GAS CYLINDER HOLDER

• US 3,791,403 A
• Filed: 08/03/1972
• Issued: 02/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ilden R. Folkerth
• Original Assignee: Ilden R. Folkerth
• Inventors: Folkerth, Ilden R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US05/277,683
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 137/343 128/145.8,145.5,145,142.3,203 211/71 248/311,313
• US Class Current: 137/343
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/084 for small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/013 Two or more vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/018 Supporting feet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6851 With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations

Abstract

A support column includes a base at one end and a yoke assembly at the other for receiving and holding a pair of gas cylinders side-by-side. The base includes two pockets which open in opposite directions to permit rotation of the bottom of each cylinder outwardly of the base for independent removal. The pocket depth facilitates handling cylinders of varying lengths, and a spring clamp is provided for each bottle to hold it in the base. The support column includes a hose receiving cavity and openings for quick extension and removal of the hose. In addition, openings in the support column permit quick and easy mounting to a special mating support bracket fixture, the latter having guides for indexing the support column relative to the bracket.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for holding two gas cylinders side-byside comprising, in combination:

a support column;

a yoke assembly attached to one end of said column for receiving and holding the gas discharge end of the cylinders;

a base attached to the other end of said column, said base including means for gripping and holding the lower ends of gas cylinders of varying length and diameter while permitting removal of one of the cylinders from said apparatus without interrupting the operation of the other of said cylinders regardless of whether the cylinders and apparatus are in a vertical or horizontal position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said base includes a pair of pocket means, each of said pocket means includes a front and rear wall and inner side wall for limiting the movement of the lower end of a gas cylinder of varying length and diameter positioned therein except through said remaining open side, said base further including movable spring means on said base for retaining the lower end of a gas cylinder of varying length and diameter against unintentional removal through said open side.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is attached to the front of said base and includes a first portion extending laterally beyond each pocket means and a second portion curving inwardly toward the open side of said pockets to urge a gas cylinder positioned in one of said pockets against the inner side and rear wall of said one pocket.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said open sides of each of said pocket means open laterally in opposite directions whereby each gas cylinder positioned in each of said pocket means is movable generally coplanar with respect to each other when inserted or removed from said pocket means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein conduit means including an output adapter transfer gas from said cylinders to said output adapter said support column is generally tubular and said conduit means includes a detachable hose foldable within said support column.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said support column has an open top, said hose being foldable through said open top for rapid removal therefrom.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said support column includes means defining a second opening through one side thereof, said hose being removable through said second opening.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes a mounting bracket affixed to a support means, said bracket having means cooperative with said support column for indexing and detachably securing said support column to said bracket.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said bracket includes a pair of guide rails between which said support column is positionable and stud means having a head thereon adapted for insertion through key-shaped openings in said support columN to permit quick and easy mounting and removal of said support column from said mounting bracket.

10. In an apparatus for holding at least two gas cylinders in a co-extending side-by-side relationship having a support column;

a base at one end of said column for receipt of said cylinder;

a yoke assembly at the other end of said column, said yoke assembly being adapted to receive and hold the gas discharge end of said cylinder;

the improvement comprising;

said base including a pair of enclosure means for receiving and holding the lower end of a gas cylinder of varying length and diameter, each enclosure means including means defining an opening through which a cylinder end of varying diameter is movable into and out of each enclosure, and bias means urging a cylinder positioned within each enclosure against unintentional movement out of each enclosure while permitting insertion and removal under positive force direction.

11. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein each enclosure means includes wall means on three sides, said bias means comprising a movable spring fixed to one of said wall means and having a first portion extending laterally beyond each enclosure means and a second portion curving inwardly toward the open side of said enclosure means to urge a gas cylinder positioned in one of said enclosure means against the inner wall means opposite said opening.

12. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein said support column is generally tubular and has an open top and a second opening through one side thereof, said tubular support column providing a storage for a gas hose connectable to said yoke assembly, the discharge end of the hose being positioned through said second opening.

13. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein said apparatus further includes a mounting bracket adapted for securement to a support means, said bracket having means cooperative with said support column for indexing and detachably securing said support column to said bracket.