US1767316A - Removable supporting devices for refrigerator shelves - Google Patents

Description

June 24, p SEALEY REMOVABLE SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATOR SHELVES Filed Aug. 25. 1927 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE '5 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCY '1'. SEALEY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KELVINATOR COR- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN REMOVABLE SUPPORTING DEVICES FOR REFRIGERATOR SHELVES Application filed August 25, 1927. Serial No. 215,337.

My invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly to shelf supporting structures for refrigerators.

An object of my invention is to provide a readily attachable and detachablerefrigerator shelf support which will project interiorly of the refrigerator lining and which can be attached and removed from the interior thereof when the lining is assembled in the refrigerator frame. a

Another object of my invention is to provide a shelf support for enameled or porcelain coated refrigerator linings which can be associated with the lining to reduce the possibility of crackin or otherwise injuring the coated surface of the lining when loads are put upon the shelves.

Other objects of the invention more or less incidental or ancillary to the foregoing will appear in the following description, which sets forth in connection with the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, :1. preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a refrigerator showing the shelf pins in place su porting a series of shelves.

ig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the shelf su port assembly.

ig. 3 is a perspective view of the expansible collar.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the spacing member.

Referring more specifically to the draw ing by characters of reference, 8 indicates a conventional form of refrigerator having a lining 9 formed to provide a refrigerated compartment 10 and food storage compartment 11.

A plurality of similar supporting structures areassociated with the refrigerator lining 9 for supporting shelves 13 in the food storage compartment 11. Each structure includes a pin 15 which is preferably cylindrical in shape and provided with a recess 12 concentric with the longitudinal axis thereof for a purpose which will appear as the specification proceeds. The shelf supporting structure is attached to the refrigerator lining 9 at the desired points which are provided with circular apertures 14: through which an expansible member 18 and a spreader member 16 are passed. The spreader member is preferably in the form of a screw threaded bolt having a-conical head 17. The spreader member 16 extends through a cylindrical expansible member or collar 18 formed of resilient material and having an inturned flange 19 at one end thereof and an outturned flange 20 at the opposite end thereof. The inturned flange 19 provides an aperture ofsuch size that the spreader member 16 may be passed there-through and be held centrally positioned thereby while the outturned flange 20 is adapted to engage the exterior face of the lining adjacent the apertures 14 and hold the supporting member 15 in place. The collar 18 is provided with slots 24 which permit compression and expansion of the outwardly turned flange of the collar for insertion and removal through the opening 14 from the interior surface 'of the lining. A spacer 21 formed of resilient sheet metal, comprises a flanged central portion 22 provided with an annular inwardly extending shoulder 23 of slightly greater diameter than the central portion and a laterally outwardly extending flange 27 of greater diameter than the shoulder 23. The shoulder 23 and the central portion 22 defined thereby provide a seat for the pin 15 and a peripheral flange 27 spaces the seat and pin away from the coated surface oftthe lining. The peripheral flange 27 extending laterally and outwardly beyond the seat serves to distribute the strain placed upon the supporting member 15 by the stocked shelves and thereby transmitted to the lining over an area greater than the cross sectional area of the pin thereby decreasing the possibility of injury to the coating upon the lining.

In applying the invention, the spreaded member 16 is inserted through the aperture 14 in the refrigerator lining 9 from the interior surface of the lining. The slotted end of the collar 18 is compressed and inserted through the aperture 14 over the spreader member 16. Upon releasing the collar from the compressed position, it will expand and fill the major portion of the aperture. The

spacer 21 is assed over the spreader member 16 and the s otted collar 18 into engagement with the refrigerator lining 9. The pm 15 is then threaded u on the s reader member 18, the threads of t e sprea er member engaging and cooperating with the threads formed in the recess 12 in the pin 15. Rotation of the pin 15 within the seat 22 causes the spreader member 16 to be moved u into the recess of the pin 15 and thus raws the spreader member 16 into engagement with the slotted collar 18 which is expanded into the aperture in the lining of the refrigerator and is securely held thereby.

It will be seen that I have provided a shelf supporting structure that may be readily attached to and removed from the lining of a refrigerator from the interior surface thereof, especially when the lining is assembled within the refrigerator frame. I have further provided a novel form of attaching structure a plicable in such manner that the weight oft e food on the shelf su ported by the bin 15 is transmitted over a arge area of the lining, thereby preserving the lining from injury.

It will be seen that although I have illustrated only the preferred embodiment of my invention and described in detail but one ap plication thereof, it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the s irit thereof or from the scope of the appen ed claims.

What I claim is:

A shelf supporting structure comprisin an expansible member adapted to be inserte within an opening, a, spreader for expanding one end of the expansible member, a spacing ring surrounding the opposite end of the ex- .pansible member, a supporting member adapted to engage the s acing member and provided with a recess for the reception of the end of the expansible member projecting through the spacing member, and means for moving the spreader axially with respect to the expansible member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

PERCY T. SEALEY.

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