Patent ID: 7536951

Claim:
A screen stretching frame for stretching a screen fabric comprising: a means for tautly holding a screen fabric, comprising: a plurality of tubular frame members each having an open end, said tubular frame members secured at their corners by corner brackets to form a rectangular frame, each of said frame members having a longitudinal channel, circular in cross section formed on an upper surface for receipt therein of tensioning means, each of said tubular frame members having a plurality of threaded locking members positioned between side walls thereof transverse to said longitudinal channel and positioned below said longitudinal channel; and means for adjustably altering tension on said screen fabric, said screen fabric laid across said tubular frame members, said means for adjustably altering the tension of said screen fabric comprising a tubular roller member positioned within each of said longitudinal channels on said tubular frame members, said tubular roller members sandwiching said screen fabric between said longitudinal channels and said tubular frame members, each of said tubular frame members having a fitting at each end for lateral tension and for rotation of said tubular member within said longitudinal channel for engaging said screen fabric and vertically tensioning the same, said plurality of locking members transverse to said longitudinal channel being simultaneously adjusted in tightness to compress said longitudinal channel about said tubular roller member and said screen fabric until the desired tautness is achieved; said tubular roller member positioned within each of said longitudinal channels having at least one locking means, said locking means comprising an inner circumferentially serrated ring receivable on said tubular roller member, and rotatable therewith, an outer ring slidable over said inner ring, said outer ring having a plurality of L-shaped cuts on one circumferential edge defining an inwardly angled gripping contact surface engagable with said inner circumferentially serrated ring so as to permit rotation of said tubular roller member in a single direction.