GB2058560A - Anti-theft display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Display apparatus, especially for jewellery such as necklaces, has a support member (100) having anchorages (112) or other location means for articles (3) to be displayed and, co-operating therewith, a retaining member (400) for retaining the articles in relation to the anchorages, the members (100 and 400) being lockable in the retaining condition by a lock (50). The anchorages (112) may consist of upstanding pins which are each engaged by a clasp (30) of a necklace (3). The members (100, 400) are shown of hollow form and are slotted (113 and 413) for passage of the necklaces from the pins. Release of the lock (50) causes the retaining member (400) to be moved so as to bring the slots (113, 413) into register to enable a necklace to be removed. The support and retaining members may be of tubular form as shown or the support member may be channel-shaped with side slots, the retaining member then being a slidable closure or cap (Fig. 1-not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anti-theft display apparatus The object of this invention is to provide simple apparatus for the display of articles, especially items of jewellery such as necklaces, whereby the latter can be examined or even handled, yet are effectively retained against theft until authorised removal is required.

According to this invention anti-theft display apparatus comprises a support member provided with anchorage or location means for at least one article (e.g. a necklace or necklaces) to be displayed so that the latter can extend or depend from the support member for examination; a retaining member to the support member for retaining a said article or articles in relation to the anchorage or location means; and releasable locking means for locking the support and retaining members in the retaining condition, release of the locking means permitting relative movement of said members for removal of a said article or articles therefrom.

In a practical form of the apparatus for the display of necklaces, the construction and arrangement is as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a broken away perspective view of part of the display apparatus, FIGURE 2 is a part side elevation, FIGURE 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of an alternative arrangement.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side elevation of a further developed arrangement, and FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a stand carrying the arrangement of FIGURE 4.

A support member of the apparatus is shown consisting of an elongate channel section body 1 supported in any suitable manner such as by an upright 2 so that the channel section body 1 extends horizontally from the latter.

The interior surface of the base 10 of the channel section body 1 is provided with a series of anchorages shown in the form of upstanding pins 12 aligned with corresponding openings 13 in the side walls 11 of the body 1 so that necklaces 3 can be attached by their clasps 30 (e.g. of the ring type), one to each anchorage pin 12, whereby the necklace is able to pass through the adjacent side openings 13 and depend from the body 1 for display and examination by customers.

Other suitable anchorage devices may be employed such as hooks or clips or location by the side openings 13 may be simply used.

For anti-theft display in this way, the channel section body 1 is provided with a retaining member in the form of a closure or cap 4 shown slidably engaging outwardly flanged edges 14 of the side walls 11 of the body 1 so that the anchorage pins 12 are effectively closed against access until authorised removal of a necklace or necklaces is required, when the closure or cap 4 is slid back for this purpose. When in the fully closed position the closure 4 is locked relative to the body by suitable locking means 5 such as the padlock shown. In such condition both ends of the body 1 are preferably closed, e.g. by an end wall as at 15 in FIGURE 1.

The apparatus may take various forms in practice and in an alternative arrangement shown in FIGURE 3 a support body or arm 16 in the form of bar, rod or tube is provided with upstanding anchorage pins 12 over which a correspondingly perforated or recessed retaining strip 40 is fitted and locked in position of use. The strip 40 is of sufficient width to cover the clasps 30 of the necklaces 3 against access and can be removable or hingedly mounted for lifting clear of the pins 12 when authorised removal is required.

The apparatus or stand can be attractively finished and those parts which contact the necklaces should be padded or similarly faced, e.g. with velvet, to avoid damage to the necklaces on display, and provide a suitable background.

In a further developed arrangement of the apparatus shown more particularly in FIGURE 4 and also in FIGURE 5 a hollow elongate support member 100 e.g. of tubular form receives for relative lon- gitudinal movement about it an outer elongate retaining member400 also oftubularform. The two tubular members 100,400, are preferably of square or other suitable rectangular cross-section.

The top of the inner tubular support member 100 is transversely slotted at 113 at several points along its length preferably in the regular manner shown, the slotting 113 extending vertically down one or both sides of the member 100 for a suitable depth i.e.

nearly to the base 101 of the member 100.

Aligned with each slot or opening 113 is a corresponding anchorage pin 112 upstanding from a strip 110 resting on the base 101 ofthe tubular member 100 and within the latter.

The top oftheoutertubularretaining member 400 is also transversely slotted at 413 in a corresponding manner, the slotting also extending vertically down one or both sides of the member 400 for a depth whereby the bottom of the slotting 413 corresponds with that ofthe slotting 113 in the innersupport member 100. However the vertical part of the slotting 413 is provided with a horizontal foot portion 430 so that the vertical part is of L-form.

Necklaces 3 are attached one each by their clasps at one end to respective anchorage pins 112, the necklaces passing through the slotting 113 and 413 so as to hang from the apparatus. e.g. when the latter is mounted in a stand 20 as shown in FIGURES.

In order to lock the necklaces 3 against removal the retaining tubular member 400 is moved to the position shown in FIGURE 4 in which the slotting 413 of the retaining member 400 is moved out of register with that 113 of the inner support member 100 except for the end of each horizontal foot portion 430 which remains in register with the bottom ofthe associated vertical part of the slotting 113 of the inner member 100 to allow passage of each necklace from a pin 112 through the slotting 113,413 but pre vent its removal therefrom.

When it is desired to remove a necklace or necklaces, the retaining member 400 is moved longitudinally to bring the slotting 113,413 in register so that any of the necklaces can be raised from its anchorage pin 112 and out of the open slotting 113,413.

The retaining member 400 is shown operated for movement between the retaining and release positions by a key operated lock 50, a rotary part of which has an eccentric projection 52 engaging a slot 402 in the retaining member 400. For release operation the key 55 is inserted in the lock 50 and turned to move the retaining member 400 to bring the slotting 113, 413 in register. Conversely turning the lock back brings the member 400 to the retaining position shown after which the key 55 can be withdrawn.

Other suitable readily operated locking means may be employed.

The lock 50 is shown carried by an end mounting piece 6 secured to a corresponding end of the inner support member 100, a further mounting piece 60 being secured to the other end of the member 100.

Both mounting pieces 6, 60 are recessed at 66 for locating engagement with frame members 26 of the stand 20 and the mounting piece 6 is shown carrying a further key operated lock 7 having a bolt 70 which releasably engages a side hole 27 in the associated frame member 26 to lock the support apparatus or assembly 100,400 in the stand 20. Release operation of the lock 7 enables the complete assembly or unit to be removed from the stand 20 e.g. for display change purposes.

As shown in Figure 5 the necklaces 3 may hang from one end, i.e. the clasp end from the member 100, or where the members 100 and 400 are slotted at both sides the necklaces may hang in the connected condition in a similar manner to that shown in FIGURE 1.

The assembly of the members 100 and 400 may be varied. Thus the member 400 may be contained within an outer support member 100 of appropriate size with provision for longitudinal movement of the member 400 relative to the pins 112 whilst in either arrangement one or both of the members 100,400 may be of channel form one fitting over the other for relative longitudinal movement in bringing the slotting 113 and 413 into and out of register However tubular form of at least one of the members 100,400 is preferred for suitable strength and rigidity.

Whereas it is preferable for the retaining member 400 to be movable relative to the fixed support member 100, the latter may be operable for movement relative to a fixed retaining member.

As wili be appreciated the apparatus in any of the forms herein described enables a number of necklaces to be compactly displayed in an attractive and appealing manner for examination or even handling by customers yet at the same time the necklaces are positively retained against unauthorised removal.

With appropriate modifications as necessary, apparatus according to this invention is also capable of displaying other items ofjewellery such as bracelets or bangles and is also capable of use in generally displaying articles of various kinds and of endless or other suitable form.

Claims (12)

1. Anti-theft display apparatus comprising a support member provided with anchorage or location means for at least one article (e.g. a necklace or necklaces) to be displayed so that the latter can extend or depend from the support member for examination; a retaining memberto the support member for retaining a said article or articles in relation to the anchorage or location means; and releasable locking means for locking the support and retaining members in the retaining condition, release of the locking means permitting relative movement of said members for removal of a said article or articles therefrom.

2. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support member is of hollow form and is provided with one or more openings or slots through which an article or articles on display can extend or depend.

3. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 1 and 2 wherein the retaining member acts as a closure to the support member of hollow form.

4. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the retaining member is also provided with one or more openings or slots whereby on relative movement ofthe support and retaining members the openings or slots thereof are movable either partly out of register to retain a said article or articles in relation to the anchorage or location means or into register to permit removal of a said article or articles therefrom.

5. Anti-theft display apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the support and retaining members are of elongate form and arranged for relative longitudinal movement for said retention or release operation.

6. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 5 wherein at least the support member is of channel ortubularform in cross section.

7. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the retaining member is of complementary channel ortubularform in cross section.

8. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the retaining member is adapted to cooperate with the anchorage or location means on the support member for retention of a said article or articles in relation to the anchorage or location means.

9. Anti-theft display apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the anchorage or location means consists of one or more pins or similar members upstanding from the support member orfrom a member carried thereby.

10. Anti-theft display apparatus according to any ofthe preceding claims wherein the apparatus is mounted, or adapted to be mounted, on a stand.

11. Anti-theft display apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the apparatus is adapted to have a releasable locking engagement with the stand.

12. Anti-theft display apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 or FIGURE 3 or FIGURE 4 or FIGURES 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.