AU2006246460A1 - Improved mounting frame - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 \o \o \o

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: IMPROVED MOUNTING FRAME Applicant: Fini Pty Ltd The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 60e7 DG IMPROVED MOUNTING FRAME This application claims priority from Australian Provisional Application No.

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Z 2005907003 filed on 13 December 2005, the contents of which are to be taken as incorporated herein by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to an improved mounting frame on S 10 which a sheet of material can be mounted, stretched or otherwise attached.

SThe mounting frame is used in one exemplary application to mount or stretch a canvas on which artwork can be painted or otherwise applied.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that a reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was, in Australia, known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

A canvas on which artwork is painted is traditionally supported on a wooden support known as a mounting frame or stretcher frame. Such mounting frames are constructed of interjoining wooden members forming a support framework on which the canvas can be mounted, stretched and attached. The canvas is stretched on the mounting frame to form a flat, planar surface on which an artist can easily decorate.

Most existing mounting frames consist of a perimeter framework, typically of a rectangular shape, formed from four lengths of wooden members joined at their corners. Each of the corners are interconnected using a series of interlocking friction fitted tongue and grooves which provide some adjustment of the X AECP\Patent Speoficaons'PmvisionafrUidl franc\IMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEmmlete.doc dimensions of the mounting frame to allow the canvas to be stretched out flat once the canvas has been pinned to the back of the frame.

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Z However, the majority of these mounting frame systems experience an amount of twisting and/or warping along the lengths of the wooden members forming the mounting frame. This is a particular problem with larger sized mounting Cframe, made from long lengths of wooden materials. This warping can deform the flat surface of the canvas, making it difficult for an artist to decorate, or worse damage the artwork applied to the canvas. In both cases, the warping IC 10 affects the aesthetic appeal of any artwork applied to the canvas.

It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved mounting frame on which a canvas can be mounted, stretched or otherwise attached.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a mounting frame for mounting a sheet of material, including: two or more wooden corner sections; and S at least one metallic member for interconnecting each corner section, wherein the arrangement of wooden corner sections and at least one metallic member interconnect to form a framework of a desired shaped on which a sheet of material can be mounted.

The mounting frame of the present invention therefore has a composite structure including wooden corner sections, preferably similar to the corner sections used in the current wooden mounting frame systems, interconnected by metallic members. The metallic members add strength and stability to the structure of mounting frame, with the metallic members providing resistance to the twisting and bending forces which the cross members in a mounting frame typically experience. A mounting frame of this construction can preferably provide improved resistance to warping.

X:%ECPP2ent SpeaflcalonsPmvisanaPiaure frasneMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEwmpete.doc ICThe corner sections of the mounting frame can be connected to the metallic Smembers by any suitable connection which secures each of these components together. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wooden

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Z corner sections are interconnected with the metallic members through an interengagable connection. Preferably, the connection is interlocking. This interengagable connection can be friction fitting in some embodiments.

SAlternatively, the interengagable connection can be locked together using a fastener, adhesive or connecting device of some kind. Examples of suitable connecting devices include nails, glue, gum, tape, bands or the like.

O SOne exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the metallic member includes a cavity or recess. In this embodiment, the wooden corner sections interconnect with the metallic members through a connection section, which is secured within the cavity or recess of the metallic member. Preferably, the connection section is locked into the cavity of recess using a fastener such as a nail, screw, dowel or the like.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that the metallic member metallic section includes a hollow section which forms the cavity. More preferably, the metallic section is a hollow member, with the hollow portion of the member forming the cavity or recess. The connection section preferably includes a projection which inserts into the cavity or recess. It is preferable that the projection inserts into the cavity by more than 100mm to ensure a sufficient overlap in materials is achieved. More preferably, this overlap is more than 200mm. Even more preferably, this overlap is 250mm.

In some embodiments of the invention, the connection section comprises a distinct section which is interconnected with the wooden corner section. In this embodiment, the connection section is connected to the each of the wooden corner sections through an interlocking tongue and groove type connection. At least one tongue or rib is located on either the wooden corner section and/or the connection section. This tongue is fitted into a correspondingly shaped groove or slot located in either the connection section and/or the wooden corner section. In a preferred embodiment, each of the connection section and X XECP\Patem Sp afiio mPvisiomhPPbde franeMIMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME rnplete doC wooden corner section have a tongue and a groove which interlocks with a 0 corresponding groove and tongue located in the other component.

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Z Traditionally, a canvas or other such material is stretched, mounted or otherwise attached over the front side of the mounting frame using fasteners which are received in the wooden members of the existing frames. As can be understood, the material properties of metals substantially prevent fasteners such as pins and staples from being inserted into the metallic members.

Therefore, to allow the canvas to be fastened to the metallic members, some IC 10 preferable embodiments of the mounting frame of the present invention include at least one insert in a metallic member for receiving and securing a fastener.

The insert is configured to enable a sheet of material to be secured to a portion of the at least one metallic member.

In a preferable embodiment of the invention, the inserts comprise at least one wooden body. More preferably, the insert is an elongate wooden member which substantially extends the length of the metallic member. Such a wooden body therefore allows the same type of fasteners such as for example staples, tacks or pins used to mount a canvas to the existing wooden mounting frame to secure a canvas to the metallic members of the mounting frame of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the insert is configured to receive staples. In this respect, the dimensions of the insert such as depth, width and height are tailored to accommodate the dimensions of the staples used to mount the canvas onto the mounting frame.

Some embodiments of the present invention require relatively long lengths of metallic members to be used to interlink each corner member. It is possible that these lengths of metallic material could bend due the length of material between each of the corner members. In such embodiments of the invention, the mounting frame can further include at least one reinforcing bracing member for strengthening the mounting frame. Typically, the bracing member is secured between two spaced apart metallic members. For example, the bracing member can be placed midway along the length of two spaced apart longitudinally extending metallic members, extending perpendicularly between X AECPPmen1 Speacatioris isoonal\Piclre faneiMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEoompletedoc each of these members. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, 0 the bracing member is a wooden dowel.

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Z The desired shape the metallic members depends on the desired shape of the overall mounting frame. For example, a rectangular shaped mounting frame would require the metallic members to comprise elongate beams, most likely 0being straight rectangular members. In other embodiments, the metallic members may be curved or arcuate to provide the necessary curves or arcs required for the shape of the frame. Similarly, the corner sections of the IC 10 mounting frame can be shaped to fit the desired configuration of the mounting Sframe.

The metallic members of the mounting frame are not necessarily formed from a single integral body or member. In some embodiments of the present invention, the metallic members are formed from two or more interlocking sections. In some embodiments, the metallic members are designed to interconnect with another metallic section. In other embodiments, the metallic members are connected using a further distinct linking section.

For example, in one particular embodiment of the present invention at least two interlocking sections of at least one metallic member are interspaced between a wooden linking section. This wooden linking section can be a simple linear piece having two connecting sections (groove and tongue or the like) which interlink the metallic members. However, in one particular embodiment of the present invention, the wooden linking section comprises a T-section. The Tsection links three members. In some embodiments, the third member is a bracing member which interlinks and braces two spaced apart metallic members.

The metallic members can be made of any non-wooden material which is suitable for use in a mounting frame. However, one preferable material of construction is aluminium. Aluminium is a relatively cheap and light material which has suitable mechanical and weight properties for use in the mounting frame structure of the present invention.

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SThe corner sections can be constructed in any suitable manner which creates the corner configuration required for the desired shape and configuration of the Z mounting frame. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the corner sections is formed from two or more interlocking sections. As is known in the art, such an interlocking corner section configuration can 0provide some adjustability to the dimensions of the mounting frame. In this regard it is preferable that at least one of the corner sections of the mounting frame of the present invention includes a portion which allows the dimensions of S 10 the width and/or height of the mounting frame to be adjusted. This can allow a Suser to adjust the dimension of the mounting frame to remove any small irregularities in the canvas secured to mounting frame.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description refers to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made in the description to the accompanying drawings where the present invention is illustrated in that preferred embodiment. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is rear perspective view of one particular embodiment of the mounting frame of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the parts forming the connection between the wooden corner pieces and the metallic spacer section of figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the corner section along line A-A of figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connection insert section along line B-B of figure 2.

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O Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the metal spacer section along line C-C of figure 2.

z Figure 6 is a perspective view of one form of the metal spacer section showing one form of the fastener receiving inserts of figure 1.

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Figure 7 is a perspective view of another form of the fastener receiving inserts for the metallic spacer sections of figure 1.

O SFigure 8 is a perspective view of one form a bracing dowel and receiving hole located in the metallic spacer sections of figure 1.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one form of the corner section of figure 1.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a wooden linking section for insertion between two metallic spacer sections in another embodiment of the mounting frame of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 illustrates one illustrative example of a mounting frame or stretcher frame 8 of the present invention. The illustrated mounting frame 8 is constructed as a rectangular shaped perimeter formed from four wooden corner sections 10 interlinked by four elongate aluminium members 12, 14, two longitudinally orientated 'longitudinal' aluminium members 12 and two laterally orientated 'lateral' aluminium members 14. A wooden dowel bracing rod 16 is laterally positioned between the two longitudinal aluminium members 12 half way along the length of these members 12 and extending perpendicular therefrom.

A canvas or other material sheet (not illustrated) can be positioned over the front side 18 of the mounting frame 8 to form a flat planar surface on which an XAECPRPatenr Speoficationriuvisicnal\Pio frmeUMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME~m.poletedoc \artist can paint, draw or otherwise decorate. The canvas is fastened to the frame 8 using pins, staples or other similar fasteners secured into particular fastener positions on the rear or sides of the mounting frame 8. These

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Z particular fastener positions are provided by the wooden material of the corner sections 10 and wooden inserts 20, 22, 24 and 26, located at various locations along the length of each of the metallic members 12 and 14.

The wooden corner members 10, as illustrated in figures 1 and 8 are made up of two interlocking rectangular blocks 30 and 32. As more clearly shown in IC 10 figure 8, each of the interlocking rectangular blocks 30 and 32 are Sperpendicularly joined at a 450 angled connection using interlocking tongue and groove connections 34. This type of corner joint 10, commonly known as a 'tongue and groove section' is widely available in the market. Each of the rectangular blocks 30 and 32 include a triangular tongue member 36 which is friction fitted into a correspondingly shaped groove 38 in the opposite member.

The rectangular blocks 30 and 32 are connected by perpendicularly positioning the blocks to form the desired right angle configuration and then fitting the corresponding triangular tongue 36 of one block 30 or 32 into the corresponding groove 38 of the other block 32 or 30. The fit of the tongue 36 into the corresponding groove 38 is typically very tight ensuring the right angle shape of the corner section 10 is maintained. A nail or other shaft could additionally be inserted through the connection to permanently secure the tongues of each rectangular block 30 and 32 together.

This particular tongue and groove configuration of the corner section provides a degree of adjustability to the size and shape of the mounting frame 8. In this respect, once the mounting frame 8 is fully constructed with the metallic members 12, 14 interlinking each corner section 10, a canvas can be secured over the mounting frame 8. It is possible in some case that after the canvas is secured/stretched over the mounting frame 8, that the canvas surface on which an artwork is to be applied is deformed or somehow has an irregularity. In this situation, the connection between each of the rectangular blocks 30 and 32 of the corner section 10 can be adjusted by sliding the groove 36 within the corresponding groove 38 to adjust the size of the corner in the X ECPpatenM Specica rm'PmvisonaTJPca.e frameUMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEmpl~ee.doc IC lateral and/or longitudinal directions. This adjustment can, in most cases, 0 0, stretch and smooth out or otherwise alleviate any irregularity in the canvas.

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Z In the illustrated embodiment of the mounting frame 8, each of the corner sections 10 are interlinked by one of four elongate aluminium members 12, 14.

The length of each aluminium member 12, 14 is selected to give the desired Slongitudinal width and lateral height dimensions of the mounting frame 8. The

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illustrated mounting frame 8 is of a rectangular shape having a larger longitudinal length than lateral height. Accordingly, the longitudinal aluminium IC 10 members 12 are of a greater length than the lateral aluminium members 14.

As best illustrated in figures 2, 5 and 6, each of the illustrated aluminium members 12, 14 comprise hollow extruded elongate rectangular cross-member of a generally square cross-section, having a generally complementary crosssection with each of the wooden corner sections 10. It is to be understood however, that the aluminium members 12, 14 can have any desired crosssection or configuration, as long as the members 12, 14 interlink each of the corner sections 10, spanning the distance between each corner section 10 to form the desired mounting frame shape and configuration.

Each of the aluminium members 12, 14 are interconnected at each ends with a corner section 10 through connection section 37. As shown in figure 2, the illustrated connection section 37 consists of a generally rectangular wooden insert piece or projection, which has at one end a rectangular groove 46 and is configured to be inserted into the hollow body through an opening in the free end 39 of the aluminium member 12, 14 at the other end 43. It is preferable that the connector section 37 creates a significant overlap when inserted into the hollow body of the aluminium member 12, 14 for strength and connectivity purposes. Preferably, this end 43 is inserted up to 250 mm into the hollow body of the aluminium member 12, 14. The connector section 37 in the hollow then can be fixed in place within the body of the aluminium member 12, 14 by drilling a hole in a wall of the connector which overlaps the connector section 37 and inserting a screw or other such fastener such as a nail, pin, rod or the like through the hole into the body of the connector section 37. The rectangular X:AECPPatent Speificabor s\.PmvisinarPid, Irem eMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.axplete dec ICgroove 46 of the connector section 37 is configured to friction fit with a corresponding rectangular tongue 40 projecting from one end 44 of a corner section 32 to form another interlocking tongue and groove connection 41. It

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Z should be appreciated however that in other embodiments (not illustrated) that the rectangular groove 46 can be part of the corner section 32 and the corresponding rectangular tongue section 40 can be part of the connector 0section 37.

Other configurations of the present invention could include tongue and groove IC 10 connections to interconnect the aluminium members 12, 14 to a corner section In some embodiments, more than one tongue 42 can be fitted into corresponding grooves 46. Furthermore, as can be understood, one or both of the aluminium members 12, 14 and corner sections 10 can have grooves and/or tongues with interlock with the corresponding member 12, 14 or section Therefore, in some embodiments the corner sections 10 could include the tongue(s) and the aluminium members 12, 14 could include the groove(s) or both of these portions of the mounting frame 8 could have tongue(s) and groove(s).

Again, in some embodiments of the mounting frame 8, fasteners such as nails or the like can be placed through the connection 41 to secure the tongue and groove together in a particular configuration or orientation.

The aluminium members 12 and 14 also include wooden fastening inserts 22, 24 and 26 positioned along the outer side 17 and/or rear side 19 of each of the aluminium members 12 and 14. The wooden fastening inserts 20 are used to receive fasteners such as pins, staples, tacks or the like used to secure the canvas or other planar material onto the mounting frame 8. Figure 1 illustrates a number of different configurations of inserts 20, 22, 24 and 26 which could be inserted into the aluminium members 12, 14 to receive fasteners. It is to be understood that a wide variety of other configurations are possible which provide the same function as the illustrated embodiments of inserts 20, 22, 24 and 26.

X.\ECP\Palent Speifuo\PmsioPiure frae\IMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.,pletedoC 12 IDFigures 1 and 6 show a first embodiment of the insert 24 and 26. In this 0 0 embodiment, the insert 24, 26 comprises a continuous rectangular length of wooden material as shown in the upper longitudinal aluminium member 12A

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Z and the right lateral member 14B. The wooden insert 24, 26 is fitted into a correspondingly shaped continuous trench 25, 27 in the aluminium member 12A, 14B. The aluminium member 12A, 14B includes two insert receiving trenches 25, 27, being an upper or outer perimeter trench 25 and a rear surface or side trench 27. Each of the trench 25 and 27 and the inserts 24 and 26 have a trapezoidal cross-section, thereby providing the trenches 25, 27 with a D 10 retaining edge 29 which is used to retain the insert 24 and 26 within the trench 27. The insert is typically longitudinally slid into the continuous trench 27 through lateral opening 31. The retaining edge 29 therefore engages the angled surface 33 of the insert 24 and 26.

Figures 1 and 7 show another configuration of insert 20 which consists of four space apart rectangular blocks inserted into four space apart corresponding rectangular recess 50 formed in the rear surface of the upper longitudinal aluminium member 12 of the mounting frame 8. The transverse depth D of the rectangular block 20 and corresponding rectangular recess 50 is of a dimension suitable for receiving the full shaft length of a pin or staple intended to be inserted into the insert 20. As shown in figure 7, the insert 20 can be friction fitted into the rectangular block, but would be more appropriately secured within the recess 50 using some sort of adhesive. Alternatively, the insert 20 could be dovetailed or similarly shaped to lock the insert 20 within the recess 50. The inserts 20 could similarly be of a cylindrical shape 22, as shown in the right hand lateral aluminium member 14.

The connection section 37 interconnects each end of each of the aluminium members 12, 14 to an end of a block 30, 32 of a corner section 10 to form the perimeter framework of the mounting frame 8. In some embodiments of the mounting frame 8, the length of the aluminium members 12 and/or 14 are long enough to bend in a lateral plane to the member 12, 14. In these embodiments, a brace can be placed between two spaced apart aluminium members 12 or 14 X:kECP'Patem SPeaficationsX isionarhd,,re IrefmeMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.mmPelendoc 13 ICin order to provide additional strengthening to the perimeter members of the 0 mounting frame 8.

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Z The illustrated mounting frame 8 includes one such brace member 16. The illustrated brace member 16 consists of a cylindrical dowel rod inserted midway along the length of each of the longitudinal aluminium members 12 and extends 0perpendicularly between each of these members 12. As shown in figure 4, the rod is mounted in a circular recess 56 located in an inner surface 58, 60 of each of the longitudinal aluminium members 12. The dowel rod brace 16 extends the IC 10 entire span between each of the longitudinal aluminium members 12, and is 0friction fitted into each of the corresponding circular recesses 56. The

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dimensions of the rod 16 are selected to provide the required rigidity and properties to substantially prevent the two longitudinal aluminium members 12 flexing or bowing inwardly towards each other.

The illustrated dowel rod brace 16 is only one such bracing configuration which can be included in the mounting frame configuration of the present invention.

As can be understood, other forms of braces are possible, which can be interconnected with the aluminium members 12, 14 in a number of different manners.

Figure 6 illustrates one possible alternate brace structure 57. In this alternate embodiment, the bracing member consists of an aluminium member 59 having a similar configuration as the previously described aluminium members 12, 14.

The aluminium bracing member 59 is of a lateral length suitable to span the gap between the upper longitudinal member 12A of the mounting frame 8 and the lower longitudinal member 12B of the mounting frame 8. An aluminium bracing member 59 is connected between the upper longitudinal member 12A and the lower longitudinal member 12B of the mounting frame 8 using connection section 60 having a similar configuration to the connection section shown in figures 2 and 4 which interconnects with a T-shaped connection section 62 as for example illustrated in figure 6. The T-shaped section 62 includes an upper rectangular longitudinal section 64 and a lateral rectangular section 66 projecting from the centre of the lower surface of the longitudinal section 64.

X:ECP\Patem SpeaoficaWNsPmvionarnPocru trwneXUMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.cmotle .DI \3The distal or free ends of the longitudinal section 64 and lateral section 66 have 0 rectangular grooves 68 therein of a configuration which corresponds to the

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shape and size of a corresponding rectangular tongue 40, 70 in each of the

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Z connection sections 37 and 60. The T-section 62 is therefore inserted between two longitudinal aluminium member sections (not illustrated) to form the upper longitudinal member 12A and two longitudinal aluminium member sections to form the lower longitudinal member 12B of the mounting frame 8. The bracing member 59 is located between each of the T-sections 62, utilising the tongue and groove connection of the connector sections 60 and projection/cavity IC 10 connection as previously described.

As can be understood, the T-section 62 shown in figure 6 and variations thereof can be used in as a connecting section in the mounting frame 8 in applications other than mounting a brace between two spaced apart members. For example, the T-section could be used as a corner junction section to link aluminium frame work members when forming a mounting frame having a stepped structure.

It is to be understood that the materials of the wooden corner sections 10 and metallic members 12, 14 could comprise any suitable material for the application. For example, while aluminium provides a suitable cheap and light weight material of construction for the metallic members 12, 14, other metals and metallic alloys such as copper, brass, iron, steel or the like could be used in the framework 8. Similarly, the metallic members 12, 14 could comprise other non-wood materials such as plastics, hardened rubber or the like.

The construction of the composite mounting frame of the present invention provides an improved mounting frame construction which is less susceptible to twisting and/or warping due to the provision of the length of the metallic members between each of the wooden corner sections. Accordingly, the composite mounting frame of the present invention has most of the advantages of the existing mounting frame systems, due to the use of the adjustable corner sections currently used in these systems with the additional strength provided by metallic "cross" members.

X AECPKPatet Speoficatvns~mPrsonacthde frae\IMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEcanplee.doc

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Additionally, it is expected that the cost of a frame according to the present invention would be very competitive with, if not cheaper than, the equivalent

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Z wooden mounting frame because the frame utilises less wooden components.

Wooden components have more recently become relatively more expensive in comparison to the metallic components used in the mounting frame of the Spresent invention.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is D 10 susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically Sdescribed. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

For example, the mounting frame can be configured into any desired shape using the combination of corner sections 10 and aluminium members 12, 14. In some embodiments, the mounting frame 8 is of a circular construction, with the aluminium members 12, 14 and corner sections 10 formed with an appropriate curved shape to provide the desired perimeter. In other embodiments, the frame is of a hexagon shape, with a corner section provides at each of the corners of the hexagon, having the desired angle between each of the comprising blocks 30, 32.

Throughout the description and claims of the specification the word "comprise" and variation of the word, such as "comprising" and "comprises", is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

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Claims (13)

1. 3. A mounting frame according to claim 2, in which the interengagable connection is friction fitting.
2. 4. A mounting frame according to claim 2 or 3, in which the interengagable connection includes a projection which is captured within a cavity.
3. 5. A mounting frame according to claim 4, in which the projection inserts into the cavity by more than 100mm.
4. 6. A mounting frame according to any one of claims 2 to 5, in which the metallic section includes a hollow section which forms the cavity.
5. 7. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one metallic member includes at least one insert for receiving and securing a fastener thereby enabling the sheet of material to be secured to a portion of the at least one metallic member.
6. 8. A mounting frame according to claim 7, in which the inserts comprise at least one wooden body. X-%ECPXPate Speofibro Pisionicur Ie IMPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.mmpete.doc C 9. A mounting frame according to claim 7 or 8, in which the insert is an 0 0 elongate wooden member which substantially extends the length of the metallic (-i member. 0 z 5 10. A mounting frame according to claim 7, 8 or 9, in which the insert is (-i configured to receive staples. \O
7. 11. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, further including at least one reinforcing bracing member for strengthening the IC 10 mounting frame. (-i
8. 12. A mounting frame according to claim 11, in which the bracing member is secured between two spaced apart metallic members.
9. 13. A mounting frame according to any one of claims 11 or 12, in which the bracing member comprises a wooden dowel.
10. 14. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the metallic members comprise elongate beams. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the metallic members are formed from two or more interlocking sections.
11. 16. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the metallic members is made from aluminium.
12. 17. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the corner sections are formed from two or more interlocking sections.
13. 18. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the corner sections includes a portion which allows the dimensions of the width and/or height of the mounting frame to be adjusted. XECPPatent SpeaficabonS visionfltPidre trime\IMPROVED MOUN TING FRAMEcmmpEe doc 18 C 19. A mounting frame according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet of material is a canvas. O Z 20. A mounting frame substantially as herein described in accordance with the accompanying drawings. X:ECP-atem SpedFlntaVOP iisonrPCIUre fIre\MPROVED MOUN TING FRAME.,plie.doc