Patent Publication Number: US-6219892-B1

Title: Display hanger for sheet items of fabric art

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to hangers or hanging assemblies and, particularly, to a hanger for displaying a sheet item of fabric art such as a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and like items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of hangers are known for displaying various items such as quilts, tapestry, rugs and other items, e.g., those items mentioned above. The items often are used to display such fabric art in various environments ranging from a personal home to a public museum. In a museum, for instance, the item of fabric art may be displayed on a wall and changed every month or so. 
     One of the problems with handling and displaying such sheet items of fabric art is the damage done to the items and which may become permanent. If an item is displayed, it typically has considerable value to an individual or institution. The item may be a new item of fabric art which can be quite delicate or, most often, the item is somewhat old or very old and fragile. 
     In particular, most prior art hanging assemblies for sheet items of fabric art use some form of pressure or clamping directly onto the item. Such forces cause stresses in the fabric and even can cause permanent impressions. This is particularly true if the item is old. Even newer items can be damaged when the item is a large quilt, tapestry, blanket or rug which is quite heavy. The weight, combined with the clamping forces, actually can separate the fabric weave and cause considerable damage to valuable works of art. 
     The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a unique system which utilizes an interface member which can be attached to the sheet item with appropriate non-invasive attaching means. The interface member then is secured to a frame of the hanging assembly and absorbs the abusive forces therefrom. In other words, the hanging assembly of the invention isolates the sheet item of fabric art from abusive clamping or other forces. The assembly also is versatile, easy to use and is arranged so as not to be visible in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved hanger for displaying a sheet item of fabric art such as a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and other similar items. 
     In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hanger is provided as an assembly which includes an elongated frame adapted for mounting on an appropriate support structure, such as a wall. An elongated flexible interface strip is adapted for attachment to the sheet item by appropriate non-invasive attaching means, such as pins or basting thread. Securing means are provided for securing the flexible interface strip to the frame. 
     As disclosed herein, the elongated frame comprises a pair of elongated clamp bars for clamping the securing means therebetween. Generally, spring means are provided for biasing the clamp bars into mutually clamping condition. Specifically, at least one hinge connects the clamp bars for relative movement between an open loading position and a closed clamping position. The hinge is spring loaded for biasing the clamp bars to their closed clamping position. At least one of the clamp bars includes a channel running lengthwise thereof for receiving the securing means which may be in the form of a rod. 
     The flexible interface strip comprises a cloth-like strip for receiving the non-invasive attaching means such as the pins or basting thread. The interface strip includes a passage running lengthwise thereof for receiving the securing rod. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which: 
     FIG. 1 a perspective view of the hanging assembly of the invention, shown hanging a quilt thereon; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the hanging assembly of FIG. 1, in conjunction with the quilt; 
     FIG. 3 is a further exploded perspective view of the components of the hanging assembly, isolated from the quilt; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the hanging assembly and quilt as viewed from one end of the assembly in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the elongated frame in closed position; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the frame in closed position; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the frame in closed position; and 
     FIG. 8 is a front elevational view similar to that of FIG. 5, but with the frame in open position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to FIG. 1, the invention is embodied in a hanging assembly, generally designated  10 , for displaying a sheet item  12  of fabric art. The item shown herein is a quilt. However, it should be understood that the hanging assembly of the invention is equally applicable for displaying other sheet items such as a tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and other similar items. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, hanging assembly  10  includes an elongated frame, generally designated  14 , adapted for mounting on an appropriate upright support structure such as a wall; an elongated flexible interface strip  16  adapted for attachment to the sheet item or quilt  12  by appropriate non-invasive attaching means; and securing means in the form of a rod  18  for securing flexible interface strip  16  to frame  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in conjunction with FIG. 2, frame  14  comprises a frame assembly which includes a pair of elongated clamp bars  20  and  22 . Clamp bar  20  has a plurality of holes  24  through which appropriate fastening means such as screws  26  (FIG. 4) can be used to attach rear clamp bar  20  to an appropriate support structure such as a wall  28  (FIG.  4 ). Front clamp bar  22  is attached to rear clamp bar  20  by a pair of hinges  30  attached by appropriate screws to the bottom surfaces of the clamp bars which may be fabricated of such materials as wood, plastic or the like. The hinges are spring loaded for biasing the clamp bars to a closed clamping position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Finally, the inside surface of each clamp bar  20  and  22  is provided with an open channel  32  extending lengthwise thereof. As seen in FIG. 4, when the clamp bars are in the closed clamping position, channels  32  are aligned or face each other to define a closed elongated cavity. 
     Flexible interface strip  16  may be provided as a cloth-like strip for receiving such non-invasive attaching means as pins  34  (FIG. 2) to attach quilt  12  to the interface strip. Another excellent non-invasive attaching means is basting thread which can be used to attach the sheet item or quilt to the interface strip lengthwise of the strip, using a “running” stitch or basting stitch. If the sheet item of fabric art is heavy, such as a quilt, tapestry, rug or the like, two or more lines or rows of running stitches can be used to avoid concentrated stresses in the sheet item. The top edge of interface strip  16  is folded over and stitched, as at  36  in FIG. 2, to form a passage  38  running lengthwise thereof for receiving securing rod  18 . The rod may be a simple dowel-type rod. 
     FIGS. 5-7 show elongated frame assembly  14  with elongated clamp bars  20  and  22  biased to their closed clamping position by spring loaded hinges  30 . FIGS. 5 and 6 show the hinges to include coiled springs  40  to spring load the hinges. FIG. 8 shows clamp bars  20  and  22  of frame assembly  14  in their open loading position exposing channels  32  formed in the inside surfaces of the clamp bars. 
     The use of hanging assembly  10  now will be described, in conjunction with hanging quilt  12  for display purposes. The quilt first is placed on a horizontal support surface, such as a bed, large table, countertop or the like where it is not subject to any stresses whatsoever. Flexible interface strip  16  then is attached to the quilt along what would be its top edge by appropriate non-invasive attaching means. As stated above, such non-invasive attaching means could be one or more rows of pins  34  or one or more lines of running stitches of basting thread. Again, this process does not expose the quilt to any abusive stresses whatsoever. Securing rod  18  then can be inserted through passage  38  formed in the flexible interface strip. Of course, the rod could have been inserted prior to attaching the strip to the quilt. With rear clamp bar  20  fixed to an appropriate upright support structure such as wall  20 , front clamp bar  22  is opened as shown in FIG.  8 . The quilt and attached interface strip  16  can be gently elevated and placed on top of the assembly. The front clamp bar is gently pulled down to expose channels  32  and securing rod  18  is placed in position to be captured within channels  32  of the clamp bars. This is most easily accomplished by placing the securing rod in channel  32  of front clamp bar  22  as shown in the open position of FIG. 8, and simply allowing the spring biasing of hinges  30  to gently close the front clamp bar against rear clamp bar  20  to capture securing rod  18  and the surrounding interface strip as shown in FIG.  4 . As stated above, in the closed clamping position of the clamp bars, channels  32  combine to form a closed elongated cavity for capturing securing rod  18  and the surrounding portions of the flexible interface strip. The strip simply drapes over the top and down the front face of front clamp bar  22  as seen in FIG. 4. A stop piece  44  (FIG. 8) can be used to hold the clamp bars open while securing the assembly to a wall by screws  26 . 
     After the quilt is hung as described above, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that hanging assembly  10  is completely hidden behind the upper edge of the quilt. In addition, although FIGS. 1 and 2 show the hanging assembly to be longer than the width of the quilt, the hanging assembly can be readily made in a variety of lengths so that the entire assembly is hidden behind the upper edge of the quilt. Different lengths of hanging assemblies can be fabricated for different sizes of sheet items of fabric art. Although interface strip  16  can be appropriately provided of cloth-like material, a plastic strip also could be used. Although the invention is shown herein hanging quilt  12  on a wall  28 , other sheet items of fabric art can be hung on a variety of other appropriate upright support structures, even including a bed frame for hanging a bed canopy. It can be understood that interface strip  16  isolates the hanging stresses from quilt  12 . In other words, the quilt is gently attached to the interface strip by the non-invasive pins or thread, and the clamping hanging stresses are absorbed by securing rod  18  at the top of the interface strip. The quilt or other work of art, in essence, is not altered in any way and certainly is not disfigured by any clamping forces. 
     It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.