Abstract:
Article holder ( 10 ) comprises seat member ( 12 ) shaped to receive article, gate member ( 20 ) hingedly coupled to seat member ( 12 ), gate member ( 20 ) shaped to cooperate with seat member ( 12 ) in closed position so as to grasp article, rotatable handle ( 22 ) connected with gate member ( 20 ) so as to move gate member ( 20 ) between open position and closed position as handle ( 22 ) is rotated. Handle ( 22 ) has locking means ( 34, 36, 37, 38 ) for locking handle ( 22 ) when handle ( 22 ) is rotated to lock position, wherein handle ( 22 ) must be over rotated further than position where gate member ( 20 ) is closed to be positioned in lock position. Over rotation causes compressive gripping force to gate member ( 20 ) such that gate member ( 20 ) continues to grasp article while handle ( 22 ) is in lock position.

Description:
The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 national phase application from, and claims priority to, international application PCT/AU01/00369, filed Apr. 3, 2001 (published under PCT Article 21(2) in English), which claims priority to Australian patent application Serial No. PQ6654, filed Apr. 3, 2000, and Australian patent application Serial No. PR2166, filed Dec. 19, 2000, which applications are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a holder for holding a predetermined article. In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to a holder for holding a fire extinguisher. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In some jurisdictions it is compulsory for a vehicle, and in particular trucks and road trains to carry fire extinguishers. Currently, a fire extinguisher is held in position by a bracket having a latch that wraps around the extinguisher and holds it in place. Road trains often travel across bumpy ground, particularly in outback Australia. Under these conditions the bracket holding the extinguisher is subject to intense vibration. This results in the existing brackets rapidly falling apart. 
   There is therefore a need for a holder that is sturdy enough to withstand vibration. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention there is provided a holder for holding a predetermined article, said holder including: 
   a seat member shaped to receive the article; 
   a gate member hingedly coupled to the seat member, the gate member shaped to co-operate with the seat member in a closed position so as to grasp the article; and 
   a rotatable handle connected with the gate member so as to move the gate member between an open position and the closed position as the handle is rotated, the handle having a locking means for locking the handle when the handle is rotated to a lock position, 
   wherein the handle must be rotated (over rotated) further than a position where the gate member is closed to be positioned in the lock position, the over rotation causing a compressive gripping force to the gate member such that the gate continues to grasp the article while the handle is in the lock position. 
   Preferably, locking the handle in the back position when an article is being held by the holder retains a torsoinal force along a hinge portion of the handle. 
   Preferably, the handle forms a part of a hinged coupling between the gate member and the seat member. 
   Preferably, when the gate member is in the lock position, the co-operatively shaped seat and gate members together are slightly smaller than the article so that the members apply a compressive gripping force to the article as it is grasped. 
   Preferably, the gate member is provided with a resiliently compressible lining. Preferably, the seat member is also provided with a resiliently compressible lining. 
   Preferably, the seat member is provided with a projection for preventing the article from moving through a gap between the seat and gate members in a first direction. More preferably, the article rests on the projection. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to provide a better understanding, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the holder in an open configuration; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the holder of  FIG. 1  in a closed configuration; 
       FIG. 3  is a close up view of the pivotal connection of a hinge pin to a first member; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the holder; 
       FIG. 5  is an upper view of the holder of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of an alternative shape of the first and second members of the holder of either  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the holder; 
       FIG. 8  is an upper perspective view of yet another embodiment of the holder of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is an upper perspective view of a locking pin and a receiving plate; and 
       FIG. 9   a  is a top view of a portion of the receiving plate of FIG.  9 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a holder  10  which includes a seat member  12  hingedly coupled to a gate member  20 . The seat member  12  includes an upper panel  14  and a lower panel  16  curved to receive a cylindrical article such as a fire extinguisher. The panels  14  and  16  are spaced apart by connecting members  18 . One side of the gate member  20  is connected to an elongate member  22 . The elongate member  22  is J-shaped with the long back of the J being connected to the gate member  20 , which in turn is rotatably coupled to the seat member  12  by hinge collars  28 ,  29  and  30 . A part of the long back of the elongate member has a two-fold function. First, it forms a hinge pin, which in cooperation with hinge collars  28 ,  29  and  30  act as a hinge between the gate member  20  and the seat member  12 . Second, it is a torsion bar for transferring a torsional force to the gate member. 
   The lower panel  16  includes lugs  32  for supporting the fire extinguisher in a manner that allows the fire extinguisher to be either upright or upside down. The shorter upwardly directed portion of the foot of the J-shaped elongate member  22  forms a handle for rotating the elongate member about a longitudinal axis of rotation of the hinge pin. The handle is spaced from the hinge pin and can therefore gain leverage to assist in rotating the hinge pin. The handle has a sleeve  34  that aligns with a sleeve  36  when the handle is rotated to a locked position. Rotation of the handle moves the gate member  20  from an open position to a closed position. The closed position is where the gate member makes contact with the fire extinguisher. The handle may be rotated further than the closed position, with force, to the locked position. As the handle is moved from the closed position to the locked position, it is resisted by contact of the gate member with the fire extinguisher. However leverage can be used to apply a torsional force through the torsion bar for transferring the torsional force to the gate member  20 . In the locked position the sleeves  34  and  36  align and a locking pin  38  may be inserted through a hole  37  in sleeve  36  and protrude into another hole  37  in sleeve  34  thus locking the gate member  20  in the locked position. 
   Together the seat member  12  and gate member  20  are prehensible, that is when the handle rotated so as to close the gate member  20 , members  12  and  20  are able to grasp the fire extinguisher. A space between the members  12  and  20  is indicated by  25 . The grasping of the article tightens as the torsion force is applied to the torsion bar as the handle is moved to the locked position. 
   When the seat and gate members  12  and  20  are in the locked position, without holding an extinguisher the space  25  is slightly smaller than the fire extinguisher. Particularly when padding lines members  12  and  20  as described below. The handle must be turned with force to reach the locked position. This creates a torsional force in the torsion bar which is applied to the gate member  20  which flexes a little and grips the fire extinguisher so that it will not fall out of the holder. The torsional force along with the flexing of the gate member  20  keeps the locked handle under tension. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the elongate member  22  may be detached from seat member  12  by removing a fastener, in the form of a circlip  29 , and drawing the hinge pin of the elongate member  22  downward so that it is free from the full lap collar  29 . It is then released from half lap hinge  24  which includes upper and lower latch parts  28  and  30 , by twisting the handle so as to release it from the latch parts  28  and  30 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an alternative embodiment of the holder  10 , with like numbers denoting like parts. In this instance, the lugs  32  take a slightly different form. The locking pin  38  passes through a hole in horizontal plate  36  which is spaced from another plate  35 . The handle is received within a space  33  between the plates  36  and  35 . The locking pin is inserted through holes  37  in the plates  36  and  35 . On the inside of the seat member  12  and gate member  20  is a resiliently compressible sponge  40  and  42  respectively. This provides dampening of vibrations and also provides a further bias which the rotating force on the handle must overcome in order to properly lock it in position. The bias creates a tighter grip on the extinguisher. 
   As seen in  FIG. 6 , the members  12  and  20  need not be half cylindrical in shape and may be other shapes, such as half octagonal so that together members  12  and  20  form an octagon rather than a cylinder. 
   In  FIG. 7 , the locking of the handle is accomplished by a receiving member  41  that is provided with a plurality of holes  43 . The locking pin  38  may pass through one of the holes  43  so as to engage the sleeve  34  of the handle. In this way, the positioning of the handle and thus the tension applied may be varied. This also accommodates varying sized fire extinguishers being held within the one sized holder. 
   To further accommodate the variety of sizes of extinguisher, the length of the curved front plate of the gate member  20  is shorter than shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Thus, when the gate is closed it will not meet with connecting member  18 A. In addition, the front plate is provided with a further curved clamp  44  for clamping a hose of the extinguisher between the clamp  44  and the actual extinguisher when the gate is closed. This allows the hose to be free at the same time as the extinguisher is released. 
   The holder  10  of  FIG. 7  is only provided with two lugs  32  at the sides of the holder. The central lug is not present as it can sometimes provide an obstruction to the extinguisher outlet. 
   The locking pin  38  is provided with a wire trace  50  that connects the locking pin to the holder so that if it is dropped the locking pin will only fall the length of the trace and thus will not be lost. The receiving member may extend downwardly from the rear end thereof to form a hand grip. The hand grip may be used with the sleeve  34  to be squeezed together to relieve the tension applied to the locking pin  38 . 
   The top of the full lap collar  29  connects to the hinge pin slightly differently from that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this instance a washer  46  is placed over the hinge pin and a split pin is passed through a hole at the end of the hinge pin and separated so as to hold the washer in place thereby retaining the hinge pin within the collar  29 . 
   The central connecting member  18  includes a pair of mounting plates  54  attached rearwardly, each of which are provided with holes  56  for mounting the holder in place. 
   The holder  10  of  FIG. 7  includes a spring clip  52 . This may also include a paddled sleeve to protect the extinguisher. This may be used to hold the extinguisher within the seat member  12  when the gate member  20  is opened. Being a spring, the extinguisher may be easily removed. 
   In  FIG. 8  an alternative holder is shown, with like numerals depicting like parts from previously described embodiments. This holder is adapted to hold a compressed air canister or tank and thus the bottom of the handle and receiving member  41  are extended further below the lugs  32 . In particular some compressed air cylinders have a strap-on backpack that will hang down from the cylinder and thus the spacing of the handle and receiving member  41  from the lugs allows this to hang down and not get caught. 
     FIG. 9  shows a locking pin  38  and receiving member  41 . In this case, the receiving pin  38  includes radial projections  70 . The radial projections  70  pass through slots  72  that extend from holes  43  in the receiving member. The projections thus lock the locking pin in place unless the locking pin is rotated so that the projection  70  coincides with this slot  72  so that the pin may be withdrawn from the hole  43 . This feature provides an additional safety measure in that the locking pin  38  cannot easily be removed and it effectively provides a childproof lock. In the particular version shown in  FIG. 9 , two sets of projections are shown  70  so that the locking pin must be drawn upwardly rotated so as to coincide the higher of the projections  70  with the slot  72  is lifted through and then must be rotated again so that the lower projection  70  coincides with the slot  72  and the remainder of the locking pin may be withdrawn from the hole. Other arrangements can be made to provide the childproof lock.  FIG. 9   a  shows the hole  43  in the receiving member and its slot  72  more clearly. 
   It will also be appreciated that in some instances the pin receiving sleeve  34  will be of a different configuration than shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  7  and  8 , such as that shown in  FIG. 4  or some other variations that avoid clogging of the sleeve with fine particles. 
   The method and operation of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
   The fire extinguisher is inserted within the semi-cylindrical seat member  12  either in an upright or inverted orientation so as to rest on the lugs  32  which preferably are padded, when the gate member  20  is in the open position. The handle is then rotated so as to close the gate member  20  which swings around and makes contact with the extinguisher. The handle is turned further so that a torsional force is created in the torsion bar and applied to the gate member  20 . This causes the gate member  20  to apply a compressive force to the extinguisher via the padding. The extinguisher will not compress, although the sponge  40  and  42  will. A firm grip is therefore applied to the extinguisher. When the handle is turned sufficiently, the locking pin  38  is then inserted into the sleeve or plate  36  or receiving member  41  thereby locking the handle in position. 
   To release the fire extinguisher the locking pin  38  is simply removed. The handle will open slightly due to the resilience of the sponge padding  40  and  42  and the release of the torsional force. It may then be rotated to fully open the gate member  20  and the extinguisher removed. 
   The skilled addressee will appreciate that the present invention has advantages over the prior art as it contains few moving parts that are of a sturdy construction and therefore resist being shaken apart by vibration and it will allow for a fire extinguisher to be periodically inverted to discourage compaction of powder in the extinguisher, if applicable. 
   Modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the basic inventive concept. Such modifications may include varying the shape of the seat and gate members or altering the form of locking of the handle or the hinge arrangement. A spring or a clip may be used to retain the locking pin  38  in place in case it inadvertently bounces free from the sleeve  34 . As a further alternative to the locking pin arrangement a ratchet arrangement may be used to keep the handle closed with a button or leaver provided to release the ratchet arrangement. Such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.