US2229501A - Display rack - Google Patents

Description

A Jan. 21, 1941. F. D. GREFFIN I 2,229,501

DTSPLAY RACK Filed Jan. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l ilk 7 INVENTOR. fwd/7cm 6/ /727/7 ATTORNEYs Jan. 21, 1941. v GRlFFlN 2,229,501

DISPLAY RA CK Filed Jan. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY$ Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY RACK Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,313

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display racks.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a display rack which is well adapted for the display of packets of seeds and which although of large capacity is quite light in weight and collapsible into compact form for storage or shipment.

Second, to provide a collapsible rack embodying these advantages which is formed of wire of light gauge rod throughout and the parts are so arranged and braced as to be sturdy when erected and at the same time capable of rapid manipulation in erecting and collapsing.

Third, to provide in a display rack for seed packets and the like an improved tray construction which permits the effective display of a large number of seed packets and one which may i be readily dusted and cleaned.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying my invention, a quantity of packets being indicated by dotted lines in one of the tray units.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rack when collapsed for shipment or storage.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stand or pedestal portion of the rack with the tray removed and the tray supporting strut collapsed.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view from front to rear of the rack in erected position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the tray unit removed from the supporting base or pedestal.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showing a display or identification card in position.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 'l''! of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a pocket element which may be employed in the tray units if desired.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, I provide a pedestal or stand or base comprising a top frame designated generally by the numeral I and comprising a front member 2, rear member 3, and end members 4, these being preferably formed of a single piece of wire or light rod stock. This top frame is provided with crossed braces 5 which permits the use of comparatively light gauge stock.

Front and rear frame members designated generally by the numerals 6 and 'l are provided and these are U-shaped, the arms 8 of the front 5 member 6 being provided with rearwardly offset eyes 9 pivotally securing the front member to the front piece 2 of the top frame. The bight of the U-shaped member. constitutes: a bottom cross piece. Diagonal cross braces Ill are provided for 10 the front member.

The arms ll of the rear member I are provided with inwardly offset eyes I2 pivotally engaging the rear member 3 of the top frame.

Leg members designated generally by the nu- 15 meral I 3 are provided each consisting of front legs M and rear legs [5 connected by the bottom cross piece It and the diagonal crossed braces ll. The legs have offset eyes I'll at their upper ends engaging the end members of the top frame. 20 The legs likewise have offset eyes H3 at their lower ends forming stable supporting feet for the legs. The rear legs are preferably provided with reinforcing members I9. The offset eyes of the leg and the front and rear upright members 6 and I are such as to permit these parts being collapsed into substantially parallel relation with the top frame as is shown in Fig. 2.

To secure the parts in erected position, I provide clips consisting of the clip members 20 and 2| and the clamping bolts 22. The clip members 20 are spot-Welded at 23 to the arm portions of the front and rear upright members for maintaining the parts in assembled position and facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the clips. The bolts 22 are provided with thumb nuts 24. When the parts are swung to erected position as shown in Fig. 3, the clips are clamped upon the adjacent legs thereby effectively securing the parts in erected position. However, when the clips are released the parts may be compactly folded as shown in Fig. 2 for storage or transportation.

The tray supporting strut 25 is of bail-shape, its arms being provided with eyes 26 and pivotally engaging the rear member 3 of the top frame. The strut has diagonal cross braces 27 welded to the arms thereof.

I will now describe the tray which in the preferred embodiment illustrated comprises the frame consisting of a front bottom member 23, rear bottom member 29, and top side members 39 with the corner uprights 3i formed integrally, a piece of wire or light rod of suitable gauge being bent to' the shape clearly shown in Fig. 5. The

top front member 32 has down-turned ends 33 welded to the corner uprights 3!. It is further connected to the bottom front member 28 by means of the tie pieces 34. The bottom side members 35 are welded to the corner uprights of the frame and are further connected thereto by the tie pieces 56. This provides a rigid wire frame to receive the tray units which in themselves constitute tie and reinforcing members as will. be described.

Each tray unit comprises a plurality of spaced U-shaped Wire members 31, the rear arms of which are substantially longer than their front arms, as shown in Fig. 4, the arms being connected by the top cross members 38 which are welded to -the arms of the members 31 and also welded to the top side members 30. The bottom cross member 39 is welded to the bight portions of the members 30, being disposed on the underside thereof. It will be noted that the front cross member of one tray unit is disposed at the side of the rear cross member of the tray unit in advance thereof. The rear cross member 40 of the rear tray unit is preferably of a larger diameter than the other cross member and constitutes an effective rear top member for the tray. These tray units are adapted to receive packets of seeds as indicated at H in Fig. 1, or if desired, pocket members 12 may be dropped into the tray units, these pocket members consisting of a tray or boxlike body portion with a partition member 3 therein, the partition member having zigzag folds or loops, the bights of which are secured to the side walls of the tray. This provides a holder in which seed packets may be carried about if desired.

The front member of the frame is provided with upwardly facing U-shaped holders 44 adapted to receive the bottom member 28 of the rack unit and to beretained therein by the cotter pin 45 thereby detachably and pivotally connecting the tray to the top frame of the pedestal so that the tray may be collapsed into parallel relation to the top frame as shown in Fig. 2.

The strut 2'! is engageable between an adjacent pair of tray units, as shown in Fig. 4, the tray being swung up so that the strut may be swung under itin a position to bring its cross braces or bight between a pair of the tray units. This forms a very secure support for these parts. The front arms of the front tray unit are preferably spotwelded to the front top member 32 as indicated in Fig. 6.

The reinforcing members l9 may be applied to all four of the legs instead-of the rear legs, as shown in Fig. 3, but they are particularly desirable on the rear legs. They also serve as guards to prevent clothing from engaging with the clips.

To receive display cards or cards bearing information such as the cards M, I provide the top and bottom front frame members 28 and 32 with facing U-shaped card holders 46, these being welded to the respective frame members, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be understood of course that the display cards 4? may be changed as desired.

Structures embodying my invention may be formed of relatively light stock and when erected are strong and rigid, at the same time are capable of being compactly collapsed for shipment or storage.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in one practicalv commercial embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations, as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a display rack, the combination of a pedestal or stand comprising a top frame having integrally connected front, rear and end members, U-shaped front and rear upright members having inwardly offset eyes at the upper ends of the arms thereof pivotally engaging respectively with the front and rear -members of the top frame, leg members comprising connected front and rear legs having inwardly ofiset eyes at their upper ends pivotally engaging the end members of the top frame, the offsets of the eyes pivotally connecting the front and rear members and the said leg members to the top frame being such as to permit collapsing of the members upon each other in substantially parallel relation with the top frame, clips for detachably securing the legs of the leg members to the front and rear upright members, a collapsible bail-shaped strut pivotally mounted on the rear member of the top frame to be collapsed thereon, and a tray pivotally connected to the front member of the top frame to be collapsed thereon over the collapsed strut, said tray being provided with a pair of tray units adapted to removably receive the bight of said bail-shaped strut between them for supporting the tray in its erected position.

2. In a display rack, the combination of a pedestal or stand comprising a top frame havin integrally connected front, rear and end members, U-shaped front and rear uprightmembers having inwardly offset eyes at the upper ends of the arms thereof pivotally engaging respectively with the front and rear members of the top frame, leg members comprising connected front and rear legs having inwardly offset eyes at their upper ends pivotally engaging the end members of the top frame, the offsets of the eyes pivotally connecting the front and rear members and the said leg members to the top frame being such as to permit collapsing of the members upon each other in substantially parallel relation with the top frame, clips provided with clamping bolts for securing the legs of the leg members to the front and rear upright members, one element of each clip being secured to an upright member for retaining them in assembled relation therewith, and a collapsible tray supporting strut pivotally mounted on the rear member of the top frame to be collapsed thereon,

3. A display rack comprising a base having top, front, rear, and end members of wire construction, said front, rear, and end members being of U-configuration with the arms thereof extending upwardly and terminating in eyes. pivotally connected to the top member whereby the aforesaid pivotally connected members are capable of swinging movement into compact parallel relation to the top member, an inclined stepped tray pivotally connected at its front to said top member and capable of swinging movement into parallel relation thereto, said tray having a plurality of rows of laterally spaced wire elements disposed in upwardly extending stepped relation and longitudinal and lateral elements for securing said spaced elements in operative relation, and a strut member pivotally connected to said top member, whereby to be swingable into parallelism thereto and engaging beneath said tray in erected position of the rack to brace and support the tray, said front and rear members having clips for securing the same to the end members of said base.

4. A display rack comprising a table-like base having rectangular top, front, rear, and end members of wire construction, said front, rear, and end members being of U-configuration with the arms thereof extending upwardly and terminating in eyes pivotally connected to the top member whereby the aforesaid pivotally connected members are capable of swinging movement into compact parallel relation to the top member, a tray pivotally connected at its front to said top member and capable of swinging movement into parallel relation thereto, and a strut member pivotally connected to said top member, whereby to be swingable into parallelism thereto and engaging beneath said tray in erected position of the rack to brace and support the tray, said front and rear members having clips for securing the same'to the end members of said base.

5. A display rack comprising a table-like base having rectangular top, front, rear, and end members, said front, rear, and end members being of U-configuration with the arms thereof extending upwardly and terminating in eyes. pivotally connected to the top member whereby the aforesaid pivotally connected members are capable of swinging movement into compact parallel relation to the top member, a tray pivotally connected at its front to said top member and capable of swinging movement into parallel relation thereto, said tray having a plurality of rows of compartments disposed in upwardly extending stepped relation, and a tray supporting member pivotally connected to said top member and engaging said tray to brace and support the same and swingable into parallelism with said top member.

6. A Wire display rack comprising a wire base, a tray pivotally connected to said base at the front thereof, said tray comprising a continuous wire border member, transverse members welded to said border member in spaced relation longitudinally thereof, a plurality of U-shaped wire members welded to said transverse members in spaced relation transversely of the border member to constitute spaced elongated transverse pockets, the legs of said U-shaped members being of unequal length, and means pivotally connected to said base at the rear thereof and engageable between a pair of said pockets to support the tray in inclined position on the base whereby to position said pockets in vertically opening arrangement.

7. In a display rack, the combination of a tray frame comprising pairs of vertically spaced side members, a plurality of tray units arranged in succession from front to rear of the frame and each comprising spaced upright U-shaped members disposed in the vertical space defined by said side members, top cross members welded to the ends of the respective arms of said U-shaped members and to the top frame side members, and a bottom cross member welded to the bights of said U-shaped members, the top cross members welded to the front and rear arms of successive of the tray units being disposed side by side.

.8. In a display rack, the combination of a tray frame comprising pairs of vertically spaced side members, a plurality of tray units arranged in succession from front to rear of the frame and each comprising spaced upright U-shaped members disposed in the vertical space defined by said side members, top cross members welded to the respective arms of said U-shaped members and to the top frame side members, and a further cross member welded to said U-shaped members, the top cross members welded to the front and rear arms of successive of the tray units being disposed side by side.

9. In a display rack, the combination of a tray frame comprising front and rear bottom members and side top members and corner uprights integrally connecting said members, bottom side members and a front top member having their ends secured to said corner uprights, said side top and bottom members and said front top and bottom members being connected by uprights welded thereto, and a plurality of tray units each comprising spaced upright U-shaped members, top cross members Welded to the ends of the arms of said U-shaped members and to the top frame side members, and a bottom cross member welded to the bights of said U-shaped members, the front and rear top cross members of adjacent tray units being disposed side by side, the rear cross member of the rear tray unit being of larger diameter than the other tray unit cross top members and constituting a rear frame top member.

10. In a display rack, the combination of a tray frame comprising front and rear bottom members and side top members and corner uprights integrally connecting said members, bottom side members and a front top member having their ends secured to said corner uprights, said side top and bottom members and said front top and bottom members being connected by uprights welded thereto, and a plurality of tray units each comprising spaced upright U-shaped members, top cross members welded to the ends of the arms of said U-shaped members and to the top frame side members, and a bottom cross member welded to the bights of said U-shaped members.

11. In a display rack, the combination of a pedestal or stand comprising atop frame, U- shaped front and rear upright members pivotally engaged with said top frame, leg members comprising connected front and rear legs pivotally engaged with said top frame, clips for detachably connecting the legs with the adjacent arms of the front and rear upright members, and loop-like reinforcing members for the rear legs fixedly secured thereto to embrace the clips connecting the same to the arms of the rear member and constituting guards for the clips.

12. In a display rack, the combination of a pedestal or stand comprising a top frame, front and rear upright members pivotally connected to said top: frame, leg members comprising connected front and rear legs pivotally connected to said top frame, clips having threaded clamping means associated therewith for detachably connecting the legs with the adjacent arms of the front and rear upright members, and reinforcing members for certain of the legs fixedly secured thereto to embrace the clips connecting the same to the adjacent arms of the upright member and constituting guards for the clips.

FRANCIS D. GRIFFIN.

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