Picture grip

Dec. 27, 1949 κ. s. barnes etal 2,492,411

PICTURE GRIP

Filed May 2, 1947

<img file="US2492411A_D0001.tif" />

-7¾ y=Z -7¾

<img file="US2492411A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US2492411A_D0003.tif" />

Patented Dec. 27, 1949

2,492,411

UNITED STATES PATENT

OFFICE .2,492,411

PICTURE GRIP .Katherine S. Barnes, Greensboro, and Kenneth

Application May 2,1947,. Serial No. ,7J5,544 (Cl. .2-18-29) :

.Claim.

This invention relates to means for firmly holding a picture frame and .the like in adjusted position so that due to touching the same while wiping the Wallsr'oriby'''drafts ^!Of’wind entering the. room, ,|t wjll not become jlisplaced, but when 'once ifis'talied’ wiiii'tfie Vertical ,'4'kis In' ’perfectly vertical position, will retaiii’’th’isl)feition permanently Unless intgntfo’hally' moved to another position.

- Tiie Invention broadly consists of one or more resilient members Having an adhesive surface on opposite 'sides^Eereif and .'adapted to W pressed against the ba&amp;klo'iver'portiOh^bf ΰ picture frame assembly, and this picture .is- usually hung from .the top half, .and .when the picture is-perfectly alined in a vertical position, ' the lower front portion of the picture frame can have pressure exerted thereon to cause the side of the member which is resting against the wall to be adhesively secured to the wall. The adhesive on opposite sides of the member is such that it will adhere to any material used in the construction of picture frames and walls. It will stick equally well on smooth or rough surfaces such as wood, metal, plastic and paper, which is painted or unpainted.

The principle of anchoring the lower ends of picture frames in position is quite an improvement over devices heretofore used which not only pierced the back of the picture frame but also pierced the wall, thus marring the wall in the event that the picture should be removed to another location. The pad or member adapted to be secured to the lower edge of the picture frame is designed to be shock-absorbing so that jars, air currents and the like will not dislodge the picture from its desired position. Another important feature is that the bottom of the picture frame is held sufficiently away from the wall which eliminates soiling and collection of dust, also upon removal of the picture from the wall, there is no mark left to mar the appearance of the wall.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a picture and frame and showing a portion of the wall surrounding the frame, and showing the invention in position in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2—2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the invention;

Figure 4 is an isometric view of a portion of the lower end of a picture frame assembly and shoeing $ie invention already installed on the back pf the picture 'frame and ready to' be pressed against .the wall- to adhesively secure the lower wall. ^....... ’

Referring'more' specifically to the drawings, the numeral Ϊ0 indicates the wait of a robin while JI indicates a picture frame which'is’i^u'j^'r^tem^jta'^;even Ihougli'this invention'will equally apply to oval frames or frames of any 10 shape, in the picture frame shown'inthe'drawings, there are side pieces 12 and .1,3 and a top portion J,4 and_a. bottom'portion‘i 5. Tn dne form of picture assembly, there is' a glass pane 11 against which the picture Ί8 is placed and a back15 .ing_Lbqar&lt;i 49 is secured, in position by any suitable means such as tacks 20. 'Then a'suitable sheet of paper or other material 2 i is placed over the entire picture frame and is adhesively secured to the back surfaces of the picture frame.

One method of hanging picture frames is to secure a hooked member 25 to the wall and to secure eye bolts 26 and 21 to the rear surfaces of the side members 12 and 13 and in these eye bolts a picture wire 28 is secured and the central portion is hooked over the hook 25. When the picture is hung, it is customary for the person doing the work to stand at some distance in front of the picture and see that it hangs perpendicularly. In course of time due to touching the picture frames in dusting the walls or due to strong drafts of wind entering the room, the picture moves away from vertical position and presents a very untidy appearance in the room and is indicative of poor housekeeping.

Heretofore, various means have been devised for anchoring the lower portion of the picture frame in position to prevent moving of the frame, but such means have usually consisted of a barb embedded in the picture frame and also in the wall, thus not only marring the picture frame, but marring the wall so that in case the picture is removed to another location, there is a bad spot left on the wall.

We have overcome these defects by providing a resilient member 29 having adhesive surfaces on its front and rear portions and which is adapted to be adhesively secured to the picture frame and also to the wall. This resilient block or member 29 can be of sponge rubber, or any resilient material, but in the form of the invention shown, we have shown it made of a corrugated board comprising layers 30 and 31 with a zig-zag layer 32 disposed between the portions 31 and adhesively secured thereto to hold the members 30 and 31 in spaced relation to each other. It is

2,492,411 very much the same type of corrugated board used in the manufacture of paper shipping containers.

On the exterior surfaces of portions 30 and 31 we provide a special adhesive covering which is 5 indicated as at 34 and these adhesive surfaces are covered by suitable non-absorbent sheets of gauze such as indicated at 35 and 3B. When a picture is ready to hang, the adhesive gauze 35 is removed from one surface of the member and 10 the member is firmly pressed against the back surface of the lower portion 15 of the picture frame. Then the other sheet of gauze 36 is removed and the picture is hung and is sighted to cause its side pieces 12 and (3 to be in per- 15 fectly vertical position. Then the picture hanger will take his thumb and press against the exterior surface of the lower portion 15 of the picture frame to press the adhesive surface of member 30 into intimate contact with the wall and «a thus the picture frame will be anchored in position so that drafts of wind, touching of the same during a dusting operation and the like, will not displace the same from its truly vertical position. 25

While we have shown only one resilient member associated with a frame, it is evident that on larger frames, two or more of such members may be used.

In the drawings and specification there has so been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.