Apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like, comprises a long, narrow strip of thin ferromagnetic spring steel, and a number of small tacks embedded with rare earth magnets or other magnets. A tape-like dispenser stores unused tacks and a portion of the strip that has yet to be used. The strip of spring steel is covered on one face by a strong adhesive. The adhesive side, when the strip has not been used, is covered by a protective layer, such as wax paper. The spring steel is rolled up inside the dispenser. The strip may be divided at regular intervals by a cut through the protective paper and adhesive layer, the cut line scoring the spring steel. The cut and score facilitates snapping the spring steel by bending it back and forth at the division line. Any length of the strip can be dispensed and broken at a selected score line, the unused portion remaining inside the dispenser. The strip of spring steel springs flat when dispensed. After the strip is broken at one of the score lines, the protective paper is removed from the dispensed strip, and the strip is mounted using the adhesive side onto a substantially vertical surface. The mounted strip of spring steel may be used as a bulletin board surface to receive the magnetic tacks.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A strip of ferromagnetic metal for use as a bulletin board for attaching an item along with a magnetic tack on a substantially vertical surface, comprising: 
 a ferromagnetic layer; and    at least one adhesive layer attached to one side of the ferromagnetic layer,    wherein the strip is applied via the at least one adhesive layer to the substantially vertical surface, and the other side of the ferromagnetic layer is used for attaching the item using the magnetic tack.    
     
     
         2 . The strip of  claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic layer comprises spring steel.  
     
     
         3 . The strip of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a protective layer attached to an outermost one of the at least one adhesive layer,    wherein the protective layer is removed before the strip is applied via the at least one adhesive layer to the substantially vertical surface.    
     
     
         4 . The strip of  claim 3 , wherein the strip is divided at regular intervals by a cut through the protective layer and adhesive layer.  
     
     
         5 . The strip of  claim 4 , wherein the cut scores the ferromagnetic layer to form a division line, and the strip is snapped by bending the strip back and forth at the division line.  
     
     
         6 . The strip of  claim 1 , wherein an unused portion of the strip is stored in a dispenser.  
     
     
         7 . The strip of  claim 6 , wherein the strip is rolled up inside the dispenser.  
     
     
         8 . The strip of  claim 6 , wherein a selected portion of the strip stored in the dispenser is dispensed while another portion of the strip remains contained in the dispenser.  
     
     
         9 . The strip of  claim 8 , wherein the dispensed portion of the strip springs flat when dispensed.  
     
     
         10 . The strip of  claim 6 , wherein the other side of the ferromagnetic layer is preprinted with a predetermined design.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for attaching an item to be displayed on a substantially vertical surface, comprising: 
 at least one magnetic tack; and    at least one strip comprising ferromagnetic metal,    wherein one face of each of the at least one strip is covered by an adhesive for applying the one face to the substantially vertical surface, and another face of each of the at least one strip provides a surface for attaching the item using the at least one magnetic tack.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnetic tack comprises a rare earth magnet.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the ferromagnetic metal is spring steel.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive on the one face of the at least one strip is covered by a protective paper, and the protective paper is removed before the at least one strip is applied to the substantially vertical surface.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of the at least one strip is divided at regular intervals by a plurality of score lines, and a selected length of a strip is broken at a selected one of the plurality of score lines.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a dispenser, wherein unused portions of the at least one strip are stored in the dispenser.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a dispensed strip dispensed by the dispenser is mounted, via the adhesive on the dispensed strip, onto a substantially vertical surface, and the mounted strip is used as a bulletin board surface to receive the at least one magnetic tack.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each of the at least one strip is divided at regular intervals by a plurality of score lines, and a selected portion of a strip which is dispensed by the dispenser is broken at a selected one of the plurality of score lines, with an unused portion of the strip remaining contained inside the dispenser.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one strip is rolled up inside the dispenser.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a length of a strip which is dispensed from the dispenser springs flat after the length is dispensed.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the dispenser includes a tack storage compartment.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein 
 the dispenser comprises an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder placed concentrically within the outer cylinder,    the at least one strip is wrapped around the inner cylinder in a first space which is between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and    a second space which is surrounded by the inner cylinder includes a tack storage compartment.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the dispenser further comprises a spring attached to an interior wall of the outer cylinder, the spring maintaining pressure on the at least one strip against an exterior wall of the inner cylinder to keep the at least one strip from unwinding in an interior of the outer cylinder.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the outer cylinder includes at least one window through which the at least one strip is dispensed.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the dispenser further comprises a cylindrical lid which is threaded into a ledge on one end of the inner cylinder, the cylindrical lid being turned in a first direction to turn the inner cylinder, and in a second direction opposite to the first direction to release the cylinder lid.