GB2260492A - Collection album for pictures of large dimensions - Google Patents

Abstract

A collection album for pictures, in particular photographs, of large dimensions, comprising bound sheets 1 each consisting of several variously cut, superposed and joined-together layers of paper or cardboard, which comprise a central support (3. Fig. 3) for supporting a passe-partout picture holder, on at least one of the faces of the support there being joined further layers 6, 12 defining perimetral frames of the central support which are able to retain the picture holder in position, the picture holder consisting of a sheet foldable into at least two parts 17, 18, of which the lower part 18 is of such dimensions as to be able to be inserted into and retained by the perimetral frame of the album sheet, whereas the upper part 17 is of smaller dimensions than the other so as to be able to be freely opened without interfering with the perimetral frame, the pair of inner faces of the two parts hence being able to receive a single large-dimension picture 20. <IMAGE>

Description

COLLECTION ALBUM FOR PICTURES, IN PARTICULAR PHOTOGRAPHS AND THOSE OF LARGE DIMENSIONS This invention relates to a collection album for pictures which in addition to normal-size pictures is able in particular to contain pictures of large dimensions.

A collection album for pictures, for example photographs, is often required to contain photographs of large dimensions, exceeding the normal dimensions of the sheets of a collection album.

To satisfy this requirement, the present invention provides a collection album for pictures, in particular photographs and those of large dimensions, comprising a plurality of bound sheets each consisting of several variously cut, superposed and joinedtogether layers of a suitable material, such as paper or cardboard, which comprise a central support for supporting a passe-partout picture holder, on at least one of the faces of said support there being joined further layers defining perimetral frames of said central support which are able to retain said picture holder in position, characterised in that said picture holder consists of a sheet foldable into at least two parts, of which the lower part is of such dimensions as to be able to be inserted into and retained by said perimetral frame of the album sheet, whereas the upper part is of smaller dimensions than the other so as to be able to be freely opened without interfering with said perimetral frame, the pair of inner faces of said two parts hence being able to receive a single large-dimension picture.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a photograph album according to the invention in which a picture holder is shown at the moment of its insertion; Figure 2 is a view of a sheet of the album of Figure 1 into which a picture holder has been inserted; Figure 3 is a highly enlarged sectional view of the sheet taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, and from which the picture holder has been extracted; and Figure 4 is a perspective view analogous to that of Figure 1 but in a different position of use, in which the picture holder has been inserted into the album sheet and is in its open position.

With reference to said figures, a photograph album according to the invention comprises a series of sheets 1 held together by a binding 2.

Each of said sheets 1 consists of a plurality of superposed layers of various thicknesses and shapes, joined together for example by gluing.

In the example shown in the figures they comprise a central support layer 3 for supporting at least one picture 4 on its upper face 5 and a picture 4' on its lower face 5'. The picture 4 is fixed to a passe-partout picture holder 16, and the picture 4' to a picture holder 16'.

On each of said faces 5 and 5' of the central support 3 there is fixed a second layer 6 of cardboard, for example glued to the layer 3 along an upper edge 7 and a lower edge 8 and along the vertical edge 9 in the binding region. The opposite edge 10 of the support 3 is not glued to the layer 6, and hence defines a passage 11 for inserting or withdrawing the picture holder, as can be seen in Figure 1.

The layer 6 is apertured to assume the form of a perimetral frame, the dimensions of which correspond to those of the picture holder as explained hereinafter.

On the layer 6 there is glued a further superposed layer 12, which is also in the form of a perimetral frame superposed on that of the layer 6 but with a slightly smaller aperture, so that a step 13 is defined between them to act as a guide for inserting and withdrawing the picture holder 16, as a limit stop for its insertion and as a retention means for fixing the inserted picture holder.

This sheet configuration is repeated symmetrically on the other face 5' of the central layer, which hence also carries a pair of layers 6 and 12 identical to those described for the face 5.

As can be seen in Figure 3, a vertical cut 14 can be suitably made along the edge 9 of each sheet 1 in the binding region 2, and which in the present example is made through the two layers 6, so that sheet continuity in the region of the cut 14 is provided only by the two layers 12, which are glued together. The vertical cut 14 hence defines a hinging or articulation axis about which the portion 15 of the sheet to which the picture is fixed can be bent freely along 14 relative to that sheet portion lying between the binding and the cutting axis; this characteristic is the subject of a copending utility model application by the present applicant.

According to the objects of the present invention, one or more of the album sheets 1 can contain a picture holder 16 having the structure shown in Figures 1 and 4. The said picture holder 16 consists - in the example shown in said figures - of two sheets 17 and 18 joined together, for example by gluing, along the vertical edge 19. The sheet 18 is whole and is of such dimensions as to adapt perfectly to the seat on the album sheet 1 defined as heretofore described by the perimetral frame formed between the layers 6 and 12, and the step 13.The sheet 17 of the picture holder 16 is of slightly smaller dimensions than the sheet 18, so than when this latter has been inserted and held in position in the album sheet 1, the sheet 17 of the picture holder can be freely opened and closed above the sheet 18 without interfering with the perimetral frame of the sheet 1 which retains the sheet 18 in position. It therefore becomes possible to fix a large 20 dimension picture/onto the upper face of the sheet 18 and inner face of the sheet 17, and which could not be fixed on a picture holder of normal dimensions. The said picture 20 is obviously folded along the edge 19 of the picture holder 16.

A picture 4 of normal dimensions can be fixed on the outer face of the sheet 17 of the picture holder 16, as shown in Figure 1. If after viewing the picture 4 it is desired to view the large picture 20, it is therefore sufficient merely to open the picture holder 16 into the position shown in Figure 4.

As an alternative to the example shown in the drawings, the picture holder can consist of a single sheet foldable along the edge 19 into two pages 17 and 18, provided the page 17 is trimmed to smaller dimensions than the page 18. In this respect, this latter has to be able to be inserted into or withdrawn from, and retained by, the perimetral frame of the sheet 1, whereas the page 17 has to be able to be freely opened and closed when the page 18 is inserted into the sheet 1.

Numerous other modifications on the example shown in the accompanying drawings can be provided.

Claims (3)

1. A collection album for pictures, in particular photographs and those of large dimensions, comprising a plurality of bound sheets each consisting of several variously cut, superposed and joined-together layers of a suitable material, such as paper or cardboard, which comprise a central support for supporting a passe-partout picture holder, on at least one of the faces of said support there being joined further layers defining perimetral frames of said central support which are able to retain said picture holder in position, characterised in that said picture holder consists of a sheet foldable into at least two parts, of which the lower part is of such dimensions as to be able to be inserted into and retained by said perimetral frame of the album sheet, whereas the upper part is of smaller dimensions than the other so as to be able to be freely opened without interfering with said perimetral frame, the pair of inner faces of said two parts hence being able to receive a single large-dimension picture.

2. An album as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said picture holder consists of two sheets joined together for example by gluing, of which the upper sheet is of smaller dimensions than the other.

3. An album substantially as heretofore described and as illustrated on the accompanying drawings.