US3739431A

US3739431A - Trash can holder

Info

Publication number: US3739431A
Application number: US00125106A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Scioloro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-17
Filing date: 1971-03-17
Publication date: 1973-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-19

Abstract

A trash can holder in the form of a double end clip, preferably fabricated from slender metal rod stock, for releasably joining a group of three or four trash cans to restrain the cans against overturning. The clip has a central connecting portion providing a handle and terminating in pairs of depending arms for straddling the rims of adjacent trash cans to hold the latter against separation and thereby overturning.

Description

United States Patent Scioloro TRASH CAN HOLDER [76] Inventor: Joseph D. Scioloro, 14620 Rath, La

Puente, Calif. 91747 22 Filed: Mar. 17, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 125,106

[52] US. Cl. 24/81 C, 206/65 CT [51] Int. Cl A44b 21/00 [58] Field of Search 24/81 C, 81 E, 73 C,

24/81 BF, 73 HH, 261 R, 261A, 261 B, 139.1, 261 CF; 248/DIG. 7; 206/65 CT [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 781,930 2/1905 Barnes 24/139.1 965,458 7/1910 Hitt 24/81 C UX 1,321,592 11/1919 Brown 24/81 C June 19, 1973 2,782,916 2/1957 Goenen 206/65 CT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,162,867 4/1958 France 24/139.1

Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin Attorney-Boniard I. Brown [57] ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEWUNIQW 3139mm IN l/E N TOR .JGSEPHYD. 500mm BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention This invention relates generally to accessories for trash cans and more particularly to a trash can holder for releasably joining a group of three or four trash cans to restrain the cans against overturning.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art In most residential, commercial, and industrial areas, trash is placed in trash receptacles and is collected at periodic intervals for transportation to a local disposal facility, such as a dump. Two general types of trash receptacles are commonly used for this purpose, namely, relatively large trash bins which are emptied into the trash collection vehicle by means of a hydraulic hoist mechanism on the vehicle and smaller trash cans which are emptied into the vehicle by hand. The present invention is concerned with such trash cans.

Trash cans present one problem which the invention overcomes. This problem resides in the fact that the cans are frequently overturned by the wind or by animals. When this occurs, the contents of the cans are dumped onto the ground and, in many cases, blown about by the wind. Replacing the spilled contents is an unpleasant and annoying task.

A vast assortment of devices have been devised for joining groups of cans of various types. Typical devices of this kind, for example, are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 2,815,855 and 3,269,580. The devices, shown in these patents and other devices for a similar purpose, however, are not suited for joining trash cans to restrain the latter against overturning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a holder which is expressly designed for joining a group of three or four trash cans to restrain them against overturning under the action of wind, animals, or other causes. The holder may be readily placed on and removed from the trash cans to permit them to be handled and emptied individually.

To these ends, the holder comprises a double ended clip which is preferably fabricated from slender metal rod stock. The clip has a central portion providing a handle by which the clip may be gripped to place it on and remove it from a group of trash cans and pairs of depending arms at the ends of the central portion for straddling the rims of adjacent trash cans.

In certain disclosed embodiments of the present trash can holder, the holder clip is fashioned from a single slender metal rod by bending the rod to form the handle and can rim engaging arms. Another disclosed embodiment of the holder has end members of inverted U-shape which provide the can rim engaging arms and are welded or otherwise rigidly joined to an intervening member which provides the handle. This latter form of holder is also preferably fabricated from slender metal rod stock. According to a feature of the invention, the holder may be shaped to accommodate trash cans of the same or different size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the present holder assembled on a group of four trash cans of different size;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the trash cans and can holder in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the can holder in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the holder taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 55 in FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate modified can holder configurations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. l-5 illustrate a trash can holder 10 according to the invention to be placed on a group of trash cans 12. As will appear from the ensuing description, the holder 10 is intended to be placed on four trash cans, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the holder may be used with only three cans. It will also appear that the holder may be used on trash cans of difierent size, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, or on trash cans of the same size.

In simple tenns, the trash can holder 10 comprises a clip having a central connecting portion 14 providing a handle 16 and pairs 18 of depending arms 20 at the ends of the central portion. These arm pairs provide normally downwardly opening slots 22 located in a common longitudinal plane of the clip. The clip is placed on the trash cans 12 by lowering the clip over the can rims in such a way that the rims of adjacent cans enter the clip end slots 22 to locate the clip arms 20 in straddling relation to the rims, as shown. The clip, when thus installed on .the trash cans, restrains them against overturning. It is significant to note in FIGS. 1 and 2 that the arms 20 are sufficiently long to straddle the rims of trash cans of different height.

The particular trash can clip 10 shown is fabricated from a single length of slender metal rod. The central portion of the rod provides the connecting portion 14 of the finished clip and is bent to form a center ring or loop which provides the handle 16. The ends of the rod are bent laterally of the connecting portion 14 and then back on themselves in a common longitudinal plane of the clip to form one arm 20 of the arm pairs l8 and finally back again on themselves in planes normal to the common arm plane to form the other arms of the arm pairs. The arms of the arm pairs are spaced to fit snugly but removably over the trash can rims, it being understood that the rod is sufficiently flexible to permit the arms to spread slightly, if necessary.

The trash can holder 10a of FIG. 6 is similar to that of FIGS. 1-5 in its fabrication from a single length of slender metal rod and its manner of use. However, the holder clip has a somewhat different shape than that of FIGS. 1-5 to accommodate its use on a greater range of trash can sizes. Thus, the central connecting portion 14a of the clip has end sections which slope upwardly toward and join at the center of the connecting portion to provide the handle 16a. One end of the connecting portion is higher than the other. The ends of the clip rod are bent in the same manner as in FIG. 1 to form the depending clip arms 20a. Because of the difference in elevation of the ends of the central connecting portion of the clip, one arm pair 18a is higher than the other. This modified can holder Illa is adapted for use on a group of trash cans wherein the two trash cans joined by the lower clip arms are both shorter than the trash cans joined by the higher clip arms.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified trash can holder 10b which is identical to that of FIGS. l-5 except that the clip arms 20b are vertically offset and of different lengths to permit placement of the holder on trash cans of different height.

Turning finally to FIG. 8, there is illustrated a modi fied trash can holder 100 according to the invention wherein the clip has a connecting portion 14c and end arms 200, as before. In this embodiment, however, the connecting portion and arms are fashioned from separate lengths of metal rod. Thus, the connecting portion 14c is a section of rod which is coiled to form a ring handle 160. Each arm pair 180 is a separate U-shaped end member fashioned from a length of metal rod. These end members are welded or otherwise rigidly joined to the ends of the connecting portion 140. The arms 200 may be of different length, as shown, for the reasons explained earlier.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent l. A trash can holder comprising:

a double ended clip having a central connecting portion providing a handle, and a pair of depending arms at each end of said connecting portion,

the arms of said arm pairs defining intervening normally downwardly opening slots located in a common longitudinal plane of said clip, whereby said clip is adapted to be placed on a group of four trash cans with the arms of each arm pair straddling the rims of a pair of cans for restraining the cans against overturning, and

the arms of one arm pair being longitudinally offset relative to the arms of the other arm pair to adapt said clip for placement on trash cans of different heights.

2. Atrash can holder comprising:

the arms of one arm pair are shorter than the arms of the other arm pair and have their upper ends located below the level of the upper ends of the latter arms to adapt said holder for placement on trash cans of different height.

3. In combination:

four trash cans with open tops arranged side by side in a generally rectangular array,

a holder comprising a double ended clip having a central connecting portion providing a handle, and a pair of depending arms at each end of said connecting portion,

the arms of said arm pairs defining intervening normally downwardly opening slots located in a common longitudinal plane of said clip, whereby said clip is adapted to be placed on a group of four trash cans with the arms of each arm pair straddling the rims of a pair of cans for restraining the cans. against overturning, and

one of said arm pairs straddling the rims of two adjacent trash cans and the other arm pair straddling the rims of the other two trash cans to secure said trash cans to one another.

Claims

1. A trash can holder comprising: a double ended clip having a central connecting portion providing a handle, and a pair of depending arms at each end of said connecting portion, the arms of said arm pairs defining intervening normally downwardly opening slots located in a common longitudinal plane of said clip, whereby said clip is adapted to be placed on a group of four trash cans with the arms of each arm pair straddling the rims of a pair of cans for restraining the cans against overturning, and the arms of one arm pair being longitudinally offset relative to the arms of the other arm pair to adapt said clip for placement on trash cans of different heights.

2. A trash can holder comprising: a double ended clip having a central connecting portion providing a handle, and a pair of depending arms at each end of said connecting portion, the arms of said arm pairs defining intervening normally downwardly opening slots located in a common longitudinal plane of said clip, whereby said clip is adapted to be placed on a group of four trash cans with the arms of each arm pair straddling the rims of a pair of cans for restraining the cans against overturning, and the arms of one arm pair are shorter than the arms of the other arm pair and have their upper ends located below the level of the upper ends of the latter arms to adapt said holder for placement on trash cans of different height.

3. In combination: four trash cans with open tops arranged side by side in a generally rectangular array, a holder comprising a double ended clip having a central connecting portion providing a handle, and a pair of depending arms at each end of said connecting portion, the arms of said arm pairs defining intervening normally downwardly opening slots located in a common longitudinal plane of said clip, whereby said clip is adapted to be placed on a group of four trash cans with the arms of each arm pair straddling the rims of a pair of cans for restraining the cans against overturning, and one of said arm pairs straddling the rims of two adjacent trash cans and the other arm pair straddling the rims of the other two trash cans to secure said trash cans to one another.