US3142858A

US3142858A - Drapery hanger

Info

Publication number: US3142858A
Application number: US154222A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bruce J Bieda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-11-22
Filing date: 1961-11-22
Publication date: 1964-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-04

Description

g- 4, 1964 B. J. BIEDA 3,142,858

DRAPERY HANGER Filed Nov. 22, 1961 INVENTOR.

Bruce d. B/eaa ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,142,858 DRAPERY HANGER Bruce J. Bieda, 5590 N. River Road, Rosemont, Ill. Filed Nov. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 154,222 Qlaims. (Cl. 16-87.6)

This invention relates to drapery hanger slide assemblies and the like and is more particularly directed to new and improved hanger slide assemblies including an integral slide head which is constructed of a material having a low coefiicient of sliding friction and which is adaptable for use with either overhead mounted C-tracks or overhead mounted I-beam tracks of traverse rods of conventional construction.

Heretofore it has generally been necessary, because of the different construction of traverse rod C-tracks and I-beam tracks mounted for overhead applications, to employ separate and different types of hanger slides which are ridable on the track of the particular drapery traverse rod employed, either a C-track or I-beam track. As far as I am aware, a hanger slide for receiving drapery hooks has not as yet been constructed which is capable of use interchangeably with C-track and I-beam track traverse rods mounted for overhead or ceiling applications. Moreover, the prior art slides constructed for employment with overhead heavy duty C-tracks were generally not usable as substitutes for the prior art slides employed for use with regular duty G-tracks.

With the present invention, I substantially overcome the problems and difiiculties of the prior art by providing a hanger slide assembly which may be employed with both heavy duty and regular duty overhead C-track traverse rods as well as with overhead I-beam track traverse rods.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hanger slide assembly for overhead traverse rod applications.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a. hanger slide assembly which may be employed with both regular duty and heavy duty overhead G-ltrack traverse rods as well as overhead I-beam track traverse rods.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hanger slide assembly which is capable for use with either overhead C-track traverse rods or overhead I-beam track traverse rods.

A further object of the present invention is to provide hanger slide assemblies which are easily assembled to and disassembled from overhead C-track traverse rods or overhead I-beam track traverse rods.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a hanger slide assembly employing a slide constructed of a material having a low coeflicient of sliding friction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hanger slide assembly simple and compact in construction and eflicient in operation.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those versed in the art from a careful consideration of the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, wherein like reference numerals and characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of a ceiling mounted heavy duty traverse rod employing hanger slide assemblies constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

3,142,858 Patented Aug. 4., 1964 PICC.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the hanger slide assembly of FIG. 3 illustrating the drapery hook receiving eyelet of the hanger slide assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation illustrating the use of the hanger slide assembly of FIG. 2 with a regular duty C-track traverse rod; and

FIG. 6 is a view in section illustrating the use of the slide assembly of FIG. 2 with an overhead I-beam track traverse rod.

A preferred embodiment of a drapery hanger slide assembly 11 constructed in accordance with the present invention appears in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hanger slide assembly 11 comprises a pair of spaced and substantially

parallel rods

12 and 13 defining ends of a single length of wire curved to form a centrally depending drapery hook receiving loop or eyelet 17 which is in a plane rotated approximately 45 from the plane of the said rod axes. The angular relationship of the eyelet 17, thus provided, facilitates employment of the hanger slide assembly 11 with either overhead -C-track traverse rods or overhead I-beam track traverse rods as is more fully discussed hereinafter.

A pair of freely rotatable spheres 18 and 18', each constructed of material having a low coeflicient of sliding friction, for example nylon, are mounted on the said

rods

12 and 13, respectively. Each of the spheres 18 and 18' is provided with an annular peripheral groove, grooves 20 and 20' respectively, which are coplanar. The grooves 21 and 213' are each in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of their

respective rods

12 and 13. The grooves 20 and 20' may be considered to constitute coplanar equatorial grooves located in a planeperpendicular to the axes of rotation of the spheres 18 and 18' on the

rods

12 and 13.

The rod 12 is provided with a head or retaining member 22 providing a bearing surface for the upper hemispherical portion 46 of the surface 18. The rod 12 is of increased cross-sectional dimension to provide a bearing surface 12a for the lower hemispherical portion 34 of the sphere 18 to permit free rotation of the sphere 18 on the C-track of a traverse rod. Thus, the retaining member 22 and rod portion 12a define the limits of axial movement of the sphere during use thereof. Similarly the rod 18' is provided with a head retaining member 24 which provides a bearing surface for the upper hemispherical portion 46 of the sphere 18' and the rod 13 is of increased cross-sectional dimension to provide a bearing surface 13a for the lower hemispherical portion 34 of the sphere 18'. The retaining member 24 and bearing surface 13a define the limits of axial movement of the sphere 18 during use thereof.

The hanger slide assembly 11 may be employed with overhead C-track rods of the heavy duty type, well known in the art, in which the track slot of the C-track rod is of substantial width between the ends of the track jaws. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an overhead heavy duty traverse rod, generally indicated by the numeral 26, is shown which comprises an elongated track member which is substantially C-shaped in cross-section. The track or traverse rod 26 is provided with a top face 26a formed integral with curvilinear and

elongated side portions

26b and 26c and with parted and elongated jaws 26d and 266, which define a longitudinal slot 28 adapted to permit movement of a plurality of the slide assemblies 11 constructed in accordance with the present invention, with a portion thereof disposed in a space 30 defined by the C-track 26.

In the arrangement appearing in FIG. 1, the C-track 26 is provided with a plurality of hanger slide assemblies 11. Each of the hanger slide assemblies 11 is slidably disposed in the space 30 defined by the C-track in the following manner. An end cap 32 (FIG. 1) closing the space 30 is removed from contact with the rod 26 and both of the spheres 18 and 18' of each assembly 11 inserted in the space 30 with the 1oop'17 thereof extending through the slot 28 formed in the track 26. The surface 11a of the lower. hemispherical portion 34 of the

spheres

18 and 18 below their equatorial grooves 29 and slidably engage the

edges

32 and 33 of the

jaws

26d and 26e. Thus, when the hanger assembly 11 is employed with heavy duty overhead C-traclc rods 26, the lower hemispherical portion 34 of each of the spheres 18 and 18' is in slidable engagement with the

edges

32 and 33 of the jaws 26 and 26a, and because of the characteristic of having a low coefiicient of friction, the hanger slide assemblies 11 may be easily slid along the track defined by the

edges

32 and 33 during use of the slide assemblies 11.

To remove the hanger assemblies 11 from the space 30, the end cap 32 is again removed and the slide assemblies 11 slid from the space along the

edges

32 and 33.

The same hanger assembly 11 may be employed with overhead or ceiling mounted regular duty C-track rods 26 of conventional construction in which the width of the slot 28 between the jaws 26d and 26a is narrower, as appears in FIG. 5. When employed with the regular duty C-track 26' shown in FIG. 5, the end cap 32 (not shown) is removed from the rod 26' and the spheres 18 and 18' assembled to the track by aligning the equatorial grooves 20 and 20' of the

spheres

18 and 18 in the same plane as the

rod jaws

26d and 26c and by thereafter moving the spheres 18 and 18' relative to the C-track 26' so that the

grooves

20 and 20 engage with and receive the ends and 42 of the

jaws

26d and 26e as clearly appears in FIG. 5. When a drape is hung from a hook (not shown) extending from the loop 17, the groove defining surface 44 of the upper hemispherical portion 46 of each of the

spheres

18 and 18 is in sliding contact with the upper surface 48 of the C-track jaw 26d and the upper surfaceStl of the C-track jaw 268. Because the

spheres

18 and 18 are constructed of a material, such as nylon, having a low coefiicient of sliding friction, the spheres 18 and 18' will readily slide and/or roll on the

upper surfaces

48 and 50 of the

jaws

26d and 26e during use of the traverse rod 26' and hanger slide assemblies 11.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the adaptability of the hanger assembly 11 for use with overhead or ceiling mounted I-beam track rods of the type illustrated in FIG. 6. The I-beam track rod 51 comprises a bar 52 extending substantially perpendicular to the ceiling (not shown) of the room in which the traverse rod 51 is employed. The I-beam rod 51 includes a top cross bar 54 and a bottom cross bar 56 having

legs

58 and 60 which extend perpendicular to the bar 52. Spaced from the upper cross bar 54 is a cross bar 62 which defines a space between it and the upper cross bar 54 adapted to receive the mounting brackets (not shown) for holding the I-beam track rod to the ceiling.

The

legs

58 and 60 of the bottom cross bar 56 each extend outwardly from the bar 52 a predetermined distance sufficient to permit reception of the

legs

58 and 68 in the equatorial grooves 20 and 20' respectively of the

spheres

18 and 18.

Thus, to mount a plurality of assemblies 11 on the I-beam rod 51, each hanger slide assembly 11 is aligned with the

traverse rod legs

58 and 60 in such a manner that the grooves 20 and 20' receive the

legs

58 and 60 therebetween when the hanger slide assembly 11 is moved for mounting on the I-beam 51. The top surface 44 of each of the spheres 18 and 18' engage the corresponding

top surfaces

66 and 68 of the rod 51 so that as the hanger slide assembly 11 is moved along the track,

the spheres 18 and 18' will rotate and/or slide because of such engagement with the

top surfaces

66 and 68 of the rod legs 58 and 69 respectively. It will be appreciated, of course, that the spacing of the

spheres

18 and 18 relative to each other is such as to permit reception of the traverse rod legs 58 and in the

annular grooves

20 and 20.

By forming the hanger slide assembly 11 so that the loop 17 is in a plane rotated 45 from the plane of the axis of rotation of the

spheres

18 and 18 the eyelet or loop 17 is always in a suitable position to receive a drapery hook and to thereby permit proper hanging of a drape when employed with either an overhead or ceil ing mounted C-track rod or an overhead or ceiling mounted I-beam track and as appears in FIG. 6.

Thus, with the present invention I provide a versatile hanger slide assembly readily adaptable for use with overhead or ceiling mounted C-track rods of conventional construction as well as with overhead or ceiling mounted I-beam track rods.

Although various minor modifications of the present invention will become readily apparent to those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to encompass with the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim:

1. A universal drapery hanger slide assembly for use with C-track and I-traclc units for overhead and ceiling applications including a single rod looped to form a drapery hook eyelet and having both of its end portions bent away from the loop in the same direction to extend rectilinearly in spaced substantially parallel relation to each other, a sphere carried adjacent the outer end of each of said end portions for rotation about the axis of the corresponding end portion, and an annular peripheral groove formed in the outer surface of each sphere, said grooves being coplanar and spaced from each other a distance sufficient to receive the track members of an I-track member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each sphere is constructed of a material having a low co-efiicient of sliding friction.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said material is nylon.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said rod is centrally looped to form said eyelet.

5. A universal drapery hanger slide assembly for use with C-track and I-track members for overhead and ceiling applications including a single rod centrally looped to form a drapery hook eyelet, the end portions of said rod being bent to extend in opposite directions a short distance and in the same plane and then at right angles to extend in the same direction rectilinearly in spaced parallel relation toeach other, a nylon sphere carried adjacent the outer end of each of said end portions for rotation about the axis of the corresponding end portion, and a peripheral groove formed in the outer surface of each of said spheres, said grooves being coplanar and said spheres being spaced from each other a distance so that said grooves may receive the track members of an I-track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,552,831 Edsall Sept. 8, 1925 1,652,656 Bertuccioli Dec. 13, 1927 1,732,299 Bigland Oct. 22, 1929 2,732,894 Harris Jan. 31, 1956 2,848,734 Ault Aug. 26, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 223,821 Great Britain Oct. 30, 1924 r 520,405 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1940

Claims

1. A UNIVERSAL DRAPERY HANGER SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH C-TRACK AND I-TRACK UNITS FOR OVERHEAD AND CEILING APPLICATIONS INCLUDING A SINGLE ROD LOOPED TO FORM A DRAPERY HOOK EYELET AND HAVING BOTH OF ITS END PORTIONS BENT AWAY FROM THE LOOP IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO EXTEND RECTILINEARLY IN SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER, A SPHERE CARRIED ADJACENT THE OUTER END OF EACH OF SAID END PORTIONS FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE CORRESPONDING END PORTION, AND AN ANNULAR PERIPHERAL GROOVE FORMED IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH SPHERE, SAID GROOVES BEING COPLANAR AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO RECEIVE THE TRACK MEMBERS OF AN I-TRACK MEMBER.