GB2345083A - Screw-fixed picture hook - Google Patents

Abstract

A picture hook provided with a hole or holes designed to allow the hook to be fixed to a wall or other surface by use of a screw or screws. Nail hole(s) may also be provided.

Description

DESCRIPTION Screw-fixed picture hook This invention relates to a screw-fixed picture hook.

Picture hooks are well known devices which comprise a metal pressing, the bottom of which is bent outwards to form a hook from which pictures may be suspended. In the simples embodiment of such a device (a'single hook', illustration A), the top of the hook is also folded outwards before being folded back to the body of the hook again forming a framework through which a pair of holes, offset vertically are placed such that when the hook is placed against a wall and a nail is driven through the pair of holes, the nail enters the wall at a downward sloping angle (illustration B).

The arrangement for the fixing of this form of hook to a wall or other supporting structure, is by the use of a nail.

A variation of this type of hook is to form the pressing from a broadly triangular piece of metal such that the hook is formed from the bottom corner as before, and two pairs of nail holes are formed at the top pair of comers (illustration C), this design of hook (a'double hook') often having a hole stamped through the centre of the metal forming the hook.

The use of nails or even masonry nails is not, however, always appropriate or successful as where a wall is too hard, or the plaster in poor condition, the attempted use and failure of a nail can give rise to damage to the plasterwork and failure to secure the hook or failure to secure it effectively enough.

The existing single hook can only be fitted using nails as the nail guide holes are too small for the use of a screw.

An attempt may sometimes be made to fix a'double hook'by way of a screw inserted through the hole generally found in the middle of the hook. This is however not satisfactory : 1. The central hole is too big, generally being significant larger than the head of a No 6 or No 8 screw (these being the size of screws generally suitable for supporting the type of load required), such that the head of the screw will pass completely through the hole and the hook will therefore not be held securely to the wall by the screw head, unless appropriate sized washers are used to expand the effective size of the screw head.

2. The top edge of the hole is often lobed (illustration D) drawn after a current branded example of this type of hook) such that any downward load on the hook, will not allow the screw to sit centrally with regard to the hook but will naturally tend to tilt the hook such that the hook is held at the top of either lobe.

Accordingly the present invention comprises a picture hook with provision for fixing by way of a screw instead of (or as well as) nails.

A specific embodiment of the invention can be seen in illustration E.

In the present invention, the fixing hole (illustration E) in a version for normal domestic use is of a width sufficient to allow the use of No 8 screws.

The hole is surrounded by a lip of a size and shape to act as a'screw cup'such that a countersunk screw No 6 or No 8 will sit securely into the hook.

The use of the screw fixing allows the use of a hook of traditional appearance on solid walls because of the density of the wall, use of a nail or masonry nail may not be successful or in the case of say, cavity walls, or walls formed of timber studs covered in plasterboard where use of a nail may not give sufficient strength, where in both cases by drilling a hole and using a suitable masonry plug or cavity wall fixing, the hook may be secured more conveniently and effectively.

Two further embodiments of the invention are illustrated in F and G whereby the use of a screw hole is combined with the traditional single and double nail fitting types such that the hook is suitable for use with either nail or screw fitting.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in H whereby two screw holes are used to provide extra support.

Further embodiments of the invention may use a variety of sizes of screw hooks for different loadings.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A metal stamped'picture hook'with provision for screw fixing.
2. 2. A'picture hook'with provision for screw fixing substantially as described above, made from whatever material.
3. 3. A'picture hook'with provision for screw fixing which also incorporates facilities for the traditional fixing by way of a single nail.
4. 4. A'picture hook'with provision for screw fixing which also incorporates facilities for the traditional fixing by way of two nails.
5. 5. A screw fixed'picture hook'substantially as described herein with reference to illustrations E to H of the accompanying diagrams.