Apparatus and method for assembling a picture frame joint

An apparatus for forming a picture frame joint, comprising:

• a support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• the support plate definining an aperture therethrough;
• a fence member mounted on the support plate;
• the fence member having a first end, a second end and an inner side;
• the fence member being positioned on the support plate with the aperture being proximal to the inner side of the fence member;
• a slide bracket mounted on the bottom surface of the support plate proximal to the aperture;
• a truck slidably residing in the slide bracket;
• an impact pin, having a free end, connected to the truck and slidably residing within the aperture with the free end of the impact pin extending above the top surface of the support plate.

An apparatus for forming a picture frame joint, comprising:

• a support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• the support plate defining a first aperture and a second aperture therethrough;
• a first fence member mounted on the support plate;
• the first fence member having a first end, a second end and an inner side;
• the first fence member being positioned on the support plate with the first aperture being proximal to the inner side of the first fence member;
• a second fence member mounted on the support plate;
• the second fence member having a first end, a second end and an inner side;
• the first end of the first fence member being connected to the first end of the second fence member forming a corner joint;
• the second fence member being positioned on the support plate with the second aperture being proximal to the inner side of the second fence member;
• the inner side of the first fence member and the inner side of the second fence member facing one another;
• a first slide bracket mounted on the bottom surface of the support plate proximal to the first aperture;
• a first truck slidably residing in the first slide bracket;
• a first impact pin, having a free end, connected to the first truck and slidably residing within the first aperture with the free end of the first impact pin extending above the top surface of the support plate;
• a second slide bracket mounted on the bottom surface of the support plate proximal to the second aperture;
• a second truck slidably residing in the second slide bracket;
• and
• a second impact pin, having a free end, connected to the second truck and slidably residing with the second aperture with the free end of the second impact pin extending above the top surface of the support plate.

A method of forming a corner joint, comprising the steps of:

• providing a support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• the support plate defining a first aperture and a second aperture therethrough;
• providing a first fence member mounted on the support plate;
• the first fence member having a first end, a second end and an inner side;
• the first fence member being positioned on the support plate with the first aperture being proximal to the inner side of the first fence member;
• providing a second fence member mounted on the support plate;
• the second fence member having a first end, a second end and an inner side;
• the first end of the first fence member being connected to the first end of the second fence member forming a corner joint;
• the second fence member being positioned on the support plate with the second aperture being proximal to the inner side of the second fence member;
• the inner side of the first fence member and the inner side of the second fence member facing one another;
• providing a first impact pin on the support plate;
• providing a second impact pin on the support;
• providing a first picture frame member;
• providing a second picture frame member;
• providing a connector having a first end and a second end;
• inserting the first end of the connector into the first picture frame member;
• inserting the second end of the connector into the second picture frame member;
• loosely assembling the first picture frame member, the second picture frame member and the connector together with the first picture frame member and the second picture frame member mated together;
• placing the first picture frame member against the first fence and the second picture frame member against the second fence with the first end of the connector proximal to the first impact pin and the second end of the connector proximal to the second impact pin;
• driving the first impact pin into the first end of the connector;
• driving the second impact pin into the second end of the connector;
• securing the first end of the connector to the first picture frame member;
• securing the second end of the connector to the second picture frame member;
• and
• securing the first picture frame member to the second picture frame member with the connector.