US2251814A - Knockdown display rack - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1941. YQHNs 2,251,814

KNO CKDOWN DISPLAY RACK Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v In.v enTor. Poul Yohn's Aug. 5, 1941. o Ns 2,251,814

KNOCKDOWN DISPLAY RACK Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenror. Po u! Yo h ns b /mmm ATTys.

Aug. 5, 1941. P. YOHNS KNOCKDOWN DISPLAY RACK Filed Feb. 17, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.8.

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lnvenToT. Paul Yo h n s ATTys.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 KNOCKDOWN DISPLAY RACK Paul Yohns, Boston, Mass, assignor to Rust Craft Publishers, Inc., Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 17, 1940, Serial No. 319,374

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dis-- play racks of the character used to exhibit greeting cards, illustrated postcards, art cards, photographs, and other light articles, and the object of the invention is to provide a display rack of this character which can be economically constructed and which will effectively retain a large number of such articles in such position that they can be readily inspected and easily removed from the rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knock-down display rack of the character specilied having a shelf section preferably formed of a thin sheet of tough foldable material, such as a good quality of paper-board, folded transversely to form a series of parallel receptacles in suitably spaced relation, each having a wide back wall, a bottom wall extending forwardly therefrom pref erably at substantially right angles thereto and a relatively narrower front wall connected by a fold to the upper end of the contiguous back Wall of the next lower receptacle and so secured thereto as rigidly to reenforce the shelf structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knock-down display rack having inwardly foldable shelf-supporting end sections to provide a construction which can be wrapped or otherwise enclosed to provide a package of minimum size for shipment or which may be stored in a small space when not in use.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a knock-down display rack of the character specified showing the shelf section slightly raised from the supporting base frame to illustrate the relation of the parts of the display rack;

Fig. 2 is a viewof the display rack shown in Fig. 1, mainly in vertical transverse section, certain portions of the shelf-supporting mechanism being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the supporting mechanism showing in full lines foldable end supporting members or wings in vertical shelf-supporting position and illustrating a foldable central supporting member also in elevation and illustrating in dotted lines the relative position of the end and central supports or wings when in folded position; and,

Fig. 4 is a front: elevation in-=inverted position 1 showing the relative positions of the bottom and Wings of the sup-porting frame when in folded position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a preferred simplified knock-down display rack construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 5, portions of the end being broken away and details of construction being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 7 is an underside plan View of the display rack shown in Figs. 5 and 6 when in knockeddown position;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the display rack when in normal position;

Fig. 9 is a rear View of the display rack when in knocked-down position;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail View on line lll I] Fig. 6, viewed downwardly, illustrating the construction of the end supports and reenforcing bar, and in planthe means forming an interlocking connection between the base and end-supporting members;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view showing the construction of one ofthe end plates and the manner in which a supporting portion thereof may be folded to knocked-down position; and,

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line |2-l2 Fig. 10.

In the particular embodiments of the invention shown in Figs. 1-4 the shelf section comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a single sheet-.of thin stiff, but foldable, material, such as paper-board, of any suitable length, the upper end I of which is secured to and preferably wrapped about at least'two sides of a transverse supporting bar 2 of wood or other suitable material. The sheet is folded along parallel lines to provide a series of receptacles having a back wall 3, a bottom wall 4 desirably extending at right angles to the back wall, and a relatively narrow front wall 5.

The sheet is so folded thatthe upper end of the front wall 5 presents a smooth rounded edge 6- which will not scratch or mar the cards or articles when removed from or introduced into the receptacle. The rear face of the back wall 3 of the next lower receptacle is contiguous to the outer face of the front wall 5 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner as by a series of staples 1; Each succeeding lower receptacle desirably is formed in the same manner. The shelf section may thus be formed to provide any desired number of receptacles and the sheet may be so folded as to provide a seriesof receptaclesof 'thesame height,- depth'and-size orof of light weight and of sufiicient width to formv closures for the ends of the receptacles and attached to said ends in any suitable manner. In the particular constructions illustrated the edges of the folded sheet are provided with suitable slits and recesses to provide extendedportions adapted to be folded at right anglesto the planes of the respective walls of the receptacles, thereby providing tabs H extending from the ends of the back and front walls and similar tabs IZeXtending from the ends of the bottom walls adapted to engage and be secured to the end plates l9 by suitable fastenings such as staples [3 and/or glue. The shelf section thus constructed may be supported in a suitably inclined position by the lower reenforcing bar 9 and by, triangular end members preferably so made as to be folded into a minimum space for packaging or storage.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 the shelf-supporting mechanism comprises a frame having a flat bottom or base l4 desirably of fibreboard, or other suitable stiff light material having at its ends hinged members or wings which can be raised to upright position or folded closely upon the base M. In this construction rectangular, preferably wooden, bars 15 are hingedly secured to the base in proximity to the ends thereof in any suitable manner as,

for example, by strips of flexible paper-board,

or other fibrous material, folded to provide a horizontal section it overlying and secured to the bar I5 throughout substantially its full length, a vertical section I! engaging and secured to the inner vertical face of the bar l5, and a horizontal section l3 secured to the bottom or base. M.

The end-supporting members l9 are securedby staples or other penetrating fasteners to, and extend upwardly'when in normal position from,,the outer faces of the bars l5. Suitable uprights, 29, preferably in the form of square woodenbars similar to the bars 15," are connectedv at their, lower ends to the bars i and extend vertically-along the rear edges of f the respective triangular wings and may terminate short of the upper ends thereof.

Any suitable means may be provided for confective means which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises studs, such as screws 2| mounted in the end portions of the transverse bar adapted detachably to seat in suitable bores or sockets 22 extending downwardly from the 1 central portion of the upper ends of the uprightsZfl.

The area of the triangular end supports'desirably is such as to permit them to be folded in close proximity and parallelism with th base or bottom [4 without interference for 1 shipment and storage.

.It has; heretofore been stated that the bars base. Desirably they are so positioned that when th end supports or wings, which are secured to them, are in vertical position the outer faces of the wings will be flush with the ends of the base, thereby producing a neat appearance.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a central support for the shelf section which can be conveniently folded down upon the base beneath and parallel to said end wings,

so that it will not require any additional space when the supporting frame is folded for ship'- ment or storage. In the particular construction-s illustrated a rectangular bar 23, which 1 desirably is of somewhat smaller depth than the bars I5, is hingedly secured to the base by a foldable fibreboard strip 24 in the manner heretofore described with respect to the hinging of the end bars l5, and has secured to its proper side a triangular sheet 25, of suitable light stiff material such as fibreboard, having its upper edge provided with notches complementary to and adapted to engage the under faces of the bottom walls 5 and preferably also the under facesof the back walls 3 of the receptacles.

When therefore the central support is in vertical position it will reenforce the central portions of the receptacles and prevent the sagging of the receptacles even when supporting a very considerable weight.

It will be obvious that the knock-down display rack constructed, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, can be very quickly and easily assembled as it is merely necessary to swing the end wing members from knock-down position illustrated in clotted lines in Fig. 3 into vertical relation relatively to the base and also to swing the central support vertically as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 3, and thereupon to set the shelf section upon the frame by resting the lower transverse bar of the shelf section upon a base and lowering the upper transverse bar in such manner as to cause the studs 2| to enter the sockets 22 in the upper ends of theuprights. After assembly the display rack may at any time be knocked down for storage or shipment by obvious reverse opera- A simplified and preferred construction is illustrated in Figs. 5-12 of the drawings which differs from the construction shown in Figs. 1-4 mainly in that the triangular wing members, which support the shelf section in inclined relation, are formed integral with and hingedly connected to the end plates in such manner as to fold inwardly against the under side of the shelf section and in that the base is hingedly con-' nected to the lower reenforcing bar of the shelf section with interlocking means upon the base of the wing sections for maintaining them in vertical positions when the display rack is in erected position.

In the preferred construction illustrated in Figs. 5-12 inclusive the shelf section is formed in the manner above described from a thin sheet of stiff foldable material, such as paper-board, of any suitable length, folded transversely to form a series of parallel receptacles in suitable stepped relation, each having a back wall, a bottom wall, and a'front wall narrower than the back wall having its upper end connected by a fold with the upper end of the contiguous back wall of the next lower receptacle and stapled thereto, the ends of each of the receptacle walls being provided with tabs which are secured by staples, or other suitable connection,

to the end plate sections and the same numerals are employed to designate like parts shown and board as illustrated in Fig. 11. The bodies ofv these triangular sheets are provided with scores or slits 29which sever the outer sheet 28 and. the body 28 but do not sever the inner facing sheet 2'1. The slits 29 extend in parallelism with the upper edge or hypotenuse of the triangular end plates, thereby'providing end sections 19 of generally rectangular form similar to those above described, and also providing triangular wings 30 integral with the plate sections but adapted to be folded inwardly at right angles thereto as shown in Figs. 7-11. Similar slits 3! are made through the outer facing and bodyof the wingv sections, but not through the inner facing, as shown in Fig. 9, ashort distance from and in parallelism with the base of the wings and the lower end portions of the wingsthen bent inwardly to provide supports 32 for the base of the display rack.

Desirably the vertical rear edge portions of the triangular wings are reenforced by vertical bars 33, of wood or other suitable material, which extend upwardly from the base supports 32 to the score lines 29. The base 34 may be of any suitable material but preferably isformed of thick fibreboard of rectangular form and of substantially the same width as the length of the infolded ends 32,. of the wings and is hinged along its front edge to the horizontal reenforcing member 9 of the shelf section.

Any suitable hinge construction may be employed but preferably the hinge is formed by a strip 35 of tough cloth which is glued or otherwise adhesively secured to the under face of the lower reenforcing bar 9 of the shelf 01' to the sheet of paper-board forming a continuation of the shelf which is preferably partially wrapped around the reenforcing bar 9. The rear end of the base is provided with short rectangular notches 36 adapted to engage locking members 31 preferably of inwardly turned extensions of the wings at the lower edges thereof secured by nails or otherwise to the inner faces of the vertical reenforcing bars of the wings. By reason of this construction the wings and base are locked together in such a manner that when the display rack is erected lateral movement of the lower ends of the wings will be effectively prevented so that the erected display rack is of rigid construction.

In order further to support the weight of the shelf sections intermediate of its length a foldable supplemental supporting member is interposed between the base and the under side of the shelf section of a character similar to the central support 25 heretofore described. In the construction shown in Figs. -12, however, the central support, which may be placed at any desirable position between the end wing-s, comprises a sheet of fib-reboard 38 provided with a facing or facings of tough flexible material, such as paper-board, and slit through the body of the sheet, but not the flexible facing, a short distance from and parallel with the lower edge of the sheet 38 to provide a narrow strip 39.

'Ihenarrowstrip thus partially severed is secured:

by; staples orotherwise to the base member, so that the supplemental support is adapted to swing downwardly into engagement with the base or to be raised to vertical position. The upper edge or hypotenuse of the sheet 35,;is provided with notches complementary to. and. adapted to engage the under faces of the bottom wall andpreferably also the under faces of. the back walls of the receptacles as heretofore described. The supplemental supports 36 may be. reenforced by a vertical bar or bars Ml prefera ably of wood or other light material.

Desirably suitable means are provided forv detachably locking the supplemental support in vertical position. In the preferred construction tabs M and 42 are punched downwardly from the base of one of the receptacles, preferably the uppermost, in such manner as to lie on either side of the supplemental supporting member-when it is in erect position, the tabs being so constructed and positioned that one of them may be bent upwardly into the, plane of the bottom of the receptacle to permit the supplemental support to be folded downwardly upon the base. as above described.

When it is desired to knock. down a display rack shown in Figs. 5-12, from the position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 to that shown in Figs. 7 and 9, it is merely necessary to release the tab 41 and swing the supplemental supporting member downwardly. into engagement with the base. The base 34 may then be swung upwardly against the under side of the shelf member and the wings 30 folded inwardly, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9, so that the kocked-down shelf Will occup a minimum spaceand can be readily wrapped or placed in asuitable carton for storage or shipment.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention shown and described herein are of an illustrative character and not restrictive, and that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A knock-down display rack having a shelf section comprising a sheet of suitable flexible material folded to form a series of stepped receptacles and having end plates secured thereto forming closures for the ends of said receptacles, transverse reenforcing bars connected to the upper and lower ends of said sheet, a horizontal base hinged to the lower transverse bar adapted to be folded against the under side of said shelf section and normally vertical supporting wings hinged to said shelf section having at their rear edges uprights provided with locking means releasably to engage said base and adapted to be folded inwardly into contact with said base when the latter is folded against the shelf section.

2. A knock-down display rack having a shelf section comprising a sheet of suitable flexible material folded to form a series of stepped receptacles and having end plates secured thereto forming closures for the ends of said receptacles, transverse reenforcing bars connected to the upper and lower ends of said sheet, a base hinged to the lower transverse bar adapted to be folded against the under side of said shelf section and normally vertical supporting wings hinged to said latter is folded against the shelf sections, and

interlockingmeans on said wings and base for maintaining said wings in vertical position.

3. A knock-down'display rack having a shelf section comprising a sheet of suitable flexible material folded to form a series of stepped receptacles and having end plates secured thereto forming closures for the ends of said receptacles, transverse reenforcing bars connected to the upper and lower ends of said sheet, a. base hinged to the lower transverse bar adapted to be folded against the under side of said shelf section and normally vertical supporting wings hinged to said shelf section adapted to be folded inwardly and resting on said base but adapted to be folded inwardly into contact with said base when the latter is folded against the shelf section, and a supplementary supporting member section, rigid end plates of relatively thick fibrous material fixedly secured to the respective ends of the receptacle walls and forming closures for said receptacles and having downwardly extending inwardly foldable transverse wing sections adapted when in vertical position to rest uponsaid base and when the base is in folded position to be swung into engagement therewith, and a suitably located normally vertical supplementary supporting member intermediate of said wings hinged to said base having means to engage the bottom walls of said receptacles, and means on said bottom walls for normally maintaining said supplementary supporting member in vertical position.

5. A knock-down display rack having a shelf section comprising a thin sheet of tough foldable fibrous material folded to form a series of parallel receptacles in stepped relation, each I having a wide back Wall, a bottom wall extending forwardly therefrom, and a front wall narrower than the back wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall and connected by a fold with the upper end of the contiguous back wall of the next lower receptacle, means permanently connecting said contiguous walls together, a frame having inwardly foldable triangular end sections for supporting said receptacles comprising horizontal reenforcing bars connected respectively to the upper and lower ends of said

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