US3479761A

US3479761A - Picture frame fastener

Info

Publication number: US3479761A
Application number: US716971A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicholas J D Amato
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-03-28
Filing date: 1968-03-28
Publication date: 1969-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-11-25

Description

Nov. 25, 1989 N. J. DAMATO 3,479,761

PICTURE FRAME FASTENER Filed March 28, 1968 Int en lbr:

United States Patent 3,479,761 PICTURE FRAME FASTENER Nicholas J. DAmato, 2840 Braidwood Road, Richmond, Va. 23225 Filed Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 716,971 Int. Cl. G09f 1/12 11.5. Cl. 40-156 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fastener for retaining a canvas stretcher frame in a rabbeted seat of a picture frame. The fastener consists of an elongated flexible member provided at longitudinally spaced points with a pair of pronged elements which project laterally in opposite directions from the flexible member. One of the pronged elements is secured in the seat of the picture frame, with the flexible member projecting from the seat behind the stretcher frame, and the other pronged element is secured to the stretcher frame to hold the latter in the picture frame seat. An end portion of the flexible member extends beyond the element secured to the stretcher frame and affords a finger-piece.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in picture frames, and in particular the invention concerns itself with an improved fastener which may be quickly and easily employed for holding a canvas stretcher frame in a rabbeted seat of a picture frame.

The principal object of the invention is to provide such a fastener which is very simple in construction, which may be readily installed or removed, which dependably holds the picture frame and the stretcher frame in assembled relation, and which lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the back of a canvas stretcher frame held in a picture frame by fasteners of the invention, the picture frame being partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the fasteners.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the numeral designates a conventional stretcher frame having a canvas 11 stretched thereover, while 12 designates a conventional picture frame provided with a rabbeted seat 13 in which the stretcher frame 10 is to be mounted. Mounting of the stretcher frame in the seat of the picture frame is accomplished by a plurality of perimetrically spaced fasteners 14 of the invention, one of such fasteners now being described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The fastener 14 comprises an elongated flexible member 15 which preferably although not necessarily consists of a length of braided wire such as is commonly used for picture hanging. A pair of pronged

elements

16, 17 are provided at longitudinally spaced points on the flexible member 15 and project laterally in relatively opposite directions therefrom, as will be clearly apparent. The pronged

elements

16, 17 have enlarged heads and, for all practical purposes, they may be constituted by ordinary tacks or thumb tacks. In order to secure the "

ice elements

16, 17 to the flexible member 15, the wire strands which comprise the member 15 are flattened and bonded together as well as to the

elements

16, 17, as for example by soldering as indicated at 18.

One end portion of the flexible member 15 extends beyond the pronged element 17 and provides a fingerpiece 19 which may be in the form of a loop or eye as shown, or of any other suitable configuration.

When the invention is placed in use, several of the fasteners 14 are employed at perimetrically spaced points on the picture frame. Before the stretcher frame is installed in the picture frame, the pronged element 16 of each fastener is secured in the rabbeted seat 13 of the picture frame by being pressed into the inwardly facing edge 13a of the seat, as distinguished from the rearwardly facing edge 1312 which provides an abutment shoulder for the stretcher frame. The flexible members 15 of the several fasteners are permitted to project outwardly from the picture frame seat 13 and the stretcher frame 10 (including the canvas 11) is placed within the picture frame seat. The projecting members 15 of the fasteners are then brought behind the stretcher frame with the fastener elements 17 being pressed into the stretcher frame as shown in FIG. 2, so that the fasteners thus hold the picture frame and the stretcher frame in assembled relation. Of course, the finger-pieces 19 are left protruding inwardly behind the stretcher frame and if at any time it is desired to remove the stretcher frame from the picture frame, the finger-pieces 19 of the fasteners are simply pulled in a rearward direction so as to withdraw the fastener elements 17 from the frame 10, whereupon the stretcher frame 10 may be readily separated from the picture frame 12.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a picture frame having a rabbeted seat, a canvas stretcher frame mounted in said seat, and a plurality of perimetrically spaced fasteners holding said picture frame and said stretcher frame in assembled relation, each of said fasteners comprising an elongated flexible member and a pair of pronged elements provided at longitudinally spaced points on said member and projecting laterally therefrom in relatively opposite directions, one of said pronged elements being secured in said rabbeted seat of the picture frame with said flexible member projecting outwardly from the seat behind said stretcher frame, and the other of said pronged elements being secured to the stretcher frame.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the rabbeted seat of said picture frame has a rearwardly facing edge providing an abutment shoulder for said stretcher frame and also has an inwardly facing edge ad jacent the outer marginal edge of the stretcher frame, said one of said pronged elements being secured to the inwardly facing edge of said seat.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible member has an end portion extending beyond said other of said pronged elements and constituting a finger-piece.

4. A fastener for holding a picture frame and a canvas stretcher frame in assembled relation, said fastener comprising an elongated flexible member and a pair of pronged elements provided at longitudinally spaced points on said member and projecting laterally therefrom in relatively opposite directions, said pronged elements being adapted to be secured to a picture frame and to a stretcher frame respectively;

5. The fastener as defined in claim 4 wherein said flexible member has an end portion extending beyond one of said pronged elements and constituting a fingerpiece.

6. The fastener as defined in claim 4 wherein said flexible member comprises a length of braided wire.

7. The fastener as defined in claim 6 wherein strands of said braided wire adjacent said pronged elements are bonded together and to said elements whereby to secure the elementsto the wire.

4. 8. The fastener as defined in claim 4 wherein said pronged elements are provided with enlarged heads.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,645 12/1887 Watkins 1 40156 481,117 8/1892 Naegele 40-456 1,470,866 10/1923 Newhouse 40156 2,489,477 11/1946 Brecher 40156 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner