US20060147864A1

US20060147864A1 - Torch with hanging or standing base

Info

Publication number: US20060147864A1
Application number: US11/030,743
Authority: US
Inventors: Mark Donley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-06
Filing date: 2005-01-06
Publication date: 2006-07-06

Abstract

A torch assembly means by which a torch can be alternatively and conveniently rested upon a surface or hanged from a suspension means. In the preferred embodiments, the torch assembly comprises a torch body capable of retaining a quantity of oil, having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion can threadingly engage a removable wick holder; and the bottom portion has a tapped aperture capable of threadingly engage a ground securement means, and it further has one or more grooves or protrusions. The bottom portion of the torch body is received by an invertible base with one or more grooves or protrusions wherein at least two legs ending in hook like structures may be readily passed there through for suspension or support. The wick holder further may be fitted with a gasket, seal, cap or plug for easy storage. The torch body is preferably made from one or more of the following corrosion resistant materials, including: copper, stainless steel, a coated or anodized steel, aluminum, or any other durable, strong corrosion resistant material to withstand the weather, since this device is intended for use outdoors as well as indoors.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of torches. More specifically it relates to torch assemblies having bases which can convert the torch from one that stands on a surface, to one that can hang from a bracket or hook or other suspension means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, in the marketplace, there are available a wide variety of torches which either are constructed to hang from a bracket or hook, or those which are set atop a post. There are none, however, with a specialized base member which allows a torch to be utilized in either a hanging position or standing atop a surface wherein the base serves a dual purpose. Although there are several related patent disclosures seen in the prior art, they generally relate to matter suspended in the air by a suspension means. The present invention is unique in that it related to a torch assembly means that includes a base which is capable of converting the torch body from being suspended in the air, to resting on a surface, to resting in the air atop a pole slidingly receptive of a second shorter pole or piece of conduit.
For example, one such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 288,853, issued to Pooge, which discloses a ring suspended by chains from a swivel having several horn shaped prongs suitable for hanging bags and a central twine holder.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 532,400, issued to Seys, only discloses a lantern with a disk like base, a central opening for the torch means, and upwardly disposed clips adapted to embrace both the base and glass cover. This particular disclosure shows a lamp-chimney or a cover for the torch means with complicated projecting flanges.
Another suspended assembly device shown in the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,077,423, issued to Myers, which illustrates a plant holder comprising a soil receptacle with perforations to permit water overflow; a removable false bottom provided with holes to permit water passage; and a suspension means including wires, chains, and other suitable supporting means. While the device does include a suspension means, it does not include a supporting base that is invertible which could have allowed the plant to either seated atop feet on a surface or suspended in the air, nor does it disclose a torch body.
Another related utility patent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,419,307, issued to Richardson, only discloses a unique suspension configuration; it does not disclose a plurality of legs having hook means for removable securement to a suspension means, nor does it disclose a torch body that sits upon the base.
Yet another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,577, issued to Croft, discloses a liquid carrier receptacle with means for mounting the receptacle from a vehicle. The means for mounting includes a triangular troy with suspension means chains attached at the corners. The tray's rim is preferably bent slightly upward.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,440, issued to Deutsch which discloses a rotating display device that is suspended from the ceiling. The Deutsch invention is different from the present in that the present invention does not claim a rotating display means or utilize only the suspension means.
Several design patents were found to be related to the present invention but only claimed suspension devices. None of the designs claimed have bases capable of being converted from suspension to two other support arrangements. Neither do the designs claim an affiliated torch body. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D77,225, issued to Danz, discloses a design for a flower pot including a suspension means attached to a lower base with several upwardly protruding spear means adapted to attach the suspension means.
U.S. Pat. No. D222,949, issued to Souder, discloses a suspension means associated with three bowl in descending order and size along the suspension means. The present invention can be easily distinguished from the Souder design because the Souder design requires that the suspension means be permanently affixed to each of the bowls via flanges and apertures attached to each bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. D243,145, issued to Zipser, discloses a combined water reservoir and holder for potted flowers and plants. The device has a tripod base with a triangular receiving body which may be suspended with chains.
Finally, although U.S. Pat. No. D274,394, issued to Elliot, discloses a series of pots supported by bases with hooked legs capable of being attached to a suspension means; nonetheless it does not have an invertible base design.
The Elliot design, unlike the present invention, does not claim that the assembly con be converted into a standing position upon a surface or suspended in the air atop a pole. Thus, no where seen in the prior art is a torch body with a separable, invertible base which may be set either on a table top, mounted on a pole, or it may be suspended via elongate suspension means to hang from a hook or pole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists of a torch body that has a relatively squat configuration in one of the preferred embodiments, and which is capable of retaining a quantity of oil. Of course, other types and arrangements of decorative metal torch bodies can be configured for the purpose of holding a quantity of oil. The base of the body is further provided with an annular ring or groove which is adopted to be secured to a supporting structure having a corresponding annular opening. The supporting structure is further provided with at least two or more hook like structures which are adapted to removably fit and retain a set of suspension means. The suspension means terminates in a structure capable of being held on a bracket or hook type member, such as a ring.
The torch body is preferably constructed from a durable and strong corrosion resistant material; including, but not limited to, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, other metallic alloys or anodized metals which are rust and corrosion resistant. In the instance of copper torches, the torch may be hand hammered over a wooden form to provide additional decorative effect to the torch body.
The torch body may be further provided with a screw in type wick holder on the top portion of the torch such that when the torch is handled and stored, the wick holder may not become easily dislodged or misplaced. Further, the wick may be removed or pushed into the base and a rubber or pliable gasket, seal or clasp may be inserted into, or over, the wick aperture so that the torch may be stored such that any oil left within the torch will not leak. The gasket, seal or clasp is especially important when the torch is being used during camping and/or hiking to prevent the oil from leaking from the torch body.
In another preferred embodiment, a corresponding tapped aperture is provided in the bottom portion of the torch body. The topped aperture is capable of securely threading onto a ground securement means such as a pole. The pole can then be either pushed directly into soft ground, or a second, shorter piece of pipe with a diameter smaller than the first pole can be hammered into hard ground and the first pole can be safely slid thereupon, thus allowing the torch body to be suspended in the air atop the pole at any chosen distance from the ground.
The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the present invention can be readily derived from the following detailed description of the drawings taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings present herein, and should be considered as within the overall scope of the invention.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a torch body having a separate base with a plurality of legs terminating in hooks that has a dual purpose such that the torch body can be either hanged from a suspension means removably attached to the hooks or, by inverting the torch base, it can be stood atop a surface resting on the hooks of the legs as though they were feet.
It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a separate wick holder that screws into the top of the torch body such that the torch body can be jostled, moved, or handled without fear that the wick holder can become dislodged or damaged in any way.
Yet another primary object of the present invention is to provide a torch body with an invertible base and a separate wick holder wherein a gasket, seal, plug or clasp can be inserted into the wick aperture in the top of the torch body. By inserting the gasket, seal, plug or clasp it is highly unlikely that the oil contained in the torch body will leak during storage.
Still another primary objective of the present invention is to provide a topped aperture in the bottom of the torch body which allows the torch body to be threaded onto a ground securement means, which may consist of a pole, for example.
Another primary object of the present invention is to provide for a dual method of suspending the torch body in the air atop a ground securement means. The ground securement means can either consist solely of a pole, which can, in and of itself, be simply pushed into soft or resilient ground, or the pole can be slipped over a second smaller diameter pole which has been driven into the ground. Such ground securement means may be commonly purchased at any hardware store, for any length and width of pole.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention can be readily derived from the following detailed description of the drawings taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings present herein and should be considered as within the overall scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention in table top form;
FIG. 2 is a top elevation view of the present invention in table top form;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation cross section view of the present invention showing the wick holder with the wick removed and a rubber plastic cap placed over the wick holder for storage or transportation.
FIG. 4 is a bottom elevation view of the present invention in table top form;
FIG. 5 is a cut away side elevation view of the present invention in pole top configuration as it is about to be threadingly secured to the top portion of a threaded mounting pole.
FIG. 7 is a lower side elevation view of the present invention showing the torch mounting body pole as it is to be mounted atop a second ground mounting pole.
FIG. 8 is a cut away side elevation view of te present invention show the uppermost portion of the torch body; the wick holder as it about to be threadingly received into the wick holder threaded bore; and, a rubber stopper as it is about to be slidingly received into the wick holder.
FIG. 9 is a cut away side elevation of the present invention showing the lower most portion of the torch body as it about to be threadingly received into a tapped bore of a mounting pole.
FIG. 10 is a cut away cross section of the present invention showing a different configuration for the base support means for the torch body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates one preferred embodiment of the present invention showing convertible torch body assembly 10. FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention showing wick 11 which is removably secured and retained by wick holder 12 that is in turn screwed into the top portion of torch body 14. The bottom portion of the torch body 14 rests upon the torch base 15 which has three legs 16. The torch body 14 may be made of any durable, non-corrosive material including, but not limited to: steel, stainless steel, copper, coated or anodized materials, aluminum and the like. The torch body 14 also has a protrusion or groove located in the bottom portion thereof which is adapted to be received by torch base 15.
FIG. 2 illustrates the same embodiment of the present invention, convertible torch body assembly 10. FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention showing the wick 10, removably secured and retained by wick holder 12 which is screwed into the torch body 14, which in turn rests securely upon the torch base 15 that is provided with three legs 16.
FIG. 3 is a cut away elevational cross section of the very top of the present invention convertible torch body assembly 10 with the wick having been removed from the top of the wick holder 12, and a rubber or plastic gasket 25 which has been used as a liquid tight cover for the wick holder 12, so that the present invention may be stored or transported with oil in its body without leakage of any of its contents.
FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom elevation plan view of convertible torch body assembly 10 which has a tapped aperture 17 at the bottom of the torch body 14. This tapped aperture 17 allows the torch body 14 to be threaded onto one end of a pole 22 so it may be mounted thereupon. If desired, where the ground is hard, the bottom end of the pole may be slipped over a second, shorter mounting pole having a slightly smaller diameter than the torch body mounting pole, and when the ground is hard, the mounting pole may be driven into the hard ground with a hammer.
FIG. 5 shows yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, torch body hanging assembly 40 in which the torch body 14 has been position in an exemplary hanging formation with three slender elongate suspension means 18 secured to the terminal hooks 21 of the legs 16 of the base 15, wherein the base 15 has been inverted from the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The suspension means 18 can be comprised of, but is not limited to: chain, leather, string, twine, and wire. The suspension means 18 terminates in a hanging ring 20, which allows the present invention to be suspended from a bracket or hook. The suspension means 18 can terminate in any structure capable of attaching to a bracket or hook. The base 15 can have two or more legs 16 terminating in a corresponding number of hooks 21. As an example of slender elongate suspension means 18, shown are rope, leather or wire element 34. Also shown is an elongate suspension means composed of chain 30, wherein the chain may be either metal or plastic. As a third configuration of suspension means, a macrame twine or hemp piece 32 is shown in this Figure.
FIG. 6 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing convertible torch body 50 which is cylindrical in shape, rather than squat in configuration, illustrating how the present invention may be readily adopted to a wide variety of different configurations. Torch body 56 retains wick holder 52, which in turn retains wick 54.
In this particular embodiment, since torch body 56 is rectangular, an annular L shaped groove 58 is provided to all the torch body 56 to be securely slidingly received into a base, as shown by base 16 in FIG. 1. Torch body mounting pole 62 has been provided with threads 60 at its upper most portion as a removable fasting means for torch body 56. Torch body mounting pole is shown as being implanted firmly and directly into ground 24.
FIG. 7 shows a cut away elevation view of the lower most portion of torch mounting pole 62 wherein it is about to be mounted in a slightly different fashion over smaller diameter second ground mounting pole 64 which has been previously driven into ground 24.
It is anticipated that the mounting poles 62 and 64 are preferably made from a metal such as galvanized pipe or conduit or copper water pipe, all of which are commonly and inexpensively readily available in the marketplace.
FIG. 8 shows the upper most portion of torch body 50 which has been provided with a topped aperture 53 which is adapted to threadingly receive the threaded lower portion 51 of wick holder 52. A rubber stopper or cork 65 is further provided to allow the torch body assembly to be stored without concern as to spillage or leaking of residual torch oil.
FIG. 9 shows a cut away view of torch body 50 which has been provided at its lower most portion with exteriorly threaded flange 74 which is adapted to be threadingly received into a corresponding tapped bore 70, which is located at the uppor most portion of torch mounting pole 72.
FIG. 10 shows a side elevational cross section of a preferred embodiment of a torch base and body, yet it is a truncated cone in configuration which has been provided with a plurality of small apertures 108 with corresponding mounting hooks which may be secured there through to slender elongate suspension means as shown in FIG. 5. An annular groove 112 has been provided within the interior of base 108 to provide stability when the base 108 is inverted and annular ring or flange 106 is removably and slidingly inserted therein. The lower most portion of torch body 100 is provided with a threaded bore for convenient mounting to a torch body pole.
Although in the foregoing detailed description the present invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and alterations in the structure and arrangement of those embodiments other than those specifically set forth herein may be achieved by those skilled in the art and that such modifications and alterations are to be considered as within the overall scope of this invention. The claims should not be read as limited to the described order of elements unless stated to that effect. All embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.

Claims

1. A torch assembly means comprising, in combination;

a torch body having a top and a bottom portion and a groove is provided in the bottom portion wherein the groove may be removably received by a convertible base member that has a plurality of legs terminating in hook members, and a wick holder removably secured to and retained in the top portion of said torch body.

2. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said torch body is made from a material selected from one or more of the following: stainless steel, copper, coated steel, anodized steel, aluminum, and coated copper.

3. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a topped aperture in the bottom portion of said torch body.

4. A tapped aperture as claimed in claim 3, wherein said aperture is modified to securely fasten to a ground securement means.

5. A ground securement means as claimed in claim 4, wherein said securement means comprises a pole with one end threaded to receive said tapped aperture.

6. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 1, further being provided with a suspension means.

7. A suspension means as claimed in claim 6, wherein the suspension means is made from one or more of the following materials: chain, cable, rope, leather, twine, string, and wire.

8. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 1, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion over the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during the transportation thereof.

9. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 1, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion into the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during transportation thereof.

10. A torch assembly means comprising, in combination;

a torch body having a top and a bottom portion and a outwardly extending flange is provided in the bottom portion wherein the groove may be removably received by a convertible base member that has a plurality of legs terminating in hook members, and a wick holder removably secured to and retained in the top portion of said torch body.

11. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 10, wherein the wick holder has a lower end which has been provided with a plurality of threads and the torch body has been provided with an upper opening that has a threaded bore which is adopted to threadingly receive the threaded lower end of the wick holder.

12. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 10, wherein said torch body is made from a material selected from one or more of the following: stainless steel, copper, coated steel, anodized steel, aluminum, and coated copper.

13. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a topped aperture in the bottom portion of said torch body.

14. A tapped aperture as claimed in claim 13, wherein said aperture is modified to securely fasten to a ground securement means.

15. A ground securement means as claimed in claim 14, wherein said securement means comprises a pole with one end threaded to receive said tapped aperture.

16. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 15, further being provided with a suspension means.

17. A suspension means as claimed in claim 16, wherein the suspension means is made from one or more of the following materials: chain, cable, rope, leather, twine, string, and wire.

18. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 17, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion over the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during the transportation thereof.

19. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 18, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion into the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during transportation thereof.

20. A torch assembly means comprising, in combination;

a torch body having a top and a bottom portion and a outwardly extending flange is provided in the bottom portion wherein the groove may be removably received by a convertible base member that has an annular flange substantially conical in configuration, a plurality of apertures in the annular flange, and a wick holder removably secured to and retained in the top portion of said torch body.

21. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 10, wherein the wick holder has a lower end which has been provided with a plurality of threads and the torch body has been provided with an upper opening that has a threaded bore which is adapted to threadingly receive the threaded lower end of the wick holder.

22. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 20, wherein said torch body is made from a material selected from one or more of the following: stainless steel, copper, coated steel, anodized steel, aluminum, and coated copper.

23. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a tapped aperture in the bottom portion of said torch body.

24. A tapped aperture as claimed in claim 13, wherein said aperture is modified to securely fasten to a ground securement means.

25. A ground securement means as claimed in claim 14, wherein said securement means comprises a pole with one end threaded to receive said topped aperture.

26. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 15, further being provided with a suspension means.

27. A suspension means as claimed in claim 16, wherein the suspension means is made from one or more of the following materials: chain, cable, rope, leather, twine, string, and wire.

28. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 17, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion over the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during the transportation thereof.

29. A torch assembly means as claimed in claim 18, wherein a seal is further provided for insertion into the wick holder when the torch assembly is in storage or during transportation thereof.