Interlocking frame assembly

Abstract

An interconnecting frame assembly including a picture frame body supported by a hanging rail. A protrusion on the frame body slideably engages a recessed area on the hanging rail so that the rail supports the frame body. Each frame body contains a male protrusion and a female recessed area to permit a second frame body to slideably engage the first picture frame body This configuration allows multiple picture frame bodies to be attached together while being supported by the rail.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An interlocking frame assembly for displaying a picture, the frame assembly comprising: 
 a frame body having a front wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of sidewalls projecting rearward from said front wall wherein said front wall supports the picture and said top wall contains a male protrusion extending therefrom and said bottom wall contains a female recess;    a rail for attaching to a vertical surface said rail having a female recess wherein said female recess is sized to receive said male protrusion of said frame body;    wherein said male protrusion of said frame body slideably engages said rail female recess such that said rail supports said frame body.    
     
     
         2 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 1  further including a second frame body, wherein said male protrusion of said second frame body slideably engages said female recess of said frame body.  
     
     
         3 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 1  wherein said male protrusion runs the entire length of said side.  
     
     
         4 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 1  wherein a faceplate is positionable over said frame body and securable thereto to hold and secure the picture over said frame body.  
     
     
         5 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 4  wherein said faceplate contains a top wall and two side walls projecting rearward from opposing ends of said top wall, wherein said side walls each contain a ridge to engage a groove on said frame body side walls so as to prevent separation of said cover and said frame body.  
     
     
         6 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 4  wherein said cover is a rigid, transparent acrylic material.  
     
     
         7 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 1  wherein said frame body is a rigid acrylic material.  
     
     
         8 . The rail of  claim 1  wherein the female recess is covered by a lip that runs along the entire length of said rail to conceal said recess.  
     
     
         9 . The rail of  claim 1  wherein said rail has a length equivalent to two times the length of a frame body of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . The rail of  claim 1  wherein a light is attached to said rail.  
     
     
         11 . The rail of  claim 1  wherein a nameplate is attached to said rail.  
     
     
         12 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 1  wherein said frame body and said rail are metal.  
     
     
         13 . An interlocking frame assembly for displaying a picture on a vertical structure comprising: 
 a first frame body having a front wall, a bottom wall and a top wall wherein said front wall supports the picture, said bottom wall contains a recessed area and said top wall contains a protrusion;    a second frame body having a front wall, a bottom wall and a top wall wherein said front wall supports the picture, said bottom wall contains a recessed area and said top wall contains a protrusion; and    wherein said second frame body protrusion slideably engages said first frame body recessed area such that said first frame body supports said second frame body and said first frame body conceals said second frame body protrusion.    
     
     
         14 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a rail wherein said rail contains a base portion and a lip attached to said base portion wherein said lip contains a recessed area such that said first frame body protrusion slideably engages said lip recessed area to support said first frame body.  
     
     
         15 . The interlocking frame assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a rail wherein said rail contains a base portion and a lip attached to said base portion wherein said lip contains a protrusion such that said first frame body recessed area slideably engages said lip recessed area to support said first frame body and to conceal said first frame body protrusion.  
     
     
         16 . An interlocking frame assembly for displaying multiple pictures on a vertical structure comprising: 
 a first frame body having a front wall, a bottom wall, a top wall and a first and second sidewall wherein said front wall supports the picture, said bottom wall contains a recessed area, said top wall contains a protrusion and said first and second sidewalls contain a groove;    a second frame body having a front wall, a bottom wall, a top wall and a first and second sidewall, wherein said top wall supports the picture, said bottom wall contains a recessed area, said top wall contains a protrusion and said first and second sidewalls contain a groove;    wherein said second frame body protrusion slideably engages said first frame body recessed area such that said first frame body supports said second frame body and conceals said second frame body protrusion to form a smooth connection surface; and    a faceplate for each frame body so as to cover each of said frame bodies wherein each face plate has a top wall, a first sidewall and a spaced apart and parallel second sidewall wherein said first and second sidewalls contain a ridge to engage said groove so as to attach said faceplate to said frame body thereby preventing separation.