GB2138751A

GB2138751A - Wheeled tool store and tool holder

Info

Publication number: GB2138751A
Application number: GB08409346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Hyde
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-04-21
Filing date: 1984-04-11
Publication date: 1984-10-31
Also published as: GB8409346D0; GB2138751B

Abstract

The store (for artisan's, handyman's or gardener's tools and supplies) comprises at least two separable and stackable parts (10, 12) which can be locked together. The lower part has wheels (24), and tool holders for individual tools, and the upper part has at least one tray to hold small hand tools and/or supplies. The stacked parts can be separated to facilitate more difficult manoeuvring of the store, for example carrying it upstairs or loading it into a vehicle. Each tool holder comprises a pair of elongate members projecting from a support panel. The free ends of the elongate members are fitted with resilient plastics discs which permit a tool to be forced between and past the discs so that it can be held between the elongate members, but which prevent the tool from being accidentally dislodged. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tool store and tool holder This invention relates to stores for an artisan's, handyman's or gardener's tools and supplies, and also to a tool holder.

Various problems are encountered by artisans and handymen concerning storage and transportation of their tools and supplies. For example, nowadays a do-it-yourself handyman is likely to possess far more tools than can be stored in a portable tool-box. Larger tool cabinets are available and may be provided with wheels. Examples of such tool cabinets are disclosed in patent specifications GB 1565091, US 4281843 and US 4119044, and also in the "Key Industrial Equipment Catalogue" No. 822 dated October 1982 on page 215 under the heading "Mobile Mechanic".

However, such cabinets may be difficult to transport upstairs or load into a vehicle in view of the weight of the cabinet and the tools stored therein. As a result, the handyman may keep his tools on permanent shelves, for example in a shed or cupboard under the stairs. Consequently, before conmencing a job, he must work out what tools he needs, or may repeatedly have to return to the cupboard or shed to fetch further tools.

Alternatively, he may use a tool to hand which is not properly suited to the job.

One aspect of the present invention seeks to provide a tool store which can be constructed to have a greater capacity than a portable tool box whilst at the same time not being excessively difficult to manoeuvre.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile store, for an artisan's,handyman's or gardener's tools and supplies, comprising a structure provided with wheel means to enable the store to be moved along the ground, the structure being formed as at least two readily separable and stackable portions and means being provided to locate the portions in a stack, the overall height of each portion when the portions are separated being substantially less than the overall height of the store when the portions are stacked, the uppermost portion of the structure being provided with at least one tray to hold hand tools and/or artisan's or handyman's supplies, and the uppermost portion and the or at least one of the lower portions of the structure being provided with a plurality of means to hold individual tools, the arrangement being such that the store, when loaded with tools, can be moved complete on said wheel means, and such that said portion may be separated to facilitate more difficult manoeuvring of the store, for example carrying upstairs or loading into a vehicle.

Thus, the store can be moved on the wheel means to a desired work location. The store may be constructed of such a size as to hold a large weight and'number of tools and supplies, but by virtue of the separability of the portions, each portion can be manhandled more easily (for example, carried upstairs) and the separatcd portions can be accommodated in a space with restricted headroom (for example, the rear luggage space of a hatchback car).

A further aspect of this invention is concerned with a tool holder for holding a tool for storage on, for example, a wall or a part of the tool store described above.

A simple known tool holder consists of a hook, or even a nail, which is secured to, for example, the wall. The tool is then hung on the hook or nail. Such a tool holder is useless if the tool does not have a hole or the like with which the holder can be engaged.

Another known tool holder, called a "Terry" clip, comprises a resilient strip formed into a split ring with the free ends of the split ring bent back. A screw-driver or-hammer, for example, can be held by the "Terry" clip by being forced between the free ends of the ring so that the tool is held within the ring. Such "Terry" clips cannot be used for holding tools which do not have a portion engageable within the split ring and there is a limit to the range of tools which can be held by one particular size of clip. Difficulties are sometimes encountered in forcing the tool into the clip, either due to the ends of the clip digging to the tool, or to the clip bending sideways.

In accordance with the further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool holder comprising a pair of elongate members, means to support the members to extend generally horizontally and generally parallel to each other from the support means so that tools can be held between the members, and a pair of elements mounted on or adjacent the free ends of the pair of members and extending towards each other, the elements being sufficiently stiff to hinder dislodgement of tools past the ends of the members, but sufficiently resilient to permit tools to be forced past the elements.

Thus, the holder can hold any tool between the members provided that the holder is of sufficient size to embrace the tool and the tool has a portion above the holder sufficiently wide to prevent the tool dropping through the holder. Also, one of the elongate members may be used alone to hold, for example, a saw by its handle.

Preferably, means are provided to enable the spacing between the elongate members to be adjusted to suit particular tools.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view from the front and above of a lower section of a store according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a view from above of an upper portion of the store; Figure 3 is a view from the front of the store, with the upper portion being held spaced from the lower portion; Figure 4 is a view from the front and one side of the lower portion of the store; Figure 5 is a view from behind of the store; Figure 6 illustrates the store, in use; Figure 7 is a sectioned view of a tool holder; Figure 8 is a sectioned view of two rows of alternative tool holders; and Figure 9 shows a modified mounting arrangement for the tool holders.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, the store comprises a lower structure 10 and an upper structure 12, each of which may be fabricated from, for example, plywood panels, a plastics mouldinq or mouldings, or other suitable material. The lower structure 10 includes a lower tray-like formation 14 to hold hand power tools 16, for example an electric drill, an electric circular saw, an electric jig saw, an electric planer, and an electric sander. The base of the tray 14 is formed with, for example, a hole 1 8 to receive the blade of the jig saw and a slot 20 to receive the guard of a circular saw. At the corners of the tray 14, wings 22 extend outwardly from the sides of the tray, and a castor 24 is secured to each wing to permit the store to be wheeled along the ground.

A central upright panel extends vertically upwards from the base of the tray, and upright end panels also extend upwardly from the ends of the tray and are secured to the central panel 26. The central panel is formed with an opening 30 at the bottom thereof so as not to restrict unduly the capacity of the tray 14. The central and end panels 26, 28 are provided with a multitude of holders 32 for holding a multitude of hand tools, for example a hand-saw 34, tenon and hack-saws 36, a mallet 38, long screwdrivers 40, cramps 42, planes 44, and a brace 46.

Outboard of each end panel 28, a deep and narrow bin 48 is formed to hold, for example, a clipboard 50.

An electrical distribution panel is secured to the central panel 26 adjacent the top thereof and is provided with a long flex 54 which may be connected to a mains supply. The various electrical tools 1 6 may be left connected to the distribution panel 52.

The upper edges 56 of the central and end panels 26, 28 provide an l-shaped support surface for the upper structure 12. To locate the upper structure on the lower structure, a central tongue 58 (provided with a hand hold 60) extends upwardly from the central panel 26, and the underside 62 of the upper structure is formed with a correspondingly shaped recess (not shown) to receive the tongue 58 to lock the structures in position when they are stacked.

The upper structure 1 2 has two tiers 64, 66. The lower tier has two groups of eight siidable trays or bins to hold, for example, nails, screws, wall plugs, nuts, bolts and washers, and other small supplies. The groups of trays or bins 68 are disposed to either side of a larger central fixed tray or bin 70 to hold, for example, a tool roll containing brace bits.

The upper tier 66 has a plurality of trays or bins 72 for holding further supplies. To one side of the upper tier 66, a raised narrow horizontal panel 74 extends the length of the tier. Below the right-hand portion 76 (as seen in Figure 2) of the panel 74 a hollow space is formed. This portion 76 may be formed with holes and slots 78 to hold, for example, paint brushes, pliers, and pincers. Similarly, the central portion 80 is formed with holes 82 to receive, for example, screwdriver bits or drills.

However, the space below the central panel 80 is open at 84 to the central one 86 of the bins 72 so that, for example, long masonry drill bits may be placed in the central bin 86 and extend beneath the central portion 80 of the panel 74. A block of wood is provided beneath the left-hand portion 88, and holes are formed through the left-hand portion 88 and the block of wood to receive, for example, small screwdrivers, awls, a gimlet, and marking gauge. It may be left to the user of the store to form the holes in the panel 74 as desired. At either end of the upper structure 1 2 a deep and narrow tray 90 is provided.

The trays 90 may hold, for example, a rack of chisels or aerosol tins.

The store is adapted to carry a collapsible workbench on one or both sides of the lower structure 10. A pair of L-shaped brackets 92 extend outwardly and upwardly from the tray 14 to receive the stand of the workbench 94, and a pair of elongate members 96 are pivotally mounted on the end panels 28. Each elongate member 96 is provided with a loop 98. To attach the workbench to the store, the stand is mounted on the brackets 92, the elongate members are swung upwardly and then lowered so that the loops 98 drop around vice handles 100 of the workbench 94.

As can be seen from the drawings and the above description, the store can carry a multitude of tools and supplies, all of which are easily accessible, and indeed can be said to contain all the essentials of a complete workshop. The upper structure 1 2 is at about hand height so that the tools and supplies carried by the upper structure are ready to hand. The large tools carried by the lower structure are all easily accessible. With the upper structure 1 2 removed, the height of the lower structure is preferably of sufficiently small height to enable the lower structure to be loaded into the back of a hatchback car. Instead of being formed as two separable and stackable structures, the store may be formed in three stackable parts.In that case, the lower two parts are each provided with a handle projection which can engage in a corresponding recess in the next higher part to lock the parts in position when stacked. The tool holders are preferably arranged so that each tool does not project below the bottom of the part on which it is held, so that the upper parts can be separated and stood on the floor without interfering with the tools. In this case, the upright panel 26 may be double-skinned so that, for example, the long hand saw 34 may be stored between the two panels.

By being in stackable and separable parts, the store can be more easily carried upstairs or loaded into a vehicle. Also, the parts of the store may be used independently if tools or supplies from only one part are required for a job.

The overall width of the store is preferably less than 0.75m so that the store can be wheeled through house doors and can be kept, for example, in an understairs cupboard.

A cover, for example of nylon material, may be provided to cover the store when not in use.

Referring now to Figure 7, further detail is shown of the tool holders 32 which are secured to the central panel 26. A length of studding 102 extends through a hole in the panel 26 and is secured thereto by nuts 104, 106 and washers 108 so that the studding projects from the panel 26. The projecting part of the stud is covered with a tube of foam rubber 110 which abuts the nut 104 and acts as padding on the studding 102. At the free end of the studding 102, a disc 11 2 of a resilient plastics material, such as neoprene, is sandwiched between a further pair of nuts 114, 11 6. Two such assemblies are fixed to the panel adjacent to each other.

Tools may be suspended between the assemblies, for example the mallet 38 and the screwdriver 40. The discs 112 hinder dislodgement of the tool past the ends of the studding, but are sufficiently resilient to permit the tools to be forced passed the elements. Alternatively, the tenon saw 36 may be held by forcing the loop part of the handle of the tenon saw over a pair of assemblies, the discs 11 2 again hindering dislodgement of the saw from the assemblies but permitting it to be forced passed the discs.

Rather than a tube of foam rubber 110, a plurality of discs of foam rubber may be mounted on the studding. Also, as seen on the right-hand side of Figure 7, rather than a length of continuously threaded studding, a rod 11 8 may be used having ends which are shouldered (at 120) and threaded, a washer 1 22 being used as a backing for the resilient disc 112.

Referring to Figure 8, instead of the studding 102 or rods 118 being secured through holes in the panel 26, lengths of aluminium extrusion 1 24 of channel section with inturned flanges 1 26 at the free ends of the limbs of the channel may be secured by their bases flat against the panel 26, the channel embracing a nut or bolt head 1 2a and the studding or bolt 1 30 projecting from the nut or bolt head and at right angles from the channel, and a further nut 1 32 being fitted so that the flanges are nipped between the nut or bolt head 128 and the nut 1 32. In this way, the tool holder is adjustable in position and width.As an alternative and as shown in Figure 8, the major part of the length of the bolt 1 30 may be sheathed in a thrust tube so that tightening of the nut 11 6 serves, not only to hold the resilient disc 112 in place, but also to hold the bolt 1 30 to the support channel 124.

As shown in Figure 9, rather than using a channel section extrusion 1 24 for each row of tool holders, a top-hat section pressing 134 of steel plate may be fixed to the panel 26 between each adjacent row of holders 32, with a Z-section pressed steel strip 1 36 fixed above the top row of tool holders and below the bottom row. The adjacent lipped flanged edges of the strips 1 36 and 1 38 provide a mounting for the tool holders in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 8.

Claims

1. A mobile store, for an artisan's, handyman's or gardener's tools and supplies, comprising a structure provided with wheel means to enable the store to be moved along the ground, the structure being formed as at least two readily separable and stackable portions and means being provided to locate the portions in a stack, the overall height of each portion when the portions are separated being substantially less than the overall height of the store when the portions are stacked, the uppermost portion of the structure being provided with at least one tray to hold hand tools and/or artisan's or handyman's supplies, and the uppermost portion and the or at least one of the lower portions of the structure being provided with a plurality of means to hold individual tools, the arrangement being such that the store, when loaded with tools, can be moved complete on said wheel means, and such that said portions may be separated to facilitate more difficult manoeuvring of the store, for example carrying upstairs of loading into a vehicle.

2. A store as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the overall height of the store is at least 1.0m so that tools or supplies held by the uppermost portion are approximately at hand height.

3. A store as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the store is longer than it is wide, and wherein the overall width of the store is less than approximately 0.75m, so that the store can pass through house doors.

4. A store as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the said or one of the said lower portions of the structure comprises an upright panel extending longitudinally of the store, said tool holding means includes a plurality of means secured to said upright panel for suspending tools to one side or the other of the panel.

5. A store as claimed in Claim 4, wherein at least one of said tool suspending means comprises a tool holder as claimed in Claim 1 3 to 1 6 hereafter, with the support means of the tool holder being provided by said upright panel or a member secured thereto.

6. A store as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a tray-like formation is provided by the lowermost portion of the structure for holding hand power tools.

7. A store as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein at least a portion of the upright panel is double skinned, the skins of the panel being spaced apart and open at at least one edge to receive a long tool for example a hand saw.

8. A store as claimed in any preceding claim, having an electrical distribution panel mounted on the said or one of the said lower portions of the structure and means for connecting the distribution panel to an electrical supply.

9. A store as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means to attach a collapsable portable work-bench, in a collapsed and upright configuration, to at least one side of the structure.

10. A store as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means to locate the uppermost portion of the structure comprises an upwardly extending projection on the lower or immediately lower portion, said projection being engageable in a corresponding recess in the underside of the uppermost portion of the structure.

11. A store as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the projection is provided with a hand hold to facilitate manual lifting of the lower portion.

12. A mobile store substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A tool holder comprising a pair of elongate members, means to support the members to extend generally horizontally and generally parallel to each other from the support means so that tools can be held between the members, and a pair of elements mounted on or adjacent the free ends of the pair of members and extending towards each other, the elements being sufficiently stiff to hinder dislodgement of tools past the ends of the members, but sufficiently resilient to permit tools to be forced past the elements.

14. A tool holder as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the members are covered in a padding material.

1 5. A tool holder as claimed in Claim 13 or 14 further comprising means to enable the spacing between the elongate members to be adjusted.

16. A tool holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.