GB2066658A

GB2066658A - Picture carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2066658A
Application number: GB8039636A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Licinvest AG
Current assignee: Licinvest AG
Priority date: 1977-09-20
Filing date: 1978-09-20
Publication date: 1981-07-15
Also published as: IE47566B1; NO783169L; IL55593A0; DK158483B; FR2452441A1; IL55593A; BE870551A; JPS5456832A; MX145369A; YU220378A; SE7809728L; FR2452441B1; GB2066658B; FR2440902A1; GB2005231A; ES473519A1; NL7809576A; HK43682A; IT1160666B; IT7869174A0

Abstract

A picture carrier (301) having a frame (302) that defines a viewing aperture for the picture, and having a rear wall (303) that has a support face (308) for the rear side of the picture, wherein there is formed between the rear wall (303) and the frame (302) joined therewith, a gap (313) which extends at least partially, but preferably completely, round the frame, and on one side of the picture carrier (301) extends through to the outside thereof, wherein, in the vicinity of the continuous gap of transport roll or roller (342), or a transport slider member (322) Fig. 8, having a rententive covering (325), is provided and can be brought into engagement through a recess (329) in the rear wall (303) of the picture carrier with the rear side of the picture at an area of the picture against which the front side of the picture is supported. <IMAGE>

Description

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SPECIFICATION Picture carriers

5 This invention relates to picture carriers.

The present invention provides a picture carrier having a frame that defines a viewing aperture for " the picture, and having a rear wall that has a support face forthe rearside of the picture, wherein there is 10 formed between the rear wall and the frame joined ' therewith, a gap which extends at least partially round the frame, and on one side of the picture carrier extends through to the outside thereof, wherein, in the vicinity of the continuous gap a transport roll 15 or roller or a transport slider member having a retentive covering is provided and can be brought into engagement through a recess in the rear wall of the picture carrier with the rearside of the picture at an area of the picture against which the front side of the 20 picture is supported.

Preferably the gap extends completely round the frame.

The lateral edge of the rear wall can be set back along the gap extending as far as the outer side of 25 the picture carrier with respect to the lateral edge of the frame of the picture carrier so that one wall of the continuous gap is shortened on the outer side of the picture carrier with respect to the other wall.

The transport roll or roller orthe transport slider 30 member can be attached to a prop provided on the rear wall so that the picture carrier may be placed upright.

The arrangement can be such that the prop can be sunk flush in the rear wall and is pivotable out of the 35 plane of the rearwall.

The transport roll or roller orthe transport slider member can be provided in the vicinity of the free end of the prop.

The prop can be locked in all or any predetermined 40 angular position by a squeeze fit or in some other manner. Preferably, the prop can be locked as a result of the fact that there are provided on the prop pins, for example, spherical pins, which extend in the direction of the pivot axis and can be resiliently 45 inserted into recesses in the rear wall, or wee versa, wherein one or more annular friction and/or locking areas, which extend transversely or perpendicularly to the pivot axis, are provided on the prop, which areas engage in each case with a counter area on the 50 rear wall, and wherein the locking area and optionally the counter area are serrated areas which are provided with teeth extending radially with respect to the pivot axis, wherein furthermore the friction and/or locking area and optionally the counter area 55 are provided around the pins and/or the recesses associated therewith.

There can be provided in the region of a recess, which is arranged in the rearwall for counter-sinking the prop, an opaque cover plate, which is dispiace-60 able at least between a first position, in which it leaves open a portion of the rearside of the picture so that the picture can be gripped directly or by means of a roll or roller, and a second position, in which it covers completely the portion of the rear 65 side of the picture, which is left free by the recess,

and extends beyond the rear side of the frame, wherein the opaque cover plate is arranged in a depression in the front side of the rearwall.

A transport slider member can be provided which 70 is constructed as an opaque cover plate in the vicinity of a recess forthe prop and at least in its one position completely covers the portion of the rear side of the picture that is left free by the recess and extends beyond the rear side of the frame. 75 On the rear side of the picture carrierthere can be a compartment for other pictures orthe rearside of the picture carrier can be constructed as a container for other pictures.

The entire rearwall of the picture carrier can be 80 constructed as a transport slider member.

Guide means forthe rearwall can be constructed in the frame.

By way of example only, certain illustrative embodiments of the invention will now be described 85 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show a picture carrier embodying the invention standing horizontally on a surface;

Figures 3 to 5 show a picture carrier embodying 90 the invention having a rectangular recess in its rear wall in which a prop can be recessed;

Figures 6 and 7 show a picture carrier embodying the invention in which a gap is provided not only to accommodate a picture but also to accommodate a 95 transparent cover plate;

Figure 8 illustrates an opaque cover plate constructed as a transparent slider member; and

Figure 9 shows a picture carrier on the rear side of which there is provided a compartment in the 100 interior of which pictures may be kept.

Figs. 1 and 2 will now be referred to in detail in these drawings the picture carrier, indicated as a whole by 301, is shown standing horizontally on a surface. This picture carrier consists essentially of a 105 frame 302, a rearwall 303 joined thereto and preferably integrally formed therewith, and a prop 304, which, since it serves to support the picture carrier, may also be referred to as a stand.

The prop 304 is pivotally mounted in the rearwall 110 303 in such a manner that when the picture carrier 301 is not standing up the prop can be pivoted into the rearwall so that its rear sides 305 is flush with the rear side 306 of the rearwall 303 and/or its front side 307 is flush with the front side 308 of the rear 115 wall 303. A transport roll or roller 342 is mounted in the prop 304 and is described in detail further below.

The picture carrier 301 furthermore has two holes 309 and 310, of which one hole 309 is provided in the rearwall 303 halfway along the length of the picture 120 carrier 301 and in the vicinity of one of its longer edges and the other hole 310 is provided hallway across the width of the picture carrier and in the vicinity of one of its shorter edges. These holes enable the picture carrierto be hung from an appropriate 125 projection on the wall, for example, a nail head, a screw head orthe like.

The picture carrier301 can be stood or suspended either in the upright and in the horizontal position. The picture, which is not shown in Fig. 1 and 2, is 130 located in a gap, matching its thickness, which

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extends between the front side 308 of the rearwall 303 and the rearside (not shown) of the frame 302 in the region extending between the broken line 311 shown in Fig. 1 and the inner edge 312 of the frame 5 302. In the region of one edge, which is in fact a lateral edge 317 ofthe picture carrier301, this gap 313 extends right through to the outside, so that the picture can be inserted into the picture carrier 301 at this edge and in the inserted position is supported by 10 the front side 308 ofthe rearwall 303 and is displayed over the area surrounded by the inner edge

312 of the frame 302.

The thickness ofthe gap 313 is chosen in accordance with the thickness ofthe picture and where 15 applicable, especially in the case of very large formats, in accordance with the thickness of a transparent cover plate and/or a rear backing plate or foil. For normal purposes, the thickness ofthe gap is between 0.1 and 1 mm, preferably, between 0.25 and 20 0.75 mm, especially preferably between 0.4 and 0.6 mm.

In the region at which it joins the outer side ofthe picture carrierthe gap 313 may be widened in cross-section in the shape of a funnel over the entire 25 gap length to facilitate the insertion of a picture. It is especially preferred, however, so to design the gap

313 at this region that the lateral edge 314 (indicated in Fig. 1 by a dot-dash line) ofthe rearwall 303 is set back along the opening area ofthe gap 313 with

30 respect to the lateral edge 315 of the frame 302 ofthe picture carrier so that the wall 316 (not directly visible in Figs. 1 and 2, but see Figures 6 and 9) ofthe continuous gap 313 is shortened on the outer side of the picture carrier with respect to the other wall 318. 35 The part ofthe wall 318 which projects beyond the wall 316 thus forms a lateral stop for a picture to be inserted into the gap 313, whereby the insertion operation is facilitated. A funnel-shaped widening 319 may additionally be provided by a chamfer 321 40 ofthe wall 316 extending over the entire width ofthe gap 313, as shown in Fig. 9.

The rearwall 303 furthermore has a preferably rectangular recess 329 in which prop 304, which is explained in greater detail in an embodiment shown 45 in Figs. 3 to 5, can be recessed. For this purpose the prop 304 may be pivotally mounted on the rearwall 303 in such a manner that it can bs pivoted backwards out of the rear wall 303 at one of its lateral edges, preferably at the lateral edge 330 psrpsndicu-50 lartothe longitudinal direction, for which purpose, in the embodiment according to Figs. 3 to 5, the ends ofthe lateral edge 330 take the form of preferably spherically-shaped pins 331, which project beyond the lateral edges 332 that extend in the longitudinal 55 direction ofthe prop 304, and which engage in complementary depressions which are provided in the lateral edges ofthe recess 329, and into which they may be resiliently inserted.

So that the prop 304 remains or can bs locked in a 60 wide variety of inclined positions, although in certain circumstances jamming the prop in the rearwall in the region ofthe pin 331 may be adequate, there is provided around one ofthe pins 331 or, as shown in Fig. 3, around both pins 331, a so-called friction 65 and/or locking area 334, which in the present case is a serrated area and is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 5. The teeth 335 of this area extend radially with respect to the pivot axis 336 ofthe prop 304 and likewise project slightly beyond the lateral edges 332 70 ofthe prop 304, as shown in Fig. 3. Although it is in principle possible to provide corresponding teeth 335 on the face ofthe rearwall to which the locking area 334 is adjacent, in the present embodiment thfs is not absolutely necessary because the edges ofthe 75 rearwall that contact the locking area 334 may in any case act to a certain degree as "counter detents" in® conjunction with the jamming action exerted by the rearwall.

Although the prop 304 may forthe remainder be a 80 flat, especially rectangular member matching the recess 329, which is provided with a recess 337 for the purpose of taking hold of it and pivoting it away from the rear wall 303, to save material it may instead have two longitudinal bars 338, which 85 extend radially from the pivot axis 336 and are preferably tapered at their ends 339 remote from the pivot axis (see Figs 1,2,4 and 6) and which are joined to one another by one or more transverse bars 340, which in the present case are planar. The 90 thickness ofthe or each transverse bar 340 is smaller than that ofthe longitudinal bars 338, and in this case too a recess 337 is provided for taking hold of the prop and pivoting it out from the rearwall 303 and for accommodating a transport roll or roller 342. 95 Forthe latter purpose, in the region ofthe end of the prop 304 remote from the pivot axis 336, in the present case on the corresponding end ofthe longitudinal bars 338, a hole 341 is provided in each case. These holes act as a bearing forthe axle 320 of 100 a transport roller 342.

The recess 329 extends to the edge ofthe picture carrier a little beyond the inner edge 312 ofthe frame 302, (see Fig. 2). In this mannerthe rearside ofthe frame 302 forms a stop forthe transport roll or roller. 105 When the picture carrier 301 is empty this is a direct stop, whereas it is an indirect stop when a picture is inserted because then the edge ofthe picture is disposed between the stop and the lower end 339 ofthe prop. As a result of this stop, if no transparent cover 110 plate is provided forthe front side ofthe picture, the picture disposed in the picture carrier cannot be damaged by the prop 304 being pivoted into the rear wall because the latter is prevented from pressing the picture out or even "piercing" it, and, above all, 115 this stop then forms a support forthe front side of the picture in the region in which it engages with the transport roll or roller 342.

In the embodiment of a picture carrier shown in Figs. 6 and 7 there is a freely rotatably mounted 120 transport roll or roller 342, which is arranged in the region ofthe gap 313, which extends through to the outside ofthe lateral edge 317 ofthe picture carrier, opposite a support face forthe front side or a part of the front side ofthe picture. This support face is 125 formed in the present embodiment by the rearside, facing the picture, of a transparent cover plate 343.

The roll or roller 342 is arranged in the region of that end ofthe prop 304 which is remote from the pivot axis 336 of this prop, either in the general 130 recess 337 (see Figs 1 to 3) or in a special recess 344,

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shown in Fig. 6. The roll or roller 342, consists of material, especially rubber, that is preferably grooved, fluted, knurled or roughened in some other manner, so that there results a good frictional 5 engagement ofthe circumference of this roll or roller with the rearside ofthe picture, not shown in Figs 6, 7 and 9, the picture being disposed between the * transparent cover plate 343 and the rear wall 303.

The roll or roller 342 makes it possible in a very 10 simple mannerforthe particular picture to be con-, veyed into the picture carrier easily and without the risk of creased areas forming, by taking hold of that circumferential side ofthe roll or roller 342 which is accessible from the outside in orderto rotate the roll 15 or roller. In the same mannerthe picture can thereby be effortlessly removed from the picture carrier. Since the roll or roller is always pushed onto the rear side ofthe picture when operated, because it is attached to the free end ofthe pivotable prop 314, 20 and can thus be moved onto the picture, good engagement between the circumference ofthe roll or roller and the rear side ofthe picture is always guaranteed.

The transparent cover plate 343, with which the 25 front side ofthe picture is covered, is so attached that its lateral edges 345 are accommodated and held in the gap 313 between the rear wall 303 and the frame 302. In the picture carrier according to Figs 6 and 7 the gap 313 serves not only (as with the picture 30 carrier shown in Fig. 9 and described hereinafter) to accommodate the picture but also to accommodate the transparent cover plate 343. So that this cover plate remains in the picture carrier when the picture is changed, the thickness ofthe gap 313 extending to 35 the outside is smaller than the thickness ofthe cover plate. The transparent cover plate 343 can be changed in a simple manner by taking apart the frame 302 and the rearwall 303, if these are joined together, for example, by a plug joint which may 40 consist of cylindrical projections and holes complementary thereto.

The transparent cover plate 343 preferably consists of mineral glass, but may equally consist of a transparent plastics material, and it may furthermore 45 be tinted, especially blue, pink, gold, or silver, or may be smoked. Furthermore, this cover plate may consist of material that is dazzle-free and non-" reflective or of material that has been made dazzle-free and non-reflective.

50 An opaque cover plate 346 is arranged in the reg--ion ofthe recess 329 provided for countersinking the prop 304 in the rearwall 303. This cover plate is displaceable between at least one first and at least one second position, of which the first position is 55 shown in Fig. 6. In this position the opaque cover plate 346 leaves open a portion ofthe rear side of the picture so that the latter can be taken hold directly or, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the picture can be taken hold of by means ofthe roll or roller 342, that is to 60 say, the cover plate 346 leaves free a portion ofthe recess 329 in the region ofthe recess 337 or 344, so that the picture disposed in the picture carrier is taken hold of by the roller or roll 342 or by hand through the recess 329 and can be removed laterally 65 from the picture carrier or, when it is to be introduced, fully inserted into the picture carrier. In the second position, which is not shown, the cover plate 346 has been moved so far to the right in Fig. 6 that its right-hand end comes to rest under the frame 302, so that as a result it completely covers that portion of the rearside ofthe picture which is leftopen by the recess 329 and is not disposed under the rear side of the frame.

By this means, a picture disposed in the picture carrier, especially when the prop 304 is pivoted out from the rear side 303, is prevented from showing light patches which would otherwise occur if the picture carrier received stronger light from behind than from in front, which may be the case, for example, when it is stood on a desk with its back to a window.

Forthe slidable guidance and accommodation of the opaque cover plate 346, a depression 347 is provided in the front side ofthe rearwall facing the picture. The depth of this depression is preferably the same as the thickness ofthe opaque cover plate 346. This depression 347 extends, as shown partially in Fig. 7., preferably at all sides beyond the edges of the recess 329, so that the cover plate 346, the breadth of which is equal to the breadth ofthe depression 347 in Fig. 7 and the length of which is equal or preferably slightly larger than the length L ofthe recess 329, in the second position reliably blocks any light from the rear side ofthe picture.

The opaque cover plate 346 may also be constructed as a transport slider member 322 (see Fig. 8), in which case, of course, the roll or roller 342 is omitted since the transport slider member 322 has the same task. !t consists essentially of a plate 323, a lug or any other member mounted so as to be displaceable in the direction of insertion ofthe picture, on which memberthere are provided for mounting it, for example, guide means 324 that engage in complementary guide means (not shown) that are provided in the rearwall 303 orthe prop 304 or, provided thatthe entire rearwall is constructed as a transport slider member, in the frame 302. The transport slider member 322 has on its side facing the rear side ofthe picture a retentive element 325, for example a small rubber patch, which carries the picture along. For clarity the thickness has been considerably enlarged in Fig. 8, forthe retentive element 325 may, of course, be very thin, for example a thinly applied layer of rubber or plastics material.

So that the retentive element 325 does not carry with it a picture in the direction that is not desired, the transport slider member is so constructed or dis-placeably mounted that a certain minimum pressure is required to bring the retentive element 325 into firm engagement with the rearside ofthe picture, so that by alternately exerting in each case a relatively heavy and a fairly light pressure on the transport slider member 322, the user is able to transport the picture in the desired direction.

In the embodiment of Fig. 9, on the rear side 303 of the picture carrier 301 there is provided a compartment 326 which may be integral with the rearwall 303 and in the interior327 of which other pictures may be kept. The recess 329 has in this case remained in the rearwall 303, whereas the prop 304 together with the transport roll or roller 342 are pro70

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vided in a recess 329 in the lid 333 pivotaily mounted at 328. This lid, which now forms the actual rearwall ofthe picture carrier 301 is normally held closed by a locking joint 348. To operate the roll 342 the addi-5 tional pictures are removed from the compartment 326 and, after closing the lid 333, the prop 304 is then pivoted towards the rearwall 303 until the roller 342 engages on the picture. In this mannerthe user is able to replace a picture inserted in the gap 313 by 10 another picture from the compartment 326.

The picture carrier according to the invention, depending on the embodiment, has some or all of the following advantages:

(a) The picture carrier is simply designed and has 15 an aesthetic appearance, the slot in the preferred embodiment enabling a picture to be effortlessly and especially easily inserted into the picture carrier.

(b) The picture carrier is operationally safe and reliable; in particular the picture is arranged self-

20 mounted in the picture carrier, and may easily be inserted and removed by the transport roll or roller orthe transport slider member.

(c) The picture carrier is light and simple to handle, forthe picture simply has to be introduced

25 through a slot atthe side and can easily be changed by anyone.

(d) The picture carrier is versatile, for it makes it possible for a picture to be displayed either in the upright or horizontal position and in the suspended

30 or stand-up position. Forthe latter purpose, it has a self-locking prop which can be fully countersunk in the rearwall, so that hanging on the wall is facilitated. For the purpose of hanging the carrier on the wall, holes are provided into which either when 35 hanging horizontally or hanging upright the head of a nail can engage. Furthermore the picture carrier is versatile in its use in so far as it can advantageously be produced for all sizes of picture.

(e) The picture carrier can be produced at a 40 favourable price; in particular it requires no glass cover, may be made in one piece or, when the prop is produced as a separate part, may be cheaply produced in two parts and requires very little material. Also expenditure on time is low and, on assembly, 45 the prop with its pins snaps easily into the corresponding recesses in the rearwall. The frame may be completely or partially printed so as to achieve an ornamental effect.

(f) Finally, the picture carrier is simple to trans-50 port and especially in its embodiment for normal photographs can be sent in the form of a letter or in a letter, as there is no risk to the glass cover breaking because a glass cover is not used, and the fact that the prop can be completely countersunk in the rear 55 wall favours dispatch in a letter.

Claims

1. A picture carrier having a frame that defines a viewing aperture forthe picture, and having a rear wall that has a support face for the rearside ofthe 60 picture, wherein there is formed between the rear wall and the frame joined therewith, a gap which extends at least partially round the frame, and on one side ofthe picture carrier extends through to the outside thereof, wherein, in the vicinity ofthe con-65 tinuous gap a transport roll or roller or a transport slider member having a retentive covering is provided and can be brought into engagement through a recess in the rearwall ofthe picture carrier with the rearside ofthe picture at an area ofthe picture 70 against which, the front side ofthe picture is supported.

2. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gap extends completely round the frame.

3. A picture carrier according to claim 1 or 2, 75 wherein the lateral edge ofthe rearwall is set back along the gap extending as far as the outer side of the picture carrierwith respect to the lateral edge of the frame ofthe picture carrier so that one wall ofthe continuous gap is shortened on the outer side ofthe 80 picture carrierwith respect to the other wall.

4. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the transport roll or roller or the transport slider member is attached to a prop provided on the rearwall so that the picture carrier may be placed

85 upright.

5. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the arrangement is such that the prop can be sunk flush in the rearwall and is pivotableoutofthe plane ofthe rearwall.

90 6. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the transport roll or roller orthe transport slider member is provided in the vicinity ofthe free end ofthe prop.

7. A picture carrier according to claim 4,5 or 6, 95 wherein the prop can be locked in all or any predetermined angular position by a squeeze fit or in some other manner.

8. A picture carrier according to claim 7, wherein the prop can be locked as a result ofthe fact that

100 there are provided on the prop pins, for example, spherical pins, which extend in the direction ofthe pivot axis and can be resiliently inserted into recesses in the rear wall, or vice versa, wherein one or more annular friction and/or locking areas, which 105 extend transversely or perpendicularly to the pivot axis, are provided on the prop, which areas engage in each case with a counter area on the rearwall, and wherein the locking area and optionally the counter area are serrated areas which are provided with 110 teeth extending radially with respect to the pivot axis, wherein furthermore the friction and/or locking area and optionally the counter area are provided around the pins and/or the recesses associated therewith.

115 9. A picture carrier according to claim 4, wherein there is provided in the region of a recess, which is' arranged inths rearwall for counter-sinking the prop, an opaque cover plate, which is displaceable at least between a first position, in which it leaves open 120 a portion ofthe rearside ofthe picture so thatthe picture can be gripped directly or by means of a roll or roller, and a second position, in which it covers completely the portion ofthe rearside ofthe picture, which is left free by the recess, and extends beyond 125 the rear side ofthe frame, wherein the opaque cover plate is arranged in a depression in the front side of the rearwall.

10. A picture carrier according to claim 4,

wherein a transport slider member is provided 130 which is constructed as an opaque cover plate in the

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vicinity of a recess forthe prop and at least in its one position completely covers the portion ofthe rear side ofthe picture that is left free by the recess and extends beyond the rearside of the frame. 5 11. A picture carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein on the rearside ofthe picture carrier there is a compartment for other pictures orthe rear

* side ofthe picture carrier is constructed as a container for other pictures.

10 12. A picture carrier according to claim 1,

* wherein the entire rearwall ofthe picture carrier is constructed as a transport slider member.

13. A picture carrier according to claim 12, wherein guide means forthe rearwall are con-

15 structed in the frame.

14. A picture carrier substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

15. A picture carrier according to claim 14sub-20 stantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 ofthe accompanying drawings.

16. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and

25 as illustrated by Figures 3 to 5 ofthe accompanying drawings.

17. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 6 and 7 ofthe accompany-

30 ing drawings.

18. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 8 ofthe accompanying drawings.

35 19. A picture carrier as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 9 ofthe accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by The Tweeddale Press Ltd., Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1981.

Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.