US599325A - Picture-supporter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. J. FITZGERALD.

PICTURE SUPPORTER.

Patented Feb. 22, 1898.

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EDXVARD J. FITZGERALD, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

PlCTURlE-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,325, dated February 22, 1898.

Application filed June 10, 1897. Serial No. 640,183. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. FITZGER- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Sn pporters, of which the following, taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of this invention is to obtain a device for hanging pictures or other articles, which device will enable a picture or other supported article, after it is hung, to be raised to any desired point, thus avoiding the inconvenience. and trouble of altering the length of a picture-support and to bring the picture or other article to any certain line. This result is accomplished in this invention, as hereinafter more fully set forth, by means of a spring-slide provided with means for attaching thereto the picture or other article to be supported and moving freely in an upward direction upon a vertical rod suspended from the picture-molding or any other point of the wall, but prevented from moving downward on this rod while the rod is in the position which it normally has when suspended and capable of moving freely in both directions when the rod is given a quarter movement of rotation.

In the accompanying drawings a device is represented which embodies the principle of my invention, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the device, showing a picture supported by the same. Fig. 2 is a side view of the supporting-rod and a sectional view of the slide. Fig. 3 is a view of the front of the supporting-rod when turned to permit the free movement of the slide, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the slide.

In the several figures the same numerals refer to the same parts.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a rod provided at one end with a means for suspending the rod from any point on the wall in such a manner that the same slide will normally be outward.

When the room is provided with a picturemolding, a convenient device for this purpose is the wide hook 2, which obviously acts to prevent the rotation of the rod. Upon either the front or the rear side of this rod are a series of teeth or notches 3, each having the side which is uppermost when the rod is suspended in a plane at right angles to the rod and its other side inclined toward the other end of the rod. The slide is shown at 4. It maybe formed in any suitable manner and is provided with perforations for the passage of the rod 1 through the slide, which perforations maintain the slide at right angles to the rod and permit the rotation of the slide in the rod. Upon'the slide is a spring-tongue 6, bent inward, so that its lower edge strikes the vertical face of the tooth adjacent to the tongue, and thus prevents the slide from mov ing downward, but this tongue yields, so as to permit the slide to be moved upward to any desired point. A convenient manner of forming the slide is by bending a plate of metal into the form of an ellipsoid and stamping the tongue out of the piece of metal. A suitable rod is pivoted at one end to each side of the slide in any suitable manner, and the other end of the rod is provided with a hook 7 or any other device for holding the picture 8 or other article which is to be hung on the wall. If it is desired to move the slide freely in both directions on the rod, this may be effected by giving a quarter-rotation to the rod, when the teeth will be free fromthe tongue, and it will slide freely upon the smooth surface of the rod.

The slide may be placed at any point on the rod, and after the rod is suspended the slidecan be adjusted upwardly at any point, but cannot move downwardly unless the rod is quarter rotated, which movement cannot be given to the rod while it is suspended.

Instead of a spring-tongue I can use any other suitable device for preventing the downward movement of the slide.

As an additional safeguard against the downward movement of the slide I can pro vide a series of perforations 9 on the toothed side of the rod, into any one of which a pin 10 maybe inserted to hold the slide in position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a straight rod, means on said rod for suspending the same from a point on the wall and preventingit from rotating; a series of IOO ratchet-teeth on one side of this rod, each having a straight side and an inclined side, inclined in the direction which is downward when the rod is suspended, a slide moving on said rod and turning on the axis of the same; means on said slide for permitting the upward movement of the slide but preventing its downward movement when the rod is suspended; arms each pivoted at one end to opposite sides of the slide, and means on each arm for the support of the suspended article.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a straight rod; a hook in the end of said rod for suspending the same from a picture-molding, and preventing it from rotating; a series of ratchet-teeth on one side of this rod each having a straight side and an inclined side and all inclined in the direction which is downward when the rod is suspended, a slide moving on said rod, and turning on the axis of the same, means on said slide permitting the slide to be moved upward but preventing it from moving downward when the rod is suspended; arms each pivoted at one end to opposite sides of the slide, and means on each arm for the support of the suspended article.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a straight rod; means on said rod for suspending the same from a point on the wall and preventing it from rotating, a series of teeth on one side of said rod each having a straight side and an inclined side and all inclined in the direction which is downward when the rod is supported; a slide moving on said rod and turning on the axis of the same; and a spring-tongue on this slide having the lower edge bearing against the straight side of the tooth adjacent to the tongue to prevent the movement of the slide in one direction but passing over the teeth when the slide is moved in the other direction.

4:. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a straight rod, a series of ratchetteeth on one side of the said rod each having a straight side and an inclined side and all inclined in the direction which is downward when the rod is suspended, a slide moving on said rod and turning on the axis of the same, means on said slide for permitting the slide to be moved upward but preventing it from moving downward when the rod is suspended, a series of perforations in the teeth, and a pin capable of insertion into any one of the perforations and acting as a support to prevent the slide from moving downward.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this ith day of June, A. D. 1897.

EDWARD J. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

WALTER B. BOSTVVIOK, J os. H. J ACKSON.

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