GB2216497A - Container supports - Google Patents

Abstract

A container 10, for example a fishing box, is supported on supports mounted on opposed walls, each support having a hollow bar 12 carrying spaced clamps 14 releasably holding legs 11 which can be individually adjusted up and down to keep the container level on uneven ground. The bar 12 has spaced bracket means 20 each bracket means comprising brackets 22, 23 above and below the bar and connected by bolts 31 to a common plate on the interior of the wall. The brackets 22, 23 are connected by a bolt 27 extending through the bar 12. The legs may support other bars 12. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINER SUPPORTS This invention relates to container supports.

According to this invention a container comprises opposed walls, and supports connected respectively to the opposed walls, each support comprising an elongate member connected to the wall at locations spaced along the elongate member, and spaced legs connected to the elongate member.

Each leg may be adjustable up and down relative to the associated elongate member.

The elongate member may be connected to the respective wall by two spaced bracket means.

Each bracket means may comprise an upper bracket and a lower bracket respectively connected to the wall above and below the elongate member.

The upper and lower brackets may comprise flat walls respectively engaging the outer surface of the container wall and a surface of the elongate member.

The upper and lower brackets may be connected together by means extending through the elongate member.

The upper and lower brackets may be connected to the wall by means extending through the wall and the respective bracket. Said means may extend through a plate on the inside of the wall and clamped by said means.

The legs may extend upwards from the elongate member.

The legs may support additional elongate elements.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box support; Fig. 2 is a part section of a mounting; and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a modified arrangement with a few parts omitted.

A container 10, for example a tackle box for a fisherman, which box may for example be moulded from a suitable plastics and therefore be slightly tapered as shown, has front, rear and side walls and each side wall is supported on two legs 11 located at the ends of a respective hollow (or solid) rectangular section bar 12 for example of aluminium. The legs 11 comprise rods 13 which extend upwards through apertures 12a in opposed sides of the bar 12 and can be adjusted up and down relative to the bar being releasably held in place by a clamp 14 having an operating knob 15. The legs 11 may have a ferrule 16 at one end for resting on hard ground and a point 17 at the other end so that the legs can be inverted in the bar with the points or point 17 digging into soft ground.The legs can be adjusted individually so that the upper surface 18 of the box 10 can be horizontal even if the legs rest on uneven ground. The clamp 14 holds bar 11 against bar 12. In some cases the bar 12 extends through clamp 14 and may carry several clamps 14.

Laterally spaced brackets 20 connect the bar 12 to the side wall 21 of the box. Another pair of legs 11 are similarly mounted to the opposed side wall of the box, Each bracket 20 comprises an upper bracket 22 and a lower bracket 23, both for example moulded as one piece from plastics, and generally the same, and comprising a flat wall 24 for lying against the outer surface of wall 21, a base wall 25 extending from the wall 24, and spaced strengthening ribs 26 connecting the walls 24, 25. The upper surface of wall 25 of bracket 22 has a central recess for receiving a head 27 of a bolt 28 extending through apertures in walls 25 of brackets 22, 23 and rperturesl2bin opposed walls of bar 12, with a nut 29 threaded on the end of bolt 28 being received in a recess in the downwardly facing surface of wall 25 of bracket 23.

The walls 24 are held to wall 21 by spaced bolts 30 having head 31 and stem 32 extending through wall 24 and an aperture in wall 21 and in a flat plate 33 on the inside of wall 21. The plate 33 carries two inward bosses 34 having an inwardly facing recess receiving non-rotatably a nut 35 threaded on sten 32. If desired an 0being 36 may embrace the stem 32 between plate 33 and wall 21 to assist in preventing ingress of liquid along the stem.

The brackets 22, 23 have edge flanges 22a, 23a between the bar 12 and the wall 21.

Thus the weight of the box, which may be used as a seat, is supported at four locations 20, to at each side, spaced at the sides of the box, each pair of locations 20 at each side being connected by bar 12 (which is to be contrasted with an arrangement in which each leg 11 is individually and separately connected to wall 21). This distributes the weight via bar 12 between brackets 20 at each side and reduces the risk of damage to the box.

Also the brackets 22, 23 connect to wall 21 above and below bar 12.

Further bars 12 and rods 40 (e.g. a bank stick) can be connected axially and angularly by adjustable clamps 14 to one or more legs to provide a versatile support arrangement for various fishing aids.

The points 17 would normally be below or well below the level of the surface 18 and the legs 11 would normally be at position 50 i.e. inside or between the fore and aft edges of wall 21.

It is to be emphasized that the bar and bracket arrangement provides a firm base for an extensive add-on system of bars, clamps and other elongate members. Each bar 12 may support several items such as a rod rest or a keep net stand which could be located between the legs of a user sitting on seat 18. The support arrangement may be used with other containers.

Claims (15)

1. A container comprising opposed walls, and supports connected respectively to the opposed walls, each support comprising an elongate member connected to the wall at locations spaced along the elongate member, and spaced legs connected to the elongate member.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, in which each leg is adjustable up and down with respect to the elongate member.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the elongate member is connected to the respective wall by two spaced bracket means.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3, in which each bracket means comprises an upper bracket and a lower bracket respectively connected to the wall above and below the elongate member.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 4, in which each bracket comprises a flat wall engaging the outer surface of the container wall and a surface of the elongate member.

6. A container as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, in which the upper and lower brackets are connected together by means extending through the elongate member.

7. A container as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 6, in which the upper and lower brackets are connected to the wall by holding means extending through the wall and the respective bracket.

8. A container as claimed in Claim 7, in which the holding means extends through a plate on the inside of the wall and held by said means.

9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elongate member is hollow and the legs extend through the elongate member.

10. A container as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, in which the legs extend above the elongate member.

11. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least two legs support a further elongate element.

12. A container as claimed in Claim 11, in which the further elongate element is supported by a further leg.

13. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. A support for a container as claimed in any preceding claim and comprising an elongate member, two spaced bracket means associated with the elongate member for connection to the wall, and spaced legs connected to the elongate member.

15. A support for a container and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.