GB2261161A

GB2261161A - Two-function supporting foot

Info

Publication number: GB2261161A
Application number: GB9123756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael David Graham Jewitt; John Aubrey Helyar
Original assignee: Canon Audio Ltd
Current assignee: Canon Audio Ltd
Priority date: 1991-11-08
Filing date: 1991-11-08
Publication date: 1993-05-12
Also published as: GB9123756D0

Abstract

A dual purpose foot assembly for a loudspeaker or other apparatus comprises a bolt 1 having a threaded region 10 that fits into a socket in the apparatus and has a spike 12 formed at one end. A thimble or foot 2 fits onto the bolt 1 in either one of two possible attitudes, as shown in Figure 1, and in Figure 2. <IMAGE>

Description

FOOT FOR SUPPORTING APPARATUS The present invention provides a dual purpose foot which may be used for supporting apparatus on the ground either at a point or over an area. Normally the apparatus will be provided with a plurality of the feet e.g. three or more.

It is known that for best sound a loudspeaker is supported on a floor or other hard surface by means of one or more spike feet in which the weight of the loudspeaker is transferred at one or more points to the hard surface. Where the hard surface is a wooden floor this method of support may be unacceptable to the user because of the risk of damage to the floor and the user may prefer a form of foot for supporting the loudspeaker in which the load is distributed over an area.

This invention provides a foot for supporting a loudspeaker or other apparatus which is dual purpose in that the weight of the loudspeaker can be transferred to a support surface either at a point or over an area. This may be achieved by providing a pointed member that fits into a rigid region of the loudspeaker or other apparatus and a-thimble or shroud that when fitted in one position provides the ground contacting surface instead of the pointed member doing so.

Preferably, when it is fitted the thimble or shroud conceals within itself the pointed member. Where the pointed member occurs at the base of a relatively long bolt or the like the thimble or shroud may be arranged to fit to the pointed member in a second position where it acts as a spacer between a point region of the pointed member and the body of the apparatus to which the foot is attached. The shroud may be caused to move along the pointed member between the first and second positions e.g. by being threadedly supported thereon. In an alternative and preferred construction, the thimble or shroud fits onto the pointed member in one attitude when in one position and is invertable so as to fit onto the pointed member when in the other position.

The foot assembly may further comprise a spacer sleeve to fit onto the pointed member to act as a spacer and to carry load when the thimble or shroud is fitted in said one position where it provides the ground contacting surface instead of the pointed member.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections of a loudspeaker spike and foot assembly with the parts in first and second positions where a pointed member forming part thereof is exposed and concealed respectively; Figures 3 and 4 are a side and end view of a pointed member forming part of the assembly of Figure 1 or Figure 2; Figures 5 and 6 are a longitudinal section and an end view of a shroud, thimble or foot forming part of the assembly of Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 7 and 8, Figures 9 and 10, Figures 11 and 12 and Figures 13 and 14 are diagrammatic views of further embodiments of the spike and foot assembly.

A first form of the spike and foot-assembly is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. It comprises a hexagonal threaded bolt 1, a thimble 2 open at one end, a sleeve 3, and a nut 4 that fits onto the bolt 1.

As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the bolt 1 comprises a relatively long main threaded region 10 of hexagonal profile with the hexagon being cut into the thread form so that the thread is deepest at the corners of the hexagon. At one end the bolt 1 there is a tapered region 12 defining the spike of the foot.

A thimble, shroud or foot 2 has a knurled or scalloped outer surface defining a finger grip and is closed at one end by a wall 14 in which there is formed a hexagonal through-hole 16 conforming to the region 10 of the bolt 1. When the bolt 1 is passed through the hole 16, the bolt is rotated on rotation of the thimble 2 to screw the foot into or remove the foot from a threaded socket in the base of the loudspeaker.

The wall 14 is recessed above and below the hole 16 to define upper and lower hexagonal sockets 18,20 for receiving the nut 4 either in the position shown in Figure 1 or in the position shown in Figure 2. The spacer 3 can fit around the bolt 1 within the thimble 2 as shown in phantom in Figure 1 or it can fit onto the threaded region 10 above the thimble 2 where it can act as a spacer. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the positioning of the spacer 3 in thimble 2 is optional, but it is convenient for storage of the spacer 3 e.g. where the mode of use is to change over the years.

In the position of Figure 1, the thimble 2 is carried on the bolt 1 in an upright attitude with the nut 4 received in the lower recess 20. The cup 2 acts as a spacer between the nut 4 and the base 11 of the loudspeaker cabinet, and a short portion of the threaded region 10 protrudes above the cup 2 for reception in a threaded socket 13 in the base of the loudspeaker cabinet. The spike 1 is exposed below the thimble 2 and supports the speaker on the ground.

In the alternative position shown in Figure 2, the thimble 2 is inverted with the nut 4 received in the socket 18 and with the spacer 3 placed on the threaded region 10 of the bolt 1 above the thimble 2 to act as a spacer, again leaving a short portion of the threaded region 10 protruding above the spacer 3 for reception in the threaded socket 13 at the base 11 of the speaker. The foot 12 is concealed within the thimble 2 which now acts as a foot and the flat rim 22 of the thimble provides a bluff ground-contacting surface which is less prone to damage a sensitive support e.g. wooden floor or other surface on which the speaker is to stand.

The spike and foot assembly of Figures 7 and 8 is generally similar, but has a large stud 25 that is attached e.g. by screws, to a lower part of the speaker cabinet and has larger and smaller threaded regions 27,29 to which a thimble 31 can be fitted in upright or inverted attitudes, concealing or revealing the spiked foot 12. The arrangement of Figures 9 and 10 has a stud 33 which depends below a speaker cabinet and has a threaded region 35 of large diameter leading to a smaller region 37 carrying a spiked foot 39. A threaded sleeve 41 on the region 35 can be rotated so as to conceal or reveal the spike 39, and acts as the ground contacting and load-bearing member when the spike 39 is concealed. In the arrangement of Figures 11 and 12, a thimble 42 can be carried on a threaded region 46 of a stud 44 in either an upright or an inverted attitude to conceal or reveal a ground contacting spike 48. The arrangement of Figures 13 and 14 is similar to that of Figures 9 and 10, except that the stud 50 has a threaded region 52 of constant diameter on which sleeve 54 is carried and which tapers to a ground contacting spike 56.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A foot for supporting apparatus on the ground either at a point or over an area comprising a pointed member for attachment below the apparatus to carry the weight thereof and a shroud that when fitted in one position can provide a ground contacting surface which carries the weight instead of the foot.

2. A foot according to claim 1, wherein the pointed member is concealed within the shroud when said shroud is fitted in said one position.

3. A foot according to any preceding claim, wherein the shroud can be fitted in a second position in which it acts as a spacer.

4. A foot according to claim 3, wherein the shroud is movable along the pointed member between the first and second positions.

5. A foot according to claim 4, wherein the pointed member has a threaded region onto which the shroud fits so that rotation of the shroud brings about movement of the shroud along the pointed member.

6. A foot according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shroud fits onto the pointed member in one attitude when in said one position and in a relatively inverted attitude when in said other position.

7. A foot for supporting apparatus on the ground substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of Figures 1 to 6 or 7 and 8 or 9 and 10 or 11 and 12 or 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A loudspeaker cabinet provided with one or more feet according to any preceding claim.