US1795365A - Merchandising system and mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1931.

A. T. HACKL 1,795,365

MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1931. T. HACKL MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum Mmws

March 10, 1931. A. T. HAcKL MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 29, 1950 March 10, 1931. HAcKL 1,795,365

' MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WHIHHIIIW Patented Mar. l0,' 1931 PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT '1. HAGKL, OF BABTOW, FLORIDA.

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Application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,407.

The present invention relates to retail merchandising systems and mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide such a system and mechanism by which there is provided continuous or intermittent relative movement between the purchaser of goods and the goods themselves.

The present embodiment of the invention contemplates the display of goods to be sold in a stationary display container and mechanism for moving a purchasers conveyance, such as an automobile, continuously or intermittently past the display container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mechanism" for this purpose which is actuated by a portion of an automobile driven into the retail store by a customer to bring into engagement a traveling portion of the mechanism with the automobile itself to cause the automobile to be moved past the display container under power furnished by the mechanism of the present invention, thus eliminatin the running of the automobile motor .wit its attendant objectionable exhaust gases.

. Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accom anying drawings, which illustrate a pre erred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the interior of a retail store constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating a series of customers cars being carried past stationary display containers;

Fig. 2 is a top'plan view showing a stationary display container and the traveling mechanism which engages and moves the customers cars past the display container;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the structure of Fig. 2 and illustrating the closed-path traveled by the carengaging and moving devices;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view partly broken away and illustrating the car-engaging device in inoperative position .together with the automobile-actuated mechanism which releases the car-engaging device for movement to car-engaging or operative position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the same scale as Fig. 4, illustrating in full lines the car-engaging device in inoperative position, and in dotted lines the automobile-engaging crosshead in operative. or car-engaging position; V

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the cooperating parts of the automobile-actuated mechanism which cooperates with the automobile-engaging and moving device and releases said device for movement to operative position;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly in section, illustrating the traveling car-engaging device and its cooperating guides as said device is completing a turn at one end of its closed path.

Referring in detail to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, a retail store is pro vided with side walls 11 and 12 and with end openings 14 and 16 for the entrance and exit of customers automobiles. In the present instance two complete'sets of mechanism are shown, one on each side of the store. Each set includes a guide track 17 for the wheels of customers cars, which track extends adjacent to and along the length of a series of display shelves 18 preferably running from floor to ceiling and containing the goods to be sold'. Located at the far end of each series of shelves is a desk which may be used as a cashiers desk or as a control station or both. For the purpose of controlling the starting and stopping of the automobile-moving devices, one or more switches 21 may be provided at the station 20. Located in the tracks 17 are the wheels of a series of automobiles 23, which convey the customers past the display shelves in the directions indicated by the arrows. 4

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the series of antomobile-engaging devices 25 travel in the link chain 27, which passes at one end over an idle toothed wheel 28 journaled on a shaft 29 supported at its ends by brackets 30. At

the other end the link chain passes over a located in the basement of the retail store,

or in a pit below the floor.

Each automobile-engaging device 25 '(Fig. 4) includes a carriage 40 provided with wheels 41 on each side thereof, which wheels run in the spaced-apart tracks 26. Extending transversely of the carriage 40 is a crosshead 42, which, at the central portion thereof, on the forward side, is provided with a beveled guide flange 43. On the rearward side, centrally thereof, is located a removable guide flange 45. The crosshead 42 and its two flangesare adapted to engage the front axle of an automobile, as illustrated in Fig. 5, upon vertically upward movement of the crosshead 42 in the manner hereinafter described, so that the axle is located between the two flanges. The crosshead 42 is removably secured by set screws 49 or otherwise at each end thereof to a vertical guide rod 50. Each guide rod is vertically slidable through a guide opening provided in the carriage 40. In connection with these guide openings (Fig. 6) there may be provided friction washers 53 for frictional engagement with the rods 50 to insure smooth and regular vertical movement of said rods.

The invention provides spring means for urging the rods 50 in a vertical direction and also provides means for holding the crosshead 42 in its lower or inoperative position until an automobile arrives to be moved by the conveyor past the display device 18. The invention also includes means operable by the mere presence of the automobile for releasing the crosshead 42 so that it moves vertically under the influence of the spring means above referred to and engages the iront axle of the automobile, as shown in In the present embodiment of the invention, these spring means comprise coil springs 55, each of which encircles one of the rods 50 and bears at its lower end against a thrust plate 56 secured to or formed on the lower end of an arm 57 depending from the under side of the carriage 40. Each spring 55 is under compression and bears at its upper end against a thrust collar 59 fast on rod 50.-

The result of this construction is that through rods 50 the crosshead 42 is constantly urged in avertically upward direction.

Means are provided by the invention for maintaining the crosshead 42 in the lowered position of Figs. 4 and 6 until the arrival of a customers automobile which is to be moved by the conveyor. In the present embodiment of the invention, this means includes a detent or latchr60 (see Figs. 4 and 5) whose beveled forward end engages a shoulder formed at the lower edge of the removable guide flange 45 and is urged into this engaging position by a coil compression spring 62, which bears at one end against the latch 60 urging it to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, and at its other end bears against the top 63 of a stationary latch housing 64 fixed on or carried by the carriage 40. The latch 60 extends beyond each end of the housing 64, in which it is guided for reciprocating movement by guide slots formed in the forward and rear ends of the latch housing. At its rear end the latch 60 is formed with a shoulder 65, which is adapted, by engaging the rear end of the latch housing, to limit the forward movement of the latch under the influence of its coil spring 62.

' Means are provided for moving the latch 60 rearwardly out of engagement with the guide flange 45, thus permitting the crosshead 42 to move vertically upwardly under the influence of springs 55 into engagement with the front axle of an automobile, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. In the present instance this means includes a lever 68 pivoted on the top of carriage 40 for oscillating movement in a horizontal plane. One end of the lever 68 engages the rear end of latch 60,

and the other end of lever68 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 70, whose other end is pivotally attached to a releasing lever 72. The lever 72 is pivoted to the side of carriage 40, as shown in Fig.- 4, and extends downwardly of the carriage. The lower end of this lever is adapted to be engaged, upon horizontal movement of the carriage, by a tripping device hereinafter described,-which effects the release of the crosshead 42, permitting its upward movement The invention provides automobile-actuated means for causing the tripping or release of the crosshead 42, and, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 7 this means includes a vertically movable tire-engaged plate 75, which lies in the bottom of track 17 and is adapted to be depressed by the weight of the front wheel of an automobile passing along the track 17 and upon the plate 75, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The plate 75 is secured to the upper end of a rod 76 which reciprocates vertically in a sleeve 77 secured to a standard 78 mounted on the basement floor and which may extend upwardly to form a support for the carriage track 26. Secured to the standard 78 is a bracket 79, which supports a pin 81, upon which is mounted an abutment carrying lever 83. The lever 83 is provided with a forkedend 84 for engagement with a pin 86 projecting horizontally from the rod 76 and fixed to said rod. A'coil spring 89' encircles the rod 76 and bears against the lever 83 at its upper end and against the top of sleeve 77 at its lower end, thus urging *the rod 76, and consequently plate 75, to" upper position, from which it is depressed against the action of spring 89 when the front wheel of an automobile moving along track 17 rides upon the'plate 75.

The other end of lever 83 carries an abutment member for enga ement with the lower end of tripping lever 2, and in the present instance this abutment member isshown as consisting of an abutment lug 90 secured to a rod 91, which may be threaded into the free end of lever 83, as shown in Fig. 4. The rod 91 is provided with one or more lock nuts 92. The construction described permits the longitudinal and angular adjustment and setting of'the abutment member with respect to lever 83 so that it may be set to actuate the tripping lever 72 and release the crosshead 42 at the exact moment necessary for the crosshead to engage the front axle. A

further adjustment is provided in connection with the lower end of lever 72, and, as shown in the present instance, the lever 72 isprovided at its lower end with a rightangular extension 96, which is provided with a threaded opening for the reception of an externally screw-threaded strike 97, the lower end of which, in the course of the horizontal travel of the carriage 40, is adapted to strike the abutment 90 when this abutment is in its upper or operative position due to the de-' pression of the wheel-engaging plate 75. Ob-

viously, if there is no automobile present, to

depress theplate 75' the lower end of strike 97 will pass over and clear of the abutment a 90, whereas if an automobile is present, to depress the plate 75 the abutment 90 will be raised to lie in the horizontal path of-the lower end of strike 97, with the result that, with respect to the moving carriage 40, the strike 97 will be moved about its pivot onthe carriage to cause the operation of the latch and the release of the crosshead for upward axle-engaging movement, as already de scribed.

The wheel-engaging plate 7 5' is preferably so proportioned and located in its track slot 98 that an automobile wheel in depressing.

the plate will have a three-point contact, that is to say, it will contact at one point .with the plate 75 and it will also contact with both the forward and rear ends of the plate slot 98.

The crosshead 42, when it reaches the end of its upper path of travel, will be carried downwardly with the descending carriage 40 as it passes around the curved portion of the carriage track 26, where the link chain 27, in the present embodiment, passes over the toothed wheel 28. As the carriage 40 starts around the curved and downwardly extending portion of its path, the crosshead 42 moves downwardly with the carriage and so out of engagement with the automobile axle, but; without movement with respect to the carriage itself. At this point the-invention provides means for moving the crosshead point where the crosshead 42 is approaching the cam track 99 for contact therewith, the cam 99 is farthest from the track and is sufliciently removed from the path of the carriagethat it lies beyond the crosshead. As the crosshead moves in its downwardly curved path, it comes into engagement'with the cam 99, and at the points where the crosshead engages the cam, it may be provided with we-ar-resistinginserts 100 (see Figs. 4, 7 and 8). The cam track 99 forces the cross v head 42 closer and closer to the carriage 40 and latch 60 until, in the position of parts; shown in Fig. 8, the crosshead 42 is forced against the action of springs 55 far enough to be engaged by the latch 60 and held in its inner or inoperative position. The crosshead remains in this position until the carriage 40 reaches the'upper run of its path and the crosshead 42 is released for movement to its extended position by the pressure of an automobile wheel on the plate 75, as already described.

The invention contemplates that the. automobiles carrying customers past the goods the cashiers desk the goods may be paid for I and change'may'be made, and the control 21 at the cashiers desk permits the cashier to stop the conveyor for these purposes and to start it again thereafter. The customers car now rides free ofthe axle-engaging crosshead, its engine is started by the customer,

and the automobile departs under its own ower. a p It is'preferred'that the goods on the display shelves be arranged so that each vertical column, as viewed in Fig. 3, contains the same kind of goods, sothat in the progress of the customer past the shelves the same goods are not displayed twice.

It will be seen that the present invention eliminates the undesirable presence of exhaust fumes within the store, and consequent- 1y eliminates all necessity for elaborate ventilating systems. Furthermore, the progress of the customer is under control, and the noise of a number of running automobile enginm is eliminated with its attendant confusion and the annoying. necessity for clerks and customers to raise their voices. It will also be observed that the automobile alone causes its own engagement with the conveyor mechanism and that at the end of its path the car automatically rides free of such engagement.

It is also to be observed that the automobileconveying mechanism itself will have a number of useful commercial applications apart from the system herein described and that various changes in the specific embodimentstation, and mechanism operated by a customers automobile for causing said conveyor to engage said automobile and move it past said display device.

Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile-engaging devices movable into and out of automobile-engaging position, mechanism for moving said devices along a predetermined path, and means actuated by the presence of an automobile at a predetermined oint to cause engagement of one of said evices with said automobile upon the arrival of said device at said point.

3. Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile-engaging devices movable into and out of automobile-engaging position, mechanism for moving said devices along a predetermined path, and means including a depressible floor plate actuated by the pressure thereon of an automobile wheel to cause engagement of one of said devices with said automobile.

4. Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile axle engaging devices movable into and out of axle-engaging position, mechanism for moving said devices along a predetermined path, and means actuated by the presence of an automobile at a predetermined point to causeone of said devices on arrival at that point to move into axle-engaging position.

5. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor, automobileengaging devices carried by said conveyor and movable with respect thereto into and out of automobile-engaging position, "springs normally urging said devices into engaging leasing the latch of the next approaching engaging device, said springs thereupon moving said device into automobile-engaging position.

6. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor, a series of spaced carriages attached to said conveyor, each carriage carrying an automobile-engaging device, means on the carriage for guiding said device in vertical movement into and out of operative automobile-engaging position, springs cooperating with said guides and urging said device 1nto operative position, latch means associated with said device for holdin said device in inoperative positionagainst t e urging of said springs, and an automobile-o erated latch tripper at a predetermined point along'the conveyor path for releasing the latch of the engaging device of the next approaching carriage, said springs thereupon moving said device into automobile-engaging position.

7. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor, automobile-engaging devices carried by said conveyor and movable with res ect thereto into and out of automobile-engaging position, springs urging said devices into engaging osition, latch means associated 'with each 0? said devices for holding said devices out of engaging pos' sition in the absence of an automobile to be conveyed, a trippin element at a predetermined point along t epath of the conveyor and operated b an automobile to be conveyed for releasing t e latch means of the next approaching engaging device, said springs thereupon gnoving said device intoautomobile-engaging posltion, and cam means at another point along the path of the conveyor for forcing said engagm device out of engaging position and intolatch holding position.

8. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor, automobile axle engaging devices carried thereby and including elements movable into and out of operative position at the bottom and the front and rear sides of the axle of an automobile, springs urging said devices into operative engaging position, latch means associated with each of said devices for holding said devices out of operative position, and an automobile-operated trippin element at a predetermined point along t e path of said conveyor for releasing the latch of the next approaching engaging device, said springs thereupon moving said device into axle-engaging position.

' 9. Automobile conveying mechanism ineluding a conveyor automobile-engaging devices carried thereby and movable into and out of automobile-engaging position, springs normally urging said devices into engagin position, latch means associated with eac of said devices for holding said devices out of engaging position, means for guiding the wheels of an automobile into predetermined relation to said conveyor, means including a depressible member lying in the path of an automobile wheel for releasing the latch of the next approaching engaging device, said springs thereupon moving said device into automobile-engaging position, and spring means cooperating with said depressib le member urging it normally into position to be depressed by an automobile wheel passing over it. a

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT T. HACKL.

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