US2529372A - Toolholder - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1950 R. BURNS 2,529,372

TOOLHOLDER Filed May 27, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

C Arroiwvi 7 Patented Nov. 7, 1950 12,529,372 f f 'rooi noLnnn' Robert Burns, Barksdale Field, La. ApplicationMay 27, 1946, S-e 'rialNo. 672,664

(o1.211-s9) I I .4 Claims.

' My invention relates to tool holders generally, but more particularly to a tool holder adapted to be placed within the glove compartment of an automobile or the like.

In devices disclosed by the prior art various means of holding tools are shown, but it will be noted that they are usuallyplaced in a box, rack, or the like, in the rear of the vehicle, or hung upon some support in the room, as the case may be. It is well known that the rear accessory compartment of the average persons automobile, and especially the tool kit, which is usually placed therein, is seldom kept in orderly fashion or in a manner where commonly used tools may be readily found and removed for use.

It is also known that the usual method of storing tools, whether in a kit or box, allows the tools to vibrate or rattle by coming in contact with one another, if kept in a moving vehicle, causing great annoyance to the occupants of the vehicle.

. A further disadvantage found in the ordinary tool kit is that the small, commonly used tools are usually placed together with the larger ones that are seldom used. Thus, it becomes necessary, even when desiring to use such a tool as a screwdriver, to either handle, remove or replace many other large or heavy tools before finding or being able to remove the tool desired.

Since the usual work done to an automobile is not of a major nature, but minor repairs and the like, I have found my invention greatly advantageous by being capable of holding within easy reach, and in orderly fashion, only. those tools that I might ordinarily use for making-minor adjustments to an automobile or the like.

The general purpose of my invention is to provide a small tool holding device, capable of being mounted in the glove compartment of an automobile, a cabinet or the like, which will hold within easy, accessible reach of the user, such commonly used tools as pliers, screwdriver, air gauge, wrenches or any such small toolsthat are constantly required by the user; and where it is desired to have them readily accessible at any time.

It is another object of my invention to provide a tool holder which is substantially adjustable for holding various sizes of tools of the character described.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device for holding tools with a firm, but releasabl grip, in a compact manner, yet held sufficiently apart from one another to prevent rattling when mounted on a moving vehicle.

My invention comprises mainly, loops formed of rubber tubing lengths, the ends of which tubing mounted upon a supporting plate. The tubing lengths are preferably formed into spaced pairs 'of upstanding loops intermediate their fastened ends.

Further objects and advantages will be seen in the following detailed description, when viewed together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tool holder embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view partly broken of the too holder illustrated in Figure 1; and

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the tool holder showing the device before the insertion of tools therein.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be seen that I provide a base member H) which,

in its preferred form, is made of sheet metal, wood or some plastic material such as bakelite; its length and breadth being governed by the shape and size of the tools to be mounted thereon.

Attached to the back side of the base member I0 I have provided suitable mounting spring hooks l I and anchoring pins I2, which adapts the base member ill to be removably attached to a perforated wall such as the compartment wall'of an automobile as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Projecting outwardly at right angles to thebase member Ill are four studs I3, l4, l5, and N5 of suitable length and attached to the base member ill by means of lock nuts. In Fig. 1 the spacing of the studs is shown in the preferred form, the distance along the length of the base between studs being, for instance,

slightly less than the length of the shank portionof the users screwdrivers.

Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the spacing between the studs taken along the height portion of the base It], is'shown as preferred, being made to conform to the users pliers P, the distance between studs 13 and [4 being substantially greater than the distance measured across the nose portion of the users pliers P, and the distance between studs I5 and I6 being substantially greater than the distance measured across the handle portion of the users pliers P.

Referring now to Fig. 2, I have provided, as shown, a length of rubber tubing ll, one open end of which is adapted to fit snugly over the top portion of the upper stud l3, from whence it projects outwardly and returns substantially parallel to the shank portion of the stud l3 through a choke ring l8 thus forming a loop IQ of any required size sufliciently large enough to asaaa'm ing a wrench W or the like; th resiliency of the rubber tubing being depended upon to hold this tool in a firm but releasable manner against the base member Ill. The tubing length I! is extended further through another choke ring l8 where it is extended parallel to the stud I4 and thereafter formed into another loop IS with its open end fitting snugly -;over the lower stud I4, and :into which second loop 19 another tool might be placed, such as the gauge G shown in Figure 1'. Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a similar construction is presented on the opposite end of the base member H where another length of rubber tubing 1 l is connected to the projecting studs l5 and IS in the aforementioned manner to formother loops [9 and another strap member H for holding the wrench W or some other tool.

As will be further noted from the drawings and description of my invention, it is possible to insert or withdraw any tool from my tool holder without interfering with the other tools that it contains.

It will be noted also that, by adjusting the slidable choke rings l8 mounted on the various studs,

either up or down along the length of the stud, an appreciable variation may be obtained in the size and area of the various loops I9 and the straps -2| formed by the manner in which I have bent the length of rubber tubing H, to accommodate various sizes of tools.

I purposely space the loops l9 close enough together in pairs to utilize them as yieldable fingerlike members adapted to hold an additional tool in-the pinching manner in which they are shown holding the pliers P inv Fig. l of the drawing. The pair of loops l9 perform this pinching holding operation without interfering in any way with the above described manners of holding a toolthefirst manner being the yieldingof the side of theloop to accommodate a toolthe second function-being the stretching of the tube to accommodate a tool. I

While I have described my invention in detail in its preferred form, it is not intended that it shall be limited either to the materials stated or be confined to use in an automobile, but may be used to advantage anywhere a compact, anti-rattling, resilient tool holder is desired.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A tool holder of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to a wall surface, a pair of spaced lengths of elastic tubing each of which is attached to said base plate at opposite ends, portions of said lengths of tubing being formed into loops and adjustable choke rings embracing doubled portions of said lengths of tubing, said choke rings being made small enough to yieldingly clamp portions of said lengths of tubing on other portions of said tubing,

whereby the lengths of said loops may be adjusted to cooperate in holding a tool."

2. A tool holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loops are positioned to lie in spaced sub stantially parallel planes whereby one of said loops is adapted to receive a tool extended through a loop at the opposite end of the plate.

3. A tool holder of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to a wall surface, a length of elastic tubing attached to said plate at both of its ends, said ends being attached to said base plate in spaced relationship, .in a manner to extend said length of elastic tubing outwardly from said baseplate, said.ela s-.

tic tubing having portions of its length formed into a pair of spaced collapsedloops connected by an integral portion of said elastic tubing constituting a flexible strap, said loops being formed.

in said length of elastic tubing by means of a pair of choke rings forced over doubled portions of saidlength of'elastic tubing, said length of elastic tubing being slidably mounted in said choke rings whereby the length of said loops and said second mentioned length of elastic tubing in a manner to divide the same into a second pair of loops and a flexible strap positioned substantially parallel to said first mentioned loops and said first mentioned strap, whereby said second mentioned loops and said second mentioned strap may cooperate with said first mentioned loops and said first mentioned strap in holding tools.

ROBERT BURNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 254,692 Bath Mar. -'7, 1882 407,524 Hall July 23, 18.89

1,196,087 orume r Aug. 29, 1916 1,311,450 .Laraway July 29, 1919 1,927,110. Bannister et a1 Sept. 19, 1933 Karst Aug. 18, 1936

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