US2092196A

US2092196A - Combination counter and table

Info

Publication number: US2092196A
Application number: US30603A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred C Wood
Original assignee: Montgomery Ward and Co Inc
Current assignee: Montgomery Ward and Co Inc
Priority date: 1935-07-10
Filing date: 1935-07-10
Publication date: 1937-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1954-09-07

Description

Sept. 7, 193 7.

F. c. WOOD 2,092,196 COMBINATION COUNTER AND TABLE Filed July 10, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l i a I I] I] I 1' I I I 15 :3 1 I F J 61 I t I i 60 35 [I] l l 5' I 6 I I W I I p a? l I 16 [HZ/87%: Fed C Wood,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. C. WOOD COMBINATION COUNTER AND TABLE Filed July 10, 1935 J %w J W Z a m 5. E f

f j w 3 n m llillrl m II v @H/ I J 7 I m 7 a m m m w 5 7 l n J Z w 4 m m Sept. 7, 193 7.

Sept 7, 1937.

F. C. WOOD COMBINATION COUNTER AND TABLE Filed July 10, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet s fled C 770062 W Patented Sept. 7, 1937 w e r l at) SYA ES Fred C. Wood, Winnetka, 111., assignor to Montgomery Ward & (30., Incorporated, Winnetka,

ill, a corporation of Application July 10,

Claims.

The present invention has to do with store furniture and is particuarly concerned with the counter and table structures thereof.

Its primary object is to provide a combination fixture the parts of which are so organized and related that it may be converted readily into a cabinet counter, an open-back counter, or a table, as occasion or demands may require. This places at the disposal of stores and shops a relatively inexpensive article which can be adapted and utilized to meet varying conditions for the storage and display of merchandise.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a fixture of the character mentioned the construction of which is such that it may be shipped from the factory in a knocked-down condition and quickly and easily assembled at the point of use without the employment of skilled labor or the need of special tools.

The invention also seeks to provide a combination fixture wherein the parts are interchangeable and easily replaced and may be made by different manufacturers for assembly at the point of use. Such interchangeability of the parts permits them to be standardized, wherefore they may be omitted or added to so as to meet the conditions of use and provide the ultimate form of the fixture required by such condi tions.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

The form of the invention made the basis of the present disclosure presents a practical embodiment thereof. It is to be considered, however, as illustrative of the application of the invention and not as imposing restriction or limitation thereon, the invention being susceptible to change, modification and variation.

In the drawin s,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a store fixture constructed in accordance with the present invention and embodied in the form of a cabinet counter;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the invention as embodied in a table converted from the form of cabinet counter illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3--3, Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a similar view on the line 3-4, Fig. 1;

lllinois 1935, Serial No. 30,603

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, as on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view, as on the line 5-6, Fig. 1, parts also being broken away for further clarity of disclosure; and

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the sheave of one of the sliding doors and the sliding door rail on which the same is supported.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral l6 designates the top of the herein described fixture. Preferably, it is composed of laminations or layers of suitable wood so as to provide a veneered construction. This top serves as such whether the fixture be embodied in the form of a closed cabinet, an openback counter or as a table. At opposite sides of the top l9 are depending front and rear aprons H and I2, and at the ends of the top H are located side aprons l3 and M. These aprons are relatively heavy in cross section in order to render the top rigid and prevent it from sagging. They are afiixed to the under side of the top lll, as by glue, screws or other suitable attaching means, and combined with the top It in this manner the aprons and the top constitute a unit of the structure which may be assembled at the factory and shipped as such to the point of use or assembly of the fixture. At the points of joinder of the aprons and the top, and located at the inside surfaces of the aprons, a plurality of glue blocks l5 is arranged in order to strengthen the structure and maintain the aprons in proper relation to the top.

It will be observed that the ends of the aprons ll, l2, l3, and l l terminate short of the end and. side edges of the top l0 so as to provide spaces at the contiguous ends of the aprons. Into these spaces is fitted a plurality of square legs Hi, the upper ends of the legs abutting against 40 the adjacent ends of the aprons so as to fill the spaces at these ends. Adjacent to each end of each of the aprons a vertical groove I? is formed in the inner face thereof. Each of these grooves receives a vertical flangelB which is bent at right angles to a terminal contact flange l9 formed at the end of an anchoring plate 29. The contact fianges l9 are disposed in such angular relation to the anchoring plates 20 that said flanges IS fit in flat engagement with the inner faces of the aprons ll, l2, l3 and I4. Each of the anchoring plates 28 is provided with a lag screw Zl, the threaded shank of which screw enters the adjacent leg member of the fixture. By proper adjustment of the screw 2! the anchoring plate 28 with which it is associated is tightly held across the angle of the adjacent ends of the apron members, and the upper end of the leg member is drawn into tight engagement with such ends of the aprons. By loosening the screw 29 of each of the anchoring plates 29 the adjacent leg member may be released from the position which it occupies in contact with the aprons to permit the legs to be shifted to different positions as will be presently explained.

The rear apron l2 and the side aprons i3 and It are provided at their lower faces with longitudinally extending grooves 22. Similar grooves 23 are formed at the lower face of the front apron l 8, two of these grooves being proyided in the apron ii. These grooves are designed to receive the upper edges of a vertical rearpanel 23 and

vertical end panels

24 and 25, the upper edges of these panels being rabbeted to form guide ribs 25 which fit into the grooves 22, and thereby establish a detachable connection between the panels and the aprons. When so positioned with respect to the aprons the rear and side panels are held therein by tie-in angle iron brackets 2'5 which are screwed or otherwise fastened to the lower edges of the panels at the inner sides thereof.

At the front of the fixture is arranged a pair of oppositely opening sliding doors 28, also of panel formation. The upper edges of these doors are rabbeted to provide guide ribs 29, and these guide ribs are received by the grooves 28 of the front apron i I so that the doors 28 may slide back and forth in these grooves. The doors 28 are arranged in different vertical planes so as to pass each other in their sliding movement, and this gives access to the storage space within the fixture when either door is slid to open position.

The

panel members

23, 2t, and 25, and the sliding doors 28, may be of any desired construction, but preferably they comprise side stiles 3d, a top stile 3i and a bottom stile 32, at the inner edges of which is fitted the panel proper 33.

At the lower portion of the fixture is located a main shelf 36, which constitutes the flooring of the cabinet. This is of such dimensions, both as to length and width, as to encompass the space at the inner faces of the leg members it. This main shelf 3 is associated with a rectangular frame constituted by front and

rear rib rails

35 and 36 and side rails 3? and 38 which are joined at their meeting ends by angle straps these angle straps being screwed to the adjacent ends of the rib rails, and thus holding them together to constitute the rectangular frame referred to. The

rib rails

35, 3t, 3?, and 38 are glued, screwed or otherwise suitably fastened to the under side of the main shelf 3% so as to be affixed thereto, and to be placed in and removed from the space within the leg members it in the assembly of the fixture or in the conversion of the latter to the form which it is desired for use. A sliding door rail til is positioned on the front rib rail 35 and secured thereto by gluing, screwing or other suitable fastening means, and the upper face of the rail it. is provided with a pair of parallel tracks 49 for support of the lower edges of the sliding doors 2'8. To permit the sliding movement of the doors 28 in relation to the rail lil the lower edges of the doors 28 have a plurality of sheaves 2 set therein. These sheaves are carried by suitable casings at that are r ceived by recesses cut in the lower edges of the doors 28, the sheaves 42 being in rolling contact with the tracks ii so as to travel thereon under the movements of the doors 28.

At each end of the sliding door rail 39 a tenon id is formed, said tenons being received by mortises 45 formed in the opposing faces of the leg members it at the front of the fixture. The tenons are held in the mortises 15 by fastening screws '25, or their equivalent, which fit in holes drilled in the leg members 56 so a to permit the screws 46 to engage the tenons. In this manner the sliding door rail it has a detachable connection with the leg members it so as to permit ready removal of the sliding door rail and replacement thereof when the fixture is changed to the form in which it is desired to be used.

Due to the fact that the main shelf 34, the rib rails 35, 37, and 35, and the sliding door rail 1% are held together in the manner described, these parts constitute a unitary structure which may be assembled at the mill or factory and transported as such' unit to the point of assembly or use of the same. When this unit is positioned between the leg members it it is held in position therein by a series of tie-in angle iron brackets 3?, which are screwed in place by attachment to the leg members is and to the rib rails.

An intermediate shelf 48 is provided for dividing the space between the top it and the main shelf 36 into upper and lower compartments. This intermediate shelf extends between the leg members, and at its center is connected to a supporting frame 49, which is rectangular in form and construction and extends'crosswise of the intermediate shelf 38. The latter is secured to the supporting frame 49 by screws 56 or equivalent fastenings. The ends of the intermediate shelf 48 rest upon additional supporting frames 59 one of which is carried by each of the

end panels

24 and 25. These end supporting frames are connected to the panels by screws 52 or their equivalent, and the ends of the intermediate shelf 68 likewise may be screwed, or otherwise suitably fastened, to the end supporting frames 5!. The supporting frames 39 and 5! rest upon the main shelf 34, and thereby give the required support for the intermediate shelf 58 and its load.

The rear rib rail 36 is provided at its ends with tenons 53 which are received by and fit within mortises 54 formed in the opposing faces of the rear leg members it, and these tenons are held within their respective mortises by screws 55 thus establishing a detachable connection between the rear leg members and the rear rib rail.

A filler rail 5E5 is positioned between the side rib rails 31 and 38 and the lower edge of the side panels 2 and 25, said filler rails 56 likewise being glued or otherwise suitably fastened to the side rib rails and the main shelf 34. The tiein angle iron brackets 2? are screwed to the filler rails 56, and thereby support the side panels 2d and 25 in position between the leg members and the aprons with which they are associated.

To hold the rear panel 23 into position tie-in angle iron brackets 5? are employed, the brackets being screwed, or otherwise suitably connected, to the lower inner face of the rear panel 23 and to the rear rib rail 36. I

As the fixture is assembled in the manner above described it constitutes a cabinet counter, being closed on all sides, with access to its interior by sliding the doors 28 with respect to each other in order to open the space within the cabinet.

stored within on the main shelf 34 and the intermediate shelf G8.

If it be desired to constitute the fixture as an open-back counter, it is but necessary to omit the sliding doors 28 in the assembly of the parts, thus permitting free access to the interior of the cabinet at the side thereof from which the doors are omitted.

It has been premised that one of the forms of the fixture is that of a table, and this embodiment is shown in Fig. 2. When so embodied, the unitary structure formed by the main shelf 33, with the rib rails 35, 36, 31', and 38, and the sliding door rail Q0, is omitted. The intermediate shelf 63 and the central support 49 likewise are omitted, together with the sliding doors 28, the rear panel 23 and the side panels 2 3 and 25. This skeletonizes the structure, and of those parts included in the form of the fixture as a cabinet counter only the top l9, the aprons i l i2, i3, and Hi and the leg members 55 are used in the table form. In lieu of the leg members l6 being positioned as in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 6, so that the

mortises

45 and 54 are positioned at the inner opposing faces of the leg members, each of the leg members i8 is shifted from the position as the same appears in Fig. 6 so that the mortises face each other as in Fig. 2, that is to say the shifted position of the leg members is such that the front leg members have their mortises facing inwardly towards the rear leg members, and the latter have their mortises facing inwardly towards the front leg members, the mortises thus being positioned at right angles to the positions which they occupy as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 6. In shifting the leg members E6 to change their positions as described, they are moved in a clockwise direction around the top II], as viewed in Fig. 6, each leg beingshifted to the position occupied previously by the next contiguous leg. This causes a rotation of each leg to the extent of to the position which it previously occupied and effects the change in the positions of the

mortises

45 and 54 referred to, or as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to change the structure back to that of a counter the leg members are moved in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the top H3, and thereby resume their original positions with the

mortises

45 and 54 shown as in Fig. 6.

For the proper support and strengthening of the leg members it in the table form of the fixture header rails 58 are associated with the leg members it, one of these rails 58 being positioned between the front and rear leg members at each end of the table. The rails 58 are connected to the leg members by mortise-and-tenon connections 59 held together by screws 69, or their equivalent. The inner face of each of the header rails 58 has a dovetailed slot (it cut vertically therein at its mid-portion, and a stretcher rail 62 extends between the header rails 58, each end of said stretcher rail 62 being provided with a dovetailed rib 63 which fits within the adjacent groove Ed. The stretcher and header rails are thereby connected, and the frame thus formed holds the leg members 16 in rigid relation to afford adequate sup-port for the top it.

Dhe various panel sections are provided with reinforcing straps 64 to the end that the adjacent portions of the stiles of these panel sections may be held in proper relation to each other.

That the main shelf 3 and the intermediate shelf 58 may properly fit and be received by the leg members IS, the corner portions of these shelves are notched, as at 65, and these notches receive the leg members 56 so that the corner portions of the shelves may fit therearound.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention provides a convertible structure which may be utilized either as a cabinet counter, an open-back counter, or simply as a table. It is of the knocked-down type, and its parts may be made in unitary form so as to be shipped in the knocked-down arrangement to the point of assembly or use, and there assembled in the desired form of the fixture to meet the demands of usage or the character of merchandise to be stored or displayed.

I claim:

1. A combination fixture of the class described, comprising a top, apron members carried by said top at its sides and ends, the adjacent ends of said apron members being spaced from each other, leg members fitted in the spaces formed at the adjacent ends of the apron members, a shelf arranged in the space between the leg members, a plurality of panel sections arranged at one side and the ends of the top and removably fitted between the leg members, a removable intermediate shelf arranged between said shelf and the top of the fixture, supports for the ends of said intermediate shelf carried by the end panel sections and on which the ends of said intermediate shelf are adapted to rest, a support carried by the intermediate shelf at its under side and adapted to rest upon the first mentioned Shelf to sustain the intermediate shelf and its load between its ends, and closure means arranged at the other side of the top for the space enclosed by said panel sections.

2. A combination fixture of the class described, comprising a top, apron members carried by the top and depending therefrom, the adjacent ends of said apron members being spaced from each other, a plurality of leg members having their upper ends fitted in the spaces at the adjacent ends of the apron members and connected to the latter, a shelf located beneath the top and arranged in the space within the leg members, means for detachably connecting said shelf to the leg members, a plurality of panel sections fitted between the leg members, the upper edges of said panel sections having detachable engagement with the apron members, and means for detachably fastening the panel sections and said shelf for maintaining said sections in removable positions between the leg sections.

3. A combination fixture of the class described, comprising a top, apron members carried by the top and depending therefrom, the adjacent ends of said apron members being spaced from each other, a plurality of leg members having their upper ends fitted in the spaces at the adjacent ends of the apron members and connected to the latter, a shelf located beneath the top and arranged in the space within the leg members, means for detachably connecting said shelf to the leg members, a plurality of panel sections fitted between the leg members, the under faces of said apron members being provided with longitudinal grooves, the upper edges of the panel sections being provided with guide ribs fitted into the grooves of the apron members to removably engage the panel sections with the apron members, and means for detachably fastening the panei sections and said shelf for maintaining said sections in removable position between the leg sections and with said guide ribs fitted to said grooves.

v 4. A combination fixture of the class described, comprising a top unit including a top and apron members carried by and depending from the top, the adjacent ends of said apron members being spaced from each other, a shelf unit located beneath the top unit and including a plurality of front, rear and side rails constituting a frame and a shelf carried by the latter, a plurality of leg members having their upper ends fitted in the spaces at the adjacent ends of the apron members and connected to the latter to connect the leg members to the top unit, means for attaching the leg members to the shelf unit, a plurality of panel sections fitted between the leg members, the upper edges of said panel sections having detachable engagement with the apron members,

and means for detachably fastening the panel sections and the shelf unit for maintaining said sections in removable position between the leg sections 5. A combination fixture of the class described, comprising a. top unit including a top and apron members carried by and depending from the top, the adjacent ends of said apron members being spaced from each other, a shelf unit located beneath the top unit and including a plurality of front, rear and side rails constituting a frame and a shelf carried by the latter, a plurality of leg members having their upper ends fitted in the spaces at the adjacent ends of the apron members and connected to the latter to connect the leg members to the top unit, means for attaching the leg members to the shelf unit, a plurality of panel sections fitted between the leg members, the under faces of said apron members being provided with longitudinal grooves, the upper edges of the panel sections being provided with guide ribs fitted into the grooves of the apron members to removably engage the panel sections with the apron members, and means for detachably 'fastening the panel sections and'the shelf unit for maintaining said sections in removable position between the leg sections and with said guide ribs fitted to said grooves.

FRED C. WOOD.