US1308031A - of minneapolis - Google Patents

Description

M. J. BELL.

DISPLAY RACK-- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, m6.

Patented July 1, 1919.

Z Illllm "'IIIII UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

MARK J. BELL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 'IO LEO SHAPIRO & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A. CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARK J. BELL, a citi zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of .Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display- Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple, cheap and highly efiicient display rack especially adapted for holding a pack or group of parcels or articles on a show case or counter in compact form but in full view of purchasers. To such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

The improved rack may be cheaply made from a singlepiece of quite heavy and quite stiff spring wire bent into a sort of multiplex U-formation. This rack is of such form that when viewed from either side, it has 7 a rectangular U-formation and has a relatively low front portion and relatively high rear portion. Both the front and rear portions of the rack are of inverted rectangular U-formation and the ends of the wire are brought together in the cross bar of the relatively high back portion of the rack. These ends of the wire are covered, alined and rigidly connected by interlocking engagement with a folded metal coupling plate or clip, the upwardly projecting blades of which afford a holder for a price card.

The device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. Referring to the drawings;

Figure 1 is an isometric view showing the rack loaded with goods;

rack;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the loaded rack illustrating the action of the hand thereon in lifting the same;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation showing the upper rear portion of the rack and the combined coupling and card holder; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the empty I Patented July 1, 1919.

Application filed November 24, 1916. Serial No. 133,160.

The Wire from which the rack is made is is, as already stated, a multiplex rectangular U-shaped formation. The parallel lower portions, of course, are adapted to rest upon the counter, show case, or the like. All of the upright members of the rack are parallel, or substantially, so that rectangular, parcels or articles are adaptedtobe closely fitted between the front and rear loops, or inverted U-shaped portions. The back loop is made materially higher than the front loop for several important reasons. In the first place, it permits the goods or articles to be held and displayed therein, to be piled higher at the rear than at the front, with the ornamental or advertising faces of the large number of articles exposed to the customer, and in the second place, affordsan elevated support at the rear for the price card holder.

As stated, the ends of the wire are brought together in the cross bar of the rear loop (see particularly Fig. I). At points near the ends, the said wire is formed with swagedout or upset lock lugs 7 that engage in closely fitting seats or perforations 8 formed in one side of a folded metal coupling plate 9, the sleeve-1ike portion of which ispressed tightly against the alined ends of the said wire. The edge portions of this folded plate 9 are upwardly extended, and preferably given slight flare, so as to afford frictional clamping plates 10adapted to frictionally grip and hold the price card at 11.

In Fig. 1, the articles 02, such as chocolate bars, or the likeare shown as placed within the rack, while in Fig. 3, small rectangular articles, such as five cent candy boxes, for example, are shown as placed. within the rack. In either instance, or for that matter, with the rack loaded with any articles, it is adapted to be picked up by applying the hand to the cross bars of the front and rear loops of the rack. As shown, in Fig. 3, andeven if'the rack should be slightly tilted sidewise.

This rack, While it affords a very efficient support, covers but very little of the goods or articles held in the rack, and hence, of

course, leaves the same with the ornamental labels, and advert1s1ng matter, in full View. 'Ilher'e'1s,-of course, scarcely any limit to the kindsof articles ordevioes that maybe advantageously displayed in and sold from these racks applied to show cases and-counters in full View of the purchaser. It makes possible a displayof a large line of goods vup in sealed or coveredpackages and sold for five or ten cents, or at some such small price.

Copies ofthis patent may beobtained'ior What I claim is:

The combination with two alined members to be connected; of aplate foldedupon itselfto afford a longitudinally divided coupling sleeve to receive the abutting ends of the members, the end portions of the plate outward of the sleeves being in diverging relationto afford a holder, each of saidmembers having a lug interlocked with a seat in the coupling sleeve to hold the members against axial separation and also to hold the coupling sleeve against rotation onthe members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARK- J. BELL.

Witnesses:

C ARA DEMAREST, F. D. MERCHANT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

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