US1169294A - Rotating rack for show-cases. - Google Patents

Description

O. L. SMITH.

ROTATING RACK FOR SHOW CASES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 19:3. RENEWED JUNE 19, 1915.

1,169,294, Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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WITNESSES zf wma OSCAR L. SMITH, OF GRAND RAPIJ DS, MICHIGAN.

ROTATING RACK FOR SHOW-CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed February 7, 1913, Serial No. 746,710. Renewed June 19, 1915. Serial No. 35,125.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Oscar: L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Rotating Rack for Show-Cases, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention is concerned with showcases and racks therefor used in the carrying and exhibition of ready made garments, the garments being supported individually on garment hangers which engage and are carried by members of the rack. It has been found that the best, most easily operated, most convenient and serviceable structure which can be used to carry and display garments in the most economical mannerwith respect to floor space used, is a rack mounted for rotation in a glass show case carrying two rows of garments parallel to the front and back of the case, and which rack is mounted to move bodily back and forth in the case that the rotation thereof may be effected when toward the front of the case that contact of the rack with the back of the case will be avoided, such contact resulting in breaking and marring the case as is evident. Means accordingly must be provided to prevent the rotative movement of the rack when away from the front position to such an extent that contact of the rack and case will occur. This has already been done in various manners either by providing a controlling means to act on the rotatable rack and limit its rotative movement during all positions thereof with reference to the case except the front position when the rack is entirely freed from said controlling means and has free and unrestricted rotation so far as the controlling means is concerned, or by providing a controlling means to act on the rotatable rack at all times no matter in what position but which limits the rotation thereof to a certain arc, usually one half of a circumference, after which any further rotation of the rack to gain access to different portions thereof must be in the opposite direction and within the limits prescribed by the controlling means. In this invention it is purposed to provide a rack that is rotatable without limit in either direction when drawn toward the front of the case, but which is also not freed from control of the means which prevents contact of therack and case when in position to rotate completely, but is controlled, checked and gulded in such manner that the rack if uninfluenced by any force tending to rotate it will stay in any position at which it is left after rotating it. And this is accomplished by making the rotation and a portion of the bodily movement of the rack concurrent, whereby the force which must be exerted to obtain these movements must be divided between the two simultaneously occurring movements, so that if the rack should from gravity or other force of limited extent tend to rotate or to bodily move the portion thereof which would be necessary to concurrently bodily move or rotate the rack would so divide the force that neither movement would be accomplished. vVhile by the exertion of superior force both movements may be made to simultaneously occur and the rotation of the rack without limit in either direction to bring all portions thereof in accessible position be accomplished. The

structure illustrating my invention and which secures these desired results is shown in the drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a view taken on line aa, Fig. 2, the rack being shown in plan view and a portion of the false bottom of the case being broken away to disclose structure normally covered up thereby. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line b?), Fig. 1 and looking back into the case, the rotative mount of the rack also being shown in section. Fig. 3

is a vertical section taken on the line oc, Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is a view similar to that shown in Fig. l but with the rack in forward position and partially rotated. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a structural detail attached to the rotatable rack and traversing the guiding means.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The case comprises the usual glass top 1, sides 2, back 3 and doors i, the doors being mounted in the usual manner to retract into the case when access to the interior of the case is desired. Located inside of the case is a rack 5 mounted on the carriage 6 for rotative movement, the carriage havin back and forth movement on the tracks 7 in the usual manner to bodily move the rack toward and from the front of the case. The rackcomprises two parallel rods 8 spaced apart and of a length nearly equal to the length of the case, which are supported on The rods .8 are used to support garment hangers'upon which ready made garments may be hung and they lie near the top of the case so that the garments hang below them and above the floor of the case. In the normal retracted position of the rack, the

barslie parallel to the front and back of the case and therewithin so that any garmerits held on the rods will be inclosed when the doors of the case are shut. It is evident that the garments held on the rear rod are covered up practically by those on the front rod and that in order to have access thereto for exhibition or removal the rear rod must in some manner be carried to the front. This is accomplished by means of the rotary mounting of the rack. To safeguard the case, however, and prevent the undesired contact of the rack in its rotation with the case, it is necessary that its rotation shall be controlled so as to take place only when the clearance of the rack and case will be assured. To this end. I have provided the guiding or controlling means 12 said means consisting of a body 13 having therein a s ot 14 lying lengthwise thereof from the rear end to near the front end, the slot at its front end having a branch lying at right angles thereto extending from each side.

These branches are denoted by reference numeral 15, and in effect produce a contmw ous slot of shorter length than slot 14-, which .lies at right angles thereto and communicates therewith. The body 13 is located in the case beneath the false bottom LC \\'l1ich is supplied to cover the carriage and tracks, a slot 17 therein being provided for the reception of the mount for the rack on the carriage and allowing the back and forth movement of the rack into and out of the ease, and the slot 14 lies just beneath slot 17 while that formed by branches l5 lies parallel to the front of the case.

A spindle 18 is pinned to the bar 11 so as to rotate therewith and it extends downward through the mount for the rack to immediately above the guide 12. At its lower end the spindle is provided with an arm 19 rigidly secured thereto and which at its free end carries a roller 20 mounted for rotation and in a plane below the {11".51 19. The roller 20 projects into the slot it when the rack is within the case and s of a size to freely move in the slot without binding against the sides.

The arm 19 is positioned in a plane at right angles to the rods 8. \Vith the roller carried thereby within the slot 1 1 which is located with its center line at right angles to the front and back of the case, it is clear that the rods are held parallel to the front and back ofthe case and that no rotation of the rack-and consequent changeof position of the rods can take place. If, however, the rack is pulled forward untilthe roller 20, is in opposition to the branch slots the roller may then enter either of the branches and follow it. Onthis occurring, the carriage will move on the tracks supporting it, and at the same time, the direction of the arm 19 will be changed and the rack rigidly connected therewith will depart from its position with the rods 8 thereof parallel to the front and back of the case. As the traversing of the branch 15 continues the bodily and simultaneously occurring rotary movement of the rack will continue, the roller 20 bearing against a side of the branch slot 15 in which it is positioned, the force appliedto the rack and tending to rotate it in turn being partially commu'ni;

cated through the arm 19 and roller 20 to side of the slot 1n this manner effecting the bodily movement. As the operation'proceeds still further, the roller enters theop posite branch and the bodily movementbegins in a direction opposite tothat made while the roller was traversing the first f branch, while the rotary movement continues in the same direction. It is clear therefore that as soon as the roller 19 is in position to enter the branch slots 15, a combined rotary and bodily movement of theraclr must take place, and that in making a com plete revolution of the rack, there will be bodily movement in one direction for half a revolution and a bodily movement'in the opposite direction for the remaining half of the revolution but that at all times there will be concurrent rotary and bodily movements; and that the rotary movement may take place in either direction and continue as long as desired without having to reverse the rotary movement after a certain arc of revolution has been accomplished. In this connection it will be noted that the rOller" 20 is continually bearing against aside of 'l the branch slots 15 so that a check is thereby lIIlPOSQCl aga nst the free rotation of the rack, any rotation that takes place being necessarily simultaneous with bodily move ment of the rack. should be a tendency for the rack to rotate such that if it was free it would rotate, as

for instance, from uneven loading of the If, accordingly, there rack or the rack not being level, it will be. checked and no rotation will take place, the V tendency which may occur from these causes being usually slight and not suflicient to overcome the "I'BSlStilIlCG that would be offered in both starting the heavily loaded rack in a bodily movement and also a rotary movement.

I have shown the arm 19 as projecting forward from the center line of the rack but it is evident that it may project backward and that the rack may be retracted into the case without reference to which rod 8 is at the front position. The operation which will occur as the rack is brought toward the front will be the same except the roller 19 will not come to the branch slots 15 as soon with the arm extending to the rear as it would if toward the front.

Various modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from my invention. For instance in Figs. 1 and 4, I have shown the slot formed by branches 15 as situated at different distances from the front of the case, in Fig. at, the distance being sufficient that none of the rotary parts will contact with the case, while in Fig. 1, the rotating mount casing will come into engagement with the parts 21 of the front base board of the case. These parts 21 are therefore shown as hinged at 22 to allow the passage of the rack. Also it is not necessary that the rotating rack should be constructed as heretofore described, but it may consist of a single central supporting standard or post 23 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, said post carrying the rack rods 8 in the usual manner, well known in the art. Furthermore the sides of slot 14: need not be parallel but may separate somewhat toward the front to allow more freedom to the rack as it approaches the front, and not necessitating so much care that the rods 8 shall be practically parallel to the front of the case when the initiatory movement back into the case is begun. This shape of the slot is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

I have fully disclosed my invention and shown a practical and working embodiment thereof. Such disclosure is, however, merely illustrative and diagrammatic of the invention and is to be taken as such, and not in any sense as limiting the invention to certain specific constructions. The invention is defined by the appended claims and I consider myself as entitled to all modifications in structure falling properly wlthin their scope.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. A display device comprising a case or compartment, a rack for supporting goods mounted in the case or compartment, said tion of the rack in either direction after the rack has been moved forward in the case and preventing rotation when the 'ack is within-the case and simultaneously causing bodily movement of the rack as it is rotated.

2. A display device comprising a case or compartment, a rack for supporting goods located in the case or compartment, said rack being rotatable to present different supporting portions of the rack to front position, means whereby the rack may be bodily moved to and from a position within the case or compartment, and means connected to the case and associated with the rack for controlling its rotative movements, said means permitting the continuous rotation of the rack in either direction concurrently with bodily movement of the rack back and forth in the case caused by said controlling means.

3. A display device comprising a case or compartment, a rack for supporting goods and rotatable to present different supporting portions of the rack to front position located in the case or compartment, means whereby the rack may be bodily moved to and from a position within the case or compartment, means for controlling the rotative movements of the rack, said means including elements permitting the continuous rotation of the rack in either direction and simultaneously causing concurrent bodily movement of the rack.

L. A display device comprising a case or compartment, rack for supporting goods rotatable to present different supporting portions of the rack to front position located in the case or compartment, means whereby the rack may be bodily moved to and from a position within the case or compartment, and means for controlling the rotative movements of the rack, said means including elements permitting the continuous rotation of the rack in either direction and simultaneously compelling forward bodily movement of the rack through one half of each revolution and rearward bodily movement through the remaining half revolution.

5. A display device comprising a case or compartment, a rack for supporting goods mounted for rotation and for bodily movement to and from a. position within the case or compartment, means preventing contact of the rack with the case, means permitting the continuous rotation of the rack in either direction when bodily moved forward in the case, said means simultaneously compelling limited bodily movement of the rack during the rotation thereof.

6. A display device comprising a rack mounted for rotative movement and for bodily movement back and forth from a certain position, an arm attached to the rack and extending from the rotative axis thereof, a guide located in proximity to the rack, said guide comprising a member having a slot therein and oppositely extending branch slots communicating therewith, means on the arm extending into the slot and engaging the walls thereof and engaging the branch slots during rotation of the rack, said branch slots being located to either side of the main slot and in direct op position whereby the rack may be given continuous rotation, the arm engaging one branch slot during substantially one half of a revolution and the opposed branch slot during the remainder thereof.

7. A display rack mounted for rotative movement and for bodily movement back and forth from a certain position, a slotted guide located in proximity to the rack and having a main slot and diametrically opposed laterally extending slots communieating With the main slot at one end thereof, means attached to the rack and entering the slotted guide member, said means traversing the main slot during bodily movement of the rack and the branch slots during rotation of the rack, whereby the rack is permitted continuous rotary movement and concurrently caused to have bodily movement therewith.

8. A display device comprising a rack mounted for bodily and rotative movements, an arm attached to the rack and ex tending from the rotative axis of the rack, said arm having engagement with a c0ntrolling means fixed in position parallel with the bodily movement of the rack, said controlling means including elements which prevent the turning of the arm until the rack has reached one limit of its bodily movement, and further elements included in the controlling means with which the arm has engagement whereby said arm is permitted turning movement and simultameans attached to therack and engaging the controlling means, said controlling means including elements which through engagement with the means attached to the rack prevent the rotation of the rack until it has reached one limit of its bodily movement, and further elements included in thecontrolling means for permitting the rotation of the rack continuously in either d1- rectlon, said elements in COIlJUIlCtlOl'l with the means attached to the rack simultaneously causing bodily movement of the rack.

10. A display rack compr sing a rack mounted for bodily and rotative movements,

a slotted guide located in proximity to the rack and having a main slot parallel with the direction of the bodily movement of the rack, and directly opposed laterally extending slots communicating with the mainslot at one end thereof, and an arm attached to the rack and engaging with the Walls of the slots to control the movements of the rack, thereby permitting continuous rotary movement of the rack in either direction when the arm comes into engagement with the walls of the branch slots, such rotation simultaneously causing bodily movement of the rack.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. v

OSCAR L. SMITH. Witnesses FRANK E. LIVERANGE, J12, L. E. CARROLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

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