GB1595461A - Shelf bracket - Google Patents

Description

(54) SHELF BRACKET (71) We, SAINSBURY AND PARKINSON LIMITED, a British Company of Green Lane, Walsall, Staffordshire, England, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to shelf brackets which are simple to fit and of which the fixing means is inconspicuous. The invention is particularly, though not exclusively, applicable to wooden shelf brackets.

United Kingdom Patent Specification No.

1,437,740 describes and claims a shelf bracket, claim 1 defining a shelf bracket comprising a shelf supporting part and an attachment part securable to a wall or other structure, the two parts having respective interengaging elements of a single screw and nut combination, and the attachment part having provision for attachment to a wall or other structure by a single screw fixing.

It is the object of the invention to provide a modified and improved shelf bracket as claimed in Claim I of Patent No 1,437,740 in which it is possible to fix the shelf supporting part in a multiplicity of positions.

According to the invention there is provided a modified form of the shelf bracket as claimed in Claim 1 of United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 1,437,740 in which the attachment part is formed as an elongated member and has a number of holes at positions spaced therealong, the holes having screw threads formed or provided therein to provide nut and the shelf supporting part being provided with a screw engageable in any one of the holes, to define said single screw and nut combination, and the attachment part having provision for attachment to a wall or other structure by plural fastening means.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a part cross-sectional side elevation view of a shelf bracket constructed in accordance with the invention Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a part cross-sectional side elevation view of an alternative form of shelf bracket in accordance with the invention Figure 4 is a plan view of the bracket shown in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a front view of an attachment part in the construction of Figures 3 and 5 on a smaller scale, Figure 6 is a front view of a wall plate in the construction of Figures 3 and 4 on a smaller scale, and Figure 7 is a view showing how a number of the shelf supporting parts are cut from a single piece of material.

The shelf bracket illustrated is principally constructed from wood, though it is to be understood that other solid materials may be used for the major components.

The shelf bracket is shown supporting a shelf indicated generally at 10. The shelf bracket comprises, a shelf supporting part 11 and an attachment part 12. The shelf supporting part 11 is triangular in side view as shown in Figure 1. One angle of the triangle is a right angle and of the other two angles, one is substantially smaller than the other.

This provides a long shelf supporting surface and a shorter surface abutting the attachment part 12. The corner at the smallest angle is cut off as indicated at 13. At a position near the wider end of the shelf supporting part 11 there is a circular blind bore 14, the axis of which is perpendicular to the flat shelf supporting surface. Occupying the bore 14 is a cylindrical nut member 15 which has near its inner end, a transverse threaded hole 16.

Also provided in the shelf supporting part II is a further blind bore 17 which extends from the shorter flat surface abutting the attachment part 12 and intersecting with the bore 14 occupied by the nut member 15.

Within the bore 17 is a stud 18 which is screw threaded over the whole of its length. This engages in the screw threaded hole 16 in the nut member 15. The stud 18 is long enough to extend out of the bore 17 of the shelf supporting part and as shown in Figure 1, it occupies a bore 19 in the attachment part 12.

The attachment part 12 is an elongated strip of uniform thickness and width having.

at intervals along its length, a plurality of bores 19. In Figure 1 two of them are shown, In a typical connstruction the attachment part has ten such bores at intervals spaced equally along it. Each bore 19 is stepped and in its wider end remote from the shelf supporting part 11 is an insert in the form of a nut 20, into which the threaded stud 18 can engage. The nuts 20 are flush with the surface of the attachment part 12 and are retained against rotation. Conveniently the attachment part 12 is made of wood and the nuts are conventional hexagonal form and are embedded in the wider ends of the bores 19.A convenient means for inserting the nuts comprises drilling circular holes each of a size equivalent to the width across the flats of the nut and the nuts are then driven into these holes so that the corners thereof cut into the surrounding wood so that the nut is retained against rotation.

To attach the shelf supporting part 11 to the attachment part 12 the stud 18 is first inserted into the nut member 15 and through the bore 16. The end of the stud 18 is allowed to protrude out of the shelf supporting part far enough so that when the shelf supporting part 11 is engaged against the face of the attachment part, the stud 18 will engage in the nut 20, in whichever of the bores 19 is selected. The depth of the bore 17 prevents the stud 18 screwing in through the nut member 15 too far.

Though this is the means for securing the shelf supporting part to the attachment part 12, the latter must first be secured to a wall or other structure as indicated generally at 21 in Figure 1. To accomplish this the attachment part is provided with countersunk drillings 22 to accept fixing screws 23. These ate positioned at intervals along the length of the attachment part 12 and, preferably, occupy positions which will be covered or substantially covered by the shelf 10 when this is resting on the shelf supporting part 11. This arrangement is illustrated in Figure 1.

There is sufficient compression in the wooden components to allow the shelf supporting part 11 to be fitted in upright position to support the shelf 10 and it can be rotated so as to be firmly fixed and held against the attachment part 12.

The shelf 10 may be secured to the shelf supporting part 11 in any convenient way, though preferably, no fastenings are provided thereon. The shelf 10 may be of any suitable material and if it is made of a material such as glass it is convenient to provide pads of rubber or other material in the top flat surface of the shelf supporting part 11 to prevent sliding of the shelf.

The arrangement provides inconspicuous fitting of the shelf bracket since the fixing means is invisible when the component parts are assembled.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the attachment part is a metal channel 30 shown also in Figure 5. This has spaced holes 31 into any of which the stud 18, from the shelf supporting part 11, fits. The holes 31 are screw threaded to co-operate with the thread of the stud. Alternatively, the attachment part 30 has a nut secured at each hole 31, by welding or other convenient means.

The attachment part 30 is secured to the wall 21 by screws 32 passing through slots 33 which are formed in the attachment part 30 and which, therefore, allow for some vertical adjustment of the whole bracket. Surrounding the attachment part 30 is a wall plate 34 shown also in Figure 6. This is of channel form and has sides of depth less than those of the attachment part 30 so that it does not actually abut against the wall 21. The plate 34 has spaced holes 35 of a size to allow free passage of a stud 18, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This plate, therefore, completely covers from view the screws 32.

The method of assembly is the same as that for the construction of Figures 1 and 2 with the additional step of insertion of the plate 34 between the shelf supporting part 11 and the attachment part 30.

Figure 7 illustrates a piece of wood from which it is possible to cut four of the shelf supporting parts. These are indicated at 10a, 10b, 10c and. l0d respectively. It is to be understood that a longer strip of material may be used for a larger number of the parts.

In the example shown in Figure 7 a centre inclined cut 24 is made and each resultant section is cut by a diagonal line 25 which, however, is just short of a true diagonal.

These provide the cut off and portions 13 of each of the parts, as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 3. This arrangement is economical in material and enables all important surfaces to be treated before cutting. The right angular corners of the four parts are indicated as such in the drawing.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A modified form of the shelf bracket claimed in Claim 1 of United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 1,437,740 in which the attachment part is formed as an elongated member and has a number of holes at positions spaced therealong, the holes having screw threads formed or provided therein to provide nuts, and the shelf supporting part being provided with a screw engageable in any one of the holes, to define said single screw and nut combination, and the attachment part having provision for attachment to a wall or other structure by plural fastening means.

2. A shelf bracket as claimed in Claim 1, in which the screw threads are provided in respective nuts located in each of the holes in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (1)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   strip of uniform thickness and width having.

   at intervals along its length, a plurality of bores 19. In Figure 1 two of them are shown, In a typical connstruction the attachment part has ten such bores at intervals spaced equally along it. Each bore 19 is stepped and in its wider end remote from the shelf supporting part 11 is an insert in the form of a nut 20, into which the threaded stud 18 can engage. The nuts 20 are flush with the surface of the attachment part 12 and are retained against rotation. Conveniently the attachment part 12 is made of wood and the nuts are conventional hexagonal form and are embedded in the wider ends of the bores 19.A convenient means for inserting the nuts comprises drilling circular holes each of a size equivalent to the width across the flats of the nut and the nuts are then driven into these holes so that the corners thereof cut into the surrounding wood so that the nut is retained against rotation.

   To attach the shelf supporting part 11 to the attachment part 12 the stud 18 is first inserted into the nut member 15 and through the bore 16. The end of the stud 18 is allowed to protrude out of the shelf supporting part far enough so that when the shelf supporting part 11 is engaged against the face of the attachment part, the stud 18 will engage in the nut 20, in whichever of the bores 19 is selected. The depth of the bore 17 prevents the stud 18 screwing in through the nut member 15 too far.

   Though this is the means for securing the shelf supporting part to the attachment part 12, the latter must first be secured to a wall or other structure as indicated generally at 21 in Figure 1. To accomplish this the attachment part is provided with countersunk drillings 22 to accept fixing screws 23. These ate positioned at intervals along the length of the attachment part 12 and, preferably, occupy positions which will be covered or substantially covered by the shelf 10 when this is resting on the shelf supporting part 11. This arrangement is illustrated in Figure 1.

   There is sufficient compression in the wooden components to allow the shelf supporting part 11 to be fitted in upright position to support the shelf 10 and it can be rotated so as to be firmly fixed and held against the attachment part 12.

   The shelf 10 may be secured to the shelf supporting part 11 in any convenient way, though preferably, no fastenings are provided thereon. The shelf 10 may be of any suitable material and if it is made of a material such as glass it is convenient to provide pads of rubber or other material in the top flat surface of the shelf supporting part 11 to prevent sliding of the shelf.

   The arrangement provides inconspicuous fitting of the shelf bracket since the fixing means is invisible when the component parts are assembled.

   In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the attachment part is a metal channel 30 shown also in Figure 5. This has spaced holes 31 into any of which the stud 18, from the shelf supporting part 11, fits. The holes 31 are screw threaded to co-operate with the thread of the stud. Alternatively, the attachment part 30 has a nut secured at each hole 31, by welding or other convenient means.

   The attachment part 30 is secured to the wall 21 by screws 32 passing through slots 33 which are formed in the attachment part 30 and which, therefore, allow for some vertical adjustment of the whole bracket. Surrounding the attachment part 30 is a wall plate 34 shown also in Figure 6. This is of channel form and has sides of depth less than those of the attachment part 30 so that it does not actually abut against the wall 21. The plate 34 has spaced holes 35 of a size to allow free passage of a stud 18, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This plate, therefore, completely covers from view the screws 32.

   The method of assembly is the same as that for the construction of Figures 1 and 2 with the additional step of insertion of the plate 34 between the shelf supporting part 11 and the attachment part 30.

   Figure 7 illustrates a piece of wood from which it is possible to cut four of the shelf supporting parts. These are indicated at 10a, 10b, 10c and. l0d respectively. It is to be understood that a longer strip of material may be used for a larger number of the parts.

   In the example shown in Figure 7 a centre inclined cut 24 is made and each resultant section is cut by a diagonal line 25 which, however, is just short of a true diagonal.

   These provide the cut off and portions 13 of each of the parts, as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 3. This arrangement is economical in material and enables all important surfaces to be treated before cutting. The right angular corners of the four parts are indicated as such in the drawing.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

   1. A modified form of the shelf bracket claimed in Claim 1 of United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 1,437,740 in which the attachment part is formed as an elongated member and has a number of holes at positions spaced therealong, the holes having screw threads formed or provided therein to provide nuts, and the shelf supporting part being provided with a screw engageable in any one of the holes, to define said single screw and nut combination, and the attachment part having provision for attachment to a wall or other structure by plural fastening means.

   2. A shelf bracket as claimed in Claim 1, in which the screw threads are provided in respective nuts located in each of the holes in

   the attachment part.

   3. A shelf bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the attachment part is a solid strip having spaced further holes to accept said plural fastening means respectively whereby it is securable to a wall or other structure.

   4. A shelf bracket as claimed in Claim 1, in which the screw threads are formed in the holes in a channel shaped attachment part, the attachment part being covered by a channel shaped wall plate having holes registering with the threaded holes in said attachment part.

   6. A shelf bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the screw of the shelf supporting part is engaged at one end in a nut in the shelf supporting part, being at its other end engageable in one of said screw threaded holes in the attachment part.

   7. A shelf bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

   8. A shelf bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.