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US4318525A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Supporting device

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-12-03
•
Granted: 1982-03-09
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Expires: 1999-12-03
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to an improved device for supporting an object from a flanged ceiling supporting member of the type conventionally used in drop tile ceilings. More specifically, the device is adapted to cooperate with a ceiling panel supporting member having oppositely extending flanges which are provided with upper ceiling panel supporting surfaces. Briefly, the supporting device is of one-piece resilient construction and comprises a loop portion for receiving and holding an object supporting element, such as a suspension cord, and also comprises crossed legs formed integral with the loop portion of the device. The crossed legs have ends which are adapted to be spread apart by compressing the loop portion of the device against the inherent resiliency of the device, whereby the edges of the supporting member flanges may be received within the leg ends. The leg ends terminate in tips which extend toward each other and are adapted to move toward each other under the influence of the inherent resiliency of the device to overlie the supporting surfaces of the supporting member flanges when the compression force on the loop portion of the device is removed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jan Welch

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 19:34
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16M; F16M13/00; F16M13/02; F16M13/027

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 208 words
For use as a ceiling support in cooperation with a ceiling panel supporting member having oppositely extending flanges which are provided with upper ceiling panel supporting surfaces, a one-piece resilient supporting device adapted to support an object to be suspended from a ceiling, said device having a loop portion for receiving and holding an object supporting element and having cross legs formed integral with said loop portion and having ends which are adapted to be spread apart by manually compressing said loop portion against the inherent resilience of the device, whereby the edges of the supporting member flanges may be received within said leg ends, said legs being provided at their ends with tips which extend toward each other and are adapted to move toward each other under the influence of the inherent resiliency of the device to overlie the supporting surfaces of the supporting member flanges when the compression force on said loop portion is removed, one of said crossed legs being provided with a slot which extends inwardly from the end thereof and the other of said crossed legs being provided with a tongue portion at the end thereof which is movably disposed within said slot, whereby relative transverse movement of said leg ends is prevented.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 208 words
For use as a ceiling support in cooperation with a ceiling panel supporting member having oppositely extending flanges which are provided with upper ceiling panel supporting surfaces, a one-piece resilient supporting device adapted to support an object to be suspended from a ceiling, said device having a loop portion for receiving and holding an object supporting element and having cross legs formed integral with said loop portion and having ends which are adapted to be spread apart by manually compressing said loop portion against the inherent resilience of the device, whereby the edges of the supporting member flanges may be received within said leg ends, said legs being provided at their ends with tips which extend toward each other and are adapted to move toward each other under the influence of the inherent resiliency of the device to overlie the supporting surfaces of the supporting member flanges when the compression force on said loop portion is removed, one of said crossed legs being provided with a slot which extends inwardly from the end thereof and the other of said crossed legs being provided with a tongue portion at the end thereof which is movably disposed within said slot, whereby relative transverse movement of said leg ends is prevented.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
A resilient ceiling supporting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extremities of said leg end tips are provided with downwardly depending teeth for contacting the engaged supporting surfaces of the supporting member flanges.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US499549A Cited
US813033A Cited
FR811968A Cited
GB698696A Cited
GB708534A Cited
US2944781A Cited
US2954200A Cited
US3102614A Cited
US3327376A Cited
US3730466A Cited
US4065090A Cited
US4118000A Cited
US4112550A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-03-08 1985-09-07 1986-03-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-03-08 1989-09-07 1990-03-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-03-08 1993-09-07 1994-03-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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