US579333A

US579333A - Device for hanging pictures

Info

Publication number: US579333A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1914-03-23

Description

(No Model.)

0. L. SMITH. DEVICE FOR HANGING PICTURES. No. 579,333 Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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ORRIN LELROY SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR HANGING PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,333, dated March 23, 1897. Application filed April 13, 1896. Serial No. 587,363. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORRIN LELROY SMITH, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Device for Hanging Pictures or other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved device for hanging and removing pictures or other articles, it being equally applicable to both operations.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which can be used in connection with the picture hangers or hooks now in common use and one that can be used in connection with the ordinary wire or cord in general use before the adoption of the picture hook or hanger.

Formerly a nail was driven into the Wall and the wire or cord hung upon said nail; but at the present time the more common practice is to secure a picture-rod to the wall near the ceiling and support the picture hooks or hangers thereon. The great difliculty, however, occurs in placing the picture hooks or hangers upon the rod, necessitating the use of a step-ladder, and, furtheremore, in case it is desired to move the picture to one side or the other it is necessary to remove the entire hook and picture to the adjacent place. All of these operations require a great deal of time and labor and are more or less tedious.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which can be operated by either man, woman, or child, and by means of which the picture-hook carrying the wire can be properly placed upon the rod while the person stands upon the floor and another object is to provide a tool or device by meansof which the picture, together with the wire and hook, can readily be removed from the picture-rod in case it isdesired to take down the picture or move it to another place.

Another object is to provide a device for the purposes described which will securely hold or look the hook and Wire therein while the same are being moved up or down to hang or take down a picture.

Another object is to provide a device for the purposes intended which will securely engage or operate upon picture hooks or hangers of all descriptions; and another object is to provide a tool of this kind in which the locking operation will be thoroughly automatic.

With these various objects in view my invention consists in the, peculiar construction of the various parts and in their novel combination or arrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

I11 the drawings forming apart of this specification, Figure l is a View showing the invention in use, the wire and picture hook or hanger held therein. Fig. 1 is a viewshowing the picture hung, the wire and hook being apart from the hanger. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the device closed upon a picture hookor hanger. Fig. 3 is a detail View showing the device open. Fig. 4: is a similar view from the opposite side.

In carrying out my invent-ion I employ a pole A, of any desirable length, and upon the upper end thereof is mounted the thimble or ferrule B, and extending upwardly from said ferrule is a fiat arm C, bifurcated at its outer end, providing the members C and C A fastening member I) is pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the member C by means of apivot D, said fastening member being essentially U-shaped, but the interior curve of the lower member is made somewhat greater, as shown at D*, than the curve D upon the upper member.

Upon the exterior of the member D is produced a lug E, which curves gradually to a point, said lug being adapted to engage a leafspring F, fastened at its lower end to the arm 0 and bearing at its free end against the exterior of the fastening member D, and as said member is moved up or down upon its pivot it is clear that the spring F will rest upon either the upper or lower side of the lug E and thereby hold the fastening member in either a closed or open position.

The fastening member, being pivoted upon one member of the arm, swings toward the opposite member C and engages the same in both its upward and downward movements, the lower end of the member engaging a shoulder G, formed upon the end of the member 0 while the upper end of the member D is formed with a shoulder G to increase its thickness and provide a firm bearing upon the shoulder G on the top of the member 0 The shoulder G limits the upward movement of the fastening member as it is thrown open, and said shoulder also limits the downward movement of said member as it is closed. The interior curve D of the member D is such that when the fastener is thrown down upon the member 0 said edge D will rest slightly above the arm 0 and thereby form a suitable guide for the lower en d of the picture hook or hanger II.

New in operation in case it is desired to hang a picture upon the picture-rod I by means of the hook H the picture-wire K is first inserted in the smaller or lower end of the picture-hook. The fastening member I) is then thrown open and the lower member of the hook carrying the wire is inserted into the said member. The weight of the picture bearing upon the hook immediately throws the lower portion of said member down and brings the upper member tight against the central portion of the picture-hook and binds the same close against the member C and its shoulder G, and the spring F prevents any possible dislocation of the parts. All of the parts being thus arranged, the picture with its wire and hook are elevated by means of the pole and the larger end of the hook placed upon the picture-rod I. The hook thus sustains the weight of the picture and the pole with its attachment can be drawn downward, and in doing so the fastening member is thrown open,as most clearly shown, thereby leaving the hook upon the rod and the wire secured in the lower end of the hook. As the fastening member is thrown open the lug E passes below thehead of the leaf-spring F and thereby holds'said member open ready for the next operation.

I11 case it is desired to take the picture down or remove it to another place on the same rod the pole'is raised, bringing the end of the member C under the lower end of the picturerod, it being understood that the fastening member at this time is open. As the pole with its attachment is moved upward the weight of the picture upon the hook and the upward pressure upon the pole cause the spring F to be overcome and the fastening member thrown down or closed, thereby securely holding the hook therein, and by continuing the upward movement of the pole the hook can be removed from the rod and moved to another place, if desired, or taken down.

As before stated, my improved device can be used for hanging pictures upon the ordinary picture-nail in common use before picture hooks and rods, and in such case the wire is inserted in the fastener and then placed over the nail. The picture being thus supported, the pole can be drawn down, and in so doing the fastener will of course be opened.

Should it be desired to remove the wire from the ordinary nail, the fastener is first thrown open and then projected up under the wire, and as soon as the wire comes in contact with the lower leg of the fastening member said fastening member is thrown closed, and all possibility of the wire escaping therethrough will be avoided.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly cheap, simple, and effective device for hanging or removing pictures either in connection with the picture hook or hanger or without said hook, and it will also be noted that the fastening operations of said device are thoroughly automatic.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved device for hanging and removing pictures or other articles, comprising a bifurcated arm having a shoulder at the end of one member, a U shaped fastening device pivoted at the end of the opposing member, said fastening device being adapted to contact with the said shoulder in both an open and closed position, substantially as shown and described.

2. An improved device for hanging and removing pictures or other articles, comprising a bifurcated arm having a shoulder at the end of one member, a U-shaped fastening member pivoted to the end of the opposite member, said fastening member having a lug upon the exterior, and a leaf-spring adapted to engage said lug and hold the fastener either open or closed, substantially as shown and described.

3. An improved device for hanging pictures or other articles, comprising the bifurcated arm having a shoulder at the end of one member, the U-shaped fastening device pivoted at the end of the opposite member, the upper leg of said fastening device having a shoulder, said fastening device having also a lug adjacent to the pivot, and the leaf-spring adapted to engage said lug and hold the fastening device either open or closed, substantially as shown and described.

4. An improved device for hanging and removing pictures or other articles comprising the pole and thimble or ferrule, the arm projecting from said ferrule, and bifurcated at its upper end, the U-shaped fastening member pivoted near the upper end of one of the members, and having a lug intermediate its ends, and a lateral shoulder upon its upper end, the upper end of the other member of the bifurcated arm having a lateral shoulder adapted to engage the lower end of the U fastening member and limit its upward movement, and the leaf-spring attached to the arm, and adapted to engage the lug on the fastening member to hold the same open or closed, substantially as shown and described.

ORRIN LELROY SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

LUCIE B. SMITH, JAMEs H. HUKILL.

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