U.S. patent number 3,815,519 [Application Number 05/341,455] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-11 for snap-on adjustable sliding clip for shelf partitions.
Invention is credited to Alvin H. Meyer.
United States Patent |
3,815,519 |
Meyer |
June 11, 1974 |
SNAP-ON ADJUSTABLE SLIDING CLIP FOR SHELF PARTITIONS
Abstract
A shelf rail afixed to the front of gondola shelves and provided
with slidably supported spring clips, said spring clips slidably
inserted in flexible divider rails to hold them at right angles to
the shelve rails and stiff grocery divider partitions that are
attachable to any one of the divider rails to be adjustably
positioned to any desired position to divide one product on a shelf
from the next product. Said divider rails being flexible and
permitting the divider rail to extend over shelves of differing
width.
Inventors: |
Meyer; Alvin H. (Highland Park,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
23337652 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/341,455 |
Filed: |
March 15, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/61;
211/184 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F
1/10 (20130101); A47B 57/585 (20130101); A47F
5/005 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47F
5/00 (20060101); A47B 57/58 (20060101); A47B
57/00 (20060101); G09F 1/00 (20060101); G09F
1/10 (20060101); A47b 057/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/60,61 ;211/184,43
;40/140,124.4,137,10,16,5 ;403/73,116,162 ;52/718 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jeandron; Howard T.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A shelf organizer system, comprising a plurality of shelves, a
first C-shaped channel forming a rail secured along the front edge
of each shelf with its open edges facing outward, a rectangular
disc to fit into said channel, the ends of said C shaped rails bent
inward to form a holding channel for said rectangular shaped disc,
said disc sprung slightly to snap into said channel, said disc
pivotally affixed to a similar second disc and both discs having
their engaging edges bent outward away from each other, a second
similar C-shaped channel into which said second disc may be snapped
to hold said second channel in any juxtaposition to said first
channel, said second channel of any desired length according to its
use.
2. In a device according to claim 1 in which said second channel
extends vertically from shelf to shelf and in which additional
pivotally connected discs are used at each shelf that said second
channel passes, said pivotally connected discs snapped into both
first and second channels to retain the second channel in any
desired, adjustable position along the length of said shelves, to
provide markers for said shelves.
3. In a device according to claim 2 in which said second channel
slidably supports the base of an inverted T-shaped element and the
stem portion of said T-shaped element is affixed to a divider
panel, said divider panel being of a size to fit the space between
shelves and movable to any position along the first C-shaped
channels to provide a divider between stock that is displayed upon
said shelves.
Description
This invention relates to a shelf organizer, and more particularly
to a shelf organizing system adapted to separate various items,
such as the canned, bottled and boxed goods of a super market.
The invention is primarily a means of better organizing the storage
space on shelves and providing means of demarcating different
products as well as means of retaining price markers and
identifying signs. Typical market shelves are so often a
hodge-podge of products, due to customers careless handling of the
products when removing them from the shelves. The disarray or
jumbled stocking by the clerks also contribute to the
disorganisation that is found on many market shelves.
It is an object of this invention to provide improved shelf
organizers or more particularly separating panels that are quickly
and easily snapped into position wherever needed.
A further object of this invention is to provide price rails along
the front edge of each shelf and snap in spring clips that are
slidable in the price rails, and said clips being double faced to
retain connecting strips up and down over the front edges of all
shelves, said strips supporting snap in shelf separating panels
wherever needed.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a shelf edge
rail with slidable spring clips that in turn support advertising
signs either with one or more than one support, said signs being
movable along said rail and easily and quickly mounted or
removed.
Further objects of this invention shall be apparent by reference to
the detailed description and the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of shelves with rails,
connecting rails and separating panels,
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of a separating
panel,
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a connecting horizontal and
vertical rail, with a separating panel mounted,
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a spring clip,
FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a spring clip mounted in a
horizontal rail,
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a directional sign mounted in
a horizontal rail,
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a snap on mounted advertising
sign supported by a plurality of spring clips in a horizontal rail,
and
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.
Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1 there is
illustrated a plurality of shelves 10 upon which a quantity of
canned goods 11 are displayed. The canned goods are organized or
divided into particular groups such as Potted Meats, Deviled Ham,
Beef, Port, Home Style Hash, Spaghetti, Chili, Meat Balls, etc.
Each group is preferably retained separated from any other group to
assist the shopper in finding what he wants and obtaining whatever
quantity he wants. To assist the shopper in determining the cost of
the canned goods, or other products stored on the shelves, each
shelf is provided with a price rail 12. The rail 12 (FIGS. 4, 6 and
7) is provided with slidably mounted spring clips 14 (FIGS. 1 and
5). The spring clip is two spring steel elements 15 and 16 that are
retained in a pivotal back to back relationship by a single plastic
plug 17. Plug 17 having an enlarged head 18 and stem 19 with a
slightly enlarged end 20. The spring clips 14 are provided with a
central aperture 21 through which the plug 17 is pressed as
illustrated. The plug 17 will thus retain the two part clip as
illustrated in FIG. 5. The rail 12 (FIGS. 6 and 9) is formed with
each edge turned back upon itself to form a V groove 22 at the top
and bottom of the rail. Into this spacing the clips 14 may be
snapped or fitted and are thus slidable along the length of the
strip 12. With the portion 15 of the spring clip 14 mounted in the
V grooves 22 of the rail 12, the remaining portion 16 may be used
to support a price tag or a directional sign (FIG. 7). Likewise
with two spring clips 14 so mounted in spaced relationship as in
FIG. 8 a large sign 25 may be supported on the price rail 12.
The sign 25 (FIG. 9) must be provided with a plastic channel 26
glued or cemented to the back of the sign. Thus the end 16 of the
clips 14 may be snapped or fitted into the plastic channel as
illustrated to support the sign 25.
A further application of these elements may be used as illustrated
in FIG. 4 wherein the spring clip 14 has one side fitted in the
rail 12 and the opposite side turned 90.degree. and fitted into a
similarly shaped rail 30. The rail 30 is preferably a flexible
plastic rail but similar in cross section to rail 12. This rail 30
is used to stretch in vertical relation to the shelves 10 and held
to the edge of the shelves by the spring clips 14. The rail 30 is
primarily to support a divider element 31 that extends from the
front of the shelf to the rear (FIG. 1) thus segregating one
product from another on the particular shelf chosen. The rail 30
(FIGS. 2, 3, and 4) is used to support a reinforcing element 34
that is T-shaped in FIG. 3 with the head of the T fitted into the V
groove 22A. While the element 34 may have an extended metal loop 32
with the ends 33 and 36 rigidly welded or affixed to the T head. A
two sheet partition or divider element 31 is mounted one sheet 35
on each side of loop 32 and both sheets stapled together as
illustrated. Thus using the flexible channel 30 (FIG. 1) to hold
partition 31 which may be supported between shelves as illustrated.
Whenever it is desirable to retain a definite positioning of the
partition, a strip of sealing tape may be wrapped around the
T-shaped head 31 and the channel 30. The partition 31 may be cut to
fit any shelf as desired.
It is to be understood that this device is designed primarily for
grocery shelves, however, it may be modified in size for separating
other products that are stored or stacked on shelves. Although a
combination of metal rail, spring steel clips and plastic rails are
described, the materials used may vary according to the
characteristics desired.
The invention described in detail in the foregoing specification is
subject to changes and modifications without departing from the
principal and spirit thereof. The terminology used is for purposes
of description and not of limitation; the scope of the invention
being defined in the claims.
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