US3471978A - Display fixturing - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 14, 1969 J. G. FENWICK 3,471,978

DISPLAY FIXTURING Filed Oct. 31, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR.

JAY G. FENWICK A Horn e y Oct. 14, 1969 J. G. FENWICK DISPLAY FIXTURING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct- 3l, 1966 Attorney Oct. 14, 1969 J. G. FENWICK 3,471,978

DISPLAY FIXTURING Filed Oct. :51, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet a FIG 3a I N VEN TOR.

(D JAY e. FENWICK Aflomev United States Patent 3,471,978 DISPLAY FIXTURING Jay G. Fenwick, Albert Lea, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Streater Industries, Inc, Albert Lea,

MillIL, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 590,832 Int. Cl. A47f /00; A47g 29/02; 1204f 19/06 US. Cl. 52-416 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to display fixturing for removably retaining a panel in a pair of first and second oppositely disposed, elongated pockets. A standard having a longitudinal side and a face on each end of the longitudinal sides is provided with a panel retainer. The panel retainer is provided with a central section and one of the opposed elongated pockets secured to the central section and slidable along one of the end faces. A resilient structure is interposed between the central section of the panel retainer and the longitudinal side of the standard for biasing the first pocket toward the panel to removably retain the panel in the pair of oppositely disposed first and second pockets. The panel may be urged toward the first pocket to collapse the resilient structure and permit removal of the panel from the second pocket.

In the past, wall systems have been provided in retail stores for dividing customer areas from stock areas. In addition, such wall systems have been utilized for supporting shelving, display cases and other fixtures for displaying goods to customers. Usually, the wall systems have been of a more or less permanent nature inasmuch as it has required considerable time and labor to modify the wall system once it has been constructed in place.

A characteristic of such prior wall systems is that of relatively high cost. Moreover, the systems have utilized as the main vertical support member, either single or double slotted standards, but the systems have not been adapted to use both single and double slotted standards. Further, vertical wall sections, such as panels, of the prior wall systems have been mounted permanently to or between the slotted standards. Accordingly, it has been necessary to remove nails, screws or other relatively permanent fasteners in order to dismantle the wall. If a permanent wall panel in the center of the wall system must be removed, it has been necessary to start the disassembly operation at one end of the wall and proceed to take down all the panels prior to removing the center wall panel.

Furthermore, the prior wall systems have utilized wall panels having bevelled edges. As a result, standard wall panels cannot be used, and special operations which are not easily performed in the field must be used to prepare a new wall panel if one is damaged during installation. In addition, most prior wall systems require wall panels that must be factory fabricated because of the close tolerances which are required to maintain module centers. A panel that is slighlty over size can in most cases be installed, but the dimensional error will multiply even in short runs. As a result, base assemblies, bunkers, tables, shelving, hangrod units, and wall hanging cases of many types cannot be installed because of the loss of the modular center line dimensions.

In addition to the relatively permanent nature of such prior wall systems, a number of such wall systems are inacceptable from the decor or aesthetic standpoint because the heavy steel facia of the slotted standards is exposed.

In an endeavor to provide more flexibility in display fixturing and to reduce the labor involved in modifying a wall system which has been installed, attempts have been made to provide individually removable wall panels between the upright standards. While in some cases the wall panels have been removable, this function has been provided by slotting the edges of the wall panels. The slotting operation is costly and, in general, cannot be easily accomplished in the field during the installation of a wall system. Thus, while such slotting operation may be suitable for a completely prefabricated installation, it is still desirable to provide a wall system which uses only standard wall panels.

Other attempts to provide removable wall panels have used clips and continuous moldings which extend behind the panels and are hooked over anchor points on the standards. In these situations, the panels are difficult to install because the anchor points or locking positions are hidden and the installer must depend on blind fastening. Panels can become disengaged and fall out or create alignment problems. Panels applied by such existing methods are loose and, when used in heavy traffic areas or where the noise level is high, they rattle or create a serious acousitcal problem.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved display fixturing which is relatively low in cost and which utilizes relatively few component parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wall system which may be utilized in conjunction with both single and double slotted standards.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide display fixturing including a vertical wall system which is provided with easily removable, standard wall panels.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of oppositely disposed, slotted, vertical standards for removably retaining veritcal wall panels in a wall system.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a channel shaped retainer mounted for movement relative to each of two oppositely disposed, vertical standards of a wall system, wherein each retainer is urged toward the other to removably retain vertical wall panels.

A related object of the present invention is to provide in a Wall system, panel retainers which are relatively movable in a horizontal direction to permit reception of vertical wall panels having non-uniform horizontal dimensions, such that the vertical wall panels are rigidly retained.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates display fixturing which may be in the form of a wall system including vertical wall panels which are easily removable yet firmly retained in position. The wall system may include a series of generally H-shaped modular components, including single or double slotted vertical standards interconnected with horizontally extending tie braces. When the modular components are utilized to form a wall system, rather than a short, individual wall unit such as a display fixture, a panel retainer having a resilient member, such as a spring, may be provided on each side of each vertical standard. On the other hand, only one retainer is used for each standard when a display fixture is provided with removable panels according to the present invention.

Channels are formed on opposite edges of each panel retainer. The retainers are biased toward each other by the springs for retaining a standard wall panel between the oppositely disposed channels formed in opposite pairs of the panel retainers.

The panel is mounted in the opposite channels by inserting one side of the panel into one channel and urging the channel toward the associated standard to provide sufiicient horizontal distance to allow insertion of the opposite side of the panel into the channel of the opposite panel retainer. With the opposite edge of the panel received in the opposite channel, the panel is released whereupon the springs urge the channels into firm engagement with the opposite sides of the panel to retain the panel in an upright position. The biasing action of the spnngs on the panel retainers exposes the single or double row of slots provided in the standard so that shelf brackets may be inserted into the slots if desired. Additionally, hooks provided on display fixture leg structures may be inserted into the slots to form the base of a display fixture which utilizes the wall panel as the back member.

The wall panel may be easily removed from the standards by merely urging the panel horizontally toward one of the standards to compress the springs against such standard and to release the other side of the panel from engagement with the opposite channel In th1s manner, the color or type of wall panels which are used can be easily changed in accordance with changing decor requirements or with seasonal changes. In addition, the ease of wall panel removal permits easy acceess to and utilization of storage space behind the wall system.

These and other objects will become readily apparent from the following details of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical wall system provided with removable wall panels in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the wall system of FIG. 1 illustrating wall panel retainers which are slidable relative to a single slotted standard of the wall system for removaby retaining a wall panel;

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c are cross-sectional views taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 illustrating the procedure used to insert a wall panel into opposite wall panel retainers; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing grooved wall panels received in and covering the wall panel retainers.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a perspective view of display fixturing embodied in awall system 12 which may be constructed according to the principles of the present invention. In the alternative, thedisplay fixturing 10 according to the present invention may be illustrated by a free standing,wall display fixture 14 which may be placed in line with thewall system 12.

Thewall system 12 may include aceiling support 16, such as a wooden 2 x 4, secured to theceiling 18 of a building such as a store. Beneath thesupport 16, there is a base 22 mounted on thefloor 24 of the store for defining a plane along which thewall system 12 extends. Mounted on the base 22 is abottom panel retainer 26 which is generally U-shaped and is provided with a pair of channel-shapedgrooves 28 which open upwardly. A series of short andlong standards 32 and 33, respectively, provided with either single or double rows ofslots 35, are shown mounted on thebottom panel retainer 26 at uniformly spaced intervals and extend upwardly toward thesupport 16. Ceiling ties 34 depend from theceiling support 16 at uniform intervals and extend into the long,hollow standards 33 for maintaining thestandards 33 vertical.Top cap 36 extends horizontally between pairs ofstandards 33 and are provided withtabs 38 for supporting theshort standards 32. Between the ceiling sup- P and thep ps 36 there may be mounted common wood 2 x 4 studding for supporting an ordinary wall structure, such as dry wall construction, to provide awall surface 42 extending from thetop cap 36 to theceiling 18. This structure may be fabricated from the relatively permanent dry wall construction inasmuch as the only changes which are usually made to thewall surface 42 between thetop cap 36 and theceiling 18 are color changes which are effected easily by painting thewall surface 42.

In many installations, however, relatively easy access must be provided to the area behind thewall system 12 where, for example, aservice panel 44 havingcircuit breakers 48 orwall outlets 46 may be located. To permit such easy access, thestandards 32 and 33 are substantially surrounded by a pair of oppositely disposedwall panel retainers 52 which are resiliently biased away from thestandards 32 and 33.Standard panels 54, such as sheets of plywood, pegboard, glass or other suitable material, are retained by thewall panel retainers 52 in a vertical position as shown in FIG. 1.Edges 55 of thepanels 54 need not have received any special machining other than that required to meet standard dimensional tolerances. Thepanels 54 may be used. for example, as the back of a display in conjunction withshelf brackets 56 for supporting horizontally extendingshelves 58. In addition, thepanels 54 may be used as back members in conjunction withleg assemblies 62 which are provided with hooked tabs (not shown) which extend into and engage theslots 35 provided in thestandards 32 and 33 to provide abase 64 for a display fixture 66. Also, spaced brackets 63 which supportcornices 72 may engage theslots 35 to provide an. easily removable cornice assembly which may supportlighting fixtures 74 or other suitable equipment for permitting ready visibility ofmerchandise 76 displayed on theshelves 58.

Slottedstandards 78 may also be provided as the vertical members of thefixture 14. Leg assemblies similar to theassemblies 62 may be used to maintain thefixture 14 upright. Awall panel retainer 52 is provided adjacent to each standard 78 of thefixture 14 for removably retaining apanel 54 in the same manner as thepanels 54 of theWall system 12 are retained.

Referring now in detail to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of one of the slottedstandards 32 or 33. Thestandards 32, 33 and 78 are fabricated with end faces 82 andlongitudinal sides 84 between the end faces 82. The standard 32 is shown mounted vertically and secured to totop cap 36 and to thebottom panel retainer 26.

Thestandards 32 and 33 includefasteners 86 which are provided with aslot 88 for receivingtabs 92 which are formed on theends 94 of the tie braces 96 for retaining the tie braces rigidly secured to thestandards 32 and 33. The tie braces 96 maintain lateral rigidity of thestandards 32 and 33 so that the wall system is sturdy.Side walls 98 of thefasteners 86 extend outwardly from thelongitudinal side 84 of thestandards 32 and 33 to position theend 94 of the tie brace at a given distance from thelongitudinal side 84 of thestandards 32 and 33.

On eachside 84 of thestandards 32 and 33, there is provided one of thewall panel retainers 52. Theretainers 52 may be fabricated from rolled steel stock, for example, into a generallyU-shaped section 102 corresponding generally to the cross-sectional configuration of thestandards 32 and 33. Thus, theU-shaped section 102 hasside walls 104 and a longerintermediate section 106 connecting theside walls 104. A channel-shaped extension orpocket 108 is formed on eachopposite side wall 104 of theintermediate section 102. The width of thepockets 108 is sufficient to receive one of theedges 55 of thepanels 54.

Eachwall panel retainer 52 which is utilized in conjunction with one of thestandards 32 and 33 is provided with anopening 112 which corresponds to the size of thefastener 86 secured to the standard 32 or 33. The opening 112 permits thewall panel retainer 52 to be inserted over thefastener 86 just prior to the assembly of thetie brace 96 with thefastener 86.

Theintermediate section 106 of thewall panel retainer 52 is provided with offsetsections 114. Resilient, generally B-shapedsprings 116 are provided with a centralflat section 118 which extends under the offsetsections 114 and are retained thereby to secure thesprings 116 to thewall panel retainer 52. The offsetsections 114 are spaced at selected intervals, such as 12 inches, along the length of thewall panel retainer 52 to mount thesprings 116 at frequent intervals. Eachspring 116 may be designed to exert a substantial force, such as ten pounds, against thewall panel retainer 52 so that apanel 54 received in theopposite pockets 108 of theretainers 52 is securely held in position. The action of thesprings 116 also exposes theslots 35 for reception of thebrackets 56, for example.

Referring now to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, the operation of thewall system 12 of the present invention may be understood. Spacedstandards 124 and 126, similar to thestandards 32 and 33, are shown (in cross-section) including theslots 35 formed in opposite end faces 82 thereof. The standard 124 is shown supporting abracket 128 which extends outwardly therefrom in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the standard 124. A pair of thewall panel retainers 52 is shown adjacent toopposite sides 84 of thestandards 124 and 126. It may be noted that eachintermediate section 106 of thewall panel retainers 52 is slightly longer than thelongitudinal side 84 of thestandards 124 and 126, so that a snug sliding engage-ment exists between the end faces 82 of the standards and theside walls 104 of thewall panel retainer 52. Thesprings 116 are interposed between thewall panel retainers 52 and thelongitudinal sides 84 of the standards.

In FIG. 3a, there is shown the first step in mounting one of thepanels 54 in vertical position in thewall system 12. It is noted that thewall panel retainer 52 is shown urged by thespring 116 so the left so that theintermediate section 106 of thewall panel retainer 52 abuts against theedge 94 of thetie brace 96. Thus, thewall panel retainer 52 is initially in what may be termed an out position wherein theintermediate section 106 is at the maximum permissible distance away from the standard 124. With thewall panel retainer 52 so positioned, theedge 55 of one of thepanels 54 is inserted into thepocket 108 of thewall panel retainer 52.

As shown in FIG. 3b, thewall panel 54 is then urged to the right to compress thespring 116 and advance thepocket 108 of the wa 11 panel retainer to the right. Thewall panel retainer 52 may tip or pivot slightly inasmuch as only onepanel 54 is being inserted. When thepanels 54 are inserted simultaneously into bothpockets 108 of a givenwall panel retainer 52, then the retainer slides along the end faces 82 without tipping. The movement of thepanel 54 to the right is effective to permit reception of theopposite edge 55 of thepanel 54 into thepocket 108 of the wall panel retainer to the right. Thepanel 54 is then released to permit the resilient action of thesprings 116 to move thepanel 54 into the position shown in FIG. 3c.

It may be appreciated that despite variations in the lateral dimensions of thepanels 54, thesprings 116 will be effective to snugly urge the oppositewall panel retainers 52 into engagement with thepanels 54 to produce a tight fit for retaining thepanels 54 in their vertical upright positions to form thewall system 12. It may be appreciated from FIGS. 3a-3c, that with thepanels 54 having a generally uniform horizontal dimension, aspace 132 will remain between adjacent edges 134 of thepockets 108 of thewall panel retainers 52 which straddle a single standard 122. Thespace 132 will be just sufficient to receive theshelf bracket 128, thus, when thewall system 12 is viewed as shown in FIG. 1, thespace 132 that is visible between adjacent retainer pockets 108 is minimized. The only visible portion of thestandards 124 and 126 is the row ofslots 35 which must be exposed to permit use of the brackets. Thus, theentire end face 82 of the standards is not exposed, which renders thewall system 12 useful in a wide range of architectural applications.

To remove one of thepanels 54 from thewall system 12, the panel is moved to the left, for example, as viewed in FIG. 3a, to compress thesprings 116 and to release from theopposite pocket 108 theedge 55 of the panel that was received in suchopposite pocket 108. The right edge of the panel is then pulled out of the right, oppositepocket 108. The panel is then moved to the right to remove theleft edge 55 of the panel from theleft pocket 108.

Referring again to FIG. 1, thefixture 14 may be fabricated in the same manner as thewall system 12 to provideremovable wall panels 54, except that thewall panel retainer 52 need only be mounted adjacent and thefasteners 86 need only be provided on the inside longitudinal sides 136 of the standard 78. Thus, thepanel 54 shown as a part of thefixture 14 may be easily removed and replaced as described in connection with FIGS. 3a3c to provide various types of panels, such as pegboard, etc., depending upon the intended use of thefixture 14.

While a primary advantage of thewall system 12 having the easilyremovable panels 54 is that thepanels 54 can be standard panels requiring no unusual edge treatment that cannot be performed orr-the-job rather than at the factory,panels 142 shown in FIG. 4 may be used in conjunction with thewall panel retainers 52. Thepanels 142 haveedges 144 provided withslots 146 for receivingflanges 148 of thepockets 108. Theouter edges 144 cover theflanges 148 and may be bevelled to provide the appearance of a V-shaped groove in conjunction with theadjacent panel 142. In this manner, thewall panel retainers 52 are completely hidden from view while thepanels 142 may be removed in the manner shown in FIGS. 3a-3c.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A display fixturing assembly for retaining a panel, which comprises: A first standard having a longitudinal side and an end face on at least one end of said longitudinal side; panel retaining means including a channel member having a central section, a loop offset therefrom and end faces, said end faces of said channel member slidable along said opposite end faces of said standard, at least one of said end faces of said channel member terminating in an exterior channel-shaped pocket which receives a first vertical edge of said panel, resilient means including a spring extending under said loop and having arcuate sections on each side of said loop for engaging said first standard and urging said pocket into firm engagement with said panel edge, a second standard spaced from said first standard, said second standard having panel retaining means for receiving a second vertical edge of said panel, said resilient means allowing movement of said panel relative to said panel retaining means.

2. A display fixturing assembly, which comprises:

a standard having a longitudinal side and an end face on at least one end of said longitudinal side; first retaining means provided on said standard; tie bar means secured to said first retaining means, said tie bar means having an end spaced a given distance from said longitudinal side of said standard;

panel retaining means slidable along said end faces and between said longitudinal side and said end of said tie bar means, said panel retaining means having an elongated pocket formed thereon; and

resilient means interposed between said longitudinal side and said panel retaining means for urging said elongated pocket away from said standard;

said end of said tie bar means being effective to limit movement of said panel retaining means away from said standard.

3. A vertical wall system including a pair of display fixturing assemblies according toclaim 2, wherein:

means are provided for mounting said standard of each assembly spaced from the other standard; and

a wall panel is provided having first and second opposite, vertical edges, one of said edges being received in each elongated pocket of said panel retaining means;

said resilient means permitting horizontal movement of said wall panel in the direction of said wall system, one of said ends of said tie bar means being effective during said wall panel movement to preclude movement of said corresponding panel retaining means so that further movement of said panel removes the edge of said panel from said pocket of said corresponding panel retaining means.

4. A display fixture, which comprises:

a pair of first and second elongated standards havin spaced front and rear end faces and at least one side wall connecting said front and rear faces, at least one of said front and rear faces having formed therein a series of slots;

means for mounting said first and second standards in generally vertical, spaced, parallel relationship with said side walls thereof positioned opposite to each other;

a first elongated member having a first intermediate section and a channel secured to each end of said first section, the inner walls of said channels slidably engaging said front and rear faces of said first standard;

a second elongated member having a second intermedidiate section and a channel secured to each end of said second section, the inner walls of said channels slidably engaging said front and rear faces of said second standard;

said channels having said inner walls slidably engaging said faces of said first standard being oppositely disposed from said channels having said inner walls slidably engaging said faces of said second standard;

a panel having opposed edges received in said opp'ositely disposed channels, said panel having a width which is less than the distance between the rows of slots in said first and second standards;

at least one spring secured to each of said first and second sections between said respective first and second members and said side walls of said first and second standards for urging said opposed channels toward said opposed edges of said panel to retain said panel, said springs urging said opposed channels along said front faces of said first and second standards to expose both said series of slots; and

shelving means including brackets having tabs extending into each of said exposed series of slots, and shelves mounted on said brackets.

5. In a store fixture provided with a pair of generally vertically extending, spaced standards and a base for vertically mounting said spaced standards, each of said standards having an inner side facing the other standard, the combination of:

a first generally U-shaped member facing said inner side of one of said standards, said member being provided On at least one end thereof with first channels which open oppositely with respect to said U- shaped member;

a second generally U-shaped member facing said inner side of the other of said standards, said second member being provided on at least one end thereof with second channels which open oppositely with respect to said second U-shaped member;

spring means interposed between each said standard and said associated one of said first and second members for urging said first and second channels toward each other; and

panel means having opposite sides received in said channels and maintained in assembled relationship with said standards by said urging action of said spring means on said first and second members.

6. A store fixture according toclaim 5, wherein:

a tie bar is secured to each of said standards, said tie bar having opposite ends thereof spaced a selected distance from said associated inner sides of said standards;

said panel means being removable from said channels upon movement of said panel means toward said second member;

said end of said tie bar associated with a first of said standards being effective to limit movement of said first channel so that continued movement of said panel means removes one side of said panel means from said first channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,372 6/1921 Forsyth 52-397 1,706,469 3/1929 Swanson 52238 1,746,088 2/1930 McHugh 52-401 X 2,643,170 6/1953 Vanderveld 52238 X 2,994,413 8/1961 Levy et al 52495 X 3,174,592 3/1965 Berman et al. 52-36 X 3,189,135 6/1965 SlOWinSki 52-241 3,209,869 10/1965 Hammitt 52-239 X FOREIGN PATENTS 613,513 1/1961 Canada.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner S. D. BURKE III, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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