends suspension means whereby it can be supported on a bar or rail and its other end slotted to define longitudinally extending limb portions which can be bent out of the plane of the plate in opposition to one another, the limb portions comprising lateral limb portions and an intermediate limb portion with a projecting holding lug provided on said intermediate limb portion.

Such devices can be used for hanging up sports rackets with or without a protective cover and can allow easy removal of any rackettof a stack of rackets.

The clamping force of the limb portions can be made substantially independent of the weight of the racket to be supported. The weight of the racket is primarily carried by the projecting holding lug so that the clamping force serves only to hold the racket on the lug. This means that the racket can be reliably, easily and quickly hung up and taken down, whether it has a protective cover or not.

This advantage is particularly important when for example a number of rackets have to be hung up together at a club house after a match, or for example a trader in sporting goods has on show a large number of rackets of different kinds which the customers can thus take down to examine and hang up again without difficulty.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one face of a device according to the invention for hanging up sports rackets.

Figure 2 shows the opposite face to said one face; and Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, a device for hanging up sports rackets comprises a plate 2 of resilient material with rounded ends 1. Openings of different configurations form suspension means 3, for hanging the device up, and a retaining means 4, disposed at the opposite end to the suspension means 3.

The suspension means 3 is of a hook-like configuration. With this arrangement, the device can be pushed over a rod or rail 6 by means of a side opening 5, so that the rod or rail 6 is hooked into a circular recess 7 which adjoins the side opening 5.

The retaining means 4 comprises limb portions between which extend two slots 10 and 11. The slots 10 and 11 converge in such a way that an intermediate limb portion 9 has a lateral limb portion 8 on either side thereof with the lateral limb portions 8 being joined together at the lower end. The limb portions 8 and 9 are each of constant width, with the intermediate limb portion 9 preferably being at least three times the width of each of the limb portions 8. The tonguelike form of the limb portion 9 is rounded off in a semi-circular configuration at its free end 12, corresponding to the configuration at the end 1 of the device.The slots 10 and 11 are also of constant width at the longitudinal sides 1 3 and 14 of the limb portion 9, but at the free end 12 of the limb portion 9, the slots 10 and 11 increase in width in a direction towards a position 1 5 at which they meet. The increase in width of the respective slots 10 and 11 begins at a semi circular configuration 16, 7 7 and the width of the slots is at its greatest at the position 1 5 at which the slots meet.

Holding lugs 1 8 and 19 are disposed at the free end 12 of the limb portion 9. The holding lug 1 8 is of a cylindrical form and is provided on one face of the limb portion 9, while the lug 1 9 is disposed on the other face of the limb portion 9 and is in the form of a rib of constant thickness and height which extends over the entire width of the limb portion 9. The cylindrical lug 18 is so arranged that its upper face is at an angle of not more than 900 to the surface on which it is secured. The bar-like lug 19 extends normal to the surface on which it is disposed and has a curvature which is in the opposite direction to and of larger radius than the curvature of the free end 12 of the limb portion 9.

It is possible for the angle of inclination of the holding lugs 18 and 19 to be such that, in the condition in which the limb portions are bent away from one another, the lugs 18 and 19 each form an angle of 900 to the limb portions 8. On one face at least limb portions 8 can be provided with reinforcing ribs 21 at the level of the regions in which the limb portions 8 and 9 separate from each other, i.e. at the ends of the slots 1 0 and 11 The reinforcing ribs 21 are so disposed and dimensioned as to strengthen the limb portions 8 when the limb portions 8 and 9 are bent away from each other. The ribs 21 could extend over the whole length of the limb portions 8.

In order to hang up a racket by means of the device, the limb portion 9 is bent away from the limb portions 8. When the limb portions are released, they spring back towards one another and clamp the racket which has been inserted between them. The lug 1 9 is suitable in particular for holding rackets having a cover thereon, while the cylindrical lug 1 8 is primarily intended for holding rackets without a cover. Because the racket to be held is engaged by the limb portion 8, the racket is prevented from slipping off the lug on which it is supported.

Claims

1. A device for hanging up sports rackets comprising a plate of resilient material having at one of its ends suspension means whereby it can be supported on a bar or rail and its other end slotted to define longitudinally extending limb portions which can be bent out of the plane of the plate in opposition to one another, the limb portions comprising lateral limb portions and an intermediate limb portion with a projecting holding lug provided on said intermediate limb portion.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the limb portions are of different widths to one another but each is of substantially constant width over its entire length.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the lateral limb portions are joined together at their lower ends and the intermediate limb portion is of at least three times the width of each of the lateral limb portions.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which the intermediate limb portion has a semi-circular configuration at its lower end and the lower end of the portion of the plate which joins together the lower ends of the lateral limb portions has a similar configuration.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the slots which extend between the limb portions are of constant width at the longitudinal sides of the limb portions.

6. A device according to claim 5 when appendant to claim 3, in which the slots increase in width at the beginning of the semi-circular configuration of the limb portions and the width of the slots is at its greatest at the mid-point in the width of the plate.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the projecting holding lug is disposed adjacent the free end of the intermediate limb portion.

8. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the projecting holding lug is of cylindrical form.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the projecting holding lug is in the form of a projecting rib.

10. A device according to claim 9, in which the projecting rib extends over the entire width of the intermediate limb portion.

1 A device according to claim 9 or claim 10, when appendant to claim 4, in which the projecting rib has a curvature which is in the opposite direction to and of larger radius than the semi-circular configuration of the free end of the intermediate limb portion.

12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the upper surface of the projecting holding lug projects from the adjacent surface of the intermediate limb at an angle of not more than 900.

1 3. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 including a further projecting holding lug on an opposite face of the intermediate limb portion to that on which said projecting holding lug is provided.

14. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which the limb portions have strengthening ribs on at least one face thereof.

1 5. A device according to claim 14, in which the strengthening ribs are provided on the lateral limb portions.

1 6. A device according to claim 1 5 in which the strengthening ribs are provided adjacent end portions of the slot.

1 7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, in which the suspension means is of a hook-like configuration.

18. A device for hanging up sports rackets substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.