Apertured panel bracket

Abstract

An article support assembly for standard apertured panels comprises a stabilizing device which may be molded from plastics or fabricated from sheet metal. The device has a seating groove to receive and anchor a vertical portion of the article hanger and at least one integral stud for anchoring engagement with a panel aperture. The article hanger also possesses a stud or studs engaging through an aperture of the device and having anchoring engagement with another aperture of the panel. The support assembly may span panel apertures in a single vertical row or in a pair of rows.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many forms of brackets or article support assemblies for use with apertured panels have been proposed by the prior art and some examples of the patented prior art are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,933,277; 3,193,231; 3,409,260 and 3,452,954. While certain devices of the prior art have been successfully utilized to support a variety of articles on standard apertured panels, nevertheless there is an increasing need for support assembly which is more economical to manufacture and more reliable and efficient in use, as well as more simplified.

Generally speaking, the prior art devices of this general character have either been too costly or complex to be practical in mass production or have been inadequate to support articles in terms of sturdiness and stability in the supporting position on the apertured panel.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a highly simplified and economical support assembly or bracket means for apertured panels which is very simply engaged and separated from the apertured panel as need dictates and which has the ability to be firm and stable while engaged with the apertured panel without any tendency for accidental or premature separation from the peg board during usage for supporting a variety of articles. More particularly, the invention features an intermediate stabilizing device or member which may be molded from plastics or stamped from sheet metal. In either case, this device has studs for direct supporting engagement with one or more apertured panel openings and has a retaining stabilizing means in the form of a groove or channel for vertical part of the customary article hanger. The hanger additionally has interlocking engagement with at least one apertured panel opening, and in so doing, engages at least one additional aperture in said device to complete the engagement or anchorage of the assembly to the standard apertured panel. The parts of the invention are very easy to manipulate and will not separate from the apertured panel unless separation or relocation of the assembly is desired. Most importantly, the article support assembly embodying the invention is very stable during use and does not wobble and is very sturdy in construction. The intermediate stabilizing device receives the load of the article suspended from the hanger and transmits this load to the apertured panel over a relatively wide surface area of the latter for maximum stability.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stabilizing device forming a part of the support assembly for articles embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the complete article support assembly attached to an apertured panel section.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken through the apertured panel at the plane where the support assembly is attached to panel apertures in a vertical row.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 showing a modified form of the support assembly.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified form of stabilizing device which spans two vertical rows of apertures in the apertured panel.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the complete article support assembly embodying the device of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating another form of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts, attention being directed first to FIGS. 1 through 5, the numeral 20 designates a stabilizing device or block-like member which forms a key element of the invention. The device 20 in the drawings is shown as being molded from plastics or the like but may, if preferred, be fabricated from sheet metal. In either form, the device 20 will be entirely satisfactory in terms of its function. The device 20 has a rear flat face 21 which abuts the front flat face of a standard apertured panel 22, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 thus affording a firm and stable contact or engagement for the entire assembly with the apertured panel. The device 20 has an integral downturned L-shaped stud 23 on its rear side and lower end adapted to engage through one aperture 24 in a vertical row of apertures formed in the apertured panel 22.

At its forward side, the device or member 20 is provided with a vertically extending groove 25 forming a stabilizing seat for the straight vertical body portion 26 of an article hanger 27 preferably formed of metal. The straight section 26 of the hanger preferably snaps into the groove 25, the forward open side of which is slightly restricted as shown in FIG. 3. The resiliency of the material from which the device 20 is formed, either sheet metal or plastics material, will allow the described snapping engagement which causes the device 20 to grip and hold the straight section 26 of the hanger with maximum stability.

At its top, the hanger 27 has an integral upwardly directed extension or stud 28 which engages through another aperture 24 of the apertured panel and also engages through an aperture 29 formed in a top extension 30 of the device 20, which aperture 29 is in registration with the adjacent panel aperture 24. The top of the groove 25 terminates immediately below the aperture 29 as shown in the drawings. Thus, the upper stud 28 of the hanger 27 serves the dual purpose of locking both the hanger and the top of the stabilizing device 20 to the apertured panel.

With the parts thus assembled on the apertured panel as depicted in FIGS. 4. and 5, the lower forwardly projecting inclined arm 31 of the hanger 27 is positioned to receive whatever article, such as a tool, which it is desired to support. When the weight of the article is suspended from the arm 31, the vertical section 26 is forced ever more firmly into the groove 25, and the flat face 21 of the device 20 presses against the apertured panel 22. Downward movement of the assembly is precluded by the interengagement of the stud 23 with the opening 24 and upward movement and forward tilting of the assembly is prevented by the stud 28 which engages the rear side of the apertured panel. While the article support assembly is very firm and stable, it is an easy matter to relocate the parts as desired anywhere on the surface of the apertured panel.

FIG. 6 illustrates how the identical stabilizing device 20 may coact with a different type of hanger 32 on the same apertured panel 22. In this figure, the straight vertical section 33 of the hanger enters the groove 25 and the article supporting arm 34 projects forwardly and upwardly. An intermediate straight transverse pin extension 35 on the rear of the hanger 32 projects through the previously-described opening 29 and one registering opening 24 in the apertured panel thereby completing the locking of the device 20 to the apertured panel and preventing its rotation or up and down or lateral movement relative to the apertured panel. For additional strength and stability, the hanger 32 extends above the top of the device 20 and carries a top L-shaped stud 36 to interlock with the next uppermost aperture 24 in the vertical row of apertures of the panel.

FIGS. 7 through 9 of the drawings show a modification of the invention which spans two vertical rows of panel apertures and interlocks with two of the apertures 24 of each vertical row. In these figures, the intermediate stabilizing device 37 has a rectangular base plate 38 which lies against the forward face of apertured panel 22. A pair of lower integral L-studs 39 on the device 37 engage through a pair of the panel apertures 24 in the two rows of apertures and bear the weight of the assembly. The studs 39 lie at the rear face of the apertured panel as shown in FIG. 9.

At its top corners, the base plate 38 has two openings 40 which register with two more apertures 24 of the panel and these openings 40 and the adjacent panel apertures receive two upturned L-studs 41 carried by an article hanger 42 of the type illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. This hanger 42 has a horizontal forwardly projecting article support arm 43 rigid with a depending vertical portion 44 adapted to engage within a vertical groove 45 formed through a boss 46 carried by the base plate 38. As in the previous form of the invention, the device 37 may be molded of plastics or may be constructed from sheet metal, if preferred. In either case, the vertical portion 44 of hanger 42 will snap into the vertical groove 45 and be held therein as shown. A crossbar 47 forming a part of the hanger 42 is integrally joined with and carries the two upper studs 41.

The mode of use and the attendant advantages of the invention in FIGS. 7 through 9 are essentially the same as for the form shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 and FIG. 6. The principal difference is that the assembly in FIGS. 7 to 9 is even more secure and stable by virtue of engagement with panel apertures in two vertical rows, as described.

FIG. 10 shows still another form of the invention where the intermediate stabilizing device 48 is in the form of a channel member having a base plate 49 and forwardly offset vertical side flanges 50. The base plate 49 abuts the forward face of the apertured panel 22 in assembly. A pair of resilient snap studs 51 are fixedly secured to the device 48 near its lower corners and are adapted for engagement releasably with one pair of panel apertures 24. The upper edge of device 48 terminates below the next uppermost pair of panel apertures 24. Laterally opposing vertical grooves or ways 52 are formed at the sides of the device 48 between the flanges 50 and base plate 49.

The hanger 54 has a plate body portion 55 adapted to be received slidably in the grooves 52 of device 48. After such engagement, a pair of upper L-studs 57 on the hanger 54 are engaged through the upper panel apertures 24 shown in FIG. 10; following such engagement the assembly is rotated downwardly so that the snap studs 51 may engage within the lower pair of apertures 24. The hanger 54 also possesses a forwardly projecting article support arm 58 of suitable formation, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to plate body portion 55. Other variations in the construction are possible including the beveling of the forward faces of flanges 50 at their interior edges so that the hanger 54 may be snapped into engagement with the grooves 52 by finger pressure relying on the resiliency of the device 48 and the beveled edges of the flanges 50. This alternative arrangement is not shown in the drawings but is entirely feasible for the form of the invention in FIG. 10.

It may now be observed that in all forms of the invention there is provided an intermediate hanger seating and stabilizing device, which device has at least a stud for supportive engagement and interlocking engagement with an aperture of the panel and the engagement takes place near the bottom of the device. The device also has a vertical groove means to seat a vertical portion of the hanger in assembled relationship. The hanger, in turn, has a stud means near its top for interlocking engagement with an additional aperture or apertures of the panel and such last-named stud means may also extend through an upper opening of the intermediate device.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A support bracket assembly for use with an apertured panel comprising a support and stabilizing block-like element having a rear relatively wide flat face adapted to abut the front face of an apertured panel, said block-like element being vertically elongated and having a top extension of reduced thickness and said extension having a central aperture adapted to register with a panel aperture, said block-like element having a relatively thick body portion below said extension and said body portion provided in its front face with a central longitudinal groove which extends vertically during use of the assembly, said groove extending through the opposite ends of said body portion with the top of the groove terminating at the lower side of the aperture in said top extension, said groove having a restricted entrance along its entire length at the front face of said body portion, a substantially L-shaped downturned stud fixedly attached to the rear of the block-like element at the lower end thereof and adapted to be supportingly engaged through a panel aperture, and an article hanger formed separately from the block-like element for detachable assembly therewith, said hanger having a straight rod-like body portion arranged vertically during use and adapted to enter said groove through said restricted entrance and to be retained therein, the rod-like body portion of the hanger extending entirely through said groove lengthwise, a substantially L-shaped upturned stud fixedly secured to the top end of the rod-like body portion including a stud part arranged substantially at right angles to the rod-like body portion and a rearward stud part substantially parallel to the rod-like body portion and projecting thereabove, said L-shaped upturned stud adapted to engage removably through the aperture in said extension of said block-like element and through a panel aperture with which the last-named aperture is adapted to register, and a forwardly projecting upturned article support arm for the hanger fixedly attached to the lower end of the rod-like body portion immediately below the lower end of said block-like element.

2. A support bracket assembly as defined by claim 1, and said block-like element formed of plastics material, and said hanger comprising a relatively rigid metal unit.