US3817394A

US3817394A - Article supporting device

Info

Publication number: US3817394A
Application number: US00288358A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Saiki
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-23
Filing date: 1972-09-12
Publication date: 1974-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-18
Also published as: FR2153451B1; ES183135Y; ES183135U; IT965852B; FR2153451A1

Abstract

An article supporting device useable for a coatrack or the like comprising a square pillar standing on a base plate, a pair of identically shaped metal members to be fixed to the square pillar in a symmetrical manner extending in either of four directions of the square pillar at a desired height, each of the metal members having a portion engaging with the pillar, flange-like bent portions at both sides of the engaging portion, and a protecting bent portion adjacent to one of the flange-like bent portions, and said portion engaging with the pillar having outward projections, at least one fixing member having holes to be engaged with the outward projections so that the fixing member is fixed to the outer surface of the engaging portion of the metal member, and a supporting member hinged to the fixing member so that the supporting member can be sustained to a horizontally extending position or to a vertically set back position.

Description

United States Patent [191 Saiki ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Tomihei Saiki, No. 116, 3-chome,

Yagumo-naka-machi, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka, Japan 22 Filed: Sept. 12, 1972 211 App]. No.: 288,358

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 14, 1972 Japan 47-94909 Sept. 23, 1971 Japan..... 46-87134 Oct. 15, 1971 Japan 46-95595 [52] US. Cl 211/110, 211/170, 248/221, 248/226 R [51] Int. Cl. A47f 5/08, A47f 5/12 [58] Field of Search 211/170, 171, 111, 110,

[ 1 June 18, 1974 2,964,200 12/1960 King 211/112 X 3,034,610 5/1962 Lynch 287/l89.36 C

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 256,968 3/1949 Switzerland 211/99 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann, Ltd.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An article supporting device useable for a coatrack or the like comprising a square pillar standing on a base plate, a pair of identically shaped metal members to be fixed to the square pillar in a symmetrical manner extending in either of four directions of the square pillar at a desired height, each of the metal members having a portion engaging with the pillar, flange-like bent portions at both sides of the engaging portion, and a protecting bent portion adjacent to one of the flange-like bent portions, and said portion engaging with the pillar having outward projections, at least one fixing member having holes to be engaged with the outward projections so that the fixing member is fixed to the outer surface of the engaging portion of the metal member, and a supporting member hinged to the fixing member so that the supporting member can be sustained to a horizontally extending position or to a vertically set back position.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENYEMMBW $817394 mam er. a

ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to article supporting devices, and more particularly to those adapted to be used in a room for supporting coat hangers, books, or the like.

Devices heretofore employed in a room for support ing coat hangers have had a drawback of causing hindrance in a room whenthe devices are not used, and when these are used, holding of the hangers is not sufficiently firm, whereby the hangers are easily dropped out of the supporting devices even by a slight touch. Furthermore, the devices for supporting books or the like have had fixed shapes and sizes and could not be changed in accordance with the requirment in the room. In addition, all of these supporting devices were not esthetically pleasant.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an article supporting device whereby all of the above described drawbacks of the conventional devices can be substantially eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article supporting device the size, shape, and height of which can be adjusted as desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an article supporting device which can be brought into the working state by a simple depression, and can be set back to its unused state in one action so that the device does not make any nuisance in the room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved by an article supporting device according to the present invention which comprises a square pillar standing up from a base plate, a pair of identically shaped metal members to be fixed to said square pillar in a symmetrical manner-extending in either of four directions of the square pillar at a desired height, each of the metal members having a portion engaging with the surface of the pillar, flange-like bent portions at both sides of the pillar-engaging portion, and a protecting bent portion contiguous to one of the flange-like bent portions, said pillar-engaging portion of the metal member further having outward projections, at least one fixing member having holes to be engaged with the outward projections of said pillar-engaging portion of the metal member so that the fixing member is thereby fixed to the outer surface of the pillar-engaging portion of the metal member, and a supporting member hinged to the fixing member so that the supporting member further provided with either hanger supporting members or book supporting members can be sustained to a horizontally extended position or to a vertically set back position.

The nature, principle, and the utility of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article supporting device according to the present invention in a state for supporting coat hangers;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the supporting device for supporting books or the like, which is in the unused state;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the article supporting device shown in FIG. 2, which is partly disassembled;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a pair of substantially identical metal members fixed on the surfaces of a square pillar;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pair of metal members with assembling screws; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a hanger supporting member hinged to a fixing member of the article supporting device of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, there is indicated a square pillar l on which are fixed in an adjustable manner a pair of

metal members

2, 2 of channel shape which together form a sleeve. Each of the

metal members

2, 2 includes a portion 3 to be engaged with a surface of the square pillar l, flange-

like bent portions

4 and 5 provided at both sides of the pillar-engaging portion 3, and a protective bent portion 6 formed contiguously to the flange-like bent portion 5. On the surface of the portion 3, outwardly

offset tab projections

7 and 7 are further provided, and the pair of the

metal members

2, 2 are fixed on the surfaces of the square pillar l in a symmetrical manner by means of

screws

8, 8.

Since the

metal members

2, 2 are fixed in a symmetrical manner to the square pillar I, the mounting surfaces of the pillar 1 can be selected to any of the four surfaces, and by releasing the

fixing screws

8, 8, the

metal members

2, 2 can be displaced to any height on the pillar 1. It should be noted that the protecting bent portion 6 of the metal member 2 is provided for protecting the

screws

8, 8 as will be apparent from FIG. 4, and for this reason, the width of the bent portion 6 is determined greater than the length of the

screws

8, 8. Furthermore, screw threads are cut in the internal surfaces of

holes

9, 9 bored through the flange-

like bent portions

4, 4 of the pair of

metal members

2 and 2.

The above described

tab projections

7, 7 on the surface of the portion 3 are engaged with tab receiving holes l2, 12 extending through a fixing portion 11 of a fixing member or bracket 10, whereby the fixing member 10 is attached to the metal member 2. The bracket is of boxlike construction having parallel walls and is preferably in the form of a short length of tubing of rectangular cross section.

In the case where the fixing member 10 is used for a hanger supporting member 13 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6,

bent ends

14, 14 of the hanger supporting member 13 are engaged with holes in the sides of the fixing member 10 so that the hanger supporting member 13 can be swung around the

bent ends

14, 14 in a vertical direction. The member 13 is of hairpin shape being distinguished by spaced, generally parallel resilient arms. On the article supporting member 13 of this example, a plurality of

hanger supporting pieces

15, 15 are provided, while on the article supporting member 13 of the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a supporting plate 16 adapted to support books or the like is provided. In either of the examples, a horizontal bar 17 is provided through the fixing portion 11 of the fixing member 10, providing fixed supporting stops so that the article sup porting member 13 is thereby held to its working horizontally extending position. When the article supporting device is not used, the article supporting member 13 is set back to its vertical position as shown in FIG. 2. As clearly seen in FIG. 2, further

detent projections

18, 18 are provided on the fixing portion 11 of the fixing member at suitable positions above the holes engaging with the bent ends, 14, 14 of the article supporting member 13, whereby when the article supporting member 13 is urged upward, both legs of the member 13 are forced outwardly by means of the projections l8, l8 and held to the vertically elected state resting on the projections l8, 18.

As described above, the

metal members

2, 2 can be fixed to any of four surfaces of the square pillar 1, and the height of the fixed position may also be adjusted as desired by means of the

screws

8, 8. For this reason, the article supporting device according to the present invention can support coat hangers, books, or the like in a suitable manner in the room, and when it is not used, the supporting member 13 can be swung back to its inactive position in one action by simply pressing the supporting member 13 upwardly.

Furthermore, the

metal members

2, 2 and fixing member 10 can be used commonly for the above described examples of the application, that is, for supporting coat hangers or books and the like, whereby the cost of the supporting device can be substantially decreased. The above described protecting portion 6 having a width broader than the length of the

screws

8, 8, allows to protect coats or else from being caught by the

screws

8, 8 and damaged.

While the features of construction are more easily understood by considering the device as an improved coatrack, it will be apparent that it can be used for hanging or supporting any object within an appropriate weight limit. Boxlike" as used herein refers to the fact that the bracket has parallel walls for mounting the legs of the hanger. Also while the term metal" has been used, it will be apparent that strong plastic materials might be substituted without departing from the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article supporting device comprising a square pillar supported in a vertical position, a pair of identically shaped metal members fixed on said square pillar in a symmetrical manner on two faces of the square pillar at a desired height, each of the metal members having a portion engaging with the adjacent surface of the pillar, flange-like bent portions provided at both sides of said pillar-engaging portion, and a protecting bent portion contiguous to one of the flange-like bent portions, fastening means extending through said flangelike bent portion securing said metal members together in clamped relation upon said pillar, said pillar engaging portion of the metal member further having outwardly projected portions and extending essentially normal thereto, said protecting bent portions overlying exposed ends of the fastening means, at least one fix'ing member having holes to be engaged with said outwardly projected portions of he metal members thereby to fix the fixing member to the outward surface of the pillar-engaging portion of the metal member, and an article supporting member pivotally hinged to the fixing member so that the article supporting member can be held in either of the horizontally extended working position or in the upwardly set back non-working position.

2. An article supporting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said article supporting member is further provided with a plurality of hanger supporting pieces.

3. An article supporting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said article supporting member is further provided with an article supporting plate.

4. An article supporting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protecting bent portion has a width sufficiently broader than the length of the screws.

Claims

1. An article supporting device comprising a square pillar supported in a vertical position, a pair of identically shaped metal members fixed on said square pillar in a symmetrical manner on two faces of the square pillar at a desired height, each of the metal members having a portion engaging with the adjacent surface of the pillar, flange-like bent portions provided at both sides of said pillar-engaging portion, and a protecting bent portion contiguous to one of the flange-like bent portions, fastening means extending through said flange-like bent portion securing said metal members together in clamped relation upon said pillar, said pillar engaging portion of the metal member further having outwardly projected portions and extending essentially normal thereto, said protecting bent portions overlying exposed ends of the fastening means, at least one fixing member having holes to be engaged with said outwardly projected portions of he metal members thereby to fix the fixing member to the outward surface of the pillar-engaging portion of the metal member, and an article supporting member pivotally hinged to the fixing member so that the article supporting member can be held in either of the horizontally extended working position or in the upwardly set back non-working position.