GB2395226A

GB2395226A - Hook having a plurality of different sized supporting recesses

Info

Publication number: GB2395226A
Application number: GB0226542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel James Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-14
Filing date: 2002-11-14
Publication date: 2004-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-14
Also published as: GB2395226B; WO2004044471A1; AU2003283549A1; GB0226542D0

Abstract

A hook for supporting hoses, wires and cables comprises a stem 12 having a main hook portion 14 at one end with a dividing portion 28 projecting from it so that a main hanging recess 36 and a smaller secondary hanging recess 42 are defined thereby. At the other end of the stem a cable clip portion 18 is provided with a number of recesses 50 each arranged to support a respective cable. Two hose supporting portions 22, 24 defining part-circular recesses are also provided for supporting hoses. The hook also comprises a plurality of hook portions 22, 24, 50, defining recesses of different sizes which are open towards the main hook portion, 14. The hook may be moulded from a plastics material. The hook can also be used for hanging buckets, hanging baskets, or items of clothing or tools for storage.

Description

HOOKS The present invention relates to hooks and in particular to hooks

having a number of functions.

There are a large variety of situations in a domestic or commercial environment where a hook is useful to support or hang something on.

However, known hooks tend to be either of a very simple shape, so that they can be used for a number of tasks but are not necessarily well suited 10 to each task, or of a very specific shape so that they are suitable for only one specific task.

The present invention aims to provide a hook which is adapted for use in a number of tasks.

Accordingly the present invention provides a hook for supporting hoses or cables comprising a stem, a first hook portion at a first end of the stem arranged to hook over a supporting member such that the hook can be hung with the first end uppermost, and a plurality of further hook 20 portions defining recesses of different sizes which are open towards the first end, arranged to support hoses or cables.

Preferably said further hook portions include a hose supporting hook arranged to support a hose, more preferably two hose supporting hooks.

25 The two hose supporting hooks are preferably on the same side of the stem as each other, but could be on opposite sides.

The or each hose supporting hook is preferably on the same side of the stem as the first hook portion. This ensures that the hook will hang 30 reasonably vertically when one or more hoses are supported on it, which helps to ensure that the hoses are securely retained.

Preferably the or each hose supporting hook is curved to form a recess having a diameter of the order of 2 to 4 cm.

Preferably said further hook portions include a cable grip portion, which 5 may define a plurality of recesses each adapted to support a respective cable. For example the cable grip may conveniently define an elongate recess having a width which varies so as to define said plurality of recesses. 10 The cable grip may be on the opposite side of the stem to the hose supporting hook.

Preferably the first hook portion defines a recess which is divided by a dividing portion to define two hanging recesses each of which can be 15 fitted over a supporting member to hang the hook with the first end uppermost. The two hanging recesses are preferably of different sizes so as to be suitable for hanging the hook on different types of supporting members. Preferably the smaller of the hanging recesses is closer to the stem than the larger one.

Preferably the hook is formed from moulded plastics material.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in 25 which: Figure 1 is a side view of a hook according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the hook of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a rear view of the hook of Figure 1.

Referring to the figures, a hook 10 comprises a main stem 12, a main supporting portion 14 formed at one end 16 and to one side of the main stem 12, a cable grip portion 18 formed at the opposite end 20 and on the opposite side of the stem 12, and a pair of hose supporting portions 22, 5 24 extending from the same side of the stem 12 as the main supporting portion 14, one 22 at the opposite end 20 and one 24 between the two ends 16, 20 of the stem.

The main support portion 14 comprises an outer main hook portion 26 10 which extends in an arc from the end 16 of the stem 12, and a dividing portion 28 which projects from the inner surface 30 of the main hook portion 26. The main hook portion 26 extends through an arc of just over 180 so that its free end 27 points in a direction towards the other end 20 of the stem 12 and slightly inwards towards the stem 12. The dividing 15 portion 28 projects in a direction towards the other end 20 of the stem 12 and is spaced from the stem 12 and coplanar with the stem 12 and the main hook portion 26. Its outer side 32, furthest from the stem 12, is concavely curved, so that, together with the inner surface 34 of the main hook portion 26 it defines a main hook recess 36. The main hook recess 20 36 is tapered inwards at its inner end 38, widest at about its mid point, and narrows towards its mouth 40 which is defined between the free end 27 of the main hook portion 26 and the dividing portion 28.

Between the dividing portion 28 and the stem 12 a secondary hook recess 25 42 is defined which is narrower and shorter than the main hook recess 36.

The cable grip portion 18 extends from the opposite end 20 of the stem 12 to the main hook portion 14, and on the opposite side. It comprises a connecting portion 44 which turns through an angle of 180 and a 30 gripping portion 46 which extends parallel to the stem 12 and spaced from it. The inner surface 48 of the gripping portion 46 has three recesses 50

defined in it, the bases of which are spaced from the stem 12 by about 10mm so that a cable can easily be fitted into them. Rounded projections 52 between the recesses 50 are within about 5mm of the stem at their closest points, so that a cable cannot easily pass over them between one 5 recess 50 and the next.

The first hose supporting portion 22 projects from the same end 20 of the stem as the cable grip portion 18, but on the opposite side. It is curved in a substantially constant radius of curvature, through an angle of about 10 180 , branching off from the stem 12 at about 45 , and having its free end 54 pointing back in towards the stem and towards the other end 16 of the stem 12, at an angle of about 45 to the stem. It therefore defines a part-circular recess 56 which is open towards the end 16 of the stem 12 and generally rounded, but tapered towards its open side. The second 15 hose supporting portion 24 is identical in shape and orientation to the first 22, defining a corresponding recess 58, but is spaced from the ends 16, 20 of the stem 12 approximately half way between the first hose supporting portion 22 and the free end of the dividing portion 28. The recesses 56, 58 defined by the hose supporting sections 22, 24 are of a 20 suitable diameter to allow a typical garden hose to be supported in them, the narrowest upper part of each recess 56, 58 being of the order of 1.5 to 2cm across, and the widest part being of the order of 2.5 to 3.5 cm across. 25 The whole hook 10 is made of moulded plastics material. The stem 12, hose supporting portions 22, 24, and the end of the main hook portion 26 are substantially circular in cross section, and all of the edges and corners of the hook are rounded. The hook 10 is approximately 25 cm in length.

30 In use, the hook 10 can be used for a wide variety of purposes. Since the main hook recess 36 is open in one direction, and the recesses defined by

the cable grip portion 18 and the hose support portions 22, 24 are open in the other direction, when the hook 10 is hung up by means of the main hook portion 14, the recesses 56, 58 defined by the hose support portions 22, 24 and the cable grip portion 18 are open at the top. Therefore hoses, 5 cables, wires and such like can be hung over them to be supported by the hook 10. If cables or thin hoses are of the correct diameter, then a number of them can be supported, each in one of the recesses 50 in the cable grip portion 18. The hose supporting portions 22, 24 can be used either for supporting hoses or cables to keep them in a safe position. This 10 is particularly advantageous for keeping garden hoses off the ground to prevent them being trodden or tripped over and thereby disconnected. It is also advantageous for keeping electric cables, either for electric mowers or similar garden appliances or for vacuum cleaners and other indoor electrical appliances, off the ground as a precaution against 15 accidents. In either of these cases the hook 10 can easily be hung on a door or fence, a gutter, or the branch of a tree. Alternatively the hook 10 can be used for hanging other items such as buckets, hanging baskets, or for items of clothing or tools for storage, or indeed any of a very wide range of items.

If the hook 10 is to be hung on a narrow support such as a washing line or narrow rail, then the secondary hook recess 42 can be used. Because this is narrower than the main hook recess 34 it will fit more closely over a narrow line or rail, and because it is closer to the main straight part of 25 the stem 12, the hook will hang more vertically when the secondary hook recess 42 is used than when the main hook recess 42 is used.

The hook 10 can also be used the other way up, so that the hose support sections 22, 24 and the cable grip 18 are open towards the bottom, and 30 any of them can be used to hang the hook on a supporting item. In particular if the hook is to be hung on the top of a flat vertical object such

as the back of a chair, or a fence or an open door or window, then the cable grip 18 can be fitted over the flat object so that the stem 12 lies against it. An article to be supported can then be hung on the main hook portion 26 in the main hook recess 36, or in the secondary hook 5 recess 42.

Claims

1. A hook for supporting hoses or cables comprising a stem, a first hook portion at a first end of the stem arranged to hook over a supporting 5 member such that the hook can be hung with the first end uppermost, and a plurality of further hook portions defining recesses of different sizes which are open towards the first end, arranged to support hoses or cables.

2. A hook according to claim 1 wherein said further hook portions 10 include a hose supporting hook arranged to support a hose.

3. A hook according to claim 2 wherein said further hook portions include two hose supporting hooks.

15

4. A hook according to claim 3 wherein said two hose supporting hooks are on the same side of the stem as each other.

5. A hook according to any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the or each hose supporting hook is on the same side of the stem as the first hook portion.

6. A hook according to any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the or each hose supporting hook is curved to form a recess having a diameter of the order of 2 to 4 cm.

25

7. A hook according to any foregoing claim wherein said further hook portions include a cable grip portion.

8. A hook according to claim 7 wherein the cable grip portion defines a plurality of recesses each adapted to support a respective cable.

9. A hook according to claim 7 wherein the cable grip defines an elongate recess having a width which varies so as to define said plurality of recesses.

5

10. A hook according to any of claims 7 to 9 when dependent on claim 2 wherein the cable grip is on the opposite side of the stem to the hose supporting hook.

11. A hook according to any foregoing claim wherein the first hook 10 portion defines a recess which is divided by a dividing portion to define two hanging recesses each of which can be fitted over a supporting member to hang the hook with the first end uppermost.

12. A hook according to claim 11 wherein the two hanging recesses are 15 of different sizes so as to be suitable for hanging the hook on different types of supporting members.

13. A hook according to claim 11 wherein the smaller of the hanging recesses is closer to the stem than the larger one.

14. A hook according to any foregoing claim wherein the stem is a straight section of substantially constant cross section.

15. A hook according to any foregoing claim formed from moulded 25 plastics material.

16. A hook substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.