U.S. patent application number 10/253018 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-25 for hanger for suspending an ornament from a tree branch.
Invention is credited to Cole, Donna.
Application Number | 20040056162 10/253018 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31993072 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040056162 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cole, Donna |
March 25, 2004 |
Hanger for suspending an ornament from a tree branch
Abstract
An ornament is suspended from a tree branch by a hanger formed
by a pair of elongated jaws with serrated clamping faces pivotal
into a confronting relation for engaging a tree branch. A pivot
surrounded by a spring maintains a resilient contact force between
the end portions of the jaws. An elongated hook projects from the
pivot opposite to the pair of elongated jaws with a terminal end
portion at a juxtaposition with a shank portion to form an entrance
to a reversely extending loop for retaining a mounting fixture of
an ornament.
Inventors: |
Cole, Donna; (Evans City,
PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CLIFFORD A. POFF
9800B MCKNIGHT ROAD
SUITE 115
PITTSBURGH
PA
15237
US
|
Family ID: |
31993072 |
Appl. No.: |
10/253018 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/227.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 33/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/227.1 |
International
Class: |
A47K 001/00 |
Claims
1. A hanger for suspending ornament from a tree branch, said hanger
including the combination of: a pair of elongated jaws with one of
said jaws having serrated clamp face pivotal into a confronting
relation with a clamp surface of the other of said elongated jaws
for engaging a tree branch between said jaws; a pivot for pivotally
interconnecting end portions of said jaws; a resilient member
arranged for applying a resilient force in a direction to urge said
pair of elongated jaws toward one another under a resilient force
sufficient for griping and retaining a tree branch against said
serrated clamp face; and an elongated hook projecting from said
pivot oppositely to said pair of elongated jaws, said elongated
hook having a terminal end portion at a juxtaposition with a shank
portion to form an entrance to a reversely extending loop for
retaining a mounting fixture of an ornament.
2. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein said resilient member
includes a spring having a coiled mid portion mounted on said pivot
and terminal end portions arranged to apply a resilient force
urging said pair of elongated jaws into mutual engagement.
3. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein said pair of said
elongated jaws each include confronting serrations for gripping a
tree branch there between.
4. The hanger according to claim 3 wherein said confronting
serrations are spaced at a predetermined minimum distance by
contact surfaces on said pair of said elongated jaws.
5. The hanger according to claim 4 wherein said contact surfaces
are disposed at the distal ends of said elongated jaws remote to
said pivot.
6. The hanger according to claim 1 further including an actuator
arm extending from one of said pair of said elongated jaws towards
said elongated hook.
7. The hanger according to claim 6 wherein said terminal end
portion of said elongated hook lies in a plane containing said
pivot and extending between said serrated clamp face and said clamp
surface.
8. The hanger according to claim 6 wherein said terminal end
portion of said elongated hook lies in a plane extending along an
outer lateral side of one of said pair of elongated jaws.
9. The hanger according to claim 6 further including a latch
pivotally supported by said shank portion to releasably engage with
said terminal end portion for forming a barrier member traversing
the entrance to said reversely extending loop.
10. The hanger according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said
pair of elongated jaws includes an adornment face extending along
the extended length thereof.
11. The hanger according to claim 10 wherein said adornment face is
defined by a sufficient mass lying in a plane laterally offset from
a vertical plane containing said reversely extending loop to
counterbalance the weight of said adornment suspended by said
reversely extending loop in an upright position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Field of the invention: The present invention relates to a
hanger construction designed for suspending an ornament or
decorative object or the like from a tree branch, and more
particularly, to such a hanger having jaws urged into a load
bearing interlocking engagement with the wood or twisted wire
substitute of a Christmas tree branch.
[0002] Description of the prior art: The well known ornament hanger
made of bent wire for suspending a tree ornament from a branch of a
Christmas tree has a weight sustaining capacity limited by the bent
configuration and the flexibility of the wire. The hanger is
provided with a hook shaped end partly wrap about the tree branch
and reversely bent loop to receive the wire bail of the ornament.
Conventional glass ornaments are of such in insignificant weight
that the bent wire hanger will not normally elastically deform when
used to suspend the glass ornament from a Christmas tree branch.
When the hooked shaped end of the hanger is separated from the wood
or twisted wire of a Christmas tree branch, the ornament is highly
suitable to unwanted release and consequence breakage. Prized and
valuable decorative ornament is placed at risk of damage or
destruction unless great care is exercised to securely attache the
hooked end about the tree branch. Sometimes it is necessary to
relocate the attachment to assure a freely suspended relation of
the ornament from the tree branch without interference with
underlying branches. The ornament hanger made of thin wire has the
advantage of a minimal viability, which enhances the appearance
value of the ornament. U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,526 discloses a hanging
device made from bent wire notably with a coiled portion with
increasing radii spiraling around an end such that as more weight
is applied, the spiral unwinds and tightens around the support
member that the device hangs on. U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,466 discloses
an ornament hook with an integral circular portion into which a
twig or rod is inserted and then a horizontal leg portion is used
to move a locking portion from which it extends into a locking
position with a depending ornament support leg. U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,530,545; 4,966,344; and 5,383,638 disclose jaws biased by
resilient force to maintain a griping relation with a tree branch
for hanging decorative ornaments. The jaw construction does not
utilize a tooth construction to allow secure engagement with long
continued integrity with the wood or twisted sire substitute of a
tree branch.
[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger
with at least one toothed clamping jaw resilient urged into load
bearing contact with the wood or twisted wire substructure of a
tree branch for mounting decorative ornament and the like.
[0004] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
decorative ornament hanger having a frontal jaw with or without an
adornment weighted to counter balance the weight of an ornament
hanging along a plane containing an confronting cooperative jaw for
allowing the presentation of an ornament hanging freely in a
vertical upright position
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a
hanger for suspending an ornament from a tree branch, the hanger
includes a pair of elongated jaws with one jaw having spaced apart
protrusions on a clamp face pivotal into a confronting relation
with a clamp surface of the other of the elongated jaws for
engaging a tree branch with the spaced protrusions between the
jaws, a pivot for pivotally interconnecting end portions of the
jaws, a resilient member arranged for applying a resilient force in
a direction to urge the pair of elongated jaws toward another under
a resilient force sufficient for griping and retaining a tree
branch against the spaced protrusions, and an elongated hook
projecting from the pivot oppositely to the pair of elongated jaws,
the elongated hook having a terminal end portion at a juxtaposition
with a shank portion to form an entrance to a reversely extending
loop for supporting a mounting fixture of an ornament.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention will be more fully understood when the
following description is read in light of the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of a
hanger according to the present invention for a decorative
ornament;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken along lines II-II
of a hanger shown in FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines III-III of FIG.
1;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the instillation of a ornament
on the hanger shown in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a first modified form of a hanger according to the
present invention for a decorative ornament;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a second modified form of a hanger according to
the present invention for a decorative ornament; and
[0013] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of a third modified form of
a hanger according to the present invention for a decorative
ornament.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is the preferred embodiment of a
hanger 10 of the present invention for suspending ornament 12 from
a tree branch 14 which can be comprised of wood laden with pine
needles or twisted wire supporting plastic filaments to simulate
pine needles of an artificial tree. The hanger includes a pair of
elongated jaws 16 and 18 each with a U-shaped cross sectional
configuration. At least one jaw, preferably both jaws as shown,
have upstanding protrusions 20 at spaced apart locations along
upturned edge portions 22 at opposite sides of a faceplate section
24. The upstanding protrusions 20 of the jaws preferably take the
form of clamp faces with confronting serrations pivotal into a
mutual confronting relation for engaging a tree branch between the
jaws. The confronting serrations are spaced at a predetermined
minimum distance by contact surfaces 20A at the outer most terminal
ends of the pair of the elongated jaws. A pivot shaft 26 extends
through apertures in the jaws at the ends. A resilient member 28 is
arranged for applying a resilient force in a direction to urge the
pair of elongated jaws 16 and 18 toward one another under a
resilient force sufficient for griping and retaining the tree
branch 14 against the serrated clamp faces of the hanger. The
preferred form of a resilient member is a spring and as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3 the spring is essentially made up of a coiled mid
portion mounted 30 on the pivot shaft 26 and terminal end portions
32 and 34 arranged to engaged and apply the resilient force
developed by the spring to urge the pair of elongated jaws 16 and
18 into mutual engagement.
[0015] An elongated hook 36 projects from the pivot shaft 26 in a
direction opposite to the pair of elongated jaws. Preferably, the
elongated hook is an integral extension of jaw 18. As shown in FIG.
4 the hook 36 has a terminal end portion 38 at juxtaposition with a
shank portion 40 and forms an entrance site 42 to a reverse
extending loop section 44 for retaining a mounting fixture 12A of
the ornament 12. FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the present
invention which features an entrance site 42A that is narrow and
forms a restricted passageway for the mounting fixture 12A by the
closely spaced apart relation between the terminal end portion of
38A and the shank portion 40A. An actuator arm 46 extends from the
elongated jaw 16 towards the elongated hook 36 for receiving a
force applied as a pitching force against jaw 18 to pivot jaw 16 in
a direction away from jaw 18 for engagement or disengagement of the
hanger with a tree branch. The contact surface 20A of the elongated
hook and pivot shaft 26 lie in a generally vertical plane 48 and
extends between the serrated clamp faces. Shown in FIG. 6 is the
hanger 10 with the addition of a latch bar 50 with bent end
portions 52 pivotally supported by the shank portion 40 to
releasably surround and engage with the terminal end portion 38 for
forming a barrier to impede unwanted removal of a ornament from the
hanger by traversing the entrance site 42 to the reversely
extending loop 44.
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
which differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 by the arrangement of
the terminal end portion 38B of the elongated hook 36 located in
the position 180 degrees about the shank portion 40B whereby the
reversely extending the loop section 44B lies in a plane 56
extending along an outer lateral side of the pair of elongated jaw
18A. In each of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 7 at least one of
the pair of elongated jaws 16 and 18 include the faceplate sections
24 extending along the extended length of the jaw. The section 24
of jaw 24 not only forms an adornment face but also is defined by a
sufficient mass lying in a plane 60 laterally offset from a
vertical plane 48 and 56 containing the reversely extending loop to
counterbalance the weight of the ornament suspended by the
reversely extending loop and thereby maintain the ornament in an
upright position.
[0017] While the present invention has been described in connection
with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be
understood that other similar embodiments may be used or
modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment
for performing the same function of the present invention without
deviating there from. Therefore, the present invention should not
be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in
breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended
claims.
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