The present invention relates to a utensil support arrangement and particularly, but not exclusively, to a utensil support arrangement for supporting garden utensils, such as garden spades and garden forks.

It is often difficult to suitably store a number of utensils, such as garden tools, so that they can be accessed easily when required. The tools are typically stacked in a corner of a garage for example or laid upon a floor. However, it is found that tools laid upon a floor a occupy a significant space and present a tripping hazard. In addition, tools laid upon a floor are easily damaged. As a result it is more common for garden tools to be positioned in a corner of a garage, for example, in an upright manner. However, when there are several tools positioned in a corner of a garage, it is often necessary to remove a number of them to access the desired tool.

It is also found that mechanics spend considerable time locating the appropriate tool such as a spanner, from a number of tools. Similarly, it can be difficult to locate a desired pen or pencil, from a number of pens and pencils. I have now devised a utensil support arrangement which alleviates the above mentioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a utensil support arrangement, the arrangement comprising a base and a support head comprising utensil support means which is spaced from the base by a support frame,

the base comprising roller means which enables the support head to rotate substantially about a central axis of the utensil support arrangement.

The arrangement is thus arranged to suitably support the utensils, and the ability of the arrangement to rotate enables the desired to tool to be accessed easily.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the support head is preferably arranged to rotate with respect to the base. The support frame is preferably rigidly coupled to the support head and rotatably coupled to the base.

The roller means preferably comprises a roller track disposed upon the base. The support frame is preferably mounted upon the roller track and is preferably arranged to move upon the track, to enable the support head to rotate with respect to the base. Preferably, the roller track comprises a plurality of roller bearings which are arranged to engage within a channel disposed at the end of the support frame which is opposite the end rotatably coupled to the support head.

Preferably, the support frame comprises a substantially cylindrical housing. Preferably, the roller track comprises a substantially circular track.

The base preferably comprises a substantially cylindrical side wall which extends away from the base from a position upon the base that is radially inward of the roller track.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the roller means preferably comprises a plurality of wheels disposed upon the underside of the base. The plurality of wheels is preferably disposed around a periphery of the base. Each of the plurality of wheels are preferably arranged to rotate about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a tangent to the periphery of the base at the respective position, such that each wheel is arranged to rotate along a direction which is substantially parallel to the respective tangent. Preferably, the utensil support means comprises an aperture for receiving a utensil. Preferably, the aperture is substantially circular.

Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the utensil support means comprises or further comprises a notch formed in a side edge of the support head, which extends into the support head from the side edge thereof, for receiving a utensil. The notch is preferably formed in a flange that extends around the periphery of the support head.

The width of the notch preferably increases in a direction that is away from the side edge of the flange. Preferably, the utensils comprise garden tools, such as garden spades and forks, items of cutlery, such as spoons and knives, mechanics' tools such as a spanner or hammer, or items of stationary, such as a pens and pencils, for example. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a utensil support arrangement according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an alternative exploded view of the utensil support arrangement of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the utensil support arrangement of figure 1 , with the support head and support frame mounted upon the base;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the utensil support arrangement during use.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a utensil support arrangement according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is plan view of the utensil support arrangement of figure 5, with the support head removed;

Figure 7 is a side view of the utensil support arrangement of figure 6; and,

Figure 8 is a view of the underside of the utensil support arrangement of figure 6.

Referring to the figures 1 to 3 of the drawings there is illustrated a utensil support arrangement 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention for supporting garden tools 1 1 , for example, in a substantially upright orientation. The skilled reader will recognise however, that the arrangement 10 could also be used to support other tools, such as spanners, screwdrivers (not shown), in addition to pens, pencils and cutlery (also not shown), for example. The arrangement 10 comprises a support head 12 which is supported upon a base 13 by a support frame 14. The support head 12 and base 13 are substantially planar and comprise a substantially circular shape. The support frame 14 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 14a which is rigidly mounted at one end to the support head 12. The diameter of the support head 12 is greater than the housing 14a of the support frame 14 and the support frame 14 is aligned with support head 12 so that a longitudinal axis of the frame 14 extends substantially through the centre of the support head 12. Accordingly, the support head 12 comprises a peripherally extending flange

15 which overhangs the housing 14a.

A second end of the support frame 14 comprises a circumferentially extending channel

16 that is formed within the cylindrical housing 14a. The channel 16 is arranged to receive roller bearings 17 which are disposed on a roller track 18 that is mounted upon the base 13. The roller track 18 is substantially circular in plan view, and mounted upon the base 13 such that the centre of the circular track 18 is substantially coincident with the centre of the base 13. The roller bearings 17 can move along the track 18 and enable the support frame 14 and thus support head 12 to rotate with respect to the base 13. The support head 12 of the arrangement 10 comprises a plurality of substantially circular apertures 19 formed therein at a position upon the head 12 that provides access into the cylindrical housing 14a of the support frame 14. The plurality of apertures 19 may be of different diameters and are arranged to receive the handle 20 of a garden tools 1 1 , for example such as the garden rake 1 1 a. The handle 20 of the tool 1 1 is arranged to pass into the cylindrical housing 14a through the respective aperture 19 and a distal end of the handle 20 is arranged to rest upon the base 13.

The support head 12 further comprises a plurality of support collars (not shown) which extend from the underside of the support head 12 into the cylindrical housing 14a. The collars (not shown) are substantially cylindrical in shape and the longitudinal axis of each collar is arranged to extend substantially through the centre of one of the plurality of apertures 19. The diameter of each collar is sized to substantially match the diameter of the aperture to which it is aligned, so that the cylindrical wall of each collar (not shown) extends around the periphery of the respective aperture. The collars (not shown) serve to support the respective tool 1 1 in a substantially upright manner and prevent the tool 1 1 from falling to one side, particularly when the support head 12 is rotated with respect to the base 13.

The base 13 further comprises a substantially cylindrical wall 21 which extends from a position that is radially inwardly of the roller track 18, so that the cylindrical wall 21 can pass within the cylindrical housing 14a of the support frame 14, when the support frame 14 is mounted upon the base 13. A longitudinal axis of the wall 21 is arranged to coincide with the longitudinal axis of the housing 14a and serves to hold the distal end of the tool handle 20 that extends within the housing 14a off the housing 14a.

The support head 12 further comprises a plurality of notches or slots 22 formed in the flange 15 that are arranged to receive the shaft 23 of a garden spade 1 1 b or garden fork 1 1 c, for example. Each slot 22 comprises a neck portion 22a which extends from the peripheral edge of the flange 15, to a holding portion 22b disposed radially inwardly of neck portion 22a and which comprises a width that is greater than the neck portion 22a. The neck portion 22a is arranged to receive a narrow section of the shaft 23 of a garden spade 1 1 b, for example that section which is disposed proximate to the blade 1 1 b' of the spade 1 1 b, and admit the shaft 23 into the holding section 22b. Once the shaft 23 of the spade 1 1 b has been inserted into the holding section 22b, the spade 1 1 b can then be lowered so that the wider section of the spade shaft 23 engages within the holding section 22b and becomes supported therein.

In use, the base 13 of the support arrangement 10 is suitably positioned on the garden for example (or when used to support cutlery or stationary for example, upon a table or desk, (not shown)) and the support frame 14 and support head 12 are placed upon the base 13 so that the channel 16 formed at a distal end of the housing 14a of the frame 14 receives the roller bearings 17 disposed on the roller track 18 which is mounted on the base 13. This thus enables the support head 12 to rotate with respect to the base 13. A plurality of tools 1 1 may then be placed within the apertures 19 on the support head 12, for example, by inserting the handle section 20 of the respective tool 1 1 into the respective aperture 19 until the tool 1 1 comes to rest upon the base 13. Alternatively, a tool 1 1 may be held within a slot 22 formed within the flange 15 of the support head 12 by passing the narrow section of the tool shaft 23 into the slot 22 and then lowering the tool 1 1 so that the wider section of the tool shaft 23 engages within the holding section 22b with a friction fit. Once the support arrangement 10 has been suitably populated with tools 1 1 (or cutlery or stationary, for example), a user may simply rotate the support head 12 by pulling or pushing the support head 12, to present the appropriate tool 1 1 to the user (not shown). This prevents the user (not shown) from having to walk around the arrangement 10 to reach the tool 1 1. Moreover, the ability of the support arrangement 10 to hold tools (and the like) in an accessible manner enables tools 1 1 to be neatly and conveniently stored in a corner of a garage (not shown), for example. The arrangement 10 enables the required tool 1 1 that may be positioned deep within a corner, to be selected, simply by rotating the support head 12 to move the tool 1 1 out from the corner.

Referring to figures 5 to 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated a utensil support arrangement 1 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement of the second embodiment is substantially the same as the arrangement of the first embodiment and so like features have been reference using the same numerals but increased by 100.

The utensil support arrangement 1 10 of the second embodiment comprises a support head 1 12 that is supported upon a base 1 13 by a support frame 1 14. The support head 1 12 and base 1 13 are substantially planar and comprise a substantially circular and a hexagonal shape, respectively. The support frame 1 14 comprises a substantially hexagonal housing 1 14a, which is rigidly mounted at one end to the support head 1 12. The skilled reader will recognise however, that housings have a different cross- sectional shape could also be used. The diameter of the support head 1 12 is greater than the width of the housing 1 14a of the support frame 1 14 and the support frame 1 14 is aligned with support head 1 12 so that a longitudinal axis of the frame 1 14 extends substantially through the centre of the support head 1 12. Accordingly, the support head 1 12 comprises a peripherally extending flange 1 15 which overhangs the housing 1 14a.

The support head 1 12 of the arrangement 1 10 comprises a plurality of substantially circular apertures 1 19 formed therein at a position upon the head 1 12 that provides access into the housing 1 14a of the support frame 1 14. The plurality of apertures 1 19 may be of different diameters and are arranged to receive a handle (not shown in figure 5 to 8 of the drawings) of a garden tool (not shown in figure 5 to 8 of the drawings) for example, such as the garden rake. The handle of the tool (not shown) is arranged to pass into the housing 1 14a through the respective aperture 1 19 and a distal end of the handle (not shown in figures 5 to 8 of the drawings) is arranged to rest upon the base 1 13. The housing 1 14a of the second embodiment further comprises a support plate 124 which extends across the housing 1 14a, intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. The plate 124 comprises a plurality of apertures 125 disposed therein which are arranged to align with the apertures 1 19 disposed in the support head 1 12. The distal end of the handle of each tool (not shown) is arranged to further pass through the respective aligned aperture in the plate 124, which thus serves to support the respective tool (not shown) in a substantially upright manner and prevents the tool (not shown) from falling to one side.

The underside of the base of the 1 13 of the arrangement of the second embodiment comprises three wheels 126 secured thereto via a respective wheel frame 127. The wheel frames 127 are angularly spaced by approximately 120° around the underside of the base 1 13 and separately comprise an axle 128 which is rigidly orientated substantially perpendicular to a tangent to the base 1 13 at the respective wheel frame position. Accordingly, the wheel 126 associated with each frame 127 is restricted to rotate along a direction which is substantially parallel to a tangent to the base periphery, at the respective position upon the base 1 13. In this manner, the wheel orientation only provides for a rotation of the utensil arrangement 1 10 about a central longitudinal axis thereof.

The support head 1 12 further comprises a plurality of notches or slots 122 formed in the flange 1 15 that are arranged to receive the shaft of a garden spade or garden fork, for example (not shown in figures 5 to 8 of the drawings). Each slot 122 comprises a neck portion 122a which extends from the peripheral edge of the flange 1 15, to a holding portion 122b disposed radially inwardly of neck portion 122a and which comprises a width that is greater than the neck portion 122a. The neck portion 122a is arranged to receive a narrow section of the shaft of a garden spade (not shown), for example that section which is disposed proximate to the blade of the spade (not shown in figure 5 to 8 of the drawings), and admit the shaft (not shown) into the holding section 122b. Once the shaft of the spade (not shown) has been inserted into the holding section 122b, the spade (not shown) can then be lowered so that the wider section of the spade shaft (not shown) engages within the holding section 122b and becomes supported therein.

Once the support arrangement 1 10 has been suitably populated with tools (or cutlery or stationary, not shown), a user (not shown) may simply rotate the whole arrangement 1 10 by pulling or pushing the support head 1 12 for example, to rotate the arrangement 1 10 and thus present the appropriate tool (not shown) to the user (not shown).

From the foregoing therefore it is evident that the support arrangement of the present invention provides a simple yet effective means of storing and accessing tools and the like.