US2939661A - Hanger bracket - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1960 A. WALLER ETAL 2,939,661

HANGER BRACKET Filed July 25. 1957 FIG. I

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Arthur Waller, Highland Park, and out isnse'e, 'Jn, ,Glenview, 111., assignors to Bull Do Lock Company, "Chicago, 111., an Illinois corporation Filed July25,195 7,S er.No. 674,157

I 7 Claims. ((31. 248-31) I e This invention relates to a device or bracket forhang ing mirrors, cabinets, pictures and the like from vertical walls, and it relates more particularly to a piece of hardware of the type described which is capable of selfadjustment for relaxation to support an element of the type described upon walls.

; One form of this invention is described and claimed in' our copending application Serial No. 674,162, filed concurrently herewith and entitled Bracket for Suspending Pendant Articles.

With the rise in thecost of housing, increasing attention has been given by designers to maximum utilization of available floor and room space. One development has been an effort to substitute articles of furniture which can be located within or upon wall areas for structural elements which might otherwise require floor space, as

hooks or similar suspending means for engagement with tongues, wires or the like elements secured-to the article to besuspended. v i 'These previously employed methods for hanging cabinets'or for hanging mirrors, picture frames or the like, have many disadvantages. Where-the article is to be suspended from the wall by means of apluralityof hooks, such hooksmust be placed in the wall in'precise loca tions for cooperation with the connecting-elements on the article. This entails precise measurements wherein mistakes are invariably made. Asa result, incorrectly placed hooks or attaching elements must be removed from the wall or the article and be relocated. This often causes the wall surface to be defaced or marred, sometimes requiring refinishing of the surface. Such trial-anderror methods for assembly have been found to be highly objectionable.

the device the surface, thereby .:to enable levelling withoutthe necessity of removing nails,v hooks or. the likefastening means.

These and other objects and advantages of vthis invention will hereinafterappear, and for purposes of illustra tion, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure Us a perspective elevationalview of a devi e embodying the featureslofuthis invention; .I Figure 2, is a perspective. elevational viewof a modified form of a device embodying thefeatures of this invention; i .-,Figure 3 a sectional-:elevational view .of. an element employedin the device'shown-in Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a sectional .view taken crosswise through the elements assembled from the base plate and extendingvertically through .the carrier plate in Figure 1. Both forms'of-the device, illustratedin Figures 1 and 2, have an anchor plate-3 in the form of a flat base plate; The anchor plate is provided with conventional means for attachment to the back side of the article to be hung. In the illustrated modification, the attachment means comprisesopenings-l at the corners of the base plate 3 for theinsertion of screws orv rivets therethrough to fix the base plate onto the back wall ofthe article.

The base plate.3 is provided ,with an aperture 6 andwith the portions Swadja'cent the aperturebeing upraised or embossed to provide an annular recess 5a having a depth at least as great as the thickness :0f the .disc element'Tadaptedrotatably tobe receivedthe'rein.

The disc element 7 is formed witha body portion '7a havinga downwardly. extending skirt with an outwardly less;than;-the diameterofthelannular recess 5a. Flhus'v the abutting relationship between;the.skirt8a, the rim 8,

and thepor-tionS of the disc plate enables the, elements:

to turn freely relative to each otherabout ,a'central axis. 'The body. portion 7a carries on its upper surface a pair;

' of parallel, laterally spacedaapartrails 9a and "9b. The

, Using a single strand of wirefixed at itsopposite ends to the article to be suspended hasalso been found to be unsatisfactory. For one thing, careful adjustments are nails or-screws, it cannot be readily removed for pur-V poses of cleaning, repair or alterations, or for I'BdCCOI'fi-r tion of the room. Removal of any article so installed invariably leaves a marred surface.

An object ofthis invention is to provide a suspended device which, when afiixed to the article to be suspended, is capable of adjustment to achieve a connection with the wall at a plurality of alternative points.

rails 9a and 9 b are grooved on their surfaces facing each other to receiveslidably the margins of a carrier'plate 10 so astto permit endwise relative movement of the plate: Theplate-101isprovidedwith acentral opening 30 andthe-portion .adjacent the opening is embossed outwardly to provide a receiving groove or socketrll:

Diametricallyropposed slots and 34 extend outwardly from the openingfiflfor'use in assembly, as will here-. inafter berdefine'd,

. I. A ,hinging element v12 rotatably received within the socket 1il., The hinging element or" swivel:12 has a .Another object is to provide a device of the type de- 7 scribed which is capable of automatic adjustment to achieve a relaxed condition as between the cooperating pantsproperly to support the article on the wall surface.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described which is formed of a relatively few number of simple parts which can be easily assembled for attachment to the article to be suspended andwhich is capable U-shaped central; ,portion 13' which is dimensionedto have t a; length-jand-width less :than the opening 30,-for inser-. tiontherethrough; Extending outwardly .from- 'the base of the -U,-s haped -central portion are flanges 14 extending outwardly substantially perpendicularly for a distance greater than;thegopen ing but less than; the diameter of the socket 11, so asto be received therein for relative turning ,movement while the U-shaped portion extends throughthe opening to beyondv the front face of the The carrier plate10lis' provided with an abutment 154 at one end which extends upwardly substantially perpendicularly from the plate and .which"is,provided withw agcentral opening 15b. ,The disc plate 7 is also of adjustmentin its mounted relation without removal of 7 wardly ,upwardly .substantiallyperpendicularly and in aligned parallel relation with the abutment 15a. The

abutment on the disc, member 7 is aligned endwis'e with ,the rails 9a and;9b-, and itis also provided with Bitented June 7, 1960 of. attachment of the device.

a central opening 15d in registry with the opening 15b through the abutment 15a. Threaded rod 26 is fixed at one end to the abutment 15a, and extends through the opening 15djof the abutment- 15c: into threadedengagement with a nut member 24. By adjustment of the nut member on the rod, the position of the carrier plate10 can be shifted endwise between the guide rails 9a and 9b to raise or lower the hanger element 22. In practice, it is desirable to upset the end of the rod 26 after the nut 24 has been threaded thereon to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the nut which would permit the suspended article-supporting element to become separated from its base. In the described modificatiomthe abutment 15a will be dimensioned tohave awidth less than the distance between the rails 9a and 9b and correspondingly less than the width-otthecarrierplate 10 so as to enable the abutment to be displaced endwise between the' rails during adjustment of the plate, as described.

The hanger element. 22, shown in the illustrated modifications as a tongue having-a rectangular relieved portion 22a, is received within the U-shaped 'through-extending portion 13 of the swivel12 to enable the attaching element to be rockedrelative thereto through an angle greater than 180. For purposes of assembly, it is desirable to make use of an attaching element having a widthslightly'less than the end-to-end dimension of the slotted portions 32 and 34, and althickness' slightly less than the thickness of said slots so as to enable'inser-tion through the slots from the back side of the carrier plate as the attaching element and the swivel are advanced into positionof-use.

In assembly, the disc member 7'c'an be tipped to ad'- vance the abutment 150 through theopening 6 from the back side of the base plate 3. The disc member 7 can then be brought into parallel relation'with the base plate to bring the ring 8 into the recess a for engagementin a manner to permit relative turning movement.

One end of the attaching element 22 is displaced into the U-shaped member 13 of the swivel 12' and then it is inserted through the slotted portion of the socket 11 for endwise displacement until the flanges 14 of the swivel. are brought into engagement with the back side of the recessed portion of the socket 11. The carrier plate is then threaded endwise between the rails 91: and 9b which extend upwardly beyond the face of the disc element-7 with the abutment a extending in the direction of the abutment 15c and parallel thereto. The threaded rod 26 is inserted through the opening 15d of the abutment and a nut member 24 is then threaded onto the through-extending portion to effect the assembled relation.

When the device, as shown in Figure 1, is installed, adjustments are capable of achievement ina plurality of ways: by rotating the disc member 7 Within the anchor plate 3; by moving the'carrier plate 10 to a predetermined position between the guide rails 9a and 9b; by swivelling'the element 12 relative the carrier plate '10,

and by rocking movement of the attaching member 22.

Thus, it is possible automatically to achieve both a rocking movement and a swivelling movement for proper angular position of the attaching member 22, audit is also possible by turning movement'of the nut 24 in one direction or the other to achieve vertical adjustment of the attaching element to'raise or lower the 'elfective point Within this range of adjustability, the device can eflfect connection withthe surface from which suspension is desired at a plurality of points. This range can be as great as a semicircle describedby the outer portion of the attaching member as it is rotated within the socket 11 and as the disc plate 7 is rotated relative to the base plate 3. e

. The variant form of the invention is shown in Figure 2. In this modification, an anchor plate 3 is provided with two pairs of: parallel guide rails identified as 1-7 a and 17b andas 18:: and 17b mounted to extend in laterally spaced-apart relation in opposite directions. The rails may be in the form of channel members secured to the top side of the base plate, or they may be struck from the base plate to provide an upwardly extending portion and an inwardly extending portion forming grooves dimensioned to receive the carrier plate 19 slidably therebetween. r

The carrier plate 19 is similar to the carrier plate 10 previously described in the other modification. It is provided with a circular opening 30 'with the portions adjacent thereto'raised to provide a rim forming an annular groove on the under side adapted to receive the arms of the swivel 21. The rim is formed with the diametrically opposed slots 32 and 34 to enable the insertion of the hanger element 22 therethrough in efiecting the assembled relation to bringthe swivel member 21 into engagement with the under side of the carrier plate 19 for. the described relative turning movement. As described in the modification in Figure 1, the swivel 21 is rotatably seated in the socket 11' of the carrier plate 19. The carrier plate 19' is' provided with an abutment 27b extending upwardly froman end thereof inwardly of the edges of the carrier plate for passage between the guide rails 17a, 17b or 18a, 18b, while the outer edge portions of the carrier plate are receivedwithin the respective grooves. The abutment plate 27a, instead of forming a part of a disc plate, as in Figure 1, is turned up: as a part of the base plate to extend between the rails in parallel relation with-the abutment plate 27b on the carrier. The threaded rod 26 extends from. the abutment plate 27b through an aligned opening in the abutment 27afor receiving the nut member 24 on the throughexte'nding portion. It will be apparent that the abutment plate 27a is duplicated in the adjacent side of the base plate 3 for alignment between the rails 18a and 18b in the event that the carrier plate 19 is to be disposed at right angles to its position shown in Figure 2 for use in eifecting a mounted relation with'the adjacent side of the article to be supported.

The described arrangement enables the carrier plate 19 to be securely fixed at a predetermined position relative the base plate 3 foradjustment of the hanger element 22' vertically relative to the article to be supported.

In the modification described, adjustments can be achieved inone direction by sliding the carrier plate to a desired position between the guide rails 17a and 17b, or adjustment can be achieved in the crosswise direction by sliding the carrier plate 19 to a desired position between the guide rails'18a and 18b. The plate 19 can be secured in its adjusted position by tightening the nut 24- against the outer face of the abutment 27a having the threaded rod 26 extending therethrough.

\ By way of a still further modification, the elements shown in Figure 2 may be mounted upon an additional anchoring plate adjacent the under side of the plate 3, with rails extending upwardly from the upper face of the plate for engagement with the lateral edges ofrthe base plate substantially as in the same manner as that which is described between the rails 17a, 17b and 18a, 18b with respect to the carrier plate 19. In such a modification, horizontal adjustment would be achieved by sliding the plate 3 on the additional anchoring plate while concurrently permitting sliding movement of the carrier plate 19 relative the anchor plate 3.

For some installations, a single device of the types 7 described would be suificient to accomplish the desired the hooks fixed to the walls for connection therewith. The use of a plurality of such devices achieves a distribution of load by virtue of the ability of the interconnected elements to achieve a relaxed relation therebetween, and by virtue of the ability for adjustment in various directions to level the article, as more fully shown in the aforementioned copending application.

It will be understood that numerous changes may b made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A device for suspending pendant articles c0mprising a base plate adapted to be afiixed to the article desired to be suspended, a carrier plate abutting said base plate, means mounting the carrier plate for linear movement relative to the base plate, said carrier plate carrying a hanger member adapted to connect and support the pendant article from the surface from which suspension is desired, said hanger member being connected in pivotal and rotational relationship to, said carrier plate, said device being adapted by means of the movable relationship between said carrier plate and said base plate and the pivotal and rotational relationship between said carrier plate and said hanger member to achieve a suspending connection between said attaching member and the surface from which suspension is desired at a plurality of selected points lengthwise and angular to the base plate.

2. A device for hanging articles to a wall comprising a plate to be fastened to the article to be hung, said plate having a plurality of surfaces, a circular depressed portion in the one surface of said plate and a corresponding circular upraised portion on the reverse surface, said corresponding depressed andupraised portions being provided with a circular aperture, a circular disc element comprising a rim-like marginal portion and an elevated circular center portion, said disc havinga diameter substantially equal to thesaid circular aperture engaging the margins of said depressed portion of said plate by its said rim-like marginal portion and extending in its elevated center portion into said aperture, said elevated portion carrying also a pair of straight rails disposed parallel to each other, a tongue member, a carrier member seated slidably in a single plane within said rails and provided also with an upraised circular center portion defining a circular aperture, said tongue being pivotally and hingedly engaged by said carrier plate. 1

3. A device for suspending articles from a support surface comprising a base plate adapted to be aifixed to the article for which suspension is desired, said base plate being substantially planar and provided with a pair of straight parallel rails spaced inwardly from itsedges, said rails having grooves along their facing sides, a carrier plate having a width substantially equal to the distance between said grooves and slidably seated within said grooves for endwise movement, said carrier plate being provided with a socket intermediate its edges, a hinging member comprising a U-shaped channel portion intermediate the edges of said plates, one of said plates being adapted to be afiixed to the article for which suspension is desired, a plurality of disc members having upraised centerportions and rim portions, the diameters of each of the disc members being unequal as between each other and substantially equal to the diameter of one of said embossed portions, each of said discs in rotatable relationship abutting in its rim portion the embossed portion of corresponding diameter, the larger of said discs protruding by its upraised portion through the circular opening of its corresponding plate and carrying a pair of straightparallel rails having grooves on the surfaces thereof facing each other within which is slidably seated another plate for endwise movement and the smaller of said discs comprising a U-shaped channel portion extending through the circular opening of its corresponding plate, and a tongue member rockably carried by said U-shaped channel portion.

5. A device for suspending articles from a support surface comprising a base plate adapted to be afiixed to the article for which suspension is desired, said base plate being substantially planar and having a pair of straight parallel rails spaced inwardly from the edges, of the base plate and in spaced relationship with each other, said rails having grooves along their facing sides, a carrier plate dimensioned to have a width corresponding to the spaced relation between the rails slidably to receive the carrier plate therebetween, said carrier plate having a circular opening in an intermediate portion and an annular raised rim about said opening to provide a socket and having diametrically opposed slots in said rim portion contiguous with the opening therebetween, a hinging member comprising a *U-shaped channel portion with arms extending outwardly in the direction away from each other from the base of said channel portion in parallel relation to the base plate, the distance between the outer edges of said arms being substantially equal to 1 the diameter. of the socket rotatably to receive said hinging member therein with the U-shaped portion extending through the opening, a hanger element dimensioned to have a width greater than the width of the opening in i the carrier plate but less than the spaced relation between and flange portions flaring outwardly from the legs of said channel portion in a plane parallel to said base 1 U-shaped channel member and extending thereinto to achieve a pivotal connection. 4. A device for suspending pendant articles from a supporting surface comprising a plurality of plates hav-- ing circular embossed portions defining circular openings the slots in the rim portion to enable the hanger element to be received in pivotal relation within the channel section of the hinging member and to be displaced endwise through said slotted portion of the carrier plate when the channel section of the hinging member with the hanger element therein is inserted through the opening of the carrier plateto efieot the assembled relation.

6. A hanging device as claimed in claim 5- which includes a wall extending crosswise of the carrier plate and perpendicular from the face thereof beyond the opening, a similar wall extending upwardly from the face of the base plate in alignment with the space between the rails with each of said walls having an opening in registry one with the other, an elongate threaded member extending endwise through said aligned openings and abutment openings on the portions extending outwardly of said openings to effect an interconnected relationship between the walls, at least one of said abutment means comprising a nut member threadably received on said elongate threaded member for adjustment of the spaced relationship between the walls and for etfecting endwise adjustment of said hanging element relative to the base plate.

7. A plurality of devices as described in claim 5, said devices being disposed upon a single surface of the article to be suspended in spaced-apart relation whereby to achieve in cooperation a leveling of the device to be suspended.

Hall Dec. 20, 1921 Pfankuch Dec. 21, 1954

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