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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates generally to mounting fixture devices, and more particularly relates to a mounting fixture which is constructed to mate with panel board having lateral grooves cut therein at regularly spaced intervals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fixtures built to serve the function of displaying consumer merchandise generally comprise outwardly extending arm members which are mounted to a base plate, secured to a wall, a pegboard, or other suitable backing. Exemplary of such devices, are the apparatus' disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,988,768; 2,926,824; 3,567,036; 2,271,250; 3,310,271; and 3,476,344.
To secure most of the prior art devices to the wall of a retail establishment necessitates inflicting permanent damage upon the walls by nailing or bolting the display fixture to the wall. If the display fixture is relocated, unsightly holes must be filled with suitable compounds.
The construction of most of the prior art devices also involves the use of bolts, nuts, and other mechanical locking devices. Thus, not only are tools needed to assemble the prior art fixtures, but tools are also needed to affix the fixtures to the mounting surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mounting fixture of unitary construction, which therefore overcomes the need for assembly associated with prior art devices.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting fixture which can be mounted to a panel board without the use of tools.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mounting fixture which can be mounted on a panel board without damaging either the fixture or the panel board.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mounting fixture which can easily be relocated on the face of the panel board without tools and without leaving unsightly reminders of its previous location.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting fixture which can be moved laterally without disengaging it from the panel board.
Still another important object of the invention is to provide a bracket for use in home workshops, home study rooms, general offices, sales offices with product or service displays, laundry rooms, or any location where a bracket can be gainfully employed to hold tools, shelves, or other items.
These objects and others are achieved by the present invention of unitary construction which is characterized by projecting members formed at the uppermost and lowermost ends thereof, which are received within grooves provided in the panel board employed in combination with the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side plan view of the panel board used in combination with the invention. The invention is shown in its installed position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The numeral 2 indicates the mounting fixture, comprised of a base plate 10 upon which the mounting arm 12 is fixedly secured. The mounting arm will vary for the intended use such as merchandise display, tool holder, shelving, etc. Formed integrally with the base plate 10 at its uppermost free end is a suspension member 6, the plane of which is disposed at right angle to the plane of the base member. Formed integrally with the suspension member 6 is a restraining member 4, which is disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the suspension member 6, said restraining member 4, lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the base member 10.
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The lower portion of the restraining member 4, is bevelled at a 45.degree. angle relative to the plane of the suspension member 6. This bevelled configuration permits the downward rotation, hereafter described, of the bracket. Formed integrally with the base plate 10 at the lowermost ends thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom at a plane at right angles to the said base plate 10 is a guide plate 8.
Referring now to the panelboard, of the type with which the bracket is used, a panel board base 16, is shown upon which, are secured particle board members 18 in equidistance spaced-apart relationship. Veneer 20 is then mounted on said particle boards in parallel relationship with the panel board base 16. Thus, it is seen that the panel board is of a sandwich-type construction. A router is normally used to cut grooves at regularly spaced intervals upon the face of the veneer. The grooves extend laterally and are disposed at the midpoint between adjacent rows of particle board 18.
An important feature of this panel board construction is that the portion of the grooves which extend beyond the veneer have recessed side walls. The recessed areas, or undercuts, are defined by the adjacent edges of the particle boards 18.
The grasping potential of the said undercut is harnessed by the present invention as follows: The user of the bracket, to install the same, manipulates the invention at its base plate 10, and inserts restraining member 4 into a panel board groove of desired location. To achieve penetration by the restraining member into the groove, it is necessary to align the plane of the base plate 10 normal to the plane of the panel board.
Entry of the restraining member 4 into the recessed side wall space is then achieved by downwardly rotating the invention, until the guide member 8 penetrates a downwardly spaced similar groove of the panel board. The inner surface of the base plate 10 will now be in uniform contact with the outer surface of the veneer board 20. The restraining member will snugly underlie the veneer 20.
Thus, the application of an external force to the bracket 2, in a direction normal to the plane of the panel board, will not effect the disengagement of the bracket 2 from the panel board 14.
It will also be seen that the suspension member 6 retains the invention at its desired location on the panel board, notwithstanding the application of gravitational or other external upward or downward forces.
In this manner, the bracket is in sliding engagement relationship with the panel board. The user of the bracket is thus provided with a mounting fixture, which is simple to install, relocate, economical to purchase, and which further possesses high aesthetic value.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiment. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternatives, embodiments, usages and equivalents of the subject invention as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification and the appended claims.
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