Traverse rod drapery hook

A traverse rod drapery hook is attachable to the terminal end of a curtain or drape and includes a member into which the terminal end of the traverse rod telescopes. The hook hereof includes a plate which provides a rigid surface for maintaining the drape in an upright position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention pertains to draperies and curtains. More 
particularly, the present invention pertains to hooks for draperies and 
curtains. Even more particularly, the present invention pertains to hooks 
for draperies and curtains which are particularly adapted for utilization 
with traverse rods. 
II. Prior Art 
The suspension of draperies and curtains from traverse rods is, of course, 
well known. Essentially, a plurality of hooks are used to suspend the 
curtain or drape from the mounting members associated with the traverse 
rod. Furthermore, as is known to the skilled artisan, conventionally, the 
terminal or travelling end of the traverse rod is defined by a metal bar 
which is laterally displaced from the rod, per se. This enables the 
opposed travelling ends to meet substantially at the center of the rod 
without collision. 
However, and as is also known to the skilled artisan, the conventional type 
of hook which is utilized to suspend the curtain from the traverse rod, 
while being efficacious for the normal mounting member, creates certain 
problems with respect to the travelling or terminal end. Because of the 
nature of the construction of the curtain, which is usually pleated, as 
well as the bar defining the terminal end, the upper portion of the 
curtain which is connected to the travelling end of the rod, does not 
maintain its erect or upright position. Rather, there is a rotational 
moment created which causes the upper end of the curtain to deviate or 
rotate away from the vertical plane. This is aesthetically unappealing and 
is quite commonplace. 
The reason for this occuring is due to the inherent function and structure 
of the hook which is ordinarily a thin wire member having certain defined 
curvatures and bends, which cooperates with a slot or opening formed in 
the bar. Because of the interrelation of the structure there is this 
rotational moment about the point of contact between the hook and the bar 
which causes this deviation of the upper portion of the curtain from the 
vertical plane. 
As will subsequently be detailed the present invention provides a drapery 
hook which alleviates the problems heretofore encountered in hanging 
draperies and curtains from traverse rods. 
STATEMENT OF RELEVANT ART 
To the best of applicant's knowledge the following is the most relevant art 
pertaining to the present invention: 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,033, U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,733 and U.S. Pat. No. 
1,600,805. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a drapery or 
curtain hook particularly adapted for interconnecting a curtain or drape 
to the terminal or travelling end of a traverse rod. 
The hook hereof, generally, comprises a substantially planar member or 
plate, means for telescopingly receiving the terminal or travelling end of 
a traverse rod and means for detachably mounting the hook to a drape or 
curtain. 
The means for detachably mounting the plate portion of the hook comprises a 
pair of spaced apart bodies formed of a flexible material and having a gap 
therebetween which is insertable about a pleat formed in the drape in a 
common mode. 
In an alternate embodiment hereof the drapery hook hereof has the means for 
detachably mounting the hook to a drape or curtain being defined by the 
cooperation between the planar member and an upstanding wall. The void or 
space between the plate and the wall is dimensioned to be less than that 
of the thickness of the drapery or curtain material. Hence, the drapery or 
curtain is frictionally retained between the plate and the upstanding 
wall. 
For a more complete understanding of the present invention reference is 
made to the following description and accompanying drawing. In the drawing 
like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views 
in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Now, and with reference to the drawing, there is depicted therein a drapery 
hook, generally, denoted at 10, in accordance with the present invention. 
The drapery hook hereof generally comprises a substantially planar member 
or plate 12, means for telescopingly receiving the terminal or travelling 
end of a traverse rod, generally, denoted at 14 and means 16 for 
detachably mounting the plate to a drape or curtain. 
As is known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention 
pertains a traverse rod is ordinarily used for suspending pleated curtains 
or drapes therefrom. Such traverse rods generally include an elongated rod 
or bar 20 having a track 22 formed therein. A guide rope assembly 
generally including a pulley is utilized to guide a terminal plate or rod 
24 through the track. Conventionally, the terminal end of the traverse rod 
assembly comprises an elongated bar or rod 26 which has a plurality of 
slots 28 formed therein. The slots, conventionally, have drapery hooks or 
the like insertably mounted thereinto. 
It is to be understood that in the practice of the present invention, the 
traverse rod, per se, does not form part of the instant invention. Rather, 
the present invention is directed to a mode of alleviating the problem 
hereinabove referred to which occurs ordinarily by virtue of the 
interconnection which is usually achieved between the rod or bar 26 and a 
conventional hook. The exact construction of the traverse rod is, of 
course, well known. 
Also, it is to be understood with respect to the present invention that the 
curtains or drapes 18 are fabric structures usually having a plurality of 
pleats 30. The pleats, usually, are spaced apart and vertically extending. 
Usually, the upper terminis of the drape has individual pleat material 
sewn together. Ordinarily, in mounting a drapery hook to a drape the hook 
is mounted about the situs of the sewing together of the pleats such as at 
32. Again, this is known to the skilled artisan. 
Referring again to the drawing the hook 10 hereof, as noted, includes a 
plate 12. The plate 12 is a rigid surface which is interposed between the 
traverse rod and the drape or curtain. The plate 12, in essence, provides 
a bearing surface to preclude rotation of the drape away from the terminal 
or travelling end of the traverse rod 26. 
Projecting laterally outwardly from a first surface of the plate 12 is the 
means 14 for telescopingly receiving the terminal end 26 of the traverse 
rod. The means 14 generally is defined by a conduit 34 which is 
dimensioned to slidingly and insertingly receive the end of the elongated 
rod 26. The conduit 34 is an elongated body having at least one open end 
36 through which the rod 26 is inserted. The conduit 34, as noted, is 
dimensioned to retain the rod 26 therewithin. By nesting the rod 26 within 
the conduit 34 pivotal rotation of the hook about the rod is substantially 
totally diminished thereby precluding the curtain from rotating away from 
its normal vertical plane. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conduit 34 is 
integrally formed with the plate 12, and, as noted projects laterally 
outwardly therefrom. The conduit can have any desired configuration such 
as a rectangle, cylinder or the like. 
The hook 10 is detachably interconnected to a curtain or drape via means 
16. The means 16 generally comprises a clamp or the like for pinching the 
body of the curtain or drape 18 between the opposed surfaces 38 and 40 of 
the plate 12 and the means 16, respectively. 
The means 16 generally comprises a body 42 having a width substantially 
equal to that of the plate 12 and is integrally formed therewith. The body 
has a slit or gap 44 formed centrally thereof which is employed to envelop 
the pleat area or situs 32 in the well known manner. The means 16 can have 
any desired configuration but, optimally, has a sinusoidal configuration 
to bring the body into proximity with the surface 38 in order to 
effectuate the "pinching". The means 16 is ordinarily integrally formed 
with the plate 12 and overlies a substantial portion thereof, as shown. 
The means 16 is formed from a non-resilient material in order to exert the 
compressive forces necessary to maintain the curtain or drape in a 
suspended state. 
Optimally, the hook 10 hereof is formed as a unitary member comprising the 
plate, the means for telescopingly receiving the rod 26 as well as the 
means 16. Furthermore, the device hereof is, preferably, integrally formed 
from a synthetic resinous material such as a rigid nylon, polyvinyl 
chloride, or the like. 
It is to be appreciated that the hook hereof, by virtue of the width of the 
plate 12, cooperates with the conduit 34 to prevent the rotational 
movement of the upper portion of the curtain away from the elongated rod 
of the terminal or travelling end of the traverse rod. Hence, the curtain 
or drape remains in its normal vertical plane. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 there is depicted therein an alternate 
embodiment of the present invention, generally denoted at 110. In 
accordance herewith there is provided a substantially planar member of 
plate 112, means for telescopingly receiving the terminal or travelling 
end of a traverse rod 114 and means for detachably mounting the plate to a 
drape or curtain. It should be noted in this regard that this embodiment 
of the present invention is substantially the same as that defined 
hereinabove. The major difference between this embodiment and that 
heretofore described is with respect to the means for detachably mounting 
the plate to a drape or curtain. In all other respects this embodiment is 
substantially the same as that heretofore described. 
This means generally comprises an upstanding pin 118 which is substantially 
parallel to the plate 112. The pin 118 has a width less than that of the 
plate 112 and projects thereabove, as shown. The pin 118 terminates in a 
point 119 for penetrating the material to suspend the hoof hereof to the 
curtain or drape. The pin 118 is interconnected to the plate 112 via an 
interconnecting leg 120. The leg 120 is optimally, integrally formed with 
the pin 118, as well as with the plate or planar member 112. 
A space 122 is, thus, created between the plate 112 and the pin 118. In 
accordance herewith the space 122 is less than that of the thickness of 
the fabric of the curtain or drape. Hence, in utilizing this embodiment of 
the present invention the portion of the fabric defining the hem of the 
curtain is retained in the space 122 by virtue of the pinning action. 
Likewise, frictional forces retain the material within the space 122 by 
virtue of the compressive forces being exerted thereagainst by the pin 118 
and the plate 112. This embodiment of the invention negates the need for 
insertion about the pleat. 
Also, in accordance with the present invention there is provided means for 
grasping the hook generally denoted at 124. The means 124 generally 
comprises a projecting lip 126 or the like which can be manually grasped 
to facilitate both mounting and de-mounting of the hook from the curtain. 
It is to be appreciated that a plurality of pins 118 can be provided as the 
means for detachably interconnecting the hook to the material. In such 
instance the pins would be spaced apart and project in the manner 
described above with respect to the single pin 118. 
As with the first embodiment of the present invention this hook can be 
integrally formed in a single molding operation when formed of a synthetic 
resinous material. Likewise metals, such as steel, aluminum or the like 
can be used to fabricate the hook hereof. 
It is to be appreciated from the preceding that there has been described 
herein an improved drapery hook for traverse rods which overcomes the 
deficiencies noted in the prior art. Having, thus, described the invention 
what is claimed is: