GB2206033A - Display rack - Google Patents

Abstract

Display apparatus suitable for displaying articles of merchandise and comprising a first elongate support rail 1 having a continuous or discontinuous curvilinear external surface 2, part of said rail having an inwardly directed depression 3 defined by two or more adjacent wall members 4, 5 at least one thereof being linear, and an elongate saddle part 7 from which one or more secondary elongate support rails 8, 12 extend, the saddle part 7 having a discontinuous curvilinear internal surface a major part whereof corresponding in cross-sectional profile to a cross-sectional profiled part of the first rail 1 and thereby capable of locating around and contacting an external surface part 2 of the first rail 1, the saddle part 7 further including a lip 10 which can locate within said depression 3 in abutment with one of the wall members 5 and further being removably locatable upon the first rail 1 by displacement in a vertical plane when the first rail extends in a horizontal plane. A variation of the lip & depression is disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

Display Apparatus This invention is concerned with display apparatus. It is more particularly concerned with apparatus suitable for displaying articles of merchandise, such as items of clothing in retail outlets. The apparatus may also be put to other use but is principally intended for displaying articles of hanging merchandise for selection by trade or public purchasers.

In order to promote stylish appearance there is a need in retail outlets to produce display rails for displaying articles of, e.g. clothing, and which apparatus provides a degree of versatility and flexibility.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display apparatus wherein part of the display rails can be quickly and conveniently changed and in which the display rails are capable of withstanding reasonable downward loads.

According to this invention there is provided display apparatus suitable for displaying articles of merchandise and comprising a first elongate support rail having a continuous or discontinuous curvLlinear external surface, part of said rail having an inwardly directed depression defined by two or more adjacent wall members at least one thereof being linear, and an elongate saddle part from which one or more secondary elongate support rails extend, the saddle part having a discontinuous curv41inear internal surface, a major part whereof corresponding in cross-sectional profile to a cross-sectional profiled part of the first rail and thereby capable of locating around and contacting an external surface part of the first rail, the saddle part further including a lip which can locate within said depression in abutment with one of the wall members and further being removably locatable upon the first rail by displacement in a vertical plane when the first rail extends in a horizontal plane.

One preferred form of first rail comprises a metal extrusion of constant cross-section throughout and of indefinite length.

Such extrusions may be hollow and are preferably provided with a continuous external surface. The first rail may take the form of a generally oval-shaped member in cross-section and may be provided in various linear lengths. The first rail may be fabricated in rigid plastics material or in a variety of metals or alloys.

At least one secondary rail extends from the saddle part.

Other secondary rails may either extend from the saddle part or from one of the secondary rails directly connected to the saddle part. For example one secondary rail may carry a further secondary rail disposed perpendicularly thereto. The saddle part may comprise a curvilinear plate member from which a secondary rail extends in a perpendicular plane with respect to the saddle part.In order that the invention may be illustrated and readily carried into effect, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a display apparatus, Figure 2 illustrates insertion of or removal of a saddle part respectively upon or away from the first rail, Figure 3 is an isometric view of apparatus including two secondary support rails, Figures 3 & 3C are respectively a plan view corresponding to Figure 3 and further variations of secondary rails therefor, Figure 4 illustrates one form of modified saddle and secondary rail, Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of first rail, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view based on Figure 1 but showing the modified first support rail and saddle.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the display apparatus according to the invention comprises a first elongate support rail 1 which has a continuous curvinear external surface 2. Part of the rail 1 has an inwardly directed depression 3 defined by, in this embodiment, a pair of wall members 4,5. The wall member 5 is linear and is shown in abutment contact with laterally extending lip 10 on a saddle part 7. The saddle part comprises a metal plate-like member from which a secondary support rail 8 extends.

The saddle part has a discontinuous curv Llinear internal surface 9 whose profile corresponds with and contacts an external surface part of the first rail 1.

As shown in Figure 2, the saddle part 7 is removable from the first rail by displacement thereof (or corresponding displacement of the secondary rail to which the saddle part is attached) in a vertical plane when the first rail extends horizontally. The lip 10 of the saddle part thereby is brought into engagement with the wall member 5 in the depression 3, to the position shown in Figure 1, and the saddle part and associated secondary rail can be simply removed therefrom without the need to unfasten any bolts or the like. This need to unfasten bolts or remove projecting pins has been a major inconvenience with prior art display apparatus of this type.

The present invention can thus be seen to avoid the inconvenience associated with removing additional fastening means. The secondary rail and saddle can thereby be quickly removed or replaced by inexperienced staff and with the minimum of time.

The saddle part includes an extending section 11 which projects beyond the vertical axis of the rail member 1. It has been found that by adopting such a curvilinear profile as the internal surface of the saddle part, the arrangement can withstand applied loads in the direction shown by the arrow.

This is by virtue of action of the lip 10 on the wall member 5 in the depression and corresponding action of the internal surface 9 of the saddle part upon the external surface 2 of the first support rail. It will be appreciated that the various loads applied to the rail 1 are thus distributed and therefore taken up by different parts of its external surface. This loadspreading ability contributes to the strength of this display apparatus.

A completed installation is shown in Figure 3 in which a further secondary rail 12 is secured to the end of secondary rail 8 attached directly to the saddle part. In such an arrangement merchandise may be hung directly upon this additional secondary rail. The loads are still taken up by action on the first rail which is 6 oW from this additional secondary rail.

The apparatus, and in particular the first support rail, may be suspended from, e.g. vertical posts or columns having slotted faces and as are well known in the display apparatus art. To this end a bracket member 14 is attached to one end of the first rail 1. A corresponding bracket member having engaging hooks 15 may be used at the other end of the support rail but is not shown for clarity. It is, however, shown in Figure 3A which corresponds to Figure 3 but in plan view.

Figure 3B shows a modification in which the additional secondary rail terminates at the end of the secondary rail 8.

This forms an L-shaped display arm suitable for hanging articles of merchandise. In the modification of Figure 3C the secondary rail 8 attached to the saddle part does not extend perpendicularly from the saddle part but at an acute angle with respect thereto.

It may still, however, be said to extend in a vertical plane with respect to the first support rail 1 which is shown extending in a horizontal plane. Removal and insertion of the saddle part can therefore still be accomplished by displacing the saddle part, or the secondary rail 8 which is directly attached thereto, in a vertical plane whilst the first elongate support rail is horizontal.

Figure 4 shows a modified form of saddle part which is less preferred. This is suitable for use with a modified form of first support rail as shown in the Figures 5 and 6 below. Referring to these drawings, the elongate saddle part 7a also comprises a platelike member having a curvl linear internal surface which is discontinuous and a major part of that surface 9a corresponds in cross-sectional profile to a cross-sectional profiled part of the modified first rail 1a. The lip 10a of this saddle part is comprised by the end formation of the saddle part which, in this version, is not "kinked" as in the more preferred embodiment described above.

A secondary support rail 8a extends from the saddle part 7a in a vertical plane when the saddle part is horizontal. This may be used as in the embodiment described above for displaying articles of merchandise and the arrangement may be so modified to conform with the variations of secondary rail position shown in Figures 3 and 3a - 3c.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the modified first rail 1ahas a continuous curvilinear external surface 2a and part thereof having an inwardly directed depression 3a. In this embodiment the depression is defined by three adjacent wall members 4a, 5a and 6, and also in this embodiment all of the wall members being substantially linear.

The lip 10a of the modified secondary rail engages one of these wall members, but in practice it has been found that this arrangement is less secure than the embodiments described with reference to Figures 1 - 30.

It will be seen, therefore, that embodiments according to the invention provide a convenient-to-use and easily varied display apparatus for supporting articles of merchandise, particularly in retail outlets.

Claims (9)

1. Display apparatus suitable for displaying articles

of merchandise and comprising a first elong.te support rail having a continuous or discontinous curvilinear external surface, part of said rail. having an inwardly directed depression defined by two or more adjacent wall rrernbers, at least one thereof being linear, arid an elongate saddle part frown which one or or secondary elongate support rails extend, the saddle part having a discontinuous curvilinear internal surface, a major part whereof corresponding in cross-sectional profile to a cross-sectional profiled part of the first rail and thereby capable of locating around and contacting an external surface part of the first rail, the saddle part further including a lip which can locate within said depression in abutment with one of the wall members and further being removably locatable upon the first rail by displacement in a vertical plane when the first rail extends in a horizontal plane.

2. Display apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the first rail is hollow and has a continuous external surface, the depression defined by two adjacent wall members of the rail.

3. Display apparatus as claimed in c=iRim 3 in which the depression is defined by three walk members of the rail.

4. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first rail and/or secondary rail(s) are generally oval-shaped.

5. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the saddle part comprises a curvilinear plate member.

6. Display apparatus cording to any preceding claim in which additional fastening means for saddle part and first rail are absent.

7. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which further secondary rail(s) extend(s) from the said one secondary rail, said further rail(s) being remote from said saddle part.

8. display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first support rail is secured to bracket members which can be located in posts or columns having slotted faces.

9. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim substantially as herein descriebed and illustrated in any figure of the acommpanying drawings.