Match-book Display Plaque

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, a plaque including an aperture in an upper portion of the structure for hanging on a peg or nail or the like, flatly against a wall, the front being substantially flat and having on at least opposite edges of the plaque, forwardly extending structures receivable of a crossbar which when opposite ends of the crossbar are mounted in the opposing side supports, the crossbar extending substantially parallel to plaque front flat face and along a substantially horizontal axis such that one or more matchbook covers are suspendable on the bar when the matchbook covers are closed and the bar inserted through the passages defined by the closed matchcovers, typically there being a series of mounted bars spaced along the face of the plaque ranging from the bottom to the top thereof and all being about parallel to the horizontal axis.

Description

This invention relates to a new matchbook cover display plaque.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Prior to the present invention there have existed large numbers of commercial display structures such as for hanging saleable items thereon. There also have been various racks such as tie racks, towel racks, and the like. There has not, however, prior to this invention been any suitable aesthetically appealing and practically constructed plaque suitable for the displaying of matchbook covers even though for many years the collection and display of matchbook covers has been the hobby of thousands of persons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque satisfying one or more of the above-noted needs.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of simple construction.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque rendering it convenient to mount and/or dismount one or more matchbook covers displayed or to be displayed.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of a structure such that the cost of manufacture is held to a low minimum.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque having an ornate appearance.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque making possible the display of a plurality of matchbook covers simultaneously.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of a structure suitable for neat storage and display of matchbook covers.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque fulfilling a plurality of two or more of the above objects.

Other objects of the present invention become apparent from the preceeding and following disclosure.

One or more of the preceeding objects are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

Broadly, the display plaque of the present invention is a flat-faced surface having on at least about opposite edges thereof mounting structures mounting opposite ends of a linear bar extendable between and mounted or mountable in each of the opposing support structures with the linear bar extending about parallel to the flat face of the plaque and in about a horizontal direction for the bar's longitudinal axis, when the plaque is mounted on a wall, for example. The one or more crossbars are mountable in the opposing mounting structures such that the bars are easily removable for the mounting or dismounting -- as the case may be -- of one or more matchbook covers. Typically, solely a single bar extends between the respective opposing mounting structures, but it is within the scope of the invention to have two bars substantially in contact with each other extending along a common axis such that the mounted matchbooks are bound -- in the nature of a vise -- between the two linear bars when the bars are both about adjacently mounted at about common points in each of the opposing support structures. However, preferably there is solely a single bar for a singly mounting position. Also, there preferably are a plurality of bars spaced one from another, such as one near the top of the plaque and another one or more others spaced therebeneath in consecutive horizontal rows. Although the plaque may be substantially rectangular in shape, it may be of any desired shape such as a round disk, a triangular disk, a star-shaped disk, a square disk, or the like. Accordingly, depending upon the shape of the flat front face of the plaque, the different bars may be of varying length, depending upon the particular width of the plaque front surface at different points ranging from the top to the bottom of the front face of the plaque. However, the length of the bars are not necessarily dependent upon the width of a particular section of the plaque front face. For example, independent of width, in order to obtain a particular ornate appearance, there may be varying arrangements of long and/or short bars. Similarly, instead of there being a single long bar extending all of the way across the several side-by-side display spaces, there may be a plurality of intermediate mounting support structures for either a single long bar and/or for a plurality of separate short bars with the short bars each extending between two opposing support structures, for example, along the horizontal axis, with -- in this latter case -- each matchbook cover being mountable on its own independent mounting bar, and each such bar being removable while other adjacent horizontally aligned mounting bars remain in place, undisturbed. Although it is necessary that the mounting face along which the matchbook(s) will hang be receivable of the hanging matchbook(s) cover(s) such that the plaque front surface does not undesirably push the matchbook cover(s) into unsightly positions, on the otherhand the matchbook covers may have the appearance of matchbook covers mounted one above the other in vertically extending channels. In still another typical embodiment the entire receptacle for a particular one or more matchbook cover(s) may be a squared receptacle, a triangular receptacle, a star-shaped receptacle, or the like, with the matchbook cover sitting or resting or hanging back within a recess surrounded by typically a frame structure (framing structure).

THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A illustrates a side perspective view of a typical embodiment of the plaque of the present invention, devoid of any matchbook covers mounted thereon. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the plaque of FIG. 1A, with the matchbook cover shown in phantom for purposes of illustrating the manner in which the particular matchbook covers hang on the one or more crossbars.

FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment having a different shape as well as having a different type crossbar. FIG. 2B illustrates a side cross-sectional view taken through one of the mounting supports of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a triangularly shaped plaque as well as illustrating still another type of crossbar mounted between and on the opposing supports, as shown in front perspective view.

FIG. 4 illustrates another alternative for the supports as well as for the mounting bar(s), which in this instance represents a plastic strip slideable through the space of the supporting structures at opposite ends thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates another shape, this being a star-shaped plaque with selectively arranged horizontal support bars of still another type, this embodiment having bars which are insertable into the face of the plaque itself, the opposite bent ends of the bar serving as a part of the mounting support structures.

FIG. 6 illustrates still another variation in which the flat face of the plaque along which the mounting one or more bars extend being on an underside, such that the mounted matchbook covers hang downwardly from the plaque mounted flushly against a wall, for example.

FIG. 7A illustrates another variation in which the plurality of opposing supports or support structures form vertical channels paralleling one-another across the face of the plaque, with various matchbook covers being supportable one above the other in each channel; however, it is possible, that for special aesthetic appearance, that the channels may extend other directions such as diagonally across the face of the plaque. FIG. 7B illustrates additionally the presence of horizontal structures as well as vertical support structures whereby each of the mounting spaces is defined as a recess between framing support structure.

FIG. 8A illustrates an in-part view of the face of a plaque with a variation on the type of support structure mountable at one end of the horizontal bar(s), mountable by nails, screws, or the like, on the face of the plaque.

FIG. 8B illustrates a slight variation on the structure and appearance of the mounting structure of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8C illustrates still another view of a mounted support structure, showing in dotted lines projections (beneath the plaque surface) extending from the back mounting face of the support structure which projections are driveable into the face of the plaque, the projections being in the nature of spikes for easy mounting of the bar-support structure(s).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring in greater detail to the figures, FIG. 1A illustrates a plaque 9 having a mounting ring 10 and having a plurality of supports 11a, 11b, and the like for the mounting of a horizontal bar 12, there being a plurality of other parallel bars 12a, 12b, for example.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view, of the front face of the embodiment of FIG. 1A. Additionally however, there is illustrated in phantom a matchbook cover 13 mounted on the bar 12.

FIG. 2A illustrates a circular disk embodiment having a mounting ring 10a along a top surface thereof and having a hook type support structure 11c and 11d at opposite ends of the bar 12c which has an annular shape at each end thereof but is linear in a horizontally-extending fashion across the face of the plaque, suitable for supporting one or more matchbook covers thereon. FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-section taken along lines 2B--2B of FIG. 2A and illustrates more graphically the appearof the mounting structure 11c and the suspended bar 12c.

FIG. 3 differs from FIG. 2A in that the ends of the bars are of a loop shape such that the bar is permanently mounted on each of the opposing end structures which also are of a slightly different shape, these end structures being more in the nature of staple structures at and on each end of the bar. Note that in this type of embodiment, because as in FIG. 2A the bar 12c of FIG. 2A and the bar 12d hangs loosely from the opposing support structures 11e and 11f, by merely lifting upwardly in a swinging direction pivotably any one or more of the mounted bars of this embodiment, or of the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the matchbook covers may be easily opened, mounted around the bar, and the bar lowered without disturbing other matchbook covers already possibly mounted thereon.

FIG. 3 also illustrates a triangular shape, as well as each of FIGS. 2A and 3 illustrating differing mounting arrangements of bars of differing lengths, as possibly dependent upon the shape of the plaque forward surface.

FIG. 4 illustrates an in-part view of a plaque face, together with a staple-like supporting structure at each of opposite ends of a supporting bar structure, the supporting bar structure in this case typically being a plastic strip 12e slid at each end thereof under the flattened staples 11g and 11h.

FIG. 5, as well as illustrating a star-shaped plaque 9a having supporting ring 10b by which it may be hung on a nail or tack or the like, the bars 12f and 12g mounted along parallel axes are of different lengths, and the support structures at opposite ends thereof are represented by bent ends 11j and 11k mounted within apertures 13a and 13b, snugly insertable therein but preferably removable therefrom for the mounting of matchbook covers. However, they need not necessarily be removable, since the bar structure 12f may if desired be sufficiently spaced from the face of the plaque such that the matchbook covers may be opened and placed around the bar before the closing of the matchbook cover, whereby the matchbook covers would hang suspended from the possibly fixed bar.

FIG. 6 illustrates a major variation on the prior embodiments illustrated above, in that the mounting face 14 of the plaque 9c is an underside face, but of course may alternatively have the mounting structures on a front face although for this embodiment a lower face 14 is preferred for the mounting structures for both aesthetic appearance as well as for a free-swinging motion of the matchbook covers themselves. The ornate mounting bars 10d and 10d' are so-shaped that they are supportable each on respective nails or pegs or the like, or at their adjacent surfaces 10e, there is formed a passage 10f through which a supporting nail or the like may be utilized for the hanging of the structure. The matchbook cover supports in this particular embodiment are at each side of each respective matchbook cover such as 11m and 11n, with the respective support bar 12h, there being a separate support bar for each matchbook cover.

FIG. 7A illustrates a variation in which supports 11p, 11q, and 11r are mounted on a face 15 of a plaque 9d, with the supports 11p, 11q, and 11r being arranged in parallel to one-another, defining thereby channels between the respective parallel supports, with apertures such as 16a, 16b, etc. serving for the insertion of mounting bar or wire (for example) 12j. The matchbook cover 13a is shown in phantom, typicallh illustrating the appearance of the mounted matchbook cover. FIG. 7B illustrates a further variation in which cross-parallel structures 16a and 16b join with vertical structures 11v and 11u to define a recess 17 with the bar 12k extending horizontally across the recess and mounted typically in opposing holes horizontally across the recess and mounted typically in opposing holes such as hole 16c.

FIG. 8A illustrates typically an angle bar 18 mountable by the insertion of nails or screws such as member 19 through apertures such as aperture 20, there being support apertures such as 16d. FIG. 8B differs by having an additional shoulder 18a in addition to the shoulder 18b.

FIG. 8C illustrates a different embodiment of a bar mounting structure serving for the mounting of several bar ends, with this bar structure having a biting spike 19' as a continuing part of the support bar 18', this bar being illustrated in its mounted state on the surface of a plaque shown in-part.

It is within the scope of the present invention to make such modifications and variations and substitution of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill.

Claims

I claim:

1. A matchbook cover display plaque comprising in combination: a back-board plaque element having a front face with portions thereof being sufficiently unobstructed as to receive at least a part of a substantially flat-surfaced matchbook cover seatable thereagainst and having a substantially flat back face; bar mounting means fixedly extending from said front face; at least one elongated bar element; said mounting means including a plurality of paired mounting elements, the individual mounting elements of each pair being spaced laterally a predetermined distance from one-another along said face, said predetermined lateral distance being greater than a matchbook width, the plurality of paired mounting elements being located on the front face at about opposite edges of at least one of said portions with at least one of said portions being situated between each of said spaced ones of each pair of mounting elements, and each of said paired spaced mounting elements including opposing apertures receivable of said bar element with the longitudinal axis of said bar element extending laterally adjacent and about parallel to at least said one face portion, said plurality of paired mounting elements including paired elements being spaced from other paired elements in series downwardly along said front face at spacing intervals each of which is of a predetermined dimension slightly greater than a matchbooks length, the bar element extending laterally between said spaced mounting elements of at least one pair thereof; and a plaque-hanging supporting means rendering said back-board plaque element supportable thereby in an about upright position flatly and flushly on an upright wall surface with the back face about flush with the wall surface whereby matchbook covers hang downwardly when said bar element is inserted through the cover passage defined by a closed matchbook cover, said front face being substantially smooth along at least one axis thereof and said mounting elements being substantially parallel vertical ridges extending spaced apart from one-another a predetermined distance at least greater than a matchbook width.

2. A matchbook plaque according to claim 1, in which said face is a front face.