US2889646A - Photograph mount - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1959 A. R. MATTHIAS ETAL 2,

PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT Filed Nov. 7, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet' 1 INVENTOR BY W02 Q 3 ATTORNEYS A. R. MATTHIAS ET AL 2,889,646

June 9, 1959 PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Nov. '7, 1957 INVENTOR 41w 1]. M iii/ d lfiazwl'dlfi'adjg WW d-1mm v ATTORNEYS 2,889,646 PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT Alan R. Matthias and Richard E. Bodtke, Glenolden, Pa.

Application November 7, 1957, Serial No. 694,974 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-159) The present invention relates in general to photographic picture mounts and framing devices, and more particularly to foldable cardboard picture mounts of the easel type.

Heretofore, photographic mounts constructed from cardboard or like materials, as opposed to rigid glass covered picture frames of wood or metal, have been constructed in two basic types. One of these is the so-called book folder type, wherein a rectangular cardboard blank is scored mid-way of its length to provide hinged front and back panels which fold about the score line in a form resembling a book cover, the back panel being provided with a separate cardboard mat or frame which is adhered to the back panel along the upper edge of the frame and is provided with a rectangular opening through which the photograph may be viewed. The other conventional variety of photograph mount is of the easel type, wherein an elongated rectangular blank is scored transversely at two intermediate points to define a central back panel to the opposite ends of which are hinged a coextensive cover flap and a pointed tab adapted to be inserted into a slit formed intermediate the ends of the cover flap to retain the parts in the form of an upstanding triangular folder with the inner surface of the backing panel exposed. A separate apertured mat or frame identical to the mat or frame used in the book folder type is adhered to the inner surface of the backing panel to frame the photograph.

The display life of photographic mounts of these types as heretofore produced is severely limited by their tendency to warp, to crack, and to become soiled from handling. Photographic printing paper, which is heavily coated with chemicals on one side and subjected to immersion in liquids, has a great tendency to curl toward the coated side, marn'ng the finished appearance of the photograph. One of the desirable functions of photographic mounts is to successfully resist this tendency of the photographic paper to curl so as to maintain the photoprint in precisely flat condition. Easel or book folder photographic mounts of the above-described types have not proved satisfactory in this respect.

Manufacture of the above-described types of photographic mounts have required at least two die cutting operations upon at least two, and often three, pieces of cardboard, at least one die cutting operation being required to score the cover and another to die cut the insert mat or frame.

In the case of conventional photographic mounts the necessity of separately positioning the mat in proper position on the backing panel and gluing the same in posi tion, in the assembly of conventional photographic mounts heretofore available, is responsible for a substantial portion of the labor costs involved in manufacture of the photomounts.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel photographic cardboard mount which is so constructed as to facilitate precise location of the photograph in registry with the mat opening through which the Patented June 9, 1959 photograph is displayed, and which obviates the necessity of gluing or otherwise adhering the photograph in position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel photographic mount formed from a photographic blank, which may be made by a single die cutting operation and may be readily folded to form a steady easel-type mount.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel photographic mount formed from a single blank of cardboard material, which is highly resistant to bending or warping, and which is so constructed as to resist the tendency of the photograph to curl.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the cardboard blank from which the easel photographic mount embodying the present invention is formed;

Figure 2 is a rear fragmentary perspective view showing the blank in one stage of erection of the finished mount;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the mount embodying the present invention, folded into the form of an easel; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the photographic mount of the present invention is formed from an elongated cardboard blank 10 having a rectangular mat-forming panel 11 provided with a rectangular displaying opening 12 corresponding substantially to the dimensions of the photographic image to be displayed. Located at the opposite sides of the matforming panel 11 is a pair of lateral picture- positioning flaps 13 and 14 which extend the length of the sides of the mat-forming panel 11 and are hinged thereto along score lines 15 and 16. The edges 17 and 18 of the picture- positioning flaps 13, 14 are adapted to define the sides of a photograph positioning pocket, indicated at 19 in Figure 4. The lower portions of the picture- positioning flaps 13 and 14 are provided with outwardly projecting extensions or feet 20, 21, respectively, having shoulder-forming edges 22 extending at right angles to the edges 17, 18 of the flaps 13, 14 to define the bottom of the pocket 19.

A rectangular back panel 23 which is substantially coextensive in outline with the mat-forming panel 11 is hinged to the bottom of the mat-forming panel 11 along score line 24. The back panel 23 is cut along the line 25 in the central region of the panel 23 to define a foldable leg-forming flap -26 hinged to the remainder of the back panel 23 along the score line 27 which parallels the score line 24-. The leg-forming flap 26 includes a pair of panel sections 28, 29 and a terminal flange 30. The panel section 28 is located adjacent the hinge-forming score line 27 and the panel section 29 is hinged to the panel section 28 along the score line 31 paralleling the score line 27. The terminal flange 30 is hinged to the panel section 29 along the score line 32 paralleling the score lines 31 and 27. The spacing, between the score lines 31 and '27 is less than that between the score lines 32 and 31. It will be observed that the portions of the cut with the marginal portions of the back panel '23 having arcuate lower edges 34 to define locking ears which co operate with the terminal flange 30 of the leg-forming flap 26 to lock the leg-forming flap in rearwardly projecting relation to back panel 23 wherein the flap 26 serves .as an easel leg for conditioning the mount 35 as a self-standing easel-type mount.

It will be apparent that the blank from which the mount 35 is to be formed maybe produced by a single die-cutting operation as all components of the mount are formed from a single piece of cardboard stock. In the assembly of the mount 35 from the blank 10, the lateral picture- positioning flaps 13, 14 are folded inwardly about the score lines 15, '16 to lap the lateral marginal portions of the mat-forming panel 11 and occupy the position illustrated in Figure 2. In the usual continuous diecutting procedure for producing the blanks 10, the blanks, following die-cutting will be conveyed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the blank along a path which brings the mat-forming panel 11 and back panel 23 into contact with adhesive applying rolls or the like to apply adhesive in two straight lines or tracks parallel to and flanking the long edges of the rectangular opening 12 and extending continuously from the leading edge of the panel 11 to the trailing edge of the panel 23. The lines of adhesive on the panels 11, 23 pass between the lateral edges of the opening 12 and the score lines 15, 16, and are positioned to underlie and overlie the flaps 13, 14 when the mount is folded to assembled position. The flaps 13, 14 and back panel 23 are then folded about their hinge lines 15, 16 into lapping relation with the mat-forming panel 11 with the flaps 13, 14 extending between the lateral marginal portions of the panels 23 and 11 and the panel 23 aligned with the panel 11, whereupon the adjacent surfaces of the flaps and panels become adhered together along the adhesive tracks.

The cardboard material from which the blank is formed is of somewhat greater thickness than that of the photographic printing paper. Thus, the picture-positioning flaps 13, 14 interposed between the lateral marginal portions of the panels 11 and 23 space these panels apart a sufficient distance to define a pocket 19 having an access opening at the upper edges of the panels 11 and 23 for insertion and withdrawal of the photographic print 36. The edges 17, 18 and 22 of these infolded flaps 13 and 14 are so located as to precisely complement the sides and lower corners of the photographic printing paper when the print is positioned to dispose the photographic image in precise registry with the display opening 12, and thus facilitate the proper location of the photographic print within the mount. The lateral picture- positioning flaps 13, 14 in the assembled mount 35 serve not only to space the panels 11 and 23 a suflicient distance apart to readily accommodate a photographic print therebetween in the pocket 19 and to define guide edges 17, 18 and 22 for precisely registering the photographic image with the display opening 12, but additionally reinforce the lateral edges of the mount 35 along the entire height of the mount to rigidify the mount and resist marring of the lateral edges of the mount due to the three-ply edge lamination thus produced.

The mount in this form serves as a convenient package for protecting the photographs during transportation from the studio or place of production to the home or point of display. When it is desired to set up the mount in the form of a self-standing easel for display purposes, the leg-forming flap 26 folded rearwardly from the plane of the back panel 23 about the score line 27 to dispose the panel section 28 at an acute angle with the lower marginal portion of the panel 23, and the panel section 29 is bent forwardly about the score line 31 to insert the terminal flange 30 into the opening defined by the cut and below the arcuate edges 34 of the ears 33, and the terminal flange is led upwardly between the back of the photographic print occupying the pocket 19 and the adjacent surfaces of the ears 33 to lock the flange 30 between the ears 33 and the photographic print. The lower arcuate edges 34 of the cars 33 will bear against the score line 32 and hinge the flange 30 to the panel section 29 to efiectively hold the leg-forming flap 26 in the position illustrated in Figure 4 wherein it serves to support the mount in upstanding relation for display purposes, the mount in this condition resting upon the edges of the blank adjoining the score line 24- and score line 31. While the terminal flange 30 is bent upwardly about the score line 32 upon its insertion between the back of the photographic print and the ears 33, the small residual tendency of the cardboard material in the regions adjacent the score line 32 to return the terminal flange 30 to its former alignment with the plane of the panel section 29 and the stresses imposed by the ears 33 on these parts produce a forwardly directing force on the back of the photographic print occupying the pocket 19 in the regions where the terminal flange 39 bears upon the photographic print to resist curling of the photographic paper to the forward or immersion-coated side and assist in retaining the print in flat condition.

The present invention, therefore, provides a photographic mount of the type adapted to be assembled into an easel-type display mount which may be inexpensively and conveniently formed from one piece of cardboard stock by a single die-cutting operation. It provides in a single blank construction, a photomouut having an upwardly opening pocket for reception of the print, the sides of the pocket being positioned to precisely register the photographic image with the display opening of the mount, thereby reducing extensively the time and labor required for the accurate mounting of the photographs in conventional photomounts. It provides a three-ply laminated construction along the lateral edges of the mat to reinforce the edges against wear and other marring influences, and rigidifies the picture-supporting portions of the mount to improve the ability of the mount to stand erect for long periods of time and to resist the tendencies of the photographic printing paper to curl. Also, because of the particular interrelation of the leg-forming flap with the back panel when the flap is folded rearwardly to form an easel leg, the flap is locked by the ears on the back panel at such a location as to press forwardly against the back of the printing paper intermediate the upper and lower edges of the printing paper to further resist curling of the photographic print.

While only one preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in the above description, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A picture mount formed from a single blank of cardboard material comprising a rectangular mat panel having a photograph display opening therein, a back panel hinged to said mat panel along a transverse edge of the mat panel and disposed in underlying lapped relation with the mat panel, a pair of elongated strips hinged to the opposite lateral edges of the mat panel and infolded against the lateral marginal portions of said mat panel to lap said marginal portions and extend between the latter and said back panel for spacing the back panel from said mat panel a sufficient distance to accommodate a photograph therebetween, said strips having guide edges cooperating to define the side walls and portions of the bottom wall of a pocket of appropriate size and location relative to said mat panel opening to propertly register the image on a photographic print with said opening, and means adhering said back panel and strips in said lapping positions.

Taylor Jan. 5, 1932 Nichols June 19, 1956

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