Self-Locking Photographic Print Display Frame

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to a self-locking readily assembled photographic print display frame.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Self-standing frames to display photographic prints have in general easel back supporting members having a backing plate member which slides out of a channel frame, others have a projecting leg clipped onto the body portion of the frame and some have a grooved base plate holding a pair of substantially overlying plate members to receive a print therebetween.

In the alternative to having a removable base supporting member, prior art structures are known to have a unitary construction with a rearwardly angled base and having a cover plate carried by a backing plate and separable therefrom sufficiently for the insertion of a photographic print therebetween.

The invention herein relates to a light weight readily assembled self-locking frame member adapted to hold for display a photographic print. It is desirable to have and it is an object to this invention to provide a frame member to display a photographic print, said frame member consisting of a supporting base member, a backing plate removably upstanding from said base member, and a transparent face plate member removably upstanding from said base plate member and being angled vertically relative to said backing plate member to bear thereagainst and secure a photographic print therebetween.

It is more specifically an object of this invention to provide a frame member to hold and display a photographic print, said frame member being of light weight having its parts molded of a suitable plastic material such as polystyrene, said frame member consisting of a substantially flat U-shaped base member having a pair of leg portions extending rearwardly from a connecting web portion, a backing frame member removably upstanding from said web portion, a transparent face plate member removably upstanding from said web portion, said face plate member being angled relative to said backing plate member to bear thereagainst for a pressure engagement therewith, to lock the same into the base member and to removably secure a photographic print therebetween.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure as set forth in the preceding object whereby the base member, the backing plate member and the face plate member are disassembled and disposed into a nested flat condition for insertion into an envelope, as for packaging and mailing.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation with a portion thereof broken away and other portions shown in dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation;

FIG. 4 is a broken view in vertical section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1, as indicated with a portion thereof in separated position and another portion thereof in dotted line in an alternate position;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 1 as indicated;

FIG. 6 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 2 as indicated;

FIG. 7 is a composite view showing the component parts in separated condition;

FIG. 8 is a view in side elevation showing the component parts in nested condition with a portion thereof broken away and in vertical section;

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective showing the component parts in nested condition partially inserted into an envelope;

FIG. 10 is a broken view in vertical section showing a modification of a detail;

FIG. 11 is a composite view of a modification showing portions thereof in front and in side elevation;

FIG. 12 is a view in vertical longitudinal section;

FIG. 13 is a broken view in horizontal transverse section taken on line 13--13 of FIG. 12 as indicated;

FIG. 14 is a composite view of a modification otherwise similar to FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a view of the modification of FIG. 14 in vertical longitudinal section;

FIG. 16 is a broken view in horizontal transverse section taken on line 16--16 of FIG. 15 as indicated;

FIG. 17 is a composite view of another modification shown in front and side elevation;

FIG. 18 is a partially broken view in vertical longitudinal section of the modification of FIG. 17 showing various portions in separated position;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to that of FIG. 17 showing the portions thereof in operating position; and

FIG. 20 is a broken view in horizontal transverse section taken on line 20--20 of FIG. 19 as indicated.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, the product therein comprising a self-locking photographic print display frame is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a base member 12, a facing or cover plate member 14, a rear or backing frame member 15 and as shown in FIG. 1, a photographic print 17 is shown positioned for display.

The product herein is formed as a molded product of a suitable plastic material having substantial rigidity with some degree of resilience such as polystyrene.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the base 12 is substantially U-shaped in plan having a web or connecting portion 20 and leg portions 22 and 24 extending rearwardly from each end portion of said web 20.

Extending longitudinally of said web 20 spaced somewhat rearwardly of its leading edge 25 is an open top vertical slot 27 having a central relatively shallow portion 28 and deeper slot portions 29 and 30 at either end thereof. The leading edge of said edge portion 25 is shown to be beveled as at 26.

Spaced somewhat rearwardly of said slot portions 29 and 30 are T-slots 32 and 34 extending substantially into but preferably not fully through said web 20.

Adapted to be supported in said slots 32 and 34 in an upstanding position is a backing frame or back rest member 15 substantially rectangular in plan and frame-like in form, having an open central portion 16 and having a pair of depending leg portions 36 and 38 having rearwardly extending ribs 36A and 38A respectively, said leg portions being arranged and constructed to fit securely within said T-slots 32 and 34.

Adapted to be supported in an upstanding position in said slot 27 is the facing or cover plate member 14 comprising a transparent front wall 40 having a rearwardly extending right angle flange edge portion 42 extending along the sides and top thereof and these form a shallow chamber 44 therein. Extending across the lower end portion of said plate member 14 and depending therefrom in a rearwardly angled position is a flange-like leg portion 46 having a relatively narrow central portion 48 to be received within the shallow slot portion 28 and having at either end thereof leg portions 49 and 50 of greater length to be received within the slot portions 29 and 30. It will be noted that said leg portion as shown does not extend to underlie the lower ends of the side walls of the flange 42.

The slot 27 is beveled at its upper rear wall as at 27a for easy insertion of the member 14.

With the member 15 positioned upon the base member 12 to be upstanding therefrom substantially at right angles to a horizontal plane, as shown in FIG. 4, and with the member 14 having its angled depending leg portion 46 disposed within said slot 27, it will be seen that said member 14 will be positioned to be rearwardly angled to engage and bear against the upstanding member 15 and cause said member 15 to yield rearwardly as indicated in FIG. 4, in dotted line and as shown in FIG. 5, whereby there will be pressure engagement between said two members, and thus they become locked in position.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9, it is seen that the members 14 and 15 are readily removed from or pulled out of said base member 12 and the rear frame member 15 with the base member 12 nested therein in turn nests within the facing plate member 14 to be in substantially flat condition as viewed in FIG. 8, and the same is shown partially inserted into an envelope or a like flat container 50.

With reference to the above description, a very convenient to use photographic print holder is provided. The assembly is very simple. The backing frame member 15 is positioned upright in the base member 12 by the insertion of its leg members into the T-slots 32 and 34 and the facing or cover plate member 14 is disposed to have its leg portion 46 positioned into the slot 27 whereby in its assembled position as shown in FIG. 5, said facing plate member bears against the backing frame member 15 and particularly the upper portion thereof, causing the backing frame member to yield rearwardly as illustrated whereby a photographic print is held very securely between said facing plate member and said backing frame member. The photographic print 17 may be inserted by a slight separation of the members 14 and 15 as said members are positioned upon the base member 12 or the photographic print may be placed in position overlying the member 15 prior to the insertion of the face plate member 14 into its assembled or operating position.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9, there is shown how compactly the three component parts, namely, the facing plate member, the backing frame member and the base member, can be nested for insertion into an envelope or an equivalent container as for packing or mailing purposes.

It will be understood that the pressure engagement between the facing plate member 14 and the backing frame member 15 may be brought about by various relative angular relationships of the leg portions of said members and of their respective slots in the base member 12.

In the modifications to be hereinafter described, all like parts above described bear the same reference numerals and such parts as are modified bear like reference numerals with a prime added and some will bear new reference numerals. 49 and 50 of the face plate member 14 are modified as represented by the leg member 49' in having a ledge like rearward extended projection 49'a. The slot 29 shown as 29' is widened to accommodate said projection and is further modified by having a rearwardly extending undercut groove at each end portion thereof as represented by the undercut groove 29'a having said projection nested therein. Thus, the face plate member indicated by 14' as modified becomes more securely positioned than previously in upstanding from the base member 12'.

An illustration of another modification is shown in FIGS. 11-13 wherein the face plate member 14" has a coplanar depending leg member 46" to be disposed into the slot 27" of the base member 12" which slot is angled or inclined rearwardly and the backing frame member 15' has its leg portions 36" and 38" angled forwardly in the direction of the face plate member as shown and said leg portions are disposed into the T-slots 32" and 34" which are inclined to be in planes parallel to the plane of the slot 27". Other than being angled forwardly, said leg member 36" and 38" are formed to be the same as the leg member 36 and 38.

In assembled condition, the above modified structure is shown in FIG. 12 and operates to holding a photographic print as first above described.

Referring to FIGS. 14-16, another modification is shown which embodies the face plate member 14, the base member 12 and the groove 27. A change in structure is indicated in the backing frame member 60 which is very conveniently formed of corrugated paper or cardboard which has sufficient flexibility that when positioned upright in the vertical slot 63 will yield rearwardly under the pressure of the face plate member 14 as shown in FIG. 15.

The operation of the modified structure is as in the operation first above described.

Referring now to FIGS. 17-20 another modification is shown in which a base member 65 is identical to the base member 12 with the exception of having a single vertical groove 66 therein extending substantially across the width of said base member.

Disposed into said groove to be upstanding therefrom is backing frame member 62 and adapted to be disposed into the same groove is the face plate member 67 identical to the member 14 with the exception of having a rearwardly angled leg portion having projecting rearwardly thereof spaced ribs 69 thereacross.

Said ribs 69 will be of such length that when disposed into said groove 66, they will have a tight fit with said backing frame member, such that both of said members will be securely held within said groove.

The upper portion of said face plate member 67 is angled as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 to bear against the backing frame member 62 to cause the same to yield rearwardly.

The photo print 17 is readily inserted by slight separation of the facing plate member and the backing frame member.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the steps and sequence of steps of the method and apparatus to connection therewith without departing from the scope of applicant's invention which, generally stated, consists in a method capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.