Apparatus for mounting object on wall

Abstract

An apparatus for mounting an object to a wall and a related method of use are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a longitudinally extending track, plural carriers movably supported by the track for movement relative thereto in a longitudinal direction, and couplers supported on the carriers to support the object. A feature of the apparatus is that the carriers are positionable to project past ends of the track whereby the couplers can be located beyond the track. Another feature of the apparatus is that the couplers can be movably supported on the carriers to be repositionable in a crosswise direction to the longitudinal direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for mounting an object to a wall, comprising:
 a track extending longitudinally between opposite ends of the track and configured for mounting to the wall;   a plurality of carriers supported by the track for longitudinal movement relative thereto, wherein the carriers have longitudinally opposite inner and outer ends; and   a plurality of couplers supported on the carriers and configured to receive the object thereby mounting the object to the wall;   wherein the carriers are movable from retracted positions in which the carriers are located intermediate the ends of the track to extended positions in which the carriers extend from the inner ends located intermediate the ends of the track and past the ends of the track to the outer ends located outwardly of the track.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carriers are movable independently of each other along the track. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the track comprises an open-ended channel and the carriers are received in the channel to be movably supported thereby. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the carriers comprise longitudinally extending grooves along laterally opposite sides which are mated with longitudinally-extending laterally-opposite flanges of the channel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the couplers are supported at or adjacent the outer ends of the carriers. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the couplers are supported for movement relative to the carriers in a crosswise direction to the longitudinal direction of the track. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the couplers are movably supported on grooved tracks extending in the crosswise direction and formed by a plurality of grooves disposed side-by-side in the crosswise direction. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the couplers are movable in the crosswise direction in a common plane. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for mounting an object to a wall, comprising:
 a track extending longitudinally between opposite ends of the track and configured for mounting to the wall;   a plurality of carriers supported by the track for longitudinal movement relative thereto; and   a plurality of couplers supported on the carriers and configured to receive the object thereby mounting the object to the wall;   wherein the couplers are supported for movement relative to the carriers in a crosswise direction to the longitudinal direction of the track.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the couplers are movably supported on grooved tracks extending in the crosswise direction and formed by a plurality of grooves disposed side-by-side in the crosswise direction. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the couplers are movable in the crosswise direction in a common plane. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein, when the carriers have inner ends respectively disposed distal to a closest one of the ends of the track and outer ends respectively disposed proximal to the closest end of the track, the couplers are supported at or adjacent the outer ends of the carriers. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the carriers are movable independently of each other along the track. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the track comprises an open-ended channel and the carriers are received in the channel to be movably supported thereby. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the carriers comprise longitudinally extending grooves along laterally opposite sides which are mated with longitudinally-extending laterally-opposite flanges of the channel. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the carriers are movable from retracted positions in which the carriers are located intermediate the ends of the track to extended positions in which the carriers extend from the inner ends located intermediate the ends of the track and past the ends of the track to the outer ends located outwardly of the track. 
     
     
         17 . A method of mounting an object to a wall, comprising:
 providing a track mounted to the wall and supporting plural carriers movable in a longitudinal direction of the track, wherein the carriers support couplers for receiving the object such that the object is mountable to the wall;   positioning the carriers in spaced apart relation such that a distance between opposite outer ends of the carriers is no more than a corresponding dimension of the object; and   supporting the object on the couplers of the spaced apart carriers, whereby the object is mounted to the wall.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein positioning the carriers in spaced apart relation comprises moving at least one of the carriers from a retracted position wholly registered with the track to an extended position in which the at least one of the carriers projects longitudinally beyond a respective one of longitudinally opposite ends of the track. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising repositioning at least one of the couplers relative to a corresponding one of the carriers in a crosswise direction to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising repositioning the object relative to the wall while the object is supported on the couplers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein repositioning the object comprises displacing the carriers along the track and in fixed relation to each other. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein repositioning the object comprises repositioning the couplers relative to the carriers and in fixed relation to each other.