Background of the Invention Technicians and mechanics often need to work on components of cars or other equipment in situations where natural lighting or even artificial overhead lighting does not provide enough light for the mechanic or technician to be able to operate comfortably with good vision. Thus, there is a need for a lighting system which can be mobile and which can be adjusted to extend into spaces which would not normally be accessible by conventional light sources.

Disclosure of the Invention The invention provides in one aspect, an adjustable support frame assembly comprising, a generally horizontally extending base, an elevation pole, a support member, adjustment means for varying the length of the elevation pole, and first connector means for joining the elevation pole to the base and for allowing pivotal movement of the elevation pole, wherein the support member is joined to the elevation pole and is tiltable with respect to the elevation pole.

The base may be provided with a wheel assembly for facilitating movement of the adjustable support frame. For this purpose, the wheel assembly may include one or more wheels. The one or more wheels may be mounted in such a way as to hold them clear of the surface on which the adjustable support frame is mounted during normal use of the frame. The wheels may be arranged so as to bring them into contact with a support surface by tilting the frame. Thus, the wheels may be mounted on a wheel support directed away from the support surface in the normal use position of the support frame. They may be mounted at or near one end of the base. They may be mounted at or near an end of the base near the first connector.

Suitably the support member is adapted to hold an electric light. It may be particularly adapted to hold a fluorescent light.

The base may comprise one or more legs. It may comprise two legs. The legs may comprise elongate members. They may comprise tubular metal. They may comprise steel. The legs may include one or more bends. They may include an upwardly projecting extension. The upwardly projecting extension may be joined to the first connector.

The first connector may comprise a pair of moulded components. The moulded components may include a plurality of hemispherical recesses arranged in circular fashion around each of the moulded components. Thus, the moulded components when joined together may provide clamping recesses for clamping the elevation pole and holding it at a desired angle with respect to the first connector and/or the ground and/or the base.

The elevation pole may comprise a plurality of components which are telescopically slidable with respect to each other. In one embodiment, they may comprise a lower pole element and an upper pole element. One of the elements may be slidable within the other of these elements. Thus, one or both of the elements may be formed as tubular elongate members. They may comprise tubular metal such as steel or aluminium.

Thus, the adjustment means may comprise a device for setting the degree of telescoping of the upper and lower pole elements with respect to each other. For example, the adjustment means may comprise a gripping element and a compression element. The gripping element may be designed so as to grip and hold one of the pole elements with respect to the other of the pole elements. The compression element may be designed so as to compress the gripping element into a holding configuration to fix the relative telescoping configuration of the two pole elements. The gripping element and compression element may be operated by screwing one onto the other to compress fingers on the gripping element into gripping engagement with one of the pole elements.

Suitably the support member is joined to the elevation pole by a second connector.

The second connector may include means for pivoting the support member with respect to the second connector.

In one embodiment, the second connector may comprise a channel member. The channel member may be pivotally joined to a pivot member. In turn the pivot member may be joined to the support member.

The pivot member may be movable to a range of pivotal configurations and to be locked in such pivotal configurations. For this purpose, the channel member and pivot member may be provided with locking pins to lock the configuration of one of the members with respect to the other. The locking pin may be spring loaded. It may be arranged to project through one of a range of holes provided on the channel member to lock the pivot member and channel member together.

The support member may be provided with one or more holding elements for holding a lighting device such as a fluorescent light. The holding elements may include a rubber strap for application around at least part of the surface of the fluorescent light.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a side on elevation of an adjustable support frame according to the invention; Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the adjustable support frame of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a fragmentary isometric view of the support frame of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the first connector of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 shows an isometric exploded view of the first connector; Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of the adjustment means of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows a cross section 7-7 taken through Figure 6; Figure 8 shows an isometric view of the gripping element of Figure 6; Figure 9 shows an enlarged view of the support member of Figure 1; Figure 10 shows the section 10-10 taken through Figure 9; Figure 11 shows an isometric view of a holding element; Figure 12 shows a side on elevational view showing some of the range of movement of the adjustable support frame of Figure 1; Figure 13 shows a fragmentary isometric view of a leg; and Figure 14 shows another fragmentary isometric view of a leg.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment The various elements identified by numerals in the drawings are listed in the following integer list.

Integer List 1 Adjustable support frame 3 Base 5 Elevation pole

7 Support member 8 Fluorescent light 9 First connector 11 Second connector 13 Adjustment means 15 Lower pole element 16 Upper pole element 17 Leg 17a Primary leg member 17b Leg extension 17c Primary leg member 17d Telescopic leg extension 18 Bend 20 Upward extension 22 Wheel 23 Axle 24 Wheel support 26 Slide on element 28 Moulding 30 Hemispherical recess 32 Hole 33 Hole 34 Hole 35 Hole 37 Bolt 38 Nut 40 Hole 41 Bolt 42 Nut 44 Gripping element 45 Compression element 47 Screw thread

48 Screw thread 50 Finger 51 Step 52 Friction surface 53 Ramp 55 Ramp 60 Channel member 61 Rounded edge 62 Pivot member 64 Bolt 65 Nut 67 Hole 69 Locking pin 70 Spring 72 Pin housing 74 Holding elements 76 Rubber strap 78 Holes 80 Projecting button Referring generally to Figures 1 to 12, the adjustable support frame of the invention designated 1 comprises a base 3 for supporting an elevation pole 5.

A support member 7 extends outwardly from the elevation pole and may be used for holding articles such as the fluorescent light 8.

The elevation pole is pivotally joined to the base by a first connector 9 which can vary the angle of tilt of the elevation pole.

Similarly, the support member is pivotally joined to the upper end of the elevation pole by a second connector 11 which is adapted to vary the angle of the support member makes with regard to the elevation pole.

Whilst the particular type of second connector 11 in the drawings is shown as being one which sets the support member at specific designated angles with respect to the elevation pole, it is to be appreciated that alternative means of achieving the same object can be used. For example, the second connector may comprise a bendable section which is infinitely adjustable to set the angle of the support member with respect to the elevation pole.

The base, elevation pole and support member may typically comprise tubular metal rods or pipes. Alternatively materials having sufficient rigidity such as reinforced plastics could be used.

The elevation pole comprises an upper pole element 16 which is slidably and telescopically retained within the lower pole element 15. Adjustment means 13 are provided to fix the overall length of the elevation pole by holding the upper and lower elements rigidly at a particular desired telescopic length.

As is shown more clearly in Figure 3, the base 3 comprises two legs 17 each provided with a bend 18 and an upward extension 20. It should be noted that the bend is provided slightly forward of the position of the elevation pole and first connector.

The bend associated with each leg is provided with a wheel support 24 and axle 23 for holding the wheel 22. In its normal configuration the wheels 22 of the support frame will be extended clear of the ground. Thus, in order to bring them into play to facilitate movement of the support frame, the support frame needs to be tilted to bring the wheels into contact with the ground. The advantage of this configuration is that the support frame will not readily move accidentally when it is in use as the wheels are out of contact with the ground.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, it can be seen that the first connector 9 comprises a pair of slide on elements 26 which slide on to the upward extensions 20 of the base 3. The

slide on elements are in turn used to secure the mouldings 28 using bolts 41 and nuts 42 connected through the holes 40.

A central bolt 37 and nut 38 passing through the various holes 32 to 35 holds the entire assembly comprising the first connector 9 together. The use of the single bolt 37 to hold the assembly together means that it is an easy matter to unscrew the nut 38 so as to allow the mouldings to be pulled apart. This allows the user to reset the angle of the lower pole element 15. The bottom of the lower pole element is held in one of the circular openings defined by the combined hemispherical recesses 30 when opposed mouldings are held together.

Referring to Figures 6 to 8, it can be sent the adjustment means 13 shown therein comprises a gripping element 44 and a compression element 45 which are fitted over the telescopically interengaged upper and lower pole elements 15 and 16. Screw threads 47 and 48 on the gripping element and compression element respectively allow the two elements to be screwed towards each other so as to inwardly displace the fingers 50 formed at the upper end of the gripping element. This pushes the friction surface 52 at the end of step 51 into gripping contact with the upper pole element 16 to lock it in place at a desired length of the elevation pole. The ramps 53 and 55 on the outer surface of the gripping element and inner surface of the compression element respectively co-operate to increase or decrease the pressure on the fingers as the compression element is screwed on to or screwed off the gripping element 44.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the second connector 11 comprises a channel member 60 attached to the upper end of the upper pole element 16 by means such as welding, screwing, etc.

The channel member has a rounded edge 61 at its forward end and projects outwardly from the attachment to the upper pole element.

A pivot member 62 fits into the channel member and is pivotally held in engagement with the channel member by the bolt 65 and nut 64.

The channel member includes a number of holes 67 which are used to lock the support member in a range of desired orientations with respect to the upper pole element and hence elevation pole 5.

For this purpose, the pivot member includes a locking pin 69 slidable within the pin housing 72. A spring 70 provided in the pin housing pushes the forward end of the locking pin through a selected hole 67 to hold the support member in a desired configuration. It is a simple matter to change the desired configuration by pushing in the end of the locking pin 69 with a finger and pivoting the support member to an alternative desired configuration where the pressure on the locking pin exerted by the spring pushes it through an alternative hole 67 to bring it into locking engagement.

Referring to Figures 9 and 11, it can be seen that the support member is provided with two holding elements 74. These telescopically slide onto and are held on the support member by friction fit or by other means such as a screw or bolt. Holding elements of this design are readily available commercially. They include a rubber strap 76 which may be fitted over a light. The straps can be pulled tight so that one of the holes 78 of the rubber strap 76 engages the projecting button 80 to hold the rubber strap resiliently in place.

As can be seen in Figure 12, the adjustable support frame 1 can be set in a number of configurations for holding the light 8 by adjustment of the first connector 9 and second connector 11 and the height of the light can also be varied by resetting the adjustment means 13. Whilst Figure 12 shows that the light can be tilted forwards it is to be appreciated that backwards tilting of the light is also possible.

Referring to Figure 13 a more complex leg 17 is shown. The leg comprises the primary leg member 17a having a threaded socket at its open end. The leg extension 17b includes a male thread which can be screwed into the threaded socket to extend

the length of the primary leg member 17a. The advantage of this construction is that it allows the disassembled support frame to be packaged more efficiently.

Furthermore, in restricted spaces, it is possible to remove the leg extensions 17b to allow the support frame to be moved closer to an object such as a vehicle, without interference from extended legs.

An alternative approach which achieves a similar result is shown in Figure 14 where the leg 17 comprises the primary leg member 17c and a telescopic leg extension 17d which is telescopically slidable within member 17c.

Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention.

It will be also understood that where the word"comprise", and variations such as "comprises"and"comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.