US1720816A - Display rack - Google Patents

Description

H. S. BEST DISPLAY RACK July 16,l 1929.

Filed March 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1929.

H. S. BEST DISPLAY 'RACK Filed mmh 13, 1925 s slams-sheet a July m6, 19m

DISPLAY RACK Filed March 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 jx m July 16; 1929. H. s. BEST v mzole DISPLAY RACK Filed March 1:5, 192e Ik5 sheets-sheet 4 F l v 'mv-m liu ln ll Il Il ll |n1||||| il Il llllllluux J l x July 16, 1,929. r. Haags-r 1.120.816

DISPLAY RACK Filed March 15, 192e4 5 sheets-sheet 5 2 5/f yl@ ZZ @y dll latentecl .luly 16, 1929..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S'UMNER BEST, 0F GLV, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN H. BEST & SON S, OF GALVA, ILLINOIS, .A FIRM COMPOSED OF CHARLOTTE SUMNER BEST, DON JEWELL BEST, LEON HENSON BEST, AND HARRY SUMNER BEST.

DISPLAY RACK.

Application filed March 13, 1928. Serial No. 261,272.

This invention relates to display racks in general and particularly, though not exclu sively, to mechanically operated means for displaying broadloom, wideloom, chenille, carpeting, and like material which is generally made from nine to thirty feet in Width and up to sixty feet in length.

A rack ofthe present kind will be usedI in warehouses and cutting departments and 1n many other places where material of the abovementioned kind is lto be used, displayed and stored. Heretofore it has been impose.E

vided with a. plurality of rolls arrangedtherein whereby all the rolls are given planetary movement and the individual rolls are revolved mechanically.

Another object is to provide an improved and compact arrangement of parts to mechanically operate the rolls whereby the rolls may be arranged in tiers, and ally one of the rolls in any tier may be brought to display position, and then operated to unroll and re-roll the material thereon.

And another object is to provide improved driving means for providing planetary movement to the rolls and maintaining the rolls in proper spaced relation to each other, and -which will permit individual operation of the rolls from the same prime moverv without interference with any of the other parts of the apparatus.

'lhe accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views are as follows :l

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved i i display rack.

l or rig. a

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.v Fig. 3 is a detail plan view on the line 3 Fig. 4 is a 4--4 of Fig. 3.

detail sectional view on the line Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3. y

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the gears for individually rotating the rolls.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of one of the uprights.

F ig. 10 is an exploded view of the lower part of an upright and the connecting means.

`Referring to the drawings, 1 designates generally a frame which is made up of a plurality of adjustable uprights 2, prefer ably made in two parts 3, 11, Fig. 9, of tubing or standard black pipe. The lower pipe 3 rests upon a support 4 which is rovided withl an upstanding plug 5, wliich tits snugly in the lower end of pipe 3 to support the same. The support 4 is provided with apair of lugs 6 on its base which fit into holes 7 formed in the base board 8 secured to the floor, Fig. 10. Brackets 9 are rigidly fastened to the pipe, Fig. 9, for a purpose to hereinafter appear. The upper end of the pipe 3 threadedly engages the lower end of a combination reducer and supporting bracket 10 and the lower end of the upper pipe 11 threadedly engages the upper end of the bracket 10 and extends down into the pipe 3 as shown. A ceiling plate 12 is threaded to the upper end of the pipe 11 to fasten the upright to the ceiling 12 This construction permits any adjustment which may be required due to unevenness of the floor or ceiling and facilitates installation of the frame.

Rails or other suitable members .13 forming a track are su ported on the brackets 9 and 10, Fig. 9. eels 14 suitably mounted on bearings 15 and 16 and carried by the shafts 17 of the rolls 18 run on the rails 13, Fig. 4. Endless chains 19 composed of a plurality of links 2() are loosely mounted on the shafts 17, Figs. 2 and 3. A roller 2l mounted on each link 20 intermediate each shaft 17 engages one of the recesses 22, Figs. 2 and 6, in the driving sprocket 23 which is mounted in a bracket 24 secured to the'uprights 2, Fig. i5, and drives the chain 19. The recesses 22 are substantially IUI-shaped and have circular bottoms and outwardly flaring sides so that the rollers 21 may be easily received, supported and discharged in a free and easy manner. Arcuate recesses 22 spaced about the periphery of the sprocket 23, intermediate the recesses 22 are' engaged by the wheels 14 and assist in driving the rolls 18 and keeping them in proper position. A second sprocket 23 is arranged at the rear end of the frame for supporting the chain and rolls, Fig. 2. A take-up 25, Fig. 2, is arranged at the rear end of the frame and provides for adjustment of each of the chains 19. v

A main shaft 26, Fig. 1, suitably .mounted in bearing brackets 27 is driven by a reversible motor 28 through the reduction unit 29. Pulleys 30 and 31 are loosely mounted on the shaft 26 and a clutch 32 splined on the 4shaft 26 and arranged between the pulleys 30 and 31 selectively operates either of said pulleys. A pulley 33 fixed to the shaft 34 of the driving sprocket 23 is driven by means of a belt 35 from the pulley 30.

The apparatus is constructed in two separate tiers as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper tier is substantially the same in construction as the lower tier, and a shaft 34 supporting the upper driving sprocket 23" has fixed thereto a pulley 33 which is driven by the belt 35 from the pulley 31. Through these parts the lower or upper driving sprockets may be selectively driven to drive either of the chains 19 to move any of the rolls 18 of either tier into display position, which is preferably at the front of the rack, to the left Fig. 2. Instead of employing pulleys and belts to drive these parts, sprockets and chains may be emplo ed.

suitably supported counter shaft 36 located adjacent to the main drive shaft 26 is driven from the drive shaft through suitable gearing 37. A sprocket 38 fixed to the counter shaft 36 drives the chain 39 and operates a sprocket 40 for selectively rotating one of the rolls 18 in the upper tier. The sprocket 40 lis loosely mounted o n a sleeve 41 on the shaft 34 and supported in suitable bearings in the frame. A sprocket 42 loosely mounted on the sleeve 41 drives the lchain 43 to operate the sprocket 44, Fig. 5, for rotating one of the rolls 18 in the lower tier. The sprocket 44 is fixed to a sleeve 41 on the shaft 34 which is supported in suitable bearings in the lower part of the frame, Fig. 5. Clutch mechanism 45 arranged between the sprockets 40 and 42 and keyed to sleeve 41 provides for selective operation of either of the sleeves 41 and 41', Fig. 1,

An arm 46 loosely mounted on the sleeve 41 carries an idler gear 47 which meshes with a gear 48 fixed to the sleeve 41, Fig. 8, so that during rotation. of the sleeve 41 the gears 47 and 48 will also rotate. A gear 49 is fixed to the outer end of each of the shafts 17, and these gears are adapted to successively mesh with the idler gear 47 when the rolls 18 are brought to display position, to the left, Figs. 2 and 6. When the gears are all in meshing. relation, the roll that is in display position can be rotated to wind onto or off that `roll.

A yoke or bolt 50 is slidably mounted in the guides 51 which are fixed on the arm 46, Fig. 8. The yoke 50 is ada ted to be moved over the end 52 of the sha t 17 to keep the gears 47, 48 and 49 in meshing relation with eachother, and revent any movement of the chain and rol s which may occur due to any thrust caused b one of the rolls being more heavily loade than the others.

Upper and lower stops 53 and 54, Fig. 2,

are fixed to one of the uprights 2 and engage a part of the arm 46 so that during movement of the chain, the roll in display position will automatically be thrown out of engagement with the idler gear 47 and prevent further rotation of the roll. The stops 53 and 54 are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for approximately 60 degree movement of the arm. It is understood, of course, that the yoke 50 is released from the end 52 of -shaft 17 before the driving sprocket 23 is again operated.

The upper tier operates inthe same manner as the lower tier just described, and it is provided with an arm 46 and the gears 47 and 48 to selectively operate a gear 49 on a roll shaft 17, so that when the rolls are brought into proper position the yoke 50' will lock the gears together and prevent movement of the driving sprocket 23" when one of the rolls 18 is being rotated, Fig. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows: The motor is operated by a switch 55 con veniently located on one of the uprights 2 and drives the main shaft 26 and the counter sha-ft 36. If itis desired to bring one of the rolls 1.8 of the upper tier into display position, the clutch 32 is thrown into engagement with the pulley 31 and the shaft 33 is driven to rotate the driving sprocket 23". As the driving sprocket rotates, one

of the rollers 21 will be received in one of the recesses 22 in the driving sprocket and cause planetary-movement of the chain. As soon as one of the rollers 21 recedes from one of the recesses' 22, another roller is brought into communication with another recess 22 thereby assuring constant movement of the chain by the driving sprocket.

When the chain is moved tdbring a roll into display position, the clutch is disengaged from the pulley 31 and allt-he rolls will remain stationary. The sliding yoke 50 is `then operated to engage the end 52 of the shaft 17 to lock the gears 47', 48 and 49 together and prevent self movement of the cha-in and driving sprocket. As the rolls are very heavy and incapable of being rotated by handto unwind some of the material reroll the material.

therefrom, or wind some thereon, the clutch 45 is thrown into engagement with the sprocket 40 thereby driving the sleeve 41 and the associated gears, to rotate the forward roll and unwind some of the broadloom from that roll. As soon as a sufficient amount of material is unwound from the roll, the clutch 45 is disengaged from the sprocket 40 thereby preventing further rotation of the sleeve 41' and the roll.

When it is desired to show the material on one of the rolls in the lower tier, the clutch 32 is brought into engagement with `the gear 30 and the driving sprocket 23 will drive the lower chain 19 bringing the-desired roll to display position. then disenga ed from the pulley 30 andthe chain and ro ls will remain stationary. The yoke 50 is then positioned on the end 52 of the shaft 18 to lock the gears together and the clutch 45 is brought into engagement with the sprocket 42 to rotate the roll 18 and unwind some ofthe material therefrom. The roll is operated in a reverse direction when the material is to 'be wound on a roll.

From the above, it is apparent that any roll in either tier may be brought to display position and then rotated to unroll or As the motor 28 is of the reversible type, the chain may be caused to tra-vel in either direction.

As the rolls of either tier have planetary movement and travel from lower to upper position on the track 13 there is a tendency or the upper rolls, of either tier, to be raised olf the track adjacent the driving sprockets and provide a strain on the chain. To overcome this tendency and to prevent any strain, an inverted rail 56 is secured to two of the uprights and is adapted to engage ythe top o the wheels 14, Fig. 7, and retain the wheels in normal position on `the track 13. The rails 13 and 56 are located relative to each other as shown in the several views and allow the rollers 21 to' leave the high point of the circle on a line prependicular to the vertical axial center line of the drive shaft 34 and assume a true horizontal positionon the rails 13.v The rai-ls 56 also keep the rollers 21 in proper osition in the recesses 22 when the rollers cave the low point of the circle after being released from the sprocket 23, thereby preventing a tendency to sag.

It will thus be seen that the rollers 21 serve a double p-urposegfthey carry the rolls 18 oil' V-the high point of the sprocket in an even position as they rest on the track 13 before the rolls 18 have passed the high point of the sprocket, and the u per rail 56 keeps the adjacent roller 21, w 1ch is between the rails 13 and 56, from lifting.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention and The clutch 32` is the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims. f i

I claim:

1. A display rack comprising a frame, a roll mounted in said frame, a chain traveling in said frame and connected to said roll for providing planetary movement to said roll, a motor driving said chain and means connecting the roll to the motor for revolving said roll independently of said. planetary movement. l

Q. A display rack cmprising a' frame, a traveling conveyor mountedl in said-frame, a plurality of rolls supported on said conveyor, and "individually revoluble thereon, means driving said conve or for impart-in planetary movement to nl iof said rolls, an

A means for individually revolving any of said rolls.

3. A display rack comprising a frame, a plurality of rolls connected together and arranged in tiers, means for imparting planetary movement to all the rolls in any one tier, and means for revolving any roll in said tier, a common driving motor, and means for connectingr said motor to said imparting and revolving means.

'any one tier and to revolve one of said rolls in `another tier. i

6. A display rack comprising a frame, a plurality of rolls connected together and arranged in tiers, a driving motor common to ysaid tiers, means adapted :for connection with lsaid motor for selectively imparting forward and reverse planetary movement to all of said rolls in any tier, and means driven by said motor for revolving one of said rolls in either direction.

7. A display rack comprising a frame, rails supported on said frame, a plurality of rolls supported on' said rails, links connecting said rolls, a driving sprocket operatively engaging said links for imparting planetary movementto said rolls, and driving means for revolving any one of said rolls.

8. A display rack comprising a frame, rails supported on said frame, a plurality of rolls supported on said rails, links connecting said rolls and forming a chain, rollers on said chain, a driving sprocket operativelyv a Madere nient to said chain, and driving means for revolving any one of said rolls independently.

9. A display rack comprising a plurality of adjustable uprights, rails supported by said uprights and forming a track, Wheels on said track, a shaft for said Wheels, a roll liXed to said shaft. chains engaging the ends of said shaft, a driving sprocket engaging said chains for imparting planetary movement to said roll, a gear on said shaft, and means selectively communicating With said gear to cause independent revolution of said roll.

10. A display rack comprising a plurality of adjustable uprights, rails supported by said uprights and'forming a track, Wheels on said track, a shaft for said Wheels, a roll fixed to said shaft, chains engaging the ends of said shaft, a sprocket shaft, a driving sprocket on said shaft and engaging said chains for imparting planetary movement to said roll, a gear on said first named shaft, an arm loosely mounted on said sprocket shaft, an idler on said arm and adapted to mesh ivith said gear, and a driving gear meshing with said idler gear to drive said rst named gear and revolve said roll.

ll. A display rack comprising a plurality oit adjustable uprights, rails supported by said uprights and forming a track, Wheels on said track and arranged in pairs, a. shaft :tor each pair et Wheels, a roll tired to each shaft, chains engaging the ends of each shaft, a. sprocket shaft, a driving sprocket on said shaft and engaging said chains for imparting planetary movement to said rolls, a gear on each first named shaft, an arm loosely mounted on the sprocket shaft, an idler on said arm and adapted to mesh with said gear, and a driving gea-r meshing 'with said idler to drive said tiret named gear to revolve said roll, and means 1for ioeking said gears together to prevent self movement of said rolls.

12. ik display rack comprising piuraiity ci adjustable uprights, rails' supported. by

said uprights and forming a track, a plurality of pairsof `Wheels on said track, a shaft for each pair of Wheels, a roll iXed to each shaft, chains engaging the ends of said shafts, a sprocket shaft, a driving sprocket on said shaft and engaging said chains for imparting planetary movement to each of said rolls` a gear on each of said first named shafts, means intermittently communieating with said gear to cause independent revolution of said roll, means for operating said driving sprocket in either direction, and means for operating said driving gear in either direction.

13. The combination of a suitable frame, a

traveling conveyor mounted therein, a plu.

rality of spaced rolls carried by said con;

veyor and adapted to be bodily moved into display position by said conveyor, means for retaining1 a roll in said position against movement. a power motor driving said conveyor, and means for connecting said retained roll with said motor for rotating the roll in said position.

l5. The combination of an endless traveling conveyor comprising a plurality of pivn @tally connected links, and sprockets at the ends around which said chain travels, said sprockets having supporting portions for the pivotal connections of said links and having intermediate recesses, a plurality of individually rotatable rolls mounted on said links intermediate the pivotal connections thereof, means intermediate said pivotal connections for engaging in said recesses, and means iter driving the conveyor and for the rolls.

HARRY SUMNER, BEST.

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