Phonograph record and album frame

A phonograph record and album frame having a base member, a frame member cooperating and releasably engageable with the base member to define an enclosed space for encompassing an article to be held in the frame, and a holding member selectively cooperating with the base member to hold an article in a desired position within the enclosed space. The base member preferably has a cylindrical recess formed in its upper surface for receiving a phonograph record. A bore extends through the base member to receive a shaft of a holding member than holds the record within the recess. When an album is positioned within the frame, the head of the holding member is positioned adjacent the lower surface of the base member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
The present invention provides a frame for displaying a phonograph record, 
a phonograph album, a phonograph sleeve, or a like article. The term 
"album" hereinafter is used to identify an album, record sleeve, or like 
item. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Known in the prior art are holders for video discs and like items. Also, 
known are frames for holding and displaying "gold" and "platinum" records. 
Such frames or holders, however, are not readily adaptable to selectively 
display either a phonograph record or phonograph album. 
Some examples of previously known holders are U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,416, U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,107,783, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,831. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a frame for selectively displaying a 
phonograph record, a phonograph album, or a like item. The materials used 
to construct the frame are selected so that the frame is useful for 
permanent display. 
One embodiment of the present invention provides a phonograph record and 
album frame having a base member, a frame member cooperating with the base 
member to define an enclosed space for encompassing an article to be held 
in the frame, and a holding member for selectively retaining an article in 
a desired position within the enclosed space. 
Considering one embodiment of the base member in more detail, it has an 
upper surface provided with a cylindrical recess having a diameter equal 
to or slightly larger than the diameter of a phonograph record to be held 
in the frame. When the frame is designed for use for a record of the type 
commonly referred to as a "45", a cylindrical projection having a diameter 
equal to or slightly less than the opening in the center of the record 
projects upwardly from the bottom of the recess. A through bore is 
provided in the base member coaxially with the axis of the recess. A 
holding member having an enlarged head is inserted into the through bore 
so that the head engages and retains a phonograph record in the recess. 
When an album cover is to be retained with the frame, the shaft of the 
holding member is inserted into the through bore from the opposite 
direction so that the enlarged head is positioned adjacent to a lower 
surface of the base member. Thus, should a user subsequently desire to 
display a phonograph, the holding member is readily available. 
The frame member is shaped similar to a picture frame and has an exterior 
support frame holding a transparent plate member that allows viewing of 
the phonograph record or album positioned within the enclosed space. In 
one embodiment, a portion of the support frame is frictionally engageable 
with the peripheral edge of the base member to form the frame. 
The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in 
the detailed description of the preferred embodiments hereinafter 
presented.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present description will be directed in particular to elements forming 
part of, or cooperating more directly with, the present invention. 
Elements not specifically shown or described herein are understood to be 
selectable from those known in the art. 
Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1 to 3 in particular, one 
embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and will be described 
in connection with a phonograph record and album frame, generally 
designated 10. The frame 10 includes a base member 12, a frame member 14, 
and a holding member 16. 
As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the base member 12 has an upper surface 18 
with a cylindrical recess 20 formed therein. The diameter of the recess is 
equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of a record or other item 
22 to be received in the recess. Provision is made on the upper surface 
for identifying indicia of the record received in the recess, such indicia 
being schematically represented by the blocks 24 and 26. A cylindrical 
projection 28 extends upwardly from the bottom surface of the recess 20. 
The diameter of the projection 28 is equal to or slightly smaller than the 
diameter of the circle encompassed within the record 22. A bore 29 extends 
through the thickness of the base member 12 and, preferably, is coaxial 
with the axis of the recess 20 and the axis of the projection 28. 
Preferably, one, or more preferably, two, elongated grooves or recesses 30 
are formed in the lower surface of the recess 20 to facilitate insertion 
or removal of a record 22. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, such grooves 
30 do not extend to the rear or lower surface 32 of the base member. 
Provision of the grooves makes it possible to install or remove a record 
by contacting only the inner boundary of the record. No contact is 
required with the outer boundary or recorded portion of the record. 
As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the projection 28 has a top surface that is 
coplanar with the upper surface 18 of the base member 12. Thus, the two 
surfaces cooperate with each other to provide support for a phonograph 
album 34 encompassed within the frame. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holding member 16 has a shaft 36 that 
is frictionally engageable in the bore 29. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 
2, and enlarged head 38 of the holding member 16 is engageable with a 
record to thereby retain the record within the recess 20. When the frame 
10 is used to hold an album, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the enlarged head 
38 is positionable adjacent the lower surface 32 of the base member 12. In 
this manner, the holding member is readily accessible should a user 
subsequently desire to display a record within the frame. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that frame member 14 has an 
exterior support frame 40 that holds a transparent plate member or piece 
of glass 42. Glass is preferable to avoid the yellowing problem often 
encountered with plastic. In the illustrated embodiment, the support frame 
40 has a recessed groove receiving the plate member 42 so that a pleasing 
esthetic appearance is presented. The support frame 40 also has a portion 
frictionally engageable with side edges of the base member 12 in such 
manner that an enclosed space is defined between the upper surface 18 of 
the base member 12 and a lower surface of the plate member 42. Such 
enclosed space is sized to receive either the record 22 or the album 34 
and protects the received item from dust or other contamination. It also 
is possible to position the record 22 in the recess 20 and then to 
position the album between the record and the plate 42. In the latter 
case, the head of the holding member 16 would be positioned adjacent the 
rear surface of the frame. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present invention, 
generally designated 100, is illustrated. The frame 100, like the frame 
10, includes a base member 112, a frame member 114, and a holding member 
116. A bore 129 extends through the thickness of the base member 112. The 
diameter of the bore is substantially equal to the diameter of the shaft 
of the holding member 116 and equal to the diameter of the spindle 
receiving opening formed in the record 122. The record 122 is of the size 
conventionally referred to as either a "33" or a "78". This embodiment is 
used in the same manner as the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. 
Previously, specific embodiments of the present invention have been 
described. It should be appreciated, however, that these embodiments have 
been described for the purposes of illustration only, without any 
intention of limiting the scope of the present invention. Rather, it is 
the intention that the present invention be limited only by the appended 
claims.