US2175421A - Supporting unit - Google Patents

Description

W. J. WRIGHT SUPPORTING UNIT Oct. 10, 1939.

Filed April 25, 1938 INVENTUH NILLIETJMHIEHT HTT Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a supporting unit for general utility purposes in such places as camps, picnic grounds, outdoor parties and amusement centers, but is also useful in indoor places and particularly house trailers where hangers and such things should be fixed so that they will not move while traveling.

The unit is designed for easy attachment to posts, trees, ledges, etc., and can be easily removed whenever desirable with a minimum of damage to the surface where attached. In one form of the invention, no screws or nails are required for fixing the unit temporarily in place so that it can be used over the trim or moulding about doors and windows.

The unit is provided with a hanger rod which is removably supported thereto in a substantial horizontal position and is preferably provided with a hook at the end thereof to prevent articles placed thereon from sliding off. It has been found that the hook provides a very convenient place onto which to hang a kerosene lamp or lantern. Hangers for such lanterns in trailer camps and the like are not common and the use of the unit herein disclosed would be very useful.

The rod has a rather heavy angled end so that it can be used as a hammer in order to temporarily fix the bracket to a tree, fence post or the like. Means are provided upon the unit for emovably holding the rod in condensed form when it is not in use in order to make it convenient to transport the unit from place to place along with other small items.

An object of this invention is to provide a compact hanger unit which is adapted to be affixed to an upright support with a minimum of effort.

Another object is to provide a hanger unit that can be knocked down after use and the parts joined together into a small convenient package.

Another object is to present a collapsible hanger unit that can be temporarily affixed to an upright without the use of tools.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description, the preamble of the specification and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the unit with the swivel rod in place, a part of the unit being broken away for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the unit.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of one end of the unit.

Applicant has illustrated and described one or more forms of his invention in order to teach one how to make, use and vend the same, but it is to be understood that the drawing and description thereof are not to limit the invention 5 in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by the appended claims.

The numeral I represents an elongated platelike base rounded at its ends. The upper end thereof having a bayonet slot 2 to receive a nail 10 or screw or any other suitable means for afiixing the base to a tree, post or the like. And at the other end a hole 3 through which may be placed or driven a peg or nail to hold the bottom of the base. Near the top of the base plate is 1 a socket 4 having flanges 5 and 6 which are affixed to the base plate in any suitable manner such as by soldering or welding.

The socket includes a bellied portion 1 configurated and adapted to receive the spindle 8 of a hanger rod designated by 9. The bottom of the socket is closed by wall l0 which may be soldered or welded thereto for the purposes of keeping dirt and moisture from the interior of the socket.

A relatively heavy bent portion I I of the hanger rod joins the spindle 8 with the main elongated rod portion I2. The portion l I is made heavier than the rest of the rod so that it can be used 30 as a hammer for driving nails or pegs for supporting the unit. This portion is also made larger so that it can close the upper portion of the bellied part I and thus prevent water and dirt from getting into the socket. The other end of the 35 rod is provided with a hook l3 to receive the bail or handle of a bucket, lantern or the like.

The lower end of the spindle 8 is flattened to form a screw driver end 8' so that screws can be used for anchoring the hanger base to an upright surface, should such be desired. This end may also be used to pry the unit from the surface to which it is attached.

Whenever the unit is being moved to a new location, it is desirable to provide means for 45 keeping the rod and base together and in order to accomplish this, a portion of the base is provided with clips 14 and I5. These clips have a base portion 16 which is soldered, welded, or otherwise affixed to the base I and leading from 50 the element I6 is a bent spring like portion I! having a turned up edge l8 to facilitate the entrance of the rod beneath the clip. The clips are preferably placed as shown in the drawing so that the rod can be twisted and thus forced beneath the clips so as to be firmly held thereby until the unit is again erected for use.

Upon the back of the base of the unit are provided push pins, spikes or the like [9 and 20 which may be formed with the base and thus be an integral part thereof or may be threadedly attached to the base or welded thereto. Whenever it is desired to affix the unit to an upright, for instance, a tree or fence post, the base need, only be placed to the tree or post, the rod 9 removed by holding the hook portion I3 in the hand, and by using the end portion II as a hammer, the spikes l9 and 20 may then be driven into the tree or post. The hanger spindle 8 may then be placed in the socket l and the unit is in condition for use.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified top portion of a base plate 2| having the end thereof bent to form a leg 22 and a beveled leg 23. This form of the invention is designed to support the hanger unit from moulding, door or window trim. The beveled end 23 need merely be tapped downwardly behind the trim or moulding, or any kind of veneering.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hanger unit having a base plate, socket means at one end of the plate for receiving a portion of an arm, fastening means toward the other end of the plate for holding an arm, said fastening means including spaced apart resilient elements having openings, spikes fixed to the back of the plate and arranged to be driven into erect objects.

2. In a rod supporting unit comprising an elongated flat plate having front and rear sides, spikes fixed to the rear side of the plate adapted to be driven into a vertical support, a socket near one end of the plate and fixed thereto to receive an end of the rod, a plurality of spring clips having an end thereof fixed to the front of the plate, and spaced apart a substantial distance so as to grip said rod near its ends, said clips having an opening near one of their ends and arranged so that the opening of each clip is directed toward opposite side edges of the plate.

3. In a hanger unit having an elongated base plate, means at one end of the plate for removably supporting an arm in horizontal position, and means upon the plate for removably supporting an arm in vertical position, the second recited means comprising spaced apart clips having openings faced in opposite directions so that an arm placed therein must be rotated to be removed.

WILLIE J. WRIGHT.

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