Mobile storage and display arrangement for pictorial art

Abstract

A mobile storage and display arrangement for pictorial art, for use in connection with itinerant merchandising of pictorial art in rural areas or the like, comprising an enclosed vehicle body that may be of the semi-trailer type, which is arranged to define a viewing area therein adjacent the rear end of same for accommodating persons wishing to view the pictorial art available for sale in the vehicle. Forwardly of the vehicle viewing area, a plurality of storage ways are provided extending longitudinally of the vehicle on which may be removably received one or more upright panels that bear on either side of same the pictorial art selections that are available for viewing. Between the rearwardly extending ends of the storage ways and the viewing area is a display way extending transversely of the vehicle and in which is mounted a mobile display frame of open centered shape that is mounted for swinging movement about a vertical axis and that may be moved along its way for alignment with one of the storage ways to receive a pictorial art bearing panel from same. By positioning the display frame adjacent the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, the display frame may be rotated 360 degrees for viewing the art pieces carried by the panel that is received in the display frame. After a panel is viewed, the display frame is positioned to discharge the panel on an empty storage way and then be moved as necessary to receive another panel bearing additional pictorial art selections for further viewing by those present in the vehicle viewing area.

Description

This invention relates to a mobile storage and display arrrangement for pictorial art, for use in connection with the itinerant merchandising of such art in rural areas and the like, and more particularly, to a vehicle arranged to provide a viewing room for customers in an art storage arrangement devised for convenient customer inspection and selection from the viewing room of the pictorial art items offered for sale without having to remove the individual pieces of pictorial art from storage.

In recent years the domestic demand for good quality oil paintings and the like pictorial art, particularly from Europe, has spread from the cities to outlying and rural areas, but traditionally, one has had to go to a metropolitian center of some size to find a reasonable collection of paintings to choose from. The Applicant has determined that in view of the good potential market that exists in many rural and other outlying areas for things of this type, there is a significant need for a convenient way to bring to this potential market a good selection of pictorial art that is stored and arranged for convenient displaying while permitting the collection to be moved from place to place.

My application Ser. No. 350,037, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,871 filed April 11, 1973 discloses a vehicle body of the semi-trailer type arranged to define at its rear end a comfortable viewing area to which potential customers have access through the rear end of the vehicle. Located forwardly of the viewing area is a conveyor mechanism carrying pictorial art bearing panels in an endless circuit arrangement, in which the panels are mechanically moved to present individual panels in consecutive fashion for viewing from the viewing area the pictorial art selections carried by the particular panel involved. My application Ser. No. 392,063, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,633 filed Aug. 27, 1973 deals with the specifics of several types of panel arrangements that may be employed, including devices for removably securing the individual pieces of pictorial art to the panels.

The present invention is directed to a hand or manually operated arrangement for storing and displaying the art, and more particularly, the individual panels that bear the art.

A principal object of the invention is to provide, for use in connection with the itinerant merchandising of pictorial art in rural and other outlying areas, a mobile pictorial art storage and displaying arrangement that incorporates in the same vehicle the viewing room in which potential customers can be comfortably accommodated while viewing the pictorial art selections available, as well as a pictorial art storage and display arrangement involving manually movable panels that bear the pictorial art in question, and that are readily moved between storage and display positions for viewing the pictorial art applied to a particular panel.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a vehicle carried storage and display arrangement involving individual upright panels, to which the pictorial art selections are removably secured, that are arranged for convenient movement between storage and display positions, to provide a pictorial art merchandising tool that makes it feasible to bring well rounded selections of pictorial art to rural and other outlying areas, and to provide a mobile storage and displaying arrangement for paintings and the like that is inexpensive of manufacture, convenient to use, and long lived and efficient in operation.

In accordance with this invention, a highway vehicle, such as one of the familiar semi-trailer types, is equipped to store and display pictorial art. The vehicle body at its rear end is formed to provide a comfortable viewing room, access to which is had through the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle has mounted in same forwardly of the viewing area a plurality of storage ways that extend longitudinally of the vehicle, each of which is adapted to receive for shiftably mounting thereon one or more upright storage and display panels bearing pictorial art selections on either side of same. Between the rearwardly extending ends of the storage ways and the viewing area is a display way that extends transversely of the vehicle, and on which is mounted a mobile display frame of open centered shape that is mounted for swinging movement about a vertical axis extending through the longitudinal center of same, which frame is also mounted to be moved along its way, and thus transversely of the vehicle, for alignment with one of the storage ways for transfer of a pictorial art bearing panel between same, by a manual maneuvering of the panel. When the display frame has a pictorial art bearing panel on same, by positioning the display frame adjacent the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, the display frame may be rotated 360.degree., whereby the pictorial art pieces carried by the panel may be viewed. If the customer, or one of the customers, decides to make a selection, the selection can be removed from the panel then on display. After the viewing of a panel is completed, the display frame is positioned to discharge the panel on an empty storage way, and the display frame is moved for application thereto of another pictorial art bearing panel.

Other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one embodiment of the invention, showing the general arrangement of same when the vehicle is parked for purposes of merchandising the pictorial art carried for this purpose;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the general arrangement in largely block diagram form, and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and illustrating on a larger scale some of the details of construction involved;

FIG. 4 is a fragmental elevational view of the upper end of the panel display frame, illustrating the manner in which it cooperates with its upper trackway, showing a pictorial art bearing panel applied thereto;

FIG. 5 is similar to that of FIG. 4, but illustrates the lower end of the display frame, and the manner of application of the display frame to its lower trackway; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmental plan view illustrating a resilient connector device employed to connect the art bearing panels on the same storage way together.

However, it is to be distinctly understood that the particular drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Laws, and that the invention may have other embodiments which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Reference numeral 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 generally indicates one embodiment of the mobile storage and display arrangement of this invention, which comprises a vehicle 12, that, for purposes of illustration, is shown as being of the familiar semitrailer type, defining vehicle body 14 including a top or ceiling 16, side walls 18 and 20, forward wall 22, floor 24 and rear wall 26 provided with a suitable access opening 28 that may be closed by suitable doors 30. The vehicle is equipped with a folding stairway 31 of the suitable type that may be folded up and stored until needed, and then erected to provide access to the vehicle doors 30.

The vehicle body 12 defines interior space 32 which is equipped with a viewing area 34, at the rearward end of the vehicle, an art storage and display area 36 at the middle portion of the vehicle, and a utility and general storage area 38 at the forward end of the vehicle.

The viewing area 34 is suitably equipped with chairs 40, side seats 42 and a table 44 or the like for comfortable accommodation of customers present in the space 34 to view the art selections available in the vehicle 12.

It is contemplated that the entire space 32 within the vehicle will be suitably climate controlled with air conditioning and heating equipment carried by the vehicle (the heating unit is indicated by reference numeral 45).

In the storage and display area 36, the vehicle is equipped with a plurality of longitudinally extending storage ways 50 each defining upper and lower trackways 52 and 54, respectively. Each storage way 50 is adapted to receive, in the illustrated embodiment, a pair of storage and display panels 56, each of which has applied to either side of same the individual pieces of pictorial art 58 that are being merchandised.

In this connection, the term "pictorial art" as used in the specification and appended claims means the familiar type of framed art work that may be in the form of oil paintings or the like, depending on the nature of the art work involved. While oil paintings on canvas will be a very common item in this category, other framed works of art, such as charcoal drawings, photographs, etchings and the like are also involved.

The individual panels 56 may be structurally arranged in one of the forms described in my said application Ser. No. 392,063. As indicated in FIG. 4, the panels 56 thus define a plurality of operating ways or slots 60 in which are operably mounted securing devices 62 that cooperate with the frames 64 of the individual pieces of pictorial art 58 to releasably mount the art pieces 58 on either side of each panel.

The respective panels 56 are each equipped with lower rollers 63 which ride on the lower trackways 54 and upper rollers 66 which ride along the upper trackways 52.

As indicated in FIG. 2, the storage ways 50 are of equal lengths and have their respective ends 67 and 69 aligned transversely of the vehicle body 14. Located between the rearward ends 69 of the storage ways 50 and the viewing area 34 is a display way 70 defining an upper trackway 72 and a lower trackway 74 on which is operably mounted a display frame 76 that is arranged to receive a display panel 56 from one of the storage ways 50 and be manually moved into position so that the art selections on either side of the panel contained on the display frame 76 may be observed to best advantage by those present in the viewing area 34.

In connection with this purpose, the display frame 76 is mounted so as to swing about a vertical axis 80 (see FIG. 2) that is aligned with the longitudinal center line on the frame 76. In the illustrated embodiment, this is effected by rotatably supporting the frame 76 between upper and lower trolleys 82 and 84 that operably engage the respective upper and lower trackways 72 and 74.

The display frame 76 is of open centered construction and defines a display frame way 85 comprising upper trackway 86 and lower trackway 88 on which the respective rollers 63 and 66 of the respective panels 56 engage when the individual panels 56 are applied to the display frame 76. The display frame 76 defines a closed vertical side 90 and an open side 92 through which the individual panels 56 pass in being transferred between a way 50 and the display frame 76.

The display frame 76 is provided with suitable handles 94 on either side of the closed side 90 of same to aid in manipulating the frame 76.

The operation of the storage and display system of this invention contemplates that the display frame 76 and the individual panels 56 will be manually worked by an individual working in the area of the display frame 76, with a suggested manner of operation being as follows:

The pictorial art bearing panels 56 are stored in pairs on each one of the storage ways 50 except one of the ways adjacent one of the vehicle side walls, for instance, the way 50 adjacent the side wall 18.

Assuming that potential customers are present in the viewing area 34 to view the pictorial selections available in the vehicle 10, the operator positions the display frame 76 in coplanar alignment with one of the ways 50 which contains the display panels 56, for instance, the way adjacent the vehicle side 20. It will be noted that the open end 92 of the display frame 76 should be disposed adjacent the rearward end 69 of the indicated storage way 50; as indicated in FIG. 5, the parts are proportioned so that only a miniminal gap appears between the respective upper and lower trackways of the display frame 76 and the operating way 50 that is in question, for easy manual transfer of the first display panel 56 into the frame 76 to the centered position therein that is indicated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. This movement of the first panel 56 onto the display frame 76 also brings with it the second panel 56 that is on the way 50 in question by reason of the resilient releasable connecting device 100 (see FIGS. 1 and 6) that is employed to releasably connect together the two panels 56 that are applied to a given way 50. The operator then manually disconnects the display panel 56 that is now on the display frame 76 from the panel that is pulled into the "on deck" storage position. Assuming that the display panel 56 to be viewed is centered on the frame 76, in the manner indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the display frame 76 is moved, by moving its trolleys 82 and 84 along way 70, to dispose the display panel 76 substantially at the longitudinal center line of the vehicle (see FIG. 2). The operator may now swing the display frame 76 about its axis 80 to transverse positioning relative to the vehicle, for viewing of the pictorial art selections on one side of the panel (the side facing viewing area 34). The panel may then be swung 180 degrees in either direction for viewing the art selections on the other side of the panel.

In this connection, the display frame 76 may be moved readily to any angle, about its axis 80, that those in the viewing area 34 might desire, based on their particular position in the viewing area, with regard to any particular art selection on the panel being viewed that might require appropriate positioning. Full 360 degree rotation or more is readily effected if desired.

If a customer desires to purchase one or more of the art selections on the panel, they may readily be removed on the spot by disconnecting the securing devices 62 therefrom.

When viewing of the first display panel is completed, the display frame 76 is moved along way 70 and positioned in coplanar relation with the empty storage way 50 for transfer to such storage way the display panel 56 that has just been viewed.

The operator may the return to the first storage way 50 and apply to the display frame 76 a second display panel 56 that has been stored on same, with the maneuvering of the display frame 76 to position the display panel carried thereby for viewing purposes from the viewing area 34 being done in the same manner as already indicated.

After viewing of the second display panel 56 has been completed, it too may be applied to the storage way 50 to which the first panel has been applied, this being done by again positioning the display frame 76 in coplanar relation with the storage way 50 involved and manually transferring the display panel from the display frame 76 to the way 50 involved. At this point the operator should take care to move the second display panel against the first display panel so as to insure engagement of the securing device 100 with the first display panel (see FIG. 1).

The display panels of the remaining ways may then be individually and successively handled and displayed, using the display frame 76, in any order desired, with one of the ways 50 being emptied of its display panels so as to receive the display panels of another way as part of the operating sequence of the apparatus involved.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

The vehicle 12 in practice may be of any suitable type, although the conventional semi-trailer type vehicle illustrated is well adapted to serve the purposes of the invention. The interior of the vehicle 12 defining the viewing area 34 would ordinaril be tastefully decorated for customer pleasure and comfort and the conventional end opening of the vehicle is closed, as already indicated, by a suitable rear wall 26 provided with suitable doors which close access opening 28, as approached by employing a suitable folding stairway 31. The viewing area is preferably equipped with one or more spotlights 33 to facilitate viewing.

In the form shown, the doors 30 are of the twin swinging door type which may be suitably closed and latched for purposes of closing off the rear end of the vehicle 12 for purposes of moving from place to place. Similarly it is preferable to have the doors 30 arranged to be closed in locales where it is important to have the viewing area 34 airconditioned or heated, depending on the time of year.

The stairway 31 in the form shown comprises a platform section 110 having hinged thereto, by suitable hinges 112 a stairway section 114 having railing 116 removably applied thereto. The sections 110 and 114 are preferably slidably mounted in a suitable cavity or chamber (not shown) in the vehicle body floor, or underframe, for storage therein by removing the railing 116 and swinging the section 114 to a horizontal position, and then pushing the two sections into the storage cavity. The stairway 31 is pulled out for use, with the section 114 being lowered to the ground, after which the removable railing 116 is applied thereto. The railing 116 may be stored inside the vehicle body 14 when the same is being transported.

The vehicle 12 being of the semi-trailer type, includes rear wheels 118 and kingpin 120 adapted to cooperate with the familiar fifth wheel of a truck tractor that transports the vehicle 12. The vehicle 12 also includes conventional retractable supports 122 for supporting the vehicle when disconnected from the truck tractor. At the forward end of the vehicle, access door 124 is provided for access to storage area 38 where batteries 126 that operate airconditioning apparatus 128, shown mounted on the forward end of the vehicle, are disposed.

Individual display panels 56 each comprise in accordance with the disclosure of my said application Ser. No. 392,063, a framework comprising a plurality of channel members 130 arranged in pairs 132 in which the channel members 130 of each pair are in opposed relation, with the respective pairs 132 being spaced apart vertically to define the respective ways 60 in which the securing devices 62 are operably mounted on either side of the respective panels 56. The channel members 130 are joined together at their ends by suitable end channel members 136 and 137, which are in turn joined together across the top and bottom of the respective frames by the respective upper and lower frame members 138 and 140.

The rollers 63 and 66 of the respective panels 56 are suitably journaled between the respective pairs of mounting plates 142 and 144 that are suitably fixed to the upper and lower frame members 138 and 140, as by welding.

The channel members 130 and the frame members of the individual panels 56 joining them together are preferably formed from aluminum or aluminum alloy or other suitable light weight materials for ease in handling the individual panels 56.

The securing devices 62 may be of the type disclosed in my said application Ser. No. 392,063, one form of which comprises a holding clip 150 defining a holding arm 152 which is received in an opening 153 defined in the rear of the frame 64 in one of the manners disclosed in said application. The individual devices 62 also include a backing plate 155 (see FIG. 4) that is applied against the backside of the respective channel members 30, in bridging relation to a particular operating way 60, with a pair of screw devices 154 extending between the holding clip 150 and the backing plate through the operating way 60 involved. The screw devices each comprise a screw member 156 (which is headed to seat against the back plate 153 of a device 154), that is provided with a threaded end that receives suitable wing nut 158, as disclosed in said application.

The screw devices 154 when released are loose to permit the securing devices 62 to be readily moved longitudinally of the operating ways or slots 60 as required for appropriate application to a particular piece of pictorial art 58. By appropriately positioning the cooperating pairs of the securing devices 62 in the operating ways or slots 60, the framed art work items 58 may be secured in random positions on the individual panels 56, which positions may depend on the size of the art work item involved and the number available for application to a particular panel 56.

It is desirable to have one pair of devices 62 cooperate with the upper end of a particular picture frame, and a second pair of such devices cooperate with the lower end of same.

As already indicated, the individual storage ways 50 each comprise an upper trackway 52 and a lower trackway 54. The upper trackways 52 each comprise a track rail 160 of right angled transverse cross-sectional configuration, which rails are mounted in spaced apart parallel relation by being suitably affixed to I beams 162 that are in turn suitably affixed to the ceiling of the vehicle. At the ends 164 of rails 160, the rails 160 are suitably affixed to cross channel member 166 which serves as a forward movment stop (moving forwardly of the vehicle 12) for the panels 56 received in a particular way 50.

The lower trackways 54 are similarly arranged, they each comprising a track rail 168 of right angle transverse cross-sectional configuration, which rails 168 are supported by suitable I beam members 170 similarly affixed to the floor of the vehicle. At their ends 172, rails 168 are suitably affixed to cross channel member 174 which serves as a lower stop for the panels on a particular way 50.

The rails 160 and 162 project rearwardly of the vehicle for alignment with the display frame 76 for ready transmittal of the respective panels 56 between the display frame 76 when disposed at the rail ends 175 and 177 of a particular storage way 50.

The securing device 100 in the form shown comprises a spring steel element 180 shaped to define a flat base 182 that is suitably affixed to the adjacent panel side frame member 137, as by employing the suitable fastening device 184, such as a rivet or attachment screw, and a pair of projecting arms 186 each defining a gripping jaw 188 that is adapted to lodge behind the respective end edges 190 of the flanges 192 of the panel side frame 136 that is to be gripped by the device 100. As indicated in FIG. 6, when a second panel 56 is applied to a way 50 and moved in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 6 to bring the device 100 into engagement with the side channel member 136 of the display panel 56 already on the way, the resilient arms 186 are cammed open to receive the said channel member 136 within the arms 186, with the bias involved in the arms 186 being effective to lodge the jaws 188 behind the respective end edges 190 of the side frame member 136 so that when the panel 56 that is adjacent the trackway 70 is moved in a direction of the trackway 70, the second panel 56 that is on the storage way 50 in question is brought up to the position of the first panel as the first panel is applied to the display frame 76. Arms 186 may be readily separated by the operator to separate two panels 56 that are tandem connected by a device 100.

The display frame 76 comprises suitable top and bottom frame members 200 and 202 that are suitably affixed to side member 90 and braced as required to maintain the open ended substantially C-shaped configuration illustrated, whereby the end 92 of the frame 76 is open to receive the individual display panels 56.

Trackway 86 comprises a rail 204 of the same type as rails 160, suitably affixed to the frame member 200. Similarly, the trackway 88 comprises a rail 206 that is of the same type as the rails 168, which rail 206 is suitably affixed to the frame member 202.

The upper trackway 72 of display way 70 generally comprises an I-beam 210 suitably affixed to the vehicle roof and defining on either side of same roller ways 212 in which are operably received rollers 214 of trolley 82. Trolley 82 comprises suitable side frame members 216 suitably secured to either side of a central frame member 218 to which the display frame 76 is swingably connected by a suitable pin 220.

The rollers 214 are suitably journaled in the trolley frame members 216 for rolling application to the roller ways 212 defined by I-beam 210.

The lower trackway 74 of display way 70 comprises track rail 222 of right angle transverse cross-sectional configuration suitably affixed to the vehicle floor 24 in vertical alignment with beam 210. Trolley 84 generally comprises a pair of side frame members 224 joined together on either side of a central frame member 226 on which the display frame 76 is rotatably mounted by suitable pin 228.

Trolley 84 includes end rollers 230 that operatively engage the rail 222 and are journaled between the ends 232 of the trolley frame members for this purpose.

In the form shown, the side frame member 90 of the display frame 76 is of channel shaped configuration defining web 240 and spaced side flanges 242. The parts are proportioned so that when the side frame member 136 of a particular display panel 76 abuts the web 240 of the display frame member 90, the panel 76 will be approximately evenly disposed on either side of the axis 80 for ease in swinging the display frame and its panel load about the axis 80. The handles 94 of the display frame may be of any type suitable for the purpose intended.

When the vehicle 12 is to be moved from one location to another, the panels 56 are applied to a way 50 so that all ways 50 except one will be filled. Cross bars 250 extending the full width of the vehicle are then applied across either end of the panels and mounted in position, as by having their ends applied to suitable wall mounted brackets 252 (see FIG. 1) in a manner similar to that found in railroad cars to restrain lading, to hold the panels against displacement. When the vehicle is parked to receive customers, bars 250, of course, are removed.

The display frame 76 is moved to one side of the vehicle and suitably anchored against movement, by hook devices or the like cooperating with the vehicle walls.

It will therefore be seen that the invention provides a convenient and facile way of storing and displaying pictorial art items in a vehicle designed especially for the itinerant merchandising of such products in rural areas and the like. One individual can do all the panel maneuvering that is required. When a customer selects an art item that is desired, it is readily removed from the panel then being displayed without disturbing the other items.

When sufficient of the pictorial art items have been sold and replacement is required, the individual panels can be readily applied to the display frame and turned to expose to the operator the empty areas on the display panels to which art items can be applied.

Once an individual pictorial item is applied to the individual panels, it remains in place until sold and removed. However, retrieval of same from storage and manipulation of same for displaying is readily effected employing the apparatus herein disclosed.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a vehicle for storing and displaying pictorial art for itinerant vending of same, with the vehicle including an enclosed wheeled body defining a viewing area therein adjacent the rear end of same for accommodating persons wishing to view the pictorial art stored in the vehicle forwardly of the viewing area, and a means of access thereto adjacent the vehicle rear end, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of parallel storage ways extending longitudinally of the vehicle and located forwardly of and spaced from said viewing area,

said storage ways being formed to define rearward ends that are aligned transversely of the vehicle,

a panel mounted on each of at least some of said ways for movement longitudinally thereof,

said panels being vertically disposed and including means for removably mounting pictorial art selections on either side of same,

a display way interposed between said storage ways and said viewing area and extending transversely of the vehicle,

and an open centered planar panel display frame mounted for movement longitudinally of said display way and for swinging movement about a vertical axis that floats with said frame longitudinally of said display way,

said display frame being formed to define a display frame way at the level of said storage ways that extends across said frame and is proportioned to receive one of said panels for movement therealong to dispose same at the frame open center for display purposes,

said display frame being proportioned to have one end of same disposed adjacent the rearward ends of the respective storage ways when said frame is disposed in coplanar relation thereto,

said frame one end and said frame way being formed for transfer between said frame way and a selected one of said storage ways, when said frame is in said coplanar relation therewith, one of said storage way mounted panels of the selected storage way,

whereby the individual panels may be individually transferred between said display frame way and said storage ways for individually disposing such panels at the frame open center for displaying both sides of the respective panels to the vehicle viewing area by swinging said frame about said vertical axis.

2. In a vehicle for storing and displaying pictorial art for itinerant vending of same, with the vehicle including an enclosed wheeled body defining a viewing area therein adjacent the rear end of same for accommodating persons wishing to view the pictorial art stored in the vehicle forwardly of the viewing area, and a means of access thereto adjacent the vehicle rear end, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of parallel storage ways extending longitudinally of the vehicle and located forwardly of and spaced from said viewing area,

said ways having their ends that project toward said viewing space aligned transversely of the vehicle,

a panel mounted within each of at least some of said ways for movement longitudinally of the vehicle,

said panels each being vertically disposed, of equal lengths, and including means for removably mounting pictorial art selections on either side of same,

said panels being quadrilateral in outline configuration,

a display way interposed between said ends of said storage ways and said viewing area and extending transversely of the vehicle,

said display way being spaced from said storage way ends a distance greater than but not significantly exceeding one half the length of said panels,

and an open centered, planar, panel display frame mounted for movement longitudinally of said display way,

said display frame being formed to define a display frame way at the level of said storage ways that extends across said frame and is proportioned to receive one of said panels for movement along said display frame way to dispose said one panel at the frame open center for display purposes,

said frame being mounted adjacent its mid-length for free swinging movement 360 degrees about a vertical axis in the plane of said display way,

said frame being proportioned to have one end of same disposed adjacent said ends of the respective storage ways when said frame is disposed in coplanar relation therewith, with said end of same facing forwardly of the vehicle,

said frame one end and said frame way being formed for transfer between said frame way and a selected one of said storage ways, when said frame is in said coplanar relation therewith, one of said storage way mounted panels,

whereby said display frame may be moved longitudinally of said display way and swung into coplanar relation with individual of said storage ways for transfer of said panels between same and said frame way, and when one of said panels is on said frame way, such one panel may be disposed at the frame open center and said frame may be centered longitudinally of said display way and swing 360.degree. about said axis for viewing of both sides of said panel from said viewing area.

3. The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said storage ways each comprise an upper rail and a lower rail,

said panels each including rollers along the lower edges of same riding on the respective storage way lower rails and rollers along the upper edges of same riding along the respective storage way upper rails,

said display frame way including upper and lower rails on which the respective rollers of the respective panels ride in being applied to and removed from said frame.

4. The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said display way comprises an upper rail and a lower rail,

said display frame including a trolley on the lower side of same riding on said display way lower rail and a trolley on the upper side of same riding on said display way upper rail,

said frame being rotatably connected to said trolleys for swinging movement about said vertical axis,

said trolleys being substantially centered relative to said display frame.

5. The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said storage ways are proportioned lengthwise of the vehicle to receive at least two of said panels in coplanar end to end relation.

6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said panels each include releasable connecting means on the side edge of same facing forwardly of the vehicle for releasably connecting together two adjacent panels applied to one of said storage ways for drawing the panel that is disposed forwardly of the vehicle rearwardly thereof when the rewardly disposed panel is applied to said display frame.