Patent ID: 8353327

Claim:
An adjustable canvas stretching assembly for stretching a canvas, the stretching assembly comprising: first, second, third, and fourth elongate stretching bars of generally rectangular hexahedron shape having, extending longitudinally from respective first end faces to opposed respective second end faces, opposed respective outer and inner faces extending adjacently between generally opposed rear and front faces, each first end face having at least one end channel extending axially from the first end face inwardly into the stretching bar along an axis defined by the stretching bar and an adjustable bolt disposed thereon and axially adjustable rear and forth along the axis by rotation of the bolt, each inner face having at least one inner channel extending inwardly into the stretching bar from the inner face and generally perpendicular the axis adjacent the respective second end face, the first and second stretching bars being of a first length and the third and fourth stretching bars being of a second length; and a plurality of connector members, each connector member being snugly insertable into an inner channel of one stretching bar and into the end channel of an adjacent stretching bar to connect, in an assembled configuration for the assembly, the first and second stretching bars generally perpendicularly to the third and fourth stretching bars with each first end face of each stretching bar connected to the inner face of an adjacent stretching bar and abutting against a head of the bolt, with the front bar faces defining a front side of the assembly and the rear faces defining a rear side of the assembly for attachment of the canvas thereto, the end channels and inner channels being positioned for registration of the second end face of each stretching bar with the outer face of an adjacent stretching bar connected thereto, wherein the stretching bars may be drawn away from one another when connected by rotating the bolts to stretch the canvas tightly across the front side of the assembly.