Abstract:
A drapery hanging device which has first and second members, the members being formed of an elongated rod material, the first and second members being pivotably connected with a drapery receiving section therebetween. The arrangement permits easy mounting of the drapery fabric and also permits adjustment thereof.

Description:
This application claims benefit of provisional application No. 60/166,793 filed Jul. 22, 1999. 
    
    
     The present invention relates to an assembly for hanging drapes and more particularly, relates to a hanging device for drapes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of members which are mounted on walls for supporting drapery fabrics is known in the art. The idea behind the use of such members or devices is to provide a holder which extends parallel to the wall or window to be draped; a curtain fabric is then placed between two of such holders in what is frequently referred to as a swag arrangement. 
     The swag drape will then require, as a minimum, first and second hanging devices situated proximate the upper corners of the window frame and secured either to the window frame or to the wall. Each device will normally extend outwardly away from the wall a distance sufficient to clear the traverse rods employed to support the curtain. Clips, springs or other securing devices are used in conjunction with conventional devices to retain the drapery material in a fixed relationship to the brackets once the drapery material has been passed thereover. 
     Many different brackets have been proposed in the art to address the problems encountered in hanging drapes. Thus, one may refer to U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,934 which discloses a bracket for supporting and securing a drapery in a predetermined position. 
     Another type of drapery bracket is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,258 wherein there is provided a festoon support device including a pair of mounting brackets and a forwardly extending festoon support arm coupled to each of the brackets. 
     A further type of device for draping curtains or the like is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,925 wherein there is a holder about which curtain fabric may be put and which is adapted to be mounted on a wall by means of a bracket in a spaced relationship to the wall. The holder is a round or flat bar bent to a desired shape. 
     A further type of holder which is commercially available comprises a spiral arrangement of an elongated bar or rod. The curtain fabric is placed in between the spiral and retained thereby. 
     One of the problems with such holders is that the holder, once attached to the wall, becomes difficult to work with especially when the installer is working on a ladder or stool or the like. 
     A further problem associated with known holders is their unsuitability for attachment to any surface other than the window frame or the surrounding wall. Frequently, it would be desirable to secure the holder to the ceiling when the window or other portion to be decorated extends substantially up to the ceiling. 
     A still further problem associated with known brackets or holders is the problem of adjusting the fabric while it is in the holder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a drapery support assembly wherein a drapery hanging device may be attached to either the ceiling or wall. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drapery support device which allows for easy mounting of the drapery fabric therein and also permits adjustment of the drapery fabric. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drapery hanging device comprising a first member, the first member having first and second spaced apart sections, the first and second spaced apart sections defining a drapery receiving portion therebetween, a second member, the second member having an attachment portion at one end thereof for attachment to a support member, the second member being pivotably connected at a second end thereof to the first member. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drapery hanging assembly comprising a holder and a drapery hanging device, the holder having attachment means for attaching the holder to a substrate, the holder having first and second rod receiving means, the drapery device comprising a first member formed of an elongated rod, the first member having first and second spaced apart sections, the first and second spaced apart sections defining a drapery receiving portion therebetween, a second member formed of an elongated rod, the first portion of the first member and second member having at respective ends thereof attachment portions sized to fit in the first rod receiving means and be retained thereby, the second member being pivotably connected at a second end thereof to the first member. 
     According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is a window draping assembly comprising a drape, a holder and a drapery hanging device, the holder being secured to a substrate adjacent the window, the holder having first and second rod receiving means, the drapery device comprising a first member formed of an elongated rod, the first member having first and second spaced apart sections, the first and second spaced apart sections defining a drapery receiving portion therebetween, a second member formed of an elongated rod, the first portion of the first member and the second member having at respective ends thereof an attachment portion fitting within the first and second rod receiving means respectively, the second member being pivotably connected at a second end thereof to the first member, the drapes being retained between the first and second spaced apart sections. 
     The drapery hanging device of the present invention may be utilized in any situation wherein a fabric is to be hung. This may include, for example, drapery around windows or in other locations. The device of the present invention could be utilized to hang draperies from any wall or ceiling or post—for example, it may be used to hang drapery on a four poster bed. 
     The drapery device is preferably formed of a rod like material. The material could be any suitable including plastic or metallic material—a non-tarnishing metallic material is one example. When formed of a plastic material, the device could be offered in a variety of colors. Alternatively, a surface coating of the desired color could be utilized. 
     The drapery hanging device, in the preferred embodiment, being formed of a rod like material, permits various decorative effects to be achieved. The use of the rod like material permits the drapery material to be pulled through the spaces to achieve the desired effects. 
     The drapery hanging assembly includes a holder which is secured to the desired substrate and which holder has first and second rod receiving means. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a drapery hanging assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly when in an assembled condition; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a retaining clip according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the drapery hanging device according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view showing the drapery hanging device in an assembled condition; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a retaining member according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of a retaining device; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the retaining device of FIG. 8 used in conjunction with the drapery hanging device; and 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the retaining device of FIG. 9 with the drapery hanging device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters thereto, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a drapery hanging device generally designated by reference numeral  6  and a holder generally designated by reference numeral  8 . 
     Drapery hanging device  6  includes a first member which is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . First member  10  has a first section generally designated by reference numeral  12  and a second section which is generally designated by reference numeral  14 . 
     As may be seen in FIG. 1, first section  12  is formed of a first section first arm  16 , a first section second arm  18 , and a first section connecting segment  20  extending between arms  16  and  18 . Thus, first section  12  has an overall inverted V or U shaped configuration. 
     Second section  14  is formed of a second section first arm  22 , a second section second arm  24 , and a second section connecting segment  26 . In a manner similar to first section  12 , second section  14  likewise has an inverted V or U shaped configuration. It will be noted, however, that second section  14  is substantially smaller than first section  12 . 
     As seen in FIG. 1, first section first arm  16  and second section first arm  22  are connected by a transition segment  28  while first section second arm  18  and second section second arm  24  are connected by a transition segment  30 . 
     Drapery hanging device  6  also includes a second member generally designated by reference numeral  34 . Second member  34  is formed of a second member first arm  36 , a second member second arm  38 , and a second member connecting segment  40  extending between arms  36  and  38 . At the distal end of second member first arm  36  and second member second arm  38 , the arms are formed into loops  42  and  44  respectively. 
     Thus, as may be seen, second member  34  is connected to first member  10  by means of loops  42  and  44  encircling second section connecting segment  26  to thereby permit pivotable movement between the first member  10  and second member  34 . 
     Defined between the lower portion of first section  12  of first member  10  and second section  14  is a drapery receiving portion generally designated by reference numeral  46 . Drapery receiving portion  46  also includes that area between the upper portion of first section  12  and second member  34 . 
     As aforementioned, the drapery hanging device  6  is designed to be used with a holder  8 . Holder  8  includes a body portion  50  of a generally rectangular configuration which has an elongated slot  52  formed therein. At the other end of holder  8 , there is provided a first indented V shaped recess  56  having a tab  58  extending partially thereover. There is also provided a second V shaped recess  60  with tab  62 . 
     In use, and as shown in FIG. 2, holder  8  may be secured to a substrate S by means of a screw  66 . Initially, connecting segment  40  of second member  34  is placed within V shaped recess  56 . First member  10  may then be lowered and the drapery material D arranged. When arranged to achieve the desired effect, first member  10  is moved upwardly and connecting segment  20  is placed within V shaped recess  60 . 
     In the arrangement of FIG. 3, there is illustrated a holder  8 ′ which is similar to holder  8 . However, holder  8 ′ is provided with a downwardly extending portion  54 ′ such that it may be secured to a ceiling and still provide access to V shaped recesses  56 ′ and  60 ′. 
     In FIG. 8, there is shown a different type of holder—an L shaped holder generally designated by reference numeral  70 . L shaped holder  70  includes a first leg  72  having an aperture  74  formed therein and leg  76  having aperture  78  formed therein. Within leg  76  there is provided a channel  80  which, as seen in FIG. 10, is sized to receive and retain connecting segments  40  and  20 . L shaped holder  70  may be attached to a wall by means of screw  82  or alternatively, to a ceiling through aperture  78 . 
     A standoff member  86  is illustrated in FIG.  9  and comprises a body portion  88  having apertures  90  and  92  formed therein. A rod  94  extends outwardly from body  88 . 
     As shown in FIG. 11, standoff member  86  may be used in conjunction with L shaped holder  70  wherein body  88  is secured to a wall or the substrate by means of a screw  96 . In turn, member  86  may receive L shaped holder  70 . 
     It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of illustration only and changes or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.