US2896902A - Supporting stirrup for tracks - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1959 J. N. GRABER I SUPPORTING STIRRUP FOR TRACKS Fild llay 9, 1956 IIIIIIIIIII 'IIIIJ IIII/ INVENTOR JOHN N. GRAB ER ATTORNEYS United States Patent SUPPORTING STIRRUP FOR TRACKS John N. Graber, Middleton, Wis., assignor to Graber Manufacturing Company, Inc, lvliddleton, Wis., a corporafion Application May 9, 1956, Serial No. 583,828

1 Claim. (Cl. 248262) This invention appertains to supports for traverse rods or tracks for draperies and the like, and more particularly to means for removably and detachably securing such rods or tracks in place.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a novel stirrup into which the traverse rod or track can be readily sprung and which is so constructed that the same will not be subject to fatigue and mechanical failures and thus firmly hold the rod or track against accidental displacement.

Another salient object of the invention is the provision of a resilient holding arm on the stirrup automatically depressible against its inherent resiliency by the movement of the rod or track in the stirrup to permit the seating of the rod, and then automatically returnable to an operative position by its resiliency to a rod holding position.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of means for manually depressing the resilient holding or latch arm to a released position beyond an edge of the rod, whereby the rod can be easily and quickly removed from the stirrup or whereby the rod can be slid longitudinally in the stirrup to a preferred adjusted position, the stirrup being so constructed that the rod can be threaded therein in lieu of being sprung therein, should such be desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved stirrup;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the stirrup taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing the resilient holding or latch arm in its normal position in full linesand in its depressed position in dotted lines upon the swinging of a rod or track therein;

Figure 3 is a yiew similar to Figure 2, but showing a rod or track swung therein and with the resilient holding or latch arm in its operative position, and

Figure 4 is a transverstisectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, lookirigin the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar ref erence characters designate corresponding partsihroughout the several views, the letter S generally indicatesmy improved stirrup and the same is preferably formed fr5m\ a single piece of spring steel stamped, or otherwise formed, into the desired shape.

The stirrup S includes an attaching leg 5 normally used in a horizontal plane and formed on the outer end of the leg is a C-shaped foot 6. The foot 6 is joined with the attaching leg 5 by an arcuate connecting bight portion 7 which conforms generally to the curvature of a C-shaped track or drapery rod R. This rod or track is of a character now found in the open market. The foot itself includes a straight portion 8 and this portion 2,896,902 Patented July 28, 1959 8, in general use of the stirrup, lies in a vertical plane and the straight portion has formed on its outer end the arcuately curved lip 9 which is adapted to embrace one edge of the rod or track R as will later appear.

While I have shown the foot 6 extending upwardly from the attaching leg 5, it is to be understood that the stirrup can be used in an inverted position with the foot depending down from the attaching leg. The attaching leg itself is provided with openings 10 for the reception of holding bolts or other fastening elements, whereby the stirrup can be secured to supporting brackets, or a ceiling, as the case may be.

This leg 5 is preferably depressed centrally and longitudinally, as at 11, so as to form longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs 12.

In accordance with this invention, I form on the end of the leg 5 remote from the foot 6, a resilient holding or latch arm 13. The arm extends over the leg 5 and normally takes a position at an acute angle to said leg, as is best shown in Figure 2. The latch arm is connected with the foot 6 by an arcuate resilient bight portion. The metal from which the arm 13 is formed is preferably stamped out, as at 14, whereby to increase the resiliency of the arm or to facilitate the ease of depressing the arm of the leg. It is to be noted that the inner free edge of the arm is spaced from the flat portion 8 of the foot 6 and that the distance of this spacing is slightly less than the width of the rod or track R for a purpose, which will now appear.

In use of my stirrup, the same is secured in place at a desired point, after which the rod or track R is held at an angle and inserted in the arcuate foot portion 9, after which the rod is swung into the stirrup toward the straight portion 8 of the foot and against the resilient holding or latch arm 13. This will automatically depress the holding or latch arm (see Figure 2), and as the rod engages the flat portion 8 of the foot the arm 13 will automatically spring outwardly by its inherent resiliency and ride on the lower curved surface of the rod to a position shown in Figure 3 and to a position that is substantially parallel with the attaching leg 5. In this position, the arm firmly holds the rod in place and any tendency of the rod to swing in the stirrup is resisted by the arm, and in fact the arm tends to bite into the rod and hold the same in place.

When it is desired to remove the rod, it is merely necessary to manually depress the arm, so that the lower edge of the rod will be free to-swing up and out of the stirrup.

By holding the arm 13 depressed, the rod can he slid longitudinally and moved along the stirrup. If preferred, the arm can be depressed and threaded or slipped on the rod. If desired, the arm can be shortened in manufacture, where it is desired to slip the rod into the stirrup.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a simple and inexpensive stirrup, but one which will effectively hold a rod rigidly in position against accidental displacement and one in which adjustment of screws and the like is entirely eliminated.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention but what I claim as new is:

\\ As a new article of manufacture, a stirrup for detachably a nd removably securing a C-shaped drapery rod in place formed from an integral single piece of material comprising anattaching leg, a supporting foot formed on one end of said leg and extending substantially at a right angle thereto and shaped to partially conform to the transverse configuration 5e C-shaped drapery rod to be associated therewith and inc udi ng an arcuate lip portion for embracing the upper curvededge of the rod, and a depressible latch arm including a straightabody portion and a curved resilient bight portion connecting the outer curvedv edge of the rod and at a point remote from said end of the straight portion with the end of the attaching lip when arod is sprung into the foot.

leg remote from said foot, said straight portion extending over said leg in spaced relation thereto toward said foot References Cited in the file of this 132mmt and terminating short of said foot for engaging the inner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS f ce of a rod only at a point remote from the bottom 1,884,414 vroom Oct. 25 1932

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