U.S. patent number 3,915,097 [Application Number 05/500,516] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-28 for multi-position wire display rack.
Invention is credited to Bruce Young, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,915,097 |
Young, Jr. |
October 28, 1975 |
Multi-position wire display rack
Abstract
A multi-position, foldable wire display rack comprising an
upright wire support frame having a back and opposite sides and at
least one package-supporting wire shelf having hooks on a back edge
thereof pivotally engaged with the back of the support frame and a
plurality of protrusions on opposite side edges thereof, said
protrusions selectively engageable with cooperating structure on
the support frame sides to support the shelf in a plurality of
angularly adjusted positions on the support frame.
Inventors: |
Young, Jr.; Bruce (Chattanooga,
TN) |
Family
ID: |
23989757 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/500,516 |
Filed: |
August 26, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/6; 211/187;
108/179; 108/163; 211/181.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F
5/12 (20130101); A47F 5/13 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47F
5/13 (20060101); A47F 5/12 (20060101); A47F
5/10 (20060101); A47F 005/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;211/150,181,142,149,132,178 ;248/211,214,242,215,249
;108/6,111 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shoemaker and Mattare
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A multi-position wire display rack comprising an upright, wire
support frame having a back and opposite sides, at least one
package-supporting wire shelf having inturned hook means on a back
edge thereof pivotally engaged with the back of the support frame,
a plurality of spaced apart, depending shelf supporting protrusions
on each of the opposite sides of the shelf, an inwardly extending
projection on each of the support frame sides, said protrusions
selectively engageable with said projections on the support frame
sides to selectively support the shelf in either a horizontal
position or in either of two angularly inclined adjusted positions
on the support frame.
2. A multi-position wire display rack as in claim 1, wherein the
back of the support frame comprises a plurality of generally
parallel elongate horizontally extending wire members and some of
said wire members are greater in length then the remaining wire
members, the sides of said support frame comprise a plurality of
generally parallel vertically extending wire members and the longer
wire members in the back of the frame have hook like formations at
their opposite ends pivotally engaged with the vertical wire
members of the frame sides, whereby the frame sides are pivotally
connected with the back and are foldable to a collapsed position
for storage and shipment.
3. A multi-position wire display rack as in claim 1, wherein the
back of the support frame includes a plurality of generally
parallel elongate horizontally disposed wire members, and the sides
of the frame include a plurality of elongate generally parallel
vertically disposed wire members with the sides pivotally connected
to the back of the frame and said shelf comprises a plurality of
elongate, substantially parallel wire members turned upwardly at a
front edge portion of the shelf and with a pair of said wire
members at opposite side edges of the shelf being joined by a
closed loop-shaped hook portion which is pivotally engaged with one
of said horizontal wire members of the back of the frame for
pivotally supporting the shelf to the frame back.
4. A multi-position wire display rack as in claim 3, wherein each
shelf has a pair of protrusions on opposite sides thereof and a
plurality of vertically aligned inwardly extending projections are
on the support frame sides in position for receiving the
protrusions on the sides of the shelf whereby one of the
protrusions is received in the projection in two adjusted positions
of the shelf, and the other of the protrusions is received in the
projection in a third adjusted position of the shelf.
5. A multi-position wire display rack as in claim 1, wherein said
protrusions include a first downturned protrusion and an
immediately adjacent second downturned protrusion, said first
protrusion comprising a downturned loop having spaced legs of
substantially equal length, and the second protrusion having a
relatively long leg and a relatively short leg, said first
protrusion engageable in a first projection when said shelf is
supported either horizontally or in a first inclined position, and
said second protrusion engageable in a second, lower projection
when said shelf is supported in a second inclined position at a
greater angle of inclination than said first inclined position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to support racks for supporting packages or
items in a highly visible and readily assessible position for sale
or display to the public. In particular, the present invention
relates to such a display rack made of wire which is foldable to a
substantially flat condition for ease in storage and shipment and
which is easily erected to an upright position having a back and
opposite sides extending generally perpendicular thereto and at
least one and preferably a plurality of shelves having hooking
loops along one edge thereof for engagement with horizontal rods or
bars on the back of the shelf and protrusions on the sides thereof
for engagement with cooperating protrusions on the sides of the
frame whereby the shelves may be supported in a plurality of
angularly inclined or adjusted positions.
The structure of the display rack according to the invention is
exceptionally simple and economical and is supported in an erect
operable position and the shelves may be adjusted to a plurality of
positions without requiring the use of separate fasteners and the
like.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a wire display rack which
is simple and economical in construction and is easy to use and
which includes a plurality of shelves having means whereby the
shelves may be adjusted to a plurality of differently inclined
positions or to a horizontal position without requiring the use of
separate fasteners and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a display rack in accordance
with the invention having three shelves thereon with the shelves
each adjusted to a different operative position in accordance with
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged view in section taken along line 2--2
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of
one side of the frame and an adjacent portion of a shelf;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along line
4--4 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 taken
along line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 6 in an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along lines
6--6 in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like
parts throughout the several views, a wire display rack is
indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 and comprises a wire support
frame 11 having a back 12 and opposite sides 13 and 14. The back 12
comprises a plurality of substantially parallel, vertically spaced
apart elongate wires or rods 15 with selected spaced apart wires or
rods 15a having hooks 16 at their opposite ends and a plurality of
substantially parallel spaced apart elongate vertically disposed
wires or rods 17 welded to the horizontal wires or rods 15 and 15a
and extending substantially the length or height of the back 12.
The sides 13 and 14 comprise a plurality of vertically extending
spaced apart substantially parallel rods or wires 18 having a
plurality of vertically spaced apart, generally U-shaped side
members 19 secured to one side thereof as by welding or the like
and having a closed forward end 20 and an inwardly projecting loop
or deformation 21 in each leg thereof in substantial vertical
alignment and adjacent the closed end 20. A pair of relatively
heavy elongate vertically disposed support legs or rods 22 and 23
are welded or otherwise suitably fixed to the U-shaped side support
members 19 adjacent the rear and forward ends thereof,
respectively, and the support legs or rids 22 and 23 have plastic
or similar caps 24 and 25 on their opposite ends, respectively, for
supporting the rack in an upright position.
As seen best in FIG. 1, the elements 15a in the back 12 of the rack
are greater in length than the remaining elements 15 and the hooks
16 at the opposite ends thereof are pivotally engaged around the
vertical element 18 at the rearward edge of the respective sides 13
and 14 whereby the sides are pivotally or foldably connected with
the back so that the sides may be folded flatwise against the back
for storage or shipment of the rack.
A plurality of shelves 26 are adjustably supported on the support
frame and each shelf 26 includes a generally U-shaped peripheral
frame portion 27 having an upturned forward edge 28 and more
particularly the frame portion comprises a pair of opposite,
generally parallel legs 29 having vertically upturned portions 30
at their forward edge and a horizontal transversely extending
portion 31 joining the upper ends of the upturned portions 30. A
plurality of elongate transversely extending wires or rods 32 are
welded to the side legs 29 in spanning relationship to the frame
portions 27, and on the upper side thereof, a second plurality of
elongate, substantially parallel wires or rods 33 extend
substantially perpendicularly to the rods or wires 32 and parallel
to the side portions 29 of the frame portion 27, and the wires 33
have upturned, forward end portions 34 with hook like structures 35
at their upper ends received over the top of the horizontally
extending closed end portion 31 of the frame portion 27, and the
wires 33 extend rearwardly beneath and are welded to the
transversely extending wires 32.
As seen best in FIGS. 1 and 3, a pair of wires 33 at each of the
opposite side edges of each shelf 26 are joined at their rearward
ends by a closed inturned depending loop or hook structure 36 which
is hooked over one of the horizontal bars or wires 15 on the back
12 of the support frame. A horizontal, transversely extending wire
or bar 37 is also welded or otherwise suitably secured to the
upwardly extending portions 34 of the members 33 to prevent a
package or article from passing between adjacent upright portions
34.
Further, each side leg 29 of each frame portion 27 of each shelf 26
has a pair of formations therein adjacent the forward edge thereof
including a first downturned protrusion 38 and an immediately
adjacent or contiguous second downturned protrusion 39. A first
protrusion 38 comprises essentially downturned loop with generally
equal legs 40 and 41, whereas the second protrusion 39 has a
relatively long leg 42 and a short leg 43.
Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, when the shelf 26 is in a first angularly
adjusted position, as at the top of FIG. 2, the protrusion 38 is
securely and generally symmetrically received in the projection 21
of the side frame support member 19, and when the shelf is in a
second angularly adjusted position as seen in the mid-portion of
FIG. 2, the protrusion 39 is generally symmetrically and securely
received in the projection 21. As seen at the bottom of FIG. 2,
when the shelf is in yet a third adjusted position, wherein it is
substantially horizontally disposed, the protrusion 38 is also
received in the projection 21 of the side frame members.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, a plurality of vertically
aligned loops or projections on the side frame members are arranged
to cooperate with a pair of projections on the shelves at opposite
edges thereof, whereby the shelves may be quickly and easily and
yet securely supported in a plurality of angularly adjusted
positions without requiring the use of separate fasteners or the
like, and the hook-shaped loops 36 at the rear edges of the shelves
prevent tipping of the shelves and maintain them securely attached
to the frame in all adjusted positions thereof. Additionally, and
when desired, the shelves may be released from the projection 21 at
opposite sides thereof and either pivoted downwardly into flatwise
engagement with a back 12 of the frame or removed entirely from the
frame and the side portions 13, 14 of the frame may be pivoted
inwardly into flatwise engagement with the back 12 for storage and
shipment of the display rack.
Additionally, with the present invention, no wire ends are exposed
at the front of the display rack and accordingly there is no danger
of injury to persons either inspecting articles or packages on the
shelves or to persons handling the display rack, and the pluraltity
of secured together wires extending transversely to one another
define a relatively small mesh to support the small packages.
Further, the rolled or upturned front on the shelves retain
packages thereon in the various adjusted positions thereof; and
these upturned portions may be used for point of purchase
advertising, if desired.
As this invention may be embodied in several forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the
present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive,
since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims
rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that
fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their
functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are
therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.
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