This invention relates generally to devices and systems for use in hanging a picture or other selected object such as a work of art or the like on a vertical wall surface. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved and relatively easy-to-use picture hanging tool for facilitated precision positioning of the object on a wall, and for marking the wall at a selected location for subsequent mounting or installation of a hook-type or other suitable fastener used to hang or support the object on the wall.
Pictures and other objects such as a work or art or the like are typically hung from a vertical wall surface by one or more fasteners attached to the wall at a selected location or locations. One common picture hanging system utilizes a hook-type fastener attached to the wall by means of a nail or the like, and including an upwardly open hook for engaging a mated structure such as a wire or bracket mounted onto a rear face of the object. In general, the picture or the like is manually displaced vertically and horizontally relative to the wall surface until a desired mounting position is reached, at which time the fastener is attached to the wall and the object is hung from the fastener. However, it is often difficult to position the fastener with sufficient precision, whereby the actual process often proceeds in a trial-and-error manner with multiple fastener re-mountings until the object is hung on the wall at the desired position. This trial-and-error approach can be time-consuming and frustrating, and also results in numerous undesirable holes formed in the wall as the fastener is mounted and then relocated to a new mounting position.
A number of picture hanging tools have been developed in an attempt to facilitate the picture hanging process, particularly with respect to reducing trial-and-error re-adjustment of the fastener position. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,180,135; 5,520,318; 6,739,065; 6,286,803; 5,867,917; 5,129,154; 5,109,611; 6,049,991; 4,455,756; 4,473,957; 5,471,760; and 3,516,165. Some of these devices are designed for assembly with a picture or other object to be hung, and for manipulation over the wall surface to a desired hanging position followed by marking the wall with a pointed tip stylus or the like for facilitated subsequent installation of a fastener. Other devices incorporate means for positioning the picture or the like on the wall, and then directly installing the fastener. In general, however, these prior devices are relatively difficult to grasp and use, and are not optimally adapted for marking the wall in a clear easy-to-see manner.
There exists, therefore, a need for further improvements in and to devices and systems for use in hanging a picture or the like from a wall surface, particularly with respect to a device for quickly and easily marking the wall in a clear and unambiguous manner at a location for subsequent fastener installation. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.
In accordance with the invention, a picture hanging tool is provided for facilitated marking of a selected point on a wall or the like for subsequent installation of a fastener used for hanging a picture or other object from the wall. The picture hanging tool comprises an upper handle section shaped for easy manual grasping, and a lower base or support section having a front hook or the like for temporarily supporting the object. The tool with picture or other object supported thereon is moved over the wall surface to a selected precision mounting location, whereupon an actuator mechanism including an actuator pin exposed on the upper handle section is operable to displace a spring-loaded marking element into engagement with the wall surface at the desired point for subsequent fastener installation. The tool is then removed from the wall, the fastener installed at the marked point, and the object hung from the installed fastener.
In the preferred form of the invention, the upper handle section is joined to the lower base section by means of an intermediate neck section which spaces or offsets the handle section forwardly relative to the base section. A rearwardly protruding stabilizer bar projects rearwardly from an upper end of the handle section. Accordingly, when the lower base section is placed against a wall surface, the neck section and stabilizer bar cooperate to position the handle section in spaced relation to the wall surface, thereby permitting easy manual grasping of the handle section as the tool is slidably displaced over the wall surface in a stable manner to move the supported picture or other object to a desired installation position.
The upper handle section cooperates with the intermediate neck section and lower base section to define a hollow tool interior having the actuator mechanism mounted therein. In a preferred form, the actuator mechanism comprises an elongated, vertically offset shaft or rod having an upper end with a plunger pin thereon protruding a short distance from the top of the upper handle section, and a lower end within the housing shaped to define an angled cam surface. This cam surface is positioned to engage a marking element such as a felt tip marker or the like movable between a normal, spring-loaded retracted position retracted from the adjacent wall surface, and an advanced position projecting rearwardly from the base section to mark the adjacent wall surface. When the picture or other object is moved to the desired installation position, the plunger pin is manually depressed by the user's thumb or the like, while continuing to hold the tool against the wall surface, resulting in cam-actuated rearward movement of the marking element into marking engagement with the wall surface. Importantly, the marking element is disposed substantially in horizontal alignment with the front hook supporting the picture or the like.
After marking, the tool with picture or the like supported therefrom is removed from the wall, and a suitable fastener is installed at the marked point on the wall. In this regard, the fastener may be selected from a group of fasteners conveniently supported and stored within the hollow tool housing, and accessible via an access panel or door.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrate, by way of example, the principals of the present invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
As shown in the exemplary drawings, an improved tool referred to generally in
In the preferred form as shown, the picture hanging tool 10 comprises a relatively compact unitary housing which may be constructed from lightweight molded plastic components to include an upper handle section 16 joined by means of an intermediate neck section 18 to a lower support or base section 20. These housing sections preferably define a unitary hollow housing interior 21. The upper handle section 16 and the lower base section 20 are vertically elongated and oriented in generally parallel relation, with the neck section 18 providing an offset for spacing the handle section 16 forwardly relative to the lower base section 20.
A stabilizer bar 22 protrudes rearwardly from an upper end of the handle section 16, terminating in a rearward margin 24 aligned vertically, or generally coplanar with a rear face 26 of the lower base section 20. With this construction, the entire tool 10 can be held firmly and securely against the wall 14, by manually grasping the upper handle section 16 with one hand, and then pressing the rearward margin 24 of the stabilizer bar 22 and the rear face 26 of the base section 20 firmly against the wall. The forwardly offset upper handle section 16 is thus spaced forwardly from the wall 14, as indicated by arrow 28 in
A support element such as a hook 30 or the like is carried on a front face 32 of the lower base section 20 at or near a lower end thereof. This hook 30 is oriented to define an upwardly open pocket for temporary receipt and support of a hanger element 34 mounted on a rear side of the picture or other object 12 to be mounted onto the wall 14. In this regard, the illustrative drawings (
A marking element 38 is also carried within the hollow housing interior 21 at a position near the lower end of the lower base section 20, and oriented generally in horizontal alignment with the front hook 32. This marking element 38 is shown best in
An actuator mechanism 48 is provided for displacing the marking element 38 from the normal retracted position (
The plunger pin 62 is positioned for convenient fingertip depression as by pressing downwardly with the user's thumb (not shown) for manually displacing the actuator rod through a short downward stroke, from a first position to a second position. Such movement displaces the cam 50 in a downward direction, with the cam being oriented to displace the marking element 38 rearwardly against the biasing spring 46 to press the marker tip 42 against the wall 14 to mark a point thereon. Upon release of the plunger pin 62, the biasing spring 46 presses the body 40 of the marking element 38 in a forward direction against the cam 50, resulting in upward shifting of the actuator rod toward the initial first position, until the intermediate segment 52b thereof engages and stops against the inboard face 56 of the neck section 18, as previously described.
Accordingly, the picture hanging tool 10 of the present invention is used by temporarily supporting a picture 12 or the like by means of the front hook 30 on the lower base section 20. The tool 10 with picture supported thereon is then placed against the wall 14 and the tool 10 is shifted relative to the wall until a desired precision picture mounting location is achieved. In this regard, the fore-aft dimension of the lower base section 20 is preferably minimized so that the picture or other object to be hung can be positioned close to the wall 14. In addition, for facilitated maneuvering of the tool with the picture 12 or the like supported thereon, the upper handle section 16 of the tool is preferably disposed substantially in-line vertically above the frame 36 of the like of the object 12.
When the desired mounting position is reached, while continuing to hold the tool 10 and picture 12 at the desired installation position, the user depresses the plunger pin 62 to advance the marking element 38 for marking a point on the wall 14. The plunger pin 62 is then released to permit spring-actuated retraction of the marking element 38 from the wall 14, and the tool 10 with picture 12 supported thereon is removed from the wall. The marked point on the wall 14 provides a clear and accurate indication of the point for mounting a suitable fastener (not shown) used for permanently mounting the picture 12 or the like on the wall 14.
One or more fasteners may be conveniently supported and stored within the hollow interior 21 of the tool housing, and accessed by means of an access panel or door 64 (
Although an embodiment has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, no limitation on the invention is intended by way of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, except as set forth in the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/626,533, filed Nov. 9, 2004.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3516165 | Pfeffer | Jun 1970 | A |
4455756 | Greene | Jun 1984 | A |
4473957 | Faulkner | Oct 1984 | A |
4517860 | Dameron, Jr. | May 1985 | A |
4893776 | Floyd | Jan 1990 | A |
5109611 | Houck | May 1992 | A |
5129154 | Aydelott | Jul 1992 | A |
5180135 | Hindall | Jan 1993 | A |
5416978 | Kaufman | May 1995 | A |
5471760 | Farris | Dec 1995 | A |
5520318 | Sloop | May 1996 | A |
5867917 | Karon | Feb 1999 | A |
6049991 | Gruenberg et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6286803 | Pellino et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6421928 | Miller | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6612046 | Cimorell et al. | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6739065 | Hofmeister et al. | May 2004 | B1 |
6820343 | Waibel et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6952887 | Muchnik | Oct 2005 | B1 |
6971184 | Prevost | Dec 2005 | B1 |
7028413 | Filipescu | Apr 2006 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20060096111 A1 | May 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60626533 | Nov 2004 | US |