Hanger For Supporting Light Fixtures, Etc.

Abstract

A hanger for supporting light fixtures, electrical conduit, etc., that consists of a single member provided with pointed ends which may be driven into a supporting member, such as plywood, and which has a central depending U-shaped portion for supporting a jack chain. In one form of the bracket the depending U-shaped portion extends through an opening in the plywood and in a modified form the U-shaped portion registers with the plywood opening while the jack chain extends through the opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

In the construction of buildings it is necessary to support light fixtures, electrical conduit, etc., at specified distances below a ceiling or roof, I have provided two forms of a single piece hanger. A hole is drilled through the plywood, decking or sheeting and the U-shaped portion of one form of the hanger is inserted through this opening from the upper surface of the plywood. The U-shaped hanger portion supports a jack chain and the pointed ends of the hanger are driven into the plywood to anchor the hanger in place.

2. Description of Prior Art

The U.S. Pat. to Martin Dehn, No. 1,039,367 is for a hook for hanging pictures in which the hook is provided with looped portions that may be elongated slightly for adjusting the effective length of the hook. The U.S. Pat. to Donald J. Smith, No. 3,219,302 is for a wall hanger which has a horizontal portion designed to extend through an opening in a dry wall. One end of the hanger contacts with the inner surface of the dry wall while the other end of the hanger overlies the outer surface of the dry wall and is provided with a picture-supporting portion. Neither of these patents can be used as a hanger that will overlie the upper surface of a horizontal piece of plywood and has a central U-shaped portion registering with an opening in the plywood, and a jack chain hanging from the U-shaped portion and extending below the undersurface of the plywood so as to support a light fixture, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of my invention s to provide a hanger for supporting light fixtures, etc., that is preferably made from a single piece of galvanized no. 9 gage wire. The device has two arms extending outwardly from a centrally disposed and downwardly directed U-shaped portion from which is suspended a jack chain. The two outwardly extending arms have pointed ends that are bent at right angles to the lengths of the arms and extend in the same direction as the U-shaped portion.

There are two forms of the invention. In the preferred form the U-shaped portion is made long enough to extend entirely through the opening provided in the plywood or other hanger supporting member. The modified form has a slight dip in the wire that lies between the two oppositely extending arms. This dip or U-shaped portion is registered with the opening in the hanger supporting member so that the jack chain which depends from the dip will extend through the opening. The dip has a sufficient depth so that the uppermost link on the jack chain that is suspended from this dip will not project above the plane occupied by the two hanger arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the hanger showing the central U-shaped portion extending entirely through an opening provided in the hanger-supporting member and further showing the pointed ends of the hanger arms embedded in the supporting member.

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through the hanger and is taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of hanger and shows the central U-shaped portion as a slight dip in the wire forming the hanger, this dip registering with an opening provided in the hanger-supporting member so that the jack chain which hangs from the dip will extend through the opening in the hanger-supporting member.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section through the hanger and is taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In carrying out my invention, I provide a hanger preferably made from No 9 gage galvanized wire. This hanger has a central or medial U-shaped portion A, and two outwardly extending arms B an C, see FIG. 1. The axes of the two arms coincide with each other and each arm has a pointed end that is bent at right angles to the arm and extends in the same direction as the central U-shaped portion. The pointed end 1 of the arm B is embedded in a hanger supporting member D, such as plywood, while the pointed end 2 for the arm C is embedded in the same hanger supporting member.

The central U-shaped portion A extends through an opening 3 provided in the hanger supporting member D, see FIGS. 1 and 2. The opening is large enough in diameter to receive both parallel sides 4 and 5 of the U-shaped portion A, and this portion extends entirely through the opening. A jack chain E is composed of a series of inter connected links and the uppermost link 6 is threaded over either one of the hanger arms B or C and is slid down into the closed end 7 of the U-shaped portion A before the hanger is placed in position on the hanger supporting member D.

Both FIGS. 1 an 2 show the hanger positioned on the plywood, D, or other hanger supporting material such as decking or sheeting. The U-shaped portion A extends through the opening 3 in the hanger supporting member D and the pointed ends 1 and 2 of the hanger are embedded in the member. The jack chain extends downwardly from the closed end 7 of the U-shaped portion A, and the chain can support any desired device, such as a light fixture indicated generally at F in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is possible to have the jack chain E separate into two branches, as shown in FIG. 1, if desired.

The embedded pointed ends 1 and 2 of the hanger prevent the lateral displacement of the hanger on the hanger supporting member D. Also, in case the member D forms a part of the roofing which is to receive a tar and gravel coating, the embedded pointed hanger ends will prevent the hanger from popping out of position when rolls of tar paper are dropped upon the member D. Furthermore, the embedded pointed hanger ends will prevent the hanger from being pulled through the opening 3 in the member D should a pull on the jack chain E tend to bend the hanger arms B and C and swing them upwardly into substantial alignment with the sides 4 and 5 of the U-shaped portion A so that the entire hanger could be pulled through the opening. The longer U-shaped portion A causes the closed end 7 to project below the member D so that the jack chain E can be changed at a later time if desired without disturbing the hanger.

A modified form of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 4. This form is similar to the preferred form except that the central U-shaped portion of the hanger is made much shorter so that it more nearly resembles a slight dip in the wire portion that interconnects the two arms. The dip in the wire is shown at G, and since all other parts of the modified form of hanger are similar to the equivalent parts in the preferred form , the same reference letters and numerals will be used except that they will be primed.

The dip G, in the hanger will register with an opening 3' in the hanger supporting member D' ,and this opening may be of a smaller diameter than the opening 3' in the member D, because it is made only large enough to receive the jack chain E' . The arms B' and C' overlie the upper surface of the hanger supporting member D' , and the pointed ends 1' and 2' are embedded in the member. The jack chain E' has its link 6' supported by the dipped portion G of the hanger and the chain extends downwardly through the opening 3' and supports a light fixture or other device, none being indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The short loop or dip G in the hanger is to prevent the top link 6' of the jack chain E' from projecting conduits, the arms 1' and 2' where it would likely rupture any tar paper, not shown, that was applied to the upper surface of the member D' the jack The dip G does not extend entirely through the opening 3' and that is why the diameter of this opening may be made smaller than the diameter of the opening 3 in the member D.

It is obvious that the jack chains E or E' could support a drop ceiling, not shown, if desired. They could also support electric conuits, water or gas pipes, none being show, This is why I do not wish to be confined to any particular type of item that is to be supported by thejack chain. I have shown the electric light fixture F, merely by way of example.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hanger for supporting light fixtures and the like, comprising:

a. an elongated member having a medial looped portion with outwardly projecting arms that extend at right angles to the looped portion; and

b. the two outer ends of said arms being pointed and extending in the same direction as the U-shaped portion of the loop;

c. the medial looped portion having parallel sides that lie in a plane that also extends through the pointed ends of said member.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which

a. the pointed ends of said arms extending at right angles to the lengths of said arms.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and in which

a. a jack chain has an end link connected to sad looped portion of said elongated member.