GB2402594A

GB2402594A - Tie with lever-action tightening tool

Info

Publication number: GB2402594A
Application number: GB0313876A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William David Steadman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-14
Filing date: 2003-06-14
Publication date: 2004-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-14
Also published as: GB2402594B; GB0313876D0

Abstract

An Arrangement 22 for Supporting a Tree the arrangement 22 comprising a bracket 24 and a pair of elongate bands 28 each including a plurality of circular openings 30, the bands 28 being extendable in a loop from the bracket 24 around a tree. A pair of openings 38 are provided to receive first ends of the respective bands 28 folded therearound. A respective mounting opening 40 is provided a short distance from each of the openings 38. A pair of tangentially extending housings are provided adjacent each of the openings to receive the other ends of the respective bands 28. Inclined projections 46 (see fig 5) extend into the housings 42 from an upper wall thereof to retain the band 28 in the housing by engagement of the projections 46 through respective openings 30 in the bands 28. The loops of the bands 28 can be tightened by location of elongate tool 62 extending through an opening 30 at the free end of the respective band 28 extending from the housing 42, and also through an opening 30 in the first fixed end of the band 28 and through the respective opening 40, such that a lever action can be applied to the tool 62.

Description

1 2402594 Sunnort Arrangement This invention concerns a support

arrangement and also a support assembly, which assembly may be used to support an upstanding item such as a tree.

The applicant has previously invented a support apparatus suitable for supporting upstanding items such as trees as is disclosed for example in European Patent Specification No. 1109436. This arrangement includes a tie or strap which is tightened in a loop around the tree and mounts a number of brackets around the loop which themselves mount ground engaging support members. Tightening the tie or strap can be a relatively difficult task and may require the use of a band tightener.

According to the present invention there is provided a support arrangement, the arrangement comprising a bracket and an elongate member which can be bent so as to form a loop extending from and returning to the bracket, the bracket being arranged such that one end of the elongate member can be attached thereto, and the other end of the elongate member can pass through a tightening opening in the bracket to close the loop, and such that said other end can be moved through the opening to tighten the loop but will automatically be restrained to substantially prevent movement the other way to increase the size of the loop, a plurality of openings being provided in the elongate member such that the loop can be tightened by passing an elongate tool through an opening in the elongate member towards said other end of the elongate member, and moving the elongate member relative to the bracket by a levering action of the elongate tool.

The arrangement is preferably configured such that the elongate tool can pass through a second opening in the elongate member towards said one end thereof after passing through the first opening, such that the elongate tool can be pivotally moved relative to the second opening.

The arrangement may be configured such that the elongate tool can pass through a tool opening in the bracket after passing through the second opening in the elongate member.

The bracket may be arranged such that the other end of the elongate member extends from the tightening opening at an inclination to the one end of the elongate member. The bracket may have a generally arcuate configuration, and may be arranged such that the elongate member extends from said one end in a generally circumferential alignment, whilst the other end extends in a generally tangential alignment.

A mounting opening is preferably provided in the bracket about which said one end of the elongate member can be folded to mount said end on the bracket.

The tightening opening may be provided at the end of a passage on the bracket, through which passage the elongate member can extend. One or more formations may be provided in the passage which are engageable with the elongate member to permit movement in a direction to tighten the loop but to prevent movement in a direction to increase the size of the loop. The formation or formations may each comprise an inclined projection engageable in the openings in the elongate member.

A mounting structure may be provided on the bracket to permit items to be mounted thereto, and the structure may comprise a threaded passage.

The arrangement may also include an elongate tool engageable in the openings in the elongate member. A notch or other formation may be provided on the elongate tool to prevent the same sliding through the elongate member when causing movement thereon.

The invention further provides a support assembly, the assembly comprising a support arrangement according to any of the preceding eight paragraphs, and one or more support brackets through which the elongate member can pass when in a loop.

The support brackets preferably include a mounting structure to permit items to be mounted thereto, and the structure may comprise a threaded passage.

A rigid ground engaging elongate support member may be provided for each bracket, and selectively mountable thereto to permit the support l O assembly to support an upstanding item.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 15Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a previous arrangement devised by the applicant; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of a support arrangement according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of the arrangement of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of part of a tool usable with the arrangement of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side view of part of the arrangement of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of part of an alternative arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a prior support apparatus 10 devised by the applicant for supporting a tree 12. The apparatus 10 comprises a mounting part 14 in the form of three identical brackets 16 which are mounted around the tree 12 by I three ties 18. A ground engaging rigid elongate member 20 is mounted to each bracket 16 to provide support for the mounting part 14. In practice it has been found relatively difficult to tighten the ties 18 or other arrangements which may have been used, and in practice it has often been necessary to use a band tightener.

Figs. 2 - 5 show a support arrangement 22 according to the invention.

The arrangement 22 comprises a bracket 24 and an elongate member 26 in the form of a band 28 with a plurality of circular equispaced openings 30. The two bands 28 extends from one end 32 in a loop, the whole of which is not shown, to the other end 34.

The bracket 24 has an arcuate main part 36 which can be located, for instance in use against a tree being supported. A first pair of tool openings 38 are provided towards one circumferential end of the part 36, with an opening 38 for each band 28. A pair of mounting openings 40 are provided each located a short distance from a respective one of the tool openings 38.

A tangentially extending housing 42 is provided adjacent each mounting opening 40 and is open ended to define a substantially tangentially extending passage 44. Three projections 46 extend into the passage 44 from an upper wall 48 thereof. The projections 46 are inclined towards the left as shown in Fig. 5.

An outwardly extending radial web 50 is provided which increases in height towards the middle of the main part 36. The web 50 mounts an inclined threaded passage 52 which can locate a bolt 54 as shown. Cut out recesses 56 are provided two on each circumferential edge of the main part 36 to locate the bands 28, and prevent same cutting into the main part 36.

Fig. 6 shows part of a similar arrangement except that the projections in the passage 44 are provided by a profiled strip 58 with inclined projections 60, which is riveted to the underside of the upper wall 48. ll l

In use, the one end 32 of the bands 28 is folded about a one of the openings 30 around an edge of the respective mounting openings 42. The remainder of the bands 28 are formed into a loop and the other ends 34 are passed through the passages 44. The projections 46 permit the loops to be tightened but do not permit them being loosened by being increased in size.

The loops can be tightened using an elongate tool 62 as shown in Fig. 2. The tool 62 is passed through one of the openings 30 towards the other end 34 of the respective band 28 which has passed through a passage 44. The tool 62 is then passed through two aligned openings 30 which are nearest the respective mounting opening 40. These band openings 30 will be aligned as the band 28 has been folded about the opening 30 intermediate thereof. Between the two aligned openings 30, the tool 62 is pushed through the respective tool opening 38, and if the bracket 24 is mounted against a tree the tool 62 may engage with the tree.

The tool 62 can be moved in a lever action about the band opening 30 in the one end 32 thereof to the left hand side as shown in Fig. 5. This causes tightening of the respective loop, and the projections 46 prevent the band 38 moving back to the right as shown in Fig. 4 to increase the size of the loop. A notch 64 is provided in the tool 62 towards the proximal end thereof.

The notch 64 is engagable with the opening 30 in the other end 34 to prevent the band 28 sliding along the tool 62.

In practice, the arrangement 20 may form part of an assembly similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with one or more further support brackets with openings therein to permit the band 28 to pass therethrough. The bolt 54 will permit rigid elongate members as per the elongate members 20 to be mounted thereto to provide ground engaging support, and similar mounting arrangements would be provided on the further brackets.

There is thus described a support arrangement, and a support assembly including such an arrangement which readily provides for tightening l of a loop around for instance a tree or elsewhere by the use of a simple tool, thereby preventing the requirement for the use of band tighteners or other such implements. The arrangement is of relatively straightforward construction and can thus be inexpensively and robustly manufactured.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, in some circumstances only a single band may be required. Different formations could be provided to prevent widening of the loops.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims 1. A support arrangement, the arrangement comprising a bracket and

an elongate member which can be bent so as to form a loop extending from and returning to the bracket, the bracket being arranged such that one end of the elongate member can be attached thereto, and the other end of the elongate member can pass through a tightening opening in the bracket to close the loop, and such that said other end can be moved through the opening to tighten the loop but will automatically be restrained to substantially prevent movement the other way to increase the size of the loop, a plurality of openings being provided in the elongate member such that the loop can be tightened by passing an elongate tool through an opening in the elongate member towards said other end of the elongate member, and moving the elongate member relative to the bracket by a levering action of the elongate tool.
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the arrangement is configured such that the elongate tool can pass through a second opening in the elongate member towards said one end thereof after passing through the first opening, such that the elongate tool can be pivotally moved relative to the second opening.
3. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the arrangement may be configured such that the elongate tool can pass through a tool opening in the bracket after passing through the second opening in the elongate member.
4. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which the bracket is arranged such that the other end of the elongate member extends from the tightening opening at an inclination to the one end of the elongate member.
5. An arrangement according to claim 4 in which, the bracket has a generally arcuate configuration, and is arranged such that the elongate member extends from said one end in a generally circumferential alignment, whilst the other end extends in a generally tangential alignment.
6. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which a mounting opening is provided in the bracket about which said one end of the elongate member can be folded to mount said end on the bracket.
7. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which the tightening opening is provided at the end of a passage on the bracket, through l O which passage the elongate member can extend.
8. An arrangement according to claim 7, in which one or more formations are provided in the passage which are engageable with the elongate member to permit movement in a direction to tighten the loop but to prevent movement in a direction to increase the size of the loop.
9. An arrangement according to claim 8, in which the formation or formations each comprise an inclined projection engageable in the openings in the elongate member.
10. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which a mounting structure is provided on the bracket to permit items to be mounted thereto.
11. An arrangement according to claim 10, in which the structure comprises a threaded passage.
12. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which the arrangement also includes an elongate tool engageable in the openings in the elongate member.
13. An arrangement according to claim 12, in which a notch or other formation is provided on the elongate tool to prevent the same sliding through the elongate member when causing movement thereon.
14. A support assembly, the assembly comprising a support arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, and one or more support brackets through which the elongate member can pass when in a loop.
15. An assembly according to claim 14, in which the support brackets include a mounting structure to permit items to be mounted thereto.
16. An assembly according to claim 15, in which the mounting structure l O comprises a threaded passage.
17. An assembly according to any of claims 14 to 16 in which, a rigid ground engaging elongate support member is provided for each bracket, and selectively mountable thereto to permit the support assembly to support an l 5 upstanding item.
18. A support arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs 2 to 5 in the accompanying drawings.
19. A support arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Fig 6 in the accompanying drawings.
20. A support assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs 2 to 5 in the accompanying drawings.
21. A support assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Fig 6 in the accompanying drawings.
22. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.