Mantel mounting system

Abstract

A fireplace mantel mounting system including a mantel and a laterally adjustable support. The mantel and the support include cooperating hardware sets enabling the mantel to be hung on the support. The support defines a horizontal slot for receiving fasteners for attaching the support to a wall. The horizontal slots permit lateral adjustment of the support facilitate centering of the support on a fireplace opening. After the support is attached to the wall in the proper position, the mantel is hung on the support by way of the cooperating hardware sets.

1 . A mantel mounting system comprising: 
 a support including a cross member having opposite ends and first and second support legs extending downwardly from said opposite ends, said support defining receiver means for receiving fasteners therethrough at a plurality of horizontal locations for attaching said support to a wall;    a mantel including a shelf portion overlying said cross member and first and second mantel legs extending downwardly from said shelf and overlying said support legs; and    attachment means for attaching said mantel shelf portion to said cross member, and for attaching said first and second mantel legs to said first and second support legs respectively.    
   
   
       2 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said receiver means comprises at least one horizontal slot in said cross member.  
   
   
       3 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 2  wherein said receiver means further comprises at least one horizontal slot in each of said first and second support legs.  
   
   
       4 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said attachment means comprises prongs and receptacles capable of retaining said prongs.  
   
   
       5 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said attachment means are included on all of said mantel shelf portion, said first mantel leg, and said second mantel leg.  
   
   
       6 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 5  wherein said attachment means are included on all of said cross member, said first support leg, and said second support leg.  
   
   
       7 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 6  wherein said first and second mantel legs include first and second ends respectively adjacent said shelf portion, and said first and second support legs include first and seconds ends respectively adjacent said cross member.  
   
   
       8 . A mantel mounting system comprising: 
 a bracket including a cross member and first and second bracket legs, said cross member including a longitudinal length; said cross member defining at least one slot extending along a substantial portion of said longitudinal length for adjustably attaching said bracket to a wall, said bracket including a plurality of prongs or receptacles, at least one of said prongs or receptacles on each of said cross member, said first bracket leg and said second bracket leg; and    a mantel including a shelf and first and second mantel legs, said mantel including a plurality of prongs or receptacles with at least one of said prongs or receptacles on each of said shelf, said first mantel leg and said second mantel leg, said prongs and said receptacles spaced apart on said bracket and said mantel such that said each of said prongs aligns with one of said receptacles and can engage said receptacle to support said mantel on said bracket.    
   
   
       9 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 8  wherein said first and second mantel legs and said first and second bracket legs have first and second ends, said first end of said mantel legs adjacent to said shelf, said first end of said bracket legs adjacent to said cross member, wherein at least one of said prongs and said receptacles located near said second ends.  
   
   
       10 . The mantel mounting system of  claim 8  further including a slot in each of said bracket legs, said slot extending transversely across each of said legs.  
   
   
       11 . A shelf mounting system comprising: 
 a bracket having a longitudinal length, said bracket defining a slot extending along a portion of said longitudinal length, said bracket including a plurality of first shelf support means, said first shelf support means spaced apart along said longitudinal length; and    a shelf having a longitudinal length, said shelf including a plurality of second shelf support means, said second shelf support means spaced apart along said longitudinal length, said first and second shelf support means disposed on said bracket and said shelf such that they align and can be engaged to support said shelf on said bracket.    
   
   
       12 . The shelf mounting system of  claim 11  wherein said first and second support means are comprised of prongs and receptacles that interfit to support said shelf on said bracket.  
   
   
       13 . The shelf mounting system of  claim 12  wherein said bracket and said shelf include first and second ends, at least one of said first and second shelf support means located proximate to each of said first and second ends.  
   
   
       14 . A method for mounting a mantel on a wall comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a support on a wall, the support defining at lest one aperture for receiving fasteners at a plurality of horizontal locations, the support further including first hardware;    inserting fasteners through selected ones of the apertures in the cross member and into desired wall locations; and    providing a mantel having second hardware aligned with the first hardware; and    attaching the mantel to the support by engaging the second hardware with the first hardware.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the support includes a cross member and a pair of opposite support legs extending downwardly from the cross member, each of the support legs and the cross members defining a horizontal slot.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first hardware comprises a plurality of receivers and the second hardware comprises a plurality of hooks.