US1956226A - Display case - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1934. w PLUMMER 1,956,226

Filed July 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. W. PLUMMER April 24, 1934 DISPLAY CASE Filed July 1, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 CHOCLATE (Ittornegs Patented Apr. 24, 1934 STATES QFFifiE Claims.

This invention relates to a display case designed for holding samples such as candy, jewelry, dental supplies, groceries, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a simple and compact structure which can be easily carried, quickly opened or closed, and, when in open position, supports opposed series of trays at such angles that their contents can be viewed readily.

19 A still further object is to provide a display case which will lock automatically when opened and which will close gently so that there will be no danger of injury to the parts or accidental displacement of the contents.

With the foregoing and other objects in View,

' which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it

being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed,

maybe made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the opened or extended display case.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken from front to rear of the closed case showing the series of trays in folded or collapsed positions therein, said trays and their connections being in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the folded trays removable from their case.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevation of portions of two trays when supported in extended positions.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5,

Figure 1. I

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 indicates the base of an inverted box 2 the top of which has a handle 3 whereby the entire case formed by box 2 and base 1 can be carried conveniently after one or more straps 4 have been secured therearound. The box can be properly centered on the base 1 by lugs 5 or other suitable guiding means upstanding from the base 1.

Within the case formed by base 1 and box 2 is the display structure constituting the present invention. This includes a bottom member 6 formed of wood or any other suitable material ,55 the lower surface of which is preferably provided the upper end of one of these levers is swung to with a covering '7 of soft material so that the member 6 can be placed on a counter or other article of furniture without danger of scarring it.

Member 6 has upstanding end pieces 8 which can be braced by front and back connecting strips 9 and by reinforcing blocks 10.

To the outer faces of the end pieces 8 are secured attaching plates 11 each of which has a pair of levers 12 equally spaced from the center of the plate 11 and pivotally supported as indicated at 13. The two levers are joined by crossed links 14 pivotally attached to them at points equidistant from the fulcrums 13. Thus when one of the levers 12 is swung upwardly from the center of plate 11 it will thrust through one link 14 and pull through the other link 14 to cause a corresponding movement of the other lever 12. Normally the two levers are arranged along upwardly diverging lines as shown in Figure 2 but when ward the center of plate 11 the other lever will be similarly moved so as to bring the parts to thepositions illustrated in Figure 1.

The display structure is made up of superposed pairs of trays each of which is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the outer faces of the end members 8. Secured along the end of each of the lower trays 15 is a strip 16 having one end off-set as at 17. The off-set ends of the corresponding strips 16 of the trays of each pair are extended toward each other and pivotally connected as at 18. The other ends of the strips 16 of the lowermost trays 15 are pivotally connected at 19 to the upper ends of levers 12.

Pivotally connected to the strips 16 along the longitudinal centers of trays 15 are short connecting links 20 the upper ends of which are pivotally attached at 21 to the lower ends of strips 22 on the next adjoining pair of trays 23. Long links 24 are pivotally connected to these strips 22 at points 25 in line with the longitudinal centers of the trays 23. The lower ends of these long links are attached to the respective strips 16 at the bases of their ofi-sets 17, as shown at 26 and it is to be understood that the distance between the pivots 25 and 26 of each of the links 24 is equal to the distance between the two pivots of each of the links 20. The mounting of the trays 23 is duplicated in connection with the succeeding pairs of trays thereabove.

Pivotally connected to one end of one of the trays 23 is a latch rod 27 slidable within an eye 28 extending from the other tray 23 of the same pair. This rod has an intermediate offset 29 and a spring 30 which connects rod 2'7 to one of the 110 pivots 25 thereunder serves to snap the off-set into engagement with eye 28 when rod 27 is slid to a predetermined position within the eye as hereinafter explained.

Connected to the uppermost trays 23 is a strap 31 providing a handle 32.

Each of the trays is adapted to contain one or more samples to be displayed. Some of these have been indicated at S. Normally the pairs of trays are all supported one upon the other as shown in Figure 2, the lowermost traysresting upon the central raised portions 33 of the end members 8 and the upper ends of the several links being extended close to the inner faces of the adjacent walls or" box 2. Thus when the box is placed on base 1 a very compact structure is produced which can be transported readily.

When it is desired to use the case for display purposes the box 2 is removed from base 1. The user then grasps handle 32 and pulls it vertically. This will cause the inner or adjoining ends of the uppermost trays 23 to move upwardly into upwardly converging positions. This motion will be transmitted through the various links to the other trays thereunder so that all of the trays will be brought into inclined positions, the trays of each pair facing in opposite directions respectively with their contents exposed. During the upward elongation of the display structure the eye 28 will slide along rod 27 until the off-set 29 passes therethrough. At that time spring 30 will snap the off-set into engagement with the eye as shown in Figure 1 so that the display structure will be held against unintentional collapse.

When it is desired to fold the structure the rod 27 is pulled upwardly to disengage the off-set 29 from eye 28. Spring 30 will tend to retard collapse of the foldable structure but by holding handle 32 and lowering it, the trays will gradually fold to the positions shown in Figure 2 whereupon box 2 can be replaced and secured.

Importance is attached to the use of two links for connecting each tray to the next adjoining one. In every instance, one of the links connects three of the trays. This results in a sturdy structure which will not get out of order readily and reduces to the minimum the number of parts required in the construction of the case.

It will be noted also that one tray of each pair is joined by links to the corresponding trays of the pairs to form a lazytong structure and that the remaining links and trays form another lazytong structure. These two structures are joined solely by the pivotal connections between the trays and each of the lazytong structures is supported by one lever 12 at each end of the base portion.

What is claimed is:

1. In a display case a bottom having upstanding end members, levers pivoted to the respective members, crossed links connecting the levers, superposed pairs of trays, and strips secured to each tray, each strip having one end off -set, the off-set portions on the strips of each pair of trays being pivotally connected, parallel links connecting the strips on the superposed trays, each link being pivotally mounted at its center on the center line of one of its trays, and at its ends close to the front and back portions respectively of the corresponding trays of the next adjoining pairs, and a spring controlled latch for holding the trays against relative movement when raised to predetermined positions.

2. In a display case a bottom portion having upstanding end members, levers fulcrumed on said members, crossed links connecting the levers for simultaneous movement of the levers toward or from each other, superposed pairs of normally horizontal trays, pivotally connected elements for joining the trays of each pair along their adjoining edges to permit upward and downward relative swinging movement thereof, parallel links connecting the ends of the corresponding trays of the superposed pairs and cooperating with said trays to form lazytongs, and a spring controlled latch for holding the trays and links against relative movement when said trays are elevated relative to the base member.

3. In a display case a bottom portion having end members, a pair of lazytong structures each including parallel links and superposed trays joining the links, pivotal connections between the lazytong structures at the inner edges of the trays, levers fulcrumed on the end members, cross links connecting the levers for uniform movement toward or from each other and pivotal connections between the levers and the lower ends of the respective lazytong structures, said levers, links and connections being arranged to permit extension of the pair of lazytong structures along parallel lines.

l. In a display case a bottom portion having end members, a pair of lazytong structures each including parallel links and superposed trays joining the links, pivotal connections between the lazytong structures at the inner edges of the trays, levers fulcrumed on the end members, cross links connecting the levers for uniform movement toward or from each other and pivotal connections between the levers and the lower ends of the respective lazytong structures, said levers, links and connections being arranged to permit extension of the pair of lazytong structures along parallel lines, a lifting handle connected to the upper ends of the two lazytong structures, and a latch for holding said lazytong structures against relative movement when extended a predetermined distance.

5. In a display case a base portion having end members, superposed pairs of trays normally supported on the end members, pivotal connections between the trays of each pair, links pivotally connecting one tray of each pair with the corresponding tray of the other pair, thereby to form a lazytong structure, links connecting the other trays of the several pairs to form another lazytong structure, levers fulcrumed on the end members and movable toward or from each other, pivotal connections between said levers and the lower trays of the respective lazytong structures, a latch connected to one of the lazytong structures, means on the other lazytong structure for movable engagement with the latch and yielding means for automatically engaging the latch with said movable means to hold the lazytong structures against movement when elongated.

LLOYD W. PLUMMER.

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