GB2110750A - Paint can holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for receiving a decorators bucket on a step ladder comprises a pair of retaining arms pivotally connected together for engagement with a step ladder, one of the arms being extended on the opposite side of the pivot to form a ring for encircling the bucket and the other arm being in the form of a cradle for supporting the bucket so that when the bucket is in the cradle its weight causes the retaining arms to move together about the pivot to enhance the gripping action on the step ladder. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Article holder This invention relates to a holder for receiving and supporting an article, such as, a decorator's bucket or paint tray, in a raised position on, say, a step ladder.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an article holder comprising a pair of retaining elements which are pivotally connected together, to engage in a closed position thereof a support, and which have respective members for defining, in the closed position of the retaining elements, a supporting device for receiving an article to be maintained therein.

Preferably, the retaining elements have one which is in the form of a hook, although both may be generally planar to provide an opposed pair of clamping surfaces for engaging respective opposed surfaces of a support for the holder.

Advantageously, one of the retaining elements and its respective member are both located on the same side of the pivot between the pair of elements, such that said one element is urged against the support by the weight of the article received in the supporting device defined by the two members.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, the two members, which define the supporting device, are inter engageabie in the closed position of the retaining elements, whereby they can be locked together to provide a rigid supporting device.

Preferably also, at least one of the retaining elements has its respective member adjustably connected to it, such that the spacing between the pair of retaining elements can be altered to suit a particular size of support, whilst maintaning the defined supporting device in a desired orientation with respect to the support, when the holder is attached to the support with the retaining elements in the closed position.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred embodiment in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, an article holder for a decorator's bucket comprises a supporting frame 1 consisting of three (only two shown) generally upright members 2, a further generally upright member 2' and two substantially horizontal members 3 at right angles to each other. The two horizontal members 3 are secured together at their centres by rivets 4, whilst the upper ends 6 of the three members 3 extend inwardly of, and are bent outwardly to extend over, an upper ring 5 which has an integral extension arm 7 whose free end is shaped to form a pair (only one shown) of symmetrical, generally hook-shaped retaining elements 8.

The fourth upright member 2' is bent at its upper end 9 at right angles to the plane of its lower end 10 and is pivotally connected at 11 to the extension arm 7. A generally flat retaining element 8' is connected to the lower end 10 of the member 2' via a horizontally and generally vertically adjustabie, L-shaped arms 12, 12', respectively.

The L-shaped arm 1 2 is adjustabie horizontally by means of securing bolts 1 3 locatable in spaced pairs of holes in one of its arms and the associated arm of the other L-shaped arm 12' which, in turn, is adjustable generally vertically by means of further securing bolts 1 4 locatable in spaced pairs of holes in the lower end 10 of the upright member 2'. The bolts are, of course, provided with associated retaining nuts.

The hook-shaped retaining element 8 and other retaining element 8' constitute a pair of such elements for engaging respective surfaces of the top portion of a step ladder 15, as shown in dashed lines in the drawing.

In use of the holder, the retaining elements 8, 8' are located in an open position with the frame members 2, 2', 3 pivoted in unison in the clockwise direction with respect to the upper ring 5. In this open position also of the retaining elements 8, 8', these can be placed over the top portion of the step ladder 1 5.

The frame elements 2, 2', 3 are then pivoted about 11 in the anticlockwise direction, such that the retaining elements 8, 8' move into their closed position in which they engage respective surfaces of the step ladder top portion and the frame elements 2, 2', 3 interengage with the upper ring 5 to form the frame 1. At this stage, the frame 1 is supported comparatively loosely upon the top portion of the step ladder 15, as shown in the drawing.

A decorator's bucket (not shown) containing, say, a decorating material, for instance, paint, is then placed into the frame 1, such that its base preferably rests on the base members 3, whereby the element 8' is urged against its respective surface of the step ladder upper portion. Hence, the clamping action of the retaining elements 8, 8' is enhanced and the bucket is maintained securely supported upon the ladder 1 5.

The outwardly bent, upper ends 6 of the members 2 abut the upper ring 5 and prevent the frame 1 and, hence, the supported bucket from moving any further downwardly with respect to the upper ring, past the position shown in the drawing.

The element 8' can be adjusted accordingly to suit any size of step ladder top portion, whereby the position of the supported bucket with respect to the ladder can be maintained in the desired position.

Although the preferred embodiment described above is shown attached to a step ladder 15, it can be arranged to be supported by any suitable form of support. For instance, the step ladder 1 5 is of the conventional type but other forms of step ladder may be used to support the inventive holder. This can be attained by altering the particular shape of the retaining elements to suit the configuration of a horizontal support member of another type of step ladder. For example, the hookedshaped element 8 can be replaced by one similar to the other element 8' to define a pair of generally parallel retaining elements.

Also, the frame 1 can be modified in shape to receive another type of article, other than a bucket. For instance, it can be rectangular to receive a similarly shaped paint tray.

Claims (7)

1. An article holder comprising a pair of retaining elements which are pivotally connected together, to engage in a closed position thereof a support, and which have respective members arranged to define, in said closed position of the retaining elements, a supporting device for receiving an article to be maintained therein and held by the holder in a predetermined position with respect to the support engaged by the elements.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the retaining elements is hooked-shaped.

3. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the retaining elements are generally planar and arranged to provide an opposed pair of clamping surfaces in said closed position.

4. A holder according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein one of the retaining elements and its respective member are both located on the same side of the pivotal connection between the pair of retaining elements.

5. A holder according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting device-defining members are interengageable in said closed position, whereby they can be locked together to provide a rigid supporting device.

6. A holder according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the retaining elements has its respective member adjustably connected thereto, such that the supporting device can be held in the predetermined position with respect to the support engaged by the retaining elements, for differing configurations of support.

7. A bucket holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.