Abstract:
A decorative accessory holder for suspending decorations such as Christmas ornaments, stockings, lights, garland and the like from a mantel or shelf. The holder comprises a telescoping rod assembly with a clamping mechanism and end leg spring members adapted to fit securely over the upper surface of a mantel under tension, with a gap between the rod assembly and the upper surface of the mantel for inserting one or more detachable decoration holders such as hooks.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM 
     This application claims priority to and is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/694,978 filed Apr. 23, 2015 by the same inventors (Grant and Schaub), which prior application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The subject matter of the present application is in the field of devices for suspending decorative items from the front edge of a mantel or shelf using hooks. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many people place decorative accessory holders on the front edges of fireplace mantels to hold items such as Christmas stockings and lights, figurines, garland, strings of mistletoe and the like. One prior accessory holder takes the form of a weighted figurine with an attached hanger that extends over the front edge of the mantel. The figurine is heavily weighted to keep not only itself in place, but also to keep it from slipping off the mantel despite the weight of decorations suspended from its hanger. This weighted figurine technique applies well to all mantel surface types, including harder surfaces such as marble or granite. However, weighted figurines have a 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 mantel. More importantly, the falling weighted figurine could cause personal injury. This is particularly the case when a curious small child might pull at a stocking, dislodging the figurine and directing its fall toward the child. With a typical mantel height, a weighted figurine could be traveling between 6 and 10 mph when it strikes a child, and could cause injury. 
     Most of the currently available Christmas stocking holders are designed for the sole purpose of hanging Christmas stockings. Stringing lights, garland, and 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 and 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 or shelf surface. 
     One prior art Christmas stocking holder is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,819 issued Jul. 1, 1997 to 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, supported by the C clamps. 
     Another prior art means for supporting articles from a mantel, shelf or similar planar surface is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,827 issued Apr. 30, 2002 to Kacines. This means of 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. 
     The above-cited prior art teaches rather complex stocking holders and ones that can be too easily be 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 hanging from the front edge of a mantel or shelf. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present invention is a strong, simple accessory holder which can safely hold decorative accessories (e.g., strings of lights, Christmas stockings, garland, lanterns, flowers, wreaths, banners, figurines, etc.—hereafter “decorations”) hanging from the front edge of a raised support with a substantially flat front edge, perpendicular sides, and a flat upper surface, such as a fireplace mantel, a shelf, or the front edge of a table (hereafter “mantel” for convenience). The holder can be securely attached to the mantel without marring the surface, securely holds various types of decoration, and is nearly impossible to pull off, either directly or via a decoration hanging from the holder. Even if the holder were somehow to be pulled from the mantel, the holder itself is lightweight and does not pose any significant risk of damage or injury. 
     The inventive holder is a horizontal rod assembly comprising a main outer rod and a counterpart inner rod that telescopes into the main rod to adjust the length, with a clamping mechanism that secures the rods at a desired length under tension against the sides of the mantel. The rod ends have 90-degree-angled, downwardly-oriented vertical end legs configured to be drawn against the outside edges of the mantel, shelf, etc. under tension. Spacers are located adjacent the inner corner of the junction of the rod ends and angled legs, in one form extending inwardly from the angled legs toward the center of the rod assembly essentially parallel to and underneath the associated rod. The spacers engage the upper surface of the mantel to create a space between the lower side of the rod assembly and the upper surface of the mantel for securing an attachment means such as a hook or cord between the rod assembly and the mantel. 
     In a first embodiment, the clamping mechanism comprises an internal fixed female thread in one rod and an internal male threaded shaft rotatably mounted in the other rod, with an external nut or similar driver for operating the male threaded shaft. The inner faces of the angled end legs include resilient spring members located below the spacer tabs, the resilient spring members exerting a spring force when compressed against the sides of the mantel as the rods are drawn together in order to secure the rod assembly to the mantel under reliable tension. 
     In a second embodiment, the clamping mechanism comprises an external clamping hasp on one rod that flexibly engages an external collar on the other rod under tension. 
     The rod assembly in a further form includes one or more specially designed hooks, with front hook legs for supporting decorations, and rear base legs terminating in shallow upwardly curved hook ends to engage the back of the rod assembly with the base legs in a secure trapped fit between the rod assembly and the upper surface of the mantel. In a preferred form, the upwardly curved rod-engaging hook ends of the hooks subtend an arc greater than 90-degrees but less than 180-degrees. 
     In a further form, the hooks include vertical bores in reinforced vertical post portions of their front hook legs, and removable decorative finials with pins removably received in the vertical bores. 
     Terms of orientation such as horizontal, vertical, etc. with respect to the rod assembly and hooks should be considered convenient terms of relative orientation within the context of the rod itself, and when mounted on a horizontal mantel, used in order to better distinguish their relationship to one another rather than as absolute terms. 
     These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of an exemplary accessory holder according to the invention, mounted to a mantel. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but shows the accessory holder rod assembly with a different clamping mechanism. 
         FIG. 3  is an end elevation view of the rod assembly and mantel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a detail front view of one of the rod assembly ends of  FIG. 1  where it is clamped to the mantel. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective front view of the accessory holder of  FIG. 1  on the mantel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , an accessory holder  100  is shown in exemplary form, mounted on a mantel  50 , in order to teach how to make and use the claimed invention. Holder  100  is a horizontal rod assembly comprising a main outer rod  1  and a smaller diameter counterpart inner rod  2 . Inner rod  2  is telescopically mounted in rod  1  to adjust the overall length of rod assembly  100 . The ends of the outer and inner rods  1  and  2  are provided with substantially identical end legs  4  and  6 , the legs mounted perpendicular to the axis of the horizontal rod assembly so that they depend vertically from each end of the rod assembly when oriented to engage mantel  50 . End legs  4  and  6  may be integral extensions of the rods&#39; material, for example metal or sturdy plastic tubing, or they may be separate pieces secured to the ends of the rods. The rod components may be made from metal, plastic, wood, or various combinations thereof. 
     Outer and inner rods  1  and  2  can be secured in different length-adjusted positions to accommodate the width of the mantel. In the example of  FIG. 1 , a fixed female thread  3  such as an internal nut is located in the bore of inner rod  2 , for example located at or near the inner terminal end  2   a  of inner rod  2 . A correspondingly-threaded male threaded rod  5  is rotatably secured inside the outer rod  1 , with its inner terminal end  5   a  threaded into and through the fixed female thread  3 . The outer end  5   b  of threaded rod  5  passes through a hole in leg  6  on the outer end  1   b  of main rod  1 , with a driver such as a nut or knurled cap  7  secured non-rotatably to the threaded rod  5  to rotate the threaded rod  5  in the outer rod  1 . 
     Rotating threaded rod  5  clockwise acts through fixed female thread  3  to draw inner rod  2  farther into outer rod  1 , reducing the overall length of rod assembly  100 ; rotating threaded rod  5  counterclockwise acts through fixed female thread  3  to extend inner rod  2  farther out of outer rod  1 , increasing the overall length of rod assembly  100 . 
     The length of the rod assembly  100  is initially adjusted in this manner so that end legs  4  and  6  fit over the respective sides  52  of mantel  50 . Driver  7  is then rotated to draw rods  1  and  2 , and thus their end legs  4  and  6 , tightly against the sides of the mantel under tension, clamping the rod assembly  100  securely to the mantel. 
       FIG. 2  shows an alternate clamping mechanism in the form of a clamp hasp  8  and collar sleeve  9  secured to the outer rod  1  and inner rod  2 , respectively. Clamp hasp  8  is fixed to the outer end  1   a  of rod  1 , and comprises a flexible spring arm  8   a , for example made from a thin metal or flexible plastic, with a catch  8   b  configured to catch the collar sleeve  9  on the inner rod. Collar sleeve  9  slides over the inner rod  2  and can be tightened in a desired location, for example with a set screw, to provide a firm anchor for the catch  8   b  on clamp hasp  8 . Clamp hasp  8  clamps onto collar sleeve  9  as illustrated, under tension given the flex of the spring arm and/or catch, and tensions the inner rod  2  relative to outer rod  1  to fix the length of the rod assembly and tighten the end legs  4  and  6  against the sides of the mantel under tension, securing the rod assembly firmly to the mantel. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , the inner faces of end legs  4  and  6  are provided with resilient spring members  20 , for example firm rubber or foam pads that compress resiliently to function as a spring under compression as the legs are drawn against mantel sides  52 . The compressed spring resistance of resilient members  20  against the tension of rod assembly  100  on the mantel results in a strong tensioned fit without loosening over time due to creep, fatigue, or vibration. While resiliently compressible foam pads are illustrated for spring members  20 , it will be understood that other types of resilient spring member could be used in place of the pads, for example short coil or leaf springs. 
       FIGS. 1, 2 and 4  also show spacer members  30 ,  30 ′ on the rod assembly for maintaining a gap  40  between the upper surface  54  of the mantel and the rod assembly sufficient for decoration support hooks  10  to be secured therebetween. In  FIG. 1 , spacers  30  are collars located on the ends of rods  1  and  2  adjacent legs  4  and  6 , the spacers having outer diameters greater than the outer rod  1  to keep the rods above the mantel surface. In  FIG. 4 , the spacers  30 ′ are tabs extending inwardly from the inner faces of legs  4  and  6  near their junctions with the rod ends, the tabs having a thickness sufficient to maintain gap  40  for hooks  10 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , hooks  10  include a flat horizontal body  10   a  configured to sit flat against the surface  54  of the mantel  50 , a vertical front leg  10   b  with a decoration-supporting hook portion  10   c , and an upwardly curved rod-engaging rear hook portion  10   f  with a thickness designed to fit under the front side of the rod assembly  100  through gap  40  and to rotate upwardly to secure the hook to the corresponding rod. The arc subtended by the rear hook portion  10  is greater than 90-degrees but less than 180-degrees, ensuring both ease of engagement with the rod and a secure attachment once main hook body  10   a  is rotated down flat onto the mantel. 
     The vertical front leg  10   b  of hook  10  includes a thickened post portion  10   d , for example with a rounded or wedge-shaped front face. Post portion  10   d  includes a bore  10   e  opening at the upper end of the vertical leg. Bore  10   e  receives a correspondingly-sized pin or post to mount a finial-type decoration vertically at the front of the mantel. In the illustrated example of  FIG. 5 , star-shaped Christmas ornaments  60  are provided with mounting stems  62  sized to fit into bores  10   e  in the hooks  10 . Other vertical “finial” type decorations are possible, for example small flags or pennants. 
     Once secured under the rod assembly, hooks  10  are frictionally secured in place, although they may generally be moved or re-positioned along the length of the rod assembly by sliding them with sufficient force between the rod and mantel, or by first loosening the rod assembly. 
     Description of Operation 
     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , in operation the rod assembly  100  is adjusted lengthwise to fit the width of mantel  50 , and rods  1  and  2  are drawn together with the length adjustment mechanism  7  to tension the end legs  4  and  6  against mantel sides  52 , with resilient spring members  20  on the legs compressed. Rear rod-engaging ends  10   f  of the hooks are inserted between the rod assembly and the mantel through gap  40  at an angle, and the hooks are rotated until their horizontal main body portions  10   a  lie flat against the mantel surface. Decorations such as Christmas stockings, lights, etc. can then be hung securely from hooks  10  as shown, and/or vertical finial decorations such as ornaments  60  can be mounted in the post portions of the front ends of the hooks. 
     It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention should accordingly be construed by what the above disclosure teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and by any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.