GB2271272A

GB2271272A - Adjustable bracket assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2271272A
Application number: GB9319376A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher John Samwell
Original assignee: NewTeam Ltd
Current assignee: NewTeam Ltd
Priority date: 1992-10-06
Filing date: 1993-09-20
Publication date: 1994-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2013-09-20
Also published as: GB2271272B; GB9319376D0

Abstract

An adjustable bracket assembly especially for a shower head or hand set (5) comprises a bracket (1) of curved form for fixing to a wall (2) or other support and a support member (4) consisting of a clip (40) for the shower head (5) and ring shaped lugs (41) about the lower part (10) of the bracket (1). The lugs (41) can be moved along and/or about the bracket part (10) for adjusting the shower head (5) to a required position of use. The lugs (41) may have a frictional "stayput" action about the bracket part (10) or preferably they are releasably locked to the bracket such as by a locking ring (44) having an eccentric co-action between the bracket part (10) and the clip (40) or by the finger piece (45) with the lugs (41). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Adjustable Bracket Assemblv The object of this invention is to provide a bracket assembly primarily for adjustably supporting a shower head or handset of a bathroom or like shower but also capable of providing adjustable support for various other purposes.

A particular object is to provide an adjustable bracket assembly of neat and unobtrusive appearance compared with the well known column support of a shower head or handset yet which provides an adequate extent of shower head adjustment. These and other practical advantages will be apparent from the following description.

According to the invention an adjustable bracket assembly comprises a bracket member of curved form adapted to be secured to a wall or other support, and a support member for holding an article such as a shower head or handset, which support member is retentively movable along and/or about at least a part of the curved form bracket memberin order to dispose a said article or shower head at a required position of use.

A practical form of the adjustable bracket assembly in accordance with this invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bracket assembly in position of use; Figures 2 and 3 are front and rear end views respectively; Figure 4 is an underside plan view; Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the handset support member and locking ring piece, and Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of an end of the bracket and removable screw concealing cap.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the bracket member 1 is of curved form such as the substantially semi-circular form shown and is adapted to be secured to a bathroom or shower cabinet wall 2 or other support at its ends, e.g. by screw or bolt mounting at 3.

Retentively mounted on the curved bracket 1 is a support member 4 consisting of a holder or clip 40 and a gapped collar or pair of spaced apart co-axial ring shaped lugs 41 fast or integral therewith, which lugs 41 slidably and rotatably fit about the curved bracket 1 of round or largely round cross section for the purpose. Thus a curved axis of the lugs 41 corresponds to the curvature of the bracket 1. The cross section of the bracket 1 is shown of generally D-form with a flat inner curved surface 12.

The holder or clip 40 is adapted to hold and support a shower head or handset indicated at 5, the clip 40 receiving the neck or junction 50 of the flexible hose 51 to the handset 5. As will be appreciated movement of the support member 4 along the curved bracket 1 raises or lowers the handset 5 in an angular manner whilst further angular adjustment of the handset 5 is obtained by turning the lugs 41 about the bracket 1.

For shower purposes adequate adjustment of the support member 4 along the lower part or quadrant 10 of the bracket 1 is sufficient for which purpose a stop 14 is provided substantially midway along the bracket 1 by enlargement of the diameter of the upper part 11 of the bracket 1. Thus undesired direction of the shower spray is avoided or minimised.

The lugs 41 of the support member 4 may frictionally engage about the bracket for self retaining "stayput" adjustment of the support member 4 in a required position of use but for ease of operation and firm adjusted location of the handset 5, the support member 4 is preferably releasably lockable in any position to which it is adjusted.

For this purpose a locking ring 44 (Figure 5) is provided interposed between the support member lugs 41 and having an operating finger piece 45. The axis of the hole 46 of the locking ring 44 is slightly offset and/or its exterior is profiled so that the locking ring 44 has an eccentric action as it is turned about the bracket 1. This causes the locking ring 44 to co-act with the support member 4 whereby the pair of lugs 41 of the latter and the locking ring 44 are either thrust into frictional locking contact with the bracket 1 or conversely are released from such contact. Such eccentric co-action of the locking ring 44 and the lugs 41 may be obtained by the exterior of the ring 44 co-acting with the rear face 42 of the holder or clip 40 or the shoulders 47 of the finger piece 45 may co-act with the adjacent exterior of the lugs 41.

The locking ring 44 may co-act with eccentric or like formation on the rear face 42 of the holder or clip 40 and/or the shoulders 47 of the finger piece 45 may co-act with exterior eccentric formation of the lugs 41. In the last mentioned case the locking ring 44 itself need not be of eccentric form.

Such readily operated locking and release action of the support member 4 enables it to be easily and quickly adjusted to a required position of use especially where the exterior of the bracket 1 is of smooth or polished finish.

As will be apparent from the foregoing the bracket assembly is of simple and compact form of which the bracket 1, support member 4 and locking ring 44 can be produced as low cost plastic components. For economy of material the bracket 1 may be of hollow form and internally reinforced e.g. by internal webbing for suitable strength.

Referring to Figure 6 each mounting screw opening 15 of the bracket 1 is shown protectively concealed by a masking cap 16 shaped so as to blend or fair with the exterior round section form of the bracket 1 and is retentively received by a corresponding recess 17 in the latter such as by frictional sliding or snap engagement.

Various modifications may be made to the bracket assembly within the scope of the invention herein defined.

Claims

1 An adjustable bracket assembly comprising a bracket member of curved form adapted to be secured to a wall or other support, and a support member for holding an article such as a shower head or handset, which support member is retentively movable along and/or about at least a part of the curved form bracket member in order to dispose a said article or shower head at a required position of use.

2 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support member is frictionally movable along and/or about at least a part of the curved form bracket member for self retaining "stayput" adjustment relative thereto and/or is releasably lockable in any position to which it is adjusted on the bracket member.

3 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein co-operating parts of the curved form bracket member and support member are of round or substantially round cross-section for relative sliding and/or rotatable adjusting movement.

4 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 1, 2 or

3 wherein the support member includes a collar or ring formation retentively slidable and/or movable about at least a part of the curved form bracket member, the axis of the collar or ring formation of the support member being of correspondingly curved form.

5 An adjustable bracket assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein an operable locking member is provided which co-acts between the curved form bracket member and the support member or collar or ring formation of the latter whereby the support member is frictionally locked on the bracket member or released for adjusting movement along and/or about at least part of the curved form bracket member.

6 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 5 wherein the locking member consists of a locking ring operable for turning movement about at least part of the curved form bracket member and having an eccentric co-action between the latter and the support member and/or collar or ring formation thereof for obtaining frictional locking of the support member on the bracket member or release for adjusting movement thereon.

7 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 6 wherein the collar formation of the support member is gapped or consists of two spaced apart rings, the collar gap or space between the rings receiving the locking ring for said eccentric co-action between the bracket member and the support member or the collar or ring formation thereof in obtaining frictional locking of the support member on the bracket member or release for adjusting movement thereon.

8 An adjustable bracket assembly according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the locking ring is of internal and/or exterior eccentric form about the curved form bracket member for obtaining exterior eccentric co-action with the support member or with the collar or ring formation of the latter.

9 An adjustable bracket assembly when substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.