US3926394A - Wallboard fastener - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener particularly suitable for insertion into a hollow wall, consisting of a mounting plate and an integrally formed prong which projects downwardly through a slot in the wallboard. The prong includes a spring which is die cut from the prong which opens after the prong is inserted through the wallboard so the edge of the spring engages the back of the wallboard. The mounting plate can include wing-shaped flanges for receiving a bathroom fixture, a hook for supporting pictures or mirrors, a flange bent out of the mounting plate for receiving a curtain rod, or include an opening for receiving a self-tapping screw in order to retain brackets, mount shelves or furniture to the wallboard or hollow wall surface.

Description

Unite States atent [1 1 Mauceri et al.

[ Dec. 16, 1975 I WALLBOARD FASTENER [76] Inventors: Albert Mauceri, 69 Bretton Road,

[22] Filed: Oct. 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 511,551

[52] US. Cl. 248/217 [51] Int. Cl. E04G 3/00 [58] Field of Search 248/216, 217, 497, 498, 248/221, 220, 220.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,376,911 4/1968 Henning 248/217 3,476,343 11/1969 Burrell.... 248/216 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 278,545 lO/l927 United Kingdom 248/497 o. o" o s Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Allison C. Collard [5 7 ABSTRACT A fastener particularly suitable for insertion into a hollow wall, consisting of a mounting plate and an integrally formed prong which projects downwardly through a slot in the wallboard. The prong includes a spring which is die cut from the prong which opens after the prong is inserted through the wallboard so the edge of the spring engages the back of the wallboard. The mounting plate can include wing-shaped flanges for receiving a bathroom fixture, a hook for supporting pictures or mirrors, a flange bent out of the mounting plate for receiving a curtain rod, or include an opening for receiving a self-tapping screw in order to retain brackets, mount shelves or furniture to the wallboard or hollow wall surface.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 2 US. Patent De c. 16, 1975 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,926,394

WALLBOARD FASTENER This invention relates to a hollow wall or wallboard fastener which is designed to be inserted through the wall surface so that it can be used as asu-pport to hang or attach certain articles.

More specifically, this invention relates to a hollow wallboard fastener having a triangular engaging member which can be inserted at a downward angle through the wall surface so as to prevent removal of the fastener.

Gypsum wallboard or plaster walls do not have any appreciable strength for receiving surface fasteners for supporting articles to the wallboards surface. Certain types of conventional fasteners such as plaster screws and expansion screws are found to pull free from the wallboard when any slight stresses are applied since. the wallboard material provides very little binding resistance to these types of screw fasteners. Other types of fasteners which adhesively secure themselves to the surface of the wallboard have been found to be unsuitable since when the fasteners are loaded, they tend to pull the paper surface coating off the wallboard.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved fastener which has a triangular prong terminating in a sharp point which can be inserted in a downwardly sloping angle through a slit in the wallboard surface. The triangular prong preferably includes a springloaded knockout which opens up after the triangular prong is inserted into the wallboard surface so as to prevent its accidental removal. The mounting surface of the fastening device may include a number of different fixtures such as a threaded opening, grooves, hooks and the like in order to support various types of fixtures.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hollow wall mounting fixture having a prong which is insertable through the wall to secure the fixture against movement.

It is another object according to the present invention to provide a wall mounting device which is simple in design, easy to construct and inexpensive in cost.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which discloses the embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood however that the drawing is designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the wallboard fixture capable of receiving a self-tapping screw;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. I inserted into a wallboard surface;

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the invention having a supporting surface bent out of the plane of the mounting surface of the fastener;

FIG. 4 is still a further embodiment of the invention showing the mounting surface bent in the form of a hook;

FIG. 5 shows still a further embodiment of the invention wherein the mounting surface is designed as a winged mounting bracket having an opening for receiving a threaded screw;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bracket of FIG. 5 mounted to a wallboard surface;

FIG. 7 is still a further embodiment of the invention having a circular opening on a raised surface of the mounting plate for receiving the pivot of a window shade;and 4 FIG. 8 is a companion'window shade fixture to FIG. 7 having a raised slotted surfaceon the mounting plate for receiving the opposite end of a roller curtain.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2,-there is shown one embodiment of the inventive fastener generally referred to as 10 having a mounting plate 1 1 and a'triangular prong 12 which is capable of insertion through a downwardly sloping slot formed in awallboard surface 13. A self-, tappingscrew 18 havingthreads 17 is adapted to be threadably inserted throughhole 16 mounted on plate 11. Self-tappingscrew 18 can then be used to hold afixture 15 against the wallboard since the threads of the screw form a secure engagement with the thickness of the mounting plate 11.Triangular prong 12 additionally includes a trapezoidal shaped knockout orspring 14 which has asecuring edge 19 adapted to grip the backside of the wall after the fastener is inserted in place. Edge 19 is preferably spaced from mounting bracket 1 1 approximately the same thickness aswall 13 so that it will always engage the back surface of the wall after the fastener is inserted. Knockout 14 is preferably die cut from triangular prong l2 and initially bent out of the plane of the prong so that it will engage the back surface of the wallboard. When being inserted into the wall, the spring retracts to the same plane as the rest of thetriangular prong 12.

In FIG. 3, a further embodiment of the invention is shown having aflat mounting plate 21 from which is die cut acurtain rod holder 22 having agripping point 23.Curtain rod holder 22 is bent approximately out of the plane ofmounting surface 21.

In FIG. 4, mountingsurface 31 of the fastening device is tapered so that it can be bent into aU-shaped hook 32 which can serve to support picture frames, mirrors or other objects to be hung on the wall.

FIG. 5 shows still a further embodiment of the invention whereinmounting plate 111 includes an opening 116 for receiving a self-tappingscrew 118 havingthreads 117. Integrally formed on the edges ofmounting surface 111 are a pair of winged brackets which are designed to accommodate certain wall hung fixtures such as towel bar, soap dishes and the like. Triangular supportingprong 112 has a trapezoidal shapedknockout 114 which includes anedge 119 having a semi-circular opening which cooperates with a semicircular opening so as to receive the end ofscrew 118 when the fixtureis mounted as shown in detail in FIG. 6. Whenscrew 118 is threadably engaged through the semi-circular openings within the triangular prong,edge 119 is forced further downward so as to engage into the backside ofwallboard surface 13.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show still a further embodiment of the invention adapted for receiving the ends of a window shade or curtain roller.Mounting brackets 41 and 51 are each provided with a raisedmounting surface 42 and 52 respectively. Formed in each of the raised mounting surfaces are anaperture 43 and a latch opening 53 in order to support the pivot and latch of a shade roller.

In each of the embodiments, the fastening device is preferably constructed of a spring type metal and the triangular prong is preferably bent at an angle of 60 with respect to the mounting surface. The point on the end of the triangular prong can be used to drive the mounting bracket into the wall surface at a downwardly sloping angle. ()n the other hand, a small downwardly sloping slit can be formed by a knife or other tool in order to accommodate the fastener. The fasteners are all formed of a single piece of material and in some cases are adapted to receive the self-tapping screws. They are reasonably simple in design and very reliable since they provide a support against the wallboard surface which is spread over a large surface area so that they cannot be accidentally withdrawn.

While only a few embodiments of the present invention are shown and described it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wall fastener for attachment to a wallboard surface of a predetermined thickness comprising:

a substantially flat mounting surface for mounting on the front surface of the wallboard;

a prong coupled to the mounting surface and having a point directed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the mounting surface; and

spring retaining means formed within the prong having an edge for engagement with the back surface of the wallboard.

2. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes an aperture, and a self-tapping 4 screw for insertion into the aperture of the mounting surfacev 3. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a flange bent out of the plane of said mounting plate for receiving a curtain rod.

4. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate is bent into a U-shaped hook.

5. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a pair of wing-shaped brackets integrally formed on each adjacent side thereof.

6. The fastener as recited in claim 5 wherein the mounting plate includes an opening and a self-tapping screw threadably engaged in the opening and engaging said spring means.

7. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a raised surface and an aperture for receiving the end of a curtain roller.

8. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said spring retaining means comprises a trapezoidal shaped spring integrally formed with said prong and bent out of the plane thereof, said spring having a projecting edge for engaging the back surface of the wallboard.

9. The fastener as recited in claim 8 wherein the projecting edge of said spring and said prong define a hole,

Claims (9)

1. A wall fastener for attachment to a wallboard surface of a predetermined thickness comprising: a substantially flat mounting surface for mounting on the front surface of the wallboard; a prong coupled to the mounting surface and having a point directed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the mounting surface; and spring retaining means formed within the prong having an edge for engagement with the back surface of the wallboard.

2. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes an aperture, and a self-tapping screw for insertion into the aperture of the mounting surface.

3. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a flange bent out of the plane of said mounting plate for receiving a curtain rod.

4. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate is bent into a U-shaped hook.

5. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a pair of wing-shaped brackets integrally formed on each adjacent side thereof.

6. The fastener as recited in claim 5 wherein the mounting plate includes an opening and a self-tapping screw threadably engaged in the opening and engaging said spring means.

7. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a raised surface and an aperture for receiving the end of a curtain roller.

8. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said spring retaining means comprises a trapezoidal shaped spring integrally formed with said prong and bent out of the plane thereof, said spring having a projecting edge for engaging the back surface of the wallboard.

9. The fastener as recited in claim 8 wherein the projecting edge of said spring and said prong define a hole, and a self-tapping screw inserted through the mounting plate and the defined hole so that the edge of said spring means is bent into the back surface of the wallboard.

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