US2940601A - Shelf construction - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1960 w. G. SMITH SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 6, 1958 FIG.6

United States Patent SHELF CONSTRUCTION Walter G. Smith, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Hussmann Refrigerator Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 713,632

8 Claims. (Cl. 211-93) This invention relates generally to shelf constructions and more particularly to a bracket support for a shelf.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive construction for releasably mounting a shelf on a supoprting structure. More specifically, it is an object to provide brackets for supporting the shelf, and retaining means for releasably securing the brackets to the shelf in a manner that permits the brackets to be moved between a vertical shelf supporting position and a folded position for shipping or storage of the shelf and brackets.

Another object is to provide a bracket adapted to be assembled on a shelf without requiring tools or permanent fastening means, the bracket also being removable from the shelf without the use of tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring hinge construction for mounting brackets on a shelf and for retaining the brackets in either shelf supporting or folded position thereon.

These and still other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

Briefly, the present invention comprises in combination with a shelf, a bracket having a side wall with a margin adapted to be engaged on a supporting structure, a flange connected to the side wall and having an opening therein, and means connected to the shelf and having a free end releasably received in the opening of the flange of the bracket for securing the bracket to the shelf.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and wherein like numerals re fer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf construction embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the shelf construction showing the bracketin shelf supporting position,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the bracket and shelf in folded shipping position,

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the keeper member and bracket member.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is ern bodied in abracket construction 10 for mounting ashelf 11 on anupright structure 12 and in a retaining orkeeper member 13 for releasably securing thebracket 10 to theshelf 11.

Theupright structure 12 is of conventional construction and includes a substantially vertical wall orpanel 15 forming a backing for theshelf 11. A column of horizontally-extending vertically-spacedpins 16 or the like may be provided at each end of thepanel 15, or the panel may be interrupted by an intermediate column of pins (not shown), if desired. Thepins 16 are equally spaced so that vertical adjustment of theshelf 11 is permitted.

Theshelf 11 is formed of suitable material, preferably metal, and includes a longitudinal body having upper andlower surfaces 17 and 18 and a downturnedfront flange 19 adapted to support a price tag moulding (not shown) for listing the prices of merchandise to be supported on theupper surface 17 of the shelf. The shelf also has a downturnedrear flange 20 andend flanges 21. The ends of therear flange 29 adjacent to theend flanges 21 are preferably notched or cut away as at 22 to receive thebracket member 19.

Thebrackets 10 and retainingmembers 13 are employed in pairs to support theshelf 11 on theupright structure 12, but inasmuch as they are identical only one will now be described. Thebracket member 10 is preferably formed of strong n'gid metal and includes afirst wall 25 having a rearward margin contoured to provide spacedrecesses 26 adapted to accommodate three adjacent pins 16 of theupright structure 12. The rearward margin also includes alock finger 27 adapted to extend behind thepin 16 immediately above the pins received in therecesses 26. It is. apparent that thebracket member 10 can be quickly engaged on the pins manner.

16 or removed and adjusted thereon. When thebracket member 10 is engaged with theupright structure 12 in shelf-supporting position, thefirst wall 25 is in a vertical position.

Thebracket member 10 is assembled on theshelf 11 quickly and efliciently without requiring the use of tools. In assembled position, the vertical orfirst wall 25 of the bracket is adjacent to and substantially parallel with theend flange 21. As shown best in Fig. 3, thewall 25 is relatively thin and is permitted to project rearwardly beyond theshelf 11 with thelocking finger 27 and recesses 26 in position to engage thepins 16 by reason of thenotch 22 cut in therear flange 20 of the shelf.

A second wall orflange 28 is connected to or formed integral with thefirst wall 25 at the upper margin of the latter, thesecond wall 28 extending from the first wall at a. substantially right angle. The second wall is provided with an opening preferably in the form of anelongated slot 29 having a predetermined length, theslot 29 being formed in spaced relation with thefree edge 30 of thesecond wall 28 to define abar 31 therebetween. Theslot 29 also extends substantially parallel with thefirst wall 25. When thefirst wall 25 is engaged with thepins 16, thesecond wall 28 is in horizontal shelf-supporting position. The retainingmember 13 is provided to releasably retain thebracket 10 in assembly with theshelf 11, as will now be described.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 6, theretaining member 13 comprises aclip member 32 having oneend 33 secured to the underside of theshelf 11 in any suitable In the presentembodiment, a channel-shaped member 34 is provided and includes outwardly turned flanges 35 secured to theshelf 11 byspot welds 36 or the like. Theend 33 of theclip member 32 is connected to or formed integral with the bottom-defining wall 37 of thechannel member 34 and is spaced below thelower surface 18 of theshelf 11. The other or free end of theclip member 32 is stamped or otherwise formed to define achannel 38 extending transversely of theshelf 11 or substantially parallel with the elongated slot 29in the bracket membersecond wall 28.

For purposes of disclosure, the present embodiment of theclip member 32 includes a spring leaf portion 39 (Fig. 6) extending angularly upwardly from the bottom wall 37 of thechannel member 34 and having a first 6 gated slot receiving the arcu'ate lip of the free end porher is positioned, said second portion also including an tion therein. arcuate abutment in contact with the bracket adjacent to 8. In a shelf construction including a shelf and a the opening therein. bracket having a first wall engageable with an upright References Cited in the filc of this patent support and a second Wall for supporting the shelf; the 5 improvement which comprises retaining means for releas- UNITED STATES PATENTS ably mounting the bracket on the shelf, said retaining 447,758 Cash Mar. 10, 1891 means including a clip member having a first portion con- 449,134 Porter Mar. 31, 1891 nected to the shelf, a second portion engaged with the 930,734 Dahl Aug. 10, 1909 bracket and a spring portion connecting said first and 10 1,973,829 Tobold Sept. 18, 1934 second portions, said second wall of the bracket having 2,845,187 Bianchi July 29, 1958 an opening in which the second portion of said clip mem- 2.879.561 Rieder Mar. 31, 1959

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