Quick-clamping passe partout

Claim 2

A quick-clamping passe partout, comprising a rear wall, a transparent pane having at least one forward beveled surface and a top surface and adapted to be held in position adjacent to a front side of said rear wall, and a plurality of strip members secured to said rear wall, said strip members being adapted to embrace the edge of the transparent pane and to hold it in said position adjacent to said rear wall, each said strip member comprising a spring leg substantially transverse to the plane of said rear wall, a spring bight connected to said spring leg, said spring bight being secured to said rear wall, said spring leg having a free forward end provided with a detent projection which will yield to rearward pressure applied by the transparent pane until the latter snaps into position behind said projection, said detent projection comprising an angled end portion of the spring leg, said angled end portion being in resilient engagement with the upper beveled surface of the transparent pane, so that the resilient end portion of the spring leg holds the transparent pane in position, with the top end of the angled end portion being substantially flush with the top surface of the transparent pane.

Claim 3

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein the section of the spring leg which forms the detent projection is a transparent plastic material.

Claim 4

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein said transparent pane is embraced on all sides by said strip members.

Claim 5

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein said strip members have recesses and aluminum foil positioned within said recesses.

Claim 6

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein said transparent pane has rounded corners.

Claim 7

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein each of said strip member spring legs is drawn outwardly at the top lateral ends.

Claim 8

A quick-clamping passe partout according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal surface of the free forward end is convex on its inward edge.

Claim 9

A quick-clamping passe partout comprising a rear wall, a transparent pane having at least an upper beveled surface and adapted to be held substantially parallel to the front side of said rear wall and a plurality of strip members secured to said rear wall, said strip members being adapted to embrace the edge of said transparent pane and to hold it in position adjacent to the rear wall, each strip member comprising a spring bight secured to said rear wall and a spring leg secured to said spring bight, said spring bight being substantially C-shaped with a plurality of sections substantially parallel to said rear wall and a plurality of adjoining sections substantially transverse to the plane of said rear wall, said spring leg being provided at its free forward end with a detent projection which will yield to the outward pressure applied by the transparent pane until the transparent pane snaps into position behind said projection, said free forward end with a detent projection being angled towards the interior of the passe partout and in resilient engagement with the upper beveled surface of the transparent pane so that when the resilient end portion of the spring leg holds the transparent pane in position, the top end of the free spring leg is substantially flush with the top surface of the transparent pane.

Claim 10

A quick-clamping passe partout comprising a rear wall, a transparent pane having at least an upper beveled surface and adapted to be held substantially parallel to the front side of said rear wall and a plurality of strip members secured to said rear wall, said strip members being adapted to embrace the edge of said transparent pane and to hold it in position adjacent to the rear wall, each strip member comprising a spring bight secured to said rear wall and a spring leg secured to said spring bight, said spring bight being substantially C-shaped with a plurality of sections substantially parallel to said rear wall and a plurality of adjoining sections substantially transverse to the plane of said rear wall, said spring leg being provided at its free forward end with a detent projection which will yield to the outward pressure applied by the transparent pane until the transparent pane snaps into position behind said projection, said free forward end with a detent projection being angled towards the interior of the passe partout and in resilient engagement with the upper beveled surface of the transparent pane so that when the resilient end portion of the spring leg holds the transparent pane in position, the top end of the free spring leg is substantially flush with the top surface of the transparent pane.

Claim 11

A quick-clamping passe partout as claimed in claim 8, wherein said spring leg has a recess therein which holds a foil.

Claim 12

A quick-clamping passe partout as in claim 1 wherein said transparent pane also defines at least one lower beveled surface to facilitate positioning of the pane without difficulty adjacent to said rear wall.