GB2162415A - Display post - Google Patents

Abstract

A display post particularly suitable for use in shops, exhibitions and the like for displaying goods such as clothing comprises an outer tube (4), an inner member (12), and a series of aligned apertures (6) in the outer tube and openings (20) in the inner member (12) for releasably supporting display arms (8) used in the assembly. The external appearance of the post can be changed by changing the tube (4) which may be of coloured extruded plastics material. Four of the posts may be interconnected by connecting rails to form a free- standing assembly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display post This invention relates to a display post, particularly a display post for use in shops, stores, exhibitions and the like for carrying goods for display purposes. The goods are suitably such as can be hung on rails, for example clothing.

According to the present invention a display post comprises an outer tube, an inner member extending within the tube and supported therein against movement relative to the tube, and a plurality of openings in the inner member spaced from and aligned with apertures through the tube wall for receiving and releasably engaging an end portion of a removable arm inserted into the tube through a said aperture.

The invention also provides an assembly comprising a display post as set out above and a removable arm extending into the tube through a said aperture and having an end portion thereof received and releasably engaged with a said opening in the inner member. Desirably the arm is supported by the rim of the aperture in the tube wall and the end portion of the arm received by the opening in the inner member is restrained thereby against upward movement, so that the arm outwardly of the post can carry the weight of goods hung therefrom.

As a result of the construction of the display post in accordance with the invention with an outer tube, the external appearance of the display post can readily be changed, by changing the tube, while retaining many of the components of the assembly of which it forms a part. For example, the colour or the shape of the outer tube can be changed. This is of particular value where changes in the style or decor of retail premises are judged to be commercially desirable, and the expense of completely refitting the premises can be formidable. The outer tube of a display post according to the invention may be of coloured extruded plastics material, so that great flexibility of design is readily possible.

The inner member may be supported at either end of the display post by tube end closure members to which it is affixed, and/or it may be supported internally of the outer tube by means of spacing elements extending between the inner member and the tube wall, which spacing elements are suitably integral with either the tube or the inner member.

Accordingly a suitable inner member comprises a core portion located centrally within the outer tube by means of outwardly directed spacing elements extending between the core and the inner side of the tube wall.

Preferably, the inner member comprises a plurality of adjoined elongate sections each comprising a web portion and at least one outer lateral flange, the web portions of the sections being disposed about a central axis and together defining a hollow core of the member, and the flanges extending outwardly from the core. The flanges generally extend at an angle from the web portions of the sections, although the inner member could be fabricated from unlike sections in some of which the flange is an extension of the web in the same plane as the web.

Specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a display post; Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the upper and lower ends of the post of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a tranverse cross section through the post taken on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is an elevation of a free-standing assembly of display posts; Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross section through the upper and lower ends of one of the display posts shown in Fig. 4; Figure 6 is a detail showing the upper end of the display post of Fig. 5 seen in the direction of the arrow VI; Figure 7 is a detail showing the upper end of the same display post seen in the direction of the arrow VII in Fig. 5; Figure 8 is a plan view of the upper end of the same display post;; Figure 9 is an elevation of an extension display post; and Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross section taken on the line X-X shown in Fig. 9.

The display post 2 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a length of cylindrical extruded plastics tube 4 provided with ten sets of diametrically-opposed pairs of circular apertures 6 through the walls thereof. Part of a display arm 8 is shown extending horizontally from one of the apertures 6, and in general the positioning of the apertures along and about the tube is chosen in accordance with the possible variety of positions in which it might be desired to attach a display arm.

A further aperture 10 is provided in the tube 4, and provides an attachment point at which the display post can be connected to a fitting for mounting on a wall or like anchorage.

As is apparent from Figs. 2 and 3, the tube 4 constitutes an outer tube, and the display post 2 contains an inner member 1 2 which fits snugly inside the outer tube. The inner member is made up of four channel sections of generally identical overall configuration, each having a central web portion 1 4 lying between outer lateral flanges 16, the flanges being angled at 45 out of the plane of the web, the four sections being arranged about the central axis of the display post and the webs 14 thereof together defining a hollow core 1 8 of the inner member 12, the flanges 1 6 of adjacent sections lying in face-to-face contact and extending radially outwardly from the core and into abutment with the inner side of the outer tube wall.The inner member is of steel and is fabricated by spot welding the touching flanges 16.

The number of sections making up the inner member 12, and their configurations, can be varied to suit the design of display post chosen. The angles of the flanges 16 to the webs 14 will depend on the number of sections used. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 3, each section has two flanges angled at 45 each, allowing all four sections to be assembled to form the full 360 periphery of the inner member. It will be readily appreciated, however, that sections having alternative configurations could be used. For example, one flange 16 might be at 90 to the web 14, while the opposite flange 16 might be coplanar with the web.The adjacent flanges need not both be of the same length, thus allowing given sections to be assembled together to form the inner member with some versatility of overall dimensions, since only one of the welded-together flanges need extend as far as the tube wall. The number of sections determines the number of radial positions available for the arms 8, since the arms have end portions 1 8 which cooperate with central openings 20 in the webs 14 of the sections.

The cross-sectional shape of the tube 4 may in turn determine the number of sections used; for example, a round tube can suitably accommodate three or more sections, a square tube can suitably accommodate four sections, and a hexagonal tube can suitably accommodate three or six sections. The apertures 6 in the tube 4 are suitably grouped directly opposite the centres of selected webs 14 at chosen locations along the length of the tube.

In the display post 2 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the apertures 6 in the outer tube 4 lie opposite openings 20 in two opposite webs 1 4 making up the core 1 8 of the inner member 1 2. The openings are rectangular, their longer sides extending along the length of the core 18, and are dimensioned to receive a rectangular terminal lug 22 on the end of a square shank 18 constituting an end portion of the round display arm 8.The alignment and sizing of the apertures 6 and the openings 20 are such that a display arm 8 can be inserted, end portion 18 foremost, through the aperture 6, with the remote outer end of the arm slightly raised, and the end portion can then be further inserted into the opening 20 until the terminal lug 22 has passed beyond the lip 24 formed by the web 14 at the upper edge of the rectangular opening 20.The remote end of the arm can then be lowered until the arm is horizontal, at which position the arm is supported by the lower rim of the aperture 6 in the outer tube and is restrained from further downward movement by the abutment of the lip 24 against the upper edge of the shank 1 8. This shank is of square cross section corresponding to the width of the rectangular opening 20, and accordingly the arm 8 is prevented from rotating and is secured in the display post by the terminal lug 22 bearing against the inner face of the web 14 inside the core 18, unless the remote end of the arm 8 is raised.

The inner member 12 is clamped in the outer tube 4 between a circular top plate 26, of the same diameter as the outer tube, to which the upper end of the inner member is welded, and a circular base nut 32, also of the same diameter as the outer tube, which is screwed onto the threaded lower end 30 of a tube 28 welded into the core 18 at the lower end of the inner member.

The aperture 10 in the tube wall (Fig. 1) affords access to a threaded bush 34 welded to one of the webs 14 constituting the core 18, so that a wall mounting fitting (not shown) can be screwed into the bush and used for mounting the display post against a wall.

The floor-standing display post assembly shown in Fig. 4 comprises four display posts 42 each mounted upon a base post 44 of a base unit 46 made up of four base posts arranged in a square floor plan. Each base unit is a cylindrical steel tube with a weldedon top plate having a central aperture, and the four base posts are joined by connecting rails 48, the whole square base unit being of a permanent welded construction with the base posts at the corners of the square.

The display posts 42 are of a similar general construction to the display posts 2, each comprising an outer tube 44 provided with circular apertures 46 for display arms 8, and containing an inner member 48 of similar construction to the inner member 1 2 and including a core 52 provided with openings 50 for receiving the end portions of the arms, although the display posts 42 are of different height and have a different arrangement of apertures for the arms than in the case of the wall-mounted display post 2. The inner member 48 is clamped in the tube 44 between a circular top plate 56, to which it is welded, and a circular base nut 62 engaged with the threaded end 60 of a tube 58 welded inside the lower end of the core 52. The threaded end 60 projects below the base nut 62 so that it can be inserted through the aperture in the top plate of the base post 44 and secured thereto by means of a further nut inside the base post. The top plate 56 of the post 42 is also provided with a central aperture 64, below which a nut 66 is welded to the underside of the plate.

Each outer tube 44 is also provided at its top end with two slots 68 cut into the tube wall from the upper end thereof and spaced from each other at 90 about the post. Two corresponding slots 70 are cut into the edge of the top plate 56 above the wall slots 68, and further slots 72 are cut into the corresponding sides of the core 52 from its upper end. These slots accommodate four upper connecting rails 74 extending between the display posts above the base unit connecting rails 48. The upper connecting rails are removable and are each provided at each end with a downwardly extending hook portion which can be passed through the slots 72 in the core into engagement with the lower edges of these slots.The cut-out portions 70 in the top plate allow the upper connecting rails to be positioned before a top closure is fastened to the top plate to prevent the removal pf the rails 74.

A suitable closure is a cap 76 of a ring 78 such as are shown at the upper and lower ends respectively of the extension post 80 shown in Fig. 9. The extension post 80 is essentially identical to the display posts 42, except that it is of considerably shorter length, the top plate 86 has no nut 66 welded to its under side, and the threaded tube portion 82 to which the base nut 84 is screwed does not extend through the base nut. In addition, the base nut is provided with a surrounding ring 78 for retaining the upper connecting rails 74 in position in the display posts 42 beneath the extension posts.

The extension post 80 is clamped to the top of a display post 42 by means of a long bolt (not shown) which extends through the aperture 88 in the top plate 86, through the interior of the post, through the threaded portion 82 and into engagement with the nut 66 on the top plate 56 of display post 42.

Claims (33)

1. A display post comprising an outer tube, an inner member extending within the tube and supported therein against movement relative to the tube, and a plurality of openings in the inner member spaced from and aligned with apertures through the tube wall for receiving and releasably engaging an end portion of a removable arm inserted into the tube through a said aperture.

2. A display post according to claim 1, wherein the outer tube is replaceable with a said outer tube of different appearance and/or surface finish.

3. A display post according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer tube comprises plastics material.

4. A display post according to claim 3, wherein the outer tube comprises coloured plastics material.

5. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer tube is extruded.

6. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising outer tube end closure members.

7. A display post according to claim 6, wherein the inner member is supported at one or both ends of the display post by a said outer tube end closure member to which it is affixed.

8. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner member is supported internally of the outer tube by means of spacing elements extending between the inner member and the tube wall.

9. A display post according to claim 8, wherein the spacing elements are integral with either the inner member or the outer tube.

10. A display post according to claim 9, wherein the inner member comprises a core portion located centrally within the outer tube by means of outwardly directed spacing elements extending between the core portion and the inner side of the outer tube wall.

11. A display post according to claim 10, wherein the inner member comprises a plurality of elongate sections each comprising a web portion and at least one outer lateral flange, the web portions of the sections being disposed about a central axis and together defining a hollow core of the inner member, and the flanges extending outwardly from the core and forming said spacing elements.

1 2. A display post according to claim 11, wherein at least some of said flanges extend outwardly from the web portions at an angle thereto or coplanar therewith.

1 3. A display post according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the inner member comprises four similar channel sections.

14. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, having at least one series of said apertures spaced along the length thereof.

1 5. A display post according to claim 14, having two diametrically opposed series of said apertures.

1 6. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apertures are circular.

1 7. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one slot or aperture is provided in the tube wall and inner member for the reception of connecting rail or bracket.

1 8. A display post according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the openings in the inner member are shaped to prevent rotation of a said movable arm inserted therein.

1 9. A display post according to claim 18, wherein the openings in the inner member are rectangular and their longer sides extend longitudinally of the inner member.

20. An assembly comprising a display post according to any one of the preceding claims and a removable arm extending into the tube through a said aperture and having an end portion thereof received and releasably engaged with a said opening in the inner member.

21. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein the arm is supported by the rim of the aperture in the tube wall into which it is inserted and the end portion of the arm received by the opening in the inner member is restrained thereby against upward movement.

22. An assembly according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the said end portion of the removable arm has a terminal lug thereon which engages behind an upper part of the opening in said inner member.

23. An assembly according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the said opening in the inner member and the end portion of the said arm engaged therewith are of rectangular or other non-circular form to prevent rotation of the arm in the opening.

24. An assembly according to any one of claims 20 to 23, comprising a base unit and a plurality of said display posts mounted on the base unit.

25. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the display posts comprise base mounting means releasably attaching the posts to the base unit.

26. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the base mounting means comprises means integral with a tube end closure member at the bottom of each tube for screw mounting of the display posts to the base unit.

27. An assembly according to any one of claims 25 to 26, wherein the display posts are connected to each other by connecting means.

28. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the connecting means comprises at least one connecting rail which releasably connects the display posts to each other.

29. An assembly according to claim 28, wherein the outer tube and the inner member of each said display post have slots in the upper ends thereof and wherein each said connecting rail comprises a downwardly directed hook portion at each end thereof, said connecting rail being received in said slots with the hook portions engaging the inner member.

30. An assembly according to claim 29, wherein each said display post comprises an outer top end closure which secures said connecting rail in position in said slots.

31. An assembly according to claim 30, wherein the outer top end closure comprises a cup portion for receiving a further said display post.

32. A display post substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Figs.

4 to 8, or Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompany ing drawings.

33. An assembly substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Figs.

4 to 8, or Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.