GB2176092A - Support device - Google Patents

Abstract

A support device for detachably mounting a support arm 12 to a vertical post 11. The support arm is clamped to the post 11 by a U-shaped bolt or bracket 17 which straddles the post and is secured to the arm 12 by nuts 19. The legs of the bolt 17 are received in holes in the arm 12 so that the two legs of the bolt lie in a plane at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the arm 12 with the leg 26 being lower than the leg 27 whereby the cantilever loading on the arm 12 causes the legs 26 and 27 to be urged into engagement with the post 11. A plurality of holes can be provided for various sizes and fittings of the U-shaped bolt and post 11. A further embodiment permits the fitting of the support device to be infinitely variable on the post 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A support device Technical field and background art This invention relates generally to shelves and the like and relates particularly to a device for attachment of a horizontal load-support platform to a vertical post.

Statement of invention and advantages According to the present invention there is provided a support device comprising a support arm having a longitudinally extending axis; and clamping means capable of securing the arm to extend from an upright pillar, said clamping means comprising a link part and two leg parts intended to straddle the pillar with the link part opposite the support arm, said leg parts engaging transversely with the support arm so that, with the arm secured to the pillar, one of the leg parts is lower than the other of the leg parts and the moment of the support device about the clamping means causes the leg parts to be urged into engagement with a pillar to alleviate vertical displacement of the support device.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a support device for detachably mounting a horizontal load support platform, seat or shelf upon a vertical post, the device comprising a support arm, a flat load support member adapted to be mounted, when in use, across one end of the support arm, a U-shaped channel or saddle-shaped bracket member adapted to fit around the post to clamp the other end of the support arm to the post, the support arm being provided with aligned bracket receiving holes straddling the longitudinal arm axis and lying in a plane substantially at 45 degrees to the axis, the arm being adapted, when in use, to be bolted to the vertical post in a substantially horizontal position by placing a respective leg of the channel or bracket on either side of the post with each leg passing through a respective bracket receiving hole of the arm.

Drawings Embodiments of support devices constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the support device mounted on a vertical pillar (such as a rotary clothes line support); Figure 2 is a view of part of a support arm in the device showing holes for retaining the mounting bracket; Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the support device showing an end of a support arm and a modification of the clamping means thereon, and Figure 4 is a side view of a third embodiment of a support device showing an end of a support arm and a second modification of the clamping means thereon.

Detailed description of drawings The support device illustrated comprises a shelf 10, preferably constructed of wood, (but which can be of plastics or metal) for supporting a clothes washing basket on a post or column 11 of a rotary clothes line. The shelf 10 is attached to an elongate axially extending support arm 12 by a pair of coach bolts 13, 14 which are passed through aligned holes provided in the shelf and arm and are secured by wing nuts 15, 16. In this example, the arm 12 is made from hot dipped galvanized box section, but can equally as well be made from galvanized cylindrical-tube or of any other appropriate cross-section or material, for example wood or piastics.

The arm 12 is clamped towards an end 28 remote from the platform 10 to the column 11 by a bracket member which is preferably a U-bolt 17.

The U-bolt 17 has two co-extensive parallel legs 26 and 27 joined at one end by a link 25. The U-bolt 17 extends transversely from the elongate axis of the support arm 12, to straddle the column 11. The U-bolt 17 is secured to the support arm 12 by passing threaded ends of its legs 26 and 27 through holes 22 and 23 extending horizontally through support arm 12 and securing them by means of wing nuts 19. An important feature of the support device is that the holes 22 and 23 are located in the support arm 12 so that the leg 26 is substantially lower than the leg 27 when the support arm 12 is horizontal. In this example a notional line drawn between the centres of holes 22 and 23 is at an angle of 45 degrees to the elongate axis of the support arm 12.Thus the weight of the support arm 12, shelf 10 and anything carried thereon causes the lower leg 26 (which is towards the shelf 10) to act as a pivot. The result of this is that the limbs 26 and 27 are urged into contact with the column 11 and consequently friction between the legs 26, 27 and the column 11 is increased by the load on the shelf 10, and the device is restrained from sliding down the column 11.

The advantages of this form of mounting arrangement are as follows. It enables the support device to be easily secured to the column 11 at any height. The alleviation of the support device sliding down the pole 11 does not depend solely on the tension applied to the U-bolt 17 from tightening of the wing nuts 19 (so the wing nuts 19 do not need to be done up very tightly). The same sized U-bolt 17 can be used to secure the device to a wide range of sizes (diameters) of the column 11 (particularly where the general horizontal extension of the support arm is not critical). As the wing nuts 19 do not need to be done up very tightly, the support device can be easily detached from the column 11.

An additional hole or holes 24 can be provided in the support arm to enable U-bolts of different sizes to be used, so that the support device can be readily secured to columns of different sizes.

In this embodiment the limb 25 is circular, however brackets of different shape, such as a rectangular channel can be used, fdr example, where it is desired to attach a shelf to columns of square of oblong rectangular section. Columns can be of wood or metal and the invention may be used to support items such as plant pots or tubs, or can even- be used as a seat or table.

Plastics-moulded end caps 20, 21 are provided to close the ends of the box section support arm 12.

Figure 3 illustrates an end of a support arm 30 to which may be secured a bracket member such as a U-bolt (not shown) similar to that used in the previously described embodiment of the invention, to secure the support arm to a pillar 31. The U-bolt can be secured to the support arm 30 by inserting one of its free ends into one ofa set of holes 32 in the arm and the other into one of a set of holes 33 in the arm while the U-bolt straddles the pillar 31.

A feature of this embodiment of the invention is that the set of four holes 32 are located along an approximately straight line extending diagonally away from an upper edge 34 of the arm 30. The set of holes 33 are located on part of an arc of a plurality of different circles each of different radii and being centred on one of the set of holes 32.

This feature enables the support arm 30 to be secured to pillars 3f of a range of dimensions, and at different angles with respect to the pillar, 31 while using only one size of U-bolt. Thus for example, for a pillar having a diameter slightly less than the width of the U-bolt. The U-bolt may be secured between the holes 32a and 33a so that the U-bolt is orientated relatively close to-the- horizontal. However if the pillar 31 is of a much smaller diameter than the width of the U-bolt, the U-bolt is secured in the holes 32a and 31 b so that the U-bolt is located in a plane at an acute angle relative to the horizontal. Similar relocation of the U-bolt can be used to adjust the angle of the support arm 30 relative to the port 31.For example, if the U-bolt is located in holes 32a and 31b and the support arm 30 attached to a pillar of relatively large diameter, the support arm will extend away from the pillar and be inclined upwardly.

In the embodiment of Figure 3 a wide range of holes can be provided as shown in the end of the arm 30 for one or different sizes of U-bolt; however, there may be situations where it desired to fit the support device in a way which cannot be accomodated by the locations of the holes 32 and 33.

To alleviate this difficulty the embodiment of support device shown in Figure 4 is proposed. In Figu-re 4 there is a support arm 40 having two arcuate slots 41 and 42 respectively. Each of the slots 41 and 42 is on the circumference of a national circle which could be drawn on the arm 40. A U-bolt 43 of conventional type has its legs 44 and 45 located, one in each, of the slots 41 and 42 so that the Ubolt straddles a pillar 46 with the limbs there of abutting the pillar 46. The support arm 40 may be adjusted to a desired angle with respect to the pillar 46 while the U-bolt rotates within the slots 41 and 42 to accomodate the establishment of the derived position of the support arm 40. Once the arm 40 is located two wedges 47 and 48, slidably mounted in grooves 49 and 50 are displaced longitudinally with respect to the arm 40 until curved wedge edges 51 and 52 abut the legs 44 and 45 of the U-bolt 43 where they project through the arm 40. The wedges 47 and 48 are now locked in posi- tion on the arm40 by means of wing nuts 51 and 52 which extend through the grooves 49 and 50.

The abutment of the wedges 47 and 48 with the legs 44 and 45 respectively of the U-bolt restrains rotation of the U-bolt and the support device is thus secured in position. By this arrangement the support device can readily be adjusted in an infinitely variable manner to any desired angle (within the limits imposed by the extent of arcs of the slots 41 and 42).

Claims (11)

1. A support device comprising a support arm having a longitudinally extending axis; and clamp ing means capable of securing the arm to extend from an upright pillar, said clamping means comprising a link part and two leg parts intended to straddle the pillar with the link part opposite the support arm, said leg parts engaging transversely with the support arm so that, with the arm secured to the pillar, one of the leg parts is lower than the other of the leg parts and the moment of the support device about the clamping means causes the leg parts to be urged into engagement with a pillar to alleviate vertical displacement of the support device.

2. A support device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said leg parts have threaded ends which are received through apertures in the support arm and retained therein (to provide clamping to a pillar) by nuts.

3. A support device as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least three apertures are provided at least one first aperture being located to receive therein one of said leg parts and at least two other of said apertures being disposed on an arc centered on the first aperture within any one of which other of said apertures is received the other of said leg parts.

4. A support device as claimed in claim2 wherein said apertures are arcuate slots having a common centre and disposed diametrically opposite one another; said leg parts being received one in each of said slots to be displaced therealong and about said common centre, and locking means capable of restraining said leg parts from displacement.

5. A support device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the locking means comprises wedge means slidably mounted on said arm to be displaceable to abut a leg part.

6. A support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the link part-and leg parts are formed by a U-shaped bolt.

7. A support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the link part is formed by a saddle or bracket from which the leg parts extend.

8. A support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a load carrying platform is secured to the support arm by bolts extending through apertures in said platform and into the support arm.

9. A support device for detachably mounting a horizontal load support platform, seat or shelf upon a vertical post, the device comprising a support arm, a flat across one end of the support arm, a U-shaped channel or saddle-shaped bracket member adapted to fit around the post to clamp the other end of the support arm to the post, the support arm being provided with aligned bracket receiving holes straddling the longitudinal arm axis and lying in a plane substantially at 45 degrees to the axis, the arm being adapted, when in use, to be bolted to the vertical post in a substantially horizontal position by placing a respective leg of the channel or bracket on either side of the post with each leg passing through a respective bracket receiving hole of the arm.

10. A support device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompany illustrative drawings.

11. A support device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in combination with an upright pillar on which the device is mounted.