US3026159A

US3026159A - Tool tray

Info

Publication number: US3026159A
Application number: US47785A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lloyd E Miller; Howard J Baldwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-08-05
Filing date: 1960-08-05
Publication date: 1962-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 1979-03-20

Description

March 20, 1962 L. E. MILLER ET AL 3,025,159

TOOL TRAY Filed Aug. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS March 20, 1962 E. MILLER ET AL 3,026,159

TOOL TRAY Filed Aug. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSL LLOYD E. MILLER By HOWARD J. BALDWIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,026,159 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,026,159 TOOL TRAY Lloyd E. Miller, P.O. Box 626, Winston, Oreg., and Howard J. Baldwin, Winston, Oreg. (413 15th St., Sparks,

Nev.)

Filed Aug. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 47,785 1 Claim. (Cl. 311-21) This invention relates to an adjustable tool tray, and has particular application to that type of tray used in connection with the servicing of a motor vehicle.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a tool tray which can be readily supported on and attached to the filler spout of the radiator of a vehicle after the removal of the radiator cap.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a tool tray of this character having means for adjusting its angular inclination to the horizontal, whereby the tray may be leveled, or may be positioned at an angle in order to provide ready access to the tools contained therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved means for adjusting the angular inclination of the tray with a minimum of effort and difficulty.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved means for attaching the tray to the support thereof, and readily removing the same, whereby trays of different sizes or configurations may be employed.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character having improved means for fixedly securing the same to the radiator or filling spout of the vehicle, with a minimum of effort and difiiculty, and which may be detached substantially immediately when desired.

Still other objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one form of tray embodying features of the instant invention shown as attached to the filling spout of a vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the center line of the construction as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the device as removed from the filling spout;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIGURE 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIGURE 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view, parts being removed, of the underside of the tray, showing the mean for attaching the same to the top of the supporting standard.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the device of the instant invention comprises a tray T which is adapted to be secured to and mounted on a support, generally indicated at S, which in turn is mounted on the filling spout F of a motor vehicle radiator R. The tray T may be of any desired construction, although it is shown as circular in the instant illustrative embodiment, and is preferably provided with a bottom 10 and a marginal flange 11. The underside 10 of the tray T has atfixed thereto a plate 12, which is provided with opposed aligned annular flanges 13, having inturned edges 14. A stop member 15 is provided at one end of the plate, for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

An arm 16 is pivotally secured, as by means of a pivot 17, to the underside of the tray, adjacent the plate 12, and is provided at its extremity with a depending portion 18 having a reverted end 19 which is adapted to engage over the annular rim 11 of the tray, for the purpose of securing the tray in fixed relation to the support, as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

A detent 21) is provided on the bottom of the tray, to hold the arm in one position of adjustment, and a stop 21 is positioned on arm 16, also for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

The support S consists of a tubular member 25, the upper portion of which is inclined, as at 26, and which is provided with a top plate-like portion forming a rectangular block having side flanges 27, the plate being indicated at 28. In securing the tray T to the support, the plate '28 is inserted between the flanges 13, resting on the lower reverted edges 14 thereof, and seating against the stop 15. The arm 16 is swung from the dotted line position of FIGURE 4 to the full line position thereof, with the reverted end 19 engaging over the rim 11, and the stop '21 limiting further rotative movement of arm 16. Detent 20 serves to hold the arm 16 in adjusted position, to prevent accidental disengagement of the parts.

The member 25 is closed at its lower end by a plate 29, which has an aperture therethrough, the aperture being indicated at 30, through which extends a bolt 31, having a head 31a, which seats against the bottom plate 29. Positioned directly beneath the bottom plate 29 is a circular cam member 32, having a knurled edge 32a, as

best seen in FIGURE 1. The cam member 32 is provided with a bore 33 through which the bolt 31 extends, the bore being aligned with an opening 34 in the top plate 35 of a second tubular member 36. The bottom of the member 36 is also angularly inclined, as indicated at 37. A washer 38 surrounds the bolt interiorly of the member 36, and is biased into position by means of a coil spring 39 which is held in position by means of a nut 40.

Member 36 is provided with a plurality of flange segments 41, each including a vertical portion 41a and an inturned portion 42, which are adapted to engage over the conventional outwardly extending projections 43 formed on the upper rim of the filling spout F.

A laterally extending projection 45 extends from one side of the angularly disposed base 3 7 of tubular member 36, and has secured thereto the flattened end 46 of a lever 47, which is provided at its outer extremity with an operating knob 48. The underside of flattened portion 46 is provided with a cam surface 49, as best shown in FIGURE 5, and is adapted to engage in clamping relation the lip 54} of the filling spout, as best shown in FIG- URE 3.

A bolt 51 and nut 52, the bolt being extended through suitable aligned apertures in portion 46 and member 45 serves as a pivot point for the lever 47. A projection 53 on the side of flattened portion 46 limits rotative movement of the member 47.

From the foregoing the use and operation of the device should now be readily understandable. When it is desired to employ the tray T as a receptacle for tools, the hood of the motor vehicle is raised, and the cap of the filling spout is removed. The flange 41 is then positioned over the projections 43 of the spout, and the lever 47 moved to a position where cam surface 49 is engaged under the lip 50. The tray has previously been secured to the top of support member 27, by inserting the plate 28 in the channels 13, and moving the arm 16 to the full line position of FIGURE 4. At this time the cam 32 may be suitably adjusted by rotation about bolt 31 to 3 vary the angular inclination of the tray T to any selected position of adjustment.

From the foregoing there will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved tool tray, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

In a tool tray comprising, in combination, a tool pan,

7 a support for said pan, said support comprising an upper tubular leg having an angle top, a lower tubular leg having an angle bottom, and a cam rotatably positioned between said upper and lower legs, means on the underside References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 821,572 Allen May 22, 1906 2,482,278 Koerner Sept. 20, 1949 2,726,834 Hoge Dec. 13, 1955 2,922,684 Miller et a1. Jan. 26, 1960 2,942,920 French June 28, 1960 2,962,333 Policastro Nov. 29, 1960 Saegmuller Feb. 18, 1879