Detachable blades for ceiling fans

Claim 1

A ceiling fan having detachably mounted, quickly removable individual fan blades, comprising: a first mounting bracket having an arcuate base, said base having a predetermined circumferential extent; said base being adapted to be fixedly secured to a drive ring of said ceiling fan; a neck fixedly secured to said base, said neck being positioned equidistantly from opposite ends of said base and extending radially outwardly from said base; a fixed position tab that extends radially from said neck; a washer slideably mounted on said neck between said base and said tab; a bias means positioned in captured relation between said base and said washer so that said washer is urged radially outwardly and bears against said tab when said bias means is in repose; a fan blade having a radially inward end; a second mounting bracket to which said radially inward end of said fan blade is fixedly secured; a housing having a cylindrical side wall being fixedly secured to said second mounting bracket in radially inwardly extending relation thereto; a "J"-shaped slot formed in said cylindrical side wall of said housing; said slot having a predetermined width sufficient to slideably receive said tab; and said predetermined width of said slot being insufficient to receive said washer; whereby insertion of said neck into said housing is accomplished when said tab is in alignment with said slot, wherien said bias means is loaded when said tab is driven into said slot, and wherein said bias means remains loaded when said tab is rotated into the end of said slot.