RECEPTACLE

Abstract: A receptacle (1) which may contain food or drinks or may be a plant container, for example, is provided with an upright central locating tube (2) which is attached to an aperture in a recess (3) in its base and is mounted on e.g. a parasol pole (6) by means of a jubilee clip (5) which encircles and grips spring fingers (4) which extend from the bottom end of the locating tube. The above clamping arrangement is concealed within the recess (3) and hence the appearance is enhanced. In a further embodiment, the spring fingers are omitted and the locating tube is provided with apertures above and below the surrounding region of the base which enable the receptacle to be attached to the supporting pole by pegs or threaded fixing means and, when the receptacle is dismounted from te pole, function as drainage and/or ventilation holes.

Description: Receptacle The present invention relates to a receptacle which can be supported on an upright member. The receptacle may for example be a flat dish, a shaped dish, a bowl, a vase, a planter, a plant pot, a napkin holder, a condiment holder, an ice-bucket or a The invenuon relates particularly but not exclusively to a receptacle which can be supported on a parasol pole or umbrella pole. Patio tables and larger tables used in cafes, beer gardens and at garden parties arc generally provided with a hole in the top surface, usually in the centre of the table, to receive the pole of a parasol. It would be desirable to provide a receptacle for such tables which could be located in the centre of the table, making use of an area of the table which is sometimes difficult to reach. GB 2,2 6,291A discloses such a tray for use with an umbrella or parasol, the tray having a central aperture in its base which is attached to a supporting tube extending downwardly towards an aperture in a table. The lower end of the tube is fixed to the aperture in the table and the parasol or umbrella pole extends upwardly through the aperture in the table and through the tube and projects upwardly from the aperture in the tray. However the above arrangement can only be used with tables having an aperture of a size corresponding to the diameter of the tube and furthermore the height of the tray is fixed in relation to the height of the table. Moreover parasol poles are used not only in conjuncuon with a patio table or garden table but also in a free-standing manner for example in purpose-built bases or supported in soil or sand. The above tray arrangement is unsuitable for use with a free-standing pole. Accordingly the present invention provides a receptacle having an aperture formed in a recess in the underside of its base, an upπght locating tube extending from and having its bore aligned with said aperture, said locating tube having supporting means arranged to engage an upπght receptacle-supporting member extending through said locating tube whereby said receptacle can be supported in an elevated position by said receptacle-supporting member, the upper end of said locating tube being located above the base Preferably said supporting means is located within and concealed by said recess. Preferably said supporting means is removable from said locaung tube. Preferably the upπght locating tube projects below at least the highest part of the base. The supporting means may be separate from or integral with the locating tube, and preferably compπses a clamp which may be mounted either on the locaung tube or on the parasol pole or other upπght receptacle-supporting member, for example. The locating tube is conveniently moulded integrally with the base of the receptacle but alternatively a separate locaung tube can be used. In a preferred embodiment said supporting means and tube do not extend beneath the lowest portion of the base whereby the receptacle can be supported on a flat surface, i.e. quite independently of any supporting pole. The receptacle is conveniently made of plastics mateπal e. g. polypropylene but it is envisaged that other mateπals such as china, porcelain, terracotta, earthenware, pottery, wood, metal or glass may alternatively be used The invention also encompasses an umbrella or parasol having the receptacle of the invenuon supported on its pole. Preferred embodiments of the invention are descπbed below by way of example only with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an ele\ ation, partly in secϋon of one receptacle in accordance v\ ith the invenuon, Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of another receptacle in accordance with the invention, Figure 2A is an elevation, partly in sec on, showing a vaπant of the clamping arrangement of Figure 2, Figure 3 is an elevation showing a parasol provided with a receptacle in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is an elevation, partly in section of a further receptacle in accordance with the invention, supported on a flat surface; Figure 5 is an elevation , partly in section, of a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is an end elevaUon of a drainage tube for use in the arrangement of Figure 5, and Figure 7 is an elevation of a screwing arrangement in a further embodiment. Refemng to Figure 1, the illustrated receptacle 1 is shown partly cut away to reveal a recess 3 in its base, which accommodates an integral locating tube 2 which is fitted through an aperture in the centre of the recess and extends upwardly to the open top of the receptacle. The locating tube 2 terminates m resilient spπng fingers 4 which are urged against an upnght supporting pole 6 by a Jubilee® clip 5. The distal tips of the spπng fingers 4 project radially outwardly and thereby prevent the Jubilee® clip from slipping off when it is unfastened. The locating tube 2 and main body of the receptacle 1 are formed from suitable plastics mateπal such as polypropylene although other mateπals may be employed, particularly for the locating tube 2, in order to provide the required fπction and resilience The locating tube 2 and especially its spπng finger portion may optionally be lined with suitable gπpping mateπal such as rubber or the like in order to enable the receptacle to be securely located without damaging the surface of the supporting pole 6 Replacable sleeves of gπpping mateπal may be provided in a vaπety of thicknesses in order to allow a locating tube of standard size to engage with upπght receptacle-supporting members of vaπous diameters and profiles It will be apparent that the descπbed clamping arrangement is effectively concealed by the recess 3, thereby enhancing the appearance of the receptacle, which will normally be located below eye level and may contain food or dπnk, flowers, or soil and plants for example. As an alternative or in addition to the clamping arrangement shown in Figure 1 a similar Jubilee® clip may be fitted around the upper portion of locating tube 2 within the receptacle, and this may be hidden from view by the contents (e.g. soil) of the receptacle. Figure 2 shows a vaπant in which the spπng fingers 4 are replaced by a recessed portion 2A of the locating tube 2 and a sleeve 7 of flexible mateπal (preferably rubber or other elastomeπc mateπal) fitted round this recessed portion protrudes from the lower end of the locating tube. The protruding end of this sleeve is clamped around supporting pole 6 by a Jubilee® clip 5. This arrangement is especially suitable for supporting receptacles having integral locaung tubes of relatively bπttle mateπal such as porcelain or terracotta for example. In the vaπant shown in Figure 2A the sleeve 7 is attached to an inner sleeve portion T which is located beneath the lower end of the locating tube. The wall thickness of inner sleeve portion T is similar to that of the locating tube and hence the strain on the sleeve 7 is reduced in compaπson with the arrangement shown in Figure 2. In some cases a sufficiently secure fixing may be achieved merely by clamping a clamp (such as a jubilee clip for example) around a sleeve fitted around the supporting pole and resting the lower end of the locating tube on the upper surface of this sleeve A lid (not show n) having a slot to enable it to be fitted around the parasol pole ma> also be pro\ ided in order to protect the contents of the receptacle In another embodiment (not shown) the receptacle may be in the form ol a dish or tray with one or more cut-out portions in its edge which are adapted to recen e and retain wineglasses or other receptacles for food or dπnk Figure 3 shows a receptacle 1 (as described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 for example) supported on the supporting pole 6 of a parasol 9, the supporting pole extending through a central aperture in a table 8. It will be apparent that the receptacle 1 is protected against theft because it can only be removed by lifting the parasol 9 and/or its pole 6. This feature of the invention is especially advantageous in situations where the receptacle is exposed in public places. In particular it is envisaged that the receptacle of the invention may be provided with an enlarged locating tube enabling it to be fitted over a large pole such as a lamppost for example. Figure 4 shows a receptacle 1 in accordance with the invention wherein the locating tube 2 is provided with upper apertures 10 and lower apertures 11 above and below the adjoining region of the base respectively. Pegs or threaded fixing means (not shown) can be inserted through apertures 10 and/or apertures 11 to engage holes in the supporting pole(not shown) or to screw into the supporting pole. However in Figure 4 the receptacle is shown supported on a fiat surface 12 rather than being mounted on a pole, and accordingly the lower end of tube 2 is capped with a cap 14 which is suitably formed from resilient plastics material. Alternatively the upper end of tube 2 may be capped. The apertures 10 also enable water to drain from the receptacle and also provide a degree of ventilation. It will be appreciated that several apertures may be provided e.g. in a circular array for this purpose. Such a receptacle is particularly suitable for use as a planter. Referring to Figure 5, the pot 1 ' is intended to be used as a planter and is suitably formed of injection-moulded polypropylene and has a ribbed exterior as shown. A stepped recess 3' has its inner portion supported by four regularly spaced radial webs 19 (only two of which are visible in Figure 5) and the innermost portion of the pot wall is generally frusto-conical and terminates in an integral array of spring fingers 4' which are urged against supporting pole 6 by a jubilee clip 5. The pot is filled with soil (not shown). The webbed inner portion of the receptacle separates the soil (not shown) in the receptacle from the pole 6. In particular there is a space in the region between the innermost frusto-conical portion of the receptacle and the pole 6. A drainage tube 15 is provided as a separate part and comprises a plastic tube 17 moulded integrally with two fingers 16 which are of generally triangular cross- section as shown in Figure 6. These grip the underside of one of the webs 19 which fits into a slot 18 between them. In this position, as shown in figure 5, the plastic tube 17 has its upper, radially outer end fitted through an aperture in an edge of the pot and its lower, radially inner end fitted between two adjacent spring fingers 4'. Hence any excess water in the soil drains away to the surface of the parasol pole and runs down through the hole of a table (not shown) without spilling onto the table surface. In the variant shown in Figure 7, a nut 13, suitably of polyamide, has an upper threaded bore portion 21 which can screw onto an external threaded portion 20 of locating tube 2 and, when screwed on to the locating tube, urges the array of spring fingers 4 against the parasol pole 6 by means of an unthreaded lower tapered portion 22 and thereby supports the pot by frictional engagement of the spring fingers with the parasol pole.

Claims: Claims 1. A receptacle having an aperture formed in a recess in the underside of its base, an upright locating tube extending from and having its bore aligned with said aperture, said locating tube having supporting means arranged to engage an upright receptacle-supporting member extending through said locating tube whereby said receptacle can be supported in an elevated position by said receptacle-supporting member, the upper end of said locating tube being located above the base. 2. A receptacle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting means is located within and concealed by said recess. 3. A receptacle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said supporting means is removable from said locating tube. 4. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said supporting means compπses a clamping arrangement which in use attaches said locating tube lo said upright receptacle-supporting member. 5. A receptacle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said clamping arrangement comprises a generally circular clamp which can be tightened around resilient spπng fingers extending downwardly from said tube. 6. A receptacle as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said clamping arrangement is located above the base of the receptacle and clamps the locating tube against said upright receptacle-supporting member. 7. A receptacle as claimed in claim S or claim & wherein said locating tube has an external threaded portion and said clamping arrangement comprises a nut which can be screwed onto said threaded portion to urge the spπng fingers radially inwards 8. A receptacle as claimed in any of claims 4, 5 and 6 wherein said locating tube is provided with gπpping mateπal on its inner surface. 9. A receptacle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said clamping arrangement compπses a sleeve of elastomeπc mateπal which engages said tube and is adapted to gπp said upπght receptacle-supporting member. 10. A receptacle as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a generally circular clamp which can be tightened around a portion of said sleeve which extends beyond said tube to grip said upright receptacle-supporting member. 11. A receptacle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said supporting means compπses one or more apertures in said locating tube through which are fitted one or more peg members or threaded fixing means. 0 12. A receptacle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said supporting means compπses a sleeve fitted around said receptacle-supporting member and said locating tube rests on the upper end of said sleeve. 5 13. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said supporting means and tube do not extend beneath the lowest portion of the base whereby the receptacle can be supported on a flat surface. ° 14. A receptacle as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a cap fitted to an end of said tube. 15. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said locating tube extends upwardly from the base towards the mouth of the receptacle. 5 16. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said locating tube is moulded integrally with the base of the receptacle. 0 17. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim which is constructed, shaped and dimensioned to be used as a container for food or dπnk, decoration or plants. 18. A receptacle as claimed m any preceding claim wherein a drainage tube is arranged to drain water from the receptacle to the vicinity of said supporting means. 5 19. A receptacle as claimed in claim 18 wherein said drainage tube extends within a central recess in the underside of said base. 0 20. A receptacle as claimed in claim 19 wherein said drainage tube is attached to a web in said recess. 21. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one or more cut-out 5 portions are provided at the edge thereof which are adapted to support a receptacle for food or dπnk. 22. A receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one or more apertures for drainage are provided in said locating tube above the level of the base. 10 23. A parasol or umbrella having a receptacle as claimed in any preceding claim supported on its pole. j5 24. A receptacle substantially as descnbed here above with reference to any of Figures 1, 2, 2A, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings. 25. A parasol arrangement substantially as descnbed heremabove with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings comprising a receptacle as claimed in any of 0 claims 1 to 22 or claim 24. 5 0 5 0

Inventors: MINDELL BERTRAM, MINDELL, BERTRAM
Applicants: GARODGE LTD, MINDELL BERTRAM, GARODGE LTD., MINDELL, BERTRAM
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A47B37
IPC codes: A47B37