Display hanger for sheet items of fabric art

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6219892
  • Patent Number
    6,219,892
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, June 1, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 24, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A hanging assembly for displaying a sheet item of fabric art includes an elongated frame adapted for mounting on an appropriate upright support structure. An elongated flexible interface strip is adapted for attachment to the sheet item by appropriate non-invasive attaching media. A securing member secures the flexible interface strip to the frame.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention generally relates to hangers or hanging assemblies and, particularly, to a hanger for displaying a sheet item of fabric art such as a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and like items.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Various types of hangers are known for displaying various items such as quilts, tapestry, rugs and other items, e.g., those items mentioned above. The items often are used to display such fabric art in various environments ranging from a personal home to a public museum. In a museum, for instance, the item of fabric art may be displayed on a wall and changed every month or so.




One of the problems with handling and displaying such sheet items of fabric art is the damage done to the items and which may become permanent. If an item is displayed, it typically has considerable value to an individual or institution. The item may be a new item of fabric art which can be quite delicate or, most often, the item is somewhat old or very old and fragile.




In particular, most prior art hanging assemblies for sheet items of fabric art use some form of pressure or clamping directly onto the item. Such forces cause stresses in the fabric and even can cause permanent impressions. This is particularly true if the item is old. Even newer items can be damaged when the item is a large quilt, tapestry, blanket or rug which is quite heavy. The weight, combined with the clamping forces, actually can separate the fabric weave and cause considerable damage to valuable works of art.




The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a unique system which utilizes an interface member which can be attached to the sheet item with appropriate non-invasive attaching means. The interface member then is secured to a frame of the hanging assembly and absorbs the abusive forces therefrom. In other words, the hanging assembly of the invention isolates the sheet item of fabric art from abusive clamping or other forces. The assembly also is versatile, easy to use and is arranged so as not to be visible in use.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved hanger for displaying a sheet item of fabric art such as a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and other similar items.




In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hanger is provided as an assembly which includes an elongated frame adapted for mounting on an appropriate support structure, such as a wall. An elongated flexible interface strip is adapted for attachment to the sheet item by appropriate non-invasive attaching means, such as pins or basting thread. Securing means are provided for securing the flexible interface strip to the frame.




As disclosed herein, the elongated frame comprises a pair of elongated clamp bars for clamping the securing means therebetween. Generally, spring means are provided for biasing the clamp bars into mutually clamping condition. Specifically, at least one hinge connects the clamp bars for relative movement between an open loading position and a closed clamping position. The hinge is spring loaded for biasing the clamp bars to their closed clamping position. At least one of the clamp bars includes a channel running lengthwise thereof for receiving the securing means which may be in the form of a rod.




The flexible interface strip comprises a cloth-like strip for receiving the non-invasive attaching means such as the pins or basting thread. The interface strip includes a passage running lengthwise thereof for receiving the securing rod.




Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which:





FIG. 1

a perspective view of the hanging assembly of the invention, shown hanging a quilt thereon;





FIG. 2

is an exploded perspective view of the components of the hanging assembly of

FIG. 1

, in conjunction with the quilt;





FIG. 3

is a further exploded perspective view of the components of the hanging assembly, isolated from the quilt;





FIG. 4

is an end elevational view of the hanging assembly and quilt as viewed from one end of the assembly in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is a front elevational view of the elongated frame in closed position;





FIG. 6

is a bottom plan view of the frame in closed position;





FIG. 7

is a top plan view of the frame in closed position; and





FIG. 8

is a front elevational view similar to that of

FIG. 5

, but with the frame in open position.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to

FIG. 1

, the invention is embodied in a hanging assembly, generally designated


10


, for displaying a sheet item


12


of fabric art. The item shown herein is a quilt. However, it should be understood that the hanging assembly of the invention is equally applicable for displaying other sheet items such as a tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag, cloth banner and other similar items.




Referring to

FIG. 2

, hanging assembly


10


includes an elongated frame, generally designated


14


, adapted for mounting on an appropriate upright support structure such as a wall; an elongated flexible interface strip


16


adapted for attachment to the sheet item or quilt


12


by appropriate non-invasive attaching means; and securing means in the form of a rod


18


for securing flexible interface strip


16


to frame


14


.




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 4

in conjunction with

FIG. 2

, frame


14


comprises a frame assembly which includes a pair of elongated clamp bars


20


and


22


. Clamp bar


20


has a plurality of holes


24


through which appropriate fastening means such as screws


26


(

FIG. 4

) can be used to attach rear clamp bar


20


to an appropriate support structure such as a wall


28


(FIG.


4


). Front clamp bar


22


is attached to rear clamp bar


20


by a pair of hinges


30


attached by appropriate screws to the bottom surfaces of the clamp bars which may be fabricated of such materials as wood, plastic or the like. The hinges are spring loaded for biasing the clamp bars to a closed clamping position shown in

FIGS. 2 and 4

. Finally, the inside surface of each clamp bar


20


and


22


is provided with an open channel


32


extending lengthwise thereof. As seen in

FIG. 4

, when the clamp bars are in the closed clamping position, channels


32


are aligned or face each other to define a closed elongated cavity.




Flexible interface strip


16


may be provided as a cloth-like strip for receiving such non-invasive attaching means as pins


34


(

FIG. 2

) to attach quilt


12


to the interface strip. Another excellent non-invasive attaching means is basting thread which can be used to attach the sheet item or quilt to the interface strip lengthwise of the strip, using a “running” stitch or basting stitch. If the sheet item of fabric art is heavy, such as a quilt, tapestry, rug or the like, two or more lines or rows of running stitches can be used to avoid concentrated stresses in the sheet item. The top edge of interface strip


16


is folded over and stitched, as at


36


in

FIG. 2

, to form a passage


38


running lengthwise thereof for receiving securing rod


18


. The rod may be a simple dowel-type rod.





FIGS. 5-7

show elongated frame assembly


14


with elongated clamp bars


20


and


22


biased to their closed clamping position by spring loaded hinges


30


.

FIGS. 5 and 6

show the hinges to include coiled springs


40


to spring load the hinges.

FIG. 8

shows clamp bars


20


and


22


of frame assembly


14


in their open loading position exposing channels


32


formed in the inside surfaces of the clamp bars.




The use of hanging assembly


10


now will be described, in conjunction with hanging quilt


12


for display purposes. The quilt first is placed on a horizontal support surface, such as a bed, large table, countertop or the like where it is not subject to any stresses whatsoever. Flexible interface strip


16


then is attached to the quilt along what would be its top edge by appropriate non-invasive attaching means. As stated above, such non-invasive attaching means could be one or more rows of pins


34


or one or more lines of running stitches of basting thread. Again, this process does not expose the quilt to any abusive stresses whatsoever. Securing rod


18


then can be inserted through passage


38


formed in the flexible interface strip. Of course, the rod could have been inserted prior to attaching the strip to the quilt. With rear clamp bar


20


fixed to an appropriate upright support structure such as wall


20


, front clamp bar


22


is opened as shown in FIG.


8


. The quilt and attached interface strip


16


can be gently elevated and placed on top of the assembly. The front clamp bar is gently pulled down to expose channels


32


and securing rod


18


is placed in position to be captured within channels


32


of the clamp bars. This is most easily accomplished by placing the securing rod in channel


32


of front clamp bar


22


as shown in the open position of

FIG. 8

, and simply allowing the spring biasing of hinges


30


to gently close the front clamp bar against rear clamp bar


20


to capture securing rod


18


and the surrounding interface strip as shown in FIG.


4


. As stated above, in the closed clamping position of the clamp bars, channels


32


combine to form a closed elongated cavity for capturing securing rod


18


and the surrounding portions of the flexible interface strip. The strip simply drapes over the top and down the front face of front clamp bar


22


as seen in

FIG. 4. A

stop piece


44


(

FIG. 8

) can be used to hold the clamp bars open while securing the assembly to a wall by screws


26


.




After the quilt is hung as described above, it can be seen in

FIG. 4

that hanging assembly


10


is completely hidden behind the upper edge of the quilt. In addition, although

FIGS. 1 and 2

show the hanging assembly to be longer than the width of the quilt, the hanging assembly can be readily made in a variety of lengths so that the entire assembly is hidden behind the upper edge of the quilt. Different lengths of hanging assemblies can be fabricated for different sizes of sheet items of fabric art. Although interface strip


16


can be appropriately provided of cloth-like material, a plastic strip also could be used. Although the invention is shown herein hanging quilt


12


on a wall


28


, other sheet items of fabric art can be hung on a variety of other appropriate upright support structures, even including a bed frame for hanging a bed canopy. It can be understood that interface strip


16


isolates the hanging stresses from quilt


12


. In other words, the quilt is gently attached to the interface strip by the non-invasive pins or thread, and the clamping hanging stresses are absorbed by securing rod


18


at the top of the interface strip. The quilt or other work of art, in essence, is not altered in any way and certainly is not disfigured by any clamping forces.




It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.



Claims
  • 1. A hanging assembly for displaying a sheet item of fabric art including a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag and cloth banner, comprising:an elongated frame adapted for mounting on an appropriate upright support structure, the frame including a pair of elongated relatively movable clamp bars; an elongated flexible interface strip adapted for attachment to the sheet item by appropriate non-invasive attaching means; and securing means for being clamped by said clamp bars and, thereby, securing the flexible interface strip to the frame.
  • 2. The hanging assembly of claim 1, including spring means for biasing said clamp bars into mutually clamping condition.
  • 3. The hanging assembly of claim 1, including hinge means connecting the clamp bars for relative movement between an open loading position and a closed clamping position.
  • 4. The hanging assembly of claim 3 wherein said hinge means comprises at least one spring loaded hinge for biasing the clamp bars to their closed clamping position.
  • 5. The hanging assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said elongated clamp bars includes a channel running lengthwise thereof for receiving said securing means in the form of a rod.
  • 6. The hanging assembly of claim 1 wherein said flexible interface strip comprises a cloth-like strip for receiving such non-invasive attaching means as pins and thread to attach the sheet item to the interface strip.
  • 7. The hanging assembly of claim 1 wherein said flexible interface strip includes a passage running lengthwise thereof for receiving said securing means in the form of a rod.
  • 8. The hanging assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongated frame includes a channel running lengthwise thereof for receiving said securing means in the form of a rod.
  • 9. A hanging assembly for displaying a sheet item of fabric art including a quilt, tapestry, embroidery, needlepoint, blanket, rug, flag and cloth banner, comprising:an elongated frame adapted for mounting on an appropriate upright support structure, said frame including a pair of elongated clamp bars; an elongated flexible cloth-like interface strip for receiving such non-invasive attaching means as pins and thread to attach the sheet item to the interface strip; and securing means for securing the flexible interface strip between the clamp bars of the elongated frame.
  • 10. The hanging assembly of claim 9, including spring means for biasing said clamp bars into mutually clamping condition.
  • 11. The hanging assembly of claim 9, including hinge means connecting the clamp bars for relative movement between an open loading position and a closed clamping position.
  • 12. The hanging assembly of claim 11 wherein said hinge means comprises at least one spring loaded hinge for biasing the clamp bars to their closed clamping position.
  • 13. The hanging assembly of claim 9 wherein at least one of said elongated clamp bars includes a channel running lengthwise thereof for receiving said securing means in the form of a rod.
  • 14. The hanging assembly of claim 9, wherein said flexible interface strip includes a passage running lengthwise thereof for receiving said securing means in the form of a rod.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Number Name Date Kind
D. 320521 Baur Oct 1991
D. 368197 Fulayter et al. Mar 1996
784818 Evans Mar 1905
2840155 Stern Jun 1958
3905414 Guebert et al. Sep 1975
4230171 Baker, Sr. Oct 1980
4375134 Sheetz Mar 1983
4736535 Rucker Apr 1988
5191922 Wade Mar 1993
5318174 Zoroufy Jun 1994
5351739 Levy Oct 1994
5544387 Yamamoto et al. Aug 1996
5592721 Zeller Jan 1997
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
1052774 Dec 1966 GB