US3284940A - Theftproof frame - Google Patents

Description

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. l5, 1966 B. W. Pun/um THEFTPROOF FRAME Filed May 18, 1964 BY 5M United States Patent O 3,284,940 THEFTPROOF FRAME Bill W. Putman, Fort Smith, Ark., assignor to Meek Manufacturing Company, Inc., a corporation of Arkansas Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,050

Claims.v (Cl. 40-152.1)

This invention relates in general to :a frame for pictures, mirrors, or the like, and more particularly to a theftproof frame of this nature.

In many instances, pictures and .mirrors are installed in unprotected positions to which the lgeneral public has free access, and serious problems occurthrough theft, dama-ge and defacing. Various means have been adopted to protect the frame and its contents, but these invariably involved the use of special t-ools, keys, or the like, and they have quite often been ineffective -for their intended purpose.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a frame for pictures, mirrors, or the like, with means for positively locking the frame elements together without the use of independent locking means, such as keys or special wrenches.

A related object is to provide Ia frame of the type characterized a-bove wherein both the frame and its contents are protected against theft or accidental dislodgement.

Another object is to provide a theftproof frame which can be conveniently assembled and mounted at the installation site.

Another object is to provide a theftproof frame adapted for production in any desired size, design, or configuration, and one which is attractive when installed, due to the fact that it involves no exposed mounting bracket or the like.

A further object is to provide a frame which is sturdy in construction, durable in use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be .apparent in view of the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a picture frame constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, certain portions Ibeing illustrated in a fragmentary manner to expose a portion of the internal structure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting plate as incorporated in the construction of FIGS. l-3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the picture frame, generally indicated by the numeral 1, comprises a rectangular frame member 2 formed of steel, extruded aluminum, or any other suitable material. Frame 2 includes a pair of side members 3 and 4 and a pair of upper and lower end members 5 and 6, respectively. Side members 3 and 4 are interconnected between corresponding ends of the end members 5 and 6 by mitered joints 7, which are secured by welding or the like. 'I'he end and side members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are turned rearwardly at their outer edges to provide peripheral flange sections 8, 9, and 11, :and these sections are similarly joined at the adjacent ends thereof.

The inner surface of upper flange 10 is provided with a pair of elongated latch elements 12 mounted adjacent the opposite ends thereof and spaced rearwardly from the upper end frame member 5. These latch elements 12 are approximately equal in thickness to the material being employed in the frame member and are atlixed in position, as by Welding. They may be p-rovided, if desired,

ice

with a slight taper adjacent the rear edge thereof to facilitate assembly of the frame in the manner to be described hereinafter. A pair of latch elements 13 are also provided on the lower flange 11 and, as shown, are identical to the latch elements 12 in configuration, disposition and mounting.

Mounting plate 15 is formed of generally rect-angular configuration, slightly smaller in area than the space defined by flanges 8 through 11. Mounting plate 15 is provided with `any desired pattern of screw holes, to be used selectively in mounting the device at any particular point of installation. The upper and lower end portions of the mounting plate 15 are turned forward for a distance somewhat less than the height of flanges 8 through 11 and are reversely bent back upon themselves to provide upper and lower hook portions 16 and 17. The exposed edges of the hook portions 16 and 17 are precisely spaced from the plane in which the surface of mounting plate 15 lies by a distance equal to the distance between the forward edge of latches 12 or 13 and the rear edge of the corresponding flange 10 or 11. It should Ibe noted that while mounting plate 15 is formed of a sturdy gauge of sheet metal or the like, it possesses sufficient resiliency for the hook members 16 and 17 to be urged inwardly toward each other to a slight degree, as will be described hereinafter.

In order to install the frame as disclosed in t-he drawings, the mounting plate 15 is first mounted at the 1desired position on a wall W or other supporting sur-face, as by means of screws 18 or the like. At this point, the material to be enclosed within the frame is brought into position, and in the present illustration, includes a sturdy `glass pane 19, a picture 201 and a backing memfber 21 of the thickness required to fill up the frame enclosure. As t-he foregoing elements are held in position against.the 4mounting plate, frame member 2 is placed thereover vand forced rearwardly. Latch members 12 and 13 act to cam the hook mem-bers 16 and 17 inwardly until the frame member 2 is tight against the surface of the wall W. At this point, the hook members 16 and 17 spring outwardly into locking engagement with the forward edges of the latch elements 12 and 13, respectively.

It will be noted that in the installed position shown, there is no way to `get access to the screws 18l except by breaking the glass 19 and removing the picture 20 and backing sheet 21. Similarly, there is no means for getting access to the hook elements 16 and 17` to unlatch the frame member 2 from the mounting plate 15.

While the invention has 'been described hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings in terms of a single embodiment, it will be understood that this has been done by way of example rather than by way of limitation. Numerous changes can be made in the construction, design, materials, and the like, without departing from the spirit of the invention yor the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A frame comprising: a frame member having a flange portion extending rearwardly from the outer edges thereof; a .mounting plate substantially filling the crosssectional area within :said frame, and having forwardly extending'resilient flan-ge means thereon terminating at the forward end thereof in outwardly projecting hook means; latch means disposed on the inner surface of and completely concealed by said flange portion for resilient cooperation with said hook means, said hook means being enga'geable behind said latch means when said frame member is mounted on said mounting plate, and the interen-gaged portions of said hook means and said latch means being shaped so that said frame member cannot be moved forwardly away from said mounting plate after said hook means and said latch means are engaged, whereby said hook means and said latch means cooperate to permanently lock said frame member and said mounting plate in assembled relation; and means operable from the front of said mounting plate to secure said mounting plate in flush relationship against .a supporting surface.

2. A frame as deined in claim 1 wherein said frame member and said mounting plate are substantially rectangular in configurati-on and wherein said latch means are disposed at the opposite ends thereof for cooperation with corresponding ihook means positioned adjacent thereto.

3. A trame :as dened in claim 2 wherein said latch means comprises a pair of latch means xedly mounted in spaced relation on the inner surface of said ange portion at each end of said frame member.

4. A frame as defined in claim 3 wherein said latch elements comprise laterally disposed members welded in position and having their inner surfaces tapered rearwardly to define cam surfaces for cooperation with said hook members.

5. A frame comprising: a rectangular frame member having side members ,and end members, and having ilange portions extending rearward-ly from the outer edges thereof to surround the material being framed; a pair of spaced, laterally disposed late-h elements secured on the inner surface of and completely concealed by said flange portions extending from each end member, and spaced rearwandly from the respective end member, said latch elements being provided with an inner surface tapered rearwardly; a rectangular mounting plate substantially filling the cross-sectional area deiined by said flange porltions and having a plurality of screw holes therein, said mounting plate being secured to a supporting surface by screws inserted `from thefront thereof; and forwardly extending resilient flanges disposed v:at the opposite ends of said mounting plate and having reversely turned, outwardly directed hook portions at the Iforward ends thereof for cooperation with said latch elements, said hook elements being spaced from the plane of the rear surface of said mounting plate by :a distance sucient to enable said hook elements to engage and lock on said llatch elements While said frame member is being mounted on said mounting plate, at substantially the same time that said flange portion engages said supporting surface, the engaged portions of said hook portions and said latch elements -being shaped Iso that said frame member cannot be moved forwartdly away from said mounting plate whereby said hook portions `and said latoh elements cooperate to permanently secure said frame member to said mounting plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,999 11/1928 Siegel 40'l56 2,575,721 ll/ll Lichty 40l0 X 2,785,490 3/1957 Fabry 40-152 X 2,791,046 5/1957 Goldberg 40-10 X 2,928,199 3/1960 Nov-ak 40-152.l

FOREIGN PATENTS 683,458 11/ 1939 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A FRAME COMPRISING: A FRAME MEMBER HAVING A FLANGE PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE OUTER EDGES THEEOF; A MOUNTING PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY FILLING THE CROSSSECTIONAL AREA WITHIN SAID FRAME, AND HAVING FORWARDLY EXTENDING RESILIENT FLANGE MEANS THEREON TERMINATING AT THE FORWARD END THEREOF IN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING HOOK MEANS; LATCH MEANS DISPOSED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF AND COMPLETELY CONCEALED BY SAID FLANGE PORTION FOR RESILIENT COOPERATION WITH SAID HOOK MEANS, SAID HOOK MEANS BEING ENGAGEABLE BEHIND SAID LATCH MEANS WHEN SAID FRAME MEMBER IS MOUNTED ON SAID MOUNTING PLATE, AND THE INTERENGAGED PORTIONS OF SAID HOOK MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEANS BEING SHAPED SO THAT SAID FRAME MEMBER CANNOT BE MOVED FORWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING PLATE AFTER SAID HOOK MEANS AND SAID HATCH MEANS ARE ENGAGED, WHEREBY SAID HOOK MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEANS COOPERATE TO PERMANENTLY LOCK SAID FRAME MEMBER AND SAID MOUNTING PLATE IN ASSEMBLED RELATION; AND MEANS OPERABLE FROM THE FRONT OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE TO SECURE SAID MOUNTING PLATE IN FLUSH RELATIONSHIP AGAINST A SUPPORTING SURFACE.

Images