Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6244552
-
Patent Number
6,244,552
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, April 21, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 12, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- King; Anita M.
- Morrison; N.
Agents
- Kolisch Hartwell Dickinson McCormack & Heuser
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 248 2741
- 248 22251
- 248 2252
- 248 2761
- 248 2871
- 248 2991
- 248 201
- 248 2021
- 312 24
- 312 27
- 312 28
- 312 29
- 126 24
- 126 30
- 126 50
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Apparatus for mounting a first article, such as an appliance, to a second article, such as a moving vehicle, to permit relative movement of the first article with respect to the second article in order maintain the level of the first article. The apparatus comprises a bracket for fixed attachment to the moving vehicle. There is a handle pivotally connected to the bracket, and a lever pivotally mounted to the handle to pivotally support the appliance and to adjust the position of the appliance with respect to the bracket in response to pivotal movement of the handle. This arrangement permits the appliance to be moved between a lowered position and a raised position while maintaining its level at all times so that the appliance can be stowed to conserve space when not in use.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mounting bracket for installing an article in an environment subject to rocking movement in order to maintain the article in a substantially level position. The present invention is particularly suited for mounting a marine stove in the galley of a vessel so that the stove can be stowed away when not in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gimbals arrangements for maintaining the level of an article in a moving vehicle are well known. In boats and aircraft, gimbals are important for keeping instruments such as a compass or chronometer level. They are particularly popular in pleasure boats for maintaining the level of tables or appliances such as stoves to prevent spills due to the normal rocking motion of the boat. Examples of prior gimballed structures, particularly marine stoves, are provided in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 355,498 to Bekofsky
U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,499 to Hearst
U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,176 to Spiers et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,462 to DeFoe
In pleasure boats, space is at a premium and it is generally desirable for articles that are not in use to be stowed so that they are out of the way. Gimballed appliances, particularly stoves, have not previously been efficiently stowable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address this problem, applicant has developed a bracket arrangement adapted to support an article such as a stove or other appliance so that it can be quickly and efficiently moved between a lowered or stowed position and a raised or operating position while being maintained at a generally level orientation at all times.
Accordingly, the present invention provides apparatus for mounting a first article to a second article to permit relative movement of the first article with respect to the second article comprising:
a bracket for fixed attachment to the second article;
a handle pivotally connected to the bracket;
a lever pivotally mounted to the handle to pivotally support the first article and to adjust the position of the first article with respect to the bracket in response to pivotal movement of the handle so that the first article is movable between a lowered position and a raised position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Aspects of the present invention are illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the mounting bracket of the present invention with the bracket configured such that the supported article is in the lowered position;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the mounting bracket configured such that the supported article is in the raised position;
FIG. 3
is a detail schematic view of the handle and lever of the bracket showing the manner in which they move relative to one another and co-operate to raise and lower the supported article;
FIG. 4
is a end view of the bracket showing the arrangement of the component parts when the supported article is in the lowered position; and
FIG. 5
is a end view of the bracket showing the arrangement of the component parts when the supported article is in the raised position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a mounting bracket system
1
according to the present invention installed in a cavity
6
(shown by dashed lines) formed in moving vehicle such as a boat or the like. Cavity
6
is dimensioned to receive a first article such as a marine stove or other appliance (not shown) that is required or desired to remain generally level despite movement of the vehicle.
In the illustrated embodiment, the structure comprises two spaced brackets
2
and
4
that are rigidly mounted to opposed walls of open region
6
. A generally C-shaped handle
10
extends between the brackets and is pivotally connected at its ends
11
to each bracket at pivot point
12
. Each end
11
of handle
10
is also pivotally connected at pivot joint
14
to a lever
16
adapted to pivotally support the appliance. As will be explained in detail below, handle
10
, and lever
16
co-operate to permit adjustment of the position of the supported appliance with respect to the brackets and the open cavity
6
. In response to pivotal movement of the handle, the mounting bracket system can be adjusted between a position shown in
FIG. 1
in which the supported appliance is lowered and stowed within the cavity and a position shown in
FIG. 2
in which the supported appliance is raised to a useful operating position.
FIGS. 4 and 5
are detail end views of bracket
2
viewing along the adjacent side wall of cavity
6
. Bracket
4
on the opposite side of cavity
6
is identical.
FIG. 4
shows the handle and the overall bracket structure in the same position as in
FIG. 1
, while
FIG. 5
corresponds to FIG.
2
.
As best shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
, bracket
2
is generally J shaped with a flanged base
30
that is rigidly mounted by fasteners extending through downwardly extending flange
31
into the side wall
32
of cavity
6
. The generally vertical main body
34
of bracket
2
is spaced apart from side wall
32
by base
30
to provide clearance for pivoting movement of handle
10
and lever
16
between the bracket and the side wall. An upper flange
36
extends inwardly toward side wall
32
at the top edge
35
, but a gap is left to permit movement of handle
10
from one side of the bracket to the other about pivot point
12
.
There is a first slot
8
formed in the top edge
35
of the brackets as best shown is
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
FIGS. 4 and 5
show the appliance to be supported
3
is formed with protruding pivots
19
that are slidably received in slots
8
in brackets
2
and
4
. Slots
8
define a path of movement for the support article between the lowered and raised positions. Preferably, slots
8
include an angle as illustrated so that the supported appliance is raised and moved forwardly and lowered and moved rearwardly on movement of handle
10
. Each slot has an open end
37
and a closed end
38
.
While slots
8
guide the movement of the appliance, lever
16
actually applies the force necessary to move the pivots
19
along the slots of a bracket. Lever
16
includes a support end
17
formed with a recess
18
to pivotally engage and support the inner end of protruding pivot
19
as it extends through slot
8
of the bracket into the clearance space between the bracket and side wall
32
. The opposite end of lever
16
is formed with a pin the is pivotally connected at joint
14
to the end
11
of handle
10
.
As best shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, each bracket is formed with a second slot
22
in the main body of the bracket below first slot
8
. Second slot
22
is shaped generally like an inverted āJā having a lower end
39
and upper end
40
. Lever
16
is formed with a protruding pin
20
intermediate joint
14
and recess
18
. Pin
20
engages in slot
22
such that movement of pin
20
in slot
22
controls the motion of lever
16
. Slot
22
is shaped so as to maintain lever recess
18
in alignment with and adjacent to slot
8
during movement of handle
10
.
FIG. 3
is a schematic view showing the manner in which handle
10
and lever
16
move relative to one another and co-operate to raise and lower the supported article. The position of the end
11
of handle
10
and lever
16
when in the configuration shown in
FIG. 1
is shown by dashed lines in FIG.
3
. In this position, handle
10
is raised and to the rear and the supported appliance is lowered rearwardly out of the way within cavity
6
. Handle
10
is readily accessible to move the appliance to its useful position. Similarly, the position of the end
11
of handle
10
and lever
16
when in the configuration shown in
FIG. 2
is shown by solid lines in
FIG. 3
with the handle rotated forwardly and downwardly and the supported appliance raised upwardly and forwardly for ready access. In this position, handle
10
is out of the way below the supported appliance.
Arrow
41
in
FIGS. 1
,
2
and
3
indicates the pivoting movement of handle
10
about pivot
12
as the handle is moved between its raised, rearward position and its lowered, front position. Line
42
shows the path traced by pivot pin
19
supporting appliance
3
in bracket slot
8
as the handle is pivoted. Recess
18
in lever
16
acts to lift pin
19
along the length of slot
8
. Pivot pin
19
resting on the closed end
38
of slot
8
defines a secured and stable lowered position for the supported appliance.
Arcuate line
44
in
FIG. 3
shows the path traced by lever pin
20
in bracket slot
22
as the handle is pivoted. Lever pin
20
engaging in upper end
40
of slot
22
defines a secure and stable raised position of the first article. In fact, slot
22
preferably traces a path that includes a raised segment
46
between lower end
39
and upper end
40
that is higher than the upper end. This results in lever recess
18
and the supported appliance being moved past a position higher than the raised position of the appliance as the first article is moved to the raised position with the result that the appliance is securely and reliably held in place in the raised position as gravitational forces acting upon the appliance must be overcome to move the first article from the raised position to the lowered position.
Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practised within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. Apparatus for mounting a first article to a second article to permit relative movement of the first article with respect to the second article, the apparatus comprising:a bracket for fixed attachment to the second article, the bracket including a first slot adapted to receive slidably a protruding pivot originating from the first article, the first slot defining a path of movement for the first article between a lowered position and raised position; a handle pivotally connected to the bracket; a lever pivotally mounted to the handle pivotally to support the first article and to adjust the position of the first article with respect to the bracket in response to pivotal movement of the handle so that the first article is movable between the lowered position and the raised position.
- 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the lever includes a support end formed with a recess for pivotally engaging and supporting the protruding pivot extending through the first slot of the bracket, and a pivot end pivotally connected to the handle.
- 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lever includes a protruding lever pin and the bracket includes a second slot adapted to slidably receive the lever pin with movement of the lever pin in the second slot controlling the motion of the lever.
- 4. A Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the second slot is configured to maintain the lever recess in alignment with and adjacent the first slot during movement of the handle.
- 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the lever pin is intermediate the pivot end and the support end of the lever.
- 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the second slot has a lower end and an upper end and the lever pin engaging with the upper end of the second slot defines the raised position of the first article.
- 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second slot follows a path that includes a raised segment between the lower end and the upper end that is higher than the upper end such that the lever recess and the supported first article are moved past a position higher than the raised position as the first article is moved to the raised position such that gravitational forces acting upon the first article must be overcome to move the first article from the raised position to the lowered position.
- 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first slot has an open end and a closed end for accommodating and supporting the protruding pivot of the first article when the first article is in the lowered position.
- 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 formed from a pair of spaced brackets with the handle extending between and being pivotally connected to each bracket, the brackets acting to suspend and support the first article.
- 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the handle is pivotally attached to the bracket and the lever such that the handle is pivoted to a lowered position when the first article is in the raised position and to a raised position when the first article is in the lowered position.
- 11. Apparatus for mounting a stove to an interior of a boat to permit relative movement of the stove with respect to the boat, the apparatus comprising:a bracket for fixed attachment to the interior of the boat, the bracket including a first slot adapted to slidably receive a protruding pivot originating from the stove, the first slot defining a path of movement for the stove between a lowered position and a raised position; a handle pivotally connected to the bracket; a lever pivotally mounted to the handle pivotally to support the stove and to adjust the position of the stove with respect to the bracket in response to pivotal movement of the handle so that the stove is movable between the lowered position and the raised position.
- 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the lever includes a support end formed with a recess for pivotally engaging and supporting the protruding pivot extending through the first slot of the bracket, and a pivot end pivotally connected to the handle.
- 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which the lever includes a protruding lever pin and the bracket includes a second slot adapted to slidably receive the lever pin with movement of the lever pin in the second slot controlling the motion of the lever.
- 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the second slot is configured to maintain the lever recess in alignment with and adjacent the first slot during movement of the handle.
- 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the lever pin is intermediate the pivot end and the support end of the lever.
- 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the second slot has a lower end and an upper end and the lever pin engaging with the upper end of the second slot defines the raised position of the stove.
- 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, in which the second slot follows a path that includes a raised segment between the lower end and the upper end that is higher than the upper end such that the lever recess and the supported stove are moved past a position higher than the raised position as the stove is moved to the raised position such that gravitational forces acting upon the stove must be overcome to move the stove from the raised position to the lowered position.
- 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the first slot has an open end and a closed end for accommodating and supporting the protruding pivot of the stove when the stove is in the lowered position.
- 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 formed from a pair of spaced brackets with the handle extending between and being pivotally connected to each bracket, the brackets acting to suspend and support the stove.
- 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the handle is attached pivotally to the bracket and the lever such that the handle is pivoted to a lowered position when the stove is in the raised position and to a raised position when the stove is in the lowered position.
US Referenced Citations (15)