GB2310362A

GB2310362A - Curtain rail mounting

Info

Publication number: GB2310362A
Application number: GB9603873A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marshall Young
Original assignee: CORAM
Current assignee: CORAM
Priority date: 1996-02-23
Filing date: 1996-02-23
Publication date: 1997-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-23
Also published as: GB2310362B; GB9603873D0

Abstract

A curtain rail (10) is supported at an end by a support member (30) secured to a surface and having an end portion of the rail fastened to it by fastening means (37), a cover member (40) engaging the support member to cover at least the fastening means.

Description

Title: RAIL FOR A SHOWER CURTAIN OR THE LIKE Description of Invention This invention relates to a rail for a curtain and to means by which the rail is supported in use. The invention has been devised in relation to a rail for a shower curtain, in relation to which certain specific constructional and operational requirements exist as referred to hereafter, but it will be appreciated that in referring herein to a shower curtain the invention may be more broadly applicable to the supporting of curtains for purposes other than the prevention of splashing of water from a shower.

Shower curtain rails commonly include a curved corner portion extending between two portions substantially perpendicular to one another, whose free ends are secured to walls extending at right angles to one another at a corner portion of a bath or shower room. For some installations, the rail is generally Ushaped with two portions extending outwardly from a single wall joined at their ends remote from the wall by a portion extending generally parallel to such wall.

In yet further installations, the rail is straight extending between walls which face one another. Whatever is the configuration of the rail, there is a general requirement for the support of the free ends of the rail at respective wall surfaces, and such support means are required to be both strong and easy to install whilst retaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance. From one aspect the present invention relates to such support means for a rail, and it is broadly the object of certain aspects of the invention to provide improvements therein.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a support means for a curtain rail, comprising a support member adapted to be secured to a surface and to have an end portion of the rail placed in assembled relation therewith; fastening means for fastening the rail to the support member, and a cover member engagable with the support member to cover at least said fastening means.

The cover member may be engagable with the support member by movement in the direction of the length of the end portion of the rail, towards the support member. Preferably the cover member has snap engagement with the support member to hold it in assembled relation thereto.

Preferably the cover member is adapted to conceal substantially the entire support member and the immediately adjacent end portion of the rail fitted thereto.

The support member may include a formation into which the end portion of the rail is able to be fitted, which formation is open downwardly having regard to the normal orientation of the support means in use and enabling the end portion of the rail to be fitted by upward movement into such formation.

The fastening means for fastening the rail to the support member may comprise an upwardly oriented screw-threaded fastening element engagable with an upper part of said formation of the support member and an upper part of the rail.

A further aspect of the invention is concerned with the means by which a shower curtain may be hung from the curtain rail in such a way as to be able to be drawn therealong. To this end, it is usual to provide a number of curtainsupporting elements engagable with a track portion of the rail so as to be slidable lengthwise thereof. It is also usual to provide for an end one or ones of such curtain-supporting elements to be constrained against such lengthwise sliding so that one edge of the curtain is similarly thus constrained, and hitherto such constraint has been achieved by fastening a curtain-supporting member to the rail.

This, however, is inconvenient.

According to a further aspect of the invention, therefore, we provide a support means for an end portion of a curtain rail, wherein said support means is provided with means for constraining a curtain-supporting element engaged with a track portion of the rail from sliding lengthwise of the rail.

Preferably the support means comprises a support member and cover member in accordance with the first aspect of the invention as above set forth, and said restraining means may then be provided on the cover member thereof, on the support member thereof, or elements of the restraining means may be provided on the support member and the cover member.

Preferably said restraining means comprises at least one resilient formation with which a curtain-supporting element at the end portion of the rail is able to have snap engagement.

The cover member, and preferably also the support member, may be of plastics material.

A further aspect of the present invention is concerned with the configuration of the rail itself. As above referred to, in many installations the rail is not straight but includes at least one curved corner portion between rail portions generally perpendicular to one another. This shape is achieved by bending an initially-straight rail to form the curved corner portion or portions.

Such bending distorts the cross-sectional shape of the rail, which is aesthetically unattractive as well as possibly interfering with the operation of the rail in respect of the free-sliding of curtain-supporting elements therealong. It is an object of a further aspect of the invention to overcome or reduce this problem.

According to a further aspect of the invention, we provide a curtain rail including, in cross-sectional view, a closed portion and wherein opposite sides of said closed portion are concave.

When a member having a portion of closed cross-sectional shape is bent into a curved corner portion, the natural tendency is for the side of such portion which is at the outside of the corner to assume a concave cross-sectional shape even if it is not of such shape prior to bending. If, however, in accordance with the further aspect of the invention it is of such concave shape initially, its appearance after bending is aesthetically more compatible with its original shape.

Thereby the appearance of the rail in a curved corner portion is improved.

In order that a rail may be bent in either direction to form a corner portion, preferably both opposed sides of the closed portion thereof are of the same concave cross-sectional shape. Preferably such concave cross-sectional shape is generally arcuate.

Preferably the rail is symmetrical both laterally and vertically in its cross-sectional shape and comprises upwardly and downwardly facing track portions of which the former is engaged by fastening means to support the rail and the latter is engaged by curtain-supporting elements for movement lengthwise of the rail.

Yet a further aspect of the invention is concerned with means by which the rail may be additionally supported between the ends thereof. In an installation of anything other than a straight rail, such additional support of the rail is important.

According to this further aspect of the invention, there is provided an intermediate support means for a curtain rail, comprising a connecting element adapted to be connected to the rail between the ends thereof, and to extend upwardly therefrom, and a mounting element adapted to be secured to a surface generally above the rail and to have said connecting element connected thereto, wherein a supporting connection between said mounting and connecting elements is provided by a fastener extending laterally through portions of said elements.

Said connecting element may be of tubular configuration and be engaged in a socket formation in the mounting element, and be secured therein by a fastener such as a screw extending laterally through at least one wall of the socket formation and connecting element.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, we provide the combination of a curtain rail and a support means therefor, wherein the rail and/or the support means is or are in accordance with any or all of the above aspects of the invention.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a lateral view, partly in section, of an installation of a curtain rail in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a transverse cross-section through the rail of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an underneath view of an end portion of the installation shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the components at such end portion; Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of such end portion, respectively partly and completely assembled.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a curtain rail indicated generally at 10 comprises a closed box section central portion indicated generally at 11 and upper and lower track portions 12, 13. The portion 11 comprises opposed side portions 14, 15 which are of concave arcuate crosssectional shape. The track portions 12, 13 each comprise, as clearly visible for the track portion 12, wall portions 16, 17 terminating respectively in facing flange portions 18, 19 so as to define an undercut groove 20. The rail is both vertically and laterally symmetrical, and preferably is an extrusion of an aluminium alloy.

In use, in an installation such as shown in the drawings, the upper track portion 12 of the rail provides for supporting of the rail both at its ends and at one or more intermediate positions, whilst the lower track portion 13 cooperates with a plurality of curtain-supporting elements 22 in such a way that the elements 22 are slidable lengthwise of the rail. As clearly seen in Figure 2, the elements 22 engage the opposed facing flanges (as 18, 19) of the lower track portion 13 of the rail, and further are provided with loops 23 for engagement by curtain-supporting hooks as shown at 24.

In Figure 1, the ends of the rail 10 are shown secured to walls 26, 27, such securement being by support means as described hereafter. Between its ends, the rail further is supported from a ceiling 28. Although the rail is shown in Figure 1 as being straight, in practice it will be appreciated that it may include portions extending at an angle, e.g. a right angle to one another, and the additional support between the ends of the rail will in this case generally be provided at or adjacent curved corner regions of the rail between straight portions thereof.

The support means by which an end of the rail is supported will now be described with additional reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

A support member for an end of the curtain rail comprises a base portion 30 which is generally flat and is adapted to be secured to a wall by screws 31 extending through respective slots 32 in the base portion 30. From the base portion 30 there extends a formation 33 which is generally of inverted U-shape as viewed perpendicularly to the base portion 30, comprising a generally horizontally oriented upper wall 34 whose edges are curved or bevelled downwardly to extend into somewhat triangular side walls 35 spaced from one another. The dimensions of the formation 33 are such that the rail 10 is able to be received closely therein, having been fitted thereto by upward movement of the rail relative to the support member.

The rail is fastened to the support member by a bolt 36 whose head 37 lies in the undercut groove 20 of the upwardly facing track portion 12 of the rail, and whose shank extends upwardly out of the groove 20, through a slot 38 in the upper wall 34, and is engaged by a nut 39. When tightened, the nut 39 firmly fixes the rail to the support member. It will be noted that during installation the bolt can be engaged with the rail and when the rail is upwardly fitted to the support member the shank of the bolt passes through the slot 38 to be accessible for the nut 39 to be fitted thereon, and the ability to fit the nut 39 is not dependent on there being a large space between the support member and the ceiling 28 above it.

After the rail has been fixed to the support member as above described, a cover member 40, which has previously been placed on the rail 10 by sliding lengthways thereof, is engaged with the support member by sliding along the rail in the direction of arrow 41 as shown in Figure 5. The cover member covers the end portion of the rail and the support member as shown in Figures 1 and 6, and the cover member preferably has snap-engagement with the support member by cooperating formations thereon.

In its underside, as shown in Figure 3, the cover member 40 has a recess 42 extending lengthwise of the rail enabling the curtain-supporting elements 22 to move along the rail substantially to the end thereof. Near the end of the recess 42 the cover member 40 has opposed resilient formations 43 which are engagable with the loop 23 of an endmost curtain-supporting element 22, thereby to restrain the endmost such supporting element against sliding movement lengthwise of the rail.

Instead of the restraining formations 43 being provided on cover member 40, they could be provided on the support member by which the end portion of the curtain rail is supported, or possibly formations could be provided on both the support member and cover member.

Between its ends, the rail 10 is supported by an intermediate support means indicated generally at 50 in Figure 1. This comprises a member 51 which engages the rail 10 by a head 52 engaging in the undercut groove 20 afforded by the upper track formation 12 of the rail, the head 52 facing a flange 53 which lies along the top surface of the rail. The member 51 has a split shank 54 which is received within a tubular connecting element 56 and is expanded by a screw 55 to secure it thereto.

A mounting element 57 is secured by a screw 58 to the ceiling surface 28 above the rail, and has a downwardly extending socket 59 in which the upper end of the tubular connecting element 56 is received. The connecting element 56 is secured in the socket 59 by a transverse screw 60. A cover element 61 covers the mounting element 57 including its socket 59 and the screw 60, the cover element 61 having snap-engagement with the support element 57.

A closure strip 65 of flexible plastics material is fitted in the upper track portion 12 of the rail 10 except where it is engaged to support the rail at its ends and at one or more intermediate positions.

The invention thus provides a curtain rail, preferably a shower curtain rail, which is easily installed and of attractive appearance.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A support means for a curtain rail, comprising a support member adapted to be secured to a surface and to have an end portion of the rail placed in assembled relation therewith; fastening means for fastening the rail to the support member, and a cover member engagable with the support member to cover at least said fastening means.

2. A support means according to Claim 1 wherein the cover member is engagable with the support member by movement in the direction of the length of the end portion of the rail, towards the support member.

3. A support means according to Claim 2 wherein the cover member has snap engagement with the support member to hold it in assembled relation thereto.

4. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cover member is adapted to conceal substantially the entire support member and the immediately adjacent end portion of the rail fitted thereto.

5. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support member includes a formation into which the end portion of the rail is able to be fitted, which formation is open downwardly having regard to the normal orientation of the support means in use and enabling the end portion of the rail to be fitted by upward movement into such formation.

6. A support means according to Claim 5 wherein the fastening means for fastening the rail to the support member comprises an upwardly oriented screw-threaded fastening element engagable with an upper part of said formation of the support member and an upper part of the rail.

7. A support means for an end portion of a curtain rail, wherein said support means is provided with means for constraining a curtain-supporting element engaged with a track portion of the rail from sliding lengthwise of the rail.

8. A support means according to Claim 7 wherein the support means comprises a support member, cover member and fastening means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 and said restraining means is provided on at least one of the cover member and the support member.

9. A support means according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein said restraining means comprises at least one resilient formation with which a curtainsupporting element at the end portion of the rail is able to have snap engagement.

10. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least the cover member is of plastics material.

11. A curtain rail including, in cross-sectional view, a closed portion and wherein opposite sides of said closed portion are concave.

12. A curtain rail according to Claim 11 in combination with a support means according to any one of Claims 1 to 10.

13. A curtain rail or the combination according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 wherein both opposed sides of said closed portion of the rail are of the same concave cross-sectional shape.

14. A curtain rail or combination according to Claim 13 wherein said concave cross-sectional shape is generally arcuate.

15. A curtain rail or combination according to any one of Claims 12 to 14 wherein the rail is symmetrical both laterally and vertically in its cross-sectional shape and comprises upwardly and downwardly facing track portions of which the former is engaged by fastening means to support the rail and the latter is engaged by curtain-supporting elements for movement lengthwise of the rail.

16. An intermediate support means for a curtain rail, comprising a connecting element adapted to be connected to the rail between the ends thereof, and to extend upwardly therefrom, and a mounting element adapted to be secured to a surface generally above the rail and to have said connecting element connected thereto, wherein a supporting connection between said mounting and connecting elements is provided by a fastener extending laterally through portions of said elements.

17. An intermediate support means according to Claim 16 wherein said connecting element is of tubular configuration and is engaged in a socket formation in the mounting element, and is secured therein by a fastener such as a screw extending laterally through at least one wall of the socket formation and connecting element.

18. A curtain rail or combination according to any one of Claims 1 to 15, further comprising an intermediate support means in accordance with Claim 16 or Claim 17.

19. A curtain rail and/or a support means therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.