GB1591707A - Frames - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FRAMES (71) I, KENNETH JOHN HOWKINS, a British Subject of 10 Grange Road, Camberley, Surrey, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention concerns the mounting together of section members to construct articles such as picture frames.

With picture frames it is important that the external surfaces of the frame are not marred by screws, nuts, clips or other assembly devices. Furthermore, it is a considerable advantage if the frame can be assembled without the use of tools, jigs or appliances and can be readily dismantled for re-use.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in the combination of a corner joint member having a pair of arms extending at right angles to one another and each of which has a resilient projection of reduced width with respect to the remainder of the arm carrying latching means, and a pair of section members to be joined together, each section member having a hollow portion into which an arm of the joint member can be introduced so that the arm is a close fit with the sides of said hollow portion and a ridge within the hollow portion arranged to engage the latching means of an arm so introduced so as to deflect the resilient portion on which the latching means is carried, the ridge having a cutaway portion with which the latching means engages to interlock the arm and section member when the arm has penetrated a predetermined distance into the section member.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a perspective view of a corner joint member constructed in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end of a section of a picture frame for use with the corner joint member of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the member of Figure 1 and the section of Figure 2 joined together, Figure 4 is a part sectional perspective view of a completed picture frame, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hanging member.

As shown in Figure 1 the joint member consists of a moulded thermoplastics body having a pair of rectangular arms 20 at right angles to one another with a flat triangular web 21 extending between the arms. Each arm 20 has a resilient projection 22 of reduced width when compared to the arm, the resilient projections having transversely extending hook-like portions or bosses 23.

Extending centrally from the web 21 is a slightly cranked tongue 24 which is also resilient. Although the material from which the member is made is not of particular importance it is important, as will be apparent, that the projections 22 have a degree of resilience.

When making a rectangular frame four joint members are required, one for each corner of the frame and these will join together four frame sections each of which has the hollow cross-section best seen in Figure 2. This cross-section is arranged so that the shoulders 20' of each projection 22 is a close sliding fit within the space indicated at A. When an arm 20 is introduced into a frame section, the boss 23 rides on a ramp or ridge 8 which extends along the interior of the section and which deflects inwardly the projection 22 carrying the boss 23. This deflection can best be seen in Figure 3. The ramp 8 has a portion 9 cut away so that when the boss 23 reaches this cutaway portion 9 the natural resilience of the projection 22 forces the boss 23 into engagement with the cutaway 9 to form a mechanical lock.

The ends of the frame section are mitred and the dimensions of the corner joint member M and the spacing of the cutaway portions 9 are selected so that the mitred ends of the two frame sections fit closely together when the bosses 23 and the cutaways 9 engage.

It will be appreciated that the shoulders 20' of the arms 20 are a close fit within the space A so that each corner joint member is located in two planes by the internal configuration of the frame sections attached to it, and in a third plane by the interlocking bosses and cutaways.

The frame sections may be extruded aluminium sections although other materials may be used. The sections can be anodised or painted or otherwise externally treated or decorated in any manner thought desirable.

Normally, four mitred sections and four corner joint members would be sold as a kit together with a pair of hanging brackets and either hanging wire or a free-standing prop.

Such a kit would comprise a complete framing system.

It will be appreciated that although the embodiment described is particularly suited for picture framing it could be used for many other purposes.

When mounting a picture within an assembled frame, the glass, picture and backing board are located on the inside of the arms 20 of joint members and are pressed against the inside edge of the front face of the joined section members making up the frame by the resilient tongues 24.

This simplifies the mounting of the frame content.

In addition to the section members and the joint member, each frame may be provided with one or more hanger members are shown in Figure 5. Each hanger member comprises a rectangular flange 30 arranged to fit beneath the upper surface of a section member, and a substantially triangular portion 31 having an aperture 32 for receiving a hanging cord.

Both the joint member and the hanging member are made from a single piece of plastics material.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. The combination of a corner joint member having a pair of arms extending at right angles to one another and each of which has a resilient projection of reduced width with respect to the remainder of the arm carrying latching means, and a pair of section members to be joined together, each section member having a hollow portion into which an arm of the joint member can be introduced so that the arm is a close fit with the sides of said hollow portion and a ridge within the hollow portion arranged to engage the latching means of an arm so introduced so as to deflect the resilient portion on which the latching means is carried, the ridge having a cutaway portion with which the latching means engages to interlock the arm and section member when the arm has penetrated a predetermined distance into the section member.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the joint member comprises a triangular web, the pair of arms extending from diverging sides of said web and joining at an apex, each said arm having at its end remote from said apex a shoulder which defines a said resilient projection, each resilient projection carrying a latching means in the form of a transverse projection.

3. The combination of cliim 2, and further comprising a cranked, resilient arm extending from the remaining face of said web.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the joint member is integrally formed of thermoplastics material.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein adjoining ends of the section members are mitred to form a close fit when the section members are interconnected by the joint member.

6. The combination of a corner joint member and a pair of section members substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cutaway portion 9 the natural resilience of the projection 22 forces the boss 23 into engagement with the cutaway 9 to form a mechanical lock. The ends of the frame section are mitred and the dimensions of the corner joint member M and the spacing of the cutaway portions 9 are selected so that the mitred ends of the two frame sections fit closely together when the bosses 23 and the cutaways 9 engage. It will be appreciated that the shoulders 20' of the arms 20 are a close fit within the space A so that each corner joint member is located in two planes by the internal configuration of the frame sections attached to it, and in a third plane by the interlocking bosses and cutaways. The frame sections may be extruded aluminium sections although other materials may be used. The sections can be anodised or painted or otherwise externally treated or decorated in any manner thought desirable. Normally, four mitred sections and four corner joint members would be sold as a kit together with a pair of hanging brackets and either hanging wire or a free-standing prop. Such a kit would comprise a complete framing system. It will be appreciated that although the embodiment described is particularly suited for picture framing it could be used for many other purposes. When mounting a picture within an assembled frame, the glass, picture and backing board are located on the inside of the arms 20 of joint members and are pressed against the inside edge of the front face of the joined section members making up the frame by the resilient tongues 24. This simplifies the mounting of the frame content. In addition to the section members and the joint member, each frame may be provided with one or more hanger members are shown in Figure 5. Each hanger member comprises a rectangular flange 30 arranged to fit beneath the upper surface of a section member, and a substantially triangular portion 31 having an aperture 32 for receiving a hanging cord. Both the joint member and the hanging member are made from a single piece of plastics material. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. The combination of a corner joint member having a pair of arms extending at right angles to one another and each of which has a resilient projection of reduced width with respect to the remainder of the arm carrying latching means, and a pair of section members to be joined together, each section member having a hollow portion into which an arm of the joint member can be introduced so that the arm is a close fit with the sides of said hollow portion and a ridge within the hollow portion arranged to engage the latching means of an arm so introduced so as to deflect the resilient portion on which the latching means is carried, the ridge having a cutaway portion with which the latching means engages to interlock the arm and section member when the arm has penetrated a predetermined distance into the section member.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the joint member comprises a triangular web, the pair of arms extending from diverging sides of said web and joining at an apex, each said arm having at its end remote from said apex a shoulder which defines a said resilient projection, each resilient projection carrying a latching means in the form of a transverse projection.

3. The combination of cliim 2, and further comprising a cranked, resilient arm extending from the remaining face of said web.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the joint member is integrally formed of thermoplastics material.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein adjoining ends of the section members are mitred to form a close fit when the section members are interconnected by the joint member.

6. The combination of a corner joint member and a pair of section members substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.