Picture hanging apparatus

Claim 1

In combination, a picture hanging system and a picture frame comprising: a picture frame having a top segment, a bottom segment and two side segments, said top segment having a front surface, a planar, vertically-oriented rear surface and a planar, horizontally-oriented bottom surface; a first member adapted for attachment to the rear surface of the top segment of the picture frame, said first member being a flat plate that, when attached to the picture frame, forms a vertically-oriented planar surface parallel to and adjacent the rear surface of the top segment of the picture frame, said first member having a vertically extending slot that has vertically extending sidewalls; a second member having an aperture through which a fastener may partially pass to thereby secure the second member to a vertical foundation, said second member also having a head portion and a body portion wherein the second member has a "T"-shaped horizontal cross-section with the head portion forming one portion of the "T" and the body portion forming a perpendicular second portion of the "T" and wherein when the first and second members are joined, the body portion of the second member fits within the slot of the first member and the head portion of the second member is located below and forwardly of the rear surface of the top segment of the picture frame; and wherein the body portion of the second member includes at least two flat sides and a flat top surface and wherein the slot in the first member is sized and shaped so that when the first and second members are joined, the two flat sides of the body portion contact along their length the flat sidewalls of the slot and the flat top surface of the body portion contacts a flat, horizontally-oriented surface that forms the top of the slot.