Picture display and storage device

Claim 2

A picture display and storage device comprising: a frame member having four sides forming a box-like receptacle opening rearwardly and a forward opening framed by beveled flanges, said flanges together with said sides forming a substantially rigid beam structure at tHe forward portion of said frame member; and an insert member removably secured within said box-like receptacle in said frame member, said insert member having a flat forward face positioned adjacent said forward opening; said frame member and said insert member being constructed to provide a mutual interference fit, one of said members being capable of flexing as necessary to permit said members to be mutually engaged, said members being held together by friction therebetween; said insert member being formed with end walls extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said flat forward face, said end walls having elongated ribs protruding therefrom for engagement with the inner surfaces of the first two opposite ones of said sides of said frame member; said insert member being formed with side wall portions extending rearwardly from the other opposite sides of said flat forward face, said side wall portions having a wedge-like protrusion extending outwardly adjacent said flat forward face for engagement with the inner surfaces of the second two sides of said frame member; said first two sides of said frame member being deflected outwardly by said insert member, thereby causing said second two sides to deflect inwardly to firmly engage said wedge-like protrusions; said insert member being formed with first cross beams extending between said end walls and second cross beams extending between said side wall portions, said first cross beams being perpendicular to said second cross beams, said first and second cross beams extending rearwardly from said flat forward face and being integrally formed therewith.

Claim 3

The picture storage and display device recited in claim 1 wherein each of said end walls and side wall portions are formed with an arcuate cutout on their inwardly directed faces for purposes of hanging said device; said side wall portions are centered on said opposite sides of said flat forward face.

Claim 4

A picture display and storage device comprising: a frame member having four sides forming a box-like receptacle opening rearwardly and a forward opening framed by beveled flanges, said flanges together with said sides forming a substantially rigid beam structure at the forward portion of said frame member; and an insert member removably secured within said box-like receptacle in said frame member, said insert member having a flat forward face positioned adjacent said forward opening; said frame member and said insert member being constructed to provide a mutual interference fit, one of said members being capable of flexing as necessary to permit said members to be mutually engaged, said members being held together by friction therebetween; said insert member being relatively rigid and formed with end walls extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said flat forward face, said end walls having elongated ribs protruding therefrom for engagement with the inner surfaces of the first two opposite ones of said sides of said frame member, a portion of said flat forward face adjacent said end walls extending inwardly parallel to said end walls less than half way to the center of said flat forward face being removed to permit the outer ends of said end walls to deflect inwardly; said ribs, when engaging said first two sides, causing said outer ends of said end walls to deflect inwardly a sufficient amount to permit said insert member to enter said box-like receptacle, said outer ends of said end walls being biased toward their normal position to positively retain said insert member and said frame member together; said insert member being formed with first cross beams extending between said end walls, side wall portions centered on said opposite sides of said flat forward face and second cross beams extending between said side wall portions, said first and second cross beams being mutually perpendicular, extend rearwardly from said flat forward face and are integrally formed therewith.

Claim 5

A picture display and storage device comprising: a frame member having four sides forming a box-like receptacle opening rearwardly and a forward opening framed by beveled flanges, said flanges together with said sides forming a substantially rigid beam structure at the forward portion of said frame member; and an insert member removably secured within said box-like receptacle in said frame member, said insert member having a flat forward face positioned adjacent said forward opening; said frame member and said insert member being constructed to provide a mutual interference fit, one of said members being capable of flexing as necessary to permit said members to be mutually engaged, said members being held together by friction therebetween; said insert member being relatively rigid and formed with end walls extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said flat forward face, said end walls having elongated ribs protruding therefrom for engagement with the inner surfaces of the first two opposite ones of said sides of said frame member, a portion of said flat forward face adjacent said end walls extending inwardly parallel to said end walls less than half way to the center of said flat forward face being removed to permit the outer ends of said end walls to deflect inwardly; said ribs, when engaging said first two sides, causing said outer ends of said end walls to deflect inwardly a sufficient amount to permit said insert member to enter said box-like receptacle, said outer ends of said end walls being biased toward their normal position to positively retain said insert member and said frame member together; said insert member being formed with first cross beams extending between said end walls, side wall portions centered on said opposite sides of said flat forward face and second cross beams extending between said side wall portions, said first and second cross beams being mutually perpendicular, extend rearwardly from said flat forward face and are integrally formed therewith.

Claim 6

The picture storage and dispLay device recited in claim 3 wherein each of said end walls and side wall portions are formed with an arcuate cutout on their inwardly directed faces for purposes of hanging said device.

Claim 7

A picture display and storage device comprising: a frame member having four sides forming a box-like receptacle opening rearwardly and a forward opening framed by beveled flanges, said flanges together with said sides forming a substantially rigid beam structure at the forward portion of said frame member; and an insert member removably secured within said box-like receptacle in said frame member, said insert member having a flat forward face positioned adjacent said forward opening; said frame member and said insert member being constructed to provide a mutual interference fit, one of said members being capable of flexing as necessary to permit said members to be mutually engaged, said members being held together by friction therebetween; said frame member including outer sides which extend continuously over one-half of the periphery of said sides, said outer sides extending rearwardly from the rearward edge of said sides a distance substantially equal to the width of said sides, the inside faces of said outer sides rearward of said sides and the outside faces of said sides being formed with mutual engaging means for locking together two of said frame members.

Claim 8

A picture display and storage device comprising: a frame member having four sides forming a box-like receptacle opening rearwardly and a forward opening framed by beveled flanges, said flanges together with said sides forming a substantially rigid beam structure at the forward portion of said frame member; and an insert member removably secured within said box-like receptacle in said frame member, said insert member having a flat forward face positioned adjacent said forward opening; said frame member and said insert member being constructed to provide a mutual interference fit, one of said members being capable of flexing as necessary to permit said members to be mutually engaged, said members being held together by friction therebetween; said frame member including outer sides which extend continuously over one-half of the periphery of said sides, said outer sides extending rearwardly from the rearward edge of said sides a distance substantially equal to the width of said sides, the inside faces of said outer sides rearward of said sides and the outside faces of said sides being formed with mutual engaging means for locking together two of said frame members.

Claim 9

The picture storage and display device recited in claim 5 wherein the outside surface of said outer sides are textured to disguise the mating line between the outer sides of one frame member and the outer sides of the other frame member when said one and said other frame members are joined together.

Claim 10

The picture storage and display device recited in claim 5 wherein said beveled flanges extend rearwardly to form a plane against which a picture is held by said insert member and extend forwardly of said side, the rearward edges of said outer sides being beveled to mate with that portion of said flanges extending forwardly of said sides when two of said frame members are joined together.