Variable frame for the reception of naturally stiff display articles

Claim 1

Apparatus for framing and displaying one or more sheets comprising in combination: at least one sheet having lateral edges, a generally U-shaped member for placement over at least one of the edges, the member having a center section and a pair of spaced-apart legs protruding from the center section, the spacing between the legs being greater than the thickness of the sheet so that sheets of varying thicknesses can be received in the U-shaped member, one of the legs depending at an acute angle from the center section towards the other one of the legs and having itself an L-shaped cross-section so that said one leg ends in a protrusion extending away from a remainder of said one leg and of the center section, the U-shaped member further including a longitudinally extending rib protruding from the center section, spaced from and extending towards said one leg; a tightening bar having a triangular cross-section and defining a pair of perpendicular sides and an angularly inclined side joining the perpendicular sides, the perpendicular sides engaging the sheet and the center section, respectively, so that the angularly inclined side faces said one leg of the U-shaped member, the perpendicular side engaging the center section being further disposed between the sheet and the rib; and clamping means for applying a force to the tightening bar for moving the bar parallel to the center section towards and into engagement with the sheet so that the sheet is clamped between the bar and said other one leg of the U-shaped member, the clamping means being defined by a clamp having a generally T-shaped cross-section in engagement with said one leg and the rib, a bolt threadably engaging the clamp and positioned to engage the tightening bar so that the bolt can be threaded against the bar for applying said force, the clamp further including an arm extending at an angle from a remainder of a bar and positioned to be generally parallel to the other leg of the U-shaped member, the arm including means for securing the arm and therewith the clamp, the U-shaped member and the sheet to an upright support wall.