1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for storing and displaying model airplanes, and more particularly to devices for mounting such airplanes to wails. Still more specifically, it concerns an adjustable wall-mounted bracket assembly for safely and conveniently supporting model airplanes of various sizes, weights, and configurations.
2. Prior Art
Storing small model airplanes, that is, those with a wingspan of up to, say, 2 feet and weighing 12 to 14 ounces poses few problems. Because of their small size and light weight, bench or shelf space can generally be found for them, and long periods of rest on their landing gear or supported horizontally on a table-top stand impose little if any structural stress. If space is at a premium, models of this class frequently are stored vertically by hanging them from wire or cord tethers secured to a wall and looped over or attached to their nose or empennage. For larger, heavier models, these storage and display methods are not satisfactory.
Shelf or tabletop space is generally not available for models with wingspans greater than 2 feet. Suspending larger, heavier models for long periods by means of hooks, rings, or straps attached to or around their nose or tail section is almost certain to result in the attachment hardware damaging the fuselage or tail component. In addition, since the typical single-point suspension device does not provide means for preventing the model from swinging and rotating, there is a likelihood that over time air currents and careless passers-by will cause surface or structural damage.
The availability of more powerful engines and the development of improved construction techniques and materials over the past 20 years have led to growing interest among enthusiasts in ever bigger, heavier models. "Jumbo" scale planes having wingspreads reaching over 7 feet and weights exceeding 30 pounds are not uncommon. Even when space for the horizontal display of such models is available, storing them for long periods on their landing gear creates flat spots on their tires and warped wings.
With the proliferation of models with spans in excess of three feet and weights exceeding 12 pounds, the need for a reliable storage system has become acute. The conventional response to this need is to hang it, nose upward or downward, on a pair of horizontally spaced wall-mounted supports, such as wire hooks bent to conform roughly to the contour of the trailing or leading edge of the model's wings. The model's weight is borne by the wings and rests on their trailing or leading edges at their points of contact with the hooks. Because of the great and ever growing disparity in the sizes and configurations of this category of models, most prior art mounting devices are either designed specifically for a particular model, with wing- or fuselage-supporting hardware attached to a wall-mounted backing, or offered as individual pieces of mounting hardware, such as common metal L-, or U-shaped brackets adapted to be attached to a wall at spaced intervals conforming to the configuration and size of the particular model. Both of these classes of devices suffer from a number of deficiencies. For one, neither of them is suitable for long-term storage. Most model aircraft wings are not designed to withstand substantial forces applied cordwise of the wing. Supporting a large, heavy model by its wings alone in either a nose-down or nose-up attitude over time can result in bending and warping of wing spars, ribs, and other structural components, twisting of fittings and fairings, and stressing of the aircraft skin.
Another deficiency concerns the limited utility of the prior art wall-support systems. The devices in which the brackets are joined or mounted to a backing are designed for use with a specific airplane model. Generally they either cannot be modified, or lend themselves only with difficulty to reconfiguration for use with another model. From a manufacturing standpoint, these devices create a requirement for diversity in product sizes and shapes which translates into unacceptably high production and inventory costs and stocking nightmares. Similarly for distributors and retailers, maintaining an adequate inventory to match even the most popular models poses a difficult and expensive challenge.
From the user's standpoint, another shortcoming resides in the fact that both types of devices are inconvenient and time-consuming to mount to the wall and equally troublesome to move or remove. The problem is exacerbated by the recurrent need to move or replace the device to accommodate a different model or models.
In most instances, the existing wall-mounting devices for larger models provide only vertical support for the model. With the leading edge of each wing resting on an open bracket, the model is free to move from side to side, and to a lesser but significant degree, to rotate in pitch and move from front to rear within the bracket. The potential for structural damage is magnified by the size and weight of the model. In most instances, to modify the existing wall-mounts to limit or prevent such movement would require most of them to be custom-fit to each model. Given the problems mentioned in connection with the production and marketing of the basic devices themselves, the diversity of such improvements would make the manufacture, stocking, distribution, and inventorying prohibitively difficult and expensive.
Viewed against this background, an object of the subject invention is to provide a novel, unitary wall-mounted bracket for storing and displaying model airplanes vertically and flush with a wall, which minimizes both the wall area and the room space required for any given model, reduces the model's exposure to damage from external sources, and virtually eliminates the possibility of wing warp or internal damage to the fuselage due to gravity.
Another object is to provide a novel construction for a wall-mounted support that is sturdy, lightweight, and durable, yet can be installed and removed with a minimum of effort.
Yet another object is to provide a storage device for model airplanes which can be readily adjusted to conform to models with a variety of sizes and shapes.
An additional object is to provide an adjustable model airplane support that incorporates means for restricting the movement of the mounted model and thereby minimizing the likelihood of its accidental damage.
Still another object is to provide a wall-mounted support device of the type described which can be fabricated from a minimum number of parts and modular components.
A further object is to provide a wall-mounted model airplane storage device construction satisfying all of the foregoing objects that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and requires a minimum of maintenance and repair.
Yet a further object is to provide a wall-mounted support construction of this type that permits the standardization and use of interchangeable parts and modular components.
A particular object of the invention is to provide a wall-mounted storage device for model airplanes, which incorporates in a single integrated structure adjustable means for supporting the weight of the model on the nose of the model.
Another particular object is to provide in such a device wing-retaining means for aiding in maintaining the model balanced upright on its nose.
A further particular object is to provide in an alternative embodiment of the invention wing-retaining means which in addition to aiding in maintaining the model balanced upright support a portion of the weight of the model as well.
Still another object is to provide a wall-mounted storage device for model airplanes, which incorporates in a single integrated structure adjustable means for supporting the weight of the model on both the wings and the nose of the model.
Yet a further object is to provide a wall-mounted support device of the type described in which the weight of the model is distributed fairly evenly between the wings and the nose of the model.
A still further object is to provide a wall-mounted airplane model support device of this type having means for adjusting the horizontal and vertical positioning, the orientation, and the angular alignment of the wing-supporting means with respect to the nose-supporting means.
Other objects will become apparent from the following summary of the invention and detailed description of its preferred embodiments.