Abstract:
A mounting system for displaying planar articles ( 13 ) comprising a plate ( 10 ) of a magnetic material, a plurality of fingers ( 12 ) projecting from the plate ( 10 ), the fingers ( 12 ) having co-planar support surfaces, and magnets ( 14 ) that can be placed in register with the support surfaces so that corners of the planar articles ( 13 ) are sandwiched between the magnets ( 14 ) and the support surfaces of the fingers ( 12 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    This invention relates to mounting systems for displaying photographs, cards, pictures, prints, posters, notes, films and the like. Such a mounting system is hereinafter referred to for convenience as a mounting system for displaying planar articles. 
         [0002]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of mounting system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting system for displaying planar articles comprising a plate of a magnetic material, a plurality of fingers projecting from the plate, the fingers having co-planar support surfaces, and magnets that can be placed in register with the support surfaces so that corners of the planar articles are sandwiched between the magnets and the support surfaces. 
         [0004]    A plurality of openings are preferably formed in the plate, which is conveniently of a ferromagnetic material, preferably stainless steel, and the fingers are preferably disposed around the openings. 
         [0005]    The openings are typically of rectangular form and the fingers are preferably at the corners of the openings. 
         [0006]    According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting system for displaying planar articles comprising a plate of a magnetic material, the plate having a substantially planar presented support surface, a plurality of tabs projecting from the plate from the side thereof opposite to the presented support surface, the tabs having co-planar presented surfaces, and magnets that can be placed in over corners of the planar articles so that the corners of the planar articles are sandwiched between the magnets and the presented support surface of the plate. 
         [0007]    A plurality of openings are preferably formed in the plate, and the plate is preferably formed of stainless steel. 
         [0008]    The tabs preferably project from the plate adjacent the corners of the openings, which may be of generally square form. 
         [0009]    A plurality of plates may be joined together to form a cube or other three-dimensional form on which a plurality of photographs can be mounted or for the mounting of photographs or coloured films around a lamp. 
         [0010]    The mounting system may also be used as a point of sale display and the term “planar articles” is to be interpreted as including articles that include a generally planar portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a mounting system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention supporting and displaying an array of photographs, 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a formed stainless steel plate of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the mounting system shown in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a mounting system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention supporting and displaying an array of photographs, 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a first perspective view of a formed stainless steel plate of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the formed steel plate of  FIG. 5 , showing the opposite side of the steel plate. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    The mounting system shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  includes a perforated formed steel plate  10  having a plurality of generally rectangular openings  11 . The formation of the openings  11  serves to reduce the weight of the display system. At each corner of each opening  11 , there is an up-standing raised mounting finger  12  having a planar presented support surface. The mounting fingers  12  support the photographs  13  and, as shown, the photographs  13  are of such size that one photograph  13  is supported by the fingers  12  surrounding each individual opening  11 . It will be appreciated that the mounting system could be used, for example, for supporting photographs, cards or posters having a size corresponding to two, four or six or more openings  11 . 
         [0018]    Small rare-earth disc magnets  14  are placed over the corners of each photograph  13  so that the corners of the photographs  13  are sandwiched between the magnets  14  and the support surfaces of the mounting fingers  12 . The magnets  14  are visible from the front of the display but, as they are relatively small and are located at the corners of the photographs  13 , they do not detract from the aesthetic appeal of the photographs  13 . 
         [0019]    The steel plate  10  is provided with through apertures  15  adjacent the corners thereof so that it can be fastened by screws or nails to a supporting substrate (not shown). It can also be bonded to, or suspended from, a supporting substrate and a pair of slots  16  are accordingly formed in the steel plate  10  to facilitate suspension of the steel plate  10 . 
         [0020]    In use, the steel plate  10  is concealed by the display of photographs  13  but the fingers  12  hold the display of photographs  13  at some distance from the supporting substrate giving the impression of a substantial frame. 
         [0021]    The mounting system shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6  includes a perforated formed steel plate  20  having a plurality of generally square openings  21 , with diagonal strips extending between opposite corners of the square openings  21 . The formation of the openings  21  serves to reduce the weight of the display system. Adjacent the corners of the openings  21 , there are rearwardly extending tabs  22  having co-planar presented surfaces. The configurations of the tabs  22  are best shown in  FIG. 6  and they project from the main body of the plate  20  from the side thereof opposite to that against which the photographs  23  are placed. 
         [0022]    As shown, the photographs  23  are of such size that one photograph  23  registers with each individual opening  21 . It will be appreciated that the mounting system could be used, for example, for supporting photographs, cards or posters having a size corresponding to two, four or six or more openings  21 . 
         [0023]    Small rare-earth disc magnets  24  are placed over the corners of each photograph  23  so that the corners of the photographs  23  are sandwiched between the magnets  24  and the adjacent surface of the steel plate  20 . The magnets  24  are visible from the front of the display but, as they are relatively small and are located at the corners of the photographs  23 , they do not detract from the aesthetic appeal of the photographs  23 . 
         [0024]    The steel plate  20  may be provided with through apertures adjacent the corners thereof so that it can be fastened by screws or nails to a supporting substrate (not shown). It can also be bonded to, or suspended from, a supporting substrate. 
         [0025]    In use, the steel plate  20  is concealed by the display of photographs  23  but the tabs  22  hold the display of photographs  23  at some distance from the supporting substrate giving the impression of a substantial frame. 
         [0026]    The particular embodiments illustrated are intended to display an array of sixteen standard-sized photographs but other embodiments may be arranged to support the photographs or the like in some other regular or irregular array, and may be arranged to support photographs of different sizes or even a single poster. 
         [0027]    A number of steel plates may be secured together to form a mounting frame for supporting, for example, a cube of photographs. An alternative frame design could comprise a plurality of plates joined together to form a cube or other three-dimensional form for the mounting of photographs or coloured films around a lamp.