Adjustable hanger and kit incorporating the same

Abstract

An adjustable hanger is adapted to be secured to a surface to support and object. The hanger includes a support member with a longitudinal channel defining a raceway that is mountable to the surface. A slide member is slideably received in the raceway. Cooperative ratchet structures in the raceway and on the slide member engage one another to permit sliding movement in one direction but to resist sliding movement in the opposite direction. A hook is formed on the slide member to mount the object. A kit is disclosed to include a plurality of hangers, a level device and a flexible tape measure. Fasteners may also be included. A chart may be provided that is correlated to the width of the object, and the tape measure may be is color-coded to correspond to the chart.

1 . An adjustable hanger adapted to be secured to a surface in order to support an object, comprising: 
 (A) a support member adapted to be secured to the surface in a mounted state, said support member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein to define a raceway and including first cooperative ratchet structures formed in the raceway; and    (B) a slide member adapted to be slideably received in the raceway in close-fitted engagement to define a mated state and including second cooperative ratchet structures formed thereon and positioned to engage said first cooperative ratchet structures when in the mated state thereby to permit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a first longitudinal direction and to prohibit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction, said slide member including a hook element projecting away from the surface when said support member is in the mounted state with said slide member in the mated state.    
   
   
       2 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said support member including a base portion and a pair of longitudinally extending flanges oriented in spaced-apart generally parallel relation to one another on a first side of said support member to form said channel therebetween.  
   
   
       3 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 2  wherein each of said flanges includes a first web extending generally perpendicularly to said base portion and a second web extending from said first web generally parallel to said base portion.  
   
   
       4 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 2  wherein each of said flanges is located along a longitudinally extending side edge of said base portion.  
   
   
       5 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 2  wherein each of said flanges is formed of a stiff yet resilient material and is configured to apply a force to assist in engaging said first and second ratchet structures.  
   
   
       6 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said base portion includes a raceway portion oriented between said flanges and an apron portion located longitudinally of said raceway portion, said apron portion adapted to receive fasteners therethrough so that said support member may be secured to the surface in the mounted state.  
   
   
       7 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 6  wherein said apron portion has at least one hole therethrough such that at least one fastener may be received therein.  
   
   
       8 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 7  wherein said apron portion has a plurality of holes therethrough such that a plurality of fasteners may be respectively received therein.  
   
   
       9 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein the channel has a bottom surface, said first ratchet structures being located on the bottom surface.  
   
   
       10 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said support member and said first ratchet structures are formed as an integral one-piece molded construction.  
   
   
       11 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said slide member and said second ratchet structures are formed as an integral one-piece molded construction.  
   
   
       12 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said support member has a longitudinal recess formed therein, said first cooperative ratchet structures being located in the recess.  
   
   
       13 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said slide member has a elongated recess formed therein, said second cooperative ratchet structures being located in the recess.  
   
   
       14 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 1  wherein said ratchet structures are arranged in increments of approximately 3.2 millimeters.  
   
   
       15 . An adjustable hanger adapted to be secured to a surface in order to support an object, comprising: 
 (A) a support member adapted to be secured to the surface in a mounted state and including a longitudinally extending flat base portion having a front surface, a rear surface and a pair of longitudinal edges, said support member including a longitudinally extending flanges extending forwardly from each of said edges, said flanges each including an inwardly turned flange in spaced relation to said base portion such that said base portion and said flanges form a raceway therebetween, said support member including first cooperative ratchet structures extending forwardly of said flat base portion within said raceway; and    (B) a slide member adapted to be slideably received in the raceway in close-fitted engagement with said flanges thereby to define a mated state wherein said flanges confront said slide member, said slide member including second cooperative ratchet structures formed thereon and positioned to engage said first cooperative ratchet structures when in the mated state thereby to permit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a first longitudinal direction and to prohibit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction, said slide member including a forwardly projecting hook element when in the mated state.    
   
   
       16 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 15  wherein said flanges are formed of a stiff yet resilient material and are configured to apply a force to assist in engaging said first and second ratchet structures.  
   
   
       17 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 15  wherein said base portion includes an apron portion located longitudinally of said raceway portion, said apron portion adapted to receive fasteners therethrough so that said support member may be secured to the surface in the mounted state.  
   
   
       18 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 17  wherein said apron portion has at least one hole therethrough such that at least one fastener may be received therein.  
   
   
       19 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 18  wherein said apron portion has a plurality of holes therethrough such that a plurality of fasteners may be respectively received therein.  
   
   
       20 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 15  wherein said support member and said first ratchet structures are formed as an integral one-piece molded construction.  
   
   
       21 . An adjustable hanger according to  claim 15  wherein said slide member and said second ratchet structures are formed as an integral one-piece molded construction.  
   
   
       22 . A hanger kit adapted for use in hanging an object from an upright support wall, comprising: 
 (A) a plurality of hangers adapted to be secured to the upright support surface, at least some of said hangers including 
 (1) a support member adapted to be secured to the surface in a mounted state, said support member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein to define a raceway and including first cooperative ratchet structures formed in the raceway, and  
 (2) a slide member adapted to be slideably received in the raceway in close-fitted engagement to define a mated state and including second cooperative ratchet structures formed thereon and positioned to engage said first cooperative ratchet structures when in the mated state thereby to permit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a first longitudinal direction and to prohibit longitudinal sliding movement of said slide member in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction, said slide member including a hook element projecting away from the surface when said support member is in the mounted state with said slide member in the mated state;  
   (B) a level device; and    (C) a flexible tape measure.    
   
   
       23 . A hanger kit according to  claim 22  including a plurality of fasteners adapted to secure said support members to the upright support surface.  
   
   
       24 . A hanger kit according to  claim 22  including a chart correlating the width of the object and at least two sets of differing numbers of hangers to be used with a selected distance at which the hangers in said two sets are to be spaced.  
   
   
       25 . A hanger kit according to  claim 24  wherein a different color-code is assigned to each of said sets of hangers.  
   
   
       26 . A hanger kit according to  claim 25  wherein said tape measure includes a first side and an opposite second side wherein said first side has at least one color-coded scale corresponding to one of said sets and wherein said second side includes at least one color-coded scale corresponding to another of said sets.