GB2104772A - Brackets for supporting dispensing-guns - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket for dispensing-guns (e.g. spray-guns, shotblast-guns, degreasing-guns, lubrication-guns) comprises a vertically mountable spine 10 bearing a table 11 at its lower end, and a vertically adjustable C shaped clip 12 above the table. The gun is rested on the table and the body of the gun held within the clip, which latter is adjusted vertically to suit the size and shape of the gun. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gun clamp This invention relates to a gun clamp, that is to say a clip and bracket assembly which is primarily intended for supporting a gun when not in use. In this specification a gun is to be taken to mean a spray gun, shot blast gun, lubrication or degreasing gun complete with a pot or container for holding the relevant material.

C-shaped and U-shaped tool clips are widely known for attachment to surfaces for support or retention of a wide variety of tools, containers and the like. Moreover, bracket assemblies each comprising a backing strip, a projecting base and a clip attached to the backing strip at a fixed distance from the base are also known for the support of a range of containers.

However, the use of such bracket assemblies is not well known in relation to guns, as defined above.

At present, many guns are top heavy and extremely difficult to balance on a flat surface or leant against an upright surface when they are not held by operators. Moreover, most guns tends to be overturned by the force of the attached air line whenever said line is under tension, e.g. bent or coiled, and automatically tending to release itself from tension i.e. straighten itself. Thus, if an operator of a gun is called away from his work for any reason, for example, a telephone call, or needs to put down the gun for a while, for example to blow his nose, the gun is likely to overbalance possibly resulting in damage to the nozzle mechanism or spilling of the contents, such as paint or lubricant, of the container. It is also awkward for an operator to fill and refit the nozzle to a gun container if the container is not held or supported by another operator or other means.

There is therefore a need for a gun clamp which would support a gun of almost any shape or size for example while the gun is not in use or while it is being filled.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a gun clamp specifically adapted to support a gun of any shape or size.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a gun clamp comprising a L-shaped bracket, a base plate attached to one limb of the bracket and a resilient, substantially C-shaped, clip adjustably mounted on the other limb of the bracket to define a circular space coaxial with the base plate and to receive and accommodate a gun container or pot, the base of which rests upon the base plate, one limb of the L-shaped bracket being adapted for attachment to a surface.

The base plate is preferably round.

The clip is conveniently mounted in a slot in the other limb of the bracket.

Preferably, the said other limb of the bracket is adapted for attachment to a fixed substantially vertical surface.

Moreover, the said other limb is preferably joggled or stepped at two positions so that a central portion, provided with means for mounting the clip, is offset from the two end portions which lie in the same plane and which are adapted for attachment to a fixed substantially vertical surface. This arrangement prevents the means for mounting the clip in the slot from interfering with the surface to which said other limb may be attached.

The clip conveniently has outwardly curving lips at the extremities of the C-shape to facilitate reception of guns of various diameters. A plastics coating or sleeve may be applied to the clip to prevent chaffing against gun containers.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accommpanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred practical embodiment of the gun clamp of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same embodiment.

As shown in the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the gun clamp of the invention comprises an L-shaped bracket 10, made of steel, a base plate 11 which comprises a round steel plate and a resilient, C-shaped clip 12. The base plate 11 is attached to a limb 13 of the bracket 10 by two rivets 1 5, 1 6 through corresponding holes in the base plate 11 and the limb 13 of the bracket 10. The limb 1 3 as indicated in the drawings is the lower limb of the L-shaped bracket 10 and is held substantially horizontally.

The other limb 14 of the L-shaped bracket 10 is held substantially upright and is joggled or stepped at two positions 17, 18 to provide a central portion 19 offset from an upper and lower portion 20, 21 respectively, which lie in the same plane. The upper and lower portions 20, 21 each have a hole 22, 23 respectively therethrough to enable the limb 14 to be bolted to an appropriate surface. A longitudinal slot 24 is located in the central portion of the limb 14. The aforesaid configuration of the limb 1 4 prevents a bolt 29 for mounting the clip 12 in the slot 24 interfering with the surface to which the limb 14 is attached.

The clip 1 2 has a plastics coating or sleeve. The extremities of the C-shaped clip 12 form outwardly curving lips 25, 26 at each side of an opening 27. Directly opposite the opening 27 there is an indentation 28 in the C-shaped clip 12.

This indentation 28 prevents any interference between the means for mounting the clip 12 and a gun supported by the clamp.

The clip 12 is adjustably mounted in the slot 24 by the bolt 29 projecting through a hole at the centre of the indentation 28 and through the slot 24 and being secured by a nut 30.

The use of the gun clamp will readily be appreciated from the foregoing description.

When the gun clamp is to be used to retain and support a spray gun it may optionally be attached to a fixed vertical surface, for example, a wall or a side of a work bench, by screws or bolts through holes 22 and 23. Of course, when the gun clamp is attached in this manner, the provision of the central portion 19, offset from the upper and lower portions 20, 21 which abut the vertical surface, permits the height of the clip 12 with respect to the slot 24 easily to be adjusted to an appropriate height to engage around the particular spray gun to be used. Upward and downward adjustment of the clip 12 is effected by loosening the nut 30, moving the clip 12 to the desired position and retightening the nut 30, e.g. by means of a spanner inserted from one side.

Therefore once the limb 14 of the bracket 10 is attached to a vertical surface, it does not need to be detached again whenever adjustment of the height of the clip 12 is required.

When the gun clamp is suitably located in a work area, a spray gun operator can place his spray gun into the clamp simply by pushing the gun container or pot between the lips 25, 27 of the clip 12 so that the base of the container or pot rests upon the base plate 11.

The above described preferred embodiment of the gun clamp of the invention is suitable for retention or support of a wide range of types of gun, including shotblast guns, lubrications guns and degreasing guns as well as spray guns, as the clip 12 is adjustable upwards or downwards to fit closely around any suitably proportioned circumference on a particular gun.

The invention is not confined to the exact foregoing details and variations may be made thereto. In particular, the base plate, the bracket and the clip may differ in shape, size and composition. For example, the base plate may be square or rectangular and may be made of any suitable material e.g. plastics or metal, and the clip may be wire-formed. The base plate may be attached to the lower limb of the L-shaped bracket by means other than rivets, for example by glue, nuts and bolts or a slot on either side of the base plate, or may even be formed integrally with the bracket, e.g. as a plastics extrusion.

The clip need not be adjustably mounted on the other limb of the bracket by means of a slot.

Instead a series of apertures or hooks may be provided along the other limb.

Furthermore, the lower limb of the bracket may be attached to a fixed horizontal surface as well as or instead of the other upright limb being attached to a vertical surface. In embodiments of the gun clamp of the invention which are not adapted for attachment to a vertical surface, it is not necessary to provide joggling or stepping of the other upright limb of the bracket in the region of the slot. Such embodiments may, for example, be adapted for attachment to a gun operator's belt, or, as mentioned, to a horizontal surface only, or even for mounting in a vice.

Claims (8)

1. A gun clamp, as hereinbefore defined, comprising an L-shaped bracket, a base plate attached to one limb of the bracket and a resilient, substantially C-shaped clip adjustably mounted on the other limb of the bracket to define a circular space coaxial with base plate and to receive and accommodate a gun container or pot the base of which rests upon the base plate, one limb of the L-shaped bracket being adapted for attachment to a surface.

2. A gun clamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base plate is round.

3. A gun clamp as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the clip is mounted in a slot in the other limb of the bracket.

4. A gun clamp as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the clip has outwardly curving lips at the extremities of the C-shape to facilitate reception of gun containers or pots of various diameters.

5. A gun clamp as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the clip is provided with a plastics coating or sleeve.

6. A gun clamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the said other limb of the bracket is adapted for attachment to a fixed substantially vertical surface.

7. A gun clamp as claimed in claim 6 wherein the said other limb is joggled or stepped at two positions so that a central portion provided with means for mounting the clip is offset from the two end portions which lie in the same plane and which are adapted for attachment to a fixed substantially vertical surface.

8. A gun clamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.