Decorative lawn ornament for supporting a weather device

• US 20060248828A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
• Inventors: Waldner, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,377,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/311.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0037 supported by a post
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/18 Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure

Abstract

A decorative lawn ornament for supporting an object, such as a rain gauge, comprises an assembly featuring a decorative member, a support device and a support mechanism. The decorative member comprises a metal plate shaped to have visual appeal having a hole therein for mounting on the support device. The support device features a receiving portion for supporting the object, a mounting portion for detachably engaging the plate and a reinforcing portion for supporting said receiving portion on said mounting portion. The mounting portion features a groove in the top surface of a protruding member which extends from one side of the plate to the other through the hole. To mount the plate on the support device, the top edge of the hole in the plate fits within the groove and the bottom edge of the hole slides over the bottom surface of the protruding member and snaps into place. The support mechanism comprises a rod removably engaged to a hole in the bottom of the protruding member, such that the rod can be driven into the ground to support the assembly.

Claims

1. A decorative assembly for supporting an object comprising:

a decorative member comprising a metal plate having a hole therein, said hole having upper and lower edges;

a moulded plastic support device for supporting the object and the decorative member, the support device comprising;

a receiving portion on a first side of the metal plate comprising;

a receptacle for supporting the object; and

walls extending upward from the receptacle to receive and position the object;

and

a mounting portion comprising;

a main member extending downward from the receptacle of the receiving portion on the first side of the plate;

a protruding member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said protruding member extending from the main member through the hole in the plate to a second side of the plate opposite the first side;

a groove in the upper surface of the protruding member for receiving and positioning the upper edge of the hole through the metal plate; and

a hole in the bottom surface of the vertical member;

and

a support rod for removably engaging the hole in the vertical member of the support device and supporting said device thereon;

arranged such that the upper and lower edges of the hole in the metal plate are removably engaged with the groove and bottom surface respectively of the mounting portion of the support device.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support device further comprises a reinforcing portion for supporting the receiving portion on the mounting portion.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 wherein the reinforcing portion comprises a support member supported centrally on the main member of the mounting portion, extending perpendicular thereto and spanning the height thereof such that said support member extends across the receptacle, thereby supporting the receiving portion.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein each wall of the receiving portion is curved such that a cylindrical object can be received and positioned by said walls.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein an upper end of the support rod and the hole in the mounting portion are threaded such that they can be detachably engaged.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support rod comprises a mounting mechanism supported on a lower end of the support rod.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 wherein there is provided a base member having a mounting member extending upward for engagement to the mounting mechanism.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 wherein the mounting member comprises a threaded member.

9. The assembly according to claim 6 wherein the mounting member comprises a threaded cylinder.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 wherein the lower end of the support rod is threaded such that the threaded cylinder can be detachably engaged to said support rod.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the decorative member comprises a mounting member for supporting the assembly on a vertical surface.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 wherein the mounting member comprise at least one mounting hole through the plate such that a fastener can be passed through said mounting hole to the vertical surface.