Picture hanging device

Claim 2

A picture hanging device comprising a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear surface of a picture frame or other like object and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to a wall or other like support surface, said male member including a fastening flange and a resilient vertically depending tongue normally lying in the same vertical plane, said male member being provided with a spacing portion, said spacing portion protruding outwardly beyond said tongue and said fastening flange, said female member including a guiding portion and a slot, said guiding portion being adapted to contact said spacing portion when said tongue is fully inserted within said slot, a portion of said tongue being exposed above said slot when said tongue is fully inserted therein, said exposed portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of said frame or other like object is biased toward said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 3

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said spacing portion is defined by an upper smooth edge, a pair of side edges and a tapered lower guide edge, said spacing portion being provided on the rear surface of said fastening flange facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said spacing portion is fixed, said tongue is provided with a lower rounded arcuate edge, said tongue being further provided with a convex front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, and a flat rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said fastening flange and said tongue being integral.

Claim 4

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said guiding portion terminates in a rounded upper guide edge, said slot is defined by a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, and a lower concave support surface intermediate said front and rear walls, said front wall being provided with an upwardly directed rounded lip facing into said slot, said rear wall being integral with and extending downwardly from said guiding portion, said side walls each terminating in convex side guides.

Claim 5

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said tongue and said fastening flange normally lie in the same vertical plane, said spacing portion protrudes beyond said fastening flange and said tongue, said spacing portion includes protrusions located proximate each of the side edges of said male member.

Claim 6

The picture hanging device of claim 4 wherein said protrusions are fixed.

Claim 7

The picture hanging device of claim 4 wherein said protrusions are movable.

Claim 8

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said fastening flange includes a vertical and an angular portion, said vertical portion and said tonque normally lying in the same vertical plane, said spacing portion protrudes beyond said fastening flange, said spacing portion includes a protrusion located proximate each of the side edges of said male member.

Claim 9

The picture hanging device of claim 7 wherein said protrusions are fixed.

Claim 10

The picture hanging device of claim 7 wherein said protrusions are movable.

Claim 11

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said fastening flange includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion is offset from said upper portion, said lower portion and said tongue normally lie in the same vertical plane, said spacing portion protrudes beyond said fastening flange, said spacing portion includes a protrusion located proximate each of the side edges of said male member.

Claim 12

The picture hanging device of claim 10 wherein said protrusions are fixed.

Claim 13

The picture hanging device of claim 10 wherein said protrusions are movable.

Claim 14

The picture hanging device of claim 4 wherein said male member is formed integral with said picture frame and is offset therefrom.

Claim 15

The picture hanging device of claim 13 wherein said protrusions are fixed.

Claim 16

The picture hanging device of claim 13 wherein said protrusions are movable.

Claim 17

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said slot is wider than and thinner than said tongue.

Claim 18

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein the front surface of said fastening flange facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto is provided with an anchor rib.

Claim 19

The picture hanging device of claim 1 wherein said male and female members are formed of a resilient plastic or metal material.

Claim 20

The picture hanging device of claim 1 further comprising means provided on said fastening flange for securing said male member to said frame or other like object and means provided on each side of said slot for securing said female member to said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 21

A picture hanging device comprising a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear surface of a picture frame or other like object and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to a wall or other like support surface, the upper portion of said male member including a fastening flange, said fastening flange being provided with means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object, said fastening flange being further provided with a spacing portion on its rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, the lower portion of said male member including a resilient vertically depending tongue, said tongue being integral with said fastening flange and normally lying in the same vertical plane, said spacing portion protruding outwardly beyond said fastening flange and said tongue, the upper portion of said female member including a guiding portion, the lower portion of said female member including a slot, said slot being defined by a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, and a lower support surface intermediate said front and rear walls, said rear wall being integral with and extending downwardly from said guiding portion, said guiding portion being adapted to contact said spacing portion when said tongue is fully inserted within said slot, said slot being provided on each side with means for securing said female member to said wall or other support surface, a portion of said tongue being exposed above said slot when said tongue is fully inserted therein, said exposed portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of said frame or other like object is biased toward said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 22

A picture hanging device comprising a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear surface of a picture frame or other like object and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to a wall or other like support surface, the upper portion of said male member including a fastening flange, said fastening flange being provided with means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object, said fastening flange being further provided with a spacing portion on its rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, the lower portion of said male member including a resilient vertically depending tongue, said tongue being integral with said fastening flange and normally lying in the same vertical plane, said spacing portion protruding outwardly beyond said fastening flange and said tongue, the upper portion of said female member including a guiding portion, the lower portion of said female member including a slot, said slot being defined by a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, and a lower support surface intermediate said front and rear walls, said rear wall being integral with and extending downwardly from said guiding portion, said guiding portion being adapted to contact said spacing portion when said tongue is fully inserted within said slot, said slot being provided on each side with means for securing said female member to said wall or other support surface, a portion of said tongue being exposed above said slot when said tongue is fully inserted therein, said exposed portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of said frame or other like object is biased toward said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 23

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein said spacing portion is defined by an upper smooth edge, a pair of side edges and a tapered lower guide edge, said tongue is provided with a lower rounded arcuate edge, said tongue being further provided with a convex front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto and a flat rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto.

Claim 24

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein said guiding portion terminates in a rounded upper guide edge, said front wall of said slot is provided with an upwardly directed rounded lip facing into said slot, said lower support surface of said slot is concave, said side walls of said slot each terminate in convex side guides.

Claim 25

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein said slot is wider than and thinner than said tongue.

Claim 26

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein the front surface of said fastening flange facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto is provided with an anchor rib.

Claim 27

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein said male and female members are formed of a resilient plastic material.

Claim 28

The picture hanging device of claim 20 wherein said means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object comprises at least one hole on said fastening flange for receiving a screw, said means for securing said female member to said wall or other like support surface comprises at least one hole on each side of said slot for receiving a nail.

Claim 29

A picture hanging device comprising a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear surface of a picture frame or other like object and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to a wall or other like support surface, the upper portion of said male member including a fastening flange, said fastening flange being provided with means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object, said fastening flange being provided with an anchor rib on its front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said fastening flange being further provided with a spacing portion on its rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said spacing portion being defined by an upper smooth edge, a pair of side edges and a tapered lower guide edge, the lower portion of said male member including a resilient vertically depending tongue, said tongue being integral with said fastening flange and normally lying in the same vertical plane, said tongue being provided with a lower rounded arcuate edge, said tongue being further provided with a convex front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, and a flat rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said spacing portion protruding outwardly beyond said fastening flange and said tongue, the upper portion of said female member including a guiding portion, said guiding portion terminating in a rounded upper guide edge, the lower portion of said female member including a slot, said slot being defined by a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, and a lower concave support surface intermediate said front and rear walls, said front wall being provided with an upwardly directed rounded lip facing into said slot, said rear wall being integral with and extending downwardly from said guiding portion, said side walls each terminating in convex side guides, said slot being provided on each side with means for securing said female member to said wall or other like support surface, said guiding portion being adapted to contact said spacing portion when said tongue is fully inserted within said slot, a portion of said tongue being exposed above said slot when said tongue is fully inserted therein, said exposed portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of said frame or other like object is biased toward said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 30

A picture hanging device comprising a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear surface of a picture frame or other like object and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to a wall or other like support surface, the upper portion of said male member including a fastening flange, said fastening flange being provided with means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object, said fastening flange being provided with an anchor rib on its front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said fastening flange being further provided with a spacing portion on its rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said spacing portion being defined by an upper smooth edge, a pair of side edges and a tapered lower guide edge, the lower portion of said male member including a resilient vertically depending tongue, said tongue being integral with said fastening flange and normally lying in the same vertical plane, said tongue being provided with a lower rounded arcuate edge, said tongue being further provided with a convex front surface facing said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, and a flat rear surface facing away from said frame or other like object when said male member is secured thereto, said spacing portion protruding outwardly beyond said fastening flange and said tongue, the upper portion of said female member including a guiding portion, said guiding portion terminating in a rounded upper guide edge, the lower portion of said female member including a slot, said slot being defined by a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, and a lower concave support surface intermediate said front and rear walls, said front wall being provided with an upwardly directed rounded lip facing into said slot, said rear wall being integral with and extending downwardly from said guiding portion, said side walls each terminating in convex side guides, said slot being provided on each side with means for securing said female member to said wall or other like support surface, said guiding portion being adapted to contact said spacing portion when said tongue is fully inserted within said slot, a portion of said tongue being exposed above said slot when said tongue is fully inserted therein, said exposed portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of said frame or other like object is biased toward said wall or other like support surface.

Claim 31

The picture hanging device of claim 27 wherein said slot is slightly wider than and thinner than said tongue.

Claim 32

The picture hanging device of claim 27 wherein said male and female members are formed of a resilient plastic material.

Claim 33

The picture hanging device of claim 27 wherein said means for securing said male member to said frame or other like object comprises at least one hole on said fastening flange for receiving a screw, said means for securing said female member to said wall or other like support surface comprises at least one hole on each side of said slot for receiving a nail.