GB2179023A

GB2179023A - String holder

Info

Publication number: GB2179023A
Application number: GB08520361A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Walker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-08-14
Filing date: 1985-08-14
Publication date: 1987-02-25
Also published as: GB8520361D0

Abstract

A string holder has an elongate stem (1) with a weight (6) attached to one end thereof. At the other end of the stem is a retainer (7), mounted for movement about a pivot axis (8) between a retaining position making an angle of not more than 90 DEG to the stem and a release position substantially in axial alignment with the stem. Weight (6) is sufficiently heavy so that the centre of gravity of the holder lies close to the one end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION String holder This invention relates to string holders. There are many occupations where string is used to establish guide lines or for other purposes and the difficulties of handling string in a tangle-free manner are well known. String may commonly be handled in balls or wrapped around a length of wood or other elongate member in order to assist handling, but even then problems arise. One particular problem is if the ball or holder is dropped when working some distance above the ground, as the string will simply unwind as the remainder of the ball or the holder falls to the ground.

This requires the user to descend in order to retrieve the string, and also puts him to the trouble of having to rewind the string onto the ball or holder. The invention seeks to provide a string holder that will assist in overcoming these problems.

According to the invention a string holder comprises an elongate stem around which string may be wrapped, a retainer at one end of the stem and located or locatable in a retaining position wherein said retainer extends from the stem at an angle of not more than 90 to the stem, and weighting means disposed so that the centre of gravity of the holder lies close to the second end of the stem.

In use string can readily be wound around the stem and conveniently held thereon. If the free end of the string is held or tied to a fixed object and the holder is accidentally dropped it is found that the holder rapidly moves into a position with its second end downwardly and that the string catches and is retained on the retainer. The falling movement of the holder is thus arrested and it may be lifted by winding up the length of string lying between the fixing point and the holder.

The retainer may be fixed in its retaining position relative to the stem, although it is preferable that the retainer is pivotally mounted on the first end of the stem about an axis perpendicular to the stem, for movement between the retaining position and a release position wherein the retainer is substantially in axial alignment with the stem.

With the retainer in the retaining position the holder will operate as aforesaid so that its fall will be arrested without the string unwinding completely. With the retainer in the release position it effectively forms an extension of the stem and this facilitates the initial winding of the string onto the stem, without the retainer providing any obstruction to the winding action. Additionally, it is often required that one end of string wound on a holder be secured in one position and the holder then thrown to another position so that the string may unwind as the holder travels between the two positions. Clearly, this cannot be done with the retainer in the retaining position, but with the retainer in the release position such action is permitted.

The reliability of the device is to some extent dependent on the angle between the stem and the retainer when in the retaining position, and on the distance from the stem to the free end of the retainer when in the retaining position. Preferably the angle is in the range of from 65 to 85 , with a more particularly preferred range of 70* to 80 . When the retainer is in the retaining position the free end of the retainer is desirably located between 8 mm and 30 mm from the stem, a more preferred range being from 1 5 to 25 mm.

The stem may be made of a rigid material or of a flexible material, the latter being preferred in order to avoid accidental damage. A weighting means may be provided in any one of a number of forms, for example by packing lead or other heavy material into a hollow at the second end of the stem, or by enclosing the second end of the stem in a heavy material. The preferred arrangement is to provide a separate weight to which the second end of the stem is secured by a threaded connection. The first end of the stem may conveniently also be in the form of a separate section which is threaded to the main body of the stem at the end remote from the weight. By utilising such threaded connections the materials used for the weight, the main body of the stem and the retainer may each be optimised.

In order that the invention may be better understood an embodiment of a string holder in accordance therewith will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 show respectively front and side elevations of the holder.

Referring to the drawings these show a string holder having a elongate stem 1 around which string (not shown) may be wrapped. The stem comprises a main body 2 having threaded ends 3 and 4 and a first end section 5 secured to the threaded end 3. A weight of heavy material 6 is connected to the stem by the threaded end 4 so that the centre of gravity of the holder is in the region of the weight.

The first end section 5 of the stem has a retainer 7 pivoted to its free end about an axis 8 perpendicular to the stem. The retainer can be pivoted about the axis 8 between the retaining position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 and a release position shown in broken lines in Figure 1 wherein the retaining section lies substantially in axial alignment with the stem 2.In the retaining position the angle oc between the retainer and the stem is preferably from 65 to 85 , more preferably from 70 to 80 and in a presently preferred embodiment about 76 . The pivotal connection between the retainer and the stem is such that frictional forces between these elements will be sufficient to hold the retainer in the retaining position against forces normally encountered in use. When in the retaining position it is preferred that the distance x between the stem and the free end of the retainer lies between 8 and 30 mm, more desirably between 14 and 25 mm.

Any suitable materials may be used for the respective parts of the string holder, it being presently preferred to use a resilient nylon rod for the main part 2 of the stem, a plated steel or other non-rusting heavy metal for the weight section 6 and aluminium for the stem section 5 and retainer 7.

In use, with the retainer in the release position shown in broken lines in Figure 1 string may be wrapped around the stem 1, covering the length both of the main stem portion 2 and of the end portion 5.

The string may be wound to a thickness that desirably will exceed neither the maximum width of the weight 6 nor the distance x. Once the string has been so wound the retainer is moved to the retaining position shown in solid lines. String may be taken from the holder as required by supporting the holder in a substantially horizontal position and unrolling string therefrom. If the holder is accidentally released and commences to fall the presence of the weight will cause the holder to fall with the weight lowermost so that string will tend to unwind substantially vertically from the holder at the end 5 thereof. During this action the string will catch around the retainer 7, which will arrest the unravelling movement and the length of string between the retainer and an anchoring point at the other end of the string will then arrest the fall of the holder. This may then readily be retrieved.

It will be understood that the holder may be made to other dimensions and proportions than those shown in the drawings.

Claims

1. A string holder comprising an elongate stem around which string may be wrapped, a retainer at one end of the stem and located or locatable in a retaining position wherein said retainer extends from the stem at an angle of not more than 90 to the stem, and weighting means disposed so that the centre of gravity of the holder lies close to the second end of the stem.

2. A string holder according to claim 1 in which the retainer is pivotally mounted on the first end of the stem about an axis prependicular to the stem, for movement between the retaining position and a release position wherein the retainer is substantially in axial alignment with the stem.

3. A string holder according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the angle between the stem and the retainer when in the retaining position is in the range of from 65 to 85 .

4. A string holder according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the angle between the stem and the retainer when in the retaining position is in the range of from 70'to80'.

5. A string holder according to any one of the preceding claims in which, when the retainer is in the retaining position the free end of the retainer is located between 8 mm and 30 mm from the stem.

6. A string holder according to any one of the preceding claims in which, when the retainer is in the retaining position the free end of the retainer is located between 15 and 25 mm from the stem.

7. A string holder according to any one of the preceding claims in which the stem has a main body of flexible material, the weighting means is a separate weight secured by a threaded connection to the one end of the main body and the stem also comprises a separate section secured by a threaded connection to the other end of the main body.

8. A string holder substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.