U.S. patent number 3,889,910 [Application Number 05/339,043] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-17 for floor stand support and bracing system.
Invention is credited to Ratus W. Walters.
United States Patent |
3,889,910 |
Walters |
June 17, 1975 |
Floor stand support and bracing system
Abstract
A floor stand support and bracing system in the form of an
elongate arm extending effectively horizontally from a vertical
support element and having at one end a load carrying means
suspended therefrom for supporting and bracing a load and
consisting of a frame with upper and lower elements, an
intermediate element and wherein the lower end of the vertical
support element is connected to a U-shaped base member with first
and second leg members.
Inventors: |
Walters; Ratus W. (Washington,
DC) |
Family
ID: |
23327246 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/339,043 |
Filed: |
March 8, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/122.1;
D6/682; 248/921 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
7/0533 (20130101); A47B 23/007 (20130101); A61G
7/05 (20130101); A47B 2220/0094 (20130101); Y10S
248/921 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
23/00 (20060101); A61G 7/05 (20060101); A61G
7/053 (20060101); A47G 027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/121,122,123,124,125 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schultz; William H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Armstrong, Nikaido & Wegner
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A floor stand support and bracing device comprising:
a. an elongate arm;
b. a vertical support element extending from the arm;
c. a base composed of first and second support means wherein the
vertical support element is connected to the base; and
d. a load carrying means suspended from the elongate arm, wherein
the load carrying means is a frame with an upper component with
vertical elements at the ends thereof and extending downward
therefrom, an angle iron component with vertical elements at the
ends thereof and extending upward therefrom, an intermediate
element with vertical elements at the ends thereof and extending
downward therefrom with the extremities of the respective vertical
elements connected to form a frame and wherein the said upper angle
iron and intermediate components are substantially parallel.
2. A floor stand support and bracing device according to claim 1,
wherein the elongate arm is essentially horizontal and extends
gradually in a curved fashion continuously into the vertical
support element.
3. A floor stand support and bracing device according to claim 2,
wherein the first and second support means are legs connected to
form a U-shaped member, the vertical support element is connected
to the center of the closed end of said U-shaped member.
4. A floor stand support and bracing device according to claim 1,
wherein said elongated arm and said first and second support means
extend in substantially the same direction with respect to said
vertical support element and wherein said first and second support
means extend beyond said load carrying means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a floor stand support and bracing
system which is a device intended for adjustable displacement and
suspension of a substantially constant load in a boom-type
arrangement and without the necessity of counter-weight or
cantilever arrangements or complex and complicated elongate arm
structures, but retaining the ability of balancing substantial
movements created by the load orientation.
In the past a variety of support and brace arrangements have been
employed for the suspension of a load at a remote distance. These
past endeavors have included the familiar pole and clamp
arrangements as well as the known adjustable arm structures.
However, it has been necessary to include a heavy counterbalance to
overcome the substantial movement produced by a large constant
weight held in suspension from an extended arm. In the alternative,
only small loads were suspended or the extended arm was formed of a
complex and complicated mechanical arrangement to offset the
suspended weight and which usually included spring and linkage
elements connecting the sections of the segmented extension
arm.
A particular need for a device of the kind represented by the
present inventor has arisen with relation to hospitals,
convalescent homes and sick rooms where such conveniences as a
television are provided for the pleasure, need and enjoyment of the
patient who is often in a reclining or semi-reclining position.
However, the present arrangements for supporting and suspending a
television or other object under such circumstances have been
primarily portable stands on wheels or wall supports. Neither of
these alternatives has proved completely successful or satisfactory
since they both are relatively fixed in position and thus require
the patient to adjust his position relative to the television
instead of the reverse and thus discomfort and inconvenience have
occurred.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device
which overcomes the problems and deficiencies associated with past
support and bracing structures and to produce a device of such a
structural arrangement that large and substantially constant loads
can be supported and suspended at a remote position without the
necessity of counter-weights, cantilever arrangements or
complicated and complex extension arm structures.
Another object of my present invention is to provide a floor stand
support and bracing system which is simple and inexpensive in
construction and operation and which is self-balancing and
supporting.
A still further object of my invention is to provide a floor
support stand and bracing system which is adaptable to and capable
of use for a variety of purposes and which consists of one
continuous support element with a suspension frame extending
therefrom and where the frame is adjustable in both horizontal and
vertical planes.
Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device of the
class indicated which is capable of the functions referred to and
which is based upon scientific principles of load suspension and
support.
A further particular object of my invention is to provide a device
to support a television set in a freestanding position so mounted
as to allow its picture to face in a variety of directions but
primarily down wherein the specific continuous structural
arrangement is of the boom-type and where said structure requires
no anchoring or attaching to any other structure but is independent
in character and to particularly permit the mounting of a
television above a bed or similar structure so as to permit a
person in a prone position to view the television.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention generally a device in the
form of a floor stand support and bracing system is provided
wherein the system consists of certain components including an
elongate arm generally horizontally orientated and from which is
suspended a frame with the arm connected in a continuous and
uninterrupted manner to a vertical support element which is
stationed upon and connected in continuous fashion to a base member
of a modified U-shape and composed of first and second leg
members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a general side view of the device.
FIG. 2 is another general side view of the device but in relation
to a bed.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device with the frame
orientated in relation to a bed.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of the frame suspended
from the elongated arm.
FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the device showing a variety of
accessory devices employable in relation thereto.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of an embodiment of the device.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged side views of the frame showing
adjustability in the vertical and horizontal planes
respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to FIG. 1 and to the details of the construction and
operation of my invention, numeral 1 represents the elongated arm
component of the device which extends essentially in a horizontal
direction from the vertical support element 2 and the structural
relationship of these two elements is such that they are continuous
in structural character to form a long element of curved
configuration. It is also contemplated that elongate arm 1 and
vertical support element 2 could be two separate elements connected
in some fashion to form a sturdy joint. Vertical support element 2
is connected at connection location 5 to the support legs 3 and 4
comprised of first support leg 3 and second support leg 4 which are
generally parallel in structural relationship but connected to form
a U-shaped base. Also, legs 3 and 4 can be parallel elements of a
single, continuous structure to which vertical support element 2 is
joined at mid-point 5 of the closed end of the U-shape. Such
joining may be in any known fashion, such as welding.
A load carrying means is connected near the free end of the
elongated arm 1 by any suitable connection means 27 such as a pin
or bolt. FIG. 4 gives an enlarged view of the load carrying means
in which a frame consisting of upper element 7 with vertical
component 15 extending downward therefrom at one end and a
comparable vertical element (not shown) at the opposite end and
parallel to the first element 15. Angle iron element 10 extends
essentially parallel to upper element 7 and having vertical
component 6 extending upward therefrom at one end and a comparable
vertical element (not shown) at the opposite end and extending
essentially parallel to vertical component 6. The respective
vertical components of the upper element and the angle iron element
are joined at these free extremities to form the outline of the
frame. Interposed between the upper and angle iron elements is
intermediate element 8 with vertical component 16 extending
downward therefrom at one end and a comparable vertical element
(not shown) at the opposite end and parallel to component 16. A
slot 28 is contained in each of the intermediate element vertical
components and said vertical components are joined in overlapping
arrangement with the extremities of the upper and angle iron
element vertical components to complete the frame.
The slots 28 in the vertical components of the intermediate element
permit varying the distance between that element and the angle iron
element 10 in order to accomodate objects of varying sizes and
particularly a variety of television sizes. As is shown in FIG. 4,
a television 9 is so placed in the frame that the lower front
thereof is supported by angle iron element 10 and the upper rear
thereof is supported or contained by intermediate element 3. The
connecting or attaching means 27 extends from and through elogate
arm 1 and to upper frame component 7. It should be noted that
particularly excellent support strength is derived from angle iron
element 10 and its structurally angular position relative to the
object to be contained in the frame, such as television 9.
FIG. 2 readily demonstrates the relation of the device to a person
in a reclining position on a couch or bed. Support legs 3 and 4
extend under and along the longitudinal direction of the bed 28
while vertical support element 2 extends perpendicular to said bed
and gradually extends into elongate arm 1 which is horizontally
suspended over the bed 23 with the load carrying means suspended
therefrom at the free end. It should be particularly noted that
legs 3 and 4 extend at their free end beyond the furthermost point
of elongate arm 1 and parallel thereto. This specific structural
feature contributes significantly to the support strength and
balance characteristics of the device.
FIGS. 8 and 9 demonstrate the adjustability of the load carrying so
that the object being suspended can be manipulated to a variety of
positions in both the horizontal and vertical planes.
FIGS. 6 and 7 demonstrate the application of the device to a double
bed and a twin single bed arrangement with the embodiment of FIG. 7
indicating a modification in the leg orientation to the extent that
the free ends are flared to permit adjustability of the device
under proper balance conditions to either of the twin single
beds.
FIGS. 2, 3 and particularly FIG. 5 demonstrate a variety of
convenience objects which can be attached to the device including
reading lamps 11, 11' with extension 12, 12, shelf 13, support bar
26, backrest 21 and table 22 attached to arms 23, 24, exercise bar
20, treatment lamp 19 and monitoring device 18. Further, an
extension element 17 can be affixed to the free end of elongate arm
1 for such purposes as traction support, etc.
The device in its totality is structurally sound, simple of
structure and capable of supporting sizeable and constant loads
without the necessity of counter-weights, cantilevers or complex
and complicated arm structure.
From the foregoing, it may be seen that I have provided a useful
device for supporting constant loads in a boom-type structural
relationship and particularly a television such that a bedridden
individual in a reclining or semi-reclining position may view the
same with ease and convenience.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be
considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the
scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims
rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore intended to be embraced therein.
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