Framed picture hanger system

A picture hanging system using a flexible sheet material device in a generally T-shaped form having an opening adjacent the outer end of the center leg and the head includes spaced legs at opposite ends extending parallel to the leg and the leg is threadable through die cut slits in a backing member that is attachable to a picture frame or the like. The hanger device which is preferably cut out from mylar sheet material provides a strong and sturdy hanger which together with the threadable attachment to the slit sheet backing member will support and hold considerable framed picture weight and mounting with conventional wall fastener devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to picture hanger devices, and more 
particularly, to an easily applied, relatively low cost system for hanging 
framed pictures or the like to walls. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
A host of different types of devices have been long used in conjunction 
with the back of a framed picture or the like that provides a hanger means 
to be used with a nail or conventional picture hook affixed to a wall. 
Such devices have ranged from eye hooks used with wire, to specialty 
brackets, hooks or eyelets, to even die cut openings in a backing affixed 
to the picture frame. While such devices may have provided fulfillment of 
the necessary requirements for securely hanging a picture, each suffers 
some kind of drawback, such as the complexity or difficulty in mounting 
the device, costliness of the device or being limited in its providing, 
for example, sufficient ease in installation and in hanging of the picture 
to the wall fastener. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an 
improved hanger device which is relatively low in cost and can be easily 
applied and used for hanging of framed pictures or the like to walls. As 
another object of the present invention to provide a simply attachable 
hanger device for framed pictures which can be easily used in connection 
with typical wall fasteners such as nails, picture J-hooks or the like 
that facilitates the ease of hanging and adjusting the picture on the 
wall. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In general, the present invention contemplates a flexible sheet material 
device in a generally T-shaped form having an opening adjacent the outer 
end of the center leg and the head includes spaced legs at opposite ends 
extending parallel to the leg and the leg is threadable through die cut 
slits in a backing member that is attachable to a picture frame or the 
like. A hanger device which is preferably cut out from mylar sheet 
material provides a strong and sturdy hanger which together with the 
threadable attachment to the slit sheet backing member will support and 
hold considerable framed picture weight and mounting with conventional 
wall fastener devices. 
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more 
readily apparent upon reading the following description of the preferred 
exemplified embodiment of the invention upon reference to the accompanying 
drawings therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, the exemplary hanger 
device generally indicated at 10, on a backing member 12 as applied to a 
picture frame 14. The picture frame 14 may be of the four-sided type so 
that includes channels adapted to receive from front to back a transparent 
plate-like member such as glass or plastic, a picture or art work itself 
or one that has been matted and one or more backing members that serve to 
hold the picture or the like flat against the transparent plate like 
member as well as possibly filling in the frame channels. More often, 
picture frames have an opening along one edge of the framed members to 
permit the sliding insertion of the transparent member, picture and 
backing until they engage a channel at the upper edge member which 
functions as a stop. 
It will be understood as discussion proceeds that the present framed 
picture hanging system, may be used with various different types of frames 
and term "picture" as used in here is intended to include any of the types 
of items which may be framed such as, for example, photographs, documents, 
certificates, prints, or art works. 
In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a backing 
member 12 is provided, preferably made from a semi-rigid cardboard stock 
and there is provided in the backing member a pair of spaced apart slits 
16, preferably located centrally from the side edges and above the top to 
bottom center. Picture frames are provided in a wide number of dimensions 
and even shapes, with some typical sizes being, for example, 5'.times.7', 
8'.times.10', 11'.times.14', 16'.times.20', etc. In keeping with the 
present invention, the semi-rigid backing member 12 may be provided in any 
one or a number of such sizes or even shapes such as oval or round and the 
spaced slits provided in the backing member as may be necessary to hang 
the picture in an upright position. It will further be appreciated that 
with certain shapes or sizes of backing members, more than one pair of 
slits may be provided to receive hanger devices 10 for either vertical or 
horizontal position hanging or even to provide multiple hangers for larger 
pieces. 
In accordance with one of the important features of the present invention, 
the hanger device 10 is formed from flexible sheet-like material, 
preferably mylar, and is in a generally T-shape with a main leg 18 and 
cross head 20. The main leg includes an opening 22 adjacent its outer end 
and the cross head has fingers 24 at its outer ends with troughs 26 that 
include rounded over ends. The main leg of the hanger device may be 
threaded through the slits until the fingers extend over the portion of 
the backing member between the slits and the bottom rounded edges of the 
troughs engage the lower slit end thus forming a stop. The holding 
arrangement between the cross head and fingers and the bottom slit are 
extremely strong such that a great deal of weight can be supported with 
this arrangement. The main leg being flexible provides a hanger end with 
its opening 22 that can be easily manipulated to affix the framed picture 
to a wall fastener such a nail or J type picture hook. The backing member 
may be affixed to the picture frame in any of a variety of ways such as 
that described above where it just slips into channels or it can be 
secured to the picture frame with any of a variety of well known fastener 
devices.