RACK FOR SPORTING EQUIPMENT

• US 3,650,407 A
• Filed: 07/09/1970
• Issued: 03/21/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oliver C. Benham Jr
• Original Assignee: Oliver C. Benham Jr
• Inventors: Benham, Oliver C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Byers, Jr., Nile C.
• Application Number:
  US05/053,467
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 211/14,13,60,88,90 248/108
• US Class Current: 211/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/60 specially adapted for bats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0045 specially adapted for games played with rackets or bats A63B60/56 takes precedence

Abstract

A wall mountable rack for storing small balls, baseball bats, baseball gloves and related accessories such as baseball caps and uniforms. The rack includes a single piece body with vertically spaced, upper and lower shelf-like projections extending away from a connecting backing structure. The top projection includes an upstanding, three-sided wall surrounding an inclined ledge. The lower shelf is indented to receive and hold the handle end of ball bats. The rack is adapted to be connected to a supporting wall by bolt or screw means. Two separable hooks employed to support gloves, caps, jackets and the like are secured to the main rack body below the upper shelf by the same screws or bolts employed to mount the body against the wall. In a modified form, the rack is integrally formed in a single piece with pegs projecting from the backing structure of the rack body. The pegs include bores extending through their lengths through which a bolt or screw means may be employed to simultaneously secure the rack to the wall and provide reinforcing for the pegs.

Claims

1. A rack for storing balls, bats and related equipment comprising:

a. first shelf means having a front and side retaining means connected with bottom wall means sloping downwardly from said front retaining means toward the rear of said first shelf means whereby balls positioned on said first shelf means tend to roll toward the rear thereof;

b. second shelf means vertically spaced below said first shelf means and including at least one indentation for receiving and holding the handle end of a ball bat;

c. backing means extending between the rear of said first aNd second shelf means;

d. mounting means included with said backing means for securing said rack to a supporting structure; and

e. support means included with said mounting means below said first shelf means and supported independently of either of said shelf means for suspending articles such as ball gloves, caps and jackets.

2. A rack for storing balls, bats and related equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a. said support means is closely positioned with respect to said backing means; and

b. said mounting means further includes attachment means adapted to extend through said support means and said backing means for securing said support means and said rack to said supporting structure whereby the weight of said articles suspended by said support means is directly carried by said attachment means.

3. A rack for storing balls, bats and related equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a. said support means includes separable hook means; and

b. said mounting means further includes attachment means adapted to extend through said hook means and said backing means for simultaneously securing said hook means to said rack and securing said rack to said supporting structure.

4. A rack for storing balls, bats and related equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a. said support means includes peg means; and

b. said mounting means further includes attachment means adapted to extend lengthwise through said peg means and to extend through said backing means for simultaneously increasing the structural strength of said peg means and securing said rack to said supporting structure.

5. A rack for storing balls, bats and related articles as defined in claim 4 wherein:

a. said retaining means include upstanding wall means; and

b. said first and second shelf means, said retaining means and said support means are integrally formed in a single piece of plastic material.

6. A rack for storing balls, bats and related equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a. said retaining means include upstanding walls connected with said bottom wall means; and

b. said first and second shelf means, said retaining means and said support means are integrally formed from a single piece of plastic.