US2442902A - Latch for menu frames - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1948. MOORE 2,442,902

LATCH FOR MENU FRAMES FiledNov. 1'7, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

mgzwwa ATTU RNEYE Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH FUR MENU FRAMES Thomas E. Moore, Winter Haven, Fla.

Application November 17, 1943, Serial No. 510,697

2 Claims.

My invention relates to clips and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved clip adapted to support display menus whereby the menu may be viewed without handling the menu with the hands.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a face view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. top view.

Figure 4 is a sectional View along the line 4---& of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a latch.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make use of a frame Ill com prising two sheets or frame members I2 of like size and shape between which is positioned a U- shaped frame member I 4. The members I2 and I4 may be cemented into a unitary structure along their meeting faces, with the member I4 functioning as a spacer. Thin strips I6 are cemented to side and bottom edge margins of the frame members I2 and I4.

Both members I2 converge upwardly to a rounded point I8, and the two members are spaced at their upper ends for the reception of a stiffening member 28 and menu sheets 22 lying on opposite sides of the stiffening sheet. This assembly slides freely between the two members I2 and is of such width as to slide freely between the two vertical legs of the frame member I4,

Sight openings 24 are provided in the two members l2 to expose the reading area of the respective menu sheets 22. These sheets are held between the two members I2 about the four marginal edges of the sheets, so that the latter will be held firmly in the frame structure in addition to presenting a neat appearance.

A carrier or latch 26 is provided for the upper ends of the two members I2. This latch comprises a flexible sheet bent to provide a substantially U-shaped body 28 cut inwardly of two opposite edge margins at its medial portion, as at 30 to provide two sets of fingers 32 and 34. One of the fingers 34 overlaps partly with the other finger 34 and the two fingers in continuation form a cylindrical portion of the body 28, but the fingers are detached for relative movement. The fingers 32 are straight and tangentially arranged with respect to the cylindrical portion. and form finger receiving openings therebetween.

Aligned openings 36 are provided in the members I2, within which the cylindrical body 28 has snug fitting engagement, but with the fingers 32 at the two ends of the cylindrical member engaging the outer faces of the two members I2. When the latch 26 is positioned in accordance with Figures 1 and 2, the cylindrical body 28 is under slight fiexure so that the latch will fit firm ly in the openings. To position the latch in the openings, the two fingers at one end of the bylindrical body 28 are bent to the contour of the cylindrical body for insertion through the aligned openings, and the overlapping fingers 34 provide an unbroken cylindrical surface engageable with the wall faces of the openings 36.

The menu carrying frame structure may be.

mounted in a supporting base to be supported in an upright position on the table, The latch 26 comprises a finger insert through the medium of which the menu may be handled without touching any part of the frame structure, and the frame structure need not be handled by the publie. The device will therefore be kept in a sanitary and neat and clean appearing condition. The menu sheets may be easily removed for substitution of new sheets by merely withdrawing the latch 26. The tapered en-ds I8 may be separated sufiicientl far to permit the menu sheets and the stiffening sheet to be easily withdrawn or pushed into place.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention, that others :may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

Iclaim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a latch having a substantially U-shaped body provided with finger receiving openings at each end thereof, said body being formed at its medial portion with overlapping inwardly curved fingers, said fingers being spaced from the side edges of said body, vertically extending fingers on either side of the first fingers, the space between said downwardly extending fingers forming a slot to receive a plurality of sheets which are retained therein by said vertical fingers.

2. A device of the character described comprising a latch, having a sheet metal substantially U-shaped body with finger receiving openings in each end thereof, said body having its end split to provide inner and outer end portions, the material of the body being bent inwardly at the terminal point of the inner split end portion to provide central overlapping curved fingers and the outer end portions forming depending si-de finger on either side of said inwardly curved 3 fingers, said depending side fingers being formed tangentially of said body and providing a. slot therebetween to hold said sheets of material on said latch.

THOMAS E. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 279,490 Lane June 12, 1883 Number

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