Releasable and adjustable securing device

• US 4,557,455 A
• Filed: 03/01/1982
• Issued: 12/10/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Picturemate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Schmelzer Corporation
• Inventors: Benjamin, Benjamin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schultz, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/353,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 24/16 PB, 248/74.3, 248/222.2, 248/222.3, 248/297.3, 248/477, 248/478, 248/490, 248/496
• US Class Current: 248/496
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/1613 and being adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2563/107 having a release mechanism, e.g. reusable bundling straps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2563/108 Appendages formed with/on the strap for purposes other than joining, releasing or bundling, e.g. for fixing the strap to a wall, label plates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/1072 the barb having a plurality of serrations
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/16 with special provision allowing movement of the pipe F16L3/01 takes precedence; supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0305 characterised by the type of seal used
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0323 having clamp-like sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

A device for releasably and adjustably securing objects relative to each other such as hanging a picture frame relative to a wall. The device includes a flexible elongated strap slidably received by a latch mechanism. The strap and latch mechanism have complementary locking teeth permitting movement of the latch mechanism in one direction on the strap but preventing movement in the opposite direction. Means are provided to maintain the teeth in disengaged relationship so that the latch mechanism may be freely moved in both directions relative to the strap.

Claims

1. A device for securing objects comprising:

an elongated member, a latch mechanism, complementary lock elements on said elongated member and on said latch mechanism engageable with each other to permit movement of said latch mechanism in one direction on said elongated member and prevent movement in the opposite direction, a slide member selectively movable relative to said latch mechanism and longitudinally of said elongated member between first and second positions, said slide member being operable in said first position to permit engagement of said complementary lock elements and in a second position to separate said lock elements from each other to permit movement of said latch mechanism relative to said elongated member in both directions, and means holding said slide member relative to said latch mechanism in a selected one of said first and second positions.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means holding said slide member comprises complementary detent portions associated with said latch mechanism and said slide member to releasably hold said slide member in a selected one of said first and second positions.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said slide member has an opening alignable with said complementary lock elements to permit engagement therethrough, and a shelf adjacent said opening and being moveable between said lock elements to prevent engagement thereof.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said elongated member is a strap and said lock elements on said strap are teeth extending transversely of said strap and wherein said shelf has an edge portion adjacent said opening disposed at an angle to said teeth to prevent accidental engagement of said slide member with said teeth.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said lock elements on said elongated member are a plurality of uniformly spaced teeth extending transversely of and are spaced longitudinally of said elongated member.

5. A device for securing objects comprising:

a flexible, elongated member, a latch mechanism having a recess slidably receiving said elongated member, complementary lock elements on said strap and on said latch mechanism permitting movement of said latch mechanism in one direction on said elongated member and preventing movement in the opposite direction, a slide member selectively movable relative to said latch mechanism between a first position and a second position, abutments disposed at opposite ends of said elongated member to engage said slide member and move it relative to said latch mechanism when said latch mechanism is moved to opposite ends of said elongated member, said slide member being engageable with one abutment at one end of said elongated member to separate said lock elements to permit sliding movement of said latch mechanism in both directions on said elongated member and being engageable with the other abutment at the other end of said elongated member to place said slide member in a condition for engagement of said lock elements and movement of said latch mechanism in said one direction and preventing movement of said latch mechanism in an opposite direction.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said one abutment is formed in a bracket member adapted to be fastened to a wall or the like and said elongated member depends therefrom.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said other abutment is formed by folding an end portion of said elongated member to lie parallel to the remainder of said elongated member.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said elongated member is detachable from said bracket member.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said bracket member includes a hook and wherein said elongated member includes an eye at one end to detachable receive said hook.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said bracket includes a keeper element engageable with said elongated member to hold the latter in locked relationship with said bracket.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said keeper element engages an edge of said eye and resiliently urges said elongated member downwardly to engage said eye with said hook.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein said bracket member is adapted to be held in position relative to a wall by a pair of fastener elements vertically spaced in said bracket member and converging toward each other within the wall.

14. A device for hanging panels to a wall comprising:

an elongated flexible member adapted to be attached to a wall, a latch mechanism slidably receiving said elongated member and adapted to be attached to the rear surface of said panel, complementary lock elements on said elongated member and on said latch mechanism engageable with each other to permit movement of said latch mechanism in one direction longitudinally of said elongated member and prevent movement in the opposite direction, said slide means selectively movable relative to said latch mechanism between a first position in which said complementary lock elements are in engagement with each other and a second position in which said lock elements are separated from each other to permit movement of said latch mechanism relative to said elongated member in both directions and abutments disposed at opposite ends of said elongated member for engagement with said slide member to move the latter between said first and second positions upon movement of said panel.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said panel has a frame and said frame has a rearwardly opening groove extending parallel to the edges of said frame, said latch mechanism having a portion engageable with one side of said groove, and a clamp element engageable with the other side of said groove, said clamp element being held in selected positions relative to said latch mechanism to secure the latter in fixed position relative to said frame.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said clamp element is moveable transversely to the opening in said groove to selected adjusted positions.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said means holding said clamp element in position is a single screw element.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said screw element has an end portion guided in a groove formed in said latch and extending transversely to said open groove in said frame.

24. The hanger assembly of claim 14 wherein said control means is moveable between said first and second positions by moving said panel upwardly to place said slide member in said first position.

26. The device of claim 14 wherein said panel has a groove extending around its perimeter and wherein said mounting member engages one side of said groove, and an adjustable clamp element engageable with the other side of said groove to hold said mounting member in aligned position on said panel.

28. The hanger assembly of claim 26 wherein said groove has a border formed by parallel, spaced flanges, said mounting member having a slot to receive the edge of one of said flanges, said clamp element engaging the other of said flanges to hold said mounting member in fixed position on said panel.

29. The hanger assembly of claim 28 wherein said slot extends for substantially the full spacing of said elongated members.

19. Apparatus for hanging panels comprising:

a pair of flexible elongated members having one end adapted to be connected in horizontally spaced relation to a support, a pair of latch mechanisms slidably receiving said pair of elongated members, respectively, and being adapted for connection to the rear of said panel in horizontally spaced relationship to each other, complementary lock elements on said pair of elongated members and on said latch mechanisms, respectively, said lock elements being engageable with each other to permit movement of said pair of latch mechanisms in one direction relative to the associated elongated members and prevent movement in the opposite direction, and a pair of slide elements selectively movable relative to said latch mechanisms between a first position and a second position and each operating in a first position to maintain said complementary lock elements in engagement with each other and in a second position to maintain said lock elements separated from each other to permit movement of said latch mechanisms relative to said elongated members in both directions, and means at opposite ends of said elongated members for engaging and moving said slide elements between said first and second positions upon movement of said latch mechanisms to opposite ends of said elongated elements, said pair of latch mechanisms being operable independently of each other.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein corresponding ends of said elongated members are adapted for connection to a support at horizontally spaced locations relative to each other, means permitting lateral deflection of said corresponding ends of said elongated members when the spacing of said latch mechanisms is different than the spacing of said corresponding ends and said latch mechanisms are moved into proximity to said ends.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein corresponding ends of each of said elongated members are provided with an eye portion, said eye portions detachably receiving bracket elements attachable to said support, said eye portions being deflectable laterally relative to said elongated member when the spacing of said latch mechanisms differs from the spacing of said bracket elements and said latch mechanisms and bracket elements are moved into relative proximity.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said corresponding ends of said elongated members are formed with a frame portion and wherein said eye portion is disposed within said frame portion, said frame portion being flexible to permit lateral displacement of said eye portion relative to said elongated member.

23. The device of claim 19 wherein said pair of elongated members are separately removable from bracket elements fastened to said support.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 and further comprising a mounting member, means for fastening said mounting member to said panel, said pair of latch mechanisms being incorporated and forming part of said mounting member.

27. The hanger assembly of claim 25 wherein said panel member has a rearwardly opening groove formed at its perimeter, said mounting member engaging one side of said groove, said means securing said mounting member to said panel including a clamp element adjustable to selected positions to engage the other side of said groove and fastening means holding said clamp element in said selected position to secure said mounting member in fixed relationship to said panel.

33. The apparatus for hanging panels of claim 19 wherein said elongated members are slidably disposed for guided movement between pairs of guide rails, each of said elongated members having means associated therewith and resiliently engaging one of said rails of each of said pairs to urge said elongated member into parallel engagement with the other of said rails of said pair.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 in which said means associated with each of said elongated members is a finger element formed integrally with and extending to one side of the elongated member for resilient engagement with one rail of said pair of rails.

38. The hanger assembly of claim 27 wherein said slot extends for a substantial distance and extends parallel to an edge of said panel member to hold said mounting structure in aligned fixed relationship to said panel.

39. The hanger assembly of claim 19 and further comprising a pair of mounting structures adapted to be secured to opposite sides of a panel, said mounting structures incorporating said pair of latch mechanisms, respectively, said mounting structures being offset away from the sides of said panel and extending towards each other to position said elongated members behind said panel.

30. A hanger assembly for holding a panel member on a wall in which the panel member has a metal frame, said metal frame having a rearwardly opening groove extending around the perimeter of said panel, a mounting structure having a portion extending to one side of said groove, and a clamp element engaging the other side of said groove and held in selected positions to secure said mounting structure in selected positions around the perimeter of said panel, an elongated element slidably supported relative to said mounting structure, the upper end of said elongated member being adapted for fastening to a wall to depend therefrom, a latch mechanism forming part of said mounting structure and normally being in engagement with said elongated element to permit upward and prevent downward movement of said panel relative to said elongated element and said wall, and a slide element associated with said elongated element and said latch mechanism and being moveable between first and second positions, said slide element being operative in said first position to inactivate said latch mechanism to permit movement of said panel upwardly and downwardly relative to said wall and being operative in said second position to permit engagement of said latch mechanism with said elongated element to permit upward and to prevent downward movement of said panel.

31. The hanger assembly of claim 30 wherein said mounting structure is securable to an upper part of said frame to depend therefrom and wherein a second elongated element is supported relative to said mounting structure in horizontally spaced relationship relative thereto.

32. The hanger assembly of claim 30 wherein said latch mechanism is part of a mounting structure secured to a side of said frame, and a second mounting structure securable to the opposite side of said frame to receive a second elongated member, said mounting structures being offset away from the side of said frame and extending toward each other to position said elongated members behind said panel.

35. A device for securing a member from a support member comprising:

a flexible strap connected to one of said members, a latch mechanism slidably receiving said strap and being connected to the other of said members, complementary lock elements on said strap and on said latch mechanism permitting movement of said latch mechanism in one direction on said strap and preventing movement in the opposite direction relative to said strap, and slide means movable longitudinally of said strap relative to said latch mechanism being selectively operable to disengage said complementary lock elements and permit free movement of said members in opposite directions relative to each other.

36. A securing device comprising:

a latch mechanism having a body member with an opening therein, a lock element movable relative to said latch mechanism, a flexible strap having one end formed integrally with said body member and a portion slidable in said opening said strap having a plurality of teeth disposed longitudinally of said strap for sequentially engaging said locking element upon movement of the strap in one direction in said opening, and means supported on said latch mechanism and slidable longitudinally of said strap and relative to said lock element between a first position permitting engagement of said lock element with said teeth to permit sliding movement of said latch mechanism in one direction relative to said strap and a second position to prevent engagement of said lock element with said teeth to permit sliding movement of said latch mechanism in both directions relative to said strap.

37. The device of claim 36 wherein said strap and said body member are formed as a unit of plastic material.