Water cooler abstract
An assortment of water cooler holders made from either metal hollow
bars, flat bars and/or wires for removable attachment to various
regions of a pickup vehicle, a post or which may be free standing.
In one embodiment, the holder has a tripod shape, the three legs
being joined by upper and lower tripod support bars pivotally attached
to permit collapsing the tripod for transport and storage. In another
embodiment, the holder has two parallel rings joined by support
bars which hook over the side panel or tailgate of a pickup truck.
Another embodiment has two parallel rings supported by an inverted
cone attached to a tow bar for attachment to a trailer hitch. Yet
another embodiment has two parallel rings with a clamp for attachment
to a post.
Water cooler claims
I claim:
1. A collapsible, free standing holder for supporting a cylindrical
water cooler having a bottom and a side, said water cooler holder
comprising: three upright bar legs, each of said legs having a straight
upper portion terminating in a bend and a lower portion extending
outward from the bend; three horizontally disposed upper tripod
support bars, each of said upper support bars having a first end
and a second end, each said first end being separately secured to
each of said legs at a position above the bend in the upper portion,
and each said second end being pivotally connected together; and
three horizontally disposed lower tripod support bars, each of said
lower support bars having a third end and a fourth end, each said
third end being separately secured to each of said legs at a position
spaced downward from the bend, and each said fourth end being pivotally
connected together; wherein the upper tripod support bars are adapted
for supporting the bottom of the water cooler and the straight upper
portion of each of the three legs is adapted for engaging the side
of the water cooler when the holder is in a free standing position,
and whereby the holder is pivotally collapsible when not in use.
2. The water cooler holder according to claim 1 wherein each of
said legs has an outwardly extending foot portion.
3. The water cooler holder according to claim 1 wherein each of
said legs has a hollow square cross-section.
4. The water cooler holder according to claim 1 wherein each of
said upper and the lower tripod support bars are flat bars.
Water cooler description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to container holders. More
specifically, the invention is a holder for holding cylindrical
water cooler containers on various places of a pickup truck bed
and trailer hitch, a collapsible free standing holder, and a holder
attachable to a vertical stud or pole. The holders are wire framed
and can be formed in a decorative array.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art of interest describes various container holders,
but none discloses the versatile wire cooler holder device of the
present invention. There is a need for an economical and versatile
cooler holder assembly amenable to attachment to vehicles or posts,
as well as for free standing cooler holders. The related art will
be discussed in the order of relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4860986 issued on Aug. 29 1989 to Kenneth A.
Couzens describes four mounting arrangements for a water jug capable
of mounting inside or outside the bed of a pickup truck, comprising
a vertical arm interconnected at one end to a support, and its other
end to a mounting structure. The support has means for supporting
the bottom base of the water jug. A jug securing mechanism is integrally
formed with a vertical arm for securing the jug at the jug sides
to the mounting rack. The mounting structure has means for connecting
the mounting rack to a fixed structure such as inside or outside
a truck bed, an upright stud, and a wall. In the first embodiment
of FIGS. 1 and 2 for positioning the device inside a truck bed
on a sidewall, the basic support structure comprises a vertical
arm made of a hollow square or rectangular metal rod, e.g., steel,
aluminum or solid wood. A flexible semicircular metal arm attached
proximate to the top of the rod has flexible belt extensions closable
by a buckle for strapping in the jug. The base portion of the vertical
rod consists of a central leg having a pair of angularly extending
legs on both ends. The vertical rod is positioned adjacent one end
of the central leg. The upright rod has a socket leg for attaching
over a vertical post of a horizontal U-shaped mounting structure
and is locked to an attachment plate on the truck bed's sidewall
by an L-shaped interconnecting bracket. In the second embodiment
of FIG. 3 the U-shaped bracket is omitted, and the L-shaped bracket
is utilized to support the vertical rod. The third embodiment of
FIG. 4 utilizes the U-shaped bracket for supporting the vertical
rod on a two by four stud with the L-shaped bracket locking the
first bracket on the stud. The vertical rod fits on the post of
the U-shaped bracket. In the fourth embodiment of FIG. 5 the rack
is mounted on a wall by omitting the U-shaped mounting structure,
and by adding a U-shaped mounting plate having an upwardly facing
shoulder or stop fastened to the wall. The mounting racks are distinguishable
for the requirement for the vertical arm or rod with the belted
metal arm and the non-foldable four-legged support base.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 343968 issued on Feb. 8 1994 to Seymour
Emalfarb et al, shows a decorative plant stand design comprising
two horizontal wire rings supported by three doubled wire legs ending
in covered tips. The bottom horizontal ring has three wire cross
braces. The device is distinguishable for lacking collapsible tripod
legs and a collapsible container support.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 402161 issued on Dec. 8 1998 to Martin
P. Fischer, Jr. shows an ornamental bottle holder made of wires
with four stacked rings supported by a projecting J-shaped and doubled
wire setup. The vertical rear support portion includes a flat crossbar
with two apertures for fasteners. The bottle holder is distinguishable
for its required attachment portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2925979 issued on Feb. 23 1960 to William P.
Walker describes a paint bucket support for use on a painter's staging
comprising a tubular basket having an upper ring and a bottom ring
supported by two perpendicular crossbars, of three legs attached
to the basket, two legs are joined by two links and a spring to
enable movement and each leg has a clamping foot to grasp the opposite
edges of the staging. The device is distinguishable for being limited
to attachment to staging and having only two legs collapsible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6179266 B1 issued on Jun. 30 2001 to James E.
Hutten describes a collapsible easel comprising three rigid plastic
telescopic legs, wherein the upper channel leg segments slide and
snap-fit into the lower channel leg segments. Three leg support
channels are connected to the lower leg portions and joined by an
eared connector. The top connector member joins the legs. The device
is distinguishable for being limited to telescopic legs and supporting
painting boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 3734439 issued on May 22 1973 to Donald E. Wintz
describes a beverage container receptacle and clamp mountable and
tiltable on an inclined tubular section such as a golf cart handle
or a pontoon boat railing. A wire framed receptacle has three horizontal
wire rings supported by a pair of upright U-shaped wire members
of unequal height, wherein the longer member is hooked onto a horizontal
semicircular bracket. The bracket in turn is attached to a clip
seated on a vertical hanger plate which is free to rotate on a U-shaped
collar positioned on a tubular section of a handle or railing. The
device is distinguishable for being limited to its rotatability
of the basket to maintain the beverage container in a vertical position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4006852 issued on Feb. 8 1977 to Victor F. Pilsner
et al. describes a swingable liquified gas tank carrier attached
to the rear bumper of a camper or trailer by an affixed angle iron
piece. A latchable bracket extends horizontally from the angle iron
to support the tank support with two rings connected by a bent upright
arm. The split upper ring is larger and is adjustable in diameter
to lock in the gas tank. The latch permits the tank carrier to be
pivoted away to open the rear door. The device is distinguishable
for its pivotable requirement.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly
or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as
claimed. Thus, a water cooler holder system solving the aforementioned
problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an assembly of supports for
holding water cooler tanks on various substrates. All the ring supports
and some mounting supports are round low carbon steel. The legs
are 16 gauge square tubing, black powder coated low carbon steel.
The folding rods are flat low carbon steel. The first embodiment
is a collapsible tripod floor stand. The second embodiment is a
water cooler holder for mounting on the outside of a side panel
of a pickup truck bed. The third embodiment is a water cooler holder
for mounting on a closed tailgate of a pickup truck. The fourth
embodiment is a water cooler holder for mounting on a trailer hitch
of a vehicle. The fifth embodiment is a water cooler support mounted
on a vertical stud. The sixth embodiment is a standing ornamental
and foldable tripod water cooler support. The seventh embodiment
is a collapsible tripod water cooler support with shortened legs.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide
an assortment of supports for large water coolers for mounting on
various locations.
It is another object of the invention to provide a water cooler
support which is collapsible and free standing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a water cooler
support system for mounting on various parts of a pickup truck.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a water cooler
support for mounting on a vertical stud or post.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and
arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive,
dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily
apparent upon further review of the following specification and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is an environmental, perspective view of a water cooler
with a cup rack supported by a collapsible tripod floor stand according
to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is a side elevational view of the collapsible floor stand
according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1C is a top plan view of the collapsible floor stand according
to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is an environmental, perspective view of three water coolers
in separate holders attached to various parts of a pickup truck
according to the present invention.
FIG. 2B is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a water cooler
holder adapted to be mounted on the top and outside of a side panel
of the truck bed according to the present invention.
FIG. 2C is a side elevational view of the second embodiment according
to the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of a water
cooler holder adapted to be mounted on the outside of a closed tailgate
according to the present invention.
FIG. 3B is a top plan view of the third embodiment according to
the present invention.
FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a water cooler
holder adapted to be mounted on a trailer hitch of a vehicle according
to the present invention.
FIG. 4B is a side elevational view of the fourth embodiment of
the water cooler holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 5A is an environmental side elevational view of a fifth embodiment
of water cooler holder with a cup holder attached to a vertical
stud according to the present invention.
FIG. 5B is a side elevational view of the fifth embodiment of the
water cooler holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 5C is a top plan view of the fifth embodiment of the water
cooler holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 6A is an elevational view of a sixth embodiment of an ornamental
water cooler holder according to the present invention.
FIG. 6B is a top plan view of the sixth embodiment according to
the present invention.
FIG. 7A is a side elevational view of a seventh embodiment of a
shortened collapsible tripod water cooler holder according to the
present invention.
FIG. 7B is a top plan view of the seventh embodiment according
to the present invention.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently
throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to various wire cooler holders
adapted to attach to a vehicle, a pole or to be free standing.
In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a collapsible tripod
cooler floor stand holder 10 has an upper tripod support 12 (partially
hidden in FIG. 1A, but shown more fully in FIG. 1C) and a lower
tripod support 14 identical in structure, but differing in the length
of each horizontal flat folding bar 16 and pivoting on a pivot
pin 18 to enable collapsing of the legs for storage or portage.
Three upright legs 20 formed from black powder coated 16 gauge,
3/4 inch square metal tubing are connected in tripod fashion, each
leg having a bend 21 formed below the upper tripod support 12 in
order to provide a broad triangular base, each leg 20 ending in
an extended foot 23. A cylindrical water cooler 22 supporting a
vertical cup stack 24 is based and supported on the bottom by the
upper tripod support 12 and on the side by the three upright legs
20.
The general configuration for a water cooler holder for mounting
on various parts of a pickup truck will be illustrated first as
a double-ringed structure which can mounted on various parts of
a pickup truck by various appending structures. In FIG. 2A, a pickup
truck 26 has an assembly of three different water cooler supports
to attach to different parts of a pickup truck with a trailer hitch
28. The second embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2B and 2C is a cooler
holder 30 suitable for hanging over a side panel 32. The third embodiment
shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is a cooler holder 34 suitable for hanging
over a closed tailgate 36. The fourth embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 4A and 4B is a cooler holder 38 attached to the trailer hitch
28.
Referring back to FIGS. 2B and 2C, the second embodiment water
cooler support 30 is made from steel cylindrical rods to form an
upper ring 40 having a welded to the bend 42 and coplanar with the
pair of horizontal arm segments 44. Each arm segment 44 has a depending
hook 46 which overlaps the side panel 32 of the truck 26 in tandem
to prevent the cooler 22 from swaying from side to side. The inclined
arm segments 48 are welded to the lower ring 50 and serves as a
base support for the cooler container 22 the lower ring 50 having
a smaller diameter than the upper ring 40. It is a simplified construction
which adequately holds and immobilizes the cooler 22 for use.
The third embodiment 34 depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B is utilized
to hang over a closed tailgate 36 (FIG. 2A) for supporting a cooler
22. The holder 34 has an upper ring 52 and a lower ring 54 the
lower ring 54 having a smaller diameter than the upper ring 52.
The two rings 52 and 54 are welded in parallel and perpendicularly
to an inverted U-shaped (in side view) pair of hooks 56. A horizontal
reinforcement bar 58 is welded between the hooks 56.
In FIGS. 4A and 4B, a fourth embodiment cooler holder 38 is depicted
for attachment to a female trailer hitch 28 existing on the pickup
truck 26 (FIG. 2A). The holder 38 comprises an upper ring 60 having
a larger diameter than the lower ring 62 which supports the bottom
of the cooler 22. These rings 60 62 are connected by four bars
64 having a long vertical portion and a short dog-leg portion horizontal
to the vertical portion, the four bars being equidistantly spaced
on these rings. Four more bars 66 are inclined inwardly from the
lower ring 62 and are grouped close to each other to form an inverted
conical support, with the apex of the cone attached to a tow bar
68 having a square cross-section for insertion in the female trailer
hitch 28 installed on the truck 26 (FIG. 2A). The tow bar 68 and
hence the cooler holder 38 are retained by a standard trailer hitch
lock pin.
FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C depict the fifth embodiment of a water cooler
holder 70 attachable to either a two by four wooden stud 72 or a
cylindrical post. A cup stack 24 is conveniently attached to the
cooler 22 (FIG. 5A). A bulbous, ovoid loop 78 made from a cylindrical
rod has an open end defined by one leg 76 extending up and normal
to the loop 78. An upper ring 74 is attached to the end of the leg
76 so that the upper ring 74 is disposed parallel to and above
the loop 78 the upper ring 74 having a larger diameter than the
curvature of the loop 78. A reinforcing bar 80 is welded across
the opening of the loop 78 and the leg 76. A pair of parallel studs
87 (only one seen in FIG. 5C, the other being symmetrically disposed
below rod 82) extend rearward from the reinforcing bar 80 and are
coplanar with the loop 78. A threaded rod 85 extends rearward from
the upright leg 76 parallel to and just below the plane of ring
74. An L-shaped plate 84 has an aperture 83 defined therein so that
the plate 84 is slidable on the threaded end 77 of the rod 85 to
define a clamp 82 the clamp 82 being secured to the post 72 by
wing nut 86 with the stubs 87 being spaced apart on opposite sides
of the post 72 to prevent rotation of the cooler holder 70 around
the two by four post 72.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawn to a sixth embodiment which is similar
to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1A-C, wherein a decorative foldable
tripod cooler holder stand 88 has ornamental spiral segments added
to the structure. Each upright bent leg 89 (one leg hidden) has
a spiral segment 90 on top, a spiral segment 92 on its bottom, and
a spiral segment 94 added as a reinforcement for the bottom spiral
segment 92 and a flat folding bar 16. A pair of pivot pins 18 permit
the collapsing of the bars 16 and the holder stand 88. The ornamental
features enhance the attractiveness of the cooler stand 88 as well
as reinforce the bottom folding bars 16.
The seventh embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B as a shortened
upright folding tripod stand 96 for holding a cooler container having
short legs 98 with the bends 100 now located at the junction of
the lower folding bars 16 of the lower tripod support 14 with the
legs 98. Each leg 98 has an extended foot 23. Pivot pins 18 fold
the bars 16 of the upper and lower tripod support bars 12 and 14
respectively. This shortened stand embodiment permits its use on
available supports such as a table, low wall and the like.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited
to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all
embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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