Container for pictures having similar formats

Claim 1

Container having a substantially rectangular outline for the accommodation of a pile of pictures of similar formats, consisting essentially of two parts which can be moved relative to one another and which, when in an open position, permit the pile to be removed, one of the parts comprising a housing having an upper and lower shell united together and having a transparent viewing window with edges in the upper shell, the other of the parts comprising a slider member which is slidable into the housing in a direction parallel with the viewing window, the parts in a closed position of the container, having a format similar to that of the piled pictures the uppermost of which is presented at the viewing window, the container having outer edges defining the outer perimeter of the container in closed condition, all viewing window edges being at substantially equal distances from the outer edges of the container so that the viewing window is framed substantially equally at all edges thereof by border surface portions of the container, the container having picture engaging centering elements therein at locations spaced substantially equally inwardly from all perimeter edges of the container in closed condition and by means of which, when the container is closed, at least all the edges of the uppermost picture are aligned with respect to the viewing window edges, said viewing window having dimensions substantially equal to those of said pictures, and said centering elements being disposed substantially perpendicular to said viewing window plane and coincident with the outline thereof for maintaining the entire uppermost picture within the viewing window.