Racks having swivel arms for supporting tools

Abstract

A tool rack according to one embodiment generally includes a base for mounting the tool rack to a support surface. The base includes first and second spaced-apart ribs or flanges extending outwardly therefrom. The first rib has at least one aperture therein concentrically aligned with at least one aperture of the second rib. The tool rack also includes at least one arm. The arm includes a support rod having first and second spaced-apart end portions coaxially aligned with one other. The support rod's first and second end portions are respectively configured to be slidably positioned at least partially within the at least one aperture in the first rib and the at least one aperture in the second rib. Accordingly, the arm can be pivotally supported from the base such that the arm can swivel relative to the base.

1 . A tool rack comprising: 
 a base for mounting the tool rack to a support surface, the base defining a channel having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced apart from the upper surface, the upper surface including at least one opening extending generally vertically therein, the lower surface including at least one opening extending generally vertically therein and concentrically aligned with the at least one opening of the upper surface; and    at least one arm including a bar at one end portion of the arm and a tool support portion, the bar having first and second spaced-apart end portions coaxially aligned with one other, the bar's first and second end portions configured to be slidably positioned at least partially within the respective openings of the upper and lower surfaces of the base, thereby enabling the arm to be pivotally supported from the base without the use of fasteners or tools and such that the arm can swivel relative to the base, the arm's tool support portion formed of sheet metal attached to the bar and providing multiple hook locations for selectively attaching hooks at various locations along the arm.    
   
   
       2 . The tool rack of  claim 1  wherein the bar includes a generally circular transverse cross-section.  
   
   
       3 . The tool rack of  claim 1  wherein the arm includes a plurality of laterally-spaced openings configured to receive a plurality of hooks, the laterally-spaced openings providing multiple hook locations for selectively attaching hooks at various locations along the arm.  
   
   
       4 . The tool rack of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of laterally-spaced openings includes at least a first row of laterally-spaced openings and a second row of laterally-spaced openings, the second row being vertically-spaced from the first row.  
   
   
       5 . The tool rack of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises an extruded generally C-shaped channel.  
   
   
       6 . The tool rack of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a formed sheet metal bracket having first and second spaced-apart ribs integrally formed therewith, the first and second ribs respectively including the upper and lower surfaces of the base.  
   
   
       7 . The tool rack of  claim 1  wherein the spacing between the bar's first and second end portions and the openings in the upper and lower surfaces of the base is about one-sixth the length of the arm such that the bending moment caused by a cantilever load on the arm results in a transverse force acting on the bar's first and second end portions about six times the cantilever load.  
   
   
       8 . The tool rack of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of bushings each having a tapered shoulder and positioned within a corresponding one of the openings in the upper and lower surfaces of the base.  
   
   
       9 . The tool rack of  claim 1  further comprising at least one hook supportable from the arm, the hook including a formed rod having curved portions configured to accommodate and allow the hook to support different tool sizes.  
   
   
       10 . The tool rack of  claim 1  further comprising a hook supportable from the arm, the hook including a formed rod and a pivotal cam-type stop pivotably mounted to the rod, the stop including a gripping surface for frictionally gripping a tool generally between the gripping surface and the tool support portion of the arm.  
   
   
       11 . A tool rack comprising: 
 a base for mounting the tool rack to a support surface, the base including first and second spaced-apart ribs extending outwardly therefrom, the first rib having at least one aperture therein concentrically aligned with at least one aperture of the second rib; and    at least one arm including a support rod having first and second spaced-apart end portions coaxially aligned with one other, the support rod's first and second end portions respectively configured to be slidably positioned at least partially within the at least one aperture in the first rib and the at least one aperture in the second rib to thereby pivotally support the arm from the base such that the arm can swivel relative to the base.    
   
   
       12 . The tool rack of  claim 11  wherein the support rod's first and second end portions are configured to be slidably positioned at least partially within the apertures to thereby enable the arm to be pivotally mounted to the base without the use of fasteners or tools.  
   
   
       13 . The tool rack of  claim 11  wherein the arm has a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section defining an interior space, and wherein the support rod is secured at least partially within the interior space at the one end portion of the arm.  
   
   
       14 . The tool rack of  claim 11  wherein the arm includes a plurality of laterally-spaced openings configured to receive a plurality of hooks, the laterally-spaced openings providing multiple hook locations for selectively attaching hooks at various locations along the arm.  
   
   
       15 . The tool rack of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of laterally-spaced openings includes at least a first row of laterally-spaced openings and a second row of laterally-spaced openings, the second row being vertically-spaced from the first row.  
   
   
       16 . The tool rack of  claim 11  wherein the base comprises an extruded generally C-shaped channel.  
   
   
       17 . The tool rack of  claim 11  wherein the base comprises a formed sheet metal bracket with the first and second ribs integrally formed therewith, and a plurality of apertures in each said rib to provide one or more pairs of concentrically aligned apertures.  
   
   
       18 . The tool rack of  claim 17  wherein the base further comprises a backing plate secured to the formed sheet metal bracket to thereby reinforce the formed sheet metal bracket.  
   
   
       19 . The tool rack of  claim 11  further comprising a plurality of bushings each having a tapered shoulder and positioned within a corresponding one of the apertures.  
   
   
       20 . The tool rack of  claim 11  further comprising at least one stop for securing the support rod's first and second end portions within the apertures.  
   
   
       21 . The tool rack of  claim 11  further comprising at least one hook supportable from the arm, the hook including a formed rod having curved portions configured to accommodate and allow the hook to support different tool sizes.  
   
   
       22 . The tool rack of  claim 11  further comprising a hook supportable from the arm, the hook including a formed rod and a pivotal cam-type stop pivotably mounted to the rod, the stop including a gripping surface for frictionally gripping a tool generally between the gripping surface and the tool support portion of the arm.  
   
   
       23 . A method related to a tool rack having a base and at least one arm, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface spaced apart from the upper surface, the upper surface including at least one opening extending generally vertically therein, the lower surface including at least one opening extending generally vertically therein and concentrically aligned with the at least one opening of the upper surface, an end portion of the arm including first and second spaced-apart members coaxially aligned with one other, the method comprising pivotably mounting the arm to the base without using any tools or fasteners by slidably positioning the arm's first and second members at least partially within the respective openings of the upper and lower surfaces of the base such that the arm can swivel relative to the base.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the method includes selectively attaching one or more hooks to the arm at various locations along the arm.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein pivotably mounting includes positioning a bushing in each of the openings of the upper and lower surfaces, and slidably positioning the arm's first and second members at least partially within the respective bushings.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising mounting the base to a wall.  
   
   
       27 . A method of making a tool rack, the method comprising: 
 extruding a material to form a channel having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced apart from the upper surface,    forming at least one opening that extends generally vertically in the upper surface of the channel;    forming at least one opening that extends generally vertically in the lower surface of the channel and that is concentrically aligned with the at least one opening of the upper surface;    forming a piece of sheet metal to have a generally U-shaped cross-section defining an interior space,    attaching a support rod to the formed piece of sheet metal such that the support rod is at least partially within the interior space defined by the formed piece of sheet metal, the support rod including first and second spaced-apart end portions coaxially aligned with one other, the support rod's first and second end portions respectively configured to be slidably positioned at least partially within the at least one opening in the upper surface of the channel and the at least one opening in the lower surface of the channel to thereby enable the support rod and formed piece of sheet metal attached thereto to be pivotably supported from and swivel relative to the base.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising forming a plurality of laterally-spaced openings in the piece of sheet metal to thereby provide multiple hook locations for selectively attaching hooks at various locations along the piece of sheet metal.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising, without using any tools or fasteners, slidably positioning the support rod's first and second members at least partially within the respective openings of the upper and lower surfaces of the channel.