GB2237137A

GB2237137A - A hanging device

Info

Publication number: GB2237137A
Application number: GB9022484A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Wylam
Original assignee: LGC PROJECTS Ltd
Current assignee: LGC PROJECTS Ltd
Priority date: 1989-10-19
Filing date: 1990-10-17
Publication date: 1991-04-24
Also published as: GB8923600D0; GB9022484D0

Abstract

A hanging device 1 for supporting sheets from their top edges for display comprises an invert channel 2 of moulded plastics material, having a top member 3 connected to two side members 4, 5 by "living" hinges (6, 7 Fig. 3). The side members 4, 5 have complementary resiliently interlocking supports (8, 10) for the shoots and resiliently interlocking end formations (11, 13, 14 Fig. 6). The hanging device 1 may be suspended by a hook (18) fast in the top member 3 or may be supported between the two horizontal bars of a trolley (159, Fig. 7) from the end formations (160, 161) of the top member 3 or on a cord passing through apertures (150) in the top (103). <IMAGE>

Description

A Hanging Device The present invention relates to a hanging device for supporting sheets, particularly though not exclusively samples of furnishings fabrics, from their top edges for display.

Traditionally, swatches of fabric are bound at one edge between two boards and held there by screws passing through the boards and the fabric. This system is expensive.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved system for binding swatches.

According to the invention there is provided a hanging device for supporting sheets from their top edges for display, the device comprising a plastics material moulding arranged in use as an invert channel and having a top member, two side members and sheet support means, the two side members being connected to the top member by "living" hinges permitting the side members to be closed to a sheet retention position with the top edges of the sheets therebetween, the sheet support means comprising sheet support members on at least one of the two side members arranged to pass through and support the sheets.

Preferably, the sheet support members are complementary interengageable members provided on both of the two side members, although it is envisaged that they may be provided on one side only. The interengageable sheet support members may be arranged for free engagement or they may be adapted and arranged to interlock. Such interlocking may result from their shape and resilient nature alone or may be enhanced by addition of further members holding the interengageable members in their interlocking position.

In the preferred embodiments, the side members have resiliently interlocking end formations, the formations on one side member being complementary with the formations on the other side member whereby the side members are retained in position with the sheet support means interengaged - and the sheets held. It is envisaged that the interlocking end formations may be dispensed with where the interengageable members interlock securely. The end formations on the one side member may extend around and engage outwardly of the complementary formations on the other side member.

Preferably, the end formations on the other side member abut the end formations on the one member or the one member itself to resist lateral collapse of the side members at their ends.

The end formations may be adapted for support of the channel and the sheets. Where the devices are to be supported between rigidly spaced bars, the end formations may be provided with respective surfaces at opposite ends of the channel which diverge upwardly in use and rest on the bars. Alternatively - and preferably in addition - the formations are provided with members for hooking at least partially over the bars.

A hook arranged centrally of the channel may be provided as another alternative.

To help understanding of the invention two specific embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first hanging device of the invention, with supported sheets; Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional end view on the line IV-IV in Figure 2; Figure 5 is an underneath view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a scrap view as in Figure 5 on a larger scale of interlocking end formations of the device of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a perspective view of several second hanging devices of the invention supported in a trolley and supporting fabric sheets; Figure 8 is a combined plan and end view of a second hanging device in its moulded state; Figure 9 is a side view of the device of Figure 8;; Figure 10 is an end view of the device of Figure 8; Figure 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view on the line XI-XI in Figure 9; Figure 12 is a plan view of the device of Figure 8; and Figure 13 is a scrap underneath plan view of the device.

First Embodiment The hanging device 1 shown in Figure 1 has a channel 2 formed of a top member 3 and two side members 4,5. The side members are connected to the top member by "living" hinges 6,7. The channel is of polypropylene and is injectionmoulded flat, that is with the top member 3 and side member 4,5 substantially co-planar. Side member 4 has two bosses 8 moulded on its inside. The bosses are recessed, but blind; ie the recesses 9 do not extend through the side member 4.

The side member 5 has two spigots 10 which are arranged in similar positions as the bosses 8 and are complementary in shape to the recesses 9. Thus when the sheets of materials are engaged on the bosses 8, via punched holes, and side members 4,5 are hinged towards each other, the spigots engage in the recesses and the sheets are held in the channel.

The side members 4,5 have end flanges 11,12 which interlock and hold the side members in their hinged-in positions. The end flanges 11 on the side member 4 are closer together than the end flanges 12 on the side member 5. All the flanges extend perpendicularly from the inside of the side members. The end flanges 11 are of the same height as their side member 4, at least extending from the underside of the top member 3 to the bottom of side member 4. At their junction with the side members, the end flanges 11 have external rebates 13. The end flanges 12 on the side member 5 are the same length as.the end flanges 11 and are spaced to lie immediately without the latter. They have lips 14 on the inside of their free edges 15 which engage in the rebates 13. The free edges 15 of the end flanges 11 abut the inside of the side member 5.The flanges 11,12 are resilient so that when the side members 4,5 are closed together the lips 14 ride over the flanges 11 and drop into the rebates 13, thereby interlocking and holding the side members 4,5 in their spaced parallel position. The free ends 16 of the top member 3 extend to just overlie the end flanges 11,12.

The top member 3 has a central aperture 17 into which a hook 18 having a foot 19 is snapped. The foot abuts the underside of the top member for support of the device and the sheets S.

Second Embodiment The hanging device 101 shown in Figures 8 to 13 is generally similar to the device 1 and will be described only briefly in respect of its features which are analogous, but in more detail as regards the differences.

The device 101 has a channel 102 formed of a top member 103 and two side members 104,105 connected to the top member by living hinges 106,107. The side members have bosses 108 and interengaging spigots 110. They also have end flanges 111,112 with rebates 113 and lips 114. The bosses 108 and spigots 110 interengage and the flanges 111,112 interlock in an analogous manner to those of the device 1. Sheets 5 are suppported on the bosses 108.

The bosses 108 have through bores 150 in place of the recesses 9. These bores 150 have internal lips 151 (whose moulding makes it necessary for the bores to extend through the side members 104). The spigots 110 have arrowheads 152 and horizontal slits 153. The arrowheads 152 are circular in cross-section and sized to just pass through the lips 151 in the bosses 108 when the slits 153 are closed at their distal end. The spigots are resilient, the channel 102 being of polypropylene, to spring apart within the lips 151.

To retain the spigots in position, and the side members interengaged, wedges 154 are driven into the slits. The open ends of the bores 150 are closed by plugs 155.

The device 101 may be supported on a cord, not shown, passing through apertures 157. For support on the trolley 158 shown in Figure 7, via the trolley's rigid spaced horizontal bars 159, the ends of the side members 104,105 have upwardly divergent end faces 160. The end flanges 111,112 extend up from the bottom of the side members only for g of the height of the side members and the end faces 160 extend for the rest of the side members' height at 459 The top member 103 has end tabs 161 angled down at 450 to rest on outside faces 162 of the bars 159, whilst the faces 160 rest on inside faces 163 of the bars. The tabs 161 function chiefly in guiding the channels 102 into position on the bars. Once they are positioned, the weight of the sheets is borne on the faces 160 which are rigid whilst the tabs 161 can deflect slightly.

The device 101 may be supported on a cord, not shown, passing through apertures 150 in the top 103.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, the inner 11,111 flanges may be shortened to be of a length to not extend as far as the side members 5,105, but engage in complementary recesses in the outer end flanges 12,112.

The shortened flanges and their complementary recesses may be of interrupted formation along their vertical length to provide interengagement against mutual movement along their length.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A hanging device for supporting sheets from their top edges for display, the device comprising a plastics material moulding arranged in use as an invert channel and having a top member, two side members and sheet support means, the two side members being connected to the top member by "living" hinges permitting the side members to be closed to a sheet retention position with the top edges of the sheets therebetween, the sheet support means comprising sheet support members on at least one of the two side members arranged to pass through and support the sheets.

2. A hanging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet support members are complementary interengageable members provided on both of the two side members.

3. A hanging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interengageable sheet support members on the respective side members are arranged for free engagement.

4. A hanging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interengageable sheet support members are adapted and arranged to interlock.

5. A hanging device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interengageable sheet support members interlock resiliently.

6. A hanging device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, including respective additional members for deforming one of each pair of the complementary interengageable members and causing the respective one of each pair to engage the other of the pair and hold the interengageable members in their interlocking position.

7. A hanging device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side members have resiliently interlocking end formations, the formations on one side member being complementary with the formations on the other side member whereby the side members are retained in position with the sheet support means in their sheet supporting position.

8. A hanging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the end formations on the one side member extend around and engage outwardly of the complementary formations on the other side member.

9. A hanging device as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the end formations on the other side member abut the end formations on the one member or the one member itself to resist lateral collapse of the side members at their ends.

10. A hanging device as claimed in claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9, wherein some of the end formations of the side members are adapted for support of the channel and the sheets.

11. A hanging device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adapted ones of the end formations are provided with respective surfaces at opposite ends of the channel which diverge upwardly for resting in use on support bars.

12. A hanging device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said adapted end formations are further adapted to hook at least partially over the support bars.

13. A hanging device as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 in combination with a trolley including two spaced support bars.

14. A hanging device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the top member is carries a hook for support of the hanging device.

15. A hanging device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 or Figures 8 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A hanging device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 8 to 13 of the accompanying drawings in combination with the trolley of Figure 7.