Apparatus for Hanging Curtains

Abstract

Apparatus for attaching a cable for hanging curtains to a bracket mounted on a wall and for tensioning the cable, has a clamp mountable on the bracket and a receiver for capturing an end of the cable. The clamp and receiver can be screwed together to secure the cable to the bracket while tensioning the cable. For long curtain spans, a clamp may be mounted on an intermediate bracket with two receivers attached to and extending from the clamp in opposite directions for supporting two cables in alignment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus, for hanging curtains in front of a wall or window, including a cable from which the curtains may be hung, either directly or by means of rings, hooks, clips or other known curtain fasteners. More specifically, the invention provides for hanging a supplemental set of curtains on a cable supported on conventional brackets which are used to mount a conventional curtain rod in front of a wall or window.

It is known in the art to hang curtains in front of a wall or window by means of a rigid or telescoping rod mounted on brackets which are screwed to and extend outwardly from the surface of a wall above the area to be covered by the curtains. It is also known to hang more than one set of curtains, each with its own curtain rod, by supporting the rods in parallel spaced relationship on a common set of brackets which are screwed to and extend outwardly from the surface of a wall above the area to be covered by the curtains.

The use of a cable as a substitute for a rigid or telescoping rod for hanging curtains has recently become popular. There are different requirements for supporting curtains on a flexible cable, which must be tensioned to prevent sagging under the weight of the curtains, versus the use of a rigid or telescoping rod which need only be supported at its ends, and possibly at one or more intermediate points in the case of very long rods.

Until the present invention, when two sets of curtains were to be hung, one in front of the other, and one set was to be suspended from a rigid or telescoping rod while the other set was to be suspended from a flexible cable, separate sets of brackets were required, i.e., cable brackets and rod brackets. This required drilling the wall in separate locations for each set of brackets.

In addition to the damage which is done to the walls, and the cost of the additional brackets, there are further disadvantages to the necessity for two sets of brackets. The elevations of each set of curtains, not only with respect to the adjacent window, floor or ceiling, but also with respect to each other, can be critical to achieving an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Also, multiple sets of brackets, particularly in crowded installations, can interfere with one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings of prior art curtain cable mounting systems in providing an adapter mountable on a conventional curtain rod bracket for tautly supporting a cable whereby a first set of curtains can be mounted on a rigid or telescoping rod supported by a pair of brackets and a second set of curtains can hung from a cable connected to adapters which are, in turn, respectively mounted on the brackets.

In a first embodiment of the invention, suitable for use with cylindrical curtain rod support brackets, each adapter is in the form of a closed ring having a cylindrical opening substantially congruent to a cross section of the curtain rod bracket transverse to the axis of the bracket. Each adapter used to support an end of a cable has a single screw projecting radially from its outer circumference for receiving a cable retainer having a threaded cylindrical bore complementary to the threads on the screw of the adapter, the cable retainer further having a narrower bore for snugly receiving an end of the cable which is secured to the cable retainer by one or more set screws.

For curtains having a long enough span to require an intermediate bracket for supporting a correspondingly long curtain rod (or the ends of two or more curtain rods coaxially mounted end-to-end) an adapter is provided in the form of a closed ring with two screws projecting in diametrically opposite directions from the outer circumference of the ring. Each screw can receive a cable retainer as described above. That is, two cables can be supported end-to-end, with their innermost ends secured in respective cable retainers that can be threaded onto the oppositely projecting screws of a single ring adapter.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the rings from which the adapters are formed can be tapered so that two such rings, each with only one projecting screw, can be mounted on a common intermediate bracket side-by-side with their respective screws projecting in diametrically opposite directions while maintaining coaxial alignment. In this way two or more cables may be mounted end-to-end and in alignment. A single adapter design can suffice for use singly at either end of the curtain span and, in pairs, at each intermediate support bracket.

The apparatus of the invention is not limited to brackets having cylindrical members. In still another embodiment of the invention, instead of a circular ring, the adapter is in the form of a squared off or rectangular C-clamp for mounting on a conventional right angle wall bracket. For use at the end of a curtain span, one of two parallel legs of each C-clamp is provided with a transversely outwardly projecting screw for receiving a cable retainer as described above. For use on an intermediately placed bracket, each of the two parallel legs of each C-clamp can be provided with a transversely outwardly projecting screw, the oppositely pointing screws being in coaxial alignment for supporting two respective cables end-to-end and in mutual alignment.

Finally, as in the case of the circular ring adapters described above, each C-clamp having a single screw can have a tapered width whereby two such C-clamps, each with only one projecting screw, can be mounted side-by-side on a common intermediate bracket with their respective screws projecting in diametrically opposite directions while maintaining coaxial alignment in order to enable two or more cables to be mounted end-to-end in mutual alignment. A single C-clamp adapter design can suffice for use at either end of the curtain span, and, by doubling up into pairs, at each intermediate flat support bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2a is a front elevation view of another apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2b is a top plan view of said another apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4a is a side elevation view of an adapter for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4b is a top elevation view of the adapter shown in FIG. 4a.

FIG. 5a is a side elevation view of another adapter for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5b is a top elevation view of the adapter shown in FIG. 5a.

FIG. 6a is a side elevation view of a cable retainer for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6b is an end view of the cable retainer shown in FIG. 6a from one end of said cable retainer.

FIG. 6c is an end view of the cable retainer shown in FIG. 6a from an opposite end of said cable retainer.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing, in part, how to assemble the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of supplemental components for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with said first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9a is a side elevation view of a modified adapter for use in the apparatus shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9b is a top view of the modified adapter shown in FIG. 9a.

FIG. 9c is a perspective view of the modified adapter shown in FIG. 9a.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of supplemental components for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11a is a top view of an adapter for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11b is a side elevation view of the adapter shown in FIG. 11a.

FIG. 12a is a top view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12b is a side elevation view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 12a.

FIG. 13a is a top view of another adapter for use in the apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13b is a side elevation view of the adapter shown in FIG. 13a.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an apparatus for hanging curtains in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an assembled view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17a is a side elevation view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 17b is a bottom view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 17a.

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of two modified adapters as they are to be placed side by side.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a prior art cable support system for curtains having a cable 1 each end of which is clamped within a holder 3 mounted on a base 5. The bases 5 are, in turn, affixed to parallel facing wall surfaces 7, for example, by a screw passed through the a center opening in each base (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 2a and 2b, in another prior art cable support system for curtains, for use in environments where the use of facing walls for supporting cable brackets is not feasible, end brackets 11 are mounted on a wall in front of which the curtains are to be hung. Each bracket 11 has a base 13, a spacer 15 and a holder 17 for a cable 9. For long curtain spans, a central bracket 12 may be used to support an intermediate portion of the cable 9.

The prior art cable mounting systems shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a,b must be used independently of, and in addition to, any other brackets which may be present for supporting a conventional rigid or telescoping curtain rod.

Turning now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown a cable support system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Two conventional cylindrical brackets 21 are mounted on a wall 23 for supporting a rigid or telescoping curtain rod 25 as is known in the art. Circumscribing each bracket 21 is a clamp in the form of a circular ring adapter 26 as illustrated in FIGS. 4a,b and 5a,b. Connected to each ring adapter is a receiver in the form of a cable retainer 27, best seen in FIGS. 6a-c, which is secured to an end of the cable 29.

Referring now to FIGS. 4a,b-5a,b, each ring adapter 26 is in the generally shape of the locus of a rectangle spaced from and rotated about a parallel axis through the center of the ring. Extending from the outer circumference of each ring adapter 26 in a radial direction is a clamp connector in the form of a screw 31.

Turning now to FIGS. 6a-c, each cable retainer 27 is in the shape of a hollow stepped cylinder as seen in FIG. 6a. The cable retainer 27 has a narrow length 30 running inwardly from one end with an outer diameter and inner diameter less than the respective outer diameter and inner diameter of the remaining wider length 32 which runs inwardly from the opposite end of the cable retainer. The narrow length 30 and wider length 32 are connected at a sloped circular region 34 of the exterior of the cable retainer 27.

A receiver connector in the form of a hollow bore 36 in the wider length of the body of the cable retainer 27 has a diameter and is threaded complementary to the diameter and thread of the screw 31 on the adapter 26 whereby the cable retainer can be threaded onto the screw 31 for being affixed to the adapter 26 and the bracket 11 on which the adapter 26 is mounted.

The narrow length 30 of the cable retainer 27 has an axial bore 38 with a diameter only slightly greater than the diameter of the cable 9 for enabling an end of the cable 9 to be snugly received therewithin. Two set screws 40 threaded into apertures penetrating the full thickness of the circular wall of the narrow length 30 of the cable retainer 27 can be tightened to secure an end of the cable 9 within the cable retainer 27.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the narrow length 30 of the cable retainer 27, proximate the sloped circular region 34 of the cable retainer 27 is provided with diametrically opposite holes 42 which fully penetrate the circular wall of the narrow length of the cable retainer 27. An Allen wrench 45 sized to fit the set screws 40 can be passed through the holes 42 thereby enabling the Allen wrench to be used as a lever for rotating either or both cable retainers 27 to tension the attached cable by threading each cable retainer 27 further onto its respective screw 31 as shown in FIG. 7.

In order to minimize twisting of the cable during tightening of the cable retainers 27, the cable 9 may be pretwisted before attachment of its ends to its cable retainers 27 in a direction such that as the cable retainers 33 are tightened onto the screws 31, the cable 9 will untwist. Alternatively, the screw 31 on an adapter used to secure one end of a cable can be provided with a thread opposite in direction to the thread on the adapter screw 31 used to secure the opposite end of the cable. With this type of arrangement, the retainers can be rotated, one clockwise and the other counterclockwise, for tensioning the cable without twisting the cable.

In use, the cable(s) 9 can be passed through a channel sewn into a curtain rod before being screwed onto the adapters 26. Alternatively, curtain rings or hooks may be passed over the ends of and onto the cable.

Referring now to FIG. 8, where curtains having a long span are to be hung, and an intermediate bracket 51 is wall mounted intermediate end brackets 11, an adapter 52 similar to the ones shown if FIGS. 4a,b and 5a,b, but having two screws 53 extending in diametrically opposite directions (see FIGS. 9a-c) can be used.

Another embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10-13b. Here each adapter 61 has a tapered width. A single adapter 61 can be used on each end bracket 11. Two of the same adapters 61 may be placed side-by-side on the same intermediate bracket with their respective single screws 63 extending in diametrically opposite and coaxial directions as best seen in FIGS. 10 and 12a,b.

The adapter clamp 61 has a profile with a one side parallel to a central axis of the clamp connector screw 63 and an opposite tapered side inclined relative to the central axis of screw 63. The distance between the central axis of the screw 63 and parallel side 64 of the clamp body is such as to enable two identical clamps to be placed on a single bracket with the tapered sides 66 of each clamp in abutting relationship, and said central axes of the clamp connector screws 63 in mutual alignment The average of the maximum and minimum distances between sides 64 and 66 measured orthogonally to the side 66 is equal to the distance between the central axis of each clamp connector screw 63 and the parallel clamp profile side 64.

The invention is not limited to circular brackets. By using an appropriately shaped adapter, a cable may be mounted on an existing conventional flat bracket extending from a wall.

Referring now to FIGS. 14-16, there is shown a curtain installation with conventional right angle wall brackets 65 including a forward projecting member 67 having a substantially rectangular cross section with a channel for receiving a slider 69 terminating in a U-shaped holder 71 for receiving a curtain rod 73.

There is removably mounted on the slider 69 of the bracket 65, as shown in FIG. 14, an adapter 75 in the form of a squared off or rectangular C-clamp 61. Each of two parallel members of the C-clamp 61 has a lip 77 for forming a channel 79 having a width substantially equal to the width of the slider 69. The other parallel member of the C-clamp 75 is apertured for receiving a set screw 81 that can be tightened against the slider 69 for securing the C-clamp adapter 75 to the bracket 65.

The C-clamp 75 is shown in FIGS. 17a and b. For use on intermediate brackets, the C-clamp 75 can have two screws projecting in opposite directions while maintaining coaxial alignment. Alternatively, each C-clamp can be tapered whereby two such C-clamps, each with a single screw can be mounted side-by-side with their screws directed in opposite directions while also maintaining coaxial alignment as shown in FIG. 18.

It is to be appreciated that the ring and C-clamp described above, in their several forms, are two of many possible variations of adapters that can be attached to a bracket for a rigid or telescoping curtain rod, for supporting a curtain cable without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, instead of the screw being on a clamp for being threaded into a receiver, the clamp may be provided with a threaded bore in a wall of its body for receiving the threads of a screw extending from the receiver.

Claims

1. Apparatus for attaching an end of at least one cable, used for hanging curtains, to a bracket mounted on a wall, and for tensioning said one cable, comprising,

a clamp mountable on said bracket,

a first receiver having an axial bore for receiving said end of said one cable, and a first cable fastener for capturing said end of said one cable within said bore,

said clamp having a first clamp connector and said first receiver having a first receiver connector complementary to said first clamp connector for connecting said first receiver to said clamp, one of said first clamp connector and said first receiver connector comprising a first screw, and the other of said first clamp connector and said first receiver connector comprising a body with a first cylindrical bore into which said first screw can be threaded for tensioning said one cable.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises a circular ring having a central aperture through which a cylindrical bracket can be passed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said clamp has a rectangular opening in which a rectangular bracket can be received.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said clamp comprises a C-clamp.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first receiver comprises a first set screw projecting into said axial bore for engaging and securing said one cable.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising,

a second receiver having an axial bore for receiving one end of a second cable and a second cable fastener for capturing said one end of said second cable within said axial bore of said second receiver,

said clamp further having a second clamp connector and said second receiver having a second receiver connector complementary to said second clamp connector for connecting said second receiver to said clamp, one of said second clamp connector and said second receiver connector comprising a second screw, and the other of said second clamp connector and said second receiver connector comprising a body with a second cylindrical bore into which said second screw can be threaded for tensioning said second cable,

whereby said clamp can be mounted on a single bracket for supporting respective ends of said one cable and said second cable.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said one of said first screw and said first cylindrical bore on said clamp and said one of said second screw and said second cylindrical bore on said clamp are coaxial and extend in opposite directions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said clamp has a profile with a one side parallel to a central axis of said first clamp connector and an opposite side inclined relative to said central axis of said first clamp connector, the distance between said one side and said central axis of said first clamp connector enabling two identical clamps to be placed on a single bracket with said opposite side of one of said two identical clamps in abutting relationship with said opposite side of the other of said two identical clamps and said central axis of said first clamp connector of said one of said two identical clamps in alignment with said central axis of said first clamp connector of said other of said two identical clamps.

9. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the average of the maximum distance between said one side and said opposite side measured orthogonally to said one side and the minimum distance between said one side and said opposite side measured orthogonally to said one side is equal to the distance between said central axis of said first clamp connector and said one side measured orthogonally to said one side.

10. Apparatus for hanging curtains on a wall comprising,

a wall mountable bracket;

a first clamp removably mountable on said bracket,

a first cable,

a first receiver having an axial bore for receiving an end of said first cable, and a first cable fastener for capturing said end of said first cable within said bore,

said first clamp having a first clamp connector and said first receiver having a first receiver connector complementary to said first clamp connector for connecting said first receiver to said first clamp, one of said first clamp connector and said first receiver connector comprising a first screw, and the other of said first clamp connector and said first receiver connector comprising a body with a first cylindrical bore into which said first screw can be threaded for tensioning said one cable.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bracket has a cylindrical cross section and said first clamp comprises a circular ring having a central aperture through which said cylindrical bracket can be passed.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bracket has a rectangular cross section said first clamp has a rectangular opening in which said rectangular bracket can be received.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first clamp comprises a C-clamp.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first receiver comprises a first set screw projecting into said axial bore for engaging and securing said first cable.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10 comprising,

a second cable,

a second receiver having an axial bore for receiving one end of said second cable and a second cable fastener for capturing said one end of said second cable within said axial bore of said second receiver,

said first clamp further having a second clamp connector and said second receiver having a second receiver connector complementary to said second clamp connector for connecting said second receiver to said first clamp, one of said second clamp connector and said second receiver connector comprising a second screw, and the other of said second clamp connector and said second receiver connector comprising a body with a second cylindrical bore into which said second screw can be threaded for tensioning said second cable,

whereby said first clamp can be mounted on a single bracket for supporting respective ends of said first cable and said second cable.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said one of said first screw and said first cylindrical bore on said first clamp and said one of said second screw and said second cylindrical bore on said first clamp are coaxial and extend in opposite directions.

17. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first clamp has a profile with a one side parallel to a central axis of said first clamp connector and an opposite side inclined relative to said central axis of said first clamp connector, and further comprising a second clamp identical to said first clamp, said first and second clamps being on a single bracket in abutment with one another with the central axes of their respective first clamp connectors in axial alignment.