US3203142A

US3203142A - Mirror mounting means and method

Info

Publication number: US3203142A
Application number: US134459A
Authority: US
Inventors: James I Narmore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-08-28
Filing date: 1961-08-28
Publication date: 1965-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-31

Description

Aug. 31, 1965 J. 1. NARMORE MIRROR MOUNTING MEANS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 28. 1961 1 l 3 a mfi F mm i R {,0 mA H W M m v V. B n nfla g 1 F ww fi l r 3 1 7 O I 3 United States Patent 3,203,142 MIRROR MOUNTING MEANS AND METHOD- .lames I. Narmore, 2826 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis, Ind. Filed Aug. 28, 1961, 'Ser. No. 134,459 3 Claims. (CI. 52-27) This invention relates generally to means and a method for mounting mirrors to walls and particularly for the mounting of unframed mirrors to walls having a finished surface of a material such as ceramic or glass tile or wood paneling, with an unfinished area behind the intended mirror location.

It is conventional practice in building construction to avoid the use of comparatively expensive finishes or finish materials in places where they wont be seen. In modern buildings including homes, glass, ceramic and plastic tile are widely used for walls, particularly in bathrooms, washrooms, showers and the like. In washrooms and bathrooms particularly, mirrors are commonplace and modern design frequently dictates frameless mirrors of substantial size. According to the above-mentioned practice, where a finishing material such as those mentioned above is intended to surround the mirror location, the material is usually omitted at the intended mirror location, leaving an opening with the unfinished wall surface apparent within the borders of the finishing material.

To mount a mirror in place covering the opening, it is conventional practice to provide some furring material in the opening to build up the surface in the unfinished wall area fiush with that of the surrounding finishing material. One means of furring is by placing plywood in the opening and nailing through the unfinished wall to the wall studding. Holes are drilled in the mirror, itself, whereby fasteners may be inserted and anchored in the plywood or in the studding behind. The fasteners are usually in the form of rosettes. In order to properly locate the mirror both for location of the holes and for mounting the mirror, it normally requires either two persons or some additional steps on the part of a single person to securely prop the mirror in position during the marking operation.

The disadvantages of conventional practice are many. The time requirement is excessive, and as suggested above, two men are usually required to facilitate the hanging of the mirrors. The drilling of the mounting holes in the mirror requires a skilled glazier and even then, there is a hazard of scratching the silver or the glass or both. There is the necessity of locating studs in order to properly apply the furring material. If mounting clips are used instead of rosettes and drilled holes, the only step omitted is that of drilling the holes in the glass. Moreover, the clips cause the mirror to extend too far out from the wall to provide the neat appearance usually required in modern architecture and decorating.

It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide an improved means and method for mounting mirrors.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means and method to facilitate the mounting of mirrors whereby one comparatively unskilled person can conveniently effect a neat mirror installation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and means for mounting a mirror or other plate-like object with its rear surface in a plane almost coplanar with a finished wall surface where there is an unfinished wall area recessed with respect to the finished surface behind the intended location of the mirror or other object without the necessity of locating studs, employing furring material, or drilling the mirror or other object.

r. CC

Described briefly, the invention includes in its scope a novel support hanger which is so constructed as to be fastenable directly to plaster or wallboard in the area within an opening in a finished surface of a wall. Assuming that the finished surface is obtained by the use of ceramic tile, the hanger is disposed at the lower edge of the opening bordered by the tile so as to be supportable by the tile when the hanger is subjected to the load of a mirror. The support hanger includes a portion projecting downwardly over the finished surface of the tile and then opening upwardly to form a sort of hook portion to receive the lower edge of a mirror.

A novel retainer for the upper edge of the mirror is provided. This retainer has two principal members, the first of which is mounted directly to the wallboard or plaster adjacent the upper edge of the opening. A portion of this first member extends outwardly to a point slightly beyond the plane of the finished wall surface. It then may extend upwardly or downwardly, parallel to the finished wall surface, upwardly being the preferred construction.

The second member of the retainer includes a portion engaged by the first member for retention thereto, this portion extending upwardly and opening downwardly in a sort of hook to engage the upper edge of the mirror. An inwardly projecting portion adjoins the upwardly extending portion at its lower edge to engage the portion of the first member fastened to the wallboard. The second member may be moved vertically downwardly from a position whereby the upper edge of the mirror may be moved into place, to a position whereby the upper edge of the mirror is firmly retained in place by the member.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a front View of a mirror installation according to this invention, a portion of the mirror being broken away to illustrate certain important mounting details.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a wall with a mirror mounter thereto according to this invention, the section being taken along lines 22 in FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the novel retainer used for the upper fastening of the mirror.

FIG. 4 is a top view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the novel hanger used to support the lower edge of a mirror according to this invention.

- Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a mirror 11 disposed in front of an opening 12 surrounded by finished wall 13. The mirror is typically fastened in four places by hangers 14 at the lower edge 16 thereof and retainers 17 at the upper edge 18 thereof. In the portion of FIG. 1 from which the mirror has been omitted, its relationship to the other parts will be more readily appreciated by retention of the mirror outline as indicated by the dotted line 19. One of the hangers 14 is shown as installed on the unfinished wall surface in the opening 12. Similarly, one of the retainers 17 is so shown. However, the hook portion of the retainer is shown in an upward position such as required to receive the mirror during the mounting operation.

In FIG. 2, there is shown material 21 which may be plaster, or wallboard, or other typical building wall construction material. The outer surface 22 exposed in opening 12 will be considered, for the purposes of this specification, an unfinished wall surface, though it is recognized that at times the surfaces of plaster or wallboard would be the finished surface of a wall. Finished wall materials such as, for example, ceramic tile pieces 23 and 24, are

mounted by a suitable mastic material 26 to the unfinished surface 22, thereby forming the lower and

upper borders

27 and 28, respectively, of the opening 12.

The support hanger 14 includes a first portion 29 having appropriate openings 31 therethrough. Portion 29 is fastened to the wallboard 21 by means of the screws 32. It is a good practice to use a sleeve 33 of plastic or other suitable material around the screw 3?. whereby a more satisfactory engagement with the wallboard can be obtained.

Hanger clip 14 includes a forwardly projecting portion 34, the support of which can be largely provided by the tile 23, if the portion 29 is mounted in the lowermost possible position in the opening 12. Hanger 14 includes a further portion 36 projecting downwardly from portion 34, then outwardly at 37 and then upwardly at 38 to form a sort of hook to receive the lower edge 16 of the mirror 11. Suitable protection for the lower edge of the mirror can be provided by a setting pad 39 made of felt, cork, tape or other suitable material. Similarly, protection for the mirror silver on the back surface 41 of the mirror 11 can be provided by the cushion strip 42 which may also be made of tape or other suitable material.

Retainer 17 for the upper portion of the mirror 11 includes a first member 46 and a second member 47, the lattter being shown by solid outlines in its uppermost position for receipt of the mirror, and by dotted outlines in its mirror retaining position. The first member 46 includes a first portion 48 having perforations 49 therein whereby it may be attached to the wallboard 21 by means of the screws 51 in a manner similar to the attachment of the hanger 14. Member 46 includes a forwardly projecting portion 52 and a vertically extending portion 53 which may extend either upwardly as shown or downwardly from the portion 52, upwardly being the preferred construction. As shown in FIG. 4, an opening 54 is provided in portion 52 adjacent portion 53 for purposes which will become apparent.

The second member 47 includes a generally planar portion 56 which passes through the opening 54 in the first member. At the lower edge of member 47, there is a rearwardly extending portion 57 which is engageable with portion 48 of member 46. Portion 57 includes a V-shaped notch 58 therein which is apparent in FIG. 5, and which permits passage of the member 47 upwardly and downwardly without obstruction by any of the mounting screws 51. It will also be observed that engagement of portion 57 with the portion 48 of the first member permits a locking of the second member in the lowermost mirror retaining position by virtue of the provision of projections 60 in portion 48.

At the upper edge of the portion 56 of the second member 47, there is a forwardly projecting portion 59. Portion 61 extending downwardly from portion 59 cooperates with portion 59 and with portion 56 to provide a downwardly opening hook to engage the upper edge 18 of the mirror 11, when placed in the position shown by the dotted outlines in FIG. 2. Suitable protection for the silver on the rear face 41 of the mirror can again be provided by strip 62 similar to strip 42 employed at the hanger 14.

To install a mirror according to the invention, the vertical distance between the upper and

lower edges

28 and 27 of the opening 12 should be measured. The mirror should then be cut to a size suitably larger than this dimension, one inch larger, for example. The mirror should be cut to length as required to adequately cover the side margins or borders of the opening 12. By cutting the mirror to the height as indicated above, a hanger having a one-half inch vertical overlap of the finished surface of the tile 23 can be used with the portion 34 thereof resting on the upper edge of the tile 23. Similarly, the portion 53 of the first member of the retainer 17 can extend above the lower edge of the tile 24 a distance of one-half inch. After so mounting the hanger and retainer to the wallboard 21, the lower edge of the mirror can be rested in the hook in the hanger 14. The second member 47 of the retainer 17 is raised to the position shown by the solid outlines in FIG. 2 and the upper edge of the mirror is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2. The second member of the retainer 17 is then depressed to the position shown by the dotted outline to firmly retain the mirror in place. In depressing the second member 47 to the position shown by the dotted outline, the projections 60 will be passed over by portion 57. Thus, after snapping member 47 into retaining position, projections 60 will keep the member from being accidentally raised out of retaining position whenever the mirror is cleaned after installation. It should be observed, that there is some flexibility in the possible mounting location of both the hanger and the retainer whereby irregularities in setting of the tiles may be compensated for and slight measuring erors can also be compensated for. The retainers can, of course, be used at the side edges of the mirror if desired, though use at the upper edge is usually preferred.

The parts used for the retainer and hanger may be typically made of thin metal stock, .03125 inch, for example. Because of light gauge, the parts can give slightly outwardly to allow for unevenness in the finished surface of the wall. Yet, it is possible to mount the mirror quite close to the Wall to avoid any unsightly gap between the finished wall surface and the back of the mirror. Adequate air space in the opening 12 behind the mirror, unimpeded by furring strips or boards, permits the mirror to remain dry, resulting in long mirror life. Typically, the parts would be made of steel with a bright metal plat-ing such as chrome.

It should be recognized that this means and method of mounting a mirror is extremely versatile. In addition to providing for the mounting of a mirror, it can be used for mounting other sheet or plate-like objects. In addition to mount-ing over an opening of the general type shown and described, it should be recognized that this means and method can be used in other environments. For example, it could be used where wall-board is cut away for a mounting location, exposing the wall studs in the opening provided by the cut-away wallboard. The hangers and retainers can then be mounted directly to the studs and the mirror installed in a manner similar to that described and shown in the drawings.

While the advantages of the device and method of this invention may be obvious, perhaps a few should again be mentioned. Using the means and method of this invention, the home owner, builder, tile setter or handyman, as well as the professional glass man (usually referred to as a glazier), can quickly and easily install mirrors with very little chance of breakage, no holes to drill in the mirror, no plywood or other furring material to nail on a wall, and no necessity for locating wall studs. Moreover, the devices provide for vertical adjustment to compensate for irregularities in borders and slight errors in measuring and cutting the mirror. Typical examples of the range of adjustment possible, using clips with a one-half inch overlap capacity, would be up to three-fourths inch over the optimum measurement and down to one-half inch less than the optimum measurement. A further advantage, is the adaptability of the devices to manufacture in sizes accommodating different thicknesses of wall tile or the like. A further advantage is the saving of tile, mastic and labor which would be otherwise necessary if the tile were carried across the area to be covered by the mirror and the mirror mounted thereto by conventional means. A still further advantage is the fact that by use of the method and means of this invention, a mirror can be installed in less than half the time and in most cases with half the manpower required by conventional methods and devices. Again, as indicated before, the parts used will accommodate unevenness in the wall surface and yet will allow the mirror to hang close to the wall with no unslightly gap between the wall and the back of the mirror.

It should be observed that while the hanger and retainer are shown with portions intersecting at right angles in most instances, the construction could be modified somewhat and remain within the scope of the invention. For example, portion 52 of the first member of the retainer could be curved and could intersect portion 48 thereof at an angle of more or less than 90. Also, as long as a suitable mounting plane is provided for attachment to the wallboard 21, portion 48 would not necessarily need to be entirely in a plane but could include reinforcing ribs or be otherwise modified within the scope of the invention. Similarly, portion 56 could be modified with ribs or otherwise within the scope of the invention, yet retaining a generally planar character. A still further obvious modification within the scope of the invention would be to provide other than rectangular formed hook portions for the hanger and retainer. Also, the opening in portion 52 of the first member of the retainer would not need to be centrally located but could, for example, be in one of the lateral edges of the member or both of the lateral edges of the member.

There-fore, while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a building construction, the combination com prising:

means providing a first wall surface,

wall surfacing elements secured to said first wall surface and having outer faces providing a finished wall surface lying in a first plane in horizontally spaced relation to said first wall surface, said elements being arranged to provide an opening in said finished surface, with said first wall surface exposed in said opening and recessed from said finished wall surface, said elements having edges bordering said opening;

a single plate completing covering said opening;

a support hanger having a first portion with a back surface attached directly to said first wall surface adjacent an upper bordering edge of said elements at a lower border of said opening, and said hanger having a forwardly projecting portion resting on one of said edges at the said lower border of said opening, and said hanger having a portion projecting downwardly from said forwardly projection portion and opening upwardly to form a book supporting the lower edge of said plate;

and a retainer having first and second members, the the first member thereof having a first portion with a rear surface attached directly to said first wall surface adjacent another bordering edge, and said first member having a second portion projecting forwardly from said first portion thereof at a lower bordering edge of said elements at an upper border of said opening, said second portion of said first member having a slot therein intercepting the said plane of said finished wall surface, and said first member having a third portion extending vertically from said second portion at a front margin of said slot;

the second member of said retainer having a first portion extending vertically upwardly through said slot at said finished wall surface and having a second portion projecting forwardly from said first portion of said second member above said slot, and said second member having a third portion projecting down from said second portion thereof, said first, second, and third portions of said second member from a hook retaining the upper portion of said plate, said second member having a fourth portion extending rearwardly from said first portion below said slot and engaging the first portion of said first member and thereby providing horizontal support for said second member.

2. A device for mounting a mirror in front of a recessed opening in a wall, the opening having a first surface recessed with respect to a finished wall surface bordering the opening, said device comprising:

a first member having a first portion with a back surface lying in a vertical plane for attachment directly to the first surface, a second portion extending across the upper margin of said first portion and projecting forwardly from said first portion, and a third portion beginning at said second portion and extending thereform parallel to said plane and terminating at a point in horizontally spaced relation to said plane, said second portion having a slot therethrough at said third portion, with said third portion defining the front margin of said slot, all of said portions of said first member being formed of a single homogeneous piece of material;

and a' second member having an elongated generally planar first portion extending through said slot in said first member, and having a second portion joining said planar portion and projecting rearwardly and abuttingly engaging said first portion of said first member to provide horizontal support for said second member, and said second member having a third portion projecting forwardly from said planar portion, and a fourth portion extending from said forwardly projecting portion generally parallel to said planar portion of said second member, the first, third, and fourth portions of said second member forming a hook for engaging a mirror adjacent an edge thereof;

said first and second members being relatively movable for movement from a relationship of disengagement from a mirror to a relationship of engagement of a mirror, said first portion of said first member and said rearwardly projecting second portion of said second member cooperating with the first portion of said second member extending through said slot in said second portion of said first member to guide said second member during movement relative to said first member.

3. A device for mounting a mirror in front of a recessed opening in a wall, the opening having a first surface recessed with respect to a finished wall surface bordering the opening, said device comprising:

a first member having a first portion with a front surface and a rear surface lying in a plane, said rear surface being attachable directly to the first surface, and said front surface having a detent means projecting forwardly therefrom, and said first member having a second portion projecting forward from said first portion, said second portion having a slot therein, the slot having a vertical depth equal to the thickness of the material of said second portion, and said first member having a third portion beginning at the front margin of said slot and extending from said second portion parallel to said rear surface and terminating at a point in horizontally spaced relation to said plane;

and a second member having a first portion extending extending through said slot in said first member, and having a second portion joining said first portion and extending rearwardly a distance sufiicient to interfere with said detent means on the first portion of said first member, said second member having a third portion projecting forwardly from said first portion, and said second member having a fourth portion projecting from said third portion thereof in a direction parallel to said first portion thereof, said third and fourth portions combining with said first portion to form a hook for engaging a mirror ad- 2,184,893 12/39 Lumley 161 jacent an edge thereof; 2,501,176 3/50 Jacobs 248-28 X said first and second members being relatively movable 2,686,641 8/54 Friedrich 24830 vertically for movement from a relationship of disen- 2,696,962 12/54 Goss 248-28 gagement from a mirror to a relationship of engage- 5 2,818,948 1/58 Jones 189-88 ment of a mirror, and all portions of said second 3,008,249 11/61 Masters 24828 X member which are above said slot being in front of a vertical plane containing the portion of said sec- FOREIGN PATENTS ond member extending through said slot. 655,303 1/33 Germany- 10 315,538 8/56 Switzerland. References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Exammer. 2,129,189 9/38 Alder ROBERT C. RIORDON, JACOB L. N12CKENOFF, 2,135,982 11/38 Masters 35-67X

Claims

1. IN A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: MEANS PROVIDING A FIRST WALL SURFACE, WALL SURFACING ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID FIRST WALL SURFACE AND HAVING OUTER FACES PROVIDING A FINISHED WALL SURFACE LYING IN A FIRST PLANE IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST WALL SURFACE, SAID ELEMENTS BEING ARRANGED TO PROVIDE AN OPENING IN SAID FINISHED SURFACE, WITH SAID FIST WALL SURFACE EXPOSED IN SAID OPENING AND RECESSED FROM SAID FINISHED WALL SURFACE, SAID ELEMENTS HAVING EDGES BORDERING SAID OPENING; A SINGLE PLATE COMPLETING COVERING SAID OPENING; A SUPPORT HANGER HAVING A FIST PORTION WITH A BACK SURFACE ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO SAID FIRST WALL SURFACE ADJACENT AN UPPER BORDERING EDGE OF SAID ELEMENTS AT A LOWER BORDER OF SAID OPENING, AND SAID HANGER HAVING A FORWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION RESTING ON ONE OF SAID EDGES AT THE SAID LOWER BORDER OF SAID OPENING, AND SAID HANGER HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID FORWARDLY PROJECTION PORTION AND OPENING UPWARDLY TO FORM A BOOK SUPPORTING THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID PLATE; AND A RETAINER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, THE THE FIRST MEMBER THEREOF HAVING A FIRST PORTION WITH A REAR SURFACE ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO SAID FIRST WALL SURFACE ADJACENT ANOTHER BORDERING EDGE, AND SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A SECOND PORTION PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST PORTION THEREOF AT A LOWER BORDERING EDGE OF SAID ELEMENTS AT AN UPPER BORDER OF SAID OPENING, SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A SLOT THEREIN INTERCEPTING THE SAID PLANE OF SAID FINISHED WALL SURFACE, AND SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A THIRD PORTION EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM SAID SECOND PORTION AT A FRONT MARGIN OF SAID SLOT; THE SECOND MEMBER OF SAID RETAINER HAVING A FIRST PORTION EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID SLOT AT SAID FINISHED WALL SURFACE AND HAVING A SECOND PORTION PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID SECOND MEMBER ABOVE SAID SLOT, AND SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A THIRD PORTION PROJECTING DOWN FROM SAID SECOND PORTION THEREOF, SAID FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD PORTIONS OF SAID SECOND MEMBER FROM A HOOK RETAINING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID PLATE, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A FOURTH PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST PORTION BELOW SAID SLOT AND ENGAGING THE FIRST PORTION OF SAID FIRST MEMBER AND THEREBY PROVIDING HORIZONTAL SUPPORT FOR SAID SECOND MEMBER.