U.S. patent number 3,602,472 [Application Number 04/880,321] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-31 for shelf supports.
Invention is credited to Anthony J. Smyth-Tyrrell.
United States Patent |
3,602,472 |
Smyth-Tyrrell |
August 31, 1971 |
SHELF SUPPORTS
Abstract
A shelf-supporting assembly consisting of hollow uprights which
are slotted to hold shelf-supporting brackets, each upright having
a vertical row of slots through one pair of opposite sides, these
being arranged in offset relation so that rear ends of horizontally
adjustable brackets in the upright overlap.
Inventors: |
Smyth-Tyrrell; Anthony J.
(Herongate, EN) |
Family
ID: |
10475640 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/880,321 |
Filed: |
November 26, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 26, 1968 [GB] |
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56070/68 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/242; 108/108;
211/187 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
57/045 (20130101); A47B 96/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
57/04 (20060101); A47B 96/00 (20060101); A47B
57/00 (20060101); A47B 96/14 (20060101); A47g
029/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/243,235,241,244,245
;108/106,107,109,110,152 ;211/148,148A,177,134 ;52/36,727,728
;287/189.35 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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626,905 |
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Jan 1963 |
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BE |
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372,442 |
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Nov 1963 |
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CH |
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Primary Examiner: Foss; J. Franklin
Claims
I claim:
1. A freestanding shelf-supporting structure consisting of the
combination of an upright and a bracket supported thereby, said
upright comprising a tube with a pair of opposite parallel sides, a
vertical row of spaced-apart rectangular colinear slots through
each said side with the slots of one row offset in a vertical plane
with respect to those of the other row, a central spacing
projection extending up from the center of the bottom edge of each
slot, said bracket comprising a shelf-supporting part and two
vertically spaced-apart hook limbs extending from the rear of said
part and each tapering rearwardly each said hook limb of a length
in excess of one half of the distance between said parallel upright
sides, said hook limbs being spaced to enter superposed upright
slots, a series of spaced-apart slots in the lower edge of each
hook limb for the selective engagement of one slot of each limb on
the lower edge of an upright slot for selective angular setting of
the shelf support part.
2. A freestanding shelf-supporting structure as claimed in claim 1
wherein the lower edge of the upper hook limb is concavely curved
and the lower edge of the lower edge of the lower hook limb is
convexly curved.
3. A freestanding shelf-supporting structure as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the projection comprises an upstanding rib.
4. A freestanding shelf-supporting structure as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the projection comprises a central vertical strip.
5. A freestanding shelf-supporting structure as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the said opposite parts include inset parts having the
slots therethrough.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
United Kingdom applications No. 56070/1/68 filed 68.11.26.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns shelf supports and in particular
bracket-supporting uprights which are hollow and have slots
therethrough to receive and retain bracket ends, the uprights being
what are known as Gondola or free standing, having slots along one
opposite pair of sides so that shelves can be supported at said
opposite sides of two or more uprights by brackets, the rear ends
of which engage in the slots.
The brackets have rear limbs to enter selected slots, these limbs
having cutouts in from edges to engage on horizontal edge portions
of said slots so that the brackets extend forwardly from the
uprights, and by engaging selected cutouts the angular position of
a bracket can be adjusted.
Where bracket limbs engage in slots in the opposite sides, it is
necessary for the rear end portions of the brackets in the hollow
uprights to be arranged so that those entering from one side of the
upright do not interfere with those entering from the other side.
Thus the projection depth of the rear parts can be small, so that
the rear parts do not extend beyond the central plan of the upright
with respect to the slotted sides. This, however, means that the
projecting parts must be small, limiting the degree of angular
adjustability, or the distance between the slotted sides must be
greater than is necessary to give adequate support.
The object of this invention is to provide an improved form of
upright which is of small dimensions in horizontal cross section,
but in which rear bracket portions entered from opposite sides can
overlap without mutually interfering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a freestanding
shelf supporting structure consisting of the combination of an
upright and a bracket supported thereby, said upright comprising a
tube with a pair of opposite parallel sides, a vertical row of
spaced apart rectangular colinear slots through each said side with
the slots of one offset in a vertical plane with respect to those
of the other row, a central spacing projection extending up from
the center of the bottom edge of each slot, said bracket comprising
a shelf supporting part and two vertically spaced-apart hook limbs
extending from the rear of said part and each tapering rearwardly
each said hook limb of a length in excess of one half of the
distance between said parallel upright sides, said hook limbs being
spaced to enter superposed upright slots, a series of spaced-apart
slots in the lower edge of each hook limb for the selective
engagement of one slot of each limb on the lower edge of an upright
slot for selective angular setting of the shelf supporting
part.
Conveniently the lower edge of the upper hook limb is concavely
curved and the lower edge of the lower edge of the lower hook limb
is convexly curved .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of a part of one form of upright,
FIG. 2 is a section on the line A--A, FIG. 1,
FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2 of modifications, and
FIG. 5 is a side view of a rear part of one form bracket, and
FIGS. 6A-6D show the bracket in its various adjusted positions.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown, the upright comprises a rectangular cross section tubular
member 10 with one pair of opposite sides 11, 12, each having a
vertically colinear row of equispaced slots 11a, 12a, respectively.
It will be seen that the slots of one row are offset in a vertical
plane with respect to those of the other row, each row being offset
to one side of the common centerline of the sides.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the upright is fabricated from
two facing channel section parts the side limbs of which have bent
back ends 11c, 12c, the channel section parts being retained in
place by side strips 13, 13, with bent back ends 13a, 13a, these
strips serving to hold the channel section parts into a unitary
structure, the assembly being pressed to close the end parts on to
the side limbs.
In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the upright consists of a tube 10 of
rectangular cross section.
The lower edge of each slot has an upstanding nib or projection 14
which serves to space the rear bracket parts.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the upright is formed with
one pair of opposite sides having inset parts 11b, 12b, which are
in parallel relation, each part having slots 11a, 12a. The upright
conveniently is made in two parts, welded or brazed upon the lines
W--W. In FIGS. 2 and 4, the two parts are identical, thus
facilitating manufacture.
Instead of a dividing projecting nib, a central vertical strip such
as 14a can divide each slot vertically into a pair of parallel
slots in all embodiments, those of each pair receiving two
side-by-side bracket rear end parts.
The rear end part of a bracket is shown in FIG. 5. It consists of a
shelf-supporting part 15 nd rear spaced-apart limbs 15a, 15b,
shaped so that each part can enter a slot of an upright and the
part 15 adjusted in a substantially arcuate manner.
The lower edge of each limb has slots or cutouts, those of the top
being referenced 16a-16c, those of the lower being referenced
17a-17d. The front end of each slot 17a-17d is substantially radial
with respect to a point P at the root of the slot 16a. The bracket
can be adjusted in three different angular positions by the
engagement of the slot 16a on the lower edge of one upright slot
and either the slot 17b, 17c, 17d on the edge of a lower upright
slot. A further position of adjustment is provided by a depression
17e, which serves the same function as a slot. The top edge of the
limb 15a is convexly curved and the bottom edge generally concavely
curved. The bottom edge of the limb 15b is generally convexly
curved at the tooth peaks on a radius about the point P.
In FIG. 5, these positions are indicated by the lines A, B, C, D,
giving slopes to the horizontal of +7.degree., 0.degree.,
-10.degree. and -20.degree..
Further positions can be obtained by using the slot 17b, with
either slot 16b, 16d (lines E and F) or the slots 17a and 16c (line
G). The curvings of the limbs 15a, 15b is such that a bracket can
be lifted slightly and moved arcuately about its selected pivot
point, for example P, or P.sup.1. The bottom edge of the limb 15a
is generally convexly curved at the tooth peaks about the point
P.sup.1. FIGS. 6A-6D show four of the positions which can be
obtained. The teeth are sawtooth shaped to facilitate movement
during adjustment.
It will be understood that a pair of platelike brackets can be
supported in side-by-side relation, or a bracket can have two
parallel spaced apart rear parts, with two upper and two lower
limbs.
The construction herein enables the rear bracket end parts of
brackets from opposite sides to overlap and reside side-by-side in
the upright.
The brackets at one side can therefore be adjusted for angular
disposition without interfering with brackets at the other
side.
* * * * *