Quick change picture frame

• US 4,136,470 A
• Filed: 11/08/1976
• Issued: 01/30/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benno Barz
• Original Assignee: Benno Barz
• Inventors: Barz, Benno
• Primary Examiner(s): Kinsey, Russell R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contreras, Wenceslao J.
• Application Number:
  US05/739,738
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 40/152, 40/152.1, 40/155, 403/401, 403/402
• US Class Current: 40/782
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/10 Corner clips or corner-connecting appliances for frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/101 for insertion within frame members
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/443 with two-dimensional corner element, the legs thereof being inserted in hollow frame members

Abstract

A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachable connection of the latter together. The frame moldings are in the form of hollow rails with at least one opening arranged on each side in a frame molding side wall enclosing the cavity. The corner joints comprise angle pieces with the shape and size of the cross-section of angle arms corresponding to the frame moldings. On the angle arms there is at least one male detent part extending out of a plane of these arms. When the angle arm has been inserted into the cavity of the respective hollow rail the male detent part releasably snaps into the respective opening provided in the side wall.

Claims

1. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail having straight ends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the hollow rail, the latter defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including a central portion exposed between said straight ends of adjacent of said hollow rails, respectively and two angle arms attached to said central portion, each of said arms having a portion adjacent said central portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

said two arms form an angle less than 90°

.

2. The quick change frame in accordance with claim 1, wherein said angle is 87°

.

3. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including two angle arms, each of said arms having a portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

said at least one opening constitutes several openings in each said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof, and said at least one male detent part constitutes a plurality of male detent parts on each said arm corresponding in relation to said several openings, each said arms tapers towards a free end thereof such that one of said male detent parts thereon furthest removed from the free end can be pressed out of a corresponding of said openings into said cavity for release.

4. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail having straight ends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the hollow rail, the latter defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including a central portion exposed between said straight ends of adjacent of said hollow rails, respectively and two angle arms attached to said central portion, each of said arms having a portion adjacent said central portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

said hollow rail includes,

an outer side wall of said hollow rail extended along and rearwardly from said hollow rail and has a free end constituting a bent part running substantially parallel to said hollow rail and is directed towards a picture side of the frame.

5. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including two angle arms, each of said arms has a portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

said inner side wall of said hollow rail adjacent to a picture side is formed with portions defining therebetween a continuous longitudinal gap, said at least one opening constitutes an enlarged widened opening communicating with said longitudinal gap.

6. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including two angle arms, each of said arms having a complementary portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes a longitudinal surface adjacent said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail, at least one male detent part projecting out from each of said arms on said longitudinal surface and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

each of said hollow rails has an outer side wall spaced opposite from said inner side wall,

each of said arms has a tapering part adjacent to said complementary portion, said tapering part has an inclined surface which extends from said complementary portion up to a free end of said each of said arms, said inclined surface is spaced from said inner side wall of said hollow rails, respectively.

7. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section each forming a hollow rail defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each having an enlarged central portion and including two angle arms, said angle arms are attached to said central portion and are smaller in cross-section than said central portion, each of said arms having a portion corresponding complementary in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rail of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly engagingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rail into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of said respective hollow rail,

each said hollow rail of said frame moldings is formed with straight square cut ends extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said hollow rail, two adjacent said hollow rails are perpendicular to each other and substantially spaced apart yet contact each other only at an inner abutment point of adjacent of said square cut ends, respectively, of two adjacent of said hollow rails,

said enlarged central portion of said corner joints are disposed complementary between said adjacent of said square cut ends, respectively, abutting the latter and forming an exposed corner part of the quick change frame between said adjacent square cut ends of said adjacent of said hollow rails constituting a filling piece.

8. The quick change frame in accordance with claim 7, wherein

said at least one opening is dimensioned in relation to a respective of said at least one male detent part of each of said two arms such that when said two arms are inserted into the respective said cavity of the adjacent said hollow rails, said male detent part snaps releaseably into said opening in said inner side wall, respectively.

9. The quick change frame in accordance with claim 7, wherein

each of said hollow rails has an outer side wall spaced opposite from said inner side wall,

each of said arms is tapered towards a free end thereof in a direction towards said inner side at one inclined longitudinal surface of each said arms remote from said inner side wall, each of said arms has an inner longitudinal surface abutting said inner side wall, said one inclined longitudinal surface is spaced apart from said outer side wall of said hollow rails, respectively.

10. A quick change frame for pictures comprising frame moldings and corner joints for detachably fixing the frame moldings together, comprising

frame moldings substantially closed tubular shaped in cross-section forming hollow rails each defining a cavity and having an inner side wall with at least one opening formed completely through said inner side wall adjacent each end thereof and adjacent to and communicating with the cavity, said cavity is square in cross-section,

corner joints constituting angle pieces each including two angle arms, each of said arms corresponding in shape and size to the cross-section of the cavity of said hollow rails of said frame moldings, each of said arms includes at least one male detent part projecting out from said arms and releaseably snappingly inserted from said cavity of a respective of said hollow rails into said at least one opening in said inner side wall of the respective of said hollow rails,

said ends of each said hollow rail are mitered ends,

said angle pieces each have said two angle arms as said corner joints corresponding in thickness substantially to the height and breadth dimensions of said cavity and said arms are insertable completely into the latter, respectively,

said angle pieces each further comprise,

a holding block formed at a free end of each of said two angle arms complementary to said cavity,

a resilient tab parallel to said inner side wall formed on each said angle arm,

said at least one male detent part is formed on said tab,

a push button formed on said male detent part,

each of said arms is formed with a center portion having a H-shaped cross-section spaced from said tab defining a recess therebetween,

said arms each include outer walls joined substantially perpendicularly to each other adjacent an outer corner of said mitered ends of perpendicularly abutting adjacent of said hollow rails,

said two arms each include an inside side wall, respectively, having a common end connected to each other adjacent an inner corner of said mitered ends of perpendicularly abutting adjacent of said hollow rails,

a diagonal rib connected to said outer walls of said two arms, respectively, and extending substantially perpendicularly to said mitered ends and abutting said inside side wall at said common end at a center of said diagonal rib,

said tab extends from said inside side wall coplanarly therewith and has a free tab end spaced from said holding block.

11. The quick change frame as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said inner side wall of said hollow rails is formed with a continuous longitudinal gap,

said at least one opening constitutes an enlarged widened opening which communicates with said longitudinal gap.