GB2110530A - A frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel of carpeting is supported in a frame comprising a first pair of telescopically adjustable members (10, 11) and a further pair of members of fixed length (12, 13). There are covers (17, 31) over the telescopic joints. The joints enable the carpeting to be held in tension by the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A frame This invention relates to a frame and to a method of mounting a wall hanging in a frame.

The invention has been developed primarily to provide a frame suitable for mounting wall hangings having a woven structure.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a frame for supporting a panel wherein each of two frame members is adjustable with respect to its length.

A frame in accordance with the invention is especially suited for mounting a panel having a woven structure. The size of the frame can be adjusted according to the size of the panel and the panel can be subjected to tension, at least in the warp direction, by suitable adjustment of the frame.

A frame embodying the first aspect of the invention and which is used in a method according to a second aspect of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a front elevation of a frame having a panel secured thereto; FIGURE 2 shows on an enlarged scale a rear elevation of certain parts of the frame; FIGURE 3 shows a fragmentary cross-section on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2; and FIGURE 4 shows an end view of a rail incorporated in the frame.

The frame shown in the accompanying drawing is rectangular and comprises two longer member 10 and 11 and two shorter members 12 and 13.

The members 12 and 13 are connected between the members 10 and 11 by corner joints described hereinafter. The frame members 12 and 13 are of fixed length, although these may be shortened by cutting away end portions.

The longer frame menibers 10 and 11 are adjustable with respect to length. The frame member 10 comprises two elongated pieces, 1 5 and 16, between which there is a telescopic joint.

The frame member 11 similarly comprises two elongate pieces and a telescopic joint. Since the frame members 10 and 11 have the same construction, only the frame member 10 will be described in detail.

The frame members 12 and 13, the pieces 1 5 and 1 6 of the frame member 10 and the corresponding pieces of the frame member 11 are each cut from the same plastics extrusion which has the transverse cross-section illustrated in Figure 4. This cross-section comprises a connecting portion 1 7 and a pair of limbs 1 8 and 1 9 extending in the same direction from the connecting portion to define between them a gap 20. Adjacent to the margins of the limbs remote from the connecting portion, the gap 20 is partly closed by a lip 21 on the first limb 18.

The frame is used to support a panel 24 of woven material, for example a woven pile fabric.

Marginal portions of the pile fabric are slid into the gap 20 of the extruded frame parts so that the lip 21 extends between adjacent pile tufts to restrain the pile fabric against movement out of the gap in a direction away from the connecting portion 1 7.

The frame member 10 further comprises a metal channel 22 having a length which is less than the length of the frame member 10 and which has cross-sectional dimensions such that it is a sliding fit within a channel 23 defined by the extruded frame pieces 1 5 and 1 6 at the face of the second limb 1 9 remote from the first limb 18. An end portion of the metal channel 22 is inserted into the channel 23 of the piece 1 6 with the mouth of the channel facing towards the second limb 19 and is restrained against longitudinal movement relative to the piece 1 6 by means of screws which penetrate through the metal channel 22, through the second limb 19 into the backing of the pile fabric.In place of the return flanges which partly close the mouth of the channel 23, the extruded section may include a web to define a box section at the side of the limb 19 remote from the limb 18.

An intermediate portion of the metal channel 22 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 24 through which there extends a screw 25 connecting an abutment 26 which lies at the outside of the intermediate portion of the metal channel and a plate 27 lying at the inside of the metal channel and formed with an aperture having a screw thread with which the screw 25 engages.

The abutment 26 is channel-shaped and embraces the metal channel at a selected position along its length.

A further end portion of the metal channel 22 is inserted into the channel 23 of the piece 1 5. The frame members 12 and 1 3 are then pulled apart to subject the pile fabric to tension in the warp direction and to extend the frame members 10 and 11. The abutment 26 is then slid along the slot 24 up to the end of the piece 1 5 and the screw 25 is tightened to clamp the abutment firmly to the metal channel 22. The frame member 11 is set in the same way to its extended length so that the tension is maintained in the pile fabric. As shown in Figure 3, the screw 25 penetrates through the second limb 1 9 of the extruded piece 1 5 and also penetrates through the backing of the pile fabric.

At each corner of the frame, there is provided a corner piece 28 having two tennons 29 which extend into the channels 23 defined by the adjacent frame pieces. The tennons are secured in the frame pieces by screws which extend through the tennons and through the second limb 1 9 of each frame piece. If required, a hanging bracket may be attached to the corner piece at each of the upper corners of the frame.

To obscure the corner pieces 28 from view when the frame is in use, decorative cover plates 30 are attached to the corner pieces, each by means of a screw extending through the centre of the corner piece into a blind socket in the cover.

The intermediate portion of each of the metal channels 22 is obscured from view by a corresponding cover 31 secured to the metal channel by means of a screw which passes through the slot 24 and through the pile fabric into a blind socket on the cover. The covers leave the telescopic joints and the corner pieces exposed at the rear of the frame.

It is intended that the frame should be stored, transported and sold in a disassembled condition, for example in a kit with a rectangle of textile material. In the kit, the shorter members 12 and 13 and each of the pieces 1 5 and 1 6 of the longer members can be arranged side-by-side in a package not substantially longer than the shorter frame members. The assembled frames can be adjusted to provide substantially the same tension in textile panels having respective lengths which differ somewhat from one another. The covers overlap the extruded frame pieces to ensure that adjustment does not expose the metal channels 22.

Claims (16)

1. A frame for supporting a panel wherein each of two opposite members of the frame is adjustable with respect to its length.

2. A frame according to Claim 1 wherein each said member includes first and second pieces between which there is a telescopic joint providing for telescopic adjustment of one piece relative to the other and securing means for securing said pieces in a selected relative position.

3. A frame according to Claim 2 further comprising two covers, engaged one with each of said opposite members to cover a part thereof which includes said telescopic joint.

4. A frame according to Claim 3 wherein each cover is arranged to conceal the associated joint from view in a direction towards a plane in which respective faces of said members lie when the frame is in use but leaves the joint exposed to view in an opposite direction.

5. A frame according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the telescopic joint includes a pin and slot connection.

6. A frame according to Claim 5 wherein the frame can be disassembled to a condition in which the first and second pieces of each said member can be arranged side-by-side.

7. A frame according to any one of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the pieces of each said member are separable.

8. A frame according to any one of Claims 2 to 7 wherein the telescopic joint includes an elongate component, opposite end portions of said elongate component are received in said first and second pieces and there is provided on the elongate component an abutment for engaging an end of one of said pieces, the abutment being adjustable along the elongate component.

9. A frame according to any preceding claim having secured to members of the frame a panel.

10. A frame according to any preceding claim comprising further members joined to said adjustable members at corners of the frame and covers for corner joints of the frame.

11. A kit or parts adapted for assembly into a frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 10.

12. A kit according to Claim 11 wherein the first and second pieces of each of said members are arranged side-by-side.

13. A kit according to Claim 12 wherein said first and second pieces are unjoined.

14. A kit according to any one of Claims 11 to 1 3 including a flexible wall hanging to be supported by the assembled frame.

1 5. A method of mounting a wall hanging in a frame wherein the wall hanging is secured to one pair of opposite frame members and each of another pair of opposite frame members is extended to tension the wall hanging.

16. A method according to Claim 1 5 wherein the frame members of said one pair are connected together by the frame members of the other pair after the wall hanging has been secured to the frame members of the one pair.

1 7. A frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

1 8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.