Abstract:
A device for hanging a picture and adjusting its height relative to a wall is provided. The device comprises a back plate member that attaches to the wall, a riser member that slides relative to the back plate member, and an eccentric disc operably engaging the riser member to raise or lower the picture. The picture itself is hung from a hook extending outward from the riser member.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This patent relates to a device for hanging pictures and the like. More particularly, this patent relates to a device for hanging a picture and adjusting its height relative to a wall. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Numerous devices are known in the art for hanging a picture on a wall. While some of these devices also enable a user to level the picture, none enable the user to adjust the overall picture height. 
         [0005]    Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows for easy vertical adjustment of pictures. Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is a device for hanging a picture and adjusting its height relative to a wall. The device comprises a back plate member that attaches to a wall, a riser member that slides relative to the back plate member, and an eccentric disc affixed to the back plate member that operably engages the riser member to raise or lower the riser member and thus the picture. The picture itself is hung from a hook extending outwardly from the riser member. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment the back plate is generally rectangular and comprises opposing C-shaped vertically oriented channels within which the riser can slide. The back plate member can be affixed to the wall by nails, screws, adhesive or other suitable means of attachment. 
         [0008]    The riser member comprises a top cross member, opposing side members connected by the top cross member, and a bottom cross member. The side members and cross members define a rectangular opening large enough to accommodate the eccentric disc. The top cross member has a lower edge having gear-like teeth that engage similar teeth on the eccentric disc. 
         [0009]    Preferably the eccentric disc is circular and has a center and a perimeter and teeth disposed around at least part of the perimeter. The teeth actionably engaging the riser teeth when the riser is at the desired position resting on the eccentric disc. The disc is rotatably attached to the back plate at an off-center location (defined by a rivet hole) such that rotating the disc (while the riser is temporarily disengaged) causes a different tooth (on the perimeter of the disc) to present itself to the riser teeth and thus (when the riser is returned to its loaded position) the riser assumes a raised or lowered height. 
         [0010]    The eccentric disc may include position indicators evenly arranged in spaced relationship around the disc to facilitate adjustments to the height settings by visual reference to the riser teeth. The eccentric disc may also comprise a slot located diametrically opposite the rivet hole along a diametric line to facilitate adjustment of the riser. 
         [0011]    Preferably the hook member extends forward the channels in a direction away from the wall to exert both downward and lateral forces on the riser, thereby stabilizing the riser in a fixed vertical position and keeping the disc from rotating to a different height adjustment when a picture or other load is hung from the hook. 
     
    
     
       THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a picture hanging device according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the picture hanging device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3   a  is a front elevational view of the picture hanging device of  FIG. 1  shown with the riser in an intermediate position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3   b  is a front elevational view of the picture hanging device of  FIG. 1  shown with the riser in an elevated position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3   c  is a front elevational view of the picture hanging device of  FIG. 1  shown with the riser in a lowered position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    While this invention may be embodied in many forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more embodiments with the understanding that this disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments. 
         [0018]    Turning to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  one embodiment of the present invention, a device for hanging and changing the vertical height (elevation) of a picture or other article. In its general form, the picture hanging device  10  comprises a back plate  12 , a slide or riser  14 , an eccentrically mounted disc  16  and a rivet  18 . 
         [0019]    The back plate  12  is generally rectangular and comprises a substantially flat back panel  20  having two opposing C-shaped channels  22  within which the riser  14  slides and an opening  21  ( FIG. 2 ) located intermediate and preferably equidistant from the channels  22 . Additional laterally spaced openings  24  disposed in the back panel  20  accommodate nails, screws (not shown) or other means for attaching the picture hanging device  10  to a wall. The C-shaped channels  22  are formed by edge portions of the back plate  20 , short side walls that extend outwardly (away from the wall) and at right angles from the back plate  20 , and short top walls that extend inwardly (towards each other) and at right angles from the side walls. 
         [0020]    The riser  14  comprises opposing side members  26  connected by a horizontal top cross member  28  and a bottom cross member  32 . A hook member  30  extends upward from the top cross member  28  and slightly outward from the wall when the device  10  is installed. The horizontal lower edge  34  of the top cross member  28  comprises teeth or serrations  35 , the function of which is described below. The side members  26  and cross members  28 ,  32  define a rectangular opening large enough to accommodate the eccentric disc  16 . The vertical height of that opening must be greater than the diameter of the eccentric disc  16  so that the riser  14  can be temporarily lifted from the disc  16  to enable the disc  16  to be rotated. 
         [0021]    The eccentric disc  16  is so called because it is rotatably attached to the back plate  12  at an off-center location defined by rivet hole  36  ( FIG. 2 ), thereby causing the disc  16  to rotate in an eccentric manner with respect to the back plate  12 . The disc  16  is circular and comprises gear-like teeth  38  disposed about its perimeter. When the device  10  is assembled, the disc teeth  38  mesh with the serrations  35  along the lower edge  34  of the top cross member  28  of the riser  14 . 
         [0022]    To assemble the device  10 , the riser side members  26  are slid within the opposing channels  22  of the back plate  12  until the opening  21  in the back plate  12  appears within the rectangular opening defined by the riser side members  26  and cross members  28 ,  32 . The eccentric disc  16  is then secured to the back plate  12  by a rivet  18  or other suitable attachment means passing through the off-center opening  36  in the disc  16  and the opening  21  in the back plate  12 . The riser  14  is then slid further downward until the disc teeth  38  operably engage the riser teeth  35 . Preferably the riser  14  engages the eccentric disc  16  when the disc is in the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 3   a  so that the riser  14  can be adjusted up or down as will now be explained. 
         [0023]    The invention works in the following manner. The picture hanging device  10  is secured to a wall, preferably with two nails, and a picture (not shown) hung from the hook member  30  while the riser  14  is in the intermediate position. At this point the picture should be hung at a height close to but not necessarily the same as its desired final height. Assuming a height adjustment is needed, the picture is then removed from hook member  30  so a height adjustment can be made. 
         [0024]    Picture height adjustment either up or down are made in the following three step manner. First, the riser  14  is lifted (disengaged) from the eccentric disc  16 . Next, the eccentric disc  16  is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise as needed to present different teeth  38  on the disc  16  to engage the riser teeth  35 . Finally, the riser  14  is lowered back down to its loaded position wherein the riser teeth  35  once again engage the disc teeth  38  and the picture once again hung from the hook member  30 . The disc  16  may be rotated by engaging a flat screwdriver or similar tool in the slot  40  located diametrically opposite the rivet  18  and rotating the disc  16  either clockwise or counterclockwise. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3   a  shows the device  10  with the riser  14  located in the intermediate position. In the intermediate position the median line (defined as a diametric line intersecting both the center point and the pivot point  18  of the disc  16  is horizontal. From the position shown in  FIG. 3   a , rotating the disc  16  clockwise will cause the riser  14  to elevate and rotating the disc  16  counterclockwise will cause the riser  14  to lower. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3   b  shows the riser in its highest position, one in which the rivet  18  (and thus the rotational point of the eccentric disk  16 ) is located directly below the disc&#39;s center point. Any rotation of the eccentric disc  16  from the position shown in  FIG. 3   b , either clockwise or counterclockwise, will cause the riser  14  to lower. 
         [0027]    Rotating the disc  16  counterclockwise from the position of  FIG. 3   a  will cause the riser to move downward.  FIG. 3   c  shows the riser in its lowest position, one in which the rivet  18  is located directly above the disc&#39;s center point. Any rotation of the eccentric disc  16  from the position shown in  FIG. 3   c , either clockwise or counterclockwise, will cause the riser  14  to elevate. 
         [0028]    In the embodiment shown in the figures there are ninety teeth  38  located on the perimeter of the disc  16  spaced at four degree intervals. This configuration allows for forty-five discrete height settings on the counterclockwise side of the median line and forty-five discrete height settings on the clockwise side of the median line. The total travel distance of the riser  14  from the topmost ( FIG. 3   b ) to the bottommost ( FIG. 3   a ) positions is a function of the dimensions of the picture hanging device  10 , particularly the diameter of the eccentric disc  16 . 
         [0029]    It should be understood that the disc  16  can be made with any suitable number of teeth  38 . For example, a disc  16  made with thirty teeth instead of ninety may be more suitable for smaller versions of the picture hanging device  10 . The serrations  35  along the lower edge  34  of the riser  14  can also be varied to match the dimensions of the disc teeth  38 . 
         [0030]    The “tooth to tooth” interval (i.e., the degree arc from one tooth apex to the adjacent tooth apex) is a function of the number of teeth  38 . For a disc  16  having ninety teeth  38  the tooth to tooth interval is four degrees. For a disc  16  having thirty teeth  38  the arc between adjacent teeth is twelve degrees. 
         [0031]    The rotational asymmetry of the disc  16  (i.e. the degree of offset between any pair of otherwise diametrically opposed teeth) is also a function of the number of teeth  38 , and equals ¼ of the tooth to tooth interval. For a disc  16  having ninety teeth  38  and thus a tooth to tooth interval of four degrees the rotational asymmetry is one degree. For a disc  16  having thirty teeth  38  and a tooth to tooth interval of twelve degrees the rotational asymmetry is three degrees. 
         [0032]    In the illustrated embodiment twelve position indicators or marks  42  on the proximal side of the disc  16  (away from the wall) are spaced around the disc  16  at thirty degree intervals. These marks  42  are used to facilitate adjustments to the height settings by visual reference to the riser teeth  35 . 
         [0033]    It should be understood that due to the geometry of the device  10  the disc  16  will not rotate when engaging the riser  14 , even when a load (eg. a picture) is placed on the hook member  30 . In addition, because the riser side members  26  are slidably engaged within the vertical channels  22  in the back plate  12 , and because the hook member  30  extends upward from the top cross member  28 , forward the channels  22  and away from the wall, any load placed on the hook member  30  will exert both downward and lateral forces on the riser  14 , thereby stabilizing the riser  14  in a fixed vertical position and keeping the disc  16  from rotating to a different height adjustment. 
         [0034]    Other modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention are contemplated which do not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the foregoing teachings and appended claims. It is intended that the claims cover all such modifications that fall within their scope.