GB2166347A - Anti-theft display assembly for rings - Google Patents

Abstract

A display assembly for mounting and securing ring-like articles has a display card with slots in which articles such as finger rings are mounted. The articles are secured to the card by a slidably mounted retaining grid 5 having projections 8 which engage through the parts of the rings protruding beneath the card. The articles are removable from the assembly by sliding the grid 5 so as to withdraw the projections 8 from the rings. Biasing springs 9 urge the grids for the projections to normally engage the rings. A lock 10 can be provided between the grid 5 and a frame 4 of the assembly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A display assembly Technical field & background art This invention relates to a display assembly for ring-like articles such as finger rings, bracelets and similar items of "ring" jewellery and for articles which may have a "ring" attached or incorporated such as pocket watches and charms; for convenience such articles will hereinafter be referred to as 'ringed articles'. More particularly the invention concerns security display assemblies which are intended to alleviate the theft of ringed articles on display, for example in a shop window or on a shop counter.

Usually ringed articles are mounted on display for retail purposes in or on a facia unit (which may be a padded display card) where the articles are closely received in slots in the unit so that aesthetic parts of the article are exhibited. With such a known unit it is however a simple matter for the articles to be removed and stolen. To alleviate this theft it has hitherto been proposed to pass rods or needles beneath the display card and through the ringed articles so that the needles had be be withdrawn before one of the articles could be removed from the display - this proposal proved unsatisfactory as being somewhat cumbersome and provided poor security as, frequently, the needles became distorted to an extent that they would not retain the articles and often the sales personnel omitted to re-insert the needles correctly following their removal.In a further prior proposal each ringed article is attached to a cord which is extendible from a spring loaded reel or motor mounted in the facia unit so that a customer wishing to examine or try a ringed article could withdraw it, while attached to the cord, from the unit - this proposal proved unacceptable as being expensive in requiring a separate spring motor or reel for each article on display, it proved to be a simple matter for the cord to be cut and the article stolen, and articles on the cords tended to become shop soiled by their frequent handling while on display (since it was the normal practice not to sell the articles on display, equivalent articles being sold from stock).

From the aforegoing it will be realised that there is a need for a security display assembly for ringed articles which alleviates the disadvantages of the prior proposals, and which lends itself to a structure which is relatively simple in operation and manufacture and may be produced inexpensively.

It is an object of the present invention to satisfy the abovementioned need.

Statement of invention and advantages According to the present invention there is provided a display assembly for ringed articles comprising mounting means having an array of slots within which the articles are to be received and mounted for display purposes in an upstanding condition; a retaining grid mounted beneath said mounting means, said grid having projections corresponding in number and location to said slots, and wherein said grid and mounting means are slidable relative to each other so that in a first position the grid projections are received within the respective rings of the articles in the slots to secure said articles in the assembly, and in a second position the projections are withdrawn from the said respective rings to permit the articles to be removed from the assembly.

By the present invention it is preferred that a single projection is available for retaining each article, thus the projections can be quite short, merely being of sufficient length to enter each of the respective rings - consequently the projections are unlikely to become deformed during normal use, the retaining grid or mounting means need only exhibit a relatively short stroke in sliding between its first and second positions and it is a simple matter for an assistant to displace the grid or mounting when the article is to be removed or secured. Preferably the retaining grid is spring loaded (or otherwise biased) relative to the mounting means so that it normally adopts its first position and has to be displaced against its biasing when moved to the second position.

The mounting means is preferably a card or plate within which the appropriate slots are formed so that the ringed articles (such as finger rings) can be pressed into the respective slots in an upstanding condition with parts of the rings extending beneath the card or plate for engagement with the grid projections.

The retaining grid can advantageously be manufactured from a single plate, for example by cutting or stamping holes in the plate corresponding in number and position to the slots in the mounting means, the holes being approximately "U" shaped so that the projections are formed extending within the respective holes. This manufacture is a simple and inexpensive operation in comparison with the manufacture of the extensible retaining cord type of security device previously mentioned.

The retaining grid can be slidably mounted in or on tracks provided on the mounting means and stops can be provided to restrict the stroke of the retaining grid.

If required added security can be provided by means of a locking device which reacts between the retaining grid and mounting means which, when locked, retains the retaining grid in its first position to engage the ringed articles.

Drawings One embodiment of a security display assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a facia of the assembly with an array of finger rings mounted therein for display; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the underside of the assembly with the retaining grid engaging the rings, and Figure 3 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 2 with the retaining grid disengaged from the rings.

Detailed description of drawings The display assembly illustrated has a display card 1 with a facia surface on which ornamental parts of finger rings 2 are to be exhibited in conventional manner. The card 1 has a spaced array of slots 3 into which the rings 2 are pressed and closely received so that the rings are mounted in an upstanding condition on the card. The rings 2 extend through the respective slots in the card 1 so that a part 2a of each ring stands proud of the underside of the card as shown in Figures 2 and 3 (in Figures 2 and 3 the number of rings shown has been reduced in comparison with Figure 1 for convenience of illustration). The card 1 is carried by, or forms part of, a frame or stand 4.

Carried by the frame 4 beneath and parallel with, the card 1 is a grid plate 5 (which is conveniently a plastics or metal sheet). The plate 5 is mounted in opposed channels 6 in the frame 4 to be capable of restricted sliding movement relative to the frame 4 from a first position shown in Figure 2 to a second position shown in Figure 3. Formed in the plate 5, conveniently be cutting, stamping or moulding, is an array of apertures 7 which correspond in number and location to the slots 3 so that the ring parts 2a extend through the respective apertures 7.

The apertures 7 are of substantially "U" shape and are similarly orientated in the grid plate 5 to form a grid of projections 8 which are associated one with each slot 3.

With the grid plate 5 in the position shown in Figure 3, the projections 8 are clear of the slots 3; consequently the rings 2 in an be inserted into, or removed from, the respective slots in the card 1.

With the grid plate 5 in the position shown in Figure 2 the projections 8 overlie the slots 3 and will consequently pass through the rings 2 which are mounted in the respective slots; the projections thus restrain the rings from being withdrawn from the card 1.

The grid plate 5 is biased by springs 9 and relative to the frame 4 to be urged into the first position shown in Figure 2 so that the projections 8 will normally engage with the rings and it is necessary to displace the grid plate against its spring biasing to permit a ring to be removed. A handle or trigger 12 is conveniently provided to assist in displacing the grid plate from its ring engaging condition.

If required a key operated lock device 10 can be provided between the frame 4 and the grid plate 5 by which the plate 5 can be locked in its first ring engaging position (shown in Figure 2) for additional security. The device 10 is preferably mounted in a side of the frame 4 for convenience s' of access and may, for example, comprise a lock unit which can receive and retain a stud 11 on and slidable with the grid plate.

The display card 1 is preferably removable from the frame 4 to permit its replacement by another display card having a similar array of slots 3 but with different finger rings.

Claims (10)

1. A display assembly for ringed articles compsising mounting means having an array of slots within which the articles are to be received and mounted for display purposes in an upstanding condition; a retaining grid mounted beneath said mounting means, said grid having projections corresponding in number and location to said slots, and wherein said grid and mounting means are slidable relative to each other so that in a first position the grid projections are received within the respective rings of the articles in the slots to secure said articles in the assembly, and in a second position the projections are withdrawn from the said respective rings to permit the articles to be removed from the assembly.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the retaining grid is biased relative to the mounting means so that it normally adopts the first position and has to be displaced against the biasing when moved to the second position.

3. An assembly as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 in which the mounting means comprises a card or plate having the slots formed therein for mounting the ringed articles.

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the retaining grid comprises a plate having an array of apertures within which the projections are respectively formed, said apertures being intended to receive the articles mounted in the mounting means.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 in which the apertures are substantially "U" shaped.

6. An assembly as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 when appendant to claim 3 in which the retaining plate underlies and is substantially parallel with the mounting card or plate.

7. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting means is carried by, or forms a part of, a frame or stand and the retaining grid is slidably mounted by said frame or stand.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7 in which the mounting means is removable from the frame or stand for replacement purposes.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a locking device is provided between the retaining grid and mounting means by which said grid can be locked and retained in the first position.

10. A ring display assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.