Supporting Feet For Panels And The Like

Abstract

Supporting feet for panels and the like which comprise a pair of elongated members, each formed at one end thereof with means engaging a horizontally extending pin extending between a pair of flanges secured to the undersurface of a vertically extending structure for supporting the same in proper upright position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vertically extending panels are employed for a variety of purposes. For instance, such panels can be employed for displaying material; also, the same can be used as a room divider, and in instances where the surface of the panel has been formed as a chalkboard, the same can be used in a classroom or wherever else desired in order to be used as a convenient surface for displaying or projecting informative matter thereon. As can be appreciated, such vertically extending panels must necessarily be supported and retained in such vertically extending position by suitable means usually engaging with the bottom or sides of the panel. In instances where the panel is of considerable width and height in relation to thickness, some difficulty is experienced in providing for a proper support which will retain the panel in its vertical upright position.

With the above in mind, it is the primary object of the invention to provide a pair of elongated feet members designed to each engage with a horizontally extending pin or pintle mounted on the undersurface of the bottom wall of the panel and when so mounted, the feet will extend outwardly from the front and rear walls of the panel so as to retain the panel in its vertically extending position. The engagement is made by manual hooking without the use of tools. The load acceptance then positions the hooks on the pins according to the load deflection on the shoulder of the foot.

A still further object of the invention is to provide each of a pair of supporting feet for panels and the like with a relatively wide load bearing surface which will engage with the undersurface of a bracket having a pivot pin therebetween so as to more evenly distribute the load factor imposed on the supporting feet and to likewise form a more stable support for the panel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide casters or glides at one end of each of the pairs of supporting feet so as to enable the panel supported thereby to be easily transferred from one place to another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bracket means adapted to be secured to the undersurface of the bottom wall of a panel, said bracket having a pin or pintle mounted thereon which will engage with the hook end of each of the pairs of supporting feet for maintaining the panel in its vertical position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket mounted on the undersurface of the bottom wall of a panel which will function as a support for the panel when it is not necessary to employ pairs of supporting feet for maintaining the panel in its vertical position for its intended purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a panel which may be maintained in its vertical position by means of pairs of supporting feet which may be readily assembled and disassembled and which require a minimum of shipping and storage space.

A still further object of the invention is to provide pairs of supporting feet for engagement with a suitable pin or pintle secured to a bracket mounted on the undersurface of the bottom wall of a panel and which will enable the support to be used in the support of a panel of any width and a wide range of wall thicknesses.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a panel supported in its vertical position by means of the supporting feet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the supporting feet in their engagement with the bracket mounted on the undersurface of the bottom wall of a panel.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the supporting feet removed from the bracket on the undersurface of the bottom of a panel.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom or undersurface of one of the supporting feet of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the top or upper surface of one of the supporting feet of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing the bracket employed with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing one type of a sliding type caster or glide which can be employed with the supporting feet of the present invention, and,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view showing another type of caster which can be employed with the supporting feet of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown therein at FIG. 1 a panel 10 comprising a conventional framework consisting of a top, bottom and side walls adapted to have contained therein a display surface 11. It should be pointed out that while I will refer to a panel having a display surface contained within the said framework, the invention is not to be construed as being limited to the proper support of a display panel. For instance, if the panel illustrated generally at 10 is to be used as a room divider, the display surface would be in the nature of a decorative surface contained within the aforesaid framework, or if the panel is to be employed to support a projection screen within the confines of the aforementioned framework, a suitable projection screen would be confined within the confines of the framework, and yet still, if the panel is to be employed for supporting a blackboard, then a suitable erasable surface would be mounted within the aforesaid framework, etc. Also, while FIG. 1 shows but one side of the panel having a display surface thereon, it is obvious that a similar or dissimilar surface can be mounted within the aforesaid framework for the panel and caused to be exhibited on the opposite side of the assembly.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown therein a bracket 12 formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, etc. The bracket 12 is of a generally rectangular shape and is adapted to be secured to the undersurface 13 of the framework for the panel 10. The bracket may be adhesively secured to the undersurface 13 aforesaid or the same may be secured thereto as by means of screws, bolts, etc. (not shown). The bracket has a pair of depending walls 14 and 15 between which is mounted in any known manner a pin or pintle 16 for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

Wall 15 of bracket 12 is provided at either end thereof with internally threaded portions 17 and 18 formed in bosses 19 and 20. When desired, externally threaded pads or feet 21 and 22 can be secured to the said internally threaded portions 17 and 18 in instances where it is not deemed necessary to employ the supporting feet of the present invention to maintain the panel in its vertical position. The drawings, particularly FIG. 1 thereof, show but a pair of brackets 12 secured to the undersurface of the panel 10. However, it is to be understood that as many brackets 12 will be employed with any given panel so as to insure the proper maintenance thereof in its vertical position, thereby enabling the same to perform its intended function.

The supporting feet of the present invention comprise a pair of elongated members 23 and 24 formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, etc. As clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, each of the elongated members 23 and 24 forming the feet of the present invention are provided on the undersurface thereof with shallows or voids 25 which can be formed therein at the time of molding or casting of the elongated members. The ribs 26 extending between the voids 25 serve as strengthening members for the feet 23 and 24 when the feet engage with the brackets 12 for supporting the panel in a manner to be more full described hereinafter.

The elongated members or feet 23 and 24 are each provided at one end thereof with a curved or hook portion 27 and 28 formed integral with the remainder of the feet 23 and 24, and when the feet are employed to support the panel 10, the hook members 27 and 28 engage with the pintle 16 and are caused to rest thereon, as clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the end of the feet 23 and 24, adjacent the aforementioned hook members 27 and 28, is formed of a relatively flat surface 29 and 30 which will contact with the relatively flat undersurface 31 of bracket 12. These cooperating flat surfaces will more evenly distribute the load factor imposed on the supporting feet thus providing for a more stable supporting surface. Also, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the supporting feet 23 and 24 taper downwardly toward the floor or other surface and terminate in floor-engaging flat surfaces 32 and 33.

Thus, there has been described a support for panels and the like which consists of a pair of elongated members or feet constructed as aforesaid and which are adapted to engage with pins or pintles extending between brackets mounted on the undersurface of the bottom wall of the panel. As can be clearly understood from the drawings, the supporting feet are assembled with the panel as aforesaid and when thus assembled, the feet extend both forwardly and rearwardly of the panel so as to afford a reliable support for the panel and the like.

Shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings are modifications which may be made to the floor-engaging end of the supporting feet. FIG. 7 shows a slide type caster 34. The glide 34 is of conventional structure and comprises a slide surface 35 formed of steel, plastic, etc. The glide 34 is mounted to the supporting feet 23 and 24 as by means of a swivelled bolt connection 36 or by any other known means for pivotally securing the slide caster to the supporting feet. FIG. 8 shows a slightly different type of swivelled caster mounted to the end of the supporting feet. In this modification, a sphere 37 is pivotally connected to the supporting feet as by means of a swivelled bolt connection 38. Secured in any known manner to the sphere 37 is an inner race 39 and mounted for rotation thereon is an outer race 40. Disposed between the inner and outer races 39 and 40 are conventional roller bearings (not shown).

Thus, the structure shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings will enable a supported panel to be easily moved from place to place with the glide type caster permitting for the easy moving of the assembly whereas the modification of FIG. 8 provides for an anti-friction means for movement of the supported panel from one place to another.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Supporting feet for a panel comprising a pair of elongated members, one of said elongated members formed with a pair of spaced hook portions whereas said other elongated member formed with a single hook portion, floor-engaging surfaces at the opposite end of said elongated members, said feet members each provided at the hook end thereof with horizontally extending flat surfaces adapted to engage with the undersurface of a bracket secured to the undersurface of said panel members said spaced hook portions on one of said elongated member engaging with a pin member on said bracket with the single hook portion of the other of said elongated member extending therebetween and also in engagement with said pin member, one of said supporting feet extending forwardly of said panel and the other of said supporting feet extending rearwardly of said panel to retain the said panel in upright vertical position.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said supporting feet are removably mounted on said panel.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein casters are mounted on the said floor-engaging surface on said pair of elongated members.

4. In combination, a bracket and supporting feet for retaining a panel in an upright vertical position, said bracket adapted to be secured to the undersurface of a panel and including a pair of depending wall sections, a pin extending between said depending wall sections, said supporting feet comprising a pair of elongated members, one of said elongated members formed at one end thereof with a pair of spaced hook portions whereas said other elongated member is formed with a single hook portion, flat horizontally extending floor-engaging surfaces at the opposite ends of said elongated members, a horizontally extending flat surface formed on each of said elongated members for engagement with a flat surface on said bracket when the said spaced hook portions of one elongated member engages with the said pin and the single hook portion of the other of said elongated member engages with the said pin, intermediate the said spaced hook portions for supporting the said panel in an upright vertical position; said bracket being further provided with floor engaging surfaces for supporting said panel when said supporting feet are not used in conjunction therewith for the same purpose.

5. The structure recited in claim 4 wherein said floor-engaging ends of said elongated members are each provided with caster means for facilitating the movement of said supported panel from one place to another.

6. The structure recited in claim 4 wherein said bracket is provided with removable floor-engaging supporting means.

7. The structure recited in claim 5 wherein said supporting feet are removably secured to said pin extending between the said depending wall sections on said bracket.