GB2418835A

GB2418835A - Bracket for attaching two or more poles to a wall

Info

Publication number: GB2418835A
Application number: GB0422314A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kerry Jane Southern; Simon Martin; Anthea Turner
Original assignee: COUNTRYWIDE FURNISHINGS Ltd
Current assignee: COUNTRYWIDE FURNISHINGS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-08
Filing date: 2004-10-08
Publication date: 2006-04-12
Also published as: GB0422314D0

Abstract

A device for attaching two or more curtain supporting poles to a wall or similar structure comprises a main pole holding element 2 adapted to be attached to the wall, and at least two recesses 5, 6 formed in the main pole holding element each adapted to hold a curtain pole 23, 24. The recesses are spaced apart sufficiently to allow a curtain supported on each pole to be moved along its supporting pole without interfering with any other curtain.

Description

DEVICE FOR ATTACHING TWO OR MORE CURTAIN SUPPORTING POLES TO

A WALL

The present invention relates to a device for attaching two or more curtain supporting poles to a wall or similar structure.

It is normal practice to support curtains for windows or other areas on poles which extend adjacent to the windows or other areas. The curtains are normally made from flexible material in any well known manner and are supported from poles either by being provided with apertures in the material through which the poles extend or being provided with rings attached to the material and through which the poles extend.

The curtains are designed to be moved along the poles. Each curtain, in order to perform the function for which it has been designed, has a length and depth to cover the window or other aperture and is made of a material which is sufficiently thick to provide the desired degree of opaqueness and/or warmth for which the curtain has been designed.

In particular arrangements, the curtains may be formed from a single piece of folded material formed into a zig-zag or concertina like shape or from individual pieces of generally flat material which are joined in a similar zig-zag or concertina like shape. As a result each curtain has an appreciable thickness where it is supported from the pole.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for attaching two or more curtain supporting poles to a wall or similar structure which allows the curtains supported on adjacent poles to be moved along the poles without interfering with each other.

According to the present invention a device for attaching two or more curtain supporting poles to a wall or similar structure comprises a main pole holding element adapted to be attached to the wall, and at least two recesses formed in the main pole holding element each adapted to hold a curtain pole.

The recesses are spaced apart sufficiently to allow each curtain pole to be held in a respective recess in such a manner that each curtain can be moved along its supporting pole without interfering with any other curtain.

The main pole holding element may be connected to a frame member adapted to be attached to the wall.

The main pole holding element may be adapted to extend substantially at right angles to the frame member and the attaching device may include a further bracing arm extending from the frame member to the main pole holding element.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the recesses are spaced apart approximately 15 centimetres.

In use, if two or more curtains are to be supported on poles adjacent to a window or other aperture in a wall or the like, two or more of the above devices are attached to the wall so that, in each device, the main pole holding element projects substantially at right angles to the wall. Adjacent devices are aligned to allow two or more curtain supporting poles to be held in the recesses so that they extend substantially parallel to the wall.

According to another aspect of the invention a curtain supporting arrangement comprises two or more curtain supporting pole attaching devices as described above attached to a wall or similar structure, a pole held in each recess, and a curtain supported on each of the poles, the recesses being positioned sufficiently far apart that each curtain can be moved along its respective pole without interfering with any other curtain.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood an embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a curtain pole attaching device in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the device illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a curtain which can be supported by a pole attached to a wall or the like by the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an arrangement of two curtains supported on two poles which are attached to a wall using two of the devices illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 the curtain pole attaching device comprises a main supporting element in the form of a flat bar 2 attached to and extending at right angles to a frame member 3 in the form of a flat bar. A bracing arm 4 extends between and is attached to the frame member 3 and the flat bar 2 so as to form a rigid supporting structure. Two generally semicircular cylindrical recesses 5 and 6 are formed in the flat bar 1 and apertures 7 are formed in the frame member 3. The recesses 5, 6 are adapted to receive curtain supporting poles as described below.

The apertures 7 can be used to attach the device to a wall or a similar structure adjacent to which two curtain supporting poles are to be positioned. The radius of the recess 5 may be less than the radius of the recess 6.

In a practical arrangement the recesses 5, 6 are spaced apart approximately centimetres. It will be appreciated that the bracing arm 4 enables the attaching device 1 to support a greater weight of curtain supporting pole and curtains (see below) than if the arm 4 were not included.

With reference to Figure 3, a curtain 11 is formed from a plurality of separate rectangular pieces 12 of material which are joined together so as to extend in a zig zag or concertina like configuration as shown. Each piece of material 12 is formed with an aperture 13 in which a ring 14 is positioned. The centres of the apertures extend along a line 15.

Alternatively, the curtain can be formed from a continuous piece of material which is folded into a zig zag or concertina like configuration.

The curtain can be supported on a curtain supporting pole (not illustrated) extending through the aligned apertures 13 along the line 15.

As a further alternative. the curtain can be supported on a curtain supporting pole (not illustrated) extending through a plurality of rings each attached to the continuous folded curtain spaced apart along the length of the curtain or attached to the separate pieces of material.

As illustrated in Figure 4, a window 21 has a surrounding frame 22. Attached to the frame 22 on opposite sides of the window 21 are two curtain supporting pole attaching devices as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and described above. Two curtain supporting poles 23, 24 are located in the recesses 5, 6 in the bars 2 of the attachment devices. The pole 23 is located in the recesses 5 closer to the window frame 22 and the pole 24 is located in the recesses 6 further away from the window frame 22.

Pole 23 supports a first curtain 25 which is formed from a plurality of generally rectangular pieces of material 26 joined together in a zig zag or concertina like arrangement. Pole 24 supports a second curtain 27 which is also made from a plurality of generally rectangular pieces of material 28 joined together in a zig zag or concertina like arrangement.

The recesses 5, 6 and therefore the poles 23, 24, are spaced apart by a sufficiently large distance that the two curtains 25, 26 can be moved along their respective supporting poles without touching each other.

The poles 23, 24 can be secured in the recesses 5, 6 by various alternative devices. Holes can be drilled through the material of the recesses and the adjacent parts of the poles receive self tapping screws or bolts. Alternatively, screws or bolts can be threaded through holes drilled through the upper parts of the recesses at an angle so as to extend over the tops of the poles and hold them in position.

As a further alternative, the poles can be secured in position by an adhesive device., for example double side adhesive pads. In the absence of any specific securing device the combined weights of the poles and the supported curtains will tend to hold the poles in the recesses.

In a practical embodiment, the poles 23, 24 were made from 1.5 mm. thick stainless steel tubing to provide an attachment device for poles to support curtains to cover a window up to 6 meters wide. The outside diameter of the outer poles 6 was 28 millimetres and the outside diameter of the poles 5 was 14 millimetres. The widths of the bar 2 and the bracing arm 4 were 4 centimetres and the width of the frame member 3 was 8 centimetres.

Claims

1. A device for attaching two or more curtain supporting poles to a wall or similar structure comprising a main pole holding element (2) adapted to be attached to the wall, and at least two recesses (5, 6) formed in the main pole holding element each adapted to hold a curtain pole (23, 24) , the recesses being spaced apart sufficiently to allow a curtain supported on each pole to be moved along its supporting pole without interfering with any other curtain.

2. A curtain supporting pole attaching device as claimed in Claim 1 comprising a frame member attached to the main pole holding element and adapted to be attached to the wall.

3. A curtain supporting pole attaching device a claimed in Claim 2 in which the main pole holding element extends substantially at right angles to the frame member and further comprising including a bracing arm (4) extending from the frame member to the main pole holding element.

4. A curtain supporting pole attaching device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising means for securing a pole in each recess.

5. A curtain supporting pole attaching device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A curtain supporting arrangement comprising two or more curtain supporting pole attaching devices (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims attached to a wall or similar structure, a pole (23, 24) held in each recess (5, 6), and a curtain (25, 27) supported on each of the poles, the recesses being positioned sufficiently far apart that each curtain can be moved along its respective supporting pole without interfering with any other curtain.