US124354A - Improvement in what-nots - Google Patents

Description

-UNITED STATES DAVID HEALD, OF MILFORD, NEl/V HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHAT-NOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,354, dated March 5, 1872.

To all to whom these presents shall come:

Be it known that I, DAVID HEALD, of Milford, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented a certain new and useful Improved "What-not; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of `the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing. e. f

This invention consists of a'what-not, having its frame and shelves so Yconnected together by hinges that when desired the frame and shelves can be folded upon each other, reducing the what-not to a compact form for transformation, storage, &c., while the frame and shelves, when open for use as a whatnot, will be and can be made as iirm and rigid as if permanently secured together in any of the ordinary modes.

In the accompanying drawing, my improvement in what-nots is illustrated, Figure l` being a side view of a what-not constructed according thereto-that is, partially opened and folded. Fig. 2, a front view of the whatnot in open form and position. Fig. 3, an edge view of the what-not folded completely. Fig. 4, a horizontal section in plane of line x a, Fig. l.

A in the drawing represents a what-not of the style known as a corner what-not. This what-not A is constructed, as ordinarily, of two side-frames,B B2, and a series of shelves, C, more or less in number, as may be desired. The frames B B2, when the what-not is in form, stand at a right angle to each other, with the shelves C between the frames B B2 in4 horizontal positions, one above another, at suitable distances apart. 1

Under this invention, inlieu of the frames B B2 and shelves C being rigidly secured together, as ordinarily, they are connected as and in the manner following: The two frames B B2 at their edges a are hung together by hinges D. These hinges are of a suitable form for the frames B to be opened from and closed upon each other, and to leave between the two frames, when closed and in parallel planes, a space, E, equal to the thickness of the shelves G. To the inside face F of the frame B of what-not all of the shelves C are hung by hinges G, as shown, with a sufficient distance between the planes at which they are hinged to permit them to be folded down upon said inner face F of frame B without overlapping each other. The location of the hinges G for each shelf is such that the shelves can be brought to a horizontal position. 'I'o support the shelves when in a horizontal position, at their edges f, the frame B2, at suitable point-s, as shown, is provided with wedge-shaped dovetails or projections b, and the edge f of shelves Ycoming against the frame B2 with correspondingshaped recesses g to fit over said projections, the direction of the wedge-projections b being such that the more sh el ves are pressed down the tighter they will be fastened and held. Awhat-not constructed 'and connected together in its several parts as hereinabove described, as is obvious, can be folded, the frames B B2 and shelves one upon another, thus enabling it to be reduced to a most compact form, (actual practice having shown it to be reduced, by folding, to one-twelfth of its full size when opened,) while, when it is desired for use, it can be set up and put into proper shape, iirm and rigid, without the use of any tool or tools, or any fastening device or devices.

The advantage of a construction for a whatnot herein described are self-apparent, and therefore need no enumeration. In lieu of hinging all the shelves to one frame of the what-not, they may be part hinged to one and part to the other; and in lieu ot' the peculiarly constructed rest-blocks or projections b b for supporting the shelves other forms maybe employed, as, for instance, simple shoulders for the shelves to rest on, spring-fastenings, bolts, 8m.

Although this invention has been particularly described with -reference to a corner whatnot, it may be applied to other forms of whatf

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