Patent Publication Number: US-11660739-B1

Title: Elevated tool box assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to tool box device and more particularly pertains to a new tool box device for inhibiting hand tools from being dropped from an elevated platform. The device includes a tool box and a pair of horizontally oriented receivers each integrated into the tool box. Each of the horizontal receivers engages a respective horizontal member of a guard rail on an elevated platform for mounting the tool box to the guard rail. The device includes a plurality of lanyards that are each releasably attachable to the tool box and which each engages a respective hand tool. In this way the respective hand tool is inhibited from being dropped from the elevated platform. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to tool box devices including a tool box which has a lip for engaging a rung on a ladder to suspend the tool box from the ladder. The prior art discloses a tool box that has a bracket for engaging a horizontal member of a guard rail on an elevated platform. The prior art discloses a tool storage device that includes a bracket for engaging a topmost rail of a guard rail on a scaffold. The prior art discloses a tool box that includes a pair of concave members which engage respective vertical members of a scaffold to mount the tool box to the scaffold. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tool box that has a pair of receivers that is each integrated into the tool box. Each of the receivers is oriented to extend along a horizontal axis to insertably receive a respective one of a plurality of horizontal members of a guard rail on an elevated platform. In this way the tool box can be suspended on the guard rail. The tool box has a crown and the crown has a plurality of slots integrated into the crown for receiving a hand tool for storage. A door is hingedly integrated into the crown for opening and closing the tool box. A plurality of suspensions is each coupled to the crown and a plurality of lanyards is each removably attachable to a respective one of the suspensions. Additionally, each of the lanyards is attachable to a respective one of the hand tools to inhibit the hand tools from being dropped from the elevated platform. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a top perspective view of an elevated tool box assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a back perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG.  5    of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  7    thereof, a new tool box device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  7   , the elevated tool box assembly  10  generally comprises a tool box  12  that has a pair of receivers  14  each being integrated into the tool box  12 . Each of the receivers  14  is oriented to extend along a horizontal axis to insertably receive a respective one of a plurality of horizontal members  16  of a guard rail  18  on an elevated platform  20 . In this way the tool box  12  can be suspended on the guard rail  18 . The elevated platform  20  may be a bucket of a bucket lift, a scissor lift, scaffolding or any other type of elevated platform commonly employed by a service worker. The tool box  12  has a crown  22 , the crown  22  has a plurality of slots  24  each being integrated into the crown  22  and each of the slots  24  can receive a hand tool  26  for storage. 
     The tool box  12  has a bottom wall  28  and an outer wall  30  extending upwardly from the bottom wall  28 , and the outer wall  30  has a front side  32 , a back side  34 , a first lateral side  36 , a second lateral side  38  and a distal edge  40  with respect to the bottom wall  28  defining an opening  42  into an interior of the tool box  12 . The bottom wall  28  angles upwardly between the back side  34  and the front side  32 , and a panel  44  extends downwardly from the bottom wall  28 . The panel  44  has a distal edge  46  with respect to the bottom wall  28 , the panel  44  is positioned adjacent to the back side  34  and the panel  44  is coextensive with the back side  34 . The panel  44  has a plurality of holes  48  each extending through the panel  44 , and the holes  48  are arranged in a pair of columns  50  each extending between the bottom wall  28  and the distal edge  40  of the panel  44 . 
     The crown  22  has a lower wall  52  and a perimeter wall  54  extending upwardly from the lower wall  52 , and the lower wall  52  has a hole  56  extending through the lower wall  52 . The lower wall  52  is positioned on the distal edge  40  of the outer wall  30  of the tool box  12  having the hole  56  in the lower wall  52  being aligned with the opening  42  defined by the distal edge  40  of the outer wall  30 . The perimeter wall  54  has a top edge  58  and each of the slots  24  has a first portion  60  extending between the top edge  58  and the lower wall  52 . Furthermore, each of the slots  24  has a second portion  62  extending between the first portion  60  and a bounding edge  64  of the hole  56  extending through the lower wall  52 . The slots  24  are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along a forward side  66  of the perimeter wall  54  of the crown  22 , and the forward side  66  has a forward surface  68 . 
     A door  70  is hingedly integrated into the crown  22  for opening  42  and closing the tool box  12 . The door  70  has a rear edge  72  and the rear edge  72  is hingedly coupled to the bounding edge  64  of the hole  56  in the lower wall  52  of the crown  22 . The door  70  closes the hole  56  in the lower wall  52  when the door  70  is closed and the door  70  exposes the hole  56  in the lower wall  52  when the door  70  is opened. As is most clearly shown in  FIG.  6   , a box  74  is provided that is insertable into the hole  56  in the lower wall  52  for storing the box  74  inside of the tool box  12 . The box  74  can contain hand tools, parts, accessories or any other object the service worker may need to employ. 
     A first bracket  76  is provided that has a central portion  78  extending between a front portion  79  and a rear portion  80 . Each of the rear portion  80  and the front portion  79  extends downwardly from the central portion  78  such that the first bracket  76  has a U-shape. The front portion  79  has a length that is greater than the rear portion  80 . The front portion  79  is positioned against the panel  44  having the first bracket  76  extending downwardly from the bottom wall  28  of the tool box  12  such that the first bracket  76  defines a respective one of the receivers  14 . A pair of fasteners  82  is each extendable through a respective one of the holes  48  in a respective one of the columns  50  in the panel  44  on the tool box  12 . Each of the fasteners  82  engages the front portion  79  of the panel  44  for adjustably retaining the first bracket  76  on the panel  44 . Additionally, the fasteners  82  may comprise a nut and a bolt or other type of releasable, mechanical fastener. 
     A second bracket  84  is provided which has a middle portion  86  extending between a pair of lateral portions  87 . Each of the lateral portions  87  extends downwardly from the middle portion  86  such that the second bracket  84  has a U-shape. The middle portion  86  is coupled to the lower wall  52  of the crown  22  having each of the lateral portions  87  extending downwardly with respect to the crown  22  such that the second bracket  84  defines a respective one of the receivers  14 . Each of the lateral portions  87  has a first hole  88  extending therethrough and the first hole  88  in each of the lateral portions  87  is aligned with each other. Additionally, each of the lateral portions  87  has a second hole  90  extending therethrough and the second hole  90  in each of the lateral portions  87  is aligned with each other. Furthermore, each of the first holes  88  is positioned on an opposing end of the second bracket  84  with respect to the second holes  90 . 
     A first pin  92  is insertable through each of the first holes  88  to inhibit the second bracket  84  from being lifted from the respective horizontal member  16  of the guard rail  18 . A second pin  94  is insertable through each of the second holes  90  to inhibit the second bracket  84  from being lifted from the respective horizontal member  16  of the guard rail  18 . In this way the tool box  12  is secured to the guard rail  18  to inhibit the tool box  12  from falling from the elevated platform  20 . Thus, individuals are protected from sustaining an injury that could result from being struck by the tool box  12  falling on them from above. A pair of set screws  96  may be provided and each of the set screws  96  may be extendable through a respective lateral portion  86  of the second bracket  84  to engage the horizontal member upon which the second bracket  84  is positioned. 
     A plurality of suspensions  98  is provided and each of the suspensions  98  is coupled to the crown  22 . Each of the suspensions  98  comprises a stem  100  and a ring  102  that is movably coupled to the stem  100 . The stem  100  of each of the suspensions  98  extends forwardly from the forward side  66  of the crown  22 . Additionally, each of the suspensions  98  is positioned between a respective pair of the slots  24  in the crown  22 . 
     A plurality of lanyards  104  is provided and each of the lanyards  104  is removably attachable to a respective one of the suspensions  98 . Each of the lanyards  104  is attachable to a respective hand tool  26  to inhibit the hand tool  26  from is dropped from the elevated platform  20 . In this way individuals are protected from being injured by a falling hand tool  26 . Each of the lanyards  104  includes a pair of couplers  106 , including but not being limited to, a D-ring, a lobster claw or other type of releasable coupler. Each of the couplers  106  is disposed on opposing ends of a respective lanyard  104 . A respective one of the couplers  106  on each of the lanyards  104  releasably engages the ring  102  on the respective suspension  98 . Furthermore, a respective one of the couplers  106  on each of the lanyards  104  releasably engages the respective hand tool  26 . 
     In use, each of the first bracket  76  and the second bracket  84  are positioned on the respective horizontal member of the guard rail  18  to suspend the tool box  12  on the guard rail  18 . Each of the first pin  92  and the second pin  94  are inserted through the respective first holes  88  and second holes  90  to secure the tool box  12  to the horizontal members  16 . Each of the lanyards  104  is attached to the respective hand tool  26 . In this way the respective hand tool  26  is inhibited from being dropped from the elevated platform  20 . In this way the service worker can employ hand tools  26  on the elevated platform  20  without endangering  102  individuals on the ground from being struck by a falling hand tool  26 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.