Showcase

Abstract

A showcase for documents, photographs and the like is formed by a straight sided transparent prismatic case with triangular bases formed by triangles whose three angles are acute and at least one base of which case is open, but may be closed by a removable cover to permit the positioning against the inner lateral faces of said case of photographs, engravings or other documents, rigid or rendered rigid, of a format adapted to the surface of said faces and with the holding in position of each such document against its respective case face being assured by the other two adjacent faces of the case forming acute angles therewith.

Description

The present invention relates to a showcase for documents, photographs and the like, characterized in that it is formed by a hollow prism, of transparent material, of the straight sided type with triangular, preferably equilateral bases, or formed by triangles with acute angles, at lease one of which is open, but may be closed by a removable cover, to permit the engagement, against the inner lateral faces of said prism, of photographs, engravings or other documents, rigid or rendered rigid with the holding in position of each of said documents against its respective face of the case is assured by the two other adjacent faces of the case forming acute-angle therebetween.

In the case of insufficiently rigid documents susceptible of bending, the prism case of transparent faces is combined with an inner core of suitable form, leaving between said faces and the periphery of said core a space equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the documents, photographs or the like to be displayed.

According to a modification, said inner core is arranged so that the useful space which it defines with the walls of the prism gradually diminishes in the direction of the penetration of the document so as to obtain a pinching of the edge of the latter when fully inserted.

In both bases, the central core of the prism may be hollow to form a receptacle to hold various objects.

According to a simple embodiment permitting the use of rigid photographs or which have been rendered rigid by any known means, the showcase is formed by a straight sided primatic case of transparent plastic material, molded under pressure for example, having two parallel equilateral triangular bases, one of which is open to permit the introduction of documents, photographs or the like against its inner lateral faces with said documents or photographs having a format equal to or very slightly less than that of said case faces.

According to a conception more particularly intended for thin, and hence flexible documents, the prismatic case includes, either molded directly in one piece with it or added by gluing or welding, a cylindrical central core which extends over its entire height and whose exterior diameter is slightly less than a circle inscribed between the sides of the case triangular bases.

According to a modification, the core is slightly conical, and has its great diameter, placed on the side opposite to the opening of the case, being slightly less than a circle which can be inscribed on the bases of said case.

The invention will be understood by the following description and with reference to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a showcase according to the invention, more particularly intended for rigid photographs or the like;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a showcase according to the invention adapted to assure the correct holding of flexible documents;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, the showcase of the invention, intended for the exhibition of documents, photographs or the like, is formed by a straight sided prismatic case 1, with triangular bases 2, equilateral in the example chosen, at least one base of which is open but may be closed by a removable cover (not shown). Said case is made of transparent plastic material and able to receive three photographs P, naturally rigid or rendered rigid for example by pasting the back thereof. The photographs are placed against the inner surface of the case lateral faces and adhers thereto or is retained by being wedged between the acute angles formed by the other two adjacent faces of the case.

It is clear that to obtain the aforesaid wedging of each photograph, the triangular section of each corner of the case must now have an angle equal to or greater than 90.degree..

If the documents to be exhibited are thin, and hence rather flexible, the prismatic case is internally provided with a cylindrical central core 3 adjoining the base opposite that which forms the opening of the assembly with said core having an exterior diameter slightly less than the largest circle capable of being inscribed on one of said bases so as to leave between said core and the faces of the prism a space 4 equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the photographed enclosed therein, see FIGS. 3 to 5.

This arrangement thus prevents any deformation of the photograph or the like by median bending.

According to a modification susceptible of positively assuring the holding of thin photographs or pictures, core 3 has a certain conicity causing the progressive narrowing of space 4 so as to bring about the pinching of the lead edge of the document when fully introduced. The great diameter of said core being, for this purpose, very slightly less than said inscribed circle.

Lastly, in both cases, the cylindrical or truncated cone-shaped core, is molded directly onto one of the bases of the prism or added by gluing or welding and is preferably hollow as at 5 to form a container for lodging various objects therein when the assembly is placed vertically on the opposite base.

Such a showcase, and in particular the one shown in FIG. 1, may, of course, also be disposed so as to rest on one of its three rectangular lateral faces.

The present invention is not limited to the form of construction described and represented but extends, on the contrary, to all variants of forms, material and dimensions.

The term "document" as used herein is meant to describe any sheet like object.

Claims

I claim:

1. A showcase for documents comprising a transparent hollow prism shaped case having side walls each with inner and outer straight surfaces and with each of said inner an outer wall surfaces extending on an acute angle to the corresponding surfaces of an adjacent wall, said case also having triangular bases formed by triangles whose three angles are acute and at least one of said bases being open whereby a document can be inserted through said open base and one face of the document positioned flat against said wall inner surfaces and retained flat against each wall inner face by the other two adjacent wall inner surfaces forming acute-angle dihedrals with said inner face, and a core of circular cross-section positioned within said case between and spaced from said wall inner surfaces and extending between said bases whereby the opposite face of the inserted document is maintained in position by the generatrix of said core.

2. A showcase according to claim 1, wherein said core delimits with each of said wall inner surfaces of said case a space narrowing in the direction of the insertion of the document to bring about a pinching of said document when fully introduced.

3. A showcase according to claim 1, wherein said core is cylindrical.

4. A showcase according to claim 1, wherein said core is a truncated cone-shaped central core whose great diameter is arranged facing the open base of said case, said core delimits with each of the inner face of said case a space narrowing toward the large base of said core to bring about a pinching of the document when fully introduced;

5. A showcase for documents as claimed in claim 1 wherein said core has one end integral with the other of said bases.

6. A showcase according to claim 5, wherein said core has a central portion which is hollow and opens through said other base.