U.S. patent application number 10/989496 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for flexible bag supporting frame.
Invention is credited to Evans, Gerald.
Application Number | 20050103952 10/989496 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34558358 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050103952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Evans, Gerald |
May 19, 2005 |
Flexible bag supporting frame
Abstract
The bag-supporting frame includes a circular band having an
annular groove on its outer wall. Three legs extend downwardly from
the band and contact the ground when the frame is standing upright.
An elastic cord is received in the groove for attaching the upper
portion of the bag to the band such that the band holds the mouth
open. In use the frame is tipped over so that the mouth of the bag
is substantially vertical. The legs are arranged to support the
frame so that it holds the mouth of the bag in that position.
Particulate material such as leaves and grass cuttings can then be
conveniently raked or shoveled into the bag.
Inventors: |
Evans, Gerald; (Oshawa,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
34558358 |
Appl. No.: |
10/989496 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 67/1233
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/099 |
International
Class: |
B65B 067/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 18, 2003 |
CA |
2,449,579 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A frame for supporting a bag composed of flexible material and
having a mouth for receipt of particulate material, said frame
comprising: an upper band having inner and outer side walls, said
outer wall having a continuous groove formed therein; a plurality
of legs depending downwardly from said band; and an elastic cord
receivable in said groove for attaching the portion of the bag
surrounding the mouth to said band such that said band holds the
mouth open for receipt of the particulate material.
2. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim in 1 wherein said
band is circular and said groove is annular.
3. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim in 1 wherein said
elastic cord is a bungee cord
4. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said legs
are removably attached to said band.
5. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim 1 further including
an L-shaped bracket having a vertical limb secured to the inner
side wall of said band and a horizontal limb which extends
outwardly from beneath said band, the horizontal limb of each said
bracket having means for removably securing a separate said leg
thereto.
6. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim in 1 wherein said
legs are movable along said band
7. The bag-supporting frame as claimed in claim in 1 wherein said
legs are arranged and constructed to support the mouth of said bag
in a substantially vertical position when said band is resting on
the ground.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to devices for holding flexible bags
open to facilitate the filling of such bags and more particularly
to a frame to which a flexible bag can be readily attached and
which supports the bag while open so that its mouth is generally
vertical.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The clearing of fallen leaves from a lawn usually involves
raking the leaves into piles and lifting the leaves by means of a
rake or by hand and loading them into a plastic bag. The leaves are
loaded into the bag by two persons, one to hold the bag so that its
mouth is open and is uppermost and the other to do the loading.
Likewise grass cuttings are often cleared in the same manner. The
cuttings are raked into piles and one person holds a bag with its
mouth open and uppermost while the other person fills the bag with
the cuttings.
[0003] If there are not two people for this task, it can be quite
inconvenient and time-consuming. The person who is doing the
filling can waste a good deal of time trying to hold the bag open
with one hand while he attempts to load the leaves into the bag
with the other. Most plastic bags will not hold their shape when
they are held in one hand and their mouths will be too small to
admit more than few leaves or grass at a time. For this reason
considerable time is required to fill them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] I have invented a frame for supporting a bag while it is
being loaded. The frame holds the bag open and supports its mouth
at an angle which is most convenient for loading leaves and grass
cuttings. By means of the frame, a bag can be conveniently filled
by one person.
[0005] When the frame is not in use, it can be easily taken apart
so that its bulk is reduced for storage.
[0006] Briefly, the frame of my invention includes an upper band
having inner and outer side walls. A continuous groove is formed in
the outer side wall. The frame has a plurality of legs depending
downwardly from the band. An elastic cord is receivable in the
groove for attaching the portion of the bag surrounding the mouth
to the band such that the band holds the mouth open for receipt of
particulate material such as leaves and grass cuttings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] The bag-supporting frame of the invention is described with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the frame in conjunction
with a bag;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an elevation of the frame and bag;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view, in enlarged scale, of portion
of a band to which the bag is attached together with a bracket for
attaching a leg to the band;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an elevation, in enlarged scale, of the band and
bracket together with a portion of the leg and bag;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the frame; and
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bag and the frame on its
side for use.
[0014] Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the
description of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] With reference to FIG. 1, the bag-supporting frame of the
invention, generally 10, is composed of an upper band 12 and three
legs 14 which are spaced along the circumference of the band. The
legs depend downwardly from the band and contact the ground or
other solid surface.
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the band is circular in
shape and has oppositely facing inner and outer side walls 18, 20
and an upper wall 22. The outer wall has a continuous annular
groove 24 formed in it for receipt of an elastic cord 26.
Preferably the cord is of the kind which is commonly referred to as
a "bungee cord".
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, each leg is connected to
the band by means of an L-shaped bracket 30 having vertical and
horizontal limbs 32, 34 respectively. The vertical limb is attached
to inner side wall 18 by means of a screw (not illustrated). The
screw can be loosened so that the position of the bracket can be
adjusted by moving it along the band.
[0018] A sleeve 36 has an outer wall which is threaded at upper
portion (not illustrated). That portion is threadably received in a
threaded opening in the horizontal limb.
[0019] The upper end of leg 14a is received in sleeve 36 and is
held therein by means of set screw 38. Loosening of the screw
allows the leg to be removed from the sleeve in order to reduce the
bulk of the bag-supporting frame when it is being stored.
[0020] The bag is attached to the bag-supporting frame by first
placing the bag within the band while the frame is standing upright
in the position illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper portion of the bag
is then folded over the band and down over its outer wall 20 as
illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0021] The ends of the elastic cord are then joined so that it is
continuous and the cord is stretched until it is long enough to fit
around the outer wall of the band. The band is then positioned such
that it is radially outward of groove 24. Finally the cord is
allowed to assume its unstretched state so that it enters the
groove and grips the portion of the bag which is within the
groove.
[0022] The bag is composed of polymeric or other flexible material
and has a mouth for receipt of particulate material such as leaves,
grass and the like. If the bag is used for holding leaves or grass,
the bag-supporting frame should support the bag so that its mouth
is close to vertical as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that the bag can
be conveniently loaded. To support the frame in this manner, the
frame is provided with three legs which are equidistantly spaced
along the circumference of the band. In that way, two legs will
contact the ground when the mouth is close to vertical and the
points of attachment of the legs to the band are sufficiently high
that the frame will not tip over in use.
[0023] It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be
made in the structure of the bag-supporting frame of the invention
without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as
defined in the appended claims.
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