Importance

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Abstract

A clamping device for holding flexible sheet material and the like includes a longitudinally elongated receiving member having a receiving channel across which the sheet material passes. A wedging member breaks the plane of the surface of the sheet material and forces the material into the receiving channel. The receiving member includes a base that intersects with the lower edge of a lip member and the lower edge of a rear wall member that is parallel to and spaced apart from the lip member. The intersection of the respective inner surfaces of the base, rear wall and lip member define the receiving channel wherein the lip member inner surface is inclined toward the inner surface of the rear wall. Pulling action on the sheet material in a direction away from the base and along the lip member inner surface tends to urge the wedging member edge into clamping engagement with the sheet material passing between the wedging member edge and adjacent the lip member inner surface whereby the device is held in a self-clamping condition. The clamping device is releasable by providing a force on the sheet material in a direction away from the base and along the inner surface of the rear wall which tends to urge the edge of the wedging member in a direction away from the lip member inner surface and releases the sheet material clamped therebetween. The clamping device is disclosed in another embodiment in combination with a billboard structure wherein a flexible bulletin face sheet material is mounted on and clamped to the billboard structure.

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First Claim