US 5,052,462 AGranted

Canvas tensioning picture frame

OwnerJohn Stobartinventor

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Abstract

A canvas tensioning picture frame formed by a plurality of adjacent frame members having complementary first and second half-cavities formed in the ends thereof, a complementary half-bore extending between the first and second cavities, a first disk having a central aperture, a second disk having a central aperture, and a frusto-conical screw having a head sized to be received by the central aperture of the first disk. The first disk is disposed within a first cavity formed of the two first half-cavities of adjacent frame members and is manually rotatable therein. The second disk is disposed within a second cavity formed of the two second half-cavities of adjacent frame members and is firmly engaged therein to limit relative movement of adjacent frame members. The frusto-conical screw is turned by rotating the first disk and thus driving the frusto-conical screw downwardly into a bore formed by the two complimentary half-bores of adjacent frame members. This action urges the two adjacent frame members apart, thus increasing the enclosed area of the frame and stretching a canvas attached thereto.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A canvas tensioning picture frame comprising:

(a) a plurality of frame members arranged to form a frame over which a canvas may be disposed;
(b) a complimentary first half-cavity formed in the end of at least two of said frame members such that when said frame members are abutted, a first cavity is formed;
(c) a complimentary second half-cavity formed adjacent said first half-cavities such that when said frame members are abutted, a second cavity is formed;
(d) a complimentary half-bore formed intermediate said first half-cavities and said second half-cavities such that when said frame members are abutted, a bore is formed, said bore extending from the first cavity to the second cavity.
(e) a first disk having a central aperture formed therein, said disk rotatably disposed within said first cavity;
(f) a second disk disposed within said second cavity, said second disk firmly engaging said complimentary second half-cavities formed in adjacent frame members to restrict the relative rotation thereof;
(g) a frusto-conical screw slidably disposed within the central aperture of said first disk such that rotation of said first disk causes a like rotation of said frusto-conical screw, the threads of said frusto-conical screw engaging said bore;
and
(h) wherein rotation of said first disk drives said frusto-conical screw into said bore and operates to move the two adjacent frame members apart.

6 more elements

A method for stretching canvas upon a picture frame comprising the steps of:

(a) forming complimentary first half-cavities in the ends of at least two frame members such that when said frame members are abutted a first cavity is formed;
(b) forming complimentary second half-cavities adjacent said first half-cavities such that when said frame members are abutted, a second cavity is formed;
(c) forming complimentary half-bores intermediate said first half-cavities and said second half-cavities such that when said frame members are abutted, a bore is formed, said bore extending from the first cavity to the second cavity;
(d) abutting at least two frame members such that first and second disks are captured within the first and second cavities thereof, the first disk having a central aperture formed therein;
(e) arranging a plurality of frame members into a desired frame configuration, at least two of said frame members being those with first and second disks captured within first and second cavities thereof;
(f) urging a frusto-conical screw into the central aperture of the first disk;
(g) rotating the first disk to drive the frusto-conical screw into the bore;
and
(h) wherein driving said frusto-conical screw into said bore operates to move the adjacent frame member apart.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.