GB2031719A - Combined seat and container - Google Patents

Abstract

A combined container and seat particularly for use by fishermen comprises a lower rectangular box section (10) having an upper open end which is normally closed by a shallow box member (20) having a padded seat (22). A lid member (44) is located within the upper open end of the box (10) to form a seat when the upper box unit (20) is removed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combined seat and container Field of invention This invention concerns containers which will serve as seating units and is particularly applicable in sporting activities such as shooting and fishing where quantities of apparatus and tackle have to be carried considerable distances and where the provision of a seat on site is very desirable.

Background to the invention It is known to provide a so-called Continental box for fishermen which has hitherto typically comprised a generally rectangular hollow lower section having a removable lid unit and strap to allow the unit to be carried on the shoulder. The removable lid unit has typically included a padded cushion to form a seat and has also typically been constructed in the form of a hinged box to give storage space for small and fragile items. Access to the main carrying capacity of the unit has been achieved by removing the lid unit bodily from the lower box section thereby revealing the open upper end of the box and giving access to its interior.

The disadvantage of this known form of integral container and seat unit is that particularly with fishing, the tackle and items which are most likely to be required at relatively frequent intervals during a day's fishing will in fact be stored in the hollow seat unit access to which can only be gained by getting up off the seat which forms the top of the lid unit and lifting the portion thereof containing the padded seat to give access to the tackle etc.

stored therein.

It has been known to provide sliding trays in the lid unit in place of the hinged lid assembly so that theoretically the trays can be pulled out whilst the fisherman is still sitting on the lid unit to give access to the interior.

However it is to be borne in mind that the unit is designed to be used in all weathers and conditions and it is also important that the drawers do not slide readily in and out so that they do not fall out when the unit is being carried.

Whilst in theory this solution is acceptable, in practice it is unacceptable since by forming large apertures in the side walls of the lid unit the strength of the latter is considerably reduced and in addition rain and water can enter the lid unit through the cracks around the sliding drawers which is not the case when the close fitting and much stronger hinged shallow box assembly is used instead.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of overall unit which can be used in such a way as to obviate the need to continuously get up from the seat unit in order to gain access to the interior of the lid unit.

The invention According to the present invention in a combined container and seat unit typically but not exclusively for use by fishermen, and comprising a hollow lower box section having an open rectangular mouth at its upper end on which a lid unit which includes a padded seat is adapted to be fitted and fastened and a strap which allows the complete unit to be carried on the shoulder the improvement comprises the provision of a lid member to cover the mouth of the lower box, the lid being strong enough to bear thea weight of a person so that when closing off the open end of the lower box the lid member constitutes a seat on which the person can sit.

Typically the lid member includes an aperture through which a finger can be hooked to lift the lid member to gain access to the interior of the lower box section.

The lid member may in fact be totally removable from the upper end of the lower box or may be hinged along one edge to the lower box. Alternatively it may be slideable in parallel channels on opposite sides of the box so as to be removable completely or partially from the box.

Whatever form the lid member takes, the upper end of the lower box around the mouth of which is closed by the lid member is preferably formed with an inwardly directed lip along at least two opposed edges of the rectangular opening and preferably along all four edges.

The lid member may itself be formed with an integral padded cushion to provide a more comfortable seat or the padded seat member forming part of the lid unit may be removable therefrom and adapted to be located on and possibly secured to the lid member when the latter closes off the top of the lower box unit.

It will be seen that the invention therefore provides a combined container and seat modelled on the known Continental-box which when it has been transported to the desired location can be unstrapped and the upper unit removed after which the lid member can be removed to give access to the contents in the lower box unit. The lid member is then replaced and is either sat upon directly or the padded seat is removed from the upper unit and put onto the lid member to provide a more comfortable seat if there is no integral cushion padded member on the lid member.

The important thing is that it is not necessary to replace the upper unit which has hitherto been the case in order to provide a horizontal surface on which to sit. This means that the upper or lid unit which comprises a shallow hinged box in which tackle is stowed can be kept completely separate from the seat and left for example on the ground at a handy position and if desired can even be left open to give immediate access to the contents.

Preferably the lower base unit is formed from glass reinforced plastics material and the upper or lid unit is formed from wood. The lip formed around the open end of the lower box member is preferably integrally formed therewith also from glass reinforced plastics material but alternatively may be a wooden or metal or plastics insert.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the strap which is used for carrying the unit is a continuous loop the overall length of which can be adjusted to suit the user and the strap passes through two brackets mounted at opposite ends of the lower box unit each of the brackets being inclined relative to the plane of the open upper end of the lower box unit so that the strap is caused to be inclined relative to the vertical when the box unit stands on a flat horizontal surface when the strap is lifted and pulled in an upward direction. This facilitates the location of the strap on the shoulder of the person carrying the unit and there is less tendency for the strap to keep pulling off the shoulder as is otherwise the case.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a complete container and seat unit constructed as one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is an end view of the unit shown in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is another view of the unit from the direction in which it is viewed in Fig. 1 but drawn to a larger scale and shown in cross-section on the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 2.

Detailed description of the drawings Figs. 1 and 2 show the external appearance of a combined container and seat unit constructed as an embodiment of the invention.

In many respects the unit is similar to the known per se Continental box and comprises a lower box unit 10 formed from glass reinforced plastics material having brackets 1 2 and 14 at opposite ends through which a strap 1 6 passes. The latter is of adjustable length and typically includes a buckle 1 8.

The upper end of the unit 10 is covered by a shallow box 20 typically formed from wood having a padded seat cover 22 press-stud fitted or otherwise removably secured to the upper surface thereof.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the shallow box 20 is formed in three sections 24, 26 and 28 each of which is hinged at 30 and 32 to the adjoining sections. The seat 22 is secured to the lid of the member 24 and this together with the seat 22 can be hinged about 30 to expose a tray 26 in which small but fragile fishing tackle can be kept.

The tray 26 itself constitutes a lid for the lower section 28 and can be hinged about 32 to expose a lower tray within the section 28.

As shown in Fig. 1, clasps 34 and 36 can be secured to prevent the lid unit 24 from being lifted and similar clasps 38 and 40 are provided at opposite ends to retain the two box sections 26 and 28 in closed condition.

The box unit 20 is adapted to fit onto and preferably partly into the upper open end of the lower box 10 and to this end is formed with a rebated lower edge on all four sides as denoted by reference numeral 42 which allows the unit to be fitted partly within the upper open end of the box 1 0. Although not shown strong clasps are provided at least at opposite ends and preferably on all four sides to clasp the lower section 28 of the box 20 to the upper end of the lower box 1 0.

Although small and delicate tackle can be carried in the trays forming the upper box 20, the main carrying capacity of the unit is within the box section 10 and access is gained to this by removing the box 20 from the lower section 10.

Hitherto this has simply exposed an opening in the upper end of the box through which tackle and other gear within the box can be removed.

In accordance with the present invention a lid member 44 is situated immediately below the box 20 and is supported on a lip 46 which extends all around the inside wall of the box unit 10 to provide a peripheral supporting surface for the lid 44. To facilitate its being lifted in and out the lid 44 includes at least one hole 48 typically centrally located.

The lid 44 is made strong enough to allow a person to sit on the lid when in its closed position as shown in Fig. 3 and where the seat pad 22 is press-stud fitted or similarly removable from the box unit 20 the lid member 44 is typically provided with similar securing means to allow the seat panel 22 to be secured thereon.

Although not shown the lid member 44 may be hinged to the box unit 10 although it is not considered this is necessary and the simple drop fit onto the lip or ledge 46 is in practice found to be quite sufficient.

Claims (9)

1. A combined container and seat unit comprising a hollow lower box section having an open rectangular mouth at its upper end on which a lid unit which includes a padded.

seat is adapted to be fitted and fastened and a strap which allows the complete unit to be carried on the shoulder characterised by a lia member which covers the mouth of the lower box and constitutes a platform which can be used as a seat.

2. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the lid member includes an aperture through which a finger can be hooked to facilitate in lifting the lid member to gain access to the interior of the lower box section.

3. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the lid member is removable from the upper end of the lower box or is hingeable along one edge to the lower box, or is slideable in parallel channels on opposite sides of the box so as to be removable completely or partially therefrom.

4. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which an inwardly directed lip is formed along at least two opposed sides of the rectangular opening.

5. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the lid member is formed with an integral padded cushion to provide a more comfortable seat or the padded seat member forming part of the lid unit is removable therefrom and adapted to be located on and possibly secured to the lid member.

6. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the lower box section is formed from glass reinforced plastics material and the lid unit is formed from wood.

7. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in claim 4 in which the lip formed around the open end of the lower box member is of wood or metal or plastics material or is formed integrally with the walls of the box section.

8. A combined container and seat unit as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the strap which is used for carrying the unit is a continuous loop the overall length of which is adjustable and the strap passes through two brackets mounted at opposite ends of the lower box section each of the brackets being inclined relative to the plane of the open upper end of the box section.

9. A combined container and seat unit constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.