Mailable display holder

June 7, 1949. a. mathewson 2,472,166

MAILABLE DISPLAY HOLDER

Filed Dec. 10, 1946

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Patented June 7, 1949

2,472,166

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,472,166

MAILABLE DISPLAY HOLDER

Albert Mathewson, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application December 10, 1946, Serial No. 715,168

Claims.

Tllis invention relates to a greeting or display card.

It is^: an object of this invention to provide a card adapted to carry a greeting, a picture, or a photograph, which may be folded up fiat for storage or mailing, and which may be readily opened up to support the card in- an inclined position, so that it may rest upon a desk or a mantle, so that the picture will be firmly displayed at a suitable angle for visibility.

It is a further object to provide a card of the character described which will be firmly supported in every direction When erected, and which can be cheaply manufactured and assembled, and yet which is easily opened from the flat condition to the display condition.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application Of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is·a perspective view showing a card embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is· a similar view with the parts lying almost in the fiat position. Fig. 3 is an extended view of the blank from which the card is folded, this view being to a slightly reduced scale.

Referring now to- Fig. 1, showing the card in its erect position, the stand portion of the card comprises three sections herein marked 10, it·, and 12, which are so folded together that they form a base having a fiat bottom, which is the section II, and an arcuate top composed jointly of the sections 10 and 12. The section 10, as shown, is roughly about five-sixths as long as the section 11, and it has two transverse slots in it, one near the outer end, 13, is relatively short measured in the direction of extension of the card blank, and has a stepped edge to provide a wider portion near the end shown at 14 extending outwardly further toward the side edges of the strip than the remainder, leaving- tabs 14 α, which define the narrower portion. The other slot, 15, is spaced inwardly from the slot 13, and is of the same' general character except that both portions of it are longer in the direction of the card blank, thereby providing a wider extended: portion formed by wider notches 16 and wider tabs 16α.

(Cl. 40—124.1)

The sections K) and if, and the sections ί 1 and 12 are separated· from- each other by fold lines &lt;7, and 18ζ. both of which are depressed as seen in Fig. 3, that is¹ the fold line itself is bent 5 downwardly. The sectioh 20 joihs- the' section 12 by a fold line 19. The' section' 12,. extending from the fold line 18 to the·' fold line 19, as will be seen in Fig. 2 will fold ujk over the' end of the section' iff to- extend beyond the slot 13 when the 10' card is in the' completely folded position. But when its fcild 19 to hblfl in ailighment with the slot by portion 20^s,. as seen in Fig. 1, it will hold the upper part of the stand iff arched position. The fold line 19¹ is¹ also depressed, that is, bent 15' downwardly.·

The section 20^s extending from the' fold line: ί 9 to^- the fold line' 21&gt; is·’narrower than- the remainder of the card, and is of the same size ot only slightly smaller than the’ narrow pOrttafi of the slot 13. 20· This: section^- 20 is Of’ a length as will be seen from Fig. 1 to haW' ite terifiinal' fold line 2'1 bear against the bOttdiff pOrtftm I f When the card is in display cofiditioh;· add brace: the parts 10 and- 1'2 iff ai-chCd SWe.· TH'd fold line 21 is 25 pressed upwardly.

The^: section 22' e&amp;teffdm^ frbiff the^- fold line 21 to the fold line 23 is of ai fefigi® to extend from the bottoiri If wheridn-thb' display position to the topmost pOftibn of the card.

Iff the' card aS^- sfioWff, the fold lines 17' and 23 in the flat condition are substantially' in alignment with each other, arid this is- convenient where if is iiiteh'ded to’ tfa'fisiftit the card as a postal card^- or greeting: Card^J or picture card.

where' this is desirable; this will iff fact determine the length of the section 22, as will be readily seen ffo'rii Fig. 2'. Tliis IS,·. However, not a limitation dr cHaiacthrfstfc of- the card‘ and the fold liffe 23 may extend'way beyond the line 40 the only limitatiori being that the card shall not extend high- enough above the base to make the device unstable. The section 22' is provided with a- notch 2-4 substantially the· same distance .. from the fold line· 2Ϊ as the-fold line-1-9, and this ⁰ notch is deep enough so that its' inner edge is in alignment with the narrower portion of the slot 13; With· this· construction,, when the card is to-be folded- intodhe- position! shown- in Fig. 1, ₆₀· the fold line’ W is iriserteff through the slot 13 at the wider portion· 14, whdreiupon it will be held in· place^- as· soon a's the· notch 24 comes in position to spring over the lip I4H which forms the narrower portion of the notch. In this po65 sition, the fold line 2'1 teiids to'open out enough

2,472,166 to give a springy effect, pushing the slot over the lip.

The last section of the card 25 extending from the fold line 23 to the end of the card is the portion which carries the picture or message for display. Its effective length is determined by the upper edge 26 of notches 27 in its lower corners thus forming a tab 28. The length of this section 25 then measured from the fold line 23 to the upper edge 26 is such as to give to the card, in the upright position, the slant which is most desirable to exhibit the message or picture.

In the upright position of the card, these upperedges 26 rest upon the sides of the narrow portion of the slot 15, as will be seen from Fig. 1, so that the tab 28 extends down through the slot to hold the card in position.

To flatten the card, it is only necessary to press the two sections 25 and 22 together, thereby pressing the lower end of the section 25 into the wider portion of the slot 15, at the same time pressing the section 22 backwardly into the wider portion of the slot 13. Thereupon the sections 22 and 25 fold as a unit, as will be seen in Fig. 2, down flat over the sections i 0 and 11. They may be sealed with any convenient sealing means such as a small strip of adhesive tape.

In opening the card, it is only necessary to break the seal and pull up the section 23 to the upright position, whereupon the natural resiliency of the material of the card automatically holds the notches 24 in engagement with the side edges of the slot 13, and thus raises the sections i 0 and 12 to their arched position. At the same time, the lower edge of the section 25 is guided into the narrow portion of the slot 15 where it will rest securely, held in engagement by the resiliency of the fold 23.

From the foregoing it will be clear that a card of this description may be stamped from a single sheet, and may be assembled rapidly by hand or by machinery with a minimum of effort, and without the necessity of any gluing operations. It will also be clear that the card may be held In either upright or folded position simply and effectively without any sealing except for the adhesive tape above referred to.

It will also be clear that this display card may be used as a greeting card, or as a picture postcard, or it may be used as a support for a photograph, as may be desired, and in any case the message or greeting is fully protected against being damaged or soiled while in the folded position, and is supported against being crushed, by the strength which is given to it by the remainder of the card.

In the folded position, the upper portion of the section 22 and the lower portion of the section 11 are both exposed, and one of these may be used for the address and stamp, and the other may be used for a message, if desired. If the card is used as a picture card, that portion of the upper face of the section 10 which is immediately in front of the section 25 may be used to display a legend pertaining to the picture or any other greeting desired.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.