US1946623A

US1946623A - Display tray assembly

Info

Publication number: US1946623A
Application number: US634245A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hiram D Irwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-09-21
Filing date: 1932-09-21
Publication date: 1934-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1951-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, H' D. lRwlN DISPLAY TRAY ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 13, H D |RW|N DISPLAY TRAY ASSEMBLY 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 Y S Filed sept. 21, 1952 Patented Feb. 13, Q

UNITED STATES DISPLAY TRAY ASSEMBLY Hiram D. Irwin, Beckley, W. Va.

Application september 21, 1932 Serial No. 634,245

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved display tray assembly for use in conjunction with refrigerators of the general type disclosed in my Patent No. 1,576,328.

One object of the invention is to provide a display tray assembly which may be adjusted within the refrigerator as articles are removed from said tray so that articles remaining on the tray will always be disposed for display in full view of a customer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display tray assembly which will be limited to a vertical movement within a refrigerator compartment, said tray being provided with means preventing horizontal swinging of the tray within the compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display tray assembly which may be easily and quickly shifted to various desired positions.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a display tray assembly having a base formed with guide pins for preventing rotating movement of the tray in a refrigerator compartment and maintaining said tray level within the 1 Y 14 which is threaded throughout the major porcompartment.

Other and incidental objects of the invention, n ot specifically mentioned in the foregoing, will appear during the course of the following descrlption.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing two display tray assemblies in position in a refrigerator,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the tray assembly, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line Ll--4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in general a refrigerator of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 1,576,328, which includes a compartment 2 having inner and outer walls 3 and 4 defining a water jacket 5. Closing the upper end of the compartment is a transparent closure 6, of any approved construction.

It is to be understood that while I have shown only two compartments in Figure 1 of the drawings, there may be as many compartments as are desired depending, of course, upon the size of the refrigerator. Inasmuch as the compartments are identical in construction the description of a typical one will suffice for all.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a base standard 7 which comprises intersecting leg members 8 which are arranged diagonally with respect to the bottom wall of the compartment 2 and snugly but removably t within the compartment. The leg members are slightly tapered toward their free ends and said free ends are adapted snugly to abut the side walls of the circular bearing l0 having a flat upper face 11 and 75 a recess 12 in its under side. Formed on the leg members 8, near their free ends, are upstanding pins 13 which are uniform in height.

Associated with the base standard 7 is a screw tion of its length and is provided at its upper portion with a squared portion 15 which is adapted to receive a wrench. The lower end portionV of the screw is reduced and extends through the bearing 1i), said reduced portion being indicated 85 16, within the recess 12, is a cotter key 18 which 90 limits the screw against upward movement out of engagement with the bearing 10.

Normally threaded to engage the screw 14 is a preferably light weight cast metal tray supporting plate 19 which is provided with ribs 20 95 which are reduced in height toward their free ends. overlying the plate 19 is a tray 21 which is provided, at its edges, with an upstanding ilange 22. Formed in the tray 21 are openings 23 which permit drainage of water from moist articles carried in the tray. Extending'through the center portion of the tray and through the outer end 'portion of the supporting plate 19 are bolts 24 which serve to rigidly connect the tray and the supporting plate.

When the device is in use installed in the compartment 2, vegetables or other articles which may require a cool place for storage are placed in `the tray 21 where they will be eiectually kept cool by the circulation of Vwater through the jackets 5, or in any other approved manner. After a number of the vegetables, or other articles, have been removed from the tray, it is obvious that the remaining articles will be located near the bottom of the compartment. In order to avoid this it is only necessary to rotate the screw 14 which will raise the tray within the compartment so that the goods may be disposed near the upper portion of said compartment. It will be seen that no matter how few articles may be upon the tray, it will always be possible to display them to their best advantage.

Attention is directed to the fact that, inasmuch as I have employed upstanding pins 13 of uniform height near each end portion of the leg members 8, the tray will be maintained in a level position with respect to the bottom of the compartment. Attention is further directed to the fact that the supporting plate 19 will, when in its lowermost position, rest against the top face l1 of the bearing l0 so that the tray and supporting plate will be afforded live-point contact. Therefore, danger of binding and undue wear upon the screw, such as might be caused by teetering of the tray, will be prevented.

It is to be noted that, inasmuch as the base standard '7 is removably mounted in the compartment 2, it will be possible to remove the entire display tray assembly from the compartment as a unit so that, if desired, the compartment may be used for some purpose other than the storing and displaying of vegetables.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple, yet highly efficient, display tray assembly which may be manufactured cheaply and which will render the displaying of goods much easier.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A device of the class described including a base standard having legs adapted to abut the corners of a compartment, a screw rotatably connected therewith, and a tray connected with the screw and adapted to shift toward or away from the base standard as the screw is rotated, said legs limiting said base standard against horizontal shifting in said compartment.

2. A device of the class described including a.

and a tray connected with said tray supporting plate, said tray being adapted to shift toward or away from the base standard as the screw is rotated for displaying an article carried on the tray within the compartment, and said pins being adapted for spacing said tray from the base standard whereby said tray may be retained in a horizontal lowered position.

3. A device of the class described including a base standard adapted to removably t in a compartment and provided with leg members having ends abutting said compartment, a screw rotatably mounted on the base standard, and a tray mounted on the screw and adapted to shift toward or away from the base standard as the screw is rotated, said ends of the leg members preventing horizontal movement of the base standard in the compartment and said base standard, screw, and tray being removable from said compartment as a unit.

4. A device of the class described including a base standard having intersecting leg members provided at their end portions with pins, said base standard being provided at the intersection of said leg members with a bearing, a screw rotatably mounted in the base standard and having a reduced portion extending through the bearing, and a tray mounted on the screw and adapted to be shifted toward or away from the base standard as the screw is rotated, said tray being adapted to be supported by said pins at the lower end of the screw.

5. A device of the class described including an X-shaped base standard comprising intersecting leg members provided at their end portions with pins, said base standard being formed at the intersection of said leg members with'a bearing having a flat upper face and a recess at its under side a screw rotatably mounted in the base standard and having a reduced portion L) extending through the bearing and dening a shoulder abutting the fiat upper face, means extending through the reduced portion within the recess for preventing disengagement ofthe screw from the bearing, and a tray mounted on the screw and adapted to be shifted toward or away from the base standard as the .screw is rotated, said tray being adapted to be supported by said pins at the lower end of the screw.

HIRAM D. IRWIN. [L.S.]