Articulated mounting bracket for ceiling fans

An articulated fan blade assembly, comprising:

• a mounting bracket having a radially inward, motor end and a radially outward, fan blade end;
• a fan blade attached to said mounting bracket at said fan blade end thereof;
• an elongate neck interconnecting said motor end and said fan blade end;
• a radially extending slot formed in the motor end of said neck;
• a radially extending projection formed in the fan blade end of said neck;
• said slot receiving said projection;
• pin means pivotally interconnecting said motor end and fan blade end of said neck, said pin means being positioned near a radially innermost end of said slot and a radially innermost end of said projection, said fan blade being pivotal about said pin in opposite directions;
• lock ring means positioned in encircling relation to said mounting bracket neck, radially outwardly of said pin means;
• said lock ring means having a generally toroidal configuration and having a passageway of predetermined circumferential extent that is cut away therefrom;
• a central opening being defined by said lock ring means;
• said cut away part defining a passageway into and out of said central opening;
• said predetermined circumferential extent of said passageway being sufficient to accept passage of said projection into and out of said central opening;
• said fan blade being pivotal about said pin means only when said passageway and said projection are in registration with one another;
• whereby misalignment of said passageway and said projection when said projection is positioned within said central opening maintains said fan blade in an operable position;
• and
• whereby alignment of said passageway and said projection allows said fan blade to be rotated about said pin means.