US1575270A

US1575270A - Interchangeable supporting structure

Info

Publication number: US1575270A
Application number: US21059A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jankowsky Simon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-04-06
Filing date: 1925-04-06
Publication date: 1926-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 1943-03-02

Description

Marh 2,1926. 1,575,270

S. JANKOWSKY INTERCHANGEABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed April 6, 1925 I 3 Sheets-sheaf 1 I 1511927229?- fimolz Janka 51 5 T i 4 aim/7 March 2 1926.

wzhss ff/ejuj (5m s. JANKOWSKY INTERCHANGEABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed April 6 9 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ll/Q7725)" ,527770/7 finkowsky W y W afia/7 March 2,1926. 1,575,270

S. JANKOWSKY INTERCHANGEABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed April 6 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

1,575,270 PATENT OFFICE.

7 UNITED STATES.

' smon JANKQWSKY, on TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

Application filed April 6, i925. Serial No. 21,059.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON JANKOWSKY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Interchangeable Supporting Structures, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in interchangeable supporting structures, and more particularly to interchangeable supporting fixtures for use in window display devices or the like, although the invention may be applied to other uses, as will hereinafter appear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient system of interlocking and interchanging structure members which are capable of being combined in a wide variety of relative posi tions, as for instance, in display fixtures for use in show cases or Windows, in which relatively light but substantial supporting structures are desired, but which are capable of being readily re-arranged in various forms and combinations to suit a wide variety of uses. More specifically, my improved system contemplates the provision of a plurality of metal pieces of substantially uniform thickness throughout their length and having interchangeable connection with each other. The connections are made by the mutual engagement of slots formed in the pieces, each of .said pieces being provided with a plurality of slots arranged in various positions and at various angles thereon. In carrying out my invention I provide a master supporting piece having suitable means for attachment to a base, and one or more pieces adapted to be attached to said master piece to project laterally therefrom at varying angles, Auxiliary pieces may also be provided for attachment to the projecting pieces. I also provide connecting devices suitable for securing a shelf, such as a plate glass display rack, on the support,- ing structure formed of the pieces as above described.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the. accompanying drawings illustrating certain forms in which it may be embodied. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is.,a' view showing one form in which my invention may be embodied, in which a master supporting piece is con nected to the wall and a laterally projecting piece is shown as connectible thereto at varying angles.

Figure 2 is a view showing a somewhat shorter master piece and illustrating the use of a laterally projecting piece for the purpose of supporting a shelf such as may be used' in a show-case display rack. Figure 3 is a sectional view of a supportlng structure similar to Figure 2 but utilizing a different form of clamping means to secure the shelf uponthe support.

Figure 4 is another form of my invention as applied to a display device used in the corner of a plate glass window.

Figure 5 is a modified form somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 4 but with a projecting member shown in an inclined position upon the master supporting piece.

Figure 6 is another modified form of my invention in which the master supporting piece is arranged in a vertical and the laterally supporting piece is especially adapted forsupporting a plate glass shelf at varying angles with respect to the master supporting piece.

Figure 7 shows my invention as utilized invarious manners to a vertically extending cylindrical master supporting piece, and

Figure 8 shows another form of'cylindrical supporting piece which is rotatably mounted on a vertically extending piece.

Referring now to details shown in the drawings, Figure 1 shows one form of the invention in which a master supporting piedlO comprises a piece of flat bar material having the end portions 1111 offset from the central part 12 and secured'to a base 13 by suitable means, such as screws 1 l14. Associated with this piece are one or more projecting pieces 15-15 made of bar stock of substantially the same cross sectional dimensions as'the master piece 10 and connectible to thelatter by double slot connections of a special form. For example, the master piece 10 is provided with a vertically extending slot 18, a pair of horizontally extending slots 19'19 and

inclined slots

20, 21, 22 and 23. All of these slots are of the same width as the associated projecting pieces 15-15.

,Referring now to the projecting pieces. it will be seen that they are also rovided with a plurality ofslots, in the form shown having an uprightslot 25 at ne end thereof and inclined slot 26 at the other end may be provided, as for instance,

inclined slots

27, 28 and a centrally dis osed vertical slot 29. All of the slots on the projecting piece 15 are adapted to form a close fitt ng connection with any one of the coo crating slots on the master piece 10 above described, so that the projecting piece 15 may bearranged in a large variet of positions limited only by the number an arrangement of the slots on the respective pieces. Furthermore, it will be understood that auxiliary pieces may be connected in turn to the projecting members 15, as for instance, in the

slots

28 or 29, thus making it possible to form a wide variety of display structures depending up- -on the particular requirements of the trimmer. By providing a plurality of pieces with connecting slots at various angles it will be understood that practically an infinite number of combinations may be constructed and in all cases a fi-im support is provided by reason of the close fitting engagement of the double slot connect ons so as to eliminate the necessity of any auxiliary supporting connections besides the master supporting piece 10.

Figure 2 shows a simpler form of master piece 30 in which only three supporting

slots

31, 32 and 33 are formed, together with a relatively simple projecting piece 35 having only one vertically extending slot 36 at one end and an inclined slot 37 at the other end. In this form the projecting piece 35 is shown as connected in horizontal position to support a shelf 39. A support- 1ng clamp is here provided for the purpose of securing the edge of the shelf 39, this clamp being formed of a piece of spring metal having one end 41 of sufiicient thickness to fit in the slot 37, the entire clamp being curved upwaidly and extending over the top of the shelf 39 to secure the same under tension. Obviously a plurality (if such clamps having varying shapes as required to suit the particular position of the slot 37 may be provided.- For instance, as shown in F igure 3 another form of clamp 40 is provided consistin of a substantially L'-shaped piece of which the lower part 41 fits in a vertically disposed slot 37 opening upwardly adjacent the edge of the shelf 39*. In still another form of retain ing clamp shown in Figure 4, the clamp 40 is adapted to have a. vertically extending portion 41! fitting in a vertical slot 37 on the underside of the supporting piece 15.

Figures 4 and .5 show a further modified form of master supporting member 44 adapted to be connected to a clamp 45 for attachment to a tension screw 46 of a sheet metal window frame member 47 of any suitable form. The master piece 44 in this instance is substantially curved and provided at opposite ends with slots 48-48 fitting in slots 49-49 formed in the ends of arms show an auxiliary cross piece 55 connected by double slot connection of the necessary form intermediate the ends of the piece 15, the ends of the piece 55 herein being provided with clamps 40 -40 similar to the form of securing clamp shown in Figure 3 for the purpose of securing a shelf 56. In the form shown in Figure 5 the supporting piece .15 is shown reversed end to end and connected to the master piece 44 at an incline'd angle so as to be used for exhibiting 15-15 of varying lengths and provided dry goods, such as ties, which are drape over the arms of the cross piece 55 shown. Figure 6sl1ows another form of master piece 60 which may be somewhat similar to the piece 10 shown in Figure 1 but secured in a vertical position. The projecting piece 61 herein shown is of a spe ial form having a recessed upper edge adapted for fitting engagement with a s elf 62 secured between the shoulders 6363 of the piece 61 and other shoulders 64-64 of. a connecting cross member 65. The position of this projecting piece 61 may obviously be rearranged at varying angles as desired, and furthermore it may be turned end to end so that the inclined slot'66 is engaged with the master piece 60 instead of the upright slot 67 as indicated in broken lines at the lower part of this figure. Figure 7 shows another form. of master supporting piece which may connection with the projecting piece 15-15 of the general form already described. In this instance it will be observed that the members 15-15 may be connected at their ends in the slots 7 O70 formed at the upper periphery of the cylindrical supporting member 71 and may also be supported at an angle thereto -by using an inclined slot such as an intermediate slot 72, in which case the member 15 will assume the position indicated in dotted lines in this figure.

Figure 8 illustrates another modification of master piece which may consist of an annular member 81 provided with a pluralbe utilized in ity of slots 8282 and having a downwardly projecting hub 83 rotatably mounted in a socket 84 at the upper end of the su port 85.

In all of the forms shown it will be seen that the' same general type ofstructural pieces are provided, having uniform cross .sectional area and provided with uniform slots for interchangeable connection with each other. Furthermore, a master supporting piece is provided for connection to a base, andone or more projecting pieces maybe connected thereto in varying angles, and may also be reversible end to end, or

utilization of spring, clamps fitting in the connecting slots.

lVhile I have shown and described certain forms and specific uses of m invention, it

will be obvious that man 0t er forms and uses thereof will be mani est to those skilled in the art and without departing from the scope of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as: limiting myself to the forms or uses shown and described, excepting as-defined in the appended clalms.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an interchangeable structure system, a plurality of separate supporting pieces comprising a master piece and one or more associated pieces, all being of substantiallyother structural uniform cross-sectional area and provided with a plurality of uniform slots arranged at vary n angles to afi'ord mutually interchangeab e double slotted connection of the pieces at varying angles with respect to each 7 other, and clamping means for securing arts to said pieces com prising spring 0 amping members having one end adapted to' fit in said slots and ex-' Cal tend into tensional engagement with said structural parts.

2. In an interchangeable structure system, a plurality of supporting pieces comprisin a master iece and one or more associate pieces, a being of substantially uniform cross-sectional area and provided with a plurality of uniform slots arranged at varying angles to afford interchangeable double slotted connection ot the pieces at varying? angles with respect to each other, and clamping means for securing other structural parts to said pieces, comprising a series of spring clamping members having one end adapted to fit in said slots and extending at angles varying with the angles of said slots. a 3. In an interchangeable structure system, a plurality of supporting pieces comprisin a master piece and one or more associate pieces, all beingof substantially uniform cross sectional area, said associated pieces having slots adjacent opposite ends arranged at varying angles to the side edge thereof, whereby said pieces are reversible end to end to afford interchangeable connection with said master piece at varying angles of incidence, and clamping means for se- 1 curing other structural parts to said pieces,

comprising spring clam ing members having one end adapted to t in said slots and extend into tens1onal engagement with said structural parts.

4. In an interchangeable structure system,

a plurality of supporting pieces comprisin a master place and one or more associate pieces, all being of substantially uniform cross sectional area, said associated pieces having slots adjacent opposite ends arranged at varying angles to the side edge thereof, whereby said end to end to afford interchangeable con nection with said master piece at varying angles ofincidence, and clamping means for securing other structural parts to said pieces, comprising a series of spring clamping members having one end adapted to fit in said slots and extending at right angles varyin with the angles of said slots.

%'gned'at Tulsa, Okla., this 23rd dayof March, 1925.

SIMON JANKOWSKY.

pieces are reversible