US3684102A

US3684102A - Compartmented nautical storage rack

Info

Publication number: US3684102A
Application number: US107673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rudyard M Colter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-01-19
Filing date: 1971-01-19
Publication date: 1972-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-15

Abstract

A compartmented nautical storage rack including a first compartment adapted to receive nautical charts and having drainage holes at the bottom thereof, a second compartment adapted to receive binoculars secured to a front wall of the first compartment and having drainage holes in the bottom thereof, the second compartment being centrally disposed on the front wall of the first compartment and having a base aligned with a base of the first compartment to permit the rack to stand by itself, a small compartment formed within the first compartment and adapted to receive dividers and pencils, a small compartment formed adjacent a side wall of the second compartment and adapted to receive a fog whistle and spring clips secured to the front wall of the first compartment adjacent a side wall of the second compartment and adapted to hold a flashlight.

Description

United States Patent Colter 3,684,102 Aug. 15, 1972 COMPARTMENTED NAUTICAL STORAGE RACK 221 Filed: Jan. 19, 1971- 21 Appl.No.: 107,673

[52] US. Cl. ..2ll/88 [51] Int. Cl. ..'.A47f 5/08 [58] Field of Search ..2l1/88, 86, 13, 71, 126, 128, 211/60 [56] References Cited 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,275 s/1929' Gibson ..21 use 1,416,767 5/1922 Vought ..2l l/88 2,695,151 11/1954 Lord ..2ll/13 X 2,763,378 9/1956 Black ..2ll/88 2,862,626 12/1958 Clare .,....2l1/88 2,979,120 4/1961 Amburn ..2l l/88 X 3,442,393 5/1969 Koppelman ..2l l/l3 Primary Examinere-Nile O. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Sherman and Shalloway [57] ABSTRACT A compartmented nautical storage rack including a first compartment adapted to receive nautical charts and having drainage holes at the bottom thereof, a second compartment adapted to receive binoculars secured to a front wall of the first compartment and having drainage holes in the bottom thereof, the

. second compartment being centrally disposed on the front wall of the first compartment and having a base aligned with a base of the first compartment to permit the rack to stand by itself, a small compartment formed within the first compartment and adapted to receive dividers and pencils, a small compartment formed adjacent a side wall of the second compartment and adapted to receive a fog whistle and spring clips secured to the front wall of the first compartment adjacent a side wall of the second compartment and adapted to hold a flashlight.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures COMPARTMENTED NAUTICAL STORAGE RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to compartmented storage racks and, more particularly, to such storage racks for storing nautical instruments commonly utilized for navigation of a vessel.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art During the navigation of a vessel, there are specific instruments which are frequently utilized and must be readily accessible to the pilot. Such instruments include, among others, dividers, pencils,'parallel rules, navigation charts, nautical slide rules or computers, binoculars, and flashlights; and, as will be appreciated, there is a need for a storage device for these instruments to permit the pilot to have ready access thereto.

When approaching an anchorage, even when the vessel is equipped with a depth finder, it is necessary to repeatedly refer to a harbor chart with the utilization of suitable instruments. Such charts cannot be easily stored in an accessible manner in that wind tends to blow the charts away and pitching and rolling of the vessel tends to make the charts slide off the bridge. Similarly, other navigational instruments cannot be readily stored in accessible position to the pilot due to wind, rain and movement of the vessel.

The use of the above mentioned nautical instruments is normally related; and, accordingly, it is desirable to store such instruments in close proximity to one another. Furthermore, the nautical instruments are frequently removed from the vessel either for replacement or for safety purposes; and, thus, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide means for transporting the nautical instruments as well as storing them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compartmented nautical storage rack for storing navigational instruments in a well defined an readily accessible area.

The present invention is generally characterized in a compartmented nautical storage rack including a first compartment having a front wall,side walls, and a base having drainage means therein, and a second compartment having a front wall, side walls attached to the front wall of the first compartment and a basehaving drainage means therein, the second compartment being smaller in height and width than the first compartment.

Another object of the present invention is to construct a compartmented nautical storage rack that is portable in order to permit stationary storage of nautical instruments aboard a vessel and transporting of the storage rack and nautical instruments from the vessel.

A further object of the present invention is to construct a compartmented nautical storage rack adapted to store use-related nautical instruments in close proximity to one another.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art are that all nautical instruments required during normal navigation of a vessel are readily accessible to the pilot of a vessel, the compartmented nautical storage rack is economically manufactured, and the compartmented nautical storage rack is portable and can stand stably on its base.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compartmented nautical storage rack in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the storage rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation in section of the storage rack of FIG. 1, resting on a support surface.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the storage rack of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A compartmented nautical storage rack 10, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The storage rack 10 includes a compartment 12 having a rectangular front wall 14 and a pair of

rectangular side walls

16 and 18 extending transversely from the side edges of front wall 14 anddisposed in parallel relation. The opposite side edges of

side walls

16 and 18 are attached to a mounting plate 20 which forms a back wall for the compartment l2 and extends beyond

side walls

16 and 18 to define mounting

flanges

22 and 24, each of which has a plurality of vertically spaced keyhole slots 26 therein. A base 28 of compartment 12 is attached to front wall 14,

side walls

16 and 18, and mounting plate 20 and has a plurality of drainage holes 30 therein.

A small compartment or pocket 32 is formed in the upper left hand corner of compartment 12 and includes a side wall 34 having its side edges attached to front wall 14 and mounting plate 20 and a bottom 36 attached to the bottom edge of side wall 34 and front wall 14, side wall 18, and mounting plate 20. A pair of

drainage holes

38 and 40 are disposed in

side walls

18 and 34 respectively, adjacent bottom 36 of pocket 32.

As is illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 1, compartment 12 is provided with suitable height and width to accommodate such navigational instruments as navigational or maritime charts, tide tables, radio-weather directories, or the like 42 and long parallel rules 44. Pocket 32 is adapted to receive such instruments as pencils 46 and dividers 48, and,.-accordingly, is provided with sufficient depth such that a predominant portion of the instruments are retained within the pocket and a small portion of the instruments extends from the pocket for ready access. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 3, bottom wall 36 is supported within compartment 12 such that pocket 32 has a height approximately one-third of the height of compartment 12.

A compartment 50 is centrally disposed on front wall 14 of compartment 12 and includes a rectangular front wall 52 and parallel

rectangular side walls

54 and 56 extending from front wall 52 and having side edges at tached to front wall 52 and front wall 14 of compartment 12. A base 58 is attached to

front walls

14 and 52 and

side walls

54 and 56 and is disposed in the same plane as base 28 of compartment 12 such that, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the

bases

28 and 58 form a support for the storage rack 10. A plurality of drainage holes 60 are formed in base 58.

Compartment 50 has sufficient height, depth and width to store a pair of binoculars 62, indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1, or a pressurized air horn and a pair of L-shaped cleats or

protrusions

64 and 66 project from front wall 14 of compartment 12, which forms the back wall of compartment 50, into compartment 50.

Cleats

64 and 66 are spaced to receive an object such as the nautical slide rule 68 indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1. It will be appreciated that the nautical slide rule 68 may be removed from compartment 50 only by moving the slide vertically past

cleats

64 and 66; and, accordingly, the slide rule is stably retained so as not to interfere with storage and removal of binoculars 62. It will be appreciated that the accessibility and dimensions of compartment 50 render it particularly adaptable for use with small craft, such as outboards, to hold such nautical instruments as speed wands, tools, flares, keys, fish knives, compasses and the like.

A side compartment 70 is formed adjacent side wall 56 of compartment 50 and includes a front wall 72 having a side edge attached to side wall 56 of compartment 50 and a side wall 74 having side edges attached to front wall 14 of compartment 12 and front wall 72. A base 76 is attached to front wall 14, side wall 50, front wall 72, and side wall 74 and is disposed in the same plane as

bases

28 and 58 of

compartments

12 and 50. A plurality of drainage holes 78 are disposed in base 76, and a pair of slots 80 and 82 are disposed in the upper edge of side wall 74 to receive the ring of a stop watch 84, as indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 2. As illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 1, compartment 70 is adapted to store a fog whistle 85 as well as provide support for stop watch 84.

A pair of

spring clips

86 and 88 are secured in vertically spaced relation to front wall 14 of compartment 12 adjacent side wall 54 of compartment 50.

Spring clips

86 and 88 are adapted to firmly hold a tubular object such as the flashlight 90 indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

It will be appreciated that each of the compartments in the storage rack is provided with drainage means to drain fluids therefrom.

Compartments

12, 50 and 70 each have drainage holes in the bases thereof, and pocket 32 has

drainage holes

38 and 40 adjacent the bottom thereof such that any fluid accumulated therein will be disposed of either through drainage hole 38 or through drainage hole 40 and drainage holes 30 in the base of compartment 12. Accordingly, any fluid such as water collected during a driving rain storm or merely from windswept spray will not remain in the storage rack to cause damage to the instrument stored therein, but rather will be speedily disposed of.

In order to facilitate the removal of short objects such as charts from compartment 12, a centrally disposed elongated vertical slot 92 is formed therein extending into compartment 50, and a transversely extending elongated slot 94 communicates with slot 92 to provide a handle grip for transporting the storage rack 10. In a similar fashion, the front wall 52 of compartment 50 is provided with a recess 96 to facilitate grasping of binoculars 62.

Due to the symmetry of construction of the storage rack 10, it may be stably rested upon a support surface, as indicated in FIG. 2, without fear of tipping. Accordingly, the storage rack may be easily transported to and from a vessel, and such transporting is facilitated by the use of slot 94 as a handle since the weight of the storage rack is evenly distributed thereabout. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage rack 10 may be detachably mounted on a bulkhead or wall 98 of a vessel by means of headed screws or pins 100 which'extend therefrom and are adapted to be received through the heads of keyhole slots 26 to securely hold the storage rack in position aboard the vessel.

A modification of the compartmented nautical storage rack of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is illustrated in FIG. 4 and identical parts are given identical reference numbers and are not described again.

The primary difference between the storage rack of FIG. 4 and the storage rack of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is that the storage rack of FIG. 4 is adapted for permanent attachment to a bulkhead or wall of a vessel. Accordingly, mounting

flanges

102 and 104 extend from the side edges of

side walls

16 and 18 in order to receive vertically spaced screws 106 or other fastening devices for permanently mounting the storage rack to the wall or bulkhead 98. Since the storage rack is permanently attached, there is no requirement for the handle grip provided by slot 94 and, accordingly, vertical slot 92 extends to the upper edge of front wall 14. Furthermore, mounting plate 22 is not required since the wall 98 of the vessel may form the back wall of compartment 12.

It will be appreciated from the above description of the present invention that the compartmented nautical storage rack provides effective and readily accessible storage for nautical instruments normally utilized in the navigation of a vessel. The instruments may be easily removed from the rack and replaced therein, and such instruments are stably stored to prevent accidental removal therefrom and, further to provide protection from the elements such as wind and to some extent, from rain or spray.

From the above, it can be seen that the compartmented nautical storage rack of the present invention provides a compartment 12 that may be either openbacked or closed dependent upon its nature of installation. That is, there is no need to provide a back for compartment 12 if the storage rack is to be permanently mounted on a bulkhead or wall of a vessel. However, if the storage rack is desired to be portable, a back for compartment 12 is required. The dimensions of compartment 12 are such as to accommodate nautical charts, parallel rules and various published aids to navigation, and pocket 32 formed within compartment 12 has dimensions to accommodate dividers and pencils. Compartment 50, which is centrally disposed between the side walls of compartment 12, is dimensioned to hold binoculars, an air horn or other nautical instruments, and may be constructed by itself with a back wall and thereafter secured to the front wall of compartment 12. Compartment has dimensions to accommodate a fog whistle and is slotted to hold the ring of a stop watch, and compartment 70 may also be constructed separately and thereafter mounted on the front wall of compartment 12 and a side wall of compartment 50. It will thus be appreciated that the storage rack of the present invention may contain various combinations of the above described compartments, pockets and mounting means; however, it is preferable and highly advantageous to combine compartment 50 with compartment 12 to provide a stable support for the storage rack as illustrated in FIG. 3.

The compartmented nautical storage rack may be constructed of conventional materials in any suitable manner. That is, the storage rack could be constructed of wood with actual attachment of the various walls and bases, or the storage rack could be integrally formed of a plastic material. To this end, it will be appreciated that the above description of the structure of the storage rack is intended to include walls and bases which are not separate but actually are smoothly connected at their side and bottom edges. Similarly, the storage rack could be constructed of metal with a reduced number of elements in that the side and front walls and the bases of the compartments could be integrally formed by bending a single sheet of metal.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications, and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter above described or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A compartmented nautical storage rack for storing nautical instruments in accessible positions comprising a first compartment including a first front wall, first and second side walls extending transversely from said first front wall at the side edges thereof, and a first base connected with said first front wall and said first and second side walls and having drainage means therein to drain fluids from said first compartment, said first compartment having a first height and a first width and adapted to permit storage of nautical charts therein; and a second compartment including a second front wall, third and fourth side walls extending transversely from said second front wall at the side edges thereof and connected with said first front wall of said first compartment, and a second base connected with said second front wall and said third and fourth side walls and having drainage means therein to drain fluids from said second compartment, said first and second bases being aligned in the same plane, said second. compartment having a height less than the height of said first compartment and a width less than the width of said first compartment and adapted to permit storage of binoculars therein; said first front wall having a first elongated slot disposed in an upper portion thereof in communication with and transverse to said first elongated slot whereby said first elongated slot facilitates removal of nautical charts stored in said first compartment and said second elongated slot forms a carrying handle for said storage rack.

2. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 1 wherein said first compartment includes a back wall disposed parallel to said front wall and connected with said first and second side walls and said first base whereby said storage rack may be detachably mounted on a vessel.

3. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 2 wherein a pocket is formed in said first compartment and includes said first side wall of said first compartment, a fifth side wall disposed parallel to said first side wall and connected with said first front wall, and a bottom connected with said first side wall, said fifth side wall and said) first front wall, said t ssaarssis ala aa assess s 52a first compartment, and drainage means disposed adjacent said bottom of said pocket to drain fluids therefrom.

4. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 3 wherein a third compartment is formed adjacent said first and second compartments and includes a sixth side wall connected with said first front wall and disposed parallel to said third side wall, a third front wall connected with said sixth side wall and said third side wall, a fourth base connected with said first and third front walls and said third and sixth side walls and having drainage means to drain fluids from said third compartment.

5. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 4 wherein protrusion means extend from said first front wall into said second compartment to define abutments adapted to receive a nautical slide rule.

6. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 5 wherein spring clip means are secured to said first front wall adjacent said fourth side wall of said second compartment and adapted to securely mount a flashlight.

7. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 2 wherein said first elongated slot extends into said second compartment.

8. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 2 wherein said second compartment is centrally disposed between said first and second side walls of said first compartment.

9. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 8 wherein said back wall extends past said first and second side walls to define first and second mounting flanges for detachably mounting said storage rack.

H UNiTED STATES A' ENTIQFFICE V ERT FICATE-10F CORRECTION 1 Patent No@ 3, ,102 I I 1 Dateti August 15, i972 Q It is certified that err r appersih tn above-:identified'patnt and that said iietters Patgnt are hereby niorfegtedjaghown below:

s-igned and sealed th 26thday .QiY D e ce mbElQYZ;

(SEAL) ,Atte' s t:

EDWARD M.FLEYTCHER,JR.,

' ROBERT YGOY'ITSGHALK 1-, Atte shing Officer: A H 1 Commissioner of Pat ents USCOMM'DC 60376-1 69 H a GOVEHHNE'NT PRINYTHHS OFFICE i957 (I-L 1

Claims

1. A compartmented nautical storage rack for storing nautical instruments in accessible positions comprising a first compartment including a first front wall, first and second side walls extending transversely from said first front wall at the side edges thereof, and a first base connected with said first fronT wall and said first and second side walls and having drainage means therein to drain fluids from said first compartment, said first compartment having a first height and a first width and adapted to permit storage of nautical charts therein; and a second compartment including a second front wall, third and fourth side walls extending transversely from said second front wall at the side edges thereof and connected with said first front wall of said first compartment, and a second base connected with said second front wall and said third and fourth side walls and having drainage means therein to drain fluids from said second compartment, said first and second bases being aligned in the same plane, said second compartment having a height less than the height of said first compartment and a width less than the width of said first compartment and adapted to permit storage of binoculars therein; said first front wall having a first elongated slot disposed in an upper portion thereof in communication with and transverse to said first elongated slot whereby said first elongated slot facilitates removal of nautical charts stored in said first compartment and said second elongated slot forms a carrying handle for said storage rack.

3. The compartmented nautical storage rack as recited in claim 2 wherein a pocket is formed in said first compartment and includes said first side wall of said first compartment, a fifth side wall disposed parallel to said first side wall and connected with said first front wall, and a bottom connected with said first side wall, said fifth side wall and said first front wall, said pocket having a height less than the height of said first compartment and a width less than the width of said first compartment, and drainage means disposed adjacent said bottom of said pocket to drain fluids therefrom.