US2562497A - Display rack - Google Patents

Description

R. A. KLEIN DISPLAYRACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1948 S N M m T A R. A. KLEIN DISPLAY RACK July 31, 1951 v Filed Jul 19, 1948 2 $heets$heet 2 2 2wt 2 2 F 1 2M; 2 6 .2 22 2 WV 6 6 MK awk 6 2 2 v ,F L. r 12f. D kg 2 i 2 g 2.: 2 1

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Patented July 31, 1951 DISPLAY RACK Richard A. Klein, Boston, Mass, assignor to Mc- Cormick & 00., Incorporated, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application July 19, 1948, Serial No. 39,443

6 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in display racks or the like for use in stores to display merchandise; and the principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel, and efiicient rack consisting of a frame formed of rods or tubing, of metal or the like,adapted to support in superimposed relation, a plurality of shelves formed of expanded metal, which shelves are adjustable, supported at their ends, in the end members of the frame.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a front perspective View of the display rack.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the frame thereof, with the shelves removed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of an expanded metal shelf.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified expanded metal shelf.

As shown, the frame of my novel display rack preferably comprises a pair of identical end members, formed of rods or tubes of metal or the like, each end member comprising a front rod I, rounded rearwardly as at m at its upper end, and extending rearwardlyas at Ib to form the top rod of the frame member, the inner end of top rod I b being directed downwardly as at lo, the rods l and I0 converging upwardly, and the rod I sloping upwardly and rearwardly, as shown. Between the rods I and I0 adjacent the top thereof are a plurality ofcross rods 2 which are secured by welding or the like to the rods l-Ic, the same making a slight angle with the horizontal and sloping downwardly and rearwardly as shown.

The lower end of rod I is bent upwardly and rearwardly as at Id and the lower end of rod is is bent upwardly and forwardly as at Ie, the upper ends of the portions Id-Ie being secured by welding or the like to thelower cross rod 2.

Extending downwardly from the upper rear corner ofeach end member is arod 3, disposedsubstantially parallel with the rod I, same terminating at thelower cross rod 2 and being secured to the rods Ib and 2. Between the rods I and 3 are a series of shelf supports 4 secured to the said rods I and 3 by welding or the like, the same preferably being of relatively small diameter, and thesupports 4 being substantially evenly spaced apart and disposed parallel with thecross rods 2. Between the end members of the frame are horizontal bars 5 connecting therods 3 of the respective end members, said bars 5 as shown in the drawing having their ends curled as at 5a around the saidrods 3. Bars 5 are maintained in spaced relation by means of an inverted U-shaped member, thelegs 6 of which are spaced apart a distance less than the lengths of the bars 5, the lower ends of thelegs 6 terminating opposite the lower bar 5, and the top member 6a of the U-shaped member being disposed at substantially the height of the u per rear ends of the top rods lb, as shown in Fig. 2. The legs 5 are secured by welding or the like to the respective bars 5. Cross members I are provided for the U-shaped member, secured to the lower bar 5 adjacent the lower ends of thelegs 6 and to the remaining bars 5, the upper ends of the cross members I being secured to the top member 6a of the U-sha ed member adjacent the upper corners thereof, the cross members I thereby imparting rigidity to the U-shaped member 66a to revent racking thereof.

Below the top member 6a of the U-shaped member is arod 8 having its ends secured to thelegs 6 adjacent their upper end and also secured to the cross members I, and inverted V-shapedmembers 9 are secured in horizontal spaced re-- lation to the top member 6a and therod 8. The frame, above described, forms a rigid structure in which the shelves may be placed and supported in different spaced vertical elevations or positions.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shelves ID are pre erably formed of sheets of expanded metal or the like, having closely spaced openings therein for the purpose of reducing weight, the ends of the shelves I0 being flanged downwardly as at I [la (Fig. 3), each shelf I0 being of length slightly greater than the spacing between therods 2 and 4 of the said end members of the frame, the front and rear corners of theshelves 10 being recessed as at lob and I (Fig. 3) so that the shelves may be passed between the rods I and 3 of the respective end members in order to rest upon thecross rods 2 or 4 of the end members of the frame.

The front of each shelf ii is flanged downwardly and is covered by a solid strip 1 i (Fig. 3) extending the full length of the shelf, each strip H being secured to the front of the downturned flange in any desired manner so as to conceal the same and to provide a flat base for the spaced undercut horizontal strips I2-I3 (Fig. 3) at the top and bottom edge of each strip I l which strips serve as a guide for a paper or other indicia strip (not shown) in the customary manner, the indicia strip being insertable between the guide strips I 2-! 3 from the ends of thebase 11.

The rear end of each shelf i0 is rounded upwardly as at ltd (Fig. 3) to rest against thelegs 6 of the U-shaped member at the rear of the frame. In order to stiffen and form a finish for the outer ends of theflanges 10a and the sides and tops of the flanges Hid, the margins are preferably folded back upon themselves and welded together, as indicated at Hie. Thus, the shelves l0 form rigid unitary structures, and the same may be inserted in the frame so that their ends will rest upon any of the sets ofcross rods 2 or 4 of the end members of the frame, the same ordinarily resting upon thecross rods 2, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The recesses lilb-Idc in the corners of each shelf ID are of sufficient depth to allow the shelves to be readily inserted and withdrawn from their respective positions in the frame members. For instance, in order to withdraw a shelf from the frame, one end must be raised to clear thecross rods 2 or 4 upon which the shelf rests, and the shelf then shifted toward the opposite frame to release the raised corner, whereupon the shelf may be removed by merely lifting the said opposite end of the shelf and withdrawing same from between the rods i and 3 of the said opposite end members.

The backs llld of the shelves l0 preferably, but not necessarily, conform with the spacing between thecross rods 2 of the frame members, the back id of the lowermost shelf it filling the gap between the twolowermost cross bars 2, while the backs Ifld of the remaining shelves ID, with the exception of the uppermost shelf, filling the gaps between theirrelated cross rod 2. The up permost shelf if! is adapted to seat upon theupper cross bar 2 and its back ltd terminates substantially flush with the top rod 50. of the inverted U-shaped member of the frame.

Instead of using the shelf structure shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a modified structure may be used as shown in Fig. l, the same being formed of expanded metal having its front edge turned down and covered by the solid strip l! at the upper and lower edges of which are provided the horizontal strips [2 and 13. In this modification the entire end of each shelf is not flanged down wardly as in Fig. 3, but a central portion thereof is flanged downwardly as at its: to serve the same purpose as the flange llia, Fig. 3, thereby dispensing with the necessity of providing the recesses I62) and [0c as shown in Fig. 3.

By the above construction, a simple and efficient display rack is provided in which the shelves H] are each adjustable with respect to vertical spacing by increments equal to the spacing between thecross rods 2 and 4 of the end members. The articles to be displayed may be placed upon the shelves l0, and suitable indicia inserted between the guide strips l2 and I3 of the respective shelves and disposed opposite or in front of the related merchandise. The frame and shelves are easy to construct, require no extraneous fastenings such as bolts or screws to secure the parts together, and the rack will obviously be of rigid construction.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a display rack having a series of vertically spaced shelves, a frame comprising a back member and end members; each end member comprising substantially vertical front and rear rods converging upwardly and connected at their upper ends by a top rod, a series of spaced crossrods sloping downwardly and rearwardly and connected with the said front and rear rods, an intermediate rod extending from the upper rear corner of the end frame to the lowermost crossrod and disposed substantially parallel with the front rod and connected with the series of crossrods, and a series of other cross rods disposed parallel with the first series and connected with the front rod and intermediate rod; said back member connecting said end members and maintaining same in spaced relation; and said shelves in the frame having their ends resting upon the said cross-rods.

2. In a rack as set forth inclaim 1, said back member being of inverted U-shape and having a series of cross-bars connected to and extending beyond the legs of the U-shaped member, with their outer ends connected with the inter mediate rods of the respective end members; and opposed diagonal bars connecting the top member of the U-shaped member adjacent the cor ners thereof and the said cross-bars respectively.

3. In a rack as set forth inclaim 2, a bar disposed parallel with and below the top member of the U-shaped member with its ends secured to the said legs; and a series of spaced backing members connecting the said bar and top memher.

4. In a rack, a frame having end members; each end member comprising substantially ver tical front and rear rods converging upwardly and connected at their upper ends by a top rod, a series of spaced cross-rods sloping downwardly and rearwardly and connected with the said front and rear rods, an intermediate rod extending from the upper rear corner of the end frame to the lowermost cross-rod and disposed substantially parallel with the front rod and connected with the series of cross-rods, and a series of other cross rods disposed parallel with the first series and connected with the front rod and intermediate rod.

5. In a display rack, a frame having a. back member and end members having intermediate upright bars supporting cross-bars; said back member connecting said end members and maintaining same in spaced relation; said back mem-- ber being of inverted U-shape and having a seriesof cross-bars connected to and extending beyond the legs of the U-shaped member with their outer ends connected with the respective end members; and opposed diagonally disposed bars connecting the top member of the U-shaped member adjacent the corners thereof and the said cross-bars respectively.

6. In a rack as set forth in claim 5, a bar disposed parallel with and below the top member of the U-shaped member with its ends secured to the said legs; and a series of spaced backing members connecting the said bar and top member.

RICHARD A. KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Jarvis Oct. 18, 1927 Leng May 21, 1929 Biescar May 22, 1934 Griffith June 5, 1934 Spang Jan. 1, 1935 Rubenstein May 25, 1937 Jesse Apr. 19, 1938 Lundstrom Oct. 25, 1938 Young Dec. 22, 1942 Chappory Apr. 6, 1943

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