The present invention relates to a fixing device and, in particular, to a device for attaching items to a wall or other surface.

When it is desired to mount items on a wall the conventional fixing means used is either a screw or a nail.

However, as it usually necessary to produce a decorative or aesthetically pleasing result, screws are most often used, the head of the screw being hidden by a cap.

The present invention has been developed with a view to providing a fixing device which is decorative in use and which in certain embodiments can be augmented to provide a range of items such as coat hooks, rails, handles, wine racks and the like which can be constructed or demounted as desired simply by the attachment of the appropriate parts to the already positioned device in the wall.

According to the present invention there is provided a fixing device comprising an engagement means in the form of a screw or a nail with a head and a body to retain the device and thereby an item in a fixed position with respect to a wall or other surface, a collar with a screw-threaded portion located around the engagement means adjacent the head, and a head attachment which can be screwed to the collar to cover the head and to provide a decorative finish to the fixing device.

Preferably, the collar is countersunk to accommodate the head of the screw or the nail and externally screw- threaded for the connection of the head attachment thereto.

Preferably, the collar is provided with one or more projections to bite into the wall or other surface.

Preferably, the collar is countersunk identically at both ends to provide a hollow portion to accommodate the head of the screw or nail at one end and to provide an annular projection to bite into the wall or other surface at the other end.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show respectively three cross- sectional views of alternative collars for the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a part cross-sectional view of part of a fixing device with a modified collar, as shown in Figure 3C, when in use;

Figure 4A is a view similar to Figure 4 but including a modified head attachment ;

Figure 5 shows a modification to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 6 shows a collar forming part of a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 shows a modified collar for use in the second embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the first embodiment of the invention comprises a screw 1 with a screw-on decorative head attachment or cover 2. The screw 1 is provided with a metallic cup-shaped cylindrical collar 3 which has an exterior screw-thread 4. The interior of the collar 3 is countersunk and chamfered as at 5 to accommodate the head 6 of the screw snugly and the collar 3 locates around the body 7 of the screw-threaded portion of the screw 1 adjacent the head 5. The cover or head attachment 2 comprises a cup-shaped boss with a cylindrical internally screw-threaded aperture 8 therein. Hence, in use, after the screw 1 and the collar 3 have been secured to a wall, the cover 2 is screwed over the collar 3 to hide the screw head 6 and provide the desired decorative effect.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the collar 3 can be provided with projections which bite into the wall when the screw 1 is tightened in position. These projections can comprise an annular ridge 9A or serrations 9B formed on the base of the collar 3. These are provided to assist in holding the collar 3 in place and to prevent the collar 3 and the cover 2 from being rotatable about the screw head 6. However, if appropriate, the base of the collar 3 can be left flat as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In a further development of this concept, as shown in Figure 3C and in use in Figure 4, the collar 3 is countersunk 5 at both ends, preferably identically. This has the advantage that it does not matter which way the screw 1 is inserted into the the collar 3 making it quicker and easier for the user. In addition, the two countersunk portions 5 enable the head 6 of" the screw 1 to be accommodated in a hollow portion of the collar 3 at one end and provide an annular ridge 9A, similar to that shown in Figure 3A, at the other end. The ridge 9A frictionally engages the wall or other surface 10 when the screw 1 is

tightened and bites into it to prevent the collar 3 being rotated around the screw head 6 either during fixing of the head attachment 2 or thereafter.

In a further modification as shown in Figure 4A, the length of the screw-threaded portion of the collar 3 is made slightly greater than the length of the screw-threaded aperture 8 in the head attachment 2. This ensures that a small gap 2A is left between the head attachment 2 and the surface 10 after the attachment 2 has been fully screwed on to the collar 3 to prevent the frictional engagement between the collar 3 and the surface 10 being weakened.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 can be expanded as shown in Figure 5. Here, the collar 3 which fits around the screw 1 is longer and the head attachment 2 comprises a boss with a cylindrical internally screw-threaded aperture 11 formed all the way through it. In use, the boss 2 is screwed over the collar 3, as before, but so that other attachments can also be screwed into the aperture 11. In Figure 5 are shown externally screw-threaded rods 12 and an example of a nut 13 provided with several internally screw- threaded apertures 14. The collar 3, the rods 12 and the nut 13 can be screwed together to form part of a kit of parts enabling items such as a wine-rack, a rail, or a set of hooks, for example, to be attached to the screw 1 and several like it, as desired. The kit of parts is simply mounted on or demounted from the fixing device at will.

It will be appreciated that apart from having a single aperture 11, the head attachment of boss could be tapped at any location on its surface to enable other components of a kit of parts to be screwed to it out of alignment with the screw 1.

In a second embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 7,

a nail 15 is used instead of the screw 1. Here, the nail is provided with a resilient plastics, collar 16, which is substantially cylindrical with a longitudinal aperture 17 through which the body or stem 18 of the nail 15 passes. The head 19 of the nail 15 can be accommodated in a countersunk portion of the collar or can simply abut one end 20 of the collar 16, which can be slightly dished or chamfered to seat the head 19 as shown in the drawings.

In Figure 6, the plastics collar 16 is provided with an external screw-thread so that decorative head attachments can be screwed thereto to cover the head 19 of the nail in a similar way to the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, in a variation as shown in Figure 7, the collar 16 can be a two-part collar having a inner resilient plastics portion 21 which is push-fitted into an outer metallic sleeve 22 which is provided with the external screw-thread 23.

In yet a further modification, the collar 16 can be similar to that shown in Figure 3C but with a cylindrical plastics core similar to the portion 21 in Figure 7. This will enable the collar 16 to seat the head of the nail and provide a annular projection to bite into the wall when the fixing device is used.

In both the arrangements shown in Figures 6 and 7, the central aperture 17 through the collar has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the nail being used therewith so that the nail frictionally engages with the collar to prevent the collar 16 from being easily rotatable about the stem 18 of the nail 15.

The head attachment for the fixing device can be made in any decorative shape with ornamentation if appropriate. It can also be made an appropriate shape to serve a

specific purpose. For example, if the head attachment is provided with an annular groove, the device can be used for hanging pictures or mirrors by means of a decorative cord or chain which can locate in the groove. In another application, the head attachment can be shaped so that it can be used as a door knob for a cupboard. This has the advantage that the fixing device does not show through on the inside of the door.

In a modification suitable for use with a large head attachment, for example for use as a knob on a banister or similar, the collar 3 can be made sufficiently large to accommodate a plurality of screws or nails. Three screws or nails would be appropriate for a banister knob. It is also possible to use the device to fix a light fitting and here the collar 3 could be provided with sufficient screws to support the fitting as well as a central aperture through which electrical wiring could be threaded.

When necessary, a washer can be used with the device and this can be also be made decorative and part of the overall design of the device.

Whilst it is anticipated that the head attachment and collar of the first embodiment will be made of metal in most cases, it is also envisaged that a plastics material, such as nylon could be used. Likewise, in the second embodiment, the head attachment can be either metal or a plastics material.

The invention is suitable for use with any type of screw or nail. For example, wood screws can be used for attachment of items via the fixing device to wooden surfaces but self-tapping screws can be used for attachment to metal surfaces.

It will be appreciated that in use, the fixing device is used in the same way as a conventional screw or nail but with the collar located around the head of the screw or nail and the items to be fastened to a wall or other surface by the device adjacent the collar rather than the head of the screw or nail. After the screw or nail has been firmly anchored to the surface in the usual way, the head attachment is then screwed to the collar to cover the head of the screw or nail and provide the decorative finished effect required.