Mirror Mounting Device

Many wall mirrors are large and quite heavy and it is desirable to support such mirrors on the wall studs. However, the studs are frequently not located in the exact position where it is desired to locate the mirror mounting brackets, and it has heretofore been proposed for example as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,696,962 and 3,237,898, to provide elongated mounting strips having a length to span at least a pair of adjacent studs, and to mount the mirror mounting brackets on the mounting strip. It is necessary that at least some of the mirror mounting brackets be adjustable in a direction crosswise of the mounting strip, to enable movement of the mirror engaging hooks on the mounting brackets into engagement with the edge of the mirror, after the mirror has been positioned. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,962, a guide member was attached by rivets at a selected location on the mounting strip to provide guideways extending crosswise of the strip for adjustably receiving the mirror mounting bracket. This construction utilized a number of separate parts and required an assembly operation to mount the bracket guide member on the strip, and this significantly increased the overall cost of the mirror mounting device. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,898, the face of the mounting strip was transversely slotted and stamped or formed to provide transversely disposed guide flanges spaced from the front of the mounting strip for slidably receiving the mirror mounting bracket. The transverse slotting of the mounting strip, however, markedly weakened the mounting strip. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,696,962 and 3,237,898 do disclose the provision of longitudinal ribs or flutes in the mounting strip in order to stiffen and rigidify the same. However, in both of these patents, the mirror mounting bracket is disposed at the front side of the mounting strip and the depth of the stiffening ribs or flutes in the mounting strip add to the spacing between the wall and the mirror mounting bracket and undesirably increase the spacing between the rear side of the mirror and the wall.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior mirror mounting devices by providing an elongated mounting strip when longitudinally channeled to rigidfy the same and in which the mirror mounting brackets are adjustably mounted directly on the mounting strip at a position intermediate the front and rear faces of the longitudinally channeled mounting strip in a manner to minimize weakening of the mounting strip and to reduce the overall spacing of the mirror from the wall.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a mirror mounting device comprising at least one mirror mounting bracket having a mounting plate portion and a mirror hook at one end of the mounting plate portion, and an elongated longitudinally channeled mounting strip having a lengthwise extending intermediate wall portion and first and second flange portions along the lengthwise edges of the intermediate wall portion and first and second outturned lip portions on the respective first and second flange portions disposed in a plane parallel to but offset from the intermediate wall portion a distance no less than the thickness of the mounting plate portion of the mirror mounting bracket, the flange portions of the strip having slots therein at corresponding locations to provide at least a pair of slots that register in a direction crosswise of the strip, and the mounting plate portion of the mirror mounting bracket extends through the registering pair of slots in the flange portions and between the intermediate wall portion and the first and second lip portions.

These, together with other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating a mirror mounted on a wall utilizing the mirror mounting device, and with parts broken away to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the mirror mounting device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a mirror mounting device for use in mounting the upper edge of a mirror;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a mirror mounting device for use in mounting the lower edge of a mirror; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 6--6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mirror protecting pad for use with the mirror mounting device.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated a mirror M mounted on a wall W utilizing upper and lower mirror mounting devices designated 10U and 10L. The wall studs designated S are spaced apart and are frequently not located at the positions where it is desired to locate the mirror mounting brackets. The mirror mounting devices 10U and 10L accordingly include elongated mounting strips 11 having a length to span two or more of the studs and mirror mounting brackets 12 that are mounted on the mounting strips for engagement with the mirror. Preferably at least two mirror mounting brackets are mounted on each strip at a preset location relative to the ends of the strip and the strips are selected to have a length less than the length of the mirror so that the strips will be concealed by the mirror when the latter is in position. Although a mirror mounting bracket is herein shown provided adjacent each end of the mounting strip, it is apparent that one or more intermediate mirror mounting brackets can be used if desired for very long mirrors. In order to minimize the number of different parts that must be fabricated, the elongated mounting strips 11 and mirror mounting brackets 12 for the upper and lower mounting devices 10U and 10L are conveniently made the same, and like numerals are used herein to designate corresponding parts.

In accordance with the present invention, the elongated mounting strips 11 are longitudinally channeled to provide a lengthwise extending intermediate wall portion 11a, first and second flange portions 11b and 11c along the lengthwise edges of the intermediate wall portion and extending laterally from one side of the intermediate wall portion, and first and second outturned lip portions 11d and 11e on the respective first and second flange portions disposed in a plane parallel to and offset from the intermediate wall portions 11a. The mounting strips 11 are provided with fastener receiving openings 11f at spaced locations therealong, for example at one inch centers, for receiving fasteners such as nails or screws for attaching the mounting strips to the wall at locations that coincide with the studs S. The fastener receiving openings 11f are located in one and preferably both lip portions 11d and 11e.

The mirror mounting brackets 12 include a generally flat mounting plate portion 12a, a flange portion 12b that extends forwardly from one end of the mounting plate portion, and a lip portion 12c extending laterally from the flange portion 12b and in spaced relation to the mounting plate portion to form a mirror engaging hook at one end of the mounting plate portion. The mirror mounting brackets 12 are mounted directly on the mounting strips 11 at a location inwardly of the ends of the strip for adjustment in a direction crosswise the mounting strips. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the intermediate wall portion of the mounting strips is offset from the lip portions 11d and 11e a distance greater than the thickness of the mounting plate portion 12a of the mirror mounting bracket, and the flange portions 11b and 11c of the mounting strips are formed with slots 13a and 13b at correspondingly locations along the mounting strip to provide pairs of slots that register in a direction crosswise of the mounting strip. The slots 13a and 13b are elongated in a direction lengthwise of the strip and dimensioned to guidably receive the mounting plate portion 12a of the mirror mounting bracket so that the mirror mounting bracket is movable along a path crosswise of the mounting strip and between the intermediate wall portion 11a and the lip portions 11d and 11e.

The mirror mounting brackets 12 on the upper mounting device 10U must be adjusted crosswise of the mounting strip to engage the edge of the mirror after the mirror has been positioned. Provision is made for releasably retaining the mirror mounting brackets of the upper mounting device in engagement with the edge of the mirror after they have been adjusted. In the embodiment illustrated, the intermediate wall portion 11a of the mounting strip is formed with a row of detents designated 14 at the rear side thereof and the mounting plate portion of the rear mounting bracket is cut out as shown at 12d to provide an integral resilient tongue 12e that formed with a detent engaging nose 12f adjacent its free end. The detents 14 can conveniently be formed by embossing the intermediate wall portion as best shown 11a in FIGS. 3-6, and the detent engaging nose is arranged to engage the row of detents 14 on the intermediate wall portion of the wall mounting strip and to releasably hold the mirror mounting bracket in open position during installation of the mirror and to hold the mirror mounting bracket in a lowered or closed position, to retain the mirror in position after it is installed. At least the upper slot 13a is provided with relieved areas designated 13a' intermediate its ends to facilitate passage of the nose portion 12f during insertion of the mounting plate portion into the slot. Stops 12g are provided for limiting movement of the mirror mounting bracket in one direction relative to the mounting strip, and a second stop 12h is provided for limiting movement of the mirror mounting bracket in the other direction relative to the mounting strip. Stops 12g are conveniently formed by upsetting the mounting plate portion 12a to form protuberances at locations to engage one of the flange portions 11b on the mounting strip, when the mounting bracket is moved inwardly to a preselected position. Stop 12h is conveniently formed by notching the end of the mounting plate portion 12a to form a tab and then bending the tab laterally of the mounting plate portion on the mounting strip, so that the stop 12h is arranged to engage the other flange portion 11c on the mounting strip, to prevent accidental disassembly of the mounting bracket from the mounting strip.

The weight of the mirror is suspended from the mirror mounting brackets on the lower mirror mounting device 10L and it is desirable to positively anchor the lower mirror mounting bracket in a preselected position on the lower mounting strips. This is conveniently achieved by providing one or more holes 16 in the plate portion of the mounting bracket at locations to register with one or more of the fastener receiving openings 11f in the mounting strip, when the mirror mounting bracket is in a preselected position. A fastener is then inserted through the registering openings 16 and 11f to secure the mounting bracket in a fixed position on the lower mounting strip. This is preferably achieved by the use of one or more rivets 17 for securing the mounting bracket and mounting strips together. Alternatively, a wall mounting fastener such as a nail or screw, can be inserted through one set of registering openings 16 and 11f in the event the wall mounting bracket is in registry with one of the studs S.

The intermediate wall portion 11a of the mounting strip provides a smooth support surface for the back of the mirror. However, it is desirable to provide a protective liner for the mirror mounting brackets to prevent scratching the rear mirrored surface. This is advantageously achieved by the use of a pad 18 FIG. 7 for example of plastic, card board or the like and including an elongated body 18a having a length corresponding to the length of the mounting plate portion 12b of the mirror mounting bracket, and a lateral flange 18b at one end adapted to underlie the flange portion 12b of the mirror mounting bracket. The body 18 is adapted to overlie the front face of the intermediate wall portion 11a of the mounting strip and one end portion 18a' of the body 18a is offset to extend along the projecting end of the mounting plate 12a. The pad is advantageously secured to the mirror mounting bracket by a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 19 on the back side of at least the flange 18b. The pressure sensitive adhesive can be applied in a strip to sheet stock to be used in forming the pads 18, and the pressure sensitive adhesive covered by a peelable protective sheet. After the pads are cut from the stock, the protective strip can be peeled off and the pad secured to the mounting bracket by merely pressing the pad into position. As is apparent, the pads 18 with pressure sensitive securing means can be secured to the mirror mounting brackets either by the manufacturer or by the mirror installer.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and use of the mirror mounting device will be readily understood. The mounting strips are made in stepped lengths, for example 24, 28, 36, 42 and 54 inch lengths and the mounting strips to be used are selected so as to be slightly shorter than the length of the mirror to be concealed when the mirror is in position. The lower mounting strip 10L is mounted on the wall at a level such that the hook portions on the lower mounting device 10L are at the desired elevation for the lower edge of the mirror and the strip is lengthwise positioned so as to be longitudinally centered with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the desired mirror position. Fasteners such as nails or screws are then inserted through those openings 11f in the mounting strip that register with the studs S to secure the lower strip to the wall. The upper mounting strip is similarly longitudinally centered but is vertically positioned at a level such that the hook portions on the mirror mounting brackets of the upper mirror mounting device 10U can be adjusted into and out of engagement with the upper edge of the mirror, when the mirror is positioned on the lower mounting device 10L. The lower edge of the mirror 10L is then positioned on the hook portings of the lower mirror mounting device 10L and the mirror mounting brackets on the upper mirror mounting device 10U are then moved downwardly into engagement with the upper edge of the mirror.