Patent Publication Number: US-6666425-B1

Title: Vertically-adjustable picture hangar

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to wall hanging devices and more particularly pertains to an adjustable wall hanger for adjustably suspending an object from a wall. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of wall hanging devices is well known in the prior art. Despite the myriad designs for picture hangars which crowd the field of issued patents, the most common picture hangars are still those which are fabricated as a generally J-shaped hook from a single bent metal strip, having a pair of opposed axially-aligned holes therein on an inclined axis for mounting the hook to a vertical surface and an upwardly-bent portion at the bottom thereof for holding a cable or wire. It appears that cost, rather than improved utility or function, is the overriding force in the purchase of picture hanging devices by consumers. 
     While the prior art wall hanging devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the prior art does not disclose an adjustable wall hanger for adjustably suspending an object from a wall, which may be inexpensively manufactured and which includes a linear ratchet portion having parallel, outwardly-facing tracks securable to a wall surface and a pawl-bracket portion, rotatable about a horizontal axis, slidably positionable along the tracks and including both a pawl for engaging the linear ratchet portion and a depending hook for suspending an object therefrom. 
     In these respects, the adjustable wall hanger according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of adjustably suspending an object from a wall. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of wall hanging devices now present, in the prior art, the present invention provides a new adjustable wall hanger which provides for vertical adjustability of a hanging object. The new vertically adjustable wall hanger includes a main body that is securable to a vertical surface with mounting fasteners (such as screws, nails, or other similar fasteners) and an adjustable bracket. The main body includes a pair of mounting apertures and is generally symmetrical about a plane passing through the axes of the mounting apertures. The main body also includes a vertically-oriented linear ratchet having a plurality of teeth, and a pair of parallel, outwardly-facing, spaced-apart peripheral tracks or grooves. Each of the tracks is open at the top of the main body. The adjustable bracket has a front portion with a pawl for engaging any of the teeth of the linear ratchet, and a pair of laterally-spaced, opposed, rearward-facing ears. Each of the ears has a cylindrical locator pin that is axially aligned with and faces the locator pin of the opposing ear. The locator pins being spaced apart so that both may simultaneously enter and engage the tracks at the top of the main body and slide within them, thereby retaining the adjustable bracket slidably attached to the main body. The locator pins allow the adjustable bracket to be upwardly rotated about an adjustment axis passing through the center of each locator, so that the pawl may be disengaged from the linear ratchet and the adjustable bracket moved up and down within the tracks. When the adjustable bracket has been downwardly rotated, and the pawl has once again engaged a tooth of the linear ratchet, gravity ensures that the pawl remains securely engaged with tooth. The front portion of the adjustable bracket also incorporates an upwardly-facing transverse groove, which is sized to receive a picture frame hanging cable or wire. Both the main body and the adjustable bracket are preferably fabricated from a structural polymeric “plastic” material, such as polystyrene, ABS, acrylic, or poly vinyl chloride, via an injection molding process. Such method of manufacture ensures that the components may be produced cheaply and with little variabiltiy. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric exploded view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar and a section of wall which it is to be mounted; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a fully assembled vertically-adjustable picture hangar mounted on a section of wall; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar; 
     FIG. 4 is a right-side, cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 3, taken through section line  4 — 4 ; 
     FIG. 5 is a right-side, cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 4 following upward rotation of the wire support clip; 
     FIG. 6 is a right-side, cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 5 following slidable repositioning of the wire support clip to a lower position; 
     FIG. 7 is a right-side, cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 6, following the downward rotation of the wire support clip; 
     FIG. 8 is a right-side, elevational view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 8 following upward rotation of the wire support clip; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 9 following slidable repositioning of the wire support clip to a lower position; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG. 10, following the downward rotation of the wire support clip; 
     FIG. 12 is a top planar view of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The structure and operation and utility of the new, vertically-adjustable picture hanger will now be described with reference to the accompanying twelve drawing figures. It should be understood that although the invention is referred to as a picture hangar, it may be used to secure a variety of items, such as framed paintings, photographs, pictures and mirrors to a vertical surface. Thus in the claims, it is referred to as a wall hangar device. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, the vertically-adjustable picture hangar  100  is shown in combination with a pair of mounting screws  101  and a wall section  102  to which it will be mounted. The picture hangar  100  comprises a pair of components which may be assembled as a unit, namely a main body  103  that is securable to a vertical surface with the mounting screws  101  or other similar fasteners, and an adjustable bracket  104 . The main body  103  includes a pair of mounting apertures  105  and is symmetrical about a plane passing through the axes  106 A and  106 B of the mounting apertures  105 . The main body  103  also includes a vertically-oriented linear ratchet  107  having a plurality of teeth  108 A through  108 J, and a pair of parallel, outwardly-facing, spaced-apart peripheral tracks or grooves  109 A and  109 B (only track  109 B is visible in this view). Each of the tracks  109 A and  109 B is open at the top of the main body  103 . The adjustable bracket  104  has a front portion  110  with a pawl (not shown in this view) for engaging any of the teeth  108 A through  108 J of the linear ratchet  107 , and a pair of laterally-spaced, opposed, rearward-facing ears  111 A and  111 B. Each ear  111 A or  111 B has associated therewith a cylindrical locator pin,  112 A or  112 B, respectively, that is axially aligned with and faces the locator pin of the opposing ear. The locator pins  112 A and  112 B are spaced apart so that both may simultaneously enter and engage the tracks  109 A and  109 B at the top of the main body  103  and slide within them, thereby retaining the adjustable bracket  104  slidably attached to the main body  103 . The locator pins  112 A and  112 B also allow the adjustable bracket  104  to be upwardly rotated about an adjustment axis  113  passing through the center of each locator pin  112 A and  112 B, so that the pawl may be disengaged from the linear ratchet  107 and the adjustable bracket  104  moved up and down within the tracks  109 A and  109 B. When the adjustable bracket  104  has been downwardly rotated, and the pawl has once again engaged on of the teeth  108 A through  108 J of the linear ratchet  107 , gravity ensures that the pawl remains securely engaged with the selected tooth. The front portion  110  of the adjustable bracket  104  also incorporates an upwardly-facing transverse groove  114 , which is sized to receive a picture frame hanging cable or wire. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the vertically-adjustable picture hangar  100  has been assembled and mounted on the wall section  102 . It will be noted that the adjustable bracket  104  has been slid over the main body  103 , with the locator pins  112 A and  112 B engaging tracks  109 A and  109 B, respectively. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the vertically-adjustable picture hangar  100  is symmetrical about the section line  4 — 4 . Operation and adjustment of the vertically-adjustable picture hangar  100  will become clear in FIGS. 4 through 7, which are based on a cross-sectional view of the picture hangar  100 , taken through section line  4 — 4 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, the pawl  401  on the adjustable bracket  104  is clearly visible. It will be noted that, as adjusted in this view, the pawl  401  engages tooth  108 A of the linear ratchet  107 . It will also be noted that each of the mounting screws  101  pierces the wall section  102 . The transverse groove  114 , which is sized to support a picture hanging wire or cable (not shown), is also visible in this view. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, the adjustable bracket  104  has been upwardly rotated, thereby disengaging the pawl  401  from tooth  108 A. The locator pins  112 A and  12 B serve as the pivot points. Once the pawl  401  has been disengaged from the linear ratchet  107 , the adjustable bracket  104  may be moved freely up and down within the tracks  109 A and  109 B. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, with the pawl  401  disengaged from the linear ratchet  107 , the adjustable bracket  104  has been slid downwardly. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, the adjustable bracket  104  has been downwardly rotated, thereby engaging the pawl  401  with tooth  108 H. Gravity ensures that the pawl  401  of adjustable bracket  104  remains securely engaged with tooth  108 H. 
     FIGS. 8 through 11, which are right side views of the picture hangar  100 , correspond to FIGS. 4 through 7, respectively. The track  109 A is clearly and fully visible in this view, as is the groove  402 . 
     Referring now to the top view of FIG. 12, both tracks  109 A and  109 B are clearly visible, as are the cylindrical locator pins  112 A and  112 B. 
     Both the main body  103  and the adjustable bracket  104  are preferably fabricated from a structural polymeric “plastic” material, such as polystyrene, ABS, acrylic, or poly vinyl chloride, via an injection molding process. Such method of manufacture ensures that the components may be produced cheaply and with little variabiltiy. 
     Although only several embodiments of the invention has been heretofore described, it will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.