US3235094A - Garbage can holder - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 15, 1966 D. w. OTTO ET AL 3,235,094

GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Filed Aug. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RAYMOND B. UPI/US BYDomuo M 0770 #rraxM/ar Feb. 15, 1966 D. w. OTTO ET AL GARBAGE CAN HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1963 INVFN' OR. R4 YMOND 8. UPI/(IS BY Dan/1910 M 0770 ArroAu/EJ' United States Patent 3,235,094 GARBAGE CAN HOLDER Donald W. Otto and Raymond B. Uphus, Sank Centre, Minn., assiguors to Inter-Marc Corporation, Alexandria, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,515 3 Claims. (Cl. 211--71) This invention relates generally to container support apparatus and more specifically to a support device for positively holding several garbage cans or the like and maintaining them in elevated position above the ground.

Garbage can holders presently available are generally expensive to manufacture and thus expensive to the purchaser and most holders commercially available have features which make their use dilficult.

Applicants however, have provided a garbage can holder which will be relatively inexpensive to the ultimate purchaser and which will provide positive positioning and holding features for simultaneously supporting a plurality of garbage cans simultaneously.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive supporting device for simultaneously supporting a plurality of garbage cans or the like whether the cans are of the same or substantially different dimensions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a stable support device for holding a plurality of garbage cans by providing a single support strut for insertion into the earth and having means thereon to support the cans in spaced relation therearound such that each of the cans is easily accessible for use.

It is a further specific object of this invention to provide a stable support device for maintaining a plurality of garbage cans in elevated positions above the ground by providing a means to engage and position the bottom circumferential flange of the garbage cans at a position on the support which will allow a suflicient length of the support to be embedded in the ground to prevent tipping thereof.

It is a further specific object to provide individual handle engaging means near the upper end of a main support for engagement with a handle of the garbage cans such that any of the cans may be removed from the support without disturbing those cans remaining thereon.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the view, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a garbage can holder embodying the concepts of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical section taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing the garbage can holder embedded in the ground;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the can support member;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows the plan and front view of the upper handle retaining element.

In accordance with the accompanying drawings and to best illustrate the use of the garbage can holder, a plurality of individual garbage cans designated A are shown mounted thereon. As is known the cans are usually constructed with a lower circumferential flange section B which normally joins the side to the bottom of the can and handle members C provided on the side of the can at the uppermost portions thereof. The can holder generally designated 10 comprises a main support strut designated 11 having the lower end 11a converging to a point to facilitate placing the strut 11 into the ground and an upper end designated 11b substantially reduced in diameter with respect to the body 11. A cotter pin Hz! or other locking means is arranged to pass through a diametrically arranged opening in the reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11. A garbage can support plate 15 is arranged longitudinally along the support strut 11 at a suflicient distance from the ground piercing end 11a thereof to allow the strut 11 to be embedded a sufficient length into the ground, as shown in FIG. 3, such that no other supports are required to hold the strut 11 in the upright position. In the form shown the support plate 15 is fixedly attached to the strut by welding the ends of a centrally located sleeve member 16 thereto.

For manufacturing reasons the plate member 15 is separately fabricated and is an individual member as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The support plate as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a substantially fiat bottom portion 15a having three spaced upstanding flange members designated 15b on the periphery thereof and combined strengthening and, water drainolf channel sections designated 15c arranged intermediate the upstanding side members 15b. The Water channel drainotfs are formed directly in the base 15a and are pitched outwardly from the center thereof. A pair of spaced slots designated 17 are formed in each of the upstanding flanges 15b and extend to the base portion 15w as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. The slots 17 are arranged to receive the arcuate bottom rim B of the garbage can A and hold the same therein, as illustrated by the dotted arc line in FIG. 4. When the cans are arranged in this fashion the drainoff sections will directly underlie the cans A. This slot and plate arrangement provides positive positioning and support for the bottom of the cans as illustrated in FIG. 2 but allows a can A to be removed therefrom without disturbing the arrangement of the other cans.

In the form shown three handle engaging elements designated 20 are arranged on the reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11 and are illustrated individually in FIG. 6. The elements 20 comprise a generally hook shaped end portion designated 20a defining a handle receiving cavity 2% therein. A passage 200 is formed adjacent the other end of the retaining element 20 such that the same may be slid and arranged upon the reduced portion 11b of the support strut 11 such that should the handles C of the cans A be at different levels the handle retaining elements 20 may be slid along the strut 11 and arranged to grasp and retain the handle C at any height. The purpose of the locking member such as the cotter pin 110. now becomes apparent as it is purely to hold the handle engaging elements 20 on the strut 11 and prevent accidental loss or removal. This arrangement of individual handle retaining elements 20 eliminates the problem created by certain garbage can holders now on the market as the usual method is to simply arrange the can handles C about the supporting strut. This, of course, involves the difficulty that the handles C are in overlapping fashion and should the bottom can require removal it is necessary to remove the other cans also. When properly arranged as shown in FIG. 2 the holder elements 20 maintain the cans A in a generally upright position and aid in prevent ing any shifting thereof upon the base plate 15.

The strength of the base plate 15 which is made of substantially thin material is attained by providing the upright flanges 15b and the water drainoff portions 150, the strength attained thereby being such that it is only necessary to engage one very limited portion of the garbage can bottom flange B and still balance and retain the can A in position thereon.

The advantages of this garbage can holder 10 are that the cans A are held in upright position at an elevated point above the ground such that no injury to the grass dueto lack of sunlight will occur and further the cans will not be in contact with the wetground causing rusting or rapid deterioration of the cans. The elevation of course affords further protection against vermin or scavengers such as dogs and the like as the cans may not be accidentally tipped from the strut.

It is obvious that applicants have provided a garbage can holder Which provides positive support for a plurality of garbage cans and is extremely flexible to allow different sized cans to be placed thereon and still etficiently hold the same at a position above the ground to remove thecansfrom not only the dangers of moisture but the possibility of dogs and other scavengers upsetting and opening the same.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportion of parts without departing from the scope of the invention, which generally stated consistsin the matter set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A support for a plurality of conventional garbage cansorthe like having a downwardly disposed circumferential flange'on the bottomthereof and provided with handles on the sides thereof comprising:

(a) an elongated support strut having one end thereof arranged for embedding into the earth to provide the sole means of support,

(11) support means,arrangedintermediate the ends of said strut normally elevated, from the ground when the strut is placed therein including an outwardly extending base member defining a single support surface havingretaining; means thereon for receiving a portion of circumferential flange of at least one a garbage can therein and holding the same against lateral movement thereon,

(c) a plurality of independent handle retaining elements having means to effect sliding movement on said support strut to facilitate longitudinal positioning along said strut and extending normally outward therefrom having one end thereof arranged for retaining engagement with a garbage can handle to provide the sole means for holding the can in upright position when the bottom of the can is engaged with the base supporting member.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange retaining means includes a plurality of spaced upstanding flanges arranged on the periphery of said base member and provided with retaining slots therein to engage the downwardly disposed circumferential flange of the garbage can and prevent shifting thereof.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and a plurality of water draining channels arranged intermediate said flanges to provide drainage means for said base plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,528 11/1927 Ziringer 211-78 2,448,456 8/1948 Niskanen et a1 248156 2,702,641 2/1955 Arthur 211-71 2,795,336 6/1957 Erenberg et al. 21171 2,891,753 6/1959 Bittle 248-149 2,905,333 9/1959 Lownsbery 211-83 3,007,664 11/1961 Fairbanks-et a1; 248-156 3,130,837 4/1964 Baker 21183 CLAUDE A; LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SUPPORT FOR A PLURALITY OF CONVENTIONAL GARBAGE CANS OR THE LIKE HAVING A DOWNWARDLY DISPOSED CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE ON THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH HANDLES ON THE SIDES THEREOF COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUT HAVING ONE END THEREOF ARRANGED FOR EMBEDDING INTO THE EARTH TO PROVIDE THE SOLE MEANS OF SUPPORT, (B) SUPPORT MEANS ARRANGED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID STRUT NORMALLY ELEVATED FROM THE GROUND WHEN THE STRUT IS PLACED THEREIN INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING BASE MEMBER DEFINING A SINGLE SUPPORT SURFACE HAVING RETAINING MEANS THEREON FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE OF AT LEAST ONE GARBAGE CAN THEREIN AND HOLDING THE SAME AGAINST LATERAL MOVEMENT THEREON, (C) A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENT HANDLE RETAINING ELEMENTS HAVING MEANS TO EFFECT SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORT STRUT TO FACILITATE LONGITUDINAL POSITIONING ALONG SAID STRUT AND EXTENDING NORMALLY OUTWARD THEREFROM HAVING ONE END THEREOF ARRANGED FOR RETAINING ENGAGEMENT WITH A GARBAGE CAN HANDLE TO PROVIDE THE SOLE MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CAN IN UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE CAN IS ENGAGED WITH THE BASE SUPPORTING MEMBER.

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