Abstract:
A specially formed hanger formed as a unitary bar, or rod, is formed and shaped to provide three point contact on two opposing side surfaces of a stud by means of torsion generated forces to resist downwardly and outwardly vectored gravitational loading forces resulting from supporting and/or suspending utilitarian loads on the hanger.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a tool less hanger construction suitable for use with vertical structural members such as wall studs used in architectural applications. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Many hanger devices are available in the market by means of which tools and other miscellaneous objects may be suspended from vertical structures such as the exposed studs in a garage or in a basement workshop area. The majority of such hanger devices require one or more tools to install. Installation may range from the utilization of simple nails for retention to complex clip assemblies secured by screws, or nails. 
     The prior art relating to a so-called tool-less hanger is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,699 issued Nov. 26, 1996 and entitled,“Hanger and Method of Attachment.” There is disclosed a hanger for engagement on a support member having a front face and first and second parallel sides. The hanger has a load bearing portion and a support member engagement portion formed with a fulcrum. Arm members attached to hook members having sharpened ends embrace the support member. The parts are disposed so that the load-bearing portion rotates on the fulcrum under load in order to exert leverage to embed the sharpened points into the first and second parallel sides of the support member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A specially formed two or three dimensional shaped hanger article grips structural forms, such as vertical slabs, boards, or poles, with three point contact on two opposing side surfaces of the structural form by means of torsion generated forces to resist downwardly and outwardly vectored gravitational forces caused by the object supported from an outwardly extended portion of the shaped hanger article. 
     More particularly, the present invention contemplates the utilization of an elongated wire-form, or rod-form, member which is specially pre-formed by bending or molding into a utilitarian hanger unit characterized by a three-dimensional configuration that will allow the hanger to grip, or clamp, a vertical structural member with three point contact on only two opposing side surfaces of the structural member by means of torsion generated forces. The hanger thus provided will effectively resist downwardly and outwardly vectored gravitational forces caused by objects supported from, or suspended by, an outwardly extended portion of the hanger. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanger provided in accordance with one form of this invention wherein the wire form, or rod form, stock used as the source material for the hanger article is bent and shaped in three dimensions. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1, but depicted in its initial stage of installation on a typical structural form such as a wooden wall stud of the type used in an architectural structure. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIGS. 1 and 2, but depicted in its final stage of installation on the wall stud. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3, somewhat enlarged to show additional details of the hanger when fully assembled in operating position on a wall stud. 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational composite view in three parts showing in the left hand part the shape of the hanger of FIG. 1, in the upper right hand part the shape and relationship of the hanger of FIG. 2 as installation on a stud is begun and deformation of the hanger occurs to store clamping energy in the hanger, and in the bottom right part the shape of the hanger in FIGS. 3 and 4 when installation is complete and the hanger is in its fully operative position. 
     FIG. 6 is a composite view of a second form of the invention wherein the wire form, or rod form, stock for the hanger article is formed in only two dimensions, the hanger being shown in a front elevation at the left, in a side elevation in the middle, and in two different phases of installation at the top and the bottom, respectively, on the right. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third form of the invention wherein the bottom leg of the hanger unit is modified to accomplish a different mode of utilitarian support, as depicted in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view showing two of the hangers of FIG. 7, each hanger having a cord suspended therefrom to carry a shelf. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The hangers of this invention may be formed from metal stock constituting a wire-form product, or from a rod-form product. It is possible that the stock could also be a plastic product, provided the material is sufficiently tough, springy, elastic, and pliable to be bent, formed, molded or shaped into a pre-formed two or three-dimensional shape. The hangers must exhibit the requisite characteristics of this invention, i.e., resiliency. Another proviso is that the end product must display characteristics of memory so that energy may be stored in the hanger by pre-determined deformation necessitated during installation whereupon a suitable squeezing or clamping action will be developed relative to an adjoining architectural structure. 
     The theory upon which the principles of the present invention are based is that the directional forces causing the engagement of the hanger device are significantly different from the directional forces applied during the functional operation of the hanger device. Hence, I have discovered that the holding forces need only be applied to the opposing sides of the support structure, thereby eliminating the necessity of using nails, or screws without a loss of function. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated for descriptive purposes a conventional 2″×4″ wall stud “S” commonly used in constructing architectural buildings such as houses, garages and other utilitarian structures. A hanger  10  provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention finds particular utility with such a wall stud S, especially since such a stud “S” is customarily disposed vertically. It is with that type of support structure that the present invention is very effective. Since the stud “S” is disposed vertically, there is shown a vertical center axis “A” with respect to which axis “A” the hanger of the present invention is oriented. Thus, gravitational forces imposed on a hanger carried by the stud “S” may be exploited to promote a squeezing, or clamping, action to retain a hanger on the stud “S” without the use of special tools or supplemental fastening means. 
     In accordance with this invention, a hanger “H” is provided for use with a conventional 2×4 stud “S” of the type having a rectangular cross-section. When incorporated in an architectural structure such as a residence, a garage, or any other kind of a building, the stud “S” has a front face  20 , a rear face  30 , a first side face  40  and a second side face  50 . The faces of the stud “S” are each spaced outwardly of the vertical center axis “A.” Together with one another, the faces form a rectangle in cross-section. 
     A first form of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, wherein the hanger “H” is pre-formed in three dimensions to achieve the features desired. A second form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, wherein the hanger “H” initially formed in two dimensions is deformed by the user in situ into its ultimate utilitarian position and shape. A third form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is merely a modified form of suspension means for a selected end use. 
     The hanger “H” is a one-piece article consisting of a unitary elongated member made of ductile material exhibiting memory characteristics to provide parts discernibly identifiable for purposes of this disclosure from top-to-bottom as parts designated on the drawings by numbers  1 - 5 , inclusive. Using those designations, each of the parts  1 - 5  may be more particularly described as follows, referring first of all to FIGS. 1-5. 
     (1) A leg ( 1 ) is situated at one end of the hanger “H” corresponding to the top end of the elongated member. The leg ( 1 ) is adapted to be positioned in laterally spaced relationship to the axis “A” and abuts the first side face  40  of the stud “S.” The leg ( 1 ) is disposed to extend horizontally and forwards relative to the stud “S” and its vertical center axis “A.” 
     (2) A leg ( 2 ) is offset at right angles to the leg ( 1 ) and is adapted to be spaced forwards the vertical axis “A.” The leg ( 2 ) extends downwardly and laterally across the front face  20  of the stud “S.” 
     (3) A “U” shaped leg ( 3 ) offset at right angles to the leg ( 2 ) is adapted to be spaced laterally from the vertical axis “A” of the stud “S,” but in the opposite lateral direction as the leg ( 1 ), so that the leg ( 3 ) adjoins the side face  50  and is disposed to have one of its arms extend horizontally and rearwardly from the plane of the leg ( 2 ), terminating in a bight portion abutting the side face  50 . The other of its arms extends horizontally and forwards from the bight portion in parallel spaced relation to the one arm back to the plane of the leg ( 2 ). 
     (4) A leg ( 4 ) is offset at right angles to the U-shaped leg ( 3 ) and is adapted to extend generally downwardly. In the form of the invention of FIGS. 1-5 and FIGS. 7 and 8, the leg ( 4 ) may be pre-formed to extend at least part way in a lateral direction towards the plane of the leg ( 1 ). However, an important functional feature of this invention is provided by this portion of the hanger “H.” First of all, note the additional structure of the next part. 
     (5) A leg ( 5 ) has at least a portion thereof offset at right angles to the leg ( 4 ) and is adapted to extend rearwardly and horizontally in spaced relation to the vertical axis “A.” It should be noted that the leg ( 5 ), when pre-formed, is not disposed in the same identical plane as the leg ( 1 ). 
     What I will now refer to as ( 4 a) is of particular pertinence to the aforementioned feature. The leg ( 4 ) is sufficiently ductile and the hanger “H” sufficiently resilient, that the user can place leg ( 1 ) on the first side face  40  with the leg ( 2 ) extending across the front face  20  and the leg ( 3 ) is placed on the second side face  50 , whereupon the leg ( 4 ) is deformably sprung so that the leg ( 5 ) is resiliently loaded against the side face  40 . The start of such action is depicted on FIG. 2 of the drawings wherein the leg ( 3 ) is aligned so that it can be seated against the side face  50  and the hanger “H” is swung in the direction of the arrow so that the leg  5  can be more or less wedged against the side face  40  by moving the hanger “H” in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG.  3 . When such deformation of the leg ( 4 ) occurs under the effect of applied torsion force, the spring loaded energy stored in the hanger “H” will exert a three point squeezing or clamping action on the stud “S,” namely, at the first point of contact between the leg ( 1 ) and the side face  40 , at the second point of contact between the leg ( 3 ) and the side face  50 , and at the third point of contact between the leg ( 5 ) and the side face  50 . 
     Furthermore, when vertical load forces are applied to the leg ( 5 ), the grip provided by the squeezing and clamping on the side faces  40  and  50  actually becomes more pronounced, or intense. 
     In order to provide loading means for the hanger “H” the leg ( 5 ) may be provided as a “U” shaped part wherein a first arm extends rearwardly and horizontally relative to the axis “A” and terminates in a bight  6  engaging the side face  40  of the stud “S.” A second arm  7  extends forwards from the bight  6  and horizontally parallel to the first arm and projects sufficiently forwards so that loads may be supported and/or suspended therefrom. 
     As shown in the drawings, the projecting second arm  7  of the leg ( 5 ) may be so shaped and formed to provide a hook shaped support on the hanger “H” from which utilitarian loads may be supported and/or suspended. In FIG. 4 there is shown a second arm  7  with an offset finger  8  capped by a plastic ring or ferrule  9  forming a rounded smooth protective surface which cushions the extreme end of the hanger article and safeguards the user. 
     At the top end of the hanger article, in order to enhance the gripping and clamping action of the leg ( 1 ), the very upper end of the leg ( 1 ) is sufficiently upset to form a toe  10  which projects as a spur, or foot, towards the side face  40 . When the hanger “H” is in use, the toe  10  actually penetrates the surface of the side face  40 , especially if the side face  40  is provided by a wooden stud “S,” or the like. Thus, the engagement of the leg ( 1 ) with the side face  40  is sufficient to resist displacement of the hanger “H.” 
     In FIG. 5, the drawing is virtually a three part composite line drawing wherein the left hand part is a view taken in elevation of the hanger “H”. The view on the upper right shows the hanger “H” positioned similarly to FIG. 2, i.e., with leg ( 1 ) engaged with the side face  40  and leg ( 3 ) engaged, or positioned to be engaged, with the side face  50 . The bottom view shows the leg ( 4 ) deformed so that the leg ( 5 ) can be engaged with the side face  50  as described above. 
     In FIG. 6, also a composite line drawing, the hanger “H” is formed by bending or shaping in only 2 dimensions. Thus, the left hand view is a front elevation and the middle view is side elevation. The right hand side of the drawing depicts, on the top, how the hanger “H” is placed against the stud “S” with the leg ( 1 ) engaged against the side face  40 . The user then places the leg ( 2 ) across the front face of the stud “S” so that the leg ( 3 ) can be placed against the side face  50  of the stud “S.” The user then deforms the hanger “H” by bending the leg ( 4 ) across the front face  20  of the stud “S” so that the leg ( 5 ) may be engaged with the side face  40  of the stud “S”. 
     In FIG. 7, the leg ( 5 ) differs from the leg ( 5 ) in FIGS. 1-5 in that it terminates in a toe “T” engageable with the side face  40 . A corded loop  80  may be attached to the leg ( 5 ). If two such hangers “H” are arranged in spaced relation on adjoining or neighboring studs “S” a shelf  81  may be supported in the corded loops  80 . 
     While various modifications might be suggested by those artisans skilled in the art it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.