U.S. patent application number 12/152732 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-11 for support bracket.
Invention is credited to Gilles Dumont.
Application Number | 20080302930 12/152732 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40094973 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080302930 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dumont; Gilles |
December 11, 2008 |
Support bracket
Abstract
The support assembly of the triangular type comprising a
vertical member, a horizontal member and a diagonal brace, wherein
the support assembly may be easily assembled by hand without any
special tools. The support assembly is particularly designed to
supporting equipment such as thermo pumps, air conditioners and the
like.
Inventors: |
Dumont; Gilles; (St-Philippe
de Laprairie, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Eric Fincham
316 Knowlton Road
Lac Brome
QC
J0E 1V0
CA
|
Family ID: |
40094973 |
Appl. No.: |
12/152732 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 11/38 20130101;
F16M 13/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/207 |
International
Class: |
A47F 5/00 20060101
A47F005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 7, 2007 |
CA |
2,590,994 |
Claims
1. A support assembly comprising a vertical member, a horizontal
member, and a diagonal brace; said vertical member having a
vertical member base and a pair of vertical member side walls, an
upper recess formed at an upper edge of each of said vertical
member side walls, a lower recess formed in a lower portion of each
of said vertical member side walls; said horizontal member having a
horizontal member base and first and second horizontal member side
walls, first and second apertures located proximate a first end of
said horizontal member, said first and second apertures being
located where said horizontal member base and respective horizontal
member side walls meet, said horizontal member having means for
pivotally receiving said diagonal member proximate a second end of
said horizontal member; and said diagonal member having a diagonal
member base and a first and second diagonal member side walls,
means for pivotable securement to said horizontal member located at
a first end of said diagonal member, first and second apertures in
said diagonal base, said first and second apertures being located
at a second end of said diagonal member, each of said recesses
being located where a respective one of said first and second
diagonal member side walls meet said diagonal member base.
2. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein said vertical member
further includes first and second horizontal tab members extending
outwardly from said first and second vertical member side walls,
said horizontal tab members being located proximate said first
recess.
3. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein said vertical member
further includes first and second upwardly extending tab members
designed for engagement with a respective one of said first and
second apertures in said horizontal member.
4. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein upper first recess in
said vertical member side walls includes an entry portion, said
entry portion being sized to be smaller than said lower recess.
5. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein said lower recess in
said vertical member side walls includes an entry portion, said
entry portion being sized to be smaller than said lower recess.
6. A support assembly comprising: a vertical member having a
vertical member base and a pair of vertical member side walls, an
upper recess formed at an upper edge of each of said vertical
member side walls, a lower recess formed in a lower portion of each
of said vertical member side walls, first and second upwardly
extending tab members located on an upper edge of each of said
vertical side walls; a horizontal member having a horizontal member
base and first and second horizontal member side walls, first and
second apertures located proximate a first end of said horizontal
member, said first and second apertures being located where said
horizontal member base and respective horizontal member side walls
meet, said first and second upwardly extending tab members of said
vertical member engaging within said first and second apertures; a
diagonal member having a diagonal member base and first and second
diagonal member side walls, a distal end of said diagonal member
being pivotally secured to said horizontal member proximate a
second end thereof, first and second apertures in said diagonal
base, said first and second apertures being located at a second end
of said diagonal member, each of said first and second apertures
engaging with a wall segment defining a respective lower recess.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to supports and more
particularly, relates to a triangular support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Supports or brackets are widely used for many different
purposes. One of these uses is to support an object next to or
adjacent a vertical surface such as a wall. Known support brackets
frequently comprise a one piece L shaped member which has one leg
secured to the vertical surface with the other leg acting as the
support element.
[0003] A more specialized form of the typical bracket described
above, is a triangular bracket. Whereas the two legged bracket
relies strictly on material strength for its support, a triangular
bracket can be utilized to transfer the load force to a vertical
member. Such an arrangement is inherently stronger than the two
legged bracket.
[0004] As aforementioned brackets are frequently used to support an
object such as a heat exchange device against a wall. Such heat
exchange devices would include, for example, thermo pumps, air
conditioners, heaters and the like. As these objects have a
substantial weight, normally a triangularly shaped bracket is
employed and care must be taken with the installation. As will be
readily understood, installation of such brackets, particularly in
tight quarters, consumes a fair bit of the installers time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
triangular support which can be shipped in a knock down condition
and be easily assembled using a minimum of tools.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a support assembly comprising a vertical member, a
horizontal member, and a diagonal brace, the vertical member having
a vertical member base and a pair of vertical member side walls, an
upper recess formed at an upper edge of each of the vertical member
side walls, a lower recess formed in a lower portion of each of the
vertical member side walls, the horizontal member having a
horizontal member base and first and second horizontal member side
walls, first and second apertures located proximate a first end of
the horizontal member, the first and second apertures being located
where the horizontal member base and respective horizontal member
side walls meet, said horizontal member having means for pivotally
receiving the diagonal member proximate a second end of the
horizontal member, and the diagonal member having a diagonal member
base and a first and second diagonal member side walls, means for
pivotable securement to the horizontal member located at a first
end of the diagonal member, first and second apertures in the
diagonal base, the first and second apertures being located at a
second end of the diagonal member, each of the recesses being
located where a respective one of the first and second diagonal
member side walls meet the diagonal member base.
[0007] In a further aspect of the present invention there is
provided a support assembly comprising a vertical member having a
vertical member base and a pair of vertical member side walls, an
upper recess formed at an upper edge of each of the vertical member
side walls, a lower recess formed in a lower portion of each of the
vertical member side walls, first and second upwardly extending tab
members located on an upper edge of each of the vertical side
walls, a horizontal member having a horizontal member base and
first and second horizontal member side walls, first and second
apertures located proximate a first end of the horizontal member,
the first and second apertures being located where the horizontal
member base and respective horizontal member side walls meet, the
first and second upwardly extending tab members of the vertical
member engaging within the first and second apertures, a diagonal
member having a diagonal member base and first and second diagonal
member side walls, a distal end of the diagonal member being
pivotally secured to the horizontal member proximate a second end
thereof, first and second apertures in the diagonal base, the first
and second apertures being located at a second end of the diagonal
member, each of the first and second apertures engaging with a wall
segment defining a respective lower recess.
[0008] In greater detail the vertical member will, as is
conventional, have means for securing the same to a vertical
surface. Eventually, this may be achieved by the use of mechanical
fasteners extending through apertures in the base wall of the
vertical member. However, it will also be understood that other
arrangements such as where the vertical surface has means to
cooperate with the vertical member for retaining the same in
position.
[0009] As used herein, the terms vertical, horizontal, diagonal and
the like will refer to the members when they are in the installed
position. The terms are used for the sake of convenience and it
will be understood that other orientations may be possible.
Similarly, where the term "distal" as used herein refers to the end
of a member which is removed from the vertical surface on which the
support is installed.
[0010] The vertical member has a structure, at its upper end,
designed to cooperate with one end of the horizontal member to
support and retain the same. Preferably a system of tab members and
apertures are utilized as will be shown in the described
embodiment.
[0011] The horizontal member, at its point of joinder with the
vertical member, is locked into position and is supported by the
vertical member.
[0012] The diagonal member extends from the distal end of the
horizontal member to a lower portion of the vertical member. Again,
a structure for retaining the diagonal member in position is
provided. The distal end of the diagonal member may be retained in
position by means of a rod (nut and bolt) extending through
apertures in both members. Alternatively, a clip arrangement could
be utilized.
[0013] Each of the members preferably has a base wall and a pair of
side walls extending substantially perpendicular therefrom. The
members may be made of a suitable metallic material having the
strength characteristics desired although plastic materials would
be suitable for some uses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Having thus generally described the invention, reference
will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an
embodiment thereof, in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a triangular support
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof;
[0018] FIG. 4A is a side elevational view showing securement of the
top horizontal member and diagonal brace;
[0019] FIG. 4B is a view similar to FIG. 4A; and
[0020] FIG. 4C is a view showing the ends of the horizontal and
diagonal brace being in an assembled position with respect to the
vertical member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference
characters thereto, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 a
triangular support generally designated by reference numeral
10.
[0022] Triangular support 10 has a vertical member 12 which is
designed to be secured to a substrate; a horizontal member 14 which
will support a load; and a diagonal brace 16.
[0023] Vertical member 12 has a back wall 20, a first side wall 22
and a second side wall 24. Vertical member 12 is symmetrical about
a vertical axis and thus, only reference will be made to side wall
22, being understood that side wall 24 has a like configuration.
Where appropriate, similar reference numerals with a prime are
employed for side wall 24.
[0024] At its upper end, side wall 22 has an upper tab 26 and a
side tab 28. A notch 30 is provided at the juncture of upper tab 26
and side tab 28.
[0025] A recess generally designated by reference numeral 32 is
formed at the upper end wall of side wall 22. Recess 32 is defined
by a plurality of wall segments as follows.
[0026] A first horizontal wall segment 34 forms the upper edge of
upper tab 26. A first vertical wall segment 36 is formed to extend
downwardly from upper tab 26 with an arcuate segment 40 being
contiguous therein. It will be noted that a mouth 38 is smaller
than the diameter of recess 32.
[0027] Situated lower down on vertical member 12 and being designed
to receive an end of diagonal brace 16 is a second recess 44.
Recess 44 is defined by a bottom upwardly extending diagonal wall
46 and a downwardly extending diagonal wall 48. The upper portion
of recess 44 is defined by a downwardly extending top diagonal wall
50 and an upwardly extending diagonal wall 52. A notch 54 is formed
adjacent to wall 52. At its inward extremity, recess 44 has an
arcuate wall 60. Again, the mouth entering into the portion of
recess 44 defined by arcuate wall 60 is relatively small.
[0028] Horizontal member 14 has a back wall 62, and first and
second side walls 64 and 66 respectively. At one end thereof, there
are provided a pair of cut outs 68 and 70 which are formed at the
joinder of back wall 62 with a respective side wall 64, 66.
Apertures are located in side wall 64, 66 respectively.
[0029] Diagonal brace 16 also has a back wall 78 and a pair of side
walls 80, 82. Cut outs 84 and 86 are provided at the point of
joinder of back wall 78 with side walls 80 and 82 respectively. A
first aperture is provided in side wall 80 and a second aperture in
side wall 82.
[0030] For assembly, vertical member 12 may be secured to a
suitable substrate S by any suitable means (not shown).
Subsequently, an end of horizontal member 14 is inserted in a
diagonal manner into recess 32. The undercut arrangement permits
the end walls of horizontal member 14 to rotate such that back wall
20 rests against horizontal segment 34 and with tabs 26, 26'
fitting within cut outs 68 and 70. The position is that shown in
FIGS. 4B and 4C.
[0031] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4A, end of diagonal brace 16
is inserted into recess 44 and brace 16 pivoted upwardly as shown
in FIG. 4B. In this sequence, the extended portion formed by top
diagonal walls 50 and 52 extends through cut out 68. Subsequently,
a nut 90 and bolt 92 (or other suitable securement means) will pass
through the apertures in side walls 64, 66, 80 and 82 to secure the
diagonal brace in position.
[0032] It will be understood that the above described embodiment is
for purposes of illustration only and that changes and
modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *