GB2408810A

GB2408810A - Weighing scales cover

Info

Publication number: GB2408810A
Application number: GB0327394A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Royston Fox
Original assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Current assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Priority date: 2003-11-25
Filing date: 2003-11-25
Publication date: 2005-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-25
Also published as: GB2408810B; GB0327394D0

Abstract

A detachable cover (Figs 4, 5) is provided for scales having a suspension hook 16 and foldable arms with handles 26, 28. The cover, when fitted, allows access to the suspension hook 16 and the suspension loop 12 and can be readily unclipped to reveal the display 15.

Description

24088 1 0 Weighing scales cover The present invention relates to a

weighing scales cover to protect weighing scales which comprise a main body, a suspension hook at an intended bottom of the main S body, a weight indicator supported by the main body and attached to the suspension hook to provide an indication, on a display of the indicator on one side of the main body, of the weight of a load supported by the hook when the main body is held above the ground, and handles on opposite sides of the main body pivotally connected thereto so that they can be rotated about their pivotal connections from positions at which they project laterally from the body to stowaway positions in which they are closer to the main body.

It will be appreciated that such weighing scales can be supported above the ground by pivoting the arms to their projecting positions and by the user holding the weighing scales by those arms.

In addition, the scales may be provided with a suspension loop at the top of the main body, in which case the weighing scales can be supported above the ground by hanging them from a further support, such as a branch of a tree, using the suspension loop.

A problem encountered with these weighing scales is the risk of damage to the side of the main body which displays the weight being measured, or the risk of that side becoming dirty or frosted up when in the open air, so that the display can no longer be read by the user.

The present invention seeks to provide a remedy.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a weighing scales cover for covering weighing scales having the construction set out in the opening paragraph of the present specification, in which the cover comprises a shell which can be readily attached to the scales to cover a display face thereof and also readily removed from the scales, the cover being generally shaped to conform to that of the weighing scales and having shoulder portions which provide hollows in their interior to accommodate respective upper ends of the arms of the weighing scales when the latter are in their stowaway positions, and a recess or aperture in an intended lower part of the cover to provide access to the suspension hook even when the cover is in place on the weighing scales.

As a result, a load can be secured to the suspension hook whilst the cover is still in place, so that the latter does not have to be removed until a reading is about to be taken from the scales. This is particularly advantageous in bad weather conditions when the weighing scales are being used outdoors, for example to weigh a fish which has been caught by an angler.

An example of a weighing scales cover made in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic front view of weighing scales; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the scales shown in Figure 1, on a different scale, with arms thereof in respective stowaway positions; Figure 3 is a side view of the scales shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front view of a cover of the scales shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cover embodying the present invention; and Figure 5 is a side view of the cover shown in Figure 4.

The weighing scales shown in Figure 1 comprise a metal housing encased in a plastics moulded case made as two halves which are snapped together, constituting a main body 10, a suspension loop 12 secured to an upper portion of the main body 10 and being for use in suspending the scales, for example, from a branch of a tree, a weight indicator device 14 secured inside the main body 10, and providing a display 15 on the front side of the main body 10, and a retractable suspension hook 16 secured to the weight indicator device 14 in such a fashion that the indicator device 14 will show the weight of a load, such as a fish in a weigh sling, which is attached to the hook 16 in the display 15.

The hook 16 can be held in a retracted position by magnetic means (not shown) and readily extracted ready for use.

The main body 10 of the weighing scales is also I provided with strong solid aluminium arms 18 and 20 pivotally connected to respective opposite sides of the main body 10 by way of respective pivotal connections 22 and 24.

The arms 18 and 20 are provided with respective grip handles 26 and 28 which are made of a non-slip material, and can be pivoted from the positions they adopt as shown in Figure 1 in which the grip handles 26 and 28 extend outwardly from the opposite sides of the main body 10 to stowaway positions as shown in Figure 2 in which they are closer to, and indeed received into the main body 10.

Respective end portions 30 and 32 of the arms 18 and 20 which extend beyond the respective pivot connections 22 and 24 in a direction away from the hand grips 26 and 28 rest against respective abutments 34 and 36 to inhibit upward movement of the hand grip parts 26 and 28 beyond the horizontal positions they adopt when extended, as shown in Figure 1. Respective button and recess pairs 38 and 40 form readily releasable snap fit locators to hold the arms 18 and 20 in the extended positions in a readily releasable fashion. Further respective buttons 42 and 44 in the main body interior snap fit into the holes of the pairs 38 and 40 in the portions 30 and 32 to form a corresponding releasable snap fit location of the arms 18 and 20 when they are in their parked positions as shown in Figure 2.

A rigid plastic shell cover 50 shown in Figure 4 is formed with a shape that generally conforms with the front face of the weighing scales so as to cover that face, including the display 15 thereon. It has ear portions 52 and 54 which on their interior side provide hollows to receive the end portions 30 and 32 of the arms 18 and 20 when the latter are in their parked positions.

It also has an upper aperture 56 for the suspension loop 12 of the scales and a lower aperture 58 to enable the suspension hook 16 to be drawn out from the bottom of the main body 10 of the weighing scales even whilst the cover is in place on the scales. It also has cut away portions 62 to accommodate the arms 18 and 20 when they are in their parked or stowaway positions. The cover is also provided with a snap fit clip 64 at its base to snap under the bottom of the weighing scales when in use.

It will therefore be appreciated that when the weighing scales are in use and the cover is in place, the latter protects the display face of the weighing scales whilst at the same time enabling the latter to be prepared for a weighing procedure. This is because the cover does not inhibit access to the suspension hook 16 and provides access also to the suspension loop 12.

Once the user is ready to check a reading, the clip 64 can readily be snapped away from the bottom of the weighing scales and the cover can be lifted up to reveal the weight as shown on the display 15. -6 -

Claims

Cla s: 1. A weighing scales cover to protect weighing scales which

comprise a main body, a suspension hook at an intended bottom of the main body, a weight indicator supported by the main body and attached to the suspension hook to provide an indication, on a display of the indicator on one side of the main body, of the weight of a load supported by the hook when the main body is held above the ground, and handles on opposite sides of the main body pivotally connected thereto so that they can be rotated about their pivotal connections from positions at which they project laterally from the body to stowaway positions in which they are closer to the main body, in which the cover comprises a shell which can be readily attached to the scales to cover a display face thereof and also readily removed from the scales, the cover being generally shaped to conform to that of the weighing scales and having shoulder portions which provide hollows in their interior to accommodate respective upper ends of the arms of the weighing scales when the latter are in their stowaway positions, and a recess or aperture in an intended lower part of the cover to provide access to the suspension hook even when the cover is in place on the weighing scales.
2. A weighing scales cover according to claim 1 in which the cover is provided with an upper aperture for a suspension loop of the scales.
3. A weighing scales cover according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the cover has cut away portions to accommodate the handles when they are in their stowaway positions.
4. A weighing scales cover according to any preceding claim, in which the cover is provided with a snap fit clip at its base to snap under the bottom of the weighing scales in use.
5. A combination of weighing scales having the features set out in claim 1 together with a cover as claimed in any preceding claim.
6. A weighing scales cover substantially as described herein with reference to and substantially as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A combination of weighing scales and a weighing scales cover substantially as described herein with reference to and substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.