US2276141A

US2276141A - Shoe rack

Info

Publication number: US2276141A
Application number: US419046A
Authority: US
Inventors: Truman L Atkinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-11-14
Filing date: 1941-11-14
Publication date: 1942-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1959-03-10

Description

Mmh 10, 1942. T. L. ATKINSON 2,276,141

SHOE RACK Filed Nov. 14, 1941 7 \hVQYd OT Tmman L. KMngon Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE RACK Truman L. Atkinson, Ludington, Mich.

Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,046 8 Claims. (01. 211-s7 This invention relates in general to racks for supporting various articles thereon and is shown in this particular instance as being applied to a shoe rack.

Th invention is most useful wherein a plurality of rods or similar supporting means extend between end members, and resides specifically in the means by which the ends of the rods or supporting means are clamped or held in place against the nd members.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of end members in a device of this character provided with means which are so formed as to receive and hold the ends of the elongated supporting rods.

A further object of the invention is the provision of end members having spaced apart legs provided with bracing means between the legs which are so formed as to receive the ends of the elongated supporting rods.

Another object of the invention is to form the bracing means between the legs of a flexible or spring material which will be capable of having a sufficient force as to successfully clamp the ends of the rods in place.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of loops in the downturned ends of the bracing means to receive the ends of the rods, such loops forming an opening with the adjacent leg, which opening is smaller than the end of the rod which it receives, thereby placing a tension between the bracing member and the adjacent leg whereby the rod is clamped and held in place.

A still further object is to form these loops so that the opening between them and the adjacent leg will be larger at each end than in the center thereof to thereby facilitate entrance of the rod therein.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and following description set forth in detail certain means for carrying out my invention, said means constituting, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a shoe rack embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation showing one of the bracing means before a rod is inserted in the loops provided therein.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 after the loops have received the rods, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through one of the loops showing the opening at each end thereof slightly enlarged.

While, for purposes of convenience in illustrating the invention, a shoe rack has been specifically designated, it is to be understood that the invention may be applied equally as well to other devices without departing in any way from the spirit thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have illustrated end members having a substantially inverted U-shaped form to provide front leg members I and rear legs 2 connected at their upper ends by an arcuate portion 3. In

each end member one or more braces 4 may be located each of which extends between the front and rear legs I and 2. The rear end of each brace may be turned downwardly as at 5 so as to be substantially parallel to the rear leg 2 and bear flush thereagainst. Likewise the front of each brace 4 is turned downwardly as at 6 in the same manner and these

downturned ends

5 and 6 may be secured to the respective legs 2 and I by welding or any other desired means- While the same effect may be had regardless of whether the ends of the braces are turned upwardly or downwardly, for convenience herein they have been shown as being turned downwardly. In this case. then, the rear end 5 of each brace 4 has an inwardly extending loop 1 formed therein a short distance above the point where such end is secured to the leg. Likewise the front downturned end 6 is provided with an inwardly extending loop 8 a short distance above the point where the front end is secured to its adjacent leg. It will be evident that each loop in conjunction with the adjacent leg against which the downturned end of a brace bears will form an opening to receive the ends of elongated rod members 9 or an equivalent structure. In the form illustrated the rods 9 are tubular and are all secured to one end member, and rods H] are secured to the opposite end member and are adapted to slide within the tubes 9 thereby providing a telescoping arrangement for adjusting the length of the rack. In some instances, however, it may be desirable to dispense with the ad-' justable feature in which case the opposite ends of the rods 9 would then be received in the loops in the opposite end member.

It is preferable that both the end members and the braces which extend between the legs thereof be formed of a flexible strap metal, but it would be suificient if one or the other would be formed of such a material so long as at least one side of each opening which receives the ends of the rods is flexible. The openings provided by the loops and the adjacent leg members are smaller than the ends of the rods which they receive so that when the rods are inserted in these openings a tension will be set up primarily in the braces themselves and possibly in the leg 5 members as well which provides a clamping action to secure the rods in place.

Fig. 3 illustrates clearly the condition of each brace and the legs on an end member before the ends of the rods are inserted in the loops.

Fig. 4 illustrates clearly the condition of the various elements after the rods have been inserted. Due to the flexible nature of the brace it will be seen that the downturned ends of each brace will be forced inwardly toward each other and that portion thereof which extends between the legs will be bowed slightly downwardly. It will be evident that two forces cooperate in holding the rods in place.

6 to return to their normal position abutting against the adjacent leg, and the other force will be exerted by that portion 4 of the brace extending between the legs which tends to return thatportion to its normal straight position.

After the formation of the end members with the braces thereon as above described, the rods may be assembled therewith easily and quickly by inserting the ends of the rods in the loops where they will be securely held without the necessity of any additional securing means, the tension of the brace as above explained being sufiicient for this purpose. It will also be evident in this particular construction that a certain amount of flexibility in the leg .portions themselves will permit a small amount of give, which amount would ordinarily be greater if the braces were not formed of such material. It may be mentioned here that the braces adjacent the bottom of the legs may not be bowed quite as much as those braces thereabove because of the fact that the legs themselves may be spread slightly. Nevertheless, the inherent tension in the various parts as above outlined will be suflicient regardless of the location of the braces to securely hold the rods in place.

To facilitate the insertion of the ends of the rods in the openings provided by the loops and their adjacent leg members, since the openings themselves are smaller than the rods, the loops are preferably formed as shown in Fig. 5 wherein the material at each end thereof is flared slightly away from the adjacent leg portion as shown at H. Each .end of the opening then will be large enough to receive the end of -a rod for a short distance, when the rod is then forced entirely through the opening the distance of the center thereof from the adjacent leg will be small enough to set up the tension and thereby securely hold the rods in place.

Other modes of applying the rinciple of my invention may be used instead of the one here described, .change being .made as regards the structure herein disclosed provided, however, that themeans-stated by-any of the following claims One force will be the tendency of the downturned end portions 5 and all.

or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising, end members formed of a length of strap metal bent in the form of an inverted U, a brace of flexible sheet metal extending between the legs of each end member, the ends of each brace being turned downwardly parallel to the adjacent leg of each end member and secured thereto, an inwardly extending loop in the end of each brace above the point where it is secured to the leg of the end member to thereby form an opening with the adjacent leg having a flexible side, rods extending between the end members to support articles thereon, the ends of said rods being received in said openings, and said openings being smaller than the ends of said rods, whereby the flexibility of a side of each opening will clamp andhold the rods in place.

'2. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said openings are larger at the ends thereof than in the center, to facilitate entrance of the rods therein.

3. A device of the class described comprising, end members having spaced apart legs thereon, a brace of flexible material extending between the legs of .each end member, the ends of each brace being turned downwardly parallel to the adjacent leg and secured thereto, an inwardly extending loop in the end of each brace above the point where vit is secured to the leg of the end member to thereby form an opening with the adjacent leg, rods extendingbetween said end members to support articles thereon, the ends of said rods being received in said openings, and said openings being smaller than the ends of said rods, whereby the loops will be forced away from the adjacent legs and clamp the rods inplace.

4. A device of the class described comprising, end members having spaced apart supporting legs thereon, a brace of flexible material extending between the legs of each end member, the ends of each brace being turned to a plane substantially parallel with the adjacent leg and secured thereto, an inwardly extending loop in the turned end of each brace spaced a short distance from the point where such end is secured to the leg, said loop in conjunction with the adjacent leg thereby forming an opening, rods extending between said endmembers to support articles therein, the ends of saidrods being received in said openings, and said openings being smaller than the ends of said rods whereby the loops will be forced .away from the adjacent legs and clamp the rods in place.

5. The'combination of elements defined in claim 4, wherein the ends of each loop are spaced a greater distance from its adjacent leg than the center thereof, to facilitate entrance of the rod therein.

6. A device of the class described comprising, end members having spaced apart supporting legs, a braceextending between the legs of each end member having its ends bent to abut against said legs, each end :of the brace being secured to the adjacent leg a distance from the bend in said brace, an inwardly extending loop in each end of the brace between the bend therein and the point where it is securedto the adjacent leg, and rods extending between said end members, the endof a rod beingreceived and clamped between a loop and the adjacent leg.

'7. A device of the class described comprising,

end members having spaced apart supporting legs thereon, bracing means between the legs of each end member, a plurality of article supporting means extending between said end members, and means integral with said bracing means to clamp the ends of said supporting means against the legs of the end members.

8. A device of the class described comprising, end members having spaced apart supporting legs thereon, bracing means between the legs of each end member, a plurality of article supporting means extending between said end members, and loops integral with said' bracing means between which and the legs the ends of the supporting means are received to clamp the ends of said supporting means against the legs of'the end members.

TRUMAN L. ATKINSON.