Permanent curtain rod brackets

Abstract

A bracket for supporting window dressings including curtain rods, blinds, and other draperies for use with an opening such as a window. The bracket may be mounted on the corner of a window frame or on a wall near a window or other opening. The bracket includes a support plate, a window dressing coupling clip for connecting the various rods or other elements for supporting window dressings to the bracket, and mounting braces located on the support plate for receiving and securing the coupling clips to the plate. The bracket prevents marring of the window molding or adjacent wall surface in part because the coupling apparatus or elements are interchangeable for supporting a variety of different window dressings, and may have more than one mounting brace, allowing for easy incorporation of a variety of combinations of different window dressings. The bracket may have support flanges with anchoring prongs to assist the user in mounting the bracket. The bracket support plate also has apertures for mounting screws, as well as a slotted aperture for adjusting the positioning of a screw over a particular area.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A window dressing bracket for supporting curtain rods, window shades, blinds, and other window draperies adjacent an opening comprising: 
 an upright bracket plate for positioning generally vertically near an opening, said bracket plate having front and back surfaces and at least one edge, said bracket plate further defining at least one planar anchoring flange in substantial normality therewith to assist the positioning of said bracket plate near said opening, each said at least one edge having an anchoring flange extending from a said edge of said bracket plate, said anchoring flange defining an anchoring prong projecting therefrom, said prong being adapted to be driven into a surface near said opening to support said bracket plate;    said bracket plate also having at least one aperture disposed thereon for receiving fastening means, at least one of said apertures being a slotted aperture to enable the user to adjust positioning of said fastening means.    
     
     
         2 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 1 , wherein said bracket plate has at least one substantially arch-shaped mounting brace disposed thereon for supporting a window dressing coupling clip leg element:  
     
     
         3 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 2 , wherein said coupling clip has front and back surfaces; said coupling clip further comprising at least one leg element, at least one raised ridge portion disposed on said coupling clip leg element front surface for frictionally securing at least one said leg element when inserted between said at least one mounting brace and said coupling clip front surface, a body portion connected to said at least one said leg element, and a flange portion normally disposed to said body portion, said flange portion being configured to couple to a window dressing support apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one mounting brace is disposed in vertical alignment on said front surface of said bracket plate and spaced apart to receive said leg element of said coupling clip.  
     
     
         5 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one aperture is disposed thereon for receiving fastening means for fastening said bracket plate to a surface near an opening.  
     
     
         6 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 5 , wherein said coupling clip flange portion defines an upper hook portion engageable in an opening in a curtain rod and further defines upper and lower abutment edges which are adapted to fit into the open end of a curtain rod so as to hold the same in place on said hook portion.  
     
     
         7 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 6 , wherein said leg element is substantially bowed to secure said leg element in said at least one mounting brace.  
     
     
         8 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 7 , wherein said anchoring flange further defines an integrally formed anchoring prong.  
     
     
         9 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 8 , wherein said anchoring prong is formed by removing a substantially U-shaped portion from said flange and bending said prong to form a right angle, said prong being adapted to be driven into a surface near an said opening.  
     
     
         10 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 8 , wherein said anchoring prong is formed by removing a substantially V-shaped portion from said flange and bending said prong to form a right angle, said prong being adapted to be driven into a surface near said opening.  
     
     
         11 . A window dressing bracket for supporting curtain rods, window shades, blinds, and other window draperies on a surface adjacent an opening comprising: 
 an upright bracket plate for positioning generally vertically near an opening, said bracket plate having front and back surfaces and at least one edge;    said bracket plate also having at least one aperture disposed thereon for receiving fastening means, at least one of said apertures being a slotted aperture to enable the user to adjust positioning of said fastening means;    said bracket plate having means disposed thereon for connecting apparatuses for supporting window dressings to said bracket plate.    
     
     
         12 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 11 , wherein said bracket plate has at least one substantially arch-shaped mounting braces disposed thereon for supporting a window dressing coupling clip.  
     
     
         13 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 12 , wherein said coupling clip has front and back surfaces; said coupling clip further comprising at least one leg element, a raised ridge portion disposed on said coupling clip front surface for frictionally securing said leg element when inserted between said at least one mounting brace and said coupling clip front surface, a body portion connected to said at least one said leg element, and a flange portion normally disposed to said body portion, said flange portion being configured to couple to a window dressing support element  
     
     
         14 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one mounting brace is disposed in vertical alignment on said front surface of said support plate to receive said leg element of said coupling clip.  
     
     
         15 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one aperture is disposed thereon for receiving fastening means for fastening said bracket plate to a surface near said opening.  
     
     
         16 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 15 , wherein said coupling clip flange portion defines an upper hook portion engageable in an opening in a curtain rod and further defines upper and lower abutment edges which are adapted to fit into the open end of a curtain rod so as to hold the same in place on said hook portion.  
     
     
         17 . The window dressing bracket according to  claim 16 , wherein said leg element is substantially bowed to secure said leg element in said at least one mounting brace.