U.S. patent application number 09/827126 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-10 for hook arrangement.
Invention is credited to Alvarado, Rafael A., Edwards, Douglas, Ritter, Francis C..
Application Number | 20020145086 09/827126 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25248368 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020145086 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alvarado, Rafael A. ; et
al. |
October 10, 2002 |
Hook arrangement
Abstract
A hook arrangement, for suspending plastic or polyethylene bags
that are connected by means of a disposable header, which does not
occupy any floor space in the establishments it is to be used in,
and which is stable, easy to use, pleasing to the eye, inexpensive
to fabricate, and places the plastic bags, that are used in
conjunction with it, within easy reach of the consumers requiring
the use of such bags.
Inventors: |
Alvarado, Rafael A.;
(Houston, TX) ; Ritter, Francis C.; (Great Neck,
NY) ; Edwards, Douglas; (Tulsa, OK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Clarence E Eriksen
112 E Pecan Street
Suite 2100
San Antonio
TX
78205
US
|
Family ID: |
25248368 |
Appl. No.: |
09/827126 |
Filed: |
April 5, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/95 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 43/14 20130101;
A47F 13/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/95 |
International
Class: |
B65B 067/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hook arrangement for suspending plastic bags comprising: (a) a
mounting plate with a front portion and a back portion; and (b)
first and second laterally spaced, and generally parallel rod
members that are affixed to said mounting plate, wherein a section
of each of said rod members protrudes from the front portion of
said plate to form a U-shaped hook, while the remainder of each of
said rod members protrudes from the back portion of said mounting
plate to form an inverted U-shaped hook.
2. The hook arrangement of claim 1, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said mounting plate.
3. The hook arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a third
U-shaped rod member, which is affixed to said mounting plate
between the first and second rod members, the third rod member
forming an inverted U-shaped hook that protrudes from the back
portion of said mounting plate.
4. The hook arrangement of claim 3, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said mounting plate.
5. A hook arrangement for suspending plastic bags comprising: (a) a
mounting plate with a front portion and a back portion; and (b)
first and second laterally spaced and generally parallel rod
members that are affixed to said mounting plate, wherein a section
of each of said members protrudes from the front portion of said
plate to form a U-shaped hook while the remainder of each of said
members protrudes from the back portion of said plate to from
inverted L-shaped legs.
6. The hook arrangement of claim 5, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said mounting plate.
7. The hook arrangement of claim 5, wherein a rod member is
attached perpendicularly, at each end, to each of said inverted
L-shaped legs.
8. A hook arrangement for suspending plastic bags comprising: (a) a
first mounting plate with a front portion and a back portion; (b) a
second mounting plate with a front portion and a back portion; (c)
first and second laterally spaced and generally parallel U-shaped
hooks that are affixed to said first mounting plate; (d) first and
second laterally spaced and generally parallel straight rod members
that are each affixed at one end to said first mounting plate and
on the other end to said second mounting plate; and (e) third and
fourth laterally spaced and generally parallel rod members that
protrude from the back portion of said second plate to from
inverted L-shaped legs.
9. The hook arrangement of claim 8, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said first mounting plate.
10. The hook arrangement of claim 8, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said second mounting plate.
11. The hook arrangement of claim 8, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in each of said first and second mounting plates.
12. The hook arrangement of claim 8, wherein a rod member is
attached perpendicularly, at each end, to each of said inverted
L-shaped legs.
13. A hook arrangement for suspending plastic bags comprising: (a)
a generally flat base member; (b) a vertical member that is
attached perpendicularly at one end to the center of said base
member; and (c) a rod member having a horizontal portion which is
attached perpendicularly near its center to a point on the vertical
member near the free end of said vertical member, said rod member
having a first and second leg, each depending perpendicularly and
upwardly from said horizontal portion, with each end of said legs
culminating in a V-shaped hook that depends upwardly from each of
said legs.
14. The hook arrangement of claim 13, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said base member.
15. A hook arrangement for suspending plastic bags comprising: (a)
a mounting plate with a front portion and a back portion; (b) first
and second laterally spaced and generally parallel rod members that
are affixed to said mounting plate, and a section of each of said
members protrudes from the front portion of said plate to form a
U-shaped hook; and (c) first and second laterally spaced and
generally parallel rectangular members that are affixed to said
mounting plate, each of said rectangular members having two
depending portions that protrude from the back portion of said
mounting plate to form a bracket configuration.
16. The hook arrangement of claim 15, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said mounting plate.
17. The hook arrangement of claim 15, wherein a plurality of holes
are formed in said rectangular members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to hook arrangements, and
more particularly, to such arrangements used for suspending plastic
or polyethylene bags of the variety used in retail stores such as
grocery stores and supermarkets.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In recent years, plastic merchandise bags have been
replacing paper bags in the retail and grocery products industries
due to the superior and inherent moisture resistant properties of
plastic. Nowhere is the trend of using plastic bags in the place of
paper bags more evident than in the produce sections of grocery
stores and supermarkets where customers almost exclusively use
plastic bags to hold the various fruits and/or vegetables that are
sought to be purchased. In addition to having moisture resistant
properties that are superior to paper bags, plastic bags are
cheaper and easier to handle, ship and store than paper pages.
[0005] Plastic merchandise bags have traditionally either been the
generally flat top rectangular bags or the T-shirt type and are
usually provided to and used by the grocery and retail product
industries in the form of stacks of a plurality of such bags. When
sought to be combined into a pack, the manufacturers of such bag
stacks will usually include anywhere from 50 to 200 bags or more
into each pack, arranging the bags such that they lay flat on top
of each other and connecting a disposable upper portion to the top
portion of each bag, which upper portion may include an elongated
opening therethrough, one or more apertures, or any combination
thereof.
[0006] Heretofore, such bag stacks have either been made available
to customers or cashiers by simply locating the stacks in
convenient areas around the grocery or retail stores they are to be
found in, or suspending such stacks from a variety of support
assemblies for consecutive detachment of the bags from each
pack.
[0007] When floor standing assemblies are used to hold the bag
stacks, the two typical methods of mounting such stacks on such
assemblies are either placing the opening in the upper portion of
the bag stacks on the portion of the floor stand assembly that
extends to support said upper portion. Several bag stacks will
typically be hung or supported on the floor standing dispensing
assembly at one time.
[0008] Among the problems that have traditionally been encountered
with using such plastic bag stack and rack systems are the facts
that they often take up space in establishments that could
otherwise be used for merchandise. Consequently, it is desirable to
have a way to suspend such bag back which does not occupy any
additional real estate space, is stable, and pleasing to the eye.
It is also desirable to have a less expensive alternative to the
floor standing dispensing assemblies that is easy to use and that
places the plastic bag stacks within easy reach of the consumers of
such stacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The object of this invention is to provide owners of retail
stores such as grocery stores and supermarkets with a device that
allows for almost effortless suspension of bag stacks and that is
also easily mountable on or in existing structures inside a grocery
or retail store.
[0010] By virtue of this invention, such object may be accomplished
by providing a hook arrangement for the mounting thereon of one or
more bag stacks in a generally vertically suspended position, while
the hook arrangement itself may be mounted on or disposed about a
variety of surfaces in the store they are to be used in, such as on
a table, a counter, a shelf, or openings in vegetable and/or fruit
misting and/or chilling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having
been set forth, other objects and advantages will appear from the
detail descriptions of the embodiments of the invention when taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of a hook
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the hook
arrangement.
[0014] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of
the hook arrangement showing how a bag stack would be suspended
thereon and how the hook arrangement can be attached to a desired
edge.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a front view of a second embodiment of a hook
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the second embodiment of the
hook arrangement.
[0017] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of
the hook arrangement showing how a bag stack would be suspended
thereon and how the hook arrangement can be attached to the holes
in a misting and/or chilling apparatus.
[0018] FIG. 7 shows a front view of a third embodiment of a hook
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the third embodiment of the hook
arrangement.
[0020] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the third embodiment of
the hook arrangement showing how a bag stack would be suspended
thereon and how the hook arrangement can be attached to the holes
in a misting and/or chilling apparatus.
[0021] FIG. 10 shows a front view of a fourth embodiment of a hook
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 11 shows a side view of the fourth embodiment of the
hook arrangement.
[0023] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of
the hook arrangement showing how a bag stack would be suspended
thereon and how the hook arrangement can be attached to a desired
surface.
[0024] FIG. 13 shows a front view of a fifth embodiment of a hook
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 14 shows a side view of the fifth embodiment of the
hook arrangement.
[0026] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of
the hook arrangement showing how a bag stack would be suspended
thereon and how the hook arrangement can be attached to a desired
edge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIGS. 1 through 3 show the first embodiment of the present
invention. Referring first to FIG. 1, a mounting plate 10 is shown
with a plurality of holes 29 formed therethrough and which further
has two laterally spaced hooks 11 and a single hook 24, all of
which are welded or otherwise suitably affixed to mounting plate
10. FIG. 1 further shows the front portion 12 of mounting plate 10
while FIG. 2 best shows the back portion 13 of said mounting plate.
Hook 24, which is best shown in FIG. 3, is located between hooks
11. Although hooks 11 are similar in size and configuration and are
preferably made out of metal, as are both the mounting plate 10 and
hook 24, hooks 11 do not have to be absolutely identical in size
and configuration and any or all of mounting plate 10, hooks 11 and
hook 24 can be made of materials other than metal, such as a
plastic, an alloy, or a polymer. Hooks 11 and 24 that are utilized
in conjunction with the present invention are formed, through
bending, molding, or other method of shaping, from a single and
continuous rod type member into the configurations shown in FIGS. 1
through 3. Addressing hooks 11 first, each of said hooks has a
first end 14 and a second end 15, a first bend 16 of about 180
degrees as shown, a second bend 17 of approximately 180 degrees as
shown, a third bend 18 of approximately 180 degrees as shown, and a
fourth bend 19 of approximately 180 degrees as shown. The portion
of hook 11 with bends 16, 17, and 18 protrudes from the front
portion 12 of mounting plate 10 and has a U-shape configuration
when viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 2, while the extension
of hook 11 with bend 19 and which terminates at end 15 protrudes
from the back portion 13, in an inverted U-shape configuration when
viewed from the side as further shown in FIG. 2.
[0028] FIG. 3 best illustrates the general configuration of hook 24
whereby hook 24 has a first end 25, a second end 26, and a bend 27
of about 180 degrees as shown. The portions of hooks 11 and 24 with
their respective bends 19 and 27 are designed such that the hook
arrangement may be mounted onto or otherwise attached to the edge
23 of any enclosure 22 that is usually found in grocery stores and
supermarkets around produce such as apples, oranges, or the like.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the portions of hooks
11 with bends 16, 17, and 18 are designed to fit through the bag
stack mounting apertures 20 which are shown in FIG. 3 to be formed
in the upper portion 21 of the bag stacks. Also shown in FIG. 3 are
the plastic bags 28 that are suspended from the upper portion 21 of
those bags. Desirably, each of the four bends in hooks 11 and the
single bend in hook 24 described above result in distinct U-Shaped
configurations whereby each bend is approximately 180 degrees,
however, since none of the bends necessarily have to be 180
degrees, it is envisioned that the hooks could take on different
shapes depending on the angle of each bend. Alternatively, the
entire hook arrangement described in the first embodiment could be
formed or molded as a single piece from a material such as plastic,
an alloy or a polymer.
[0029] The second and third embodiments of the present invention,
which are shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 and FIGS. 7 through 9
respectively are similar in that the hook arrangements of each of
those embodiments are intended to be mounted on or in apertures,
holes, or crevices in the misting and/or chilling apparatus
generally found in the produce section of grocery stores and
supermarkets. The second embodiment of the present invention that
is shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 is similar in configuration to the
first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 described above in that
mounting plate 30 also has a plurality of holes 45 formed
therethrough and at least two laterally spaced hooks 33, each
formed from a single rod member, that are welded or otherwise
affixed to mounting plate 30, which plate has a front portion 31
and a back portion 32. The second embodiment differs from the first
embodiment in that the extension of each of said hooks 33 that
curves around the front portion 31 of the mounting plate 30 to
protrude from the back portion 32 of the mounting plate 30 is much
longer than that described in the first embodiment and does not
have the same inverted U-shape configuration when viewed from the
side, as in FIG. 5.
[0030] FIG. 6 best illustrates the general configuration of hook 33
whereby hook 33 has a first end 34 and a second end 35, a first
bend 36 of about 180 degrees as shown, a second bend 37 of
approximately 180 degrees as shown, a third bend 38 of
approximately 180 degrees as shown, a fourth bend 39 of
approximately 100 degrees as shown, and a fifth bend 40 of
approximately 100 degrees as shown. For rigidity purposes, a single
rod member 41 may be welded or otherwise affixed to hooks 33,
thereby acting as a support or a brace. In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 4 through 6, the portions of hooks 33 with bends 36, 37, and
38 are designed to fit through the bag stack mounting apertures 42
which are shown in FIG. 6 to be formed in the upper portion 43 of
the bag stacks that are intended to be used with the present
invention, while the portions of hooks 33 with bends 40 are
designed such that the second ends 35 of hooks 33 are insertable
into the plurality of holes 46 that are formed in the misting
and/or chilling apparatus generally found in the produce section of
grocery stores and supermarkets. Also shown in FIG. 6 are the
plastic bags 44 that are customarily attached to the upper portion
43 of said bag stacks. Desirably, each of the bends 36, 37, and 38
described above results in a distinct U-Shaped configuration
whereby each bend is approximately 180 degrees, while each of the
bends 39 and 40 described above results in a approximately an
L-Shaped configuration whereby each of bends 39 and 40 is of the
order of approximately 100 degrees as shown. However, since none of
the bends 36, 37, or 38 necessarily have to be 180 degrees, and
none of the bends 39 and 40 necessarily have to be 100 degrees, it
is envisioned that the hooks could take on different shapes
depending on the angle of each bend.
[0031] The third embodiment of the present invention that is shown
in FIGS. 7 through 9 is similar in configuration to the second
embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 and described above in that
mounting plate 50 also has a plurality of holes 77 formed
therethrough and at least two laterally spaced hooks 53, each
formed from a single rod member, that are welded or otherwise
affixed to a mounting plate 50, which has a front portion 51 and a
back portion 52. The third embodiment differs from the second
embodiment in that said hooks 53 do not have a portion that extends
or otherwise depends from the rear portion 52 of the mounting
plate. Instead, a single discrete rod member 54 is welded or
otherwise affixed, at a portion close to its first end 55, to the
back portion 52 of mounting plate 50. Rod member 54 is welded or
otherwise affixed, at a portion close to its second end 56 to the
back portion 59 of a second mounting plate 57, having a front
portion 58, a back portion 59, and a plurality of holes 76 formed
therethrough. Further welded or otherwise affixed to back portion
59 of mounting plate 57 is another discrete rod member 60, having a
first end 61, a second end 62, a first bend 63 of approximately 100
degrees as shown and a second bend 64 of approximately 100 degrees
as shown. Member 60 is welded or otherwise affixed to the back
portion 59 of mounting plate 57 at a portion of member 60 near its
first end 61.
[0032] FIG. 9 best illustrates the general configuration of hook 53
whereby hook 53 has a first end 66, a second end 67, a first bend
68 of about 180 degrees as shown, a second bend 69 of approximately
180 degrees as shown, and a third bend 70 of approximately 180
degrees as shown. For rigidity purposes, a single rod member 71 may
be welded or otherwise affixed to hooks 53, thereby acting as a
support or a brace. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 through 9,
the portions of hooks 53 with bends 68, 69, and 70 are designed to
fit through the bag stack mounting apertures 72 which are shown in
FIG. 9 to be formed in the upper portion 73 of the bag stacks that
are intended to be used with the present invention, while the
portions of member 60 with bends 64 are designed such that the
second ends 62 of members 60 are insertable into the plurality of
holes 74 that are formed in the misting and/or chilling apparatus
generally found in the produce section of grocery stores and
supermarkets. Also shown in FIG. 9 are the plastic bags 75 that are
customarily suspended from the upper portion 73. Desirably, each of
the bends 68, 69, and 70 described above results in a distinct
U-Shaped configuration whereby each bend is approximately 180
degrees, while each of the bends 63 and 64 described above results
in a approximately an L-Shaped configuration whereby each of bends
63 and 64 are of the order of approximately 100 degrees as shown.
However, since none of the bends 68, 69, or 70 necessarily have to
be 180 degrees, and none of the bends 63 or 64 necessarily have to
be 100 degrees, it is envisioned that the both hooks 53 and members
60 could take on different shapes depending on the angle of each
bend.
[0033] Desirably, in the second and third embodiments described
above, hooks 33 and 53 should be U-shaped, made from metal, and
welded onto the front portions 31 and 51 of their respective
mounting plates. However, hooks 33 and 53 could take on different
forms and/or configurations, such as a V-shape, may be made from a
material other than metal, such as plastic, an alloy or a polymer,
and may be attached and/or affixed to either the front or back
portions of their respective mounting plates 30 and 50 by methods
other than welding such as by glueing, or using screws and/or nuts
and bolts. Similarly, whereas the remaining portions of the hook
arrangements described in each of the second and third embodiments
are preferably made from metal and are welded in the portions where
the various members attach to each other, the materials used could
be any suitable material, such as plastics, alloys, or polymers,
and they may be attached by to each other by methods other than
welding, such as by glueing, or using screws and/or nuts and bolts.
Alternatively, the entire hook arrangement described in the second
and third embodiments could be formed or molded as a single piece
from a material such as plastic, an alloy or a polymer.
[0034] In the fourth embodiment of the present invention that is
shown in FIGS. 10 through 12, the hook arrangement consists of a
base member 80, with a top face 81, a bottom face 82, and a
plurality of mounting holes 83 formed through member 80 as shown, a
vertical member 84 with a first end 85 and a second end 86, and a
hook member 87, formed from a single discrete rod, with a first end
88 and a second end 89. Vertical member 84 is welded or otherwise
affixed perpendicularly at its first end 85 to the top face 81 of
base member 80 at a location near the center of base member 80 as
shown. Hook member 87 is welded or otherwise affixed
perpendicularly, at a point on the horizontal portion of hook
member 87 near the center of hook member 87 to a location on
vertical member 84 near the second end 86 of vertical member
84.
[0035] FIG. 12 best illustrates the general configuration of hook
87 whereby hook 87 has a first end 88 and a second end 89, a first
bend 90 of about 150 degrees as shown, a second bend 91 of
approximately 90 degrees as shown, a third bend 92 of approximately
90 degrees as shown, and a fourth bend 93 of approximately 150
degrees as shown. When affixed to vertical member 84, the portions
of hook 87 between bends 90 and 91 on one side of vertical member
84 and between bends 92 and 93 on the other side of vertical member
84 depend away from vertical member 84 and at an incline, forming
two mostly parallel segments as shown. Hook member 87 is designed
to fit through the bag stack mounting apertures 94 which are shown
in FIG. 12 to be formed in the upper portion 95 of the bag stacks
that are intended to be used with the present invention, while the
base member 80 is designed to either be attached to or placed upon
the surface of a counter or any table-like structure 96 that holds,
supports or otherwise displays the merchandise to be sold. Also
shown in FIG. 12 are the plastic bags 97 that are customarily
suspended from the upper portion 95. Desirably, each of bends 90
and 93 described above results in a V-Shaped configurations whereby
each bend is approximately 150 degrees, however, since neither of
said bends necessarily has to be 150 degrees, it is envisioned that
the hooks could take on different shapes depending on the angle of
each bend. Furthermore, whereas it is desirable that base member
80, vertical member 84 and hook member 87 of this embodiment be
made from metal and that the various members be welded to each
other in the locations described in this embodiment, it is
envisioned that any or all of said members may be made from
materials other than metal, such as a plastic, an alloy, or a
polymer, and any or all of said members may be attached to each
other in the locations described in this embodiment by means other
than welding, such as glueing, or using screws and/or nuts and
bolts. Alternatively, the entire hook arrangement described in the
fourth embodiment could be formed or molded as a single piece from
a material such as plastic, an alloy or a polymer.
[0036] FIGS. 13 through 15 show the fifth embodiment of the present
invention. Referring first to FIG. 13, a mounting plate 100 is
shown with a plurality of holes 101 formed therethrough and which
further has two laterally spaced hooks 102 and two laterally spaced
rectangular sections 105, forming two independent bracket
configurations, all of which are welded or otherwise affixed to
mounting plate 100. FIG. 13 further shows the front portion 103 of
mounting plate 100 while FIG. 14 best shows the back portion 104 of
said mounting plate. Although both hooks 102 are similar in size
and configuration, and although brackets 105 are also similar in
size and configuration, and both hooks 102 and brackets 105 are
preferably made out of metal, as is the mounting plate 100, hooks
102 do not have to be absolutely identical in size and
configuration, brackets 105 do not have to be absolutely identical
in size and configuration, and any or all of mounting plate 100,
hooks 102 and brackets 105 can be made of materials other than
metal, such as a plastic, an alloy, or a polymer. Hooks 102 that
are utilized in conjunction with the present invention are formed,
through bending, molding, or other method of shaping, from a single
and continuous rod type member into the configurations shown in
FIGS. 13 through 15. Brackets 105 that are utilized in conjunction
with the present invention are formed, through bending, molding, or
other method of shaping, from a single and continuous flat
rectangular member into the configurations shown in FIGS. 13
through 15.
[0037] As shown in both FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, brackets 105 have a
first end 106 and a second end 107, a first bend 118 of
approximately 90 degrees as shown, a second bend 119 of 90 degrees
as shown, and each of brackets 105 also has a single hole 108
formed in the portion of each bracket 105 toward each of ends 106
and 107 as shown in FIG. 15.
[0038] FIG. 15 best illustrates the general configuration of hooks
102 whereby each of hooks 102 has a first end 109, a second end
110, a first bend 111 of about 180 degrees as shown, a second bend
112 of approximately 180 degrees as shown, and a third bend 113 of
approximately 180 degrees as shown. In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 13 through 15, the portions of hooks 102 with bends 111, 112,
and 113 are designed to fit through the bag stack mounting
apertures 114 which are shown in FIG. 15 to be formed in the upper
portion 115 of the bag stacks that are intended to be used with the
present invention, while the brackets 105 that are shown in FIGS.
13 through 15 are designed to fit over any given shelf or edge 116
and may be secured thereto by inserting a screw or other fastening
device into one or more of holes 108. Although FIG. 15 shows
brackets 105 being disposed about a horizontal edge, said brackets
105 could just as easily be disposed about a vertical edge and the
invention could be used in the same manner described herein. Also
shown in FIG. 15 are the plastic bags 117 that are customarily
suspended from the upper portion 115. Desirably, each of the bends
111, 112, and 113 described above results in a distinct U-Shaped
configuration whereby each bend is approximately 180 degrees, while
each of the bends 118 and 119 described above results in
approximately an L-Shaped configuration whereby each of bends 118
and 119 are of the order of approximately 90 degrees as shown.
However, since none of the bends 111, 112, or 113 necessarily have
to be 180 degrees, and none of the bends 118 or 119 necessarily
have to be 90 degrees, it is envisioned that both hooks 102 and
brackets 105 could take on different shapes depending on the angle
of each of the aforementioned bends. Desirably, in the fifth
embodiment described above, hooks 102 and brackets 105 are made
from metal and welded onto the front portion 103 of mounting plate
100. However, hooks 102 and brackets 105 may be made from a
material other than metal, such as plastic, an alloy or a polymer,
and may be attached and/or affixed to either the front or back
portions of mounting plate 100 by methods other than welding such
as by glueing, or using screws and/or nuts and bolts.
Alternatively, the entire hook arrangement described in the fifth
embodiment could be formed or molded as a single piece from a
material such as plastic, an alloy or a polymer.
[0039] It is understood that the present disclosure of the above
embodiments has been made only by way of example and that numerous
changes in the details of construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *