US2269940A - Storage device - Google Patents

Description

Jan; 13, 1942.-

H. J. JoHNsoN STORAGE DEVICE 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1939 INVENTOR. EN/em .10m/.50N BY l mama. A

4A AORNEKV Patented Jan. 13, 1942 s' are fr orgies 2,269,940 A STORAGE DEVICE- Henry J. Johnson, North Arlington, N. J. I

Application January 30, 1939, Serial No. 253,589

(Cl. S12-113) 2 Claims.

My invention relates to storagel devices, more particularly to such devices for storing household utilityv equipment` and like material, althrough suitable for storingY clothes, foods, medcines and the like- In smaller homes and apartments storage space is at a premium and suitable places to store utility devices such as mops, brooms, dust pans, cleaning material and the like are not available. In theusual closet arrangement much space isv Wasted immediately behind the door` While' racks and hangershave been secured directly to the backsv of doors these devices are unsightly, are in the way, and form dangerous projections, and because they fail in most eases to securely support the utility implements in rigid` relationship with the support the utility equipment often interferes with the closing and opening of the door. In other cases the door is located too close to the closet shelves which` prevents the placing of supporting devices on the inside of the door. Placing the racks and hangers on the outside of the doors also provides the same objections as when these devices are placed on the inside of the doors. Again where no closet space is provided in smaller rooms, noy place is available to hang devices of the kind inquestion. In the usual arrangement of racks, hangers, hooks and the like these supporting elements are not easily moved to support different sizes or shapes of utility equipment. and cannot be rearranged to more readily accommodate equipment being stored. v

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved storage device particularly suitable for storing household utility equipment and like material, although suitable for storing clothes and the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide such an improved storage device which can be secured to the front or back of doors or to the wall of a room and which can hold articles firmly in place and provide a pleasing appearance While at the same time form a closed compartment for concealing the equipment being supported.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved storage device in which the supporting elements may be shifted in the storage device to permit accommodation of different size and shapes of utility implements.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an adjustable storage device capable of being accommodated on different size doors and capable of being supported to open from either side.

These and other objects will appear hereinafter.

The novel features which I believe to be char.- acteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, but the invention itself will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage device made according to my invention in open position, Figure 2 is a vertical section of the storage device with the hinged portion. removed and showing details of construction, Figure 3 is ahorizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of the storage device with the device in closed position, and Figure 4 shows details of the supporting clip element.

Referring to Figure 1, it will` be seen that my improved storage devicev is in the form of an elongated open box-like structure comprising' a pair of telescoping members lll and Il having beaded ends l2 and I3 into which the end Walls I4 and l5 of the member Il slide. The part Il is provided preferably with a` hinged side I6 having a lip Il which can be secured to a supporting member, such for example as the door I8. The member I0 is provided with a side I9 having a boss 20' formed therein which cooperates with a spring latch 2l secured to the door I8 to lock the storage device against the door in storage position as best shown in Figure 3. Other suitable locking means could of course be provided for maintaining the storage devicein closed position. When in closed position the storage device forms withv the supporting means a closed compartment. To permit expansion andcon.- traction of the storage device made according to my invention to t different size doors, nuts and bolts 22 carried by the member lll register with and extend through the slots 23 in the member Il. When the members l0 and I'I have been adjusted to provide the proper width these bolts can be, tightened to lock the two members together. Other means for locking the two sections could also be provided, for example a series of apertures in the end walls of both members through which pins could be extended to lock the parts in position.

Removable supports on the inside of member Il are supporting spring clips 24 as best shown in Figure 4. Member Il is provided with a plurality of struck-up loops 25 through which the extensions 26 of the clips 24 are inserted. These right angle extensions slide into the loops, the clips being made wider to prevent movement of the clip against the loop when the clips are engaged in supporting utility equipment. Other struck-up loops 25, which may be placed at varying distances apart to provide longer or shorter distances between each of the spring clips, are provided at other desirable positions or suitable places on the member Il to permit changing the position of the clips to accommodate diierent size and shapes of utility implements. 'Ihese struck-up portions eliminate the necessity of any extensions through the member or any nuts and bolts for retaining the clips in position and permit a smooth close iit of the members IIJ and Il. While the supporting clips are adjustable they may be secured permanently by welding. Also other supporting means such as shelves could be provided instead of the clips.

To provide a storage bin a pair of telescoping bin plates 21 and 28 are supported at the lower end of the storage device, the member 21 being provided with a bead 29, these two plate members cooperating as best shown iny Figure 2. As shown in this gure. beaded edge I3 is provided with an inwardly extending lip I 3 contacting the lower edges and supporting the bin plates 21 and 28, the raised lip l31 preventing the plates from being sprung outwardly when material is placed in the bin. These plate members are provided with inwardly extending lips 3D and 3| by means of which the plates are secured to the sides I9 and I6 preferably by nuts and bolts 32 and 33 extending through suitable apertures in side members.

By rotating the door through 180 the lip l1 of the hinge member I6 can be placed on the left hand side of the door as viewed in Figure 1 so that the storage device opens from the other side. In this position the bin plates 21 and 28 are inserted in the portion of the storage device which now forms the lower end, both ends of the storage device being duplicates so as to receive the bin plates.

While various types of material can be used from which to form a device made according to my invention, light gauge metal pressed to shape is preferable. Other material however can be used which is suitable for pressing, rolling or molding to shape, for example, plastics, bers, pressed wood, Bakelite and other materials.

It will thus be seen that my improved device provides all of the advantages set forth in the objects of the invention. It presents a pleasing appearance regardless of where mounted, supports all utility equipment rmly in position and eliminates the hazards and objections of the conf ventional racks, hooks and the like. The struckup portions for the clip members can be arranged in any desired position, thus making them suitable for supporting any type, shape or size of utility implement.

While I have indicated the preferred embodiments of my invention of which I am now aware and have also indicated only one specific application for which my invention may be employed, it will be apparent that my invention is by no means limited to the exact forms illustrated or the use indicated, but that many variations may be made in the particular structure used and the purpose for which it is employed without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. A storage device for providing with a supporting surface a closed compartment, said device including a pair of elongated telescoping members forming an open box-like container, each end wall of one of said telescoping members being provided with a bead having a lip extending inwardly of the box-like container and at right angles thereto, the edge of the end Wall of the other telescoping member` extending into the space between the end wall of the one member andthe bead lip, and a pair of movable telescoping plate members secured to one end and at the open side of the boxlike container and contacting along one edge with and resting on the adjacent bead lip for providing a bin at one end of the box-like container, one side of one telescoping member being provided with a hinge along its entire length and a lip on said hinge for securing the elongated telescoping members to the supporting surface so that the open side of said device will close against the supporting surface to provide with said surface a closed compartment.

2. A storage devicey for providing with a supporting surface a closed compartment, said device including a pair of telescoping members providing an open box-like container, each end wall of one of said members being provided at the open side of said box-like container with a bead having a lip, said lip extending inwardly of the box-like container and at right angles to thereto, the edge of the end wall of the other telescoping member extending into the space between the end wall of the one telescoping member and the bea-d lip and a pair of removable telescoping plate members removably secured to one end and on the open side of the box-like container and contacting along one edge with and resting on the lip portion of the bead of said one of said telescoping members to provide a bin at one end of the box-like container, said pair of telescoping plate members being receivable at either end of the said storage device whereby the' storage device may be inverted end for end, and a single hinge extending along the length of one of the telescoping members to pivotally support the box-like container against a supporting wall.

HENRY J. JOHNSON.

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