US20070001081A1

US20070001081A1 - Instrument display hanger

Info

Publication number: US20070001081A1
Application number: US11/455,840
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger Wallis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-04
Filing date: 2006-06-20
Publication date: 2007-01-04

Abstract

A hanger for a musical instrument comprising: a base bracket arranged to be secured to a surface from which the instrument is to be hung; the bracket comprising projecting arms that define an open slot therebetween; a locking cap adapted to be secured across the arms to close off the slot; and means to lock the cap in position onto the bracket whereby the neck of the musical instrument is located within the open slot so that when closed the slot prevents removal of the instrument and the hanger supports the instrument suspended from the hanger.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lockable instrument displayer hanger for a guitar or similar musical instrument.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Valuable guitars and musical instruments can be an easy target for theft. Private collectors are known to store instruments away from display in secure cabinets for security and insurance purposes.
Music shops have a requirement for secure lockable display systems that may qualify them for insurance concessions. Wall mounted display supports are available commercially for the purpose of display, however, they do not have the ability to lock the instrument to the support and the instrument can be easily removed or knocked loose from the support. A lockable support allows the instrument to be displayed without the risk of opportunistic theft or damage caused by falling from the support.
There have been many suggestions to support a guitar or musical instrument from a wall hanger or in a floor standing position (for playability convenience) although these systems are unable to securely retain the instrument in this position.
To overcome these shortcomings, the present invention seeks to provide an improved wall mounted display support for a guitar or other musical instrument to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a hanger for a musical instrument comprising a base bracket arranged to be secured to a surface from which the instrument is to be hung, the bracket comprising projecting arms that define an open slot therebetween, a locking cap adapted to be secured across the arms to close off the slot and means to lock the cap in position onto the bracket whereby the neck of the musical instrument is located within the open slot so that when closed the slot prevents removal of the instrument and the hanger supports the instrument suspended from the hanger.
Preferably the locking means is a keyed cylinder or electronic/electrical lock.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lockable instrument display hanger secured to a wall and supporting the head of a guitar;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base support of the hanger secured to a wall and illustrating insulating tubes;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base structure illustrating a lockable cross member detached from the structure;
FIG. 4 is an underside view of part of the hanger showing how the cross member is secured to the base structure;
FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 4 showing the cross member extending across the base structure;
FIG. 6 is an underside perspective view showing the cross member secured to the base structure;
FIG. 7 is an underside perspective view showing the cross member locked to the base structure; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the hanger secured to the wall and in a locked position.
The lockable instrument display hanger 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a base structure 11 that is defined by two kidney shaped steel flanges 12, 13 that are secured spaced apart by a pair of elongated hollow steel cylinders 14, 15. The ends 16, 17 of the cylinders 14, 15 are welded to the enlarged ends of the first flange 12 and the second flange 13 has apertures 18, 19 in the enlarged ends through which the cylinders 14, 15 extend to protrude upwardly from the second flange 13 as shown in FIG. 2. The second flange 13 is welded to the cylinders so that the flanges 12, 13 and the cylinders 14, 15 define a fixed gap.
The base structure 11 is arranged to be screwed or bolted to a wall by means of screws 20 shown in FIG. 2 that are positioned within the hollow cylinders 14, 15 and then using a suitable tool are secured into the wall structure using fasteners that are appropriate to the structure of the wall. The protruding ends of the cylinders 14, 15 as shown in FIG. 2 support rubber or foam plastics sleeves 21, 22, the thickness of which can vary to vary the gap between the cylinders. A steel locking cap 30 shown in FIG. 3 is arranged to be secured across the protruding ends of the cylinders to define, as shown in FIG. 8, a gap 29 between the cylinders 14, 15 and the upper flange 13 in which the neck N of a guitar G can be located as shown in FIG. 1 so that the guitar can be suspended from its head H with the neck N locked in the slot between the protruding ends of the cylinders and the end cap.
The locking cap 30 comprises a kidney shaped steel flange 31 with apertures 32, 33 in the enlarged ends of the flange. One aperture 32 houses a projecting spigot 34 with an enlarged head 35. The spigot 34 has laterally projecting pins 36, 37. The other aperture 33 supports a locking cylinder 50 that has an inner cylinder 51 with a projecting spigot 52 at one end and a key slot 53 at the other.
As shown with particular reference to FIGS. 4-7 the protruding ends of the cylinders 14, 15 have an end flange 41 that includes an aperture 42 with enlarged ends 43, 44 so that the projecting spigot 34 on the underside of the end cap can slide through the aperture 42 and then be turned through 900 so that the pins 36, 37 on the spigot 34 engage the aperture as shown in FIG. 4.
The locking cap 30 is then pivoted about the cylinder 14 until the locking cylinder 50 is aligned with the other cylinder 15 as shown in FIG. 5. The inner cylinder 51 is then depressed causing the spigot 52 to extend through the aperture 42 in the end flange 41 of the cylinder (see FIG. 6). A key 70 (FIG. 3) is then used to rotate the inner cylinder 51 so that projecting pins 58, 59 on the spigot 52 engage the flange 42 to lock the cap 30 against the cylinder 15 as shown in FIG. 7.
Whilst the drawings show the use of rubber or foam plastics sleeves 21, 22 to encase the projecting cylinders 14, 15, it is also understood that rubber or foam plastics may line the underside of the locking cap 30 and upper flange 13 to further protect the neck N of the guitar G when placed in the slot between the projecting cylinders.
To unlock the suspended guitar G shown in FIG. 1, the key 70 is positioned in the locking cylinder and turned to release the pins 58, 59 on the spigot 52. This in turn causes the internal cylinder 51 to project outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4 and releases that end of the locking cap 30 from the cylinder 15. The locking cap can then be rotated through 90° to allow release of the neck N of the guitar G. The locking cap can also be removed from the other cylinder 14 by appropriate rotation that causes the pins 36, 37 at the end of the spigot 34 to release from the aperture 42 in the end of the cylinder 14. In this way, the locking cap 30 can be completely removed from the hanger 10. To hang a guitar G, the guitar head H is first placed in the slot and suspended on the cylinders 14, 15 that are encased in the foam rubber or plastics sleeves 21, 22. The locking cap 30 is then positioned on one cylinder and rotated to the position shown in FIG. 1 from which the internal cylinder is then depressed and turned until the locked position. Removal of the key 70 effects the locking action and ensures that the guitar is hung from a wall support spaced from the wall by the distance defined by the gap between the first two flanges and locked within the slot between the cylinders.
The wall mounted lockable musical instrument display hanger 10 includes a steel base securely mounted to a wall by secure fasteners contained internally within the base to prohibit tampering. Variable diameter/thickness protective rubber/foam material covers 21, 21 to minimise any possible instrument damage. The guitar or instrument can be placed and displayed vertically on the hanger 10 supported by the two cylinders 14, 15 around the top of the instrument neck N directly under the tuning headstock H. The base structure 11 extends at a minimum distance from the wall to ensure the guitar G or musical instrument body does not make contact with the wall while in the support.
It is understood that the steel locking cap 30 may include an electronic lock to replace the keyed cylinder lock discussed above.
The support structure 11 is made from steel fastened to the wall on the mounting side to provide an entrapment area of a maximum of 60 mm wide by 45 mm deep (when cap fitted) at a minimum distance from the wall of 75 mm.
It is envisaged that the hanger 10 could also be used to secure items other than musical instruments such as power tools, bicycles and other valuable items.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A hanger for a musical instrument comprising:

a base bracket arranged to be secured to a surface from which the instrument is to be hung;

the bracket comprising projecting arms that define an open slot therebetween;

a locking cap adapted to be secured across the arms to close off the slot; and

means to lock the cap in position onto the bracket whereby the neck of the musical instrument is located within the open slot so that when closed the slot prevents removal of the instrument and the hanger supports the instrument suspended from the hanger.

2. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein the locking means is a keyed cylinder or electronic/electrical lock.

3. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein the base bracket comprises a pair of flanges positioned spaced apart by a pair of spaced cylinders, the cylinders extending forwardly of the upper flange to define the open slot.

4. The hanger according to claim 3 wherein the cylinders are hollow and fasteners are positioned in the end of the cylinders and through the base flange to engage the surface from which the instrument is to be hung.

5. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein the arms are covered in soft plastics or rubber.

6. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein the cylinders terminate in an apertured flange, the locking cap having a projecting spigot that is rotatable against the flange of one cylinder and a locking cylinder that can be locked against the flange of the other cylinder.

7. The hanger according to claim 6 wherein the locking cap comprises an elongated flange with a first spigot projecting from one end and a locking cylinder attached to the other, the locking cylinder having an inner cylinder that is displaceable to displace a second spigot forwardly of the locking cap to engage the flanged end of one cylinder.