GB2229352A

GB2229352A - Wine racks

Info

Publication number: GB2229352A
Application number: GB8906620A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Edward Hargan
Original assignee: VINRAX Ltd
Current assignee: VINRAX Ltd
Priority date: 1989-03-22
Filing date: 1989-03-22
Publication date: 1990-09-26
Also published as: GB8906620D0

Abstract

A wine rack comprises a board (11), e.g., of wood, and means (12) for securing it to a wall with space between the rear (13) of the board (11) and the wall, the board (11) having a plurality of holes (14) inclined downwardly from the front (15) to the rear (13). The wine bottles are supported solely at their neck portion in a manner that a wine bottle whose mouth and adjoining neck portion are inserted into any one hole (14) will be supported generally horizontally - but preferable inclined slightly downwards from bottom to mouth i.e., in the usual racking attitude - by the neck resting on the lower front edge (19) of the hole (14) and by the usual flange adjacent the mouth engaging behind the upper edge (21) of the hole. The wine rack has a low cost construction yet is attractive in appearance whether empty or full (or nearly so) of wine bottles. <IMAGE>

Description

WINE RACKS This invention relates to wine racks and has as a principal object the provision of a wine rack adapted to be secured to a wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wine rack which when empty (or substantially so) does not occupy a lot of space.

A further object is to provide a wine rack of simple low cost construction yet which whether full of wine bottles or empty (or substantially so) is attractive in appearance.

According to the present invention, a wine rack comprises a board-like member and means for securing it to a wall with space between the rear of the board-like member and the wall, the board-like member being provided with a plurality of holes inclined downwardly from the front to the rear and of such a diameter in relation to the thickness of the board-like member such that a wine bottle whose mouth and adjoining neck portion are inserted into any one hole will be supported generally horizontally by the neck resting on the lower front edge of the hole and by the usual flange adjacent the bottle mouth engaging behind the upper rear edge of the hole.

The angle of inclination of the holes and their diameter in relation to the thickness of the board-like member are preferably such that EEC standard 75cl bottles will be supported inclined slightly downwards from bottom to mouth i.e. in the usual racking attitude.

The means for securing the board-like member to a wall with space between them may conveniently be blocks or bars secured to the back of the board-like member and screw-holes through both the board-like member and the blocks or bars.

The board-like member may-consist of a small plank of wood, which may be bored so as to be adapted to extend horizontally, or a plurality of such bored planks may be assembled one above another to form a panel with a multiplicity of holes.

Preferably, however, the board-like member consists of a small plank of wood that is bored so as to be adapted to extend vertically, or a plurality of such bored planks assembled side-by-side to form a panel with a multiplicity of holes.

A plurality of small bored planks may be secured together by spacer bars, nailed, screwed or glued to all the planks and provided with screw-holes also extending through two or more of the planks for r e ce iv i n g screws for fixing to a wall, and/or a surrounding frame may be provided for the panel formed by a plurality of planks.

The wood plank or planks (and any frame) may be painted, but if unpainted, stained and/or varnished the grain of the wood can enhance the attractive appearance afforded by the pattern of holes.

Alternatively, the board-like member may be a panel moulded in plastics with holes extended rearwards by integral inclined flanges, and with integral tubular spacers for fixing screws; and the plastics material may be a simulated wood finish or veneer on the front surface.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is the front elevation of a wine rack element in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is the rear elevation of the wine rack element of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken from the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlargement of part of Figure 3 showing how each bottle is supported in a wine rack as in Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 is the front elevation of a wine rack in accordance with the invention comprising a plurality of elements as in Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 6 is the rear elevation of the wine rack of Figure 5.

In Figures 1 to 3, a wine rack 18 consists of a boardlike member 11 and means 12 for securing it to a wall (not shown) with a space between the rear 13 of the member 11 and the wall, the member 11 having a plurality of holes 14 inclined downwardly from the front 15 to the rear and of such a diameter in relation to the thickness of the member 11 such that a wine bottle 16 (Figure 4) whose mouth 17 and adjoining neck portion 18 are inserted into any one hole 14 will be supported generally horizontally by the neck resting on the lower front edge 19 of the hole and by the usual flange 2 adjacent the mouth 17 engaging behind the upper rear edge 21 of the hole.

Figure 4 shows in particular that the angle of inclination of the holes 14 and their diameter in relation to the thickness of the member 11 a-re such that bottles of one size (e.g., EEC standard 75cl bottles) will be supported inclined slightly downwards from bottom to mouth in the usual racking attitude.

In Figures 1 to 3 the board-like member 11 consists of a small plank of wood bored so as to be adapted to extend vertically, and the means 12 for securing it to a wall with a space therebetween consists of blocks 22, nailed, screwed or glued to the rear 13 of the plank and provided with screwholes 23 also through the plank.

In Figures 5 and 6 a wine rack 24 consists of a plurality of plank elements 11 as in Figures 1 to 3 secured side-by-side by bars 25, two of which are provided with screwholes 23 also through the adjoining plank elements, and the bars are connected by uprights 26.

Claims

1. A wine rack comprising a board-like member and means for securing it to a wall with space between the rear of the board-like member and the wall, the board-like member being provided with a plurality of holes inclined downwardly from the front to the rear and of such a diameter in relation to the thickness of the board-like member such that a wine bottle whose mouth and adjoining neck portion are inserted into any one hole will be supported generally horizontally by the neck resting on the lower front edge of the hole and by the usual flange adjacent the bottle mouth engaging behind the upper rear edge of the hole.

2. A wine rack as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the holes and their diameter in relation to the thickness of the board-like member are such that EFC standard 75cl bottles will be supported inclined slightly downwards from bottom to mouth.

3. A wine rack as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the means for securing the board-like member to a wall with space between them consists of blocks or bars secured to the back of the board-like member and screw-holes through both the boardlike member and the blocks or bars.

4. A wine rack as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the board-like member consists of a small plank of wood, bored so as to be adapted to extend horizontally.

5. A wine rack as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the board-like member consists of a plurality of bored planks as in Claim 4 assembled one above another to form a panel with a multiplicity of holes.

6. A wine rack as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the the board-like member consists of a small plank of wood that is bored so as to be adapted to extend vertically.

7. A wine rack as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the board-like member consists of a plurality of bored planks as in Claim 6 assembled side-by-side to form a panel with a multiplicity of holes.

8. Awine rack as in Claim 5 or Claim 7, wherein the plurality of small bored planks is secured together by spacer bars, nailed, screwed or glued to all the planks and provided with screw-holes also extending through two or more of the planks for receiving screws for fixing to a wall.

9. A wine rack as in Claim 5 or Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein a surrounding frame is provided for the panel formed by a plurality of planks.

1. A wine rack as in any one of Claims 4 to 9, wherein the wood plank or planks is painted, or is stained and/or varnished.

11. A wine rack as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the board-like member is a panel moulded in plastics with holes extended rearwards by integral inclined flanges, and with integral tubular spacers for fixing screws.

12. A wine rack as in as in Claim 11, wherein the plastics material has a simulated wood finish or veneer on the front surface.

13. A wine rack substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A wine rack substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.