Frame Back And Easel Assembly

Abstract

A novel picture frame back and easel combination comprising a flat back having three erectable cutouts linearly arranged in combination with an easel support. The combination comprises a back, a pair of erectable parallel spaced tabs each with a slit on their base and a finger also erectable in line with the tabs, parallel thereto and having a slit at the tip. An easel is combined with the back and comprises a leg having a flat elbow shaped joint, the joint having a flat surface approximating the distance between the tabs, and an upper rounded extension with a hook end, and a lower quadrant which are inserted into the tab slots. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an article of manufacture, namely an easel, frame back combination. More particularly this invention relates to a novel and improved combination easel and picture frame back. Stand up picture frames are made in innumerable configurations. One common frame has a leg pivotably attached to it, which is inclined away from the frame and is held in place by a string or other connection. These frames require care in setting up since the leg may fold up against the frame during handling. Other common easel and frame combinations utilize a punched out triangularly shaped leg attached to the frame vertically. Again the leg may fold back into the frame and make it difficult to set up. These two frames also lack adaptability to either use in more than one axis of the two dimensional frames. Accordingly I have invented a novel frame back and easel combination which provides continuous support. Another object of my invention is to provide a frame back and easel combination capable of erection in two planes. Other objects and advantages of the article of manufacture according to this invention will be apparent from the description of the drawings and preferred embodiment which follow. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have invented a frame back and easel combination comprising a flat back having an upright tab with a vertical slot located therein and an easel having a leg with a flat surface and a semi-circular projection attached along one-half of its base to the leg, the projection base extending away from the flat end and adapted to be inserted through the slot in the tab until the easel flat end abuts the back. Preferably a second tab is pivotably attached to the back at a spaced distance approximately equal to the flat end of the leg and has a base parallel to the first tab with an upright slot therein. The leg has a quadrant mounted on the leg with one of its flat sides in line with the leg flat end. The quadrant is insertable in the slot in the pivotable tab to provide added rigidity. In addition an upright finger is mounted on the frame in line with the two top tabs and has a slit at its tip cooperating with an indentation in the leg to provide added lateral stability in the easel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 of the drawings shows the back of a frame before being combined with the easel; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the back and easel when assembled in erect condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The frame back and easel combination of this invention is pictured in assembled condition in FIG. 2 of the drawings, however a better understanding of the construction of the article is provided by FIG. 1 showing the back of a conventional picture frame back 12. The frame back 12 is insertable in the conventional manner into a picture frame and as such neither the picture frame, nor its glass facing are shown or described herein. The back is a flat board made of a suitable material, conventionally cardboard, or rather a heavy paperboard, although other materials such as plastic or metal may be employed if desired.

As drawn the back is rectangular in shape and has two parallel long sides 14 and 16, shown vertically positioned, and two parallel short sides 17 and 18. According to the present invention a number of tabs, fingers, slots and other shapes are diecut in the back to provide the article of this invention. For purposes of erecting the back and easel along its long side an upper tab 20 is die cut at a point along the centerline of the upper portion of the back towards side 16. The tab 20 is cut along 3 sides so as to form a base 22 connecting with the back. The base 22 is creased so as to be easily bendable. The tab may be cut in any suitable manner but as is shown has two straight sides 24 parallel to the centerline and a rounded top side 26. A slot 28 is punched out of the tab along its coincident centerline and extends from the base to the point some distance below the top of the tab. The length and width of the slot are dependent upon the dimensions of mating elements on the easel, as well as the need to provide sufficient strength to the tab between the slot and the tab sides.

A second lower tab 30 is positioned a predetermined distance below the upper tab 20, the distance being measured between the bases of the tabs. The lower tab as shown is of substantially the same configuration as the upper tab, and positioned with its axis of symmetry in the same axis as the upper tab. The lower tab has three diecut sides, two straight sides 32 being cut parallel, a rounded top side 34 and a base 36 creased in the conventional manner. The base 36 of the lower tab is necessarily the closest side of the lower tab to the upper tab. Similarly a slot 38 is punched through the lower tab in the same manner as for the upper tab. Another cutout which functions in combination with the above-mentioned tabs is herein denominated a finger 40 and is a diecut figure also symmetrical about the centerline of the back. The finger 40 is positioned below the lower tab 30 and is similar in width to the tabs, having a crease base 41 parallel to the tab bases and three diecut sides. The three diecut sides are 2 long parallel sides 42, each side joined to opposite ends of the base 41, and a rounded tip 43 joined at each end of its arc to the other end of each parallel side. The long sides are about 3 times the length of the tab parallel sides and thus make the finger much longer than the tabs. A slit 44 is punched into the end of the finger tip 43. The two tabs and the finger act in cooperation with an easel 40 shown in FIG. 2 to form the frame back and easel assembly according to this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings which shows a side view of the frame back 12 assembled with the easel 45, the tabs and finger are shown in erected and assembled condition. The easel is a substantially flat unitary structure, functionally formed from an elongated leg portion 46 and a joint 47 which cooperates with the back 12. Thus the leg portion 46 is tie shaped, having two slightly diverging sides 48 and 49 connected at an acute angle with the joint and at its bottom converging in two smaller sides 51 and 52 to a rounded apex. The smaller converging side 51 nearest the joint and back is adapted to rest on a smooth surface and thus provide the foot portion of the easel. Its adjacent diverging leg side 48 which is also nearest the back when in assembled condition has a notch 54 located on its edge together with a nodal 56 at the notches lower side. The notch 54 is adapted to retain the finger tip when the finger slit and the leg are pushed together. The nodal acts to retain the finger tip once assembly is made.

The joint 47 has a flat face 60 at its top end which is adapted to be assembled in abutting relationship with the back 12. The flat face is angularly inclined to the main axis of the leg portion 46, and as shown forms an angle of about 45.degree. therewith. The flat face is approximately the distance between the bases of the lower and upper tabs. At the bottom of the joint adjoining the flat face is an extension herein denominated as a quadrant 62. The upper side 64 of the quadrant is merely an extension of the joint at its flat side, and the other straight side 66 extends in a straight line down from the flat face. An arc 68 connects the two sides and the joint extends away from the arc in a straight line 70 to the side of the leg. The line 70 is longer than the distance between the slot and the top side of the lower tab. The lower tab in assembly is pivoted while the quadrant is being inserted through the lower tab slot until the tab reaches the upper end of the quadrant.

Along the upper side of the joint 47 a semi-circular projection 72 is unitarily formed with its circumference joining one end of the flat face. The base of the semi-circular projection is substantially perpendicular to the flat face. A semi-circular cutout 74 is formed so as to undercut the other end of the semi-circular projection base, the radius of the undercut cutout 74 being greater than the distance between the upper tab slot and top side. Similarly that part of the projection base which is not undercut is smaller than the length of the upper tab slot. In assembly the upper tab is lifted perpendicular to the back position, and the semi-circular projection inserted through the upper tab slot from the bottom side of the back by pivoting the easel towards the back about the center of the projection until the flat face abuts the back. The lower tab is then pivoted through the arc of the quadrant as the quadrant is inserted through its slot. As an added support measure the finger is then pivoted away from the back and the finger tip mated with the leg at its notched side, with the nodal aiding in retention of the finger.

The back 12 is provided with a second set of tab and finger cutouts arranged along the horizontal axis, so as to provide for assembly of the back and easel along the short axis of the back. Thus a horizontal upper tab 80 similar in form and function to upper tab 20 is also diecut in the back. A horizontal lower tab 82 positioned in reference to horizontal upper tab 80 as lower tab 30 is to upper tab 20 and substantially similar thereto is also diecut in the back. Finally a horizontal finger 84 located in similar relationship to the horizontal tabs as finger 40 is positioned in similar relationship to the horizontal tabs. Finally it should be pointed out that while the diecut tabs and fingers are shown along the two centerlines of the back, this need not be the case if it is desired to offset the easel.

Claims

Having fully described my invention and wishing to cover those modifications and variations which would be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from either the scope or spirit thereof, I claim:

1. A frame back and easel assembly comprising an easel having a first end and a second end, a first tab hingedly mounted on said back and including a first slot, a semi-circular projection having a base and a diameter longer than said first slot and integrally bound to said first end of said easel having a downwardly extending flat side having a top end contiguous to the circumference of said projection, said first end of said easel including an arcuate undercut terminating in proximity to the approximate center of said base at a distance from said top end approximately equal to the length of said first slot so that when said projection is inserted through said first slot and said flat side of said easel end is pivotally moved downward towards said back until abutting therewith, said tab laterally extends from said back and said projection securely joins said back to said easel, a second tab hingedly mounted on said back below said first tab, said second tab having a second slot substantially similar to said first slot of said first tab, a quadrant member mounted on said first end of said easel, one side of said quadrant member being unitarily attached to said first end of said easel, a second side of said quadrant member extending downwardly from said flat end of said first end of said easel, said quadrant member thereby being insertable through said second tab slot after said first tab and said projection are joined whereby said easel is locked to said back and said second end of said easel projects downwardly at an acute angle away from said first easel end and supports said frame back in a substantially upright position.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 which additionally comprises a finger mounted on said back below said second tab, said finger having a slit at the tip, said second end having a notch opposite the back into which said slit is insertable, and a nodal on said second end below said notch acting to retain said finger when said slit is inserted into said notch.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said first and second tabs and said finger are located along the centerline of said back.

4. The frame back and easel assembly of claim 1 additionally including a third tab hingedly mounted on said back parallel to said center line of said back and including a third slot substantially similar to said first slot of said first tab, a fourth tab hingedly mounted on said back parallel to and in proximity to said center line and including a fourth slot substantially similar to said second slot of second tab, and a second finger hingedly mounted parallel to said center line including a second slit at the tip; said third tab, said fourth tab and said second finger being located on a line perpendicular to said center line.

5. The assembly according to claim 4 wherein said easel is mounted within said third tab and said fourth tabs similarly to said first tab and said second tab.

6. The assembly according to claim 5 wherein said second finger is retained by said easel similarly to said first finger.