Swivel hanging apparatus

An overhead swivel hanging apparatus consisting of a mount(10) and a support(30), i.e. a grab. When assembled the apparatus is utilized to hang pendant objects, such as a plant or a bird cage, from a ceiling or the like. The mount is comprised of a base (12), a cross brace(14), a connective means(16), an ornamental shell (18), a pendant leg(20), and a spherical bearing (22) cast as a single piece. The support, mill stamped from tensile steel as a single piece, is an C-shaped hook with a widened U shaped grab(34) on the inferior aspect. On the superior aspect of the support is a slot(28) with a flange(24) which narrows posterior into keeper tabs(26). The keeper tabs are narrower than said slot which is wider than said leg. The internal surface has a concavity(32) bisected by the slot which facilitates a ball and socket integration with the bearing. To connect the support to the mount place the flanged end against the pendant leg and move it laterally until past the keeper tabs, thus preventing accidental uncoupling. The grab has a larger internal dimension at the top than at the bottom. Placement of the pendant object into the grab locks it into place through weight, friction, and interlocking torsion between the two pieces. Such an arrangement of components increases the rotational coefficency by means of a ball and socket integration and the interlocking torsion on the grab.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
A swivel device of improved design, function, and construction for hanging 
objects overhead. 2. Previous swivel devices for suspending objects have 
three major flaws. Utilizing a C or J hook design, they are functionally 
inept, usually requiring rotation of the hook itself by hand. Although 
inexpensive, they are esthetically unattractive offering few original 
designs and finishes. Moreover, due to their design they must be utilized 
only on a horizontal surface to permit ready adjustment of the angular 
orientation of pendant objects. 
One previous device of this type was composed of two pans, the mount and 
the support. The mount includes a base adapted to be secured to the 
ceiling and a horizontal ring, with a slot, held below the base by pendant 
legs. The support, a J hook with an enlarged flat head, slides through the 
slot, rests on the ring and rotates in the bore of the ring. By suspending 
the weight of the pendant object on the flat head free rotational function 
is reduced by weight and friction. In addition, the utilization of a J 
shaped hook requires excessive rotation of the pendant object before 
engagement with and rotation of the hook. Another disadvantage is that 
this type of arrangement can be utilized only on a horizontal surface. 
Another version of this device utilizes the same J hook design with a T 
shaped head. The housing includes an internal chamber, a configured entry 
port leading thereto and a removable plug or closure for the port. The 
head passes through the port for rotation in the housing chamber. This 
design has the same inherent design flaws associated with the 
aforementioned prior art. 
One other version involves a C hook that is suspended, through the superior 
curvature, via a short shaft. This hook design allows more rotational 
latitude on the shaft but still requires rotating the hook itself by hand. 
This design also can only be utilized on a horizontal surface. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
1. Purposes of the Invention 
It is the object of this invention to provide a new and improved swivel 
hanging apparatus for pendant objects. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel hanging apparatus 
which can be easily turned by rotating the pendant object itself instead 
of the hook. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel hanging apparatus 
which can be adapted to a variety of ceiling styles. 
Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be 
pointed out hereinafter. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The swivel hanging apparatus of this invention is comprised of two parts. 
The first part, a mount, is designed to be attached firmly to a variety of 
overhead surfaces. The second part, a support, includes a grab means and 
is secured to the first part so as to permit rotation of the grab about a 
vertical axis. 
The first part is structured so that it can be attached firmly to a ceiling 
or the like. This is achieved by providing a connective means with female 
threads, in this design, centered in a cross brace that spans the diameter 
of an ornamental shell, said being an integral part of said shell. 
Attachment to the supporting structures is normally via a lag screw or 
hollow wall fastener, but any well-known form of fastening means can be 
utilized. The first part has an integral pendant leg on the external 
surface, which supports a spherical bearing upon which the second pan is 
rotatably mounted. 
The second part is a C-shaped hook of which the superior aspect is slotted 
for lateral introduction onto said pendant leg while the inferior aspect, 
the grab means, has a widened U shape. The anterior portion of said slot 
is flared slightly for easy introduction onto said pendant leg, tapering 
posteriorly and inwardly into a pair of keeper tabs, the distance between 
the keeper tabs being narrower than the width of the flared portion of the 
anterior portion of the slot. The support's superior aspect is seated on 
the upper hemispherical surface of said spherical bearing by a concavity 
on the superior internal surface of said support. 
The first part is made in a single die casting operation with a low-grade 
steel alloy, although any alloy with sufficient strength may be utilized. 
The second part is mill stamped out of tensile steel. 
The first part is assembled with the second part by aligning the flared end 
of the slot with the pendant leg and sliding it laterally around said leg 
past the keeper tabs. The concavity of the second part then seats on the 
superior hemispherical surface of the bearing and will then hang in a 
vertical manner. In this position said keeper tabs prevent the second part 
from accidently disengaging from said leg and can only be removed by 
forcing said keeper tabs past said leg. 
The preferred material used for die casting the mount as a single piece is 
a low-grade steel alloy. A steel alloy is desirable for casting ease and 
strength. Moreover, it is easily platable and, as cast, provides a smooth 
surface for use as a bearing mount. The support is mill stamped out of 
high tensile steel, strength requirements set for the amount of weight 
desired to be supported. 
The invention consists in the features of construction, combination of 
elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the swivel 
hanging apparatus hereinafter described and of which the scope of the 
application will be identified in the appended claims.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now in detail to the drawings, a swivel hanging apparatus 
constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The 
apparatus comprises two parts. The first part is a mount 10; the second is 
a support 30. Each of the two parts is made as a single piece composed of 
various features. This permits each of the parts to be manufactured at 
high speed and low cost, utilizing mass production equipment; said mount 
being fabricated by die casting and said support by mill stamping. For 
commercial use the mount is desirably made of low-grade steel ahoy, while 
the support is made of high tensile steel. The apparatus can be used for 
any purpose that calls for the provision of an overhead support that can 
be rotated about a vertical axis. Typical purposes include the overhead 
support of plants, bird cages or electrical swag fixtures. 
The mount 10 has five main structural features combined into a single 
piece. One of the structural features is a base 12. Another structural 
feature is a cross brace 14 with connective means 16. A third structural 
feature is an ornamental shell 18. The fourth structural feature is a 
pendant leg 20. The last structural feature is a spherical bearing 22. 
The base 12 may be of any desired configuration and is dependent upon the 
ornamental design of shell 18. The shell shown here is of a simple 
hemispherical shape with decorative step-down ridges 19 on the outer 
surface. The base surface presents a smooth area to be butted firmly 
against a flat surface, such as a ceiling. Suitable means to secure the 
mount to the overhead surface is included. Such means constitutes a 
connective means with female threads 16 centered in a cross brace 14. 
Fastening means such as a lag screw 15 or hollow wall fastener with male 
treads is mated with the female threads in said brace. 
Pursuant to a key feature of the present invention, extending from the 
inferior surface of mount 10 is pendant leg 20 which in turn supports 
spherical bearing 22. The size of said leg 20 and said bearing 22 is 
predetermined by aesthelics and structural strength requirements. Another 
key component to the invention is the support 30. The support includes on 
the superior aspect slot 28 which is slightly wider than leg 20 and is 
flared end 24 in the front. Flared end 24 tapers posteriorly and inwardly 
into keeper tabs 26, the distance between the tabs being narrower than 
said slot. The internal surface of the superior aspect has a concavity 32, 
dividing slot 28 equally. The concavity 32 has a smooth surface that mates 
with the superior hemisphere of bearing 22, by means of a ball and socket 
integration to improve rotation. Another key feature is the inferior 
aspect of support 30, which is the grab 34, shown here in the shape of a 
widened U hook. This section has the same width dimensions as the top 
which facilitates a torsion interlocking motion between the attaching 
support of the pendant object and the sides of the hook. The grab's 
superior internal dimension, anterior to posterior, is wide enough to 
accept the object desired while graduating to a smaller internal dimension 
at the bottom thereby locking the supporting structure of the pendant 
object into grab 34 by weight, torsion, and friction. The particular 
configuration of the grab will be governed by ornamental factors and by 
field requirements, that is to say, the mouth of the grab must be large 
enough to receive the pendant object desired, strong enough to carry the 
weight of the object with which the hook is intended to be employed and 
wide enough to initiate a torsion interlocking motion between the sides of 
the hook and the supporting structure of the pendant object. 
OPERATION 
To utilize the system, the mount 10 must be installed. To accomplish this, 
the installer couples the male threads of the fastener 15 with the 
connective means 16 located in the cross brace 14. After finding a 
suitable location on a ceiling, beam or the like, the installer rotates 
the mount until the fastener is completely engaged and the base 12 of said 
mount is firmly attached to the supporting surface. To connect the support 
30 to the mount 10, said support is held horizontal with the flared end 24 
against the pendant leg 20. The support is moved laterally until the leg 
20 is past the keeper tabs 26 and then it is allowed to drop vertically 
whereby the concavity 32 will seat with the bearing 22. The two parts are 
now assembled and the operation complete with the grab 34 able to rotate 
through a 360 degree arc. 
With the two parts thus assembled, the support cannot accidently be 
disengaged from the mount. If the support is jolted so as to tend to move 
it in any direction, it will not be able to uncouple from the leg since 
the keeper tabs prevent any transverse movement off the leg. 
SUMMARY, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be 
construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as an 
exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations 
are possible. For example, the pendant leg can be altered through a 
variety of degrees of arc for adaptation to sloped ceilings. An alternate 
embodiment on the superior aspect of the support utilizes a keyhole 
design. As various possible embodiments might be made on the above 
invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above 
set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or 
shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, 
and not in a limiting sense. 
Accordingly, the reader will see that there has been provided a swivel 
hanging apparatus that (1) can be rotated easily to any desired position 
(2) can be adapted for sloped ceilings (3) combines ornamental design with 
increased function by means of a ball and socket integration, which 
accomplishes all of the objects of the present invention and which is 
extremely well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.