Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for securing decorative items such as figurines, lights, garland and Christmas stockings on top of or hanging over the front edge of a shelf or mantel. The apparatus has a retainer that is secured to the wall or the rear of a mantel or shelf, a fastener that is fixed to the decorative item, and an adjustable length tether connecting the two. The retainer is preferably a flat piece that inserts between the rear edge of the shelf or mantel but may be a U shaped clip mounted on the back edge of a shelf. The apparatus prevents the decorative items from being accidentally knocked off or pulled off the shelf or mantel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates in general to fastening devices and more particularly to a fastening device for preventing decorative items, including Christmas stocking holders from falling of a mantle or shelf.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many people place decorative holder accessories on the edge of fireplace mantels. These decorative accessories support Christmas stockings, Christmas lights, figurines and other decorative items such as garland or strings of mistletoe. Typically, the holder accessory takes the form of a weighted figurine with an attached hanger that extends over the front edge of the mantel. The figurine is weighted heavily to keep not only itself in place, but also to keep it from slipping off the mantle despite the weight of decorations hanging from it hanger. This weighted figurine technique applies well to all mantle surface types, including harder surfaces such as marble or granite. However, weighted figurines have limited weight holding capability. The weighted figurines can be accidentally pulled off a mantel by a child and damage the figurine or flooring beneath the mantle. More importantly, the falling weighted figurine can cause personal injury. This is particularly the case when a curious small child may pull at a stocking, dislodging the figurine and directing the falling object toward the child&#39;s face or head. With a typical mantle height a weighted figurine could be traveling between 6 and 10 mph when it strikes a small child. The weighted figurine can cause serious personal injury to the child.  
         [0003]     Most of the currently available Christmas stocking holders are designed for a single purpose, hanging Christmas stockings. Stringing lights, garland or other decorations between stocking holders is not a realistic option for two reasons. First, the hooks are often too small or too awkward to use for anything other than hanging stockings. In addition, the vast majority of these products cannot support the weight of lights or garland. Even the heaviest products tend to slide out of place when items are strung from adjacent stocking holders since they frequently slide on the mantel surface.  
         [0004]     One prior art Christmas stocking holder is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,819 issued Jul. 1, 1997 to Ernesto Ronia. The stocking holder taught in this patent consists of a plurality of C type clamps that clamp onto the front edge of a mantel or shelf. The clamps are spaced from each other and have a rod passing underneath, and being supported by, the C clamps. Affixed permanently to the top of each of the C clamps is a candle holder. Christmas stockings or other decorations are suspended from the rod that passes underneath and is supported by the C clamps.  
         [0005]     Another prior art means for supporting articles from a mantel, shelf or other planar surface is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,827 issued Apr. 30, 2002 to Jeffrey Kacines. This means for supporting articles is a one piece metal clip that has a general C shape with decorative additions and a point for hanging items such as Christmas stockings. When the clip is slid onto the edge of a mantel or shelf, the opening of the clip is expanded creating a spring pressure to hold the clip on the edge of the mantel or shelf.  
         [0006]     The above cited prior art teaches a rather complex stocking holder and one that can be too easily pulled from the edge of a mantel or shelf. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved device for securing decorative accessories and other items on the front, top edge of a mantel, or hanging from the front edge of a mantel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The foregoing need in the prior art is satisfied by the present invention. A strong, but simple and inexpensive fastening device is taught which can safely hold decorative accessories hanging from the front edge of fireplace mantels or shelves, and at the same time other decorative accessories on the top of the front edge of mantels and shelves. The decorative accessories cannot be inadvertently knocked off or pulled off the mantel or shelf and injure a person such as a child, damage a floor or furniture, and/or break the decorative accessories. Such decorative accessories include, but are not limited to, strings of lights, garland, Christmas stockings, strings of mistletoe, figurines and other decorations.  
         [0008]     The novel fastening device consists of three parts. There is a retainer that attaches to either the rear of the mantle or to a wall behind the mantle. There is a fastener that attaches to an item to be secured or is part of the item. Finally, there is a tether in the form a string or wire that connects the retainer to the fastener. The retainer can take the form of a thin strip of material that can easily be inserted into the space between a mantel or shelf and the wall at the back edge of the mantel or shelf. The fastener attaches to a figurine or other item on top of the mantel or shelf, or to a stocking holder or other item hanging in front of the hangar or shelf, when these items are to be prevented from falling from the mantel or shelf. The tether is a strong line, string or wire that is attached between the retainer and the fastener. The tether prevents a figurine or other item from falling off or being pulled from the front edge of the mantel, including anything else hanging there from or being attached thereto.  
         [0009]     For applications where a weighted stocking holder is not weighted sufficiently, the tether should be used between the retainer and the fastener. This will allow for lighter weight, less expensive, figurine stocking holders. In the case of weighted stocking holders, the tether need not be taught, but short enough to prevent the item from gaining significant velocity should it be pulled from the shelf or mantel. In this case, a single retainer can accommodate several fasteners or items.  
         [0010]     As mantels come in many widths a way is provide for adjusting the length of the tether so that the weighted stockholding or other item will always remain in the proper position at the front edge of the mantel or shelf.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]     The invention will be better understood upon reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawing in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention having a fastener with a candle holder and candle that sits on the front edge of a mantel and has an integral hook that extends over the edge of the mantel for hanging a Christmas stocking, a light string, garland or other ornaments.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of the invention that has a flat fastener that sits on the front edge of a mantel, and has an integral hook that extends over the edge of the mantel for hanging a Christmas stocking, a light string, garland or other ornaments;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a view of a portion of a fastener and retainer and a tether;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a view of a portion of the fastener and retainer and how the tether connects the two; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the invention that is used with a weighted stocking holder in the form of a figurine.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     The subject invention is a novel, simple and inexpensive, yet safe fastening apparatus for securing decorative items, including Christmas stocking holders, to the front edge of a mantle or shelf, and/or retaining other decorative items on top of the mantel or shelf.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows the invention used on a fireplace mantel  10  and  FIG. 2  shows the invention used on a shelf  20 .  FIG. 5  shows the invention used on a fireplace mantel with a weighted stocking holder that has a ceramic or metallic figurine. The version of the novel apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  has a hangar  13  with an integral candle holder  16 . In addition, one version of a retainer  12  of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1  and a variant retainer  22  is shown in  FIG. 2 . They perform the same function and may be interchanged. In addition, one hangar  13  is shown in  FIG. 1  and a variant hangar  23  is shown in  FIG. 2 . They perform the same function and may be interchanged. The hangar  13  shown in  FIG. 1 , with integral candle holder  16 , may be used on a shelf  20  with retainer  22 ; and hangar  23  shown in  FIG. 2  may be used with mantel  10  in  FIG. 1 . Only two figures are shown for the sake of simplicity.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a brick fireplace  11  with a mantel  10  thereon on which the invention is used to hang a stocking  19  at Christmas time. This embodiment of the invention has a hangar  13  that may be made of metal or plastic and sits on the top front edge of mantel  10 . Hangar  13  has a J hook  14  extending down over the front edge of mantel  10  on which stocking  19  is hung with a loop of material  19   a  often made as part the stocking.  
         [0020]     The invention also has a retainer  22  that wedges in between mantel  10  and wall  29  into which the brick fireplace  11  is built. In  FIG. 1  retainer  12  is a relatively thin, flat piece of material that can be pushed between wall  29  and the back edge of mantel  10  as shown. Retainer  12  includes a ring  12   a  attached thereto upon which force can be applied to push retainer  12  between wall  29  and mantel  10 . A tether in the form of a string, wire or plastic line  18  (hereinafter referred to as tether  18 ) can preferably be tied to ring  12   a  before retainer  12  is inserted between the wall and mantel, but it can be tied afterwards. Alternatively, instead of using retainer  12  a screw hook or eyelet screw (not shown) may be screwed into the wall at or near the point where retainer  12  would be inserted between wall  29  and mantel  10 . Tether  18  is tied to the screw hook or eyelet screw instead of to ring  12   a.    
         [0021]     Hangar  13  has a small tab  15  at its rear edge that angles up and away from the top surface of mantel  10 . Tab  15  has a hole there through (not shown in  FIG. 1  but shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Hangar  13 , without stocking  19  and candle  17  is set on the top front edge of mantel  10  as shown and tether  18  is passed through the hole in tab  15  and is tied thereto. Tether  18  is strong enough to prevent hangar  13  from being pulled from the mantel  10  when a fair amount of pulling force is applied to hangar  13  or anything hung thereon, such as stocking  19 . Stocking  19  is hung from J hook  14  of hangar  13  using loop  19   a  as shown. A candle  17  is then inserted into candle holder  16 . Candle  17  can be a real candle or may be one of the newer battery powered candles that are common. If a candle  17  is not desired a figurine or other decoration may be placed on top of and may be fastened to candle holder  16 .  
         [0022]     A number of hangars  13  (not shown), as described in the previous paragraph, may be spaced along the front edge of mantel  10  and garland or a string of lights may be strung along the top of the J hook  14  of each hangar  13 . In addition, while a stocking  19  is shown hung from hangar  13 , anything else may be hung there from within its weight limitations.  
         [0023]     As briefly mentioned above, the retainer  22  of  FIG. 2  may be used in lieu of retainer  12  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a wall  29  with a shelf  20  fastened thereto, and having vertical support from element  21 . The invention is used with shelf  20  to hang a stocking  28  or other decorative ornament thereon. This embodiment of the invention has a hangar  23  that may be made of metal or plastic and sits on the top front edge of shelf  20  as shown. Hangar  23  has a J hook  24  extending down over the front edge of shelf  20  on which a stocking  28  is hung with a loop of material  28   a  often made as part the stocking.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of a part of the invention. Retainer  22  is a relatively thin, L shaped piece of metal that can be pushed between wall  29  and the back edge of shelf  20  as shown. Instead of a ring as in  FIG. 1 , retainer  22  has a tab  22   a  that angles up and away from the top of shelf  20  and has a hole there through (not shown in this Figure but shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). For ease of installation a piece of string, wire or plastic line  26  (hereinafter referred to as tether  26 ) can preferably be tied through the hole in tab  22   a  before clip  22  is inserted between the wall and mantel, but it can be tied thereto afterwards. Hangar  23  has a small tab  25  at its rear edge that angles up and away from the top of mantel  20 . Tab  25  also has a hole there through (not shown in  FIG. 2  but shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Hangar  23 , without stocking  28  hanging there from, is set on the top front edge of mantel  20  as shown and tether  18  is passed through the hole in tab  25  and is tied thereto. Tether  18  is strong enough to prevent hangar  23  from being pulled from mantel  10  when a fair amount of pulling force is applied to hangar  23  or anything hung thereon, such as stocking  28 . Stocking  28  is then hung from J hook  24  of hangar  23  using loop  28   a  as shown.  
         [0026]     In the following paragraphs an alternative way of attaching a hangar to a retainer is described. With this alternative no tying of a tether is required. While the following description is with reference to tab  25  of hangar  23  in  FIG. 2 , it also applies to retainer  22  with its tab  22   a  in  FIG. 2 , and to hangar  13  with its tab  15  in  FIG. 1 . With this alternative way of attaching a hangar to a retainer, the retainer  12  in  FIG. 1  is not utilized because a ring  12   a  is not needed. Only a retainer such as retainer  22  is needed because it has a tab  22   a  with a keyhole shaped hole  30  through it.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows an alternative way of attaching hangar  23  to retainer  22  in  FIG. 2 . Shown is a partial view of hangar  23  without J hook  24 . Tab  25  of hangar  23  has a hole  30  through it as previously described with reference to  FIG. 2 . Hole  30  is keyhole shaped and has an elongated slot  30   a  and a larger diameter portion  30   b . Instead of using string or wire as shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the tether  26  is a strong plastic line  26  having molded, spaced beads  26   a  along it. With this tether  26  there is no manual tying to be done to assemble and use the novel holding apparatus. The diameter of beads  18   a  is only slightly less than the diameter of portion  30   b  of the hole  30  and the diameter of line  26  between beads  26   a  is only slightly less than the diameter of elongated slot  30   a.    
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows the alternative tether  26  attached to tab  25  of hangar  23 . Tether  26  and some number of its beads  26   a  are first inserted through the larger diameter portion  30   b  of hole  30 . This can be done because of the relative dimensions as described in the previous paragraph. After beaded tether  26  is inserted through hole portion  30   b  a sufficient amount it is moved upward into elongated slot  30   a . Since beads  26   a  have a diameter larger than the width of slot  30   a  beaded tether  26  cannot be pulled back through tab  25 .  
         [0029]     When using the beaded tether  26  as part of the invention, retainer  22  is first inserted between wall  29  and the rear edge of shelf  20  or a mantel  10 . Tab  22   a  has a keyhole shaped hole  30  through it, alike that shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , through which at least the first bead  26   a  on a first end of tether  26  is inserted through portion  30   b  and is then slid up into the elongated slot  30   a  in tab  22   a . With hangar  23  positioned on the top front edge of shelf  20  or mantel  10  the other (second) end of beaded line  26  is inserted through portion  30   b  of keyhole shaped hole  30  through hangar  23  until there is no slack in beaded tether  26 . Tether  26  is then slid up into the elongated slot  30   a  of tab  25 . With no slack in beaded tether  26  hangar  23  cannot fall off mantel  10  or shelf  20 . Any excess length of beaded line  26  after it passes through hole  30  in tab  25  of hangar  23  may be cut off.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the invention is used with an existing weighted stocking holder  13  that has a ceramic or metallic figurine  33 . Such a weighted stocking holder  13  has a J hook  14  that has a stocking  19  hung there from as previously described with reference to  FIG. 1 . If a child pulls on such a weighted stocking holder  13 , without the use of the invention, the holder would fall and obviously do damage to the face of the child.  
         [0031]     In this embodiment of the invention there would be no hangar with J hook because it is already part of the prior art weighted stocking holder  33 . Instead the hangar  13  of  FIG. 1  is replaced by a flat metallic or plastic base plate  34  that is adhesively fastened to the bottom of the weighted stocking holder  13 . Base  34  has a tab  15  with a hole there through, as described with reference to  FIG. 1 , to which tether  18  is tied or attached. Base  34  may also be manufactured as an integral part of the weighted stocking holder  33 .  
         [0032]     As previously described with reference to  FIG. 1  there is a retainer  12  that wedges in between mantel  10  and the wall  29  into which the brick fireplace  11  is built. Retainer  12  includes a ring  12   a  attached thereto upon which force can be applied to push retainer  12  between wall  29  and mantel  10 . Tether  18  is tied to ring  12   a  before retainer  12  is inserted between the wall and mantel, but it can be tied afterwards. Alternatively, instead of using retainer  12 , retainer  22  or a screw hook or eyelet screw (not shown) may be screwed into the wall at or near the point where retainer  12  would be inserted between wall  29  and mantel  10 . Tether  18  is tied to the screw hook or eyelet screw instead of to ring  12   a . Base  34  has a small tab  15  at its rear edge that angles up and away from the top of mantel  10 . Tab  15  has a hole there through as previously described with reference to  FIG. 1  to which tether  18  is tied. Tether  18  is strong enough to prevent figurine  33  and stocking  19  from being pulled from mantel  10  when a fair amount of pulling force is applied thereto. Instead of tether  18  the alternative tether means shown in and described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4  may also be used.  
         [0033]     This embodiment of the invention may alternatively also be used for retaining only a figurine  33  or other decorative item sitting near the front edge of a shelf or mantel  10 . The J hook  14  does not exist in this application. Figurine  33  preferably has made as part thereof base  34  that has a tab  15  to which tether  18  is tied or otherwise attached. However, base  10  may be adhesively attached to the bottom of separate figurine  33  by a purchaser of the invention. The retainer  12  is as previously described, and the alternative retaining means shown in and described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4  may be used instead. The figurine  33  with base  34  attached thereto is secured using tether  18  and retainer  12  or alternative screw hook or eyelet screw as previously described.  
         [0034]     While what has been described herein is the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when the invention is used on a shelf  20 , retainer  22   a  can alternatively be a U shaped piece of material that is inserted onto the back edge of the shelf with one portion underneath the shelf, a second portion at the rear of the shelf, and a third portion on top of the shelf. Tether  26  is attached to the first portion that extends on top of the shelf. This alternative embodiment is practical because shelving material is generally of a common thickness.