Universally adjustable mounting system for switches, or the like

• US 6,220,556 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carrie Sohrt-Mccormick, Thomas M. Sohrt
• Original Assignee: Carrie Sohrt-Mccormick, Thomas M. Sohrt
• Inventors: Sohrt-McCormick, Carrie, Sohrt, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZUMNY, JONATHON A
• Application Number:
  US09/322,188
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 248/276.1, 248/284.1, 248/286.1, 248/278.1, 248/274.1, 248/288.31, 248/288.51, 248/291.1, 248/181.1, 248/292.12, 248/292.11, 248/230.3, 248/230.5, 248/279.1, 403/56, 403/90, 403/141
• US Class Current: 248/279.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/106 for ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket

Abstract

A mounting system having a first arm and a second arm adjustably held together. An upper portion of the first arm is pivotably mounted in a first clamp that is pivotably held in a second clamp. The first and second arm are rotatably secured to a pair of mounting plates, and include a top tray pivotably and rotatably mounted at the top end of the first arm, so that a switch, or the like, supported on the top tray, may be moved to any desired position.

Claims

1. A mounting system, comprising:

an elongated, hollow body having a first arm and a second arm held together;

a top support having a first ball secured to a lower surface;

the first ball being held in a first end of a first clamping element;

a second end of the first clamping element releasably holding a _upper end of a connecting element;

a second ball secured to a bottom end of the connecting element and releasably mounted in a top end of a second clamping element;

the second clamping element having a lower end holding a shaped upper end of the first arm;

means for adjusting the length of the first arm and the second arm; and

the second arm having a flat lower end, which flat lower end forms a part of a rotatable connection.

3. The mounting system of claim 1 wherein the rotatable connection is secured to a pair of clamping plates.

4. The mounting system of claim 3, further including releasable adapter blocks held in the pair of clamping plates.

5. The mounting system of claim 4 wherein the first ball and the second ball are pivotably held in the first clamping element and the second clamping element.

6. The mounting system of claim 5 wherein the first clamping element and the second clamping element include thumbscrew tightening means.

7. The mounting system of claim 1 wherein the shaped upper end of the first arm is rotatably held in complimentary slot portions formed in the second clamping element.

8. The mounting system of claim 7 wherein the second arm has an enlarged, flat, lower end with a serrated portion, adjustably held to a matching serrated portion of a rotatable connection.

2. The mounting system of claim 2 wherein the first arm includes a clamp element for adjusting the length of said elongated, hollow, body.

9. The mounting system of claim 9 wherein the first ball and the second ball are held between a pair of clamping elements in clam-shaped upper portions.

10. The mounting system of claim 9 wherein the second arm is an elongated, hollow, tubular body that telescopes into and out of the first arm, and is limited in sliding movement by a clamp device held on a lower end of the first arm.

11. The mounting system of claim 10 wherein the shaped upper end of the connecting element is held between slotted openings formed in a lower end of the first clamping element.

12. The mounting system of claim 11 wherein the first clamping element and the second clamping element releasably hold the first ball and the second ball and the shaped upper end of the connecting element and the shaped upper end of the first arm.

13. A mounting system, comprising:

a first elongated, hollow arm;

a second elongated arm, slidingly mounted in the first elongated, hollow arm;

a top tray having a first ball secured to a lower surface, the first ball being held in a first clamping means;

the first clamping means also capturing a shaped upper portion of a first element;

the first element having a second ball formed on a lower portion;

the second ball releasably captured in a pair of clam-shaped clamping elements;

which clam-shaped clamping elements also releasably capture a shaped top portion of the first, elongated, hollow arm;

the second, elongated arm being rotatably secured to a pair of holding plates; and

the second, elongated arm having a flat lower end, which flat lower end forms part of a rotatable connection to the pair of holding plates.

14. The mounting system of claim 13 wherein the pair of holding plates have a further arm connected thereto.

15. The mounting system of claim 14, further including a pair of adapter blocks held between the pair of holding plates.

16. The mounting system of claim 15 wherein the second ball is releasably secured to the first clamping means by the first element.

17. A mounting system, comprising:

an adjustable, elongated body, comprised of a top arm and a bottom arm telescopingly connected together;

the bottom arm having a first tubular member, and a second flat member;

a top tray secured to a first ball;

the first ball held in a first pair of clamping elments;

a connecting element having a first end rotatably captured in the first pair of clamping elements and a second ball releasably mounted in a second pair of clamping elements;

the first pair of clamping elements and the second pair of clamping elements include thumbscrew tightening elements;

a rotatable connection secured to the second flat member, away from the first tubular member;

a pair of clamping plates mounted to the rotatable connection;

a securing element mounted between the top arm and the bottom arm for locking the top arm and bottom arm together; and

a further arm mounted between the rotatable connection and the pair of clamping plates.