Patent Publication Number: US-6041947-A

Title: Storage rack for elongated items

Description:
This invention relates to a storage rack for compactly holding garden tools or the like from the wall of a garage or other storage place. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Storage racks for hanging garden tools or the like have been in existence for some time. However, to my knowledge, none of these storage racks have been capable of being manufactured cost effectively and at the same time function to efficiently store a large variety of differently configured items having long handles such as rakes, shovels, hoes, ball bats, and the like. Such racks like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,348 have been constructed of a number of parts welded together making them costly both from the cost of the parts and the assembling of the same. Further, none of these type of racks have been effective in easily receiving and individually holding the items. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with my invention, I provide a storage rack which is a unique, simple rack, preferably one piece, that extends from the wall on which it is mounted and uses the depth out away from the wall to hold multiple items having an elongated part. The rack preferably includes an upper leg formed by an upper rectangular bar-shaped section extending at an angle away from the vertical surface and an inclined lower leg formed by a lower rectangular bar section connected to the upper bar and extending at an inclined angle downwardly from the upper bar section toward the vertical support surface, thus supporting the upper bar which includes a series of uniquely shaped slots spaced along its length. Each slot of the upper bar is uniquely shaped to receive an elongated part of the item to be supported. Although the upper bar with its uniquely shaped slots can be constructed to adequately support the items, the lower inclined bar section is preferred because it includes a series of second slots spaced along its length and shaped to receive an elongated part of the item to be supported. The slots in the upper bar and the slots in the lower bar are positioned with respect to each other to receive the elongated part of the item to be supported in a desired relationship. The free ends of the two bars each includes means at their ends for attaching the entire bar to a vertical support surface for mounting the rack on a vertical support surface. 
     In a preferred form of my invention, the upper leg is substantially horizontal but slightly inclined toward the wall on which the rack is supported. The angle of this upper leg and the shape of the slots in the upper leg is such that the slots provide an inlet opening portion at one side of the bar leading into a retainer opening portion extending from the inlet opening toward the inclined angle of the rack. Preferably, such inclination is toward the wall on which the rack is mounted. Thus, when an elongated part is inserted into the inlet opening portion the entire item slides into the retainer opening portion by virtue of the inclination of the upper bar thus more securely holding the item in the slots. The unique shape of the retainer opening portion also helps to hold items more securely. 
     Another preferred form of this invention is to locate the slots in the lower inclined bar at a position aligned with but offset slightly from the vertical of the slots in the upper bar. This offset of the slots helps to contain the stored items in the rack and helps hold the elongated portions of the items at a desired angle. 
     These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational perspective view of the invention comprising my storage rack; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack of FIG. 1 containing a number of different items stored on the rack; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the rack of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the rack of FIG. 1 disclosing the unique shape of the slots in the top bar section of the rack of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lower inclined bar section of the rack of FIG. 1 illustrating the preferred shape of the slots; and 
     FIG. 6 is a modified rack constructed of two pieces. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates the overall support rack of this invention which includes an upper bar-like section 10 and a inclined lower bar-like section 20 connected together by the bight section 30. 
     The bar-like section 10 includes a flange 11 extending upwardly from the free end. Flange 11 is provided to secure or mount the rack on a wall or stud of a garage or other storage building. For this purpose, a central opening 12 having a key-like shape for receiving attachment member such as a screw or nail is provided. 
     The bar-like section 10 includes the uniquely shaped slots, the shape of which is best disclosed in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, slots 14 each comprise an entrance opening portion 15 on one side of the bar-like section 10. Inlet opening portion 15 leads into a retainer opening portion 16. The slot 14 takes the form of the edge 18a, edge 18b, and the arcuate edge 18c. Between edges 18a, 18b, and 18c is provided the recesses or indentations 18d provided to receive the bowed support members of a rack such as rack 7 of FIG. 2 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The sizes of slots 14 are sufficiently large to receive an elongated member of the tool or other item such as a handle. 
     It will be noted that the bar-like section 10 although substantially horizontal is inclined a slight angle of about 10 to 15 degrees (FIG. 3) so that when the elongated element of the tool or other item is inserted in the entrance opening portion 15 of a slot 14 it will slide downwardly along edge 18c by reason of the inclination of bar 10 toward the surface on which the rack is mounted so as to abut against the edge 18b of each slot. 
     The lower inclined bar section 20, in FIG. 5, also includes a flange 21 at its free end (i.e., opposite the bight portion 30) for securing the bar section 20 to the surface on which the rack is to be mounted. Bar section 20 provides a support for the bar section 10 and also includes a series of slots 24. Bar section 20 also includes a plurality of openings 27 for receiving hooks on which items such as hand tools and the like can be hung. 
     Slots 24 are positioned vertically under slots 14 but slightly inwardly to the wall on which the rack is to be mounted. The purpose of this location is to mount the elongated handles or other items at an angle slightly inclined toward the wall on which the rack is mounted as illustrated by the phantom lines A, B, C, and D in FIG. 3. The relationship of the associated slots on the upper and lower legs is such that when in use the angle toward the vertical wall of the elongated handle is greater as its position moves away from the wall. Slots 24 include the inlet openings that are shaped to provide a straight edge 26a and an inclined edge 26b connected together by the arcuate edge section 26c. The inclined edge 26b is provided to accommodate different size handles in the slot 24. Thus, smaller diameter handles as illustrated by handle H1 will engage the crest of arcuate edge 26c while larger diameter handles as illustrated by handle H2 will engage edge 26a and edge 26b. The flat edge 26a is provided to maintain a consistent desired angle of the handles so as to hold them out of the way toward the vertical support surface on which the rack is mounted. 
     Although the preferred form of the rack is constructed of one piece as disclosed in FIGS. 1-5, the rack can be constructed of two pieces as disclosed in FIG. 6 wherein the ends of the bar-like sections 10a and 20a are formed with interlocking end members 30a and 40a. In this modification, the two parts 10a and 20a can be shipped unassembled and when installed the two fingered ends 30a and 40a are meshed together and the unit as a whole is secured to the surface of a wall on which it is mounted. 
     The advantage of a two piece rack is the minimization of the carton size in which the rack is shipped and sold. The disadvantage is that the two parts 10a and 20a are required to be attached to each other before mounting the rack on the wall. Also, the strength of the rack can be adversely affected because of the attachment to parts 10a and 20a together. 
     OPERATION 
     The operation of the rack should be evident from the above description. FIG. 2 discloses a rack mounted on a wall 2. This is accomplished by first deciding the height the rack is to be installed. Next a screw is screwed into the wall such as a solid surface or stud of a building leaving a slight gap between the head and the wall. The bottom circular part of key hole opening 12 is then inserted over the head of the screw and the rack 1 is pulled down causing the head of the screw to be captured over the narrower upper section of the key hole 12. The rack is then adjusted to be vertical, that is, with the bar section 10 located directly above the bar section 20. Then a screw or other attachment member is inserted through opening 22 in the flange 21 of bar section 20. This mounts the rack securely to the surface of the building ready for use. 
     The items having elongated members such as a rake 4, shovels 5 and 6, and rack 7 are then slid into the nearly vertically aligned openings 14 and 24. Since both of the bar sections 10 and 20 are inclined downwardly toward the wall and the slots 10 and 20 are slightly misaligned vertically, the elongated elements of the tools or other items such as the handles as disclosed seek the reception portion of slots 14 as the handles slide downwardly on the edges 18c to rest against the straight edge 18b between the indentations 18d of the bar section 20. The handles also slide downwardly on edges 26b to rest against the straight edge 26a within the curvilinear edge 26c of bar section 20. 
     Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that those skilled in the art may make modifications to my invention without departing from the conceptual spirit of it. Therefore, it is intended that all modifications made within the spirit of this invention are to be included within this application and equivalence thereof should be covered by this patent except as specifically provided by the appended claims.