EP0770346B1 - Improved hook for a picture rail - Google Patents

Abstract

The hook is attached to the vertical shaft (2) by a mounting portion (4) to which the hook body (5) is articulated. The hook body comprises an engagement portion (8) at the outer end shaped to define the suspension hook, and a cam portion (7) at the inner end which engages against the shaft surface to lock the hook against it. The hook portion includes a retaining tip (9) which is curved backwardly through more than 180 degrees towards the cam, such that its end point (10) is located above the engagement portion of the hook body. A diverting point (11) is defined on the inner surface of the hook body, pointing towards the inner surface of the retaining tip.

Description

The present invention relates to a hook with locking on a rod, in particular of the suspension rod type to a picture rail, for hanging paintings and other works of art.

A hanging system of this type known as "BOYER" system is commonly used in art galleries and museums. This system includes a profile called profile rail fixed to a wall, in the upper part of the latter, a suspension rod of which the upper end is attached to this profile, and a locking hook comprising a frame on which a hook body comprising a hooking part and a part forming a cam for blocking the hook on the suspension rod under the weight of the table.

It has moreover already been proposed, by the patent application FR-A-2 390 125, to add an anti-lifting device to such a hook or anti-theft device consisting of a tab that can be blocked using a screw on the hanging rod, above the hook beforehand blocked on this rod. This tab thus transforms the open hook into a closed hook and immobilizes the hook on the rod.

The disadvantages of this known system are manifold. Of a hand, the hook closing and immobilizing tab constitutes a additional room which increases the cost of the set. On the other hand, the installation of the closing and immobilization tab of the hook requires additional operation involving use of a tool, while one of the advantages of the picture hooks precisely constitutes the particularly simple blocking of the hook the desired height on the suspension rod, thanks to the effect cam locking mechanism. Furthermore, if this known system prevents well a quick untimely stall of paintings or other objects hung up, voluntary dropout is also difficult and long.

It has also already been proposed to mount directly on such a self-locking chair rail, a system for closing the hook constituted by an additional element which is articulated on the hook mount around the same axis as the hook body and which can be immobilized in the hook closed position by snap into a notch of the frame. Here too, it is necessary to bring an additional element on the hook, hence higher cost. In addition, this element must be activated separately from the hook, both for locking and for unlocking, which makes the use of this system complicated and tedious.

The object of the present invention is to provide a hook for picture rail with self-locking on a hanging rod, hook which distinguished by its simple structure, reduced cost and ease of installation while providing good protection against dropping out untimely.

The object of the invention is a hook according to the claim 1.

The hook according to the invention thus provides by itself, without adding an additional element, only by particular conformation of its hook body, protection against untimely dropout, while maintaining the same mode of simple to use than the usual picture hooks without means opposing untimely stalling.

To further improve safety against dropping out untimely, the hook according to the invention may comprise, in further, between the cam portion and the attachment portion, a portion forming a curved deflection spout over the hooking part so that its point directed towards the retaining spout is located beyond a line connecting the attachment part to the tip of the spout detention.

Any upward stall movement on the hanging picture or work of art thus brings the cord, ring or other means of hanging the painting or work of art, with certainty engaged with the retaining spout.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spout deflection is connected to the cam portion so that the cam portion of connection between the deflection spout and the cam part either tilted down toward the retaining spout when the hook is in the locked position on the suspension rod.

This simplifies hanging the painting or other work of art hook locked in position on the hanger rod and, following of an unsuccessful untimely stall attempt, brings back automatically the cord, ring or other hooking member in taken with the hooking part of the hook.

la figure 1 est une vue en élévation latérale d'un crochet de cimaise en position de blocage sur une tige de suspension;

la figure 2 est une coupe du crochet de la figure 1 en position de blocage;

la figure 3 est une coupe du crochet de la figure 1 en position de déblocage.

Referring to the appended schematic drawings, there will be described below in more detail an illustrative and nonlimiting embodiment of a picture rail hook according to the invention; on the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a picture rail hook in the locked position on a suspension rod;

Figure 2 is a section of the hook of Figure 1 in the locked position;

Figure 3 is a section of the hook of Figure 1 in the unlocked position.

According to FIG. 1, a picture hook 1 is mounted on a suspension rod 2 whose upper end is fixed so known per se to a rail profile 3 shown schematically.

The hook 1 includes a U-shaped frame 4 and a body of hook 5 articulated on the frame 4 by an axis 6, between the two wings of Frame.

As shown in Figure 2, the hook body 5 includes a locking part 7 forming a cam for tightening the suspension rod 2 against the bottom of the mount 4, and a hooking portion 8. The hooking part 8 is extended upwards by a retaining spout 9 bent more than 180 ° towards the part 7 forming a cam so as to be located above the hooking part 8, its point 10 being bent down when the hook 5 is in the position locking on the rod 2, according to FIG. 2.

The hook body 5 also comprises, between the part 7 forming a cam and the hooking part 8, a part 11 forming a spout deflection curved over the hooking part 8 of so that its point directed towards the retaining spout 9 is located, when the hook is in the locked position on the rod, depending on the Figure 2, between a line (vertical) connecting the hooking part 8 to the tip 10 of the retaining hook 9.

In addition, we recognize in the drawings that the deflection spout 11 is connected to the cam part 7 by a connecting part 12 which is inclined downwards towards the retaining spout 9 when the hook is in the locking position on the suspension rod, according to Figures 1 and 2.

For hanging a painting or another work of art, we brings the hook 1 to the required height on the hanging rod 2 and after attachment of the cord, ring or other attachment member of the hook table 1, the latter is locked in position on the rod 2 by cam 7 by the sole weight of the table.

In the event of an untimely stall attempt, by a upward movement on the board, cord or ring for hanging the panel is placed below the retaining spout 9 and lifts the hook body 5, thereby unlocking the hook 1, without that this lifting movement does not allow the cord to be released or hook ring 1. On the contrary, due to the pivoting of the hook body 5 in the position according to FIG. 3, the retaining spout 9 covers even more the hooking part 8 and further opposes more to this untimely stall.

As soon as the dropout attempt ends, the hook 5 again stops on rod 2, under the weight of the table.

Such an untimely stall attempt is always quick action, the person doing it doesn't have time to lift the table and examine the hanging device for determine how this device could be neutralized.

Claims (3)

1. A hook adapted to lock automatically onto a rod, notably a rod for suspension from a picture-rail, for hanging paintings or other works of art, including a mount (4) onto which is hooked a pivoting hook body (5) which has a hook part (8) and a cam part (7) for automatically locking it onto the road, characterized in that the hook part (8) of the pivoting hook body is extended upwards by a retaining beak (9) curving more than 180 degrees towards the cam part (7) so that its tip (10) is above the hook part (8) and faces downwards when the hook is locked onto the rod.
2. A hook according to claim 1 characterized in that the hook body (5) further includes a deflector beak part (11) between the cam part (7) and the hook part (8) and curved over the hook part (8) so that its tip facing towards the retaining beak (9) is beyond a line connecting the hook part (8) to the tip (10) of the retaining beak (9).
3. A hook according to claim 2 characterized in that the deflector beak (11) is connected to the cam part (7) by a connecting part 12 inclined downwardly towards the retaining beak (9) when the hook is locked onto the rod.

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