Wall rack for saw blades

Abstract

A rack for storing saw blades comprises a body member having a rear side, and a front side and a plurality of parallel upwardly-open slots for receiving respective circular saw blades. The slots are spaced from one another by sufficient space to permit a user's fingers to grasp any selected one of the blades without touching adjacent ones of the blades. A plurality of coupling elements is provided on the rear side of the body member for removably mounting the body member to a vertical support surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a storage rack for saw blades.

The care and organization of tools has been a constant goal of tool users. Many carrying cases have been developed for the storage and transport of saw blades. Such storage cases do not meet the needs of all users. Such carrying cases can be complex to use and expensive to make.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage rack for saw blades.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a storage rack for circular saw blades.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a saw blade rack that holds saw blades for easy access by a user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a rack that may be mounted to a wall or other vertical support surface.

A further, more specific, object of the present invention is to provide such a rack that is easy to mount to a wall or other vertical support surface.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a rack that is inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions herein. Although it is believed that every object of the invention is attained in at least one embodiment .of the invention, there is not necessarily any one embodiment that achieves all of the objects of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rack for storing saw blades comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a body member having a rear side, and a front side and a plurality of parallel upwardly-open slots for receiving respective saw blades. The slots are spaced from one another by sufficient space to permit a user's fingers to grasp any selected one of the blades without touching adjacent ones of the blades. A plurality of coupling elements is provided on the rear side of the body member for removably mounting the body member to a vertical support surface.

The slots are each defined by a front panel, a rear panel, and at least one bottom support. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the front panel and the rear panel are each semi-annular and the bottom support is a semi-cylindrical wall. Each slot is thus a semi-annular recess with a circular bottom surface engaging the cutting edge of the respective saw blade.

In this embodiment of the invention, the front and rear panels of the slots are disposed in a cylindrical array so that the slots are disposed at a common vertical height when the rack is mounted to a vertical support surface.

Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, the coupling elements include a plurality of hooks insertable through holes in a vertical tool rack panel.

The body member may include a front panel having a substantially semicircular window.

In a particularly inexpensive form of the invention, the body member and the coupling elements are integrally molded component parts.

The coupling elements may include a plurality of flanges on the rear side of the body member, the flanges being provided with apertures (holes or slots) for receiving screws.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front, left, and top isometric view of a wall-mounted storage rack for circular saws, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the blade storage rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blade storage rack of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the blade storage rack of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of the blade storage rack of FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the blade storage rack of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the blade storage rack of FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 8 is a front, left, and top isometric view of the storage rack of FIGS. 1-7, showing in phantom lines a plurality of circular saw blades on the storage rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As depicted in the drawings, a rack for storing circular saw blades comprises a body member 10 having a rear side 12, and a front side 14 and a plurality of parallel upwardly-open slots 16 receiving respective circular saw blades 18 (FIG. 8). Slots 16 are laterally spaced from one another (in a direction orthogonal to the rear side 12 and front side 14) by sufficient space to permit a user's fingers to grasp any selected one of the blades 18 without touching adjacent ones of the blades. Coupling elements 20 are provided on the rear side 12 of the body member 10 for removably mounting the body member to a vertical support surface such as a wall or a perforated tool support board.

Slots 16 are each defined by a front panel 22, a rear panel 24, and at least one bottom support 26. Front panel 22 and rear panel 24 are semi-annular plates or partitions, while bottom support 26 is a semi- cylindrical wall. Each slot 16 is thus a semi-annular recess with a circular bottom surface (not separately designated) engaging the cutting edge 28 of the respective saw blade 18. Reinforcing ribs or web members 29 may be provided between each rear panel 24 (except the last) and the following front panel 22 for stiffening the panels 22 and 24.

Front panels 22 and rear panels 24 of slots 16 are disposed in a cylindrical array so that the slots are disposed at a common vertical height when the rack is mounted to a vertical support surface.

Coupling elements 20 include seven upwardly pointing hooks 30, two large downwardly pointing hooks 32, and three small downwardly pointing hooks 33 insertable through holes in a vertical tool rack panel (not shown).

Body member 10 includes a front panel 34 (on front side 14) having a substantially semicircular window 36 and an imperforate rear panel 38 (on rear side 12).

Body member and coupling elements 20 are integrally molded component parts, formed in an injection molding process of synthetic resin or polymeric material.

Coupling elements 20 may alternatively include a plurality of flanges 40 and 42 on the rear side 12 of body member 10. Flanges 40 and 42 are provided with slotted apertures 44 and 46 for receiving screws. Upwardly pointing hooks 30 and downwardly pointing hooks 32 and 33 are omitted if flanges 40 and 42 are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, upwardly pointing hooks 30 have a curved or arcuate rearwardly facing surface 48 and are formed on a forward side with a step or shoulder 50 contiguous on an upper side with a vertical surface 52 and on a lower side with a horizontal surface 54. Surface 52 engages a rear surface of a tool board (not shown) to hold the blade rack to the tool board.

As further shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, downwardly pointing hooks 33 and 32 each have a pair of forward facing vertical faces or surfaces 56 and 58, for engaging a rear surface of a tool board (not shown) to hold the blade rack to the tool board.

Body member 10 has a plurality of horizontal land surfaces 60 disposed between adjacent slots 16 along edges of the body member.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. For instance, window 36 may be omitted from front panel 34 so that the front panel is an imperforate wall. Similarly, rear panel 38 may be provided with one or more openings. Front and rear panels 22 and 24 of slots 16 may have any of a variety of different forms, such as semicircular panels.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A rack for storing circular saw blades comprising:

a body member having a rear side, and a front side and a plurality of parallel upwardly-open slots for receiving respective circular saw blades, said slots being spaced from one another by sufficient space to permit a user's fingers to grasp any selected one of said blades without touching adjacent ones of said blades; and

a plurality of coupling elements on said body member for removably mounting said body member to a vertical support surface.

2. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said slots are each defined by a front panel, a rear panel, and at least one bottom support.

3. The rack defined in claim 2 wherein said front panel and said rear panel are each semi-annular and wherein said bottom support is a semi-cylindrical wall, said saw blades being circular saw blades.

4. The rack defined in claim 3 wherein the front and rear panels of said slots are disposed in a cylindrical array so that said slots are disposed at a common vertical height when said rack is mounted to a vertical support surface.

5. The rack defined in claim 4 wherein said coupling elements include a plurality of hooks insertable through holes in a tool board.

6. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said slots are disposed in a cylindrical array so as to be disposed at a common vertical height when said rack is mounted to a vertical support surface.

7. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling elements include a plurality of hooks insertable through holes in a tool board.

8. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said body member includes a front panel having a substantially semicircular window.

9. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said body member and said coupling elements are integrally molded component parts.

10. The rack defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling elements further include a plurality of flanges on said rear side of said body member, said flanges being provided with apertures for receiving screws.