GB2569025A

GB2569025A - A tool mount system

Info

Publication number: GB2569025A
Application number: GB1816917.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lawrence Fowler Robert
Original assignee: Power Tool Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Power Tool Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2017-10-21
Filing date: 2018-10-17
Publication date: 2019-06-05
Also published as: GB201816917D0; GB201717330D0

Abstract

A tool mount system comprises mount members each having a mount plate 10 with an attachment mechanism 15 onto which objects such as tools and equipment 300 can mounted by sliding. The attachment mechanisms are hinged to allow for the different orientations required for carrying various objects whilst attached onto a belt (85, fig. 10) or clothing or other surface. Catches (30A, fig. 2), (30B, not shown), 35A, (35B, fig. 6) may be provided to enable latching of the hinge in at least one locked position. The attachment mechanisms preferably have sides 40A, 40B that are compressible against a resilient biasing means to release the attachment mechanisms from the catch arrangements so that they can hinge on their mount plates.

Description

A tool mount system [1] The present invention relates generally to a mount system for carrying and or fitting tools, power tools, equipment and parts and finds particular, although not necessarily exclusive, utility in carrying and or fitting handheld tools, portable handheld power tools, accessories therefor and parts. Within the following texts these items will collectively be known as equipment.

[2] Tool belts, tool jackets and other clothing for carrying tools are known whereby a required tool, such as a handheld tool or power tool, can be attached to a belt or jacket or other clothing with simple flexible straps or with shaped rigid metal or plastic hooks and loops or in holsters made of flexible and or rigid materials. By their nature these attachment methods are relatively inefficient at achieving good location and retention of pieces of equipment of different shapes and sizes on the belt or jacket or other clothing whilst also providing easy access to the pieces of equipment.

[3] Power tool mounts are also known whereby a piece of equipment can be attached to a mount on another object by sliding. For example a battery can be slid onto a cordless drill. However, these attachment systems are generally limited to attaching particular equipment in only one fixed plain or position and generally only on equipment of a rigid nature.

[4] EU3062969 describes a device whereby interchangeable pieces of equipment, in the form of tool heads, can be attached to another piece of equipment, in the form of a power tool handle. It may, for instance, be desirable to carry these pieces of equipment on a belt or on clothing, on occasions, however, these pieces of equipment may vary in shapes and sizes which can make it difficult to attach them securely and comfortably to the wearer. With some attachment methods there is also the possibility that pieces of equipment so mounted may stick out impractically from the wearer or could fall off the wearer accidentally. Both situations would be undesirable, and in some cases could be dangerous. Accordingly, it is desirable to fit pieces of equipment to the belt or clothing or other such carrying medium using a different means so as to provide secure, flexible and well located attachment while carrying the pieces of equipment and to enable easy removal when they are required for use.

[5] In a first aspect, the invention provides equipment mount members comprising mount plates with attachment mechanisms attached and arranged for securely attaching and retaining releasably various pieces of equipment to the mount members, a means to attach the mount members securely to a belt or other clothing or a hard surface, such as a box face, or other medium, a hinging mechanism to enable the attachment mechanism to be hinged when required, a latching arrangement to lock the attachment mechanism in at least one position in relation to the mount plate. Equipment may be arranged to fit to the attachment mechanism, and adaptors may also be used to adapt equipment to fit to the attachment mechanism. The number of equipment mounts is not limited but envisaged to be between 1 and 1000 per application. Within the following texts equipment mount members will henceforth be known as mount members, and adaptors and adapted equipment will henceforth be known as equipment.

[6] The mount members may be arranged to be attached permanently or non-permanently to a belt, clothing, hard surface or other medium by sewing, gluing, riveting, using hook and loop fastening materials, moulding-in, using clips, or other suitable fixing methods or processes.

[7] The mount members may also be arranged to include or form slots or loops for a belt to slide through to hold the mount members captively on the belt.

[8] The mount members may include attachment mechanisms that may be configured for the sliding, of the various pieces of equipment onto the mount members, in a direction that may be arranged to be aligned or nonaligned with, for instance, a belt. The pieces of equipment having corresponding mounting adaptations to enable them to slide on and off the attachment mechanisms.

[9] Each attachment mechanism may comprise one of a groove and a tongue for releasable engagement with one of a corresponding tongue and groove provided on the equipment. Each attachment mechanism may comprise at least two grooves or at least two tongues for releasable engagement with at least corresponding tongues and grooves provided on the equipment. The tongue(s) and groove(s) may slidingly engage with one another.

[10] When fitted to a belt or to clothing or other medium the mount members may each include a hinging mechanism to enable each attachment mechanism to hinge (individually), when required, to suit different types of equipment. Each mount member may include means to latch the hingeable attachment mechanism in a fixed position against the part of the mount member that is attached captively to the belt or clothing or other medium. The attachment mechanism may be releasable so that it can hinge freely between, for instance, 0 to 135 degrees relative to the outer face of the belt or clothing or other medium and the mount member attached thereto, according to the type of piece of equipment being attached (for carrying). Further, it is contemplated that in some applications the attachment mechanism may also be arranged to latch in various positions, for instance, in increments between 0 to 135 degrees.

[11] Each mount member may further include a latching arrangement to lock the piece of equipment onto the attachment mechanism. This latching arrangement may include a locking member which may protrude, when in the latched position, to prevent the sliding off of the piece of equipment. The locking member may be urged into position by a resilient biasing member when the base plate of the piece of equipment is fully installed into the attachment mechanism. The locking member may have an approximate step shape. The latching arrangement may include one or more buttons, for instance two buttons, which, when pressed, move the locking member out of the way so that the piece of equipment can be attached by sliding its base plate into the attachment mechanism or be removed by sliding it off.

[12] Other ways of latching the pieces of equipment are contemplated. For instance the locking member, the button, or buttons, and the resilient biasing member may be combined to form one and the same member, henceforth known as the stop member in these texts. As the piece of equipment is introduced to the attachment mechanism it may press against, and push away, the combined stop member such that it does not block the path of the base plate of the piece of equipment as it slides past. When the piece of equipment is fully mounted onto the mount member the combined stop member may then return to the latched position under its own urging. To release the piece of equipment the user may be required to press one of the buttons before sliding the equipment off. Further, it is also contemplated that the hingeable attachment mechanism and the combined stop member may also be combined to form a further combined member henceforth known as the attachment member in these texts.

[13] The locking member may have a shape other than step shaped such as partially wedge shaped.

[14] The hingeable attachment mechanism may hinge about one or more axles or pivots on one axis and may be located and fixed to the mount member by them and mounts which may include sleeves and or bearings. When it is not desirable for the hingeable attachment mechanism to hinge, one or more catch mechanisms may be provided to latch the hingeable attachment mechanism to the mount member.

[15] The hingeable attachment mechanism may further be fixed to the mount member by stub axles located and mounted in the mount member with formed hollow sleeves, or bearings, or including bearings, on two sides of the mount member to enable hinging and location by latching members on one or more sides, for instance on two sides.

[16] Other ways of fixing and hinging the attachment mechanism are contemplated. For instance a barrel and pin flanged plate hinge may be fixed along one face of the attachment mechanism and also fixed to the mount member. Alternatively the hinge may be made of flexible material or a living hinge may be fitted in a similar way to the barrel and pin hinge. A living hinge may also be formed such that the attachment mechanism and the mount member may be one and the same piece.

[17] The latching members may be catches. It is also contemplated that one side of the catches may be combined with the hingeable attachment mechanism. Also, that the other side of the catches may be combined with the mount member on which the attachment mechanism is hingeably mounted. The catches may include resilient biasing members to urge them into place. It is further contemplated that the resiliently biasing members and one side of the catches may be incorporated with the hingeable attachment mechanism to form one combined member.

Likewise it is contemplated that the other side of the catches may be formed as part of the mount member.

[18] The mount members may further include individual extension aprons, or one apron may be shared between more than one mount member, to provide protection for the user from abrasion and other damage from the pieces of equipment pressing against the user’s body. These aprons may be made of flexible materials or solid materials or a combination of both flexible and solid materials. In one embodiment the aprons may be attached to the mount members. In another instance the aprons may be fixed to the attachment mechanism. The aprons may be attached rigidly or flexibly and they may include hinging between the apron and the mount member or attachment mechanism. When more than one attachment mechanism is attached to, for example, a belt, one or more attachment mechanisms may include extension aprons and may be combined with one or more attachment mechanisms which may have no extension aprons.

[19] The mount members may include restraining members between the hingeable attachment mechanisms and the base of the equipment belt mount members. These restraining members may be permanently arranged, or adjustably arranged, to prevent the attachment mechanism from hinging further than a desired amount, for instance between 0 and 135 degrees, according to producer or user requirements. Further, the restraining members may be arranged so as to transfer some of the load of the piece of equipment from the unhinged end of the attachment mechanism to the base of the tool belt mount member thereby reducing the load on the hinging arrangement. These restraining members may be made of flexible materials or of rigid materials or a combination of both. In the case of a rigid restraining member, additional sliding and bearing arrangements, mountings and loops are likely to be required.

[20] In a second aspect, the invention provides equipment attachment members according to the first aspect and equipment attached thereto.

[21] The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

[22] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an equipment mount in the locked, unhinged position.

[23] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the equipment mount in Figure 1 just after being unlatched.

[24] Figure 3 is a schematic side perspective view of an equipment mount in the locked, unhinged position, with an unattached piece of equipment.

[25] Figure 4 is a schematic side perspective view of the equipment mount in Figure 3 with a piece of equipment introduced prior to sliding on.

[26] Figure 5 is a schematic side perspective view of the equipment mount Figure3 with a piece of equipment fully attached.

[27] Figure 6 is a schematic side perspective view of an equipment mount in the unlocked, hinged position, with an unattached piece of equipment and an adaptor.

[28] Figure 7 is a schematic side perspective view of the equipment mount in Figure 6 with an attached piece of equipment and an adaptor.

[29] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of an equipment mount in the locked, unhinged position with cables and terminals.

[30] Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a belt with equipment mounts, cables, batteries, a connector and an adaptor.

[31] The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Each drawing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

[32] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

[33] Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

[34] It is to be noticed that the term ’comprising’, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression ’a device comprising means A and B’ should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

[35] Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term ’connected’, used in the description, should not be interpreted as being restricted to direct connections only. Thus, the scope of the expression ’a device A connected to a device B’ should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. ’Connected’ may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not indirect contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

[36] Reference throughout this specification to ’an embodiment’ or ’an aspect’ means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases ’in one embodiment’, ’in an embodiment’, or ’in an aspect’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

[37] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[38] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[39] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[40] In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

[41] The use of the term at least one may mean only one in certain circumstances.

[42] The principles of the invention will now be described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features of the invention. It is clear that other arrangements can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

[43] In Figure 1, an attachment mechanism 15, which may be approximately ‘U’ shaped, is shown hinged and fixed onto a mount plate 10 by an axle 20 which may rotate in sleeves 25A and 25B on the mount plate 10. The attachment mechanism 15 may be in a locked position latched to the mount plate 10 by catch part 30A, shown, and mirrored on the other side with catch part 30B, not shown, on the attachment mechanism 15 and by corresponding catch parts 35A, shown, and mirrored catch part 35B on the other side, not shown, on the mount plate

10. Axle 20 is described as one axle but it may be two or more stub axles.

[44] In Figure 2, the attachment mechanism 15 is shown in an unlocked position just after being released from catch part 35A, shown, and mirrored catch part 35B, not shown, on the opposite side, with catch parts 30A revealed, shown, and mirrored catch part 30B on the opposite side, not shown.

[45] To move an attachment mechanism 15 from its locked position, as shown by attachment mechanism 15 in Figure 1, to its unlocked, partially hinged position, as shown by attachment mechanism 15 in Figure 2, may require the user first to unlatch the attachment mechanism 15. In this embodiment the two sides 40A and 40B adjacent to the hinged side of the attachment mechanism 15 may be arranged to be resiliently biased. In this instance the user may squeeze the sides 40A and 40B of the attachment mechanism 15 near their open ends sufficiently towards each other so that the catch parts 30A and 30B may disengage from catch parts 35A and 35B. Then, whilst still being squeezed, the ends of the attachment mechanism 15 can be rotated via the hinge axle 20 in the sleeves 25A and 25B, until catch parts 30A and 30B are clear of the mount plate 15 catch parts 35A and 35B. Then the sides 40A and 40B of the attachment mechanism 15 can be released by the user and may return to their original un-squeezed condition leaving the attachment mechanism 15 unlatched and free to rotate about the axle hinge parts 20, 25A, and 25B to the position desired by the user.

[46] The catch parts 30A and 30B may each take the form of an approximately rectangular cuboid protrusion forming an approximate step shape. The catch parts 35A and 35B may each take the form of a recess shaped to accept the catch parts 30A and 30B.

[47] Other shapes for the catch parts are contemplated. For instance catch parts 30A and 30B may have an approximate wedge shape and hence catch parts 35A and 35B may each take the form of a recess shaped to accept them.

[48] If required, for added security, the catch parts 30A and 30B may also each include a raised lip (not shown) at the top outermost long edge of their approximately rectangular cuboid protrusions which may be arranged to lock into appropriately shaped receiving parts 35A and 35B with additional recesses. To unlatch the catch parts 30A and 30B so equipped with raised lips may then require the user to first push the latched attachment mechanism 15 towards the mount plate and against a resiliently biasing member to release the catch parts 30A and 30B from the catch parts 35A and 35B before squeezing sides 40A and 40B to unlock and release the attachment mechanism. The resiliently biasing member may be a spring or springs or made of a compressible resilient material, such as rubber, or it may be arranged, with suitable holes in the mount plate 10, to be the object upon which the mount plate is attached, for instance a belt made of a resilient and compressible material.

[49] The buttons 45A and 45B, locking member 50, the resiliently biasing member 55, which may take the form of a leaf spring, and the attachment mechanism 15 may be formed as one and the same attachment member 60 in some embodiments.

[50] In Figure 3, the attachment member 60 is shown in a locked position with an unattached piece of equipment 300, such as represented by a power tool head. The piece of equipment 300 includes a base plate 310. An opening 65 is provided in the side of the recess 70 at one side of the attachment mechanism 15 to allow the base plate 310 to slide into the recess 70 in the direction indicated by arrow Ά. A projection 315 on the leading edge of the base plate 310 engages into a corresponding recess 70 provided to the sides, or around, the recess 70 and defined by an overhanging lip 32. The bottom of the base plate 310 may contact with the upper surface of the base of the recess 70 which may be defined by the resiliently biased member 50 of the attachment member 60. In the embodiment described and shown the open side is opposite the hinge end but it is envisaged that any side may be chosen to be the open side.

[51] In Figure 4, if the user introduces the piece of equipment 300 to engage with the attachment mechanism 15 on the mount plate 10 the locking member 50 may be pushed substantially out of the way during the process. The bottom of the base plate 310 may force the locking member 50 away from the exposed surface of the attachment mechanism 15. The piece of equipment 300 may then slide into the recess 70 in the attachment member 60.

[52] In Figure 5, the base plate 310 of the piece of equipment 300 is shown in the correct fully installed position where the locking member 50 may be arranged to move outwardly into open space at the open top end of the piece of equipment 300 or it may be arranged to move into a corresponding recess 320 provided in the base plate 310 or it may be arranged so that it can do both. The locking member 50 may prevent the base plate 310, and thus the piece of equipment 300, from being accidentally removed or becoming dislodged during carrying.

[53] To remove the piece of equipment 300 from the attachment member 60, and thus from the mount member 10, a button 45A or 45B may first have to be pressed. The buttons 45A and 45B may be arranged such that one or more have to be pressed a significant distance, which for instance may be between 1mm and 20mm, to avoid accidental unlocking. Adequate pressure on one of the buttons 45A or 45B may be arranged to move the locking member 50 sufficiently away from the surface of the attachment mechanism 15 to allow the base plate 310 to slide over the locking member 50 unimpeded. In this way, the piece of equipment 300 can be intentionally unlocked from the attachment member 60 and can be removed by sliding it in the opposite direction to that shown by arrow Ά.

[54] In one embodiment the mount plate 10, as shown in Figure 3, may have one or more slots 80 fitted or built-in or moulded-in so that it may, for instance, be mounted captively onto a belt, such as shown in Figure 8, by sliding the belt 85 through one or more slots 80 as presented.

[55] In Figure 6, the attachment mechanism 15 is shown in an unlocked position and hinged to an alternative working position. Thus, equipment of a shape or size that may not otherwise be carried on the belt, with the attachment member 60 in its locked position, may be attached and carried. Part of a piece of equipment 400, in the form of a power tool handle, with an adaptor 500, is shown in proximity to attachment member 60, but not attached.

[56] In Figure 7, an attachment member 60 may be arranged in the hinged position and a piece of equipment 400, such as a power tool handle, which may not be suitable for attaching and carrying with the attachment member 60 in the locked position, may be attached, carried and subsequently removed as required by the user. The process for attaching the piece of equipment 400 to the unlocked, hinged attachment member 60 may follow the same procedure as previously described for the attachment of a piece of equipment 300 when the attachment member 60 is in the locked, unhinged position.

[57] A piece of equipment 400, such as a power tool handle, may require adapting to fit the attachment mechanism 15. If the piece of equipment 400 has a suitable recess which is effectively of a similar type to that already described for the attachment member 60, then the adaptor 500 may first be slid onto the piece of equipment 400 and locked in position thereon, to prepare the piece of equipment 400 for sliding on to attachment member 60. Each adaptor of the type 500 may, for instance, be in a form that essentially replicates the base plate of a piece of equipment 310 that can be attached to the attachment member 60. Adaptors of the type 500 may be arranged to enable one of their parts 510 to be rotated in relation to the other part 515 in order to allow pieces of equipment such as 400 to take up a position that is convenient and comfortable for the user-wearer.

[58] For pieces of equipment that need to be adapted, but do not have the facility to receive adaptors of the type 500, alternative adaptors including part 510 of adaptor 500 may be fitted by appropriate means to the pieces of equipment (not referenced), for instance by bolts or rivets or adhesive or a partial or whole or other combination thereof or by alternative means. Once adaptors of a type like 510 have been attached to the pieces of equipment, the process for attaching the piece of equipment to either the locked or the unlocked, hinged attachment member 60 may follow the same procedure as previously described for the attachment of a piece of equipment 300.

[59] Figure 9 refers to additional features in another aspect that may be included within the attachment member 60 to form attachment member 60A. For instance, terminals represented by 630 and wiring (not referenced), to enable a battery 700A (see Figure 9) to be installed and connected to a cable such as 610. It is contemplated that an embodiment that may adhere to this arrangement may be suitable for application, for instance, as part of a battery charger.

[60] In Figure 10, if two or more batteries, for instance 700A and 700B, are installed in a corresponding number of attachment members of type 60A it may be desirable to include a resistor (not referenced) or suitable, more sophisticated electronics (not referenced) to enable the batteries 700A and 700B to balance each other’s states of charge. In all other respects the attachment members 60A may be the same, and may work in the same way, as the attachment members of type 60 previously describe above. Further, it is also contemplated that one or more cables 620 may extend beyond the mount plate 10 and attachment member 60A, with wires (not shown) connected to the battery terminals, and may terminate in a connector 640 or adaptor 650 specific to a particular piece of equipment (not shown), or both, to power or aid in powering said piece of equipment.

[61] Although not shown, other applications of the equipment mount described are contemplate, such as to attach and store equipment in cases or bags or boxes and the like.

[62] Although tongues and grooves are described it is contemplated that other types of linear connection between the pieces of equipment and the equipment mount could be provided. For example, rails and open-sided, ‘C’-shape, rail attachment members could be used.

[63] The term ‘non-parallel’ may include an angle in a range of 20 and 160 degrees away from the axis in question. This range may be between 30 and 150 degrees, or between 40 and 140 degrees, or between 50 and 130 degrees, or between 60 and 120 degrees, or between 70 and 110 degrees, or between 80 and 120 degrees. It may be perpendicular.

Claims

A tool mount system

CLAIMS [1] 1. A tool mount system consisting of mount members each comprising of a mount plate (10) with a hingeable attachment mechanism (15) arranged for securely attaching, retaining and releasing various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300), characterised in that each mount member of the tool mount system is configured for the engaging and sliding (on and off), of the various objects, in a direction that may be parallel or non-parallel to the mount plate (10).

[2]
2. The tool mount system of claim 1, further comprising hingeable mechanisms (20 and 25A+B) to enable each attachment mechanism (15) to be hinged when required.

[3]
3. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising catch arrangements (30A+B and 35A+B) to enable latching of the hingeable attachment mechanisms (15) in at least one locked position relative to each mount plate (10) to which they are attached.

[4]
4. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising attachment mechanisms (15) each with sides 40A and 40B compressible against a resiliently biasing means to release the attachment mechanisms from the catch arrangements (30A+B and 35A+B) so that they can hinge on their mount plates.

[5]
5. The attachment mechanisms of claim 4, wherein each attachment mechanism (15) and their resiliently biasing means are the same.

[6]
6. The attachment mechanisms of claim 4, further comprising controllable latching arrangements (50) to lock each of the various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment, onto the attachment mechanisms (10).

09 11 18

[7]
7. The latching arrangements (50) of claim 6, being arranged to lock automatically following the engagement of the various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300), and to require manual operation to unlock and release them.

[8]
8. The latching arrangements (50) of claim 6, being further arranged to operate with the resiliently biasing means (55) to engage automatically during the engaging of the various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300), and manually against the resiliently biasing means (55) for unlocking and releasing them.

[9]
9. The latching arrangements (50) and the resiliently biasing means (55) of claims 4 to 8, arranged to be the same.

[10]
10. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising means to attach the mount members (80) securely to a belt (85).

[11]
11. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising a means to attach the mount members securely to clothing.

[12]
12. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising a means to attach the mount members securely to hard surfaces.

[13]
13. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, wherein the attachment mechanism (15) comprises one of a groove and a tongue arrangement (32) for releasable engagement with one of a corresponding tongue and groove arrangement (315) provided on the various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300).

[14]
14. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising corresponding attachment means incorporated into the

09 11 18 various interchangeable objects, such as tools and or equipment (300), so that they may successfully engage with the hingeable attachment mechanisms (15) on the mount members (10) securely but releasably.

[15]
15. The tool mount system of claim 13, wherein the attachment mechanism (15) comprises at least two grooves or at least two tongues for releasable engagement with at least corresponding tongues and grooves provided on the various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300).

[16]
16. The tool mount system of any preceding claim, further comprising an attachment mechanism that is arranged to accept various interchangeable objects, such as tools, handheld power tools and or equipment (300) including batteries (700A).

[17]
17. The tool mount system of claim 16, where in at least one attachment mechanism (15) includes terminals (630) to connect electrically to a battery (700A).

[18]
18. The tool mount system of claim 16, where in at least one attachment mechanism (15) includes wiring cables (610) that connect to the terminals (630).

[19]
19. The tool mount system of claim 16, where in at least one attachment mechanism (15) includes wiring cables (620) that connect to the terminals (630) at one end and to a power tool connector at the other.

[20]
20. The tool mount system of claim 16, where in at least two attachment mechanisms (15) include wiring cables (620) that interconnect their terminals (630).

[21 ]
21. The tool mount system of claim 20, where in each attachment mechanism (15) and or cable includes a charge balancer to control the rate at which the voltage difference between more than one battery equalises.