US3063569A - Friction type holder device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1962 J. R. HUBER FRICTION TYPE HOLDER DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1960 INVENTOK (C/4M4 5 M ,q-rrokus Y atet 3,063,569 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 3,063,569 FRICTION TYPE HOLDER DEVICE John Richard Huber, Holicong, Pa., assignor to Eastern Rotorcraft Corporation, Doylestown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,767 2. Claims. (Cl. 21189) This invention relates to holder devices and is more particularly concerned with devices in which a friction medium is used for retention.

Devices of this general nature have been previously proposed. Such previous devices usually have a generally channel shaped frame with a flexible diaphragm incorporating fingers which are readily bent when the object to be held is inserted. The fingers apply a pressure against the object to hold it in place. An example of such a device is shown in Grondzik Patent 2,785,919, issued March 19, 1957. With devices of this nature it has been found that when heavier objects are to be held the thickness of the diaphragm must be progressively increased. Otherwise the fingers become too slender and the weight of the heavier object causes them to bend or buckle under the effect to the compressive action developed by the weight of the heavy object. Thus this construction is less desirable when it is desired to hold such heavy items as brooms, shovels or similar garden or kitchen equipment. It has been found that greatly improved holding action can be developed with relatively thin diaphragm material by constructing the device so that the diaphragm is anchored on each side of the frame with the cantilever portion of the diaphragm extending only halfway across the open side of the frame. In this way the free column length of the fingers is reduced to onehalf the previous length with the result that the fingers can support a much greater weight without the tendency to bend and buckle. Such buckling permits the object to slip out of the holder device. The holding power of this improved construction is further increased by the improvement in frictional characteristics since the object is now held by a good friction medium at both sides rather than on one side a in the previous construction.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide improved holding capacity in devices of the nature with which the present invention is concerned by supporting the holding medium so that it is anchored at each side of the insertion opening of the frame member, thereby providing that the article being supported will be held between the two resilient force supplying and engaging members.

A specific object of the invention is the provision of structure for a device of the nature with which the present invention is concerned which will engage and support larger and heavier articles by means of a pair of relatively thin slotted diaphragm members, one supported on each side of the frame member and extending toward each other to substantially meet. In this way the unsupported length of the fingers is reduced thus increasing the weight which can be supported before collapsing action of the fingers occurs.

How the foregoing and other objects and advantages may be attained will be clear by reference to the drawing in which FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing a typical application of the holder device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmental isometric view to an enlarged scale showing the detail construction of the holder device.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the device to an enlarged scale taken in the direction of arrows 33, FIG- URE 1, and showing an article being held in position.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a holder device 5 constructed according to the present invention holding various pieces of equipment such as shovels 6 and 7, rakes 8 and 9, hedge shears 10 and broom 11. The holder device 5 may be supported on a suitable wall by means of suitable fasteners such as screws 12.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show the details of construction of the holder device 5. In the example illustrated the device consists of a generally channel shaped frame 511 having a forward surface 13 and a rearward surface 14. An upper surface 15 joins surfaces 13 and 14 to complete the channel section.

Near the open side of the channel section along surfaces 13 and 14 a specially shaped groove may be provided at each edge. This is shown as an elliptical shaped cavity or pocket 16 having a smaller area opening 17 connecting the cavity with the inner side of the frame section. A similar pocket 16a and opening 17a are shown at the rear surface 14.

A holding diaphragm member 18 is supported in the forward cavity 16 and a rearward diaphragm member 1811 is supported in cavity 16a. The thickness of the diaphragms 18, 18a is such that they will fit the openings 17, 17a. The edge of the diaphragm 18 is provided with enlarged ridge or bulbous portion 19 of suitable dimensions so that it will fit inside the cavity 16. Diaphragm 18a is similarly constructed with enlarged edge 1911. With this construction each diaphragm may be slid into position in the retaining groove 1617 and will be securely anchored to the edge of the frame opening so that diaphragms 18 and 18a extend toward each other and substantially meet near the middle of the opening. A series of slits 20 in the diaphragms 18 and 18a produce fingers 21 which are movable individually. The slits 20 preferably do not extend through the edge portion 19 of the diaphragm structure so that the diaphragm may still be handled in one piece to simplify assembly operations.

The back surface 14 may have suitable extension flanges as shown at 22 and 23 to accommodate holes 24 for insertion of fasteners or screws 12.

Referring to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that rake handle 8a is shown in position in the holder 5. The various fingers 21 from the diaphragms 18 and 18a have been forced upwardly to different positions and hold the rake handle 8a between the opposing fingers from diaphragm 18 and 18a. Thus the handle 8a is retained centrally in the opening of the frame 5a by therelatively short stiff fingers 21. The diaphragms are preferably made from rubber or artificial rubber having good frictional characteristics.

From the foregoing it will be clear that I have provided an improved holder device of the diaphragm type which is capable of adequately retaining much greater loads than previous constructions of friction type holders. By providing the oppositely mounted diaphragms with the edges securely held along the sides of the frame opening the length of the unsupported portion of the diaphragm is reduced to approximately one-half the normal length. With this construction, for the same thickness of diaphragm, the fingers will have greatly increased bending resistance and thus much greater weight can be retained before the fingers tend to buckle. The centralizing of the supported member and the application of good frictional material at both sides of the article further enhances the holding power of this improved device.

I claim:

1. For a holder device, an extruded frame having a channel shape with two generally opposite sides joined by a third side, said frame having an open side between said opposite sides, an inwardly extending bulbous flange at the edge of each of the opposite sides, each of said bulbous flanges incorporating an integrally formed elongated cavity having an inwardly directed slot extending along the length of each bulbous flange near the open side of the frame and an external flange extending along one corner of said frame adjacent one of said opposite sides and said third side. 7

2. A holder device for retaining articles during storage, said device having an elongated frame having two generally opposite sides joined by an interconnecting member, said frame having an open side between said opposite sides, an inwardly directed bulbous flange having an integrally formed elongated cavity extending along each of the opposite sides near the open side of the frame and a closure diaphragm consisting of two separate strips of flexible, rubber-like material, each of said strips having a bulbous edge portion proportioned to be supported in one of said elongated cavities, each of said strips further having a series of transverse parallel slits extending from 4 the unsupported edge to a point close to the bulbous edge portion to form a series of parallel elongated fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,958,772 Stewart May 15, 1934 7 1,992,857 Breedlove Feb. 26, 1935 2,471,680 Gibson May 31, 1949' 2,725,147 Vogler Nov. 29, 1955 2,785,919 Grondzik Mar. 19, 1957 2,956,687 Robichaud Oct. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 250,056 Switzerland May 18, 1948 491,967 Canada April 14, 1953

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