U.S. patent number 3,698,782 [Application Number 05/132,654] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-17 for multi-shelved slide rack.
Invention is credited to Bruno Onori.
United States Patent |
3,698,782 |
Onori |
October 17, 1972 |
MULTI-SHELVED SLIDE RACK
Abstract
This device is a rack and a number of multi-shelved slides
detachably secured thereon for supporting as many as eleven
different size pans and/or trays. The rack, made generally of high
tensile aluminum alloy, is rectangular in shape, and has four
vertical uprights, one at each corner supporting a roof and mounted
on a base, preferably with four swivelled caster wheels on the
bottom of the base for portability. It is open at least at the
front, and the confronting sides of each pair of side uprights are
provided with a number of suitable vertically spaced female keyhole
slots in which the pan or tray supporting slides, made generally of
extruded aluminum, are secured or mounted by means of male headed
studs extending the backs of the slide. These studs extend from the
back wall of the slides, and on the front wall of the slides, there
are at least three shelves of various sizes, the middle shelf
extending further than the upper and lower shelf, and the middle
shelf terminates in a small upstanding ridge, and so does the
bottom shelf. In addition, the middle shelf has an intermediate
ridge, higher than its end ridge, but stopping short of the top
shelf and further out than the end of the top shelf so that one
size of tray may be supported on this middle ridge, a different
size on the outer ridge, yet another size on the top shelf, which
is flat, yet still another size on the bottom shelf, etc., as a
result of which eleven different sizes or types of conventional
pans or trays may be selectively carried by the rack. It is mainly
used in the food industry, such as in restaurants, cafeterias,
bakeries, etc. but also may be used in industries wherever
desirable. With the slides suitably spaced on the rack, a number of
different sizes of trays or pans may be used simultaneously.
Inventors: |
Onori; Bruno (Miami, FL) |
Family
ID: |
22454996 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/132,654 |
Filed: |
April 9, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/350;
312/351 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
31/00 (20130101); A47B 55/00 (20130101); A47B
88/43 (20170101); A47B 2031/003 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
31/00 (20060101); A47B 55/00 (20060101); A47B
88/04 (20060101); A47b 088/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/351,350,270,126
;248/172,243,126,270,351,350 ;211/134,162,133,153,36,126
;308/3.6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Claims
Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention,
what is claimed is:
1. A multi-shelved slide rack (10) comprising a rigid fixed
skeleton structure including two pairs of confronting uprights (12)
having confronting walls (48), the uprights (12) being secured in
rigid, spaced apart rectangular relationship, in combination with a
plurality of pairs of multi-shelved slides (22), cooperating means
(24 and 30, 32 and 34) on said slides (22) and on said confronting
upright walls (48) for securing pairs of slides (22) in confronting
relationship, said multi-shelved slides (22) of each pair having
identical, various size, spaced, rigid shelves (36, 42, 38) thereon
for selectively supporting any one of a plurality of various size
trays and/or pans (50-66) on the selected confronting pairs of
shelves, said slide (22) cooperating means (24, 30, 32, 34)
comprising a pair of headed male stud means (24, 30) and a pair of
complementary female keyhole slot means (32, 34), at least one pair
of cooperating securing means being provided on each slide (22) and
a plurality of vertically spaced cooperating securing means being
provided on each confronting upright wall (48) in confronting
relationship, whereby pairs of slides (22) may be secured on said
confronting upright walls (48) in selectively spaced confronting
relationship, said male-headed stud securing means (24, 30) being
provided on the back walls (26) of said slides (22), said shelves
(36, 42, 38) being provided on the front walls thereof, and said
female keyhole slot securing means (32, 34) being provided in the
confronting walls (48) of said pairs of confronting uprights (12),
said female keyhole slot securing means being vertically spaced in
each said upright confronting wall (48) a distance at least
somewhat greater than the vertical height of said slides (22),
whereby pairs of confronting slides (22) may be selectively spaced
on said upright confronting walls (48), there being three shelves
(36, 42, 38) on each slide (22), the middle shelf (42) extending
further forward than the top and bottom shelves (36, 38), and a
vertically extending ridge located intermediately on said middle
shelf (42) but forwardly of the edge of said top shelf (36).
2. The combination of claim 1, and a small upstanding ridge (44) on
the forward end of said middle shelf (42).
3. The combination of claim 2, and an upstanding ridge (40) on the
forward end of one of the other two shelves (36, 38).
4. The combination of claim 3, the other of the other two shelves
(36, 38) being flat.
5. The combination of claim 4, said flat shelf being the top shelf
(36).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Portable racks used in the food industries usually have fixed
slides for supporting one size of tray or pan, but some racks have
been provided capable of being adjusted to carry two different
sizes of pans, but not simultaneously, such as illustrated in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 2,972,418; 3,162,416; and 3,199,683. In these prior
racks, mechanical changes are necessary to convert them from one
size to the other size. As a result, where there are more than two
sizes of racks or pans in use, it is necessary to provide
additional racks to fit the other sizes.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a rack, usually of the
portable type, which is capable of supporting quite a number of
different size and type pans or trays, not only sequentially, but,
also simultaneously.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a multi-shelved
slide capable, with confronting pairs of multi-shelved slides, of
supporting many different size and type trays and/or pans, wherein
the slides are readily attachable and detachable, so that a tray of
greater height than the normal vertical spacing between the slides
may be accommodated by removing or omitting a pair of the
confronting slides.
A further object of this invention is to provide a slide with
different size and shape shelves for supporting different size and
types of trays and/or pans, so that one pair of shelves will
support several types or sizes of pans or trays, and another pair
of shelves support other types or sizes of pans or trays, and the
third pair of shelves still other types or sizes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a plurality of multi-shelved slides and a rack in
which they are attachably secured or mounted in supporting
confronting pairs. The rack is made generally of high tensile
aluminum alloy, while the slides are made of extruded aluminum.
There are at least three different shelves on each rack, each being
different and capable, in confronting position, for providing
upstanding or hanging support for particular different types or
sizes of conventional sizes and type of trays and/or pans. The
pairs of racks are spaced vertically, and most, but not all sizes,
may be supported thereon with the slides closely adjusted. Some
types of trays, such as trays for tall glasses or deep pans, for
instance, occupy more vertical space than exists between two
adjacent pairs of slides. In such cases, one pair of confronting
slides may be omitted or removed, thus making space for a tall tray
or deep pan. In one size of cabinet, for example, having a height
of 711/4 inches, a width of 231/2 inches and a depth of 28 inches,
various selected combinations of the following 11 different size or
type trays and pans may be accommodated.
18" .times. 26" bun pan
14" .times. 18" half size pan
20" .times. 24" maxi pan
20" .times. 24" .times. 31/2" roast and bake pan
20" .times. 20" .times. 31/2" roast and bake pan
20" .times. 20" cup, glass and dish tray
14" .times. 20" cup and glass tray
15" .times. 20" service tray
12" .times. 20" .times. 21/2", 4" or 6" steam table pans
12" .times. 18" .times. 21/2", 4" or 6" steam table pans
18" .times. 26" .times. 21/2" bake pan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
With the above and other related objects in view, this invention
consists in the details of construction and combination of parts,
as will be more fully understood from the following description,
when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a portable rack in which this
invention has been installed.
FIG. 2 is a back elevation view of a slide on an enlarged
scale.
FIG. 3 is a back fragmentary, elevation view of a rack angle iron
corner upright, with the lower slide completely installed, and the
upper slide partially installed.
FIG. 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of a single multi-shelved
slide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
There is shown at 10 a portable rack in which this invention has
been installed. Obviously, this invention is equally applicable to
any stationary rack. This rack 10 is a rigid skeleton consisting of
two pairs of confronting uprights 12 on a base 14 and supporting a
roof 16. The uprights 12 may be angle irons. Four caster wheels 20
fastened on the bottom of base 18 provide portability when desired,
but if omitted, the rack 10 is stationary.
This invention includes the multi-shelved slides 22, each slide 22
having a male-headed stud 24 extending from its back wall 26
adjacent each of its ends 28, and each male stud 24 terminates in
an enlarged head 30, thus providing the mounting or securing means
part of the slide 22. The mounting or securing means part of the
rack 10 are the female keyhole slots 32, in the confronting upright
walls 48 on opposite sides, extending in parallel downward angles
from an enlarged aperture 34. The width of the slots 32 is such as
to admit the studs 24 but not permit the stud head 30 to pass
therethrough, while the enlarged apertures 34 do permit the stud
heads 30 to pass readily therethrough.
Each multi-shelved slide 22 is shown as having three different
horizontally extending shelves, the top shelf 36 being
substantially flat, the bottom shelf 38 extending a slight bit more
than the top shelf, but terminating in a slight upstanding ridge 40
at its forward end. The intermediate shelf 42 also terminates in an
upstanding ridge 44, and extends approximately twice as far as the
other shelves 36 and 40. Also, intermediate shelf 42 is thicker and
hence stronger than the other two shelves 36 and 40, and is
provided with an upstanding ridge 46 extending vertically about one
third to one half the distance between the longer middle shelf 42
and the top shelf 36, and is located intermediate the outer end of
the top shelf 36 and its own end ridge 44.
Pairs of shelves 22 are placed in confronting position by inserting
their headed male studs 24 through the enlarged apertures 34 of the
female keyhole slots 32. These keyhole slots 32 are located in the
confronting faces 48 of the angle iron uprights 12, and are spaced
vertically a distance slightly greater than the combined vertical
height of a slide 22 plus the keyhole slot 32 including its large
aperture 34 so that each slide may be inserted into secured
position, or removed thereom, irrespective of the presence of an
adjacent upper or lower slide 22 in position. The number and
position of the slides 22 may thus be adjusted according to the
need, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein various trays and pans, all of
conventional types and sizes, are supported either above or hanging
down from one or another of the various slide shelves, some of the
slides 22 being vertically adjacent each other, while some slides
are omitted to permit taller trays or deeper pans to be supported,
such as the tall glass trays 50 on the intermediate ridge 46 of the
middle shelf 42 of a slide 22.
OPERATION OF THE INVENTION
In operation, the slides 22 are installed or omitted as needed for
proper spacing according to the size and type of trays and pans to
be accommodated. As pointed out above in the summary, eleven
different types and sizes may be accommodated in practically any
combination needed. As a result of the headed studs 24 on the back
ends of the slides, and the vertically spaced keyhole slots 32,
each desired slide is installed by inserting its heads 30 through
the apertures 34 of two side uprights 12, as in the upper portion
of FIG. 3, then moved down the angular slots 32 to the secured
position, and another slide 22 is similarly installed on the two
confronting upright walls, at the same height. Where shallow pans
or trays 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 64 are to be supported, several
pairs of slides 22 are installed vertically adjacent. Where the
tall glass tray 50 is to be supported, one pair of confronting
slides is omitted, as shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, such slides are
omitted above where the tall pan 62 is to be supported, and
likewise, below the slides 22 where a deep pan 66 is to be hung
thereon, on the lower shelf ridge 40. Obviously, the position of
the pairs of slides are adjusted as needed. Some of the pans, as at
56, may be supported upside down, as shown. Thus, the positioning
of the multi-shelf slides 22 is very versatile.
ABSTRACT OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts, and for purposes
of explication, marshalled below are the numbered parts of the
MULTI-SHELVED SLIDE RACK of this invention.
10 rack
12 confronting angle iron uprights
14 base
16 roof
18 base
20 caster wheels
22 multi-shelved slide
24 male stud
26 back wall of slide 22
28 ends of slide 22
30 head on male stud
32 female keyhole angular slot
34 enlarged aperture for 32
36 flat top shelf
38 bottom shelf
40 upstanding ridge at edge of bottom shelf 38
42 thick middle shelf
46 upstanding intermediate ridge on 42
44 upstanding ridge at edge of middle shelf 42
48 confronting walls of uprights 12
50 - 66 various sizes and types of trays and pans
Although this invention has been described in considerable detail,
such description is intended as being illustrative rather than
limiting, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as
claimed.
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