US660938A - Picture-adjuster. - Google Patents

Description

No. 660,938; Patentd Oct. 30, I900.

' n. W.'TOWER..

PICTURE ADJUSTER.

(Application filed July 9, 1900.)

(No model) U TE STATES ATENT FMCE. I

DANIEL W. TOWER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRAND RAPIDS BRASS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PICTURE-ADJUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 660,938, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed July 9. 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. TOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, haveinvented new and useful Innprovements in Picture-Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to picture-hangers, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple, light, strong, and durable picture-hanger which will be efficient in operation and which may be manufactured at small cost.

To these ends myinventiou consists in the features and in the construction,co1nbination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein Figure l is a view in front elevation of my improved hanger. Fig. 2 is an edge View of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 00 or of Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views illustrating three diiierentways of applying the hanger.

Referring to the drawings, the reference- I letterA indicates a plate, preferably of sheet metal and of any form and size suitable for the purpose, said plate being bent up at a right angle on one side to form a flange a, and said flange is provided with an integral ear or lug e, which is bent at a right angle thereto and into parallelism with the plate A for the purpose hereinafter made apparent. Said flange is also provided on its edge with an overhanging or undercut lip or tongue 6.

The letter B indicates a winding-drum, preferably stamped up from an integral blank of sheet metal and provided with an annular flange b, having ratchet-teeth b formed on its periphery. The drum B, is seated on the plate A and is rotatably secured thereon by a rivet C. Formed in the periphery of the barrel of the drum is a perforation J, through which the end of the pictur -cord is passed and is then knotted to secure the cord to the drum. Passing through and secured in the base or plate A and the ear or lug e isa rivet or pin E, on which is journaled one end of a pawl comprising a flat sheet-metal plate D,

Serial No. 23.040. (No model.)

the upper end of which is arranged tooscillate beneath the overhanging lip or tonge e, which operates to hold the pawl in operative position to engage the ratchet-teeth b. The pawl D is provided on its inner edge near its free end with an integral beveled projection F, forming a tooth that engages the ratchetteeth of the drum,'and on the opposite edgeof said pawl is an integral lip or lug I, that is bent at a. right angle to the pawl, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings. Formed in the flange a near one end thereof are two apertures a, through which is inserted one end of a wire spring H, the other or free end of which impinges and bears against the lip orlug I of the pawl and holds the tooth F of the latter in engagement with the ratchet-teeth bof the drum B.

Usually-but one'of the hangers is employed with each picture. As shown in Fig. 4, the base-plate A is attached to the rear of the picture-frame on one side by screws or other suitable fastenings. One end of the picturecord is attached to the drum in the manner before described and is wound about the same, while the other end of the cord is attached in the usual mannerto the oppositeside of the pic titre-frame. The cord is suspended from a picture-nail orother suitable support in the usual manner, and when so suspended the picture may be readily raised and lowered to adjust it to the desired height. To raise the picture, it is only necessary to rotate the drum in the proper direction to wind the cord thereon, and to lower it the pawl is disengaged from the'ratchet-teeth of the drum, when the weight of the picture will cause the cord to unwind from the drum, or a slight downward pull on the picture may be necessary. For convenience in disengaging the pawl from the rachetteeth said pawl is provided on its outer side with a lug or lip G, which is bent outward at a right angle to the pawl to form a thumbpiece, which may be readily engaged by the finger or thumb to retract the pawl against the tension of the spring H.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the hanger arranged in substantially the same .manner as that above described, excepting that instead of attaching the drum to the side of the pictureframe it is attached centrally to the upper end of the same. One end of the cord is attached to the side of the frame, as before, and the other end is passed through a screw-eye it or other suitable guide, and thence passes to the drum, about which it is wound.

When the picture-frame is unusually large or heavy, two drums may be employed, one being attached to each side of the pictureframe, as shown in Fig. 6, a cord being provided for each drum, one end of each cord being attached to its drum and the other end to the picture-frame.

I have described myimproved hanger as being employed for hanging pictures; but it will be evident that it can be employed equally as well and without alteration for hanging mirrors and other articles of furniture and the like.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a picture-hanger, the combination with a base comprising a plate having at one side an upturned flange provided on its outer edge with an undercut or overhanging lug or lip, a winding-drum rotatably mounted on the base and provided on its periphery with ratchet-teeth, and a pivoted pawl constructed at its free end to engage said ratchet-teeth and arranged to oscillate between the said overhanging lip or tongue and the edge of the flange, substantially as described 2. In a picture-hanger, the combination with a base comprising a plate having at one side an upturned flange, a drum rotatably mounted on the base and provided on its periphery with ratchet-teeth,a pivoted pawl constructed at its free end to engage said ratchetteeth and provided on its outer edge with a lip or lug bent at a right angle to the pawl, and a spring inserted at one end in apertures formed in said flange and at its free end bearing against the lip or lug on the pawl to hold the latter in engagement with the ratchetteeth, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL W. TOWER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD TAGGART, JAMES B. DAVIES.

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