Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98 AUSTRALIA Patents Act, 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT NAME OF APPLICANT: Stephen William Burgers ACTUAL INVENTOR: Stephen William Burgers ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: Peter Maxwell and Associates Level 6 60 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 INVENTION TITLE: DISPLAY HOLDING ASSEMBLY DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO(S): 2004 905 565 - 28 September 2004 Australia The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: m:\docs\20051049\086663.doc 2 The present invention relates to a display holding assembly for use in hanging displays therefrom, such as are used behind front windows of real estate offices and the like. It is known to support photographic or printed displays from 5 arrangements consisting of thin vertical cables such as wire or other thin line, horizontal rods and means for interconnecting the cables and rods into a vertical grid-like pattern. The interconnection has been achieved either by using costly locking devices where the vertical cables cross the horizontal rods, or by using simple eyelets attached to the vertical cables which hold the 10 horizontal rods. Whilst the use of eyelets for this purpose is more cost effective than other locking devices, a problem exists in that the vertical cables may be easily knocked from their desired, evenly spaced apart, positions with reference to the horizontal rods, as there is nothing to more strongly or permanently engage the cables to the rods than the frictional interaction of their surfaces as 15 they hang under gravity. It is common for such display support arrangements, after unintentional impact or the effect of wind, to assume an untidy, asymmetrical appearance that is not appealing to potential customers inspecting the displays, or, even worse, to break apart as the horizontal rods fall off the vertical cables. 20 It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate the shortcomings or disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art. It is another object of the present invention to provide a display holding assembly that is more resistant to disruption of its structure by inadvertent 25 impact or by the effect of wind than conventional display holding arrangements. According to the invention there is provided a display holding assembly comprising: 28/09/05 3 (a) a plurality of vertical cables, to each of which is connected an eyelet, and (b) at least one horizontal rod, the or each rod including a plurality of first grooves formed at least partly around predetermined first 5 surface locations of the or each rod, the arrangement being such that each eyelet engages at least partly within a respective first groove. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the or each rod further includes a plurality of second grooves formed at least partly around 10 predetermined second surface locations of the or each rod, the second grooves being adapted to engage therewithin respective hook structures of a hanging display. Preferably, the or each rod has its first grooves evenly spaced apart therealong, with the first grooves at each end of the or each rod being formed 15 fully around its circumference, and with the intermediate first grooves being formed partly around its circumference. It is preferred that the or each rod has two second grooves spaced symmetrically between any two first grooves, with the second grooves being formed partly around its circumference. 20 In a preferred form, the second grooves are offset from the intermediate first grooves. In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 25 Fig 1 is a perspective view of a preferred horizontal rod for use in a display holding assembly of the present invention, 28/09/05 4 Fig 2 is a perspective view of another preferred horizontal rod for use in a display holding assembly of the present invention, Fig 3 is a perspective view of part of a preferred display holding assembly of the present invention which utilises the horizontal rod 5 shown in Fig 2, and Fig 4 is a perspective view of part of another preferred display holding assembly of the present invention, in which a display is hung therefrom. The horizontal rods shown in the Figures may be made of metal, plastic, 10 timber or other suitably rigid material, and in this embodiment are circular in cross-section (i.e. cylindrical). However, the horizontal rods may be of any cross-sectional shape that allows for the formation and operation of grooves or notches therealong which are to be described hereafter. The horizontal rod 10 shown in Fig 1 has first grooves 12, 14, and 15 second grooves 16, 18, formed therealong. The first grooves 12, 14, which are adjacent each end of the rod 10, are formed fully around the circumference of the rod 10 and penetrate about 1 mm or less into the rod's surface. The second grooves 16, 18, which are symmetrically located between the end first grooves 12, 14, are formed partly around the circumference of the rod 10 and 20 have similar penetration. The horizontal rod 20 shown in Fig 2 has evenly spaced apart first grooves 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and second grooves 34, 36, formed therealong. The end first grooves 22, 32 are formed fully around the circumference of the rod 20. The first grooves 24, 26, 28, 30 which are intermediate the end first 25 grooves 22, 32 are formed partly around the rod's circumference. The second grooves 34, 36, which are symmetrically located between the end first grooves 28/09/05 5 22, 32 are formed partly around the rod's circumference. The second grooves 34, 36 are offset from the intermediate first grooves 24, 26, 28, 30. The horizontal rod 20 is shown in Fig 3 as part of a display holding assembly 40. The assembly 40 includes a plurality of vertical cables 42, 44, 5 46, 48, 50, 52, to each of which is connected an eyelet 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64. Other forms of eyelets, defined herein as any looped structure, may be used. The cables may be a thin wire, cord, chain or other suitable thin line. The looped portion of each eyelet is shown partly engaged within a respective first groove of the rod 20. The end eyelets 54, 64 more firmly engage their 10 respective end first grooves, as those grooves are fully circumferential, than the intermediate eyelets 56, 58, 60, 62 engage their respective intermediate first grooves. The overall engagement, however, of all eyelets with all first grooves along rod 20 is sufficiently strong to withstand disruption of the symmetrical, grid-like structure of the assembly that might otherwise occur from inadvertent 15 knocking or the effect of wind. The strength of the engagement may be further increased by applying light pressure on each eyelet to ensure that its looped portion has fully slotted into its respective groove. Disengagement of the eyelets from their respective grooves is also possible when required by the user. 20 The display holding assembly 70 partly shown in Fig 4 has a display 72 hanging therefrom. The display 72 consists of a planar sleeve 74 (or other supporting medium for photographic or printed information) and a pair of hooked arms 76, 78 extending upwardly therefrom. The horizontal rod 80 has first grooves 82, 84, 86, which engage 25 respective eyelets 88, 90, 92 of vertical cables 98, 100, 102 in a manner as described earlier. The rod 80 also has second grooves 94, 96 which are 28/09/05 6 spaced symmetrically between adjacent first grooves 82, 84 and are offset from them. The curved ends of the hooked arms 76, 78 are of suitable width for engaging at least partly within the second grooves 94, 96, thereby providing a 5 barrier to any sliding movement of the display 72 along the rod 80. In order to withdraw a horizontal rod from the vertical cables, the display is first detached from the rod, and the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis so that the intermediate first grooves are uppermost and no longer engage with the eyelets. 10 The offsetting in the locations of the intermediate first grooves and the second grooves allows, in use, the intermediate first grooves to be positioned along a side surface region of the rod for sufficiently strong engagement between the rod and eyelets, whilst the second grooves are positioned uppermost for optimal engagement between the rod and the display. 15 It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the display holding assembly described above without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention. 20 25 28/09/05