Patent Abstract:
A securing bracket for a floor supported laundry appliance, such as a washing machine or a clothes dryer. The securing bracket is connected between the rear legs of the appliance and an adjacent wall to prevent skidding of the appliance on the floor. The securing bracket also includes a shock absorber for dampening vibrations transmitted from the appliance to the securing bracket and an attached wall.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Floor supported laundry appliances, such as washing machines and clothes dryers, experience significant vibrations during the spin and tumbling cycles of the machines. At times, these vibrations can cause the machine to skid on the floor away from its original location.  
         [0002]     In an attempt to overcome this problem, it has been proposed to provide the supporting legs of the appliance with skid resistant and vibration dampening pads. While these pads initially provide the necessary skid resistance and vibration dampening, they soon become deteriorated and have to be replaced.  
         [0003]     It has also been proposed to connect the appliance to a bracket which, in turn, is connected to the floor or adjacent wall. While this arrangement prevents the appliance from skidding, there is no provision for vibration dampening resulting in the floor or wall eventually cracking; thus releasing the bracket secured thereto.  
         [0004]     After considerable research and experimentation, the securing bracket of the present invention has been developed which not only prevents skidding of the appliance on the floor but also dampens the vibration transmitted to the securing bracket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The laundry appliance securing bracket of the present invention comprises an angle iron positioned on the floor adjacent to the rear of the appliance to be secured. A pair of channel members is adjustably mounted on the base of the angle iron and a pair of transversely extending spring biased J-bars is slidably mounted in the side walls of the channel members. The free end of each J-bar is provided with a hook portion for engaging the rear legs of the appliance. A lag screw extends through an enlarged opening in the vertical arm of the angle iron and is secured into a wall behind the appliance. A latch assembly is pivotally connected to the angle iron arm and is adapted to engage the stem of the lag screw adjacent the screw head to thereby detachably fasten the angle iron to the wall.  
         [0006]     By this construction and arrangement, the J-bars not only prevent the appliance from skidding, but they also absorb the vibration of the machine to thereby prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the angle iron and its fixation to the wall. The latch assembly also facilitates the disconnection of the appliance from the wall for repairs or replacement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation of the securing bracket of the present invention connecting a laundry appliance to an adjacent wall;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the securing bracket and appliance as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the securing bracket of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the securing bracket;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the securing bracket;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view, partly in section, showing the vertical arm of the angle iron and associated latching members;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a view taken along line VII-VII of  FIG. 5 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]     Referring to the drawings and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the securing bracket  1  of the present invention is positioned on the floor  2  between the rear of a laundry appliance  3 , such as a washing machine or dryer, and a wall  4 , the bracket being connected to the rear legs  3   a  of the appliance  3  and the wall  4 , to be described more fully hereafter.  
         [0015]     The details of the construction of the bracket  3  are illustrated in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 , wherein an angle iron  5  is provided having a base portion  5   a  and a vertical arm  5   b . The base portion  5   a  is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced slots  5   c  upon which channel members  6  are positioned and secured thereon by carriage bolts  7  extending upwardly through the slots  5   c  and square holes  6   a  provided in the base or web of the channels  6 , the channels  6  being secured in place by lock washer-nuts  7   a  threaded onto the bolts  7 .  
         [0016]     Each of the channels  6  is provided with a J-bar assembly  8  comprising a bolt portion  8   a  extending through a tube  8   b  positioned within the channel  6  between the vertical walls  6   b  of the channel  6  and aligned with apertures  6   c  provided in the channel walls  6   b . The end of the bolt portion  8   a  is threaded as at  8   c  upon which a bushing  8   d  is mounted and a lock nut  8   e  is threaded. By this construction and arrangement, the bolt portion  8   a  is slidably mounted in the tube  8   b . A coil spring  8   f  is mounted on the bolt portion  8   a  coaxial therewith and is biased between the exterior surface of the channel side wall  6   b  and a plate  8   g  having a pair of apertures  8   h  and  8   i  for slidably receiving the bolt portion  8   a  and the threaded end  8   j  of the hook portion of the J-bar 8 , respectively. The plate  8   g  is secured to the J-bar  8  by a lock nut  8   k  threaded onto the end portion  8   j.    
         [0017]     As will be seen in  FIGS. 1, 3 ,  6  and  7 , the angle iron  5  is detachably secured to an adjacent wall  4  by means of a pair of lag screws  9  extending through elongated vertical slots  5   d  provided in the vertical wall  5   b  of the angle iron  5 , and into the wall  4 . The vertical slots  5   d  communicate with enlarged openings  5   e  in the base portion  5   a  of the angle iron  5 .  
         [0018]     A latch assembly  10  cooperates with the lag screws  9  for releasably securing the angle iron  5  to the wall  4  and comprises a pair of latch plates  10   a  pivotally connected, as at  10   b , to the angle iron vertical wall  5   b . Each latch plate  10   a  is provided with an arcuate slot  10   c  at each end thereof for receiving the stem portions of the screws  9 . By this construction and arrangement, the latch plates  10   a  can be pivoted in one direction to release the latch plates  10   a  from the lag screws  9  and in the opposite direction to connect the latch plates  10   a  to the screws  9 .  
         [0019]     Tool receiving apertures  10   d  are provided in the latch plates  10   a  adapted to receive the hooked end of a tool, such as a length of wire (not shown), which is inserted downwardly in the space between the back of the appliance  3  and wall  4 , whereby the latch plates  10   a  can be pivoted from a remote location.  
         [0020]     The angle iron vertical wall  5   b  is provided with a tab  5   f  having an aperture  5   g  adapted to receive the hook portion of a tool (not shown), whereby the angle iron  5  and associated latch assembly  10  can be lifted off the screws  9  wherein the screw stems and heads pass through the slots  5   d  in the angle iron vertical wall  5   b  and the apertures  5   e  in the angle iron base  5   a , whereby the securing bracket  1  is disconnected from the wall  4 .  
         [0021]     To secure the appliance  3  to the wall  4 , the angle iron  5  is secured to the wall  4  by inserting the lag screws  9  through the slots  5   d  in the angle iron vertical wall  5   b . The channels  6  and associated J-bar assemblies  8  are slid on the angle iron base portion  5   a  to position them for proper alignment with the two rear legs  3   a  of the appliance  3 . The hook portions of the J-bars  8  are positioned around the appliance legs  3   a  and the plates  8   g  are then secured to the ends of the J-bars  8  by the lock nuts  8   k.    
         [0022]     During the operation of the appliance  3 , vibrations therefrom are transmitted to the J-bar assemblies slidably mounted in the channels  6  and absorbed by the springs  8   f.    
         [0023]     From the above description, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the securing bracket  1  of the present invention is an improvement over heretofore employed skid resistant and vibration dampening pads and other securing brackets.  
         [0024]     It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from, the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3