US2261605A

US2261605A - Portable display cabinet

Info

Publication number: US2261605A
Application number: US319891A
Authority: US
Inventors: Smith Bruce Burgess
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-02-20
Filing date: 1940-02-20
Publication date: 1941-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1958-11-04

Description

Nov. 4, 1941. B. B. SMITH 9 PORTABLE DISPLAY CABINET Filed Feb. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Nov. 4, 1941.

B. SMITH v PORTABLE DIsPLAflcABINET 2 a m m A5 w mWv mm; 2 J0 f a M A g 2 j F A% m a: i m g Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE PORTABLE DISPLAY CABINET Bruce Burgess Smith, San Marine, Calif.

Application February 20, 1940, Serial No. 319,891 I L Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in portable display cases or what may be referred to as sample cases.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved portable display case within which samples, such as shoe samples, can be conveniently packed for purposes of transportation and which can be opened and set up in an upright self-supporting position in such a manner that the samples will be nicely displayed thereon "so that the various samples can be compared and contrasted in making selections. a Shoe salesmen heretofore have been forced to carry their samples inportable cases divided into compartments and difiiculty has been experienced in removing the various samples from the compartments and finding space in which to arrange them so that they may be properly exhibitedto a prospective purchaser. Considerable time is involved in unpacking and repacking the sample cases but an important di fficulty experienced is in finding sufficient space on which the samples may be mounted to enable their being properly exhibited. By means of the present invention the sample case or display cabinet provides its own support for all of the various samples and the arrangement is 'such that all samples may be simultaneously exhibited side by side whereby the prospective purchaser is given an excellent opportunity to compare and contrast them. Being self-supporting and serving to supportall of the samples, it is unnecessary to find space at the purchasers place of business on which to deposit the samples for display purposes, Furthermore if occasion should require moving of the displayed samples while in their display position the entire structure may be readily moved from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable display case in which the various parts are compactly and neatly arranged so that the entire set of samples may be conveniently and easily packed in a relatively small space and yet when the structure is set up in display position the samples will be displayed adequately without giving a cramped appearance. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a drawer or tray structure on which the samples are supported and to provide a novel means for clamping or maintaining the samples thereon enabling a sample to be easily and quickly removed when this is desired for closer inspection yet maintaining the samples firmly onthe drawers or trays so that they will not become disturbed or mixed during transportation and shipment.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a prospective View of the improved display case in closed or collapsed position, this being the position of the construction during transportation; I W

Fig. 2 is a prospective view, parts being broken away and shown in vertical section illustrating an accessory that may be. advantageously em ployed to facilitate transportation of the display.

case;

Fig. 3. is a frontview in elevation of the display case the cover being shown in open ,position but the drawers or trays being, illustrated in the body of the case in stacked or shipping position'; 1 V a Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 4-4 upon Fig. 3;

Fig.5 is a view in end elevation of the display case in openedposition illustrating the, drawers or trays in display position thereon; I Fig. 6 is a partial view in vertical section illustrating the manner of attaching the removable or intermediate drawers or trays to the interior of the cover; I

Fig. 7 is a partial view in vertical section illustrating the manner of shifting those drawers or trays which remain. within the body of the case from their stacked or packed position to dis play position;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 88 upon Fig. 4; and

.Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 9-9 upon Fig. 8.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar. reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved portable display case comprises a rectangular trunk or case I0 suitably supported upon wheels or rollers II. The trunk or case is preferably divided to provide a body'portion l2 and a cover portion l3, these being hingedly connected together by means of a hinge M. The line of division between the body portion and the cover portion is such that the body portion is trapezoidal in shape in end elevation whereas the cover portion is triangular in shape in elevation so that when the cover is swung into open position, asshown in Fig. 5, the bottom of the cover is substantially equal in width to thetop of the body and the forward edges of the body and the cover form a substantially continuous straight line.

The details of construction of the trunk or case itself forms no important part of the present invention and may vary considerably. It should, however, conform to good practice in trunk or shipping case manufacture and be equipped with suitable fastening devices, such as are indicated at l5 and handles or straps Hi.

In the preferred form of construction the interior of both the body and the cover are lined suitably with fabric to present an attractive interior appearance when the case is opened.

Within the body there are disposed a plurality I of drawers or trays some of which, for purposes' of clarity, are designated as alternate drawers or trays 1 and others of which are designated as intermediate drawers or trays l8. ers or trays are substantially equal to the interior dimensions of the body |2 as to length and width. On the interior of the end walls of the body 2 there project inwardly dowels or studs I9, these dowels or studs being arranged adjacent the forward edge of the end walls and being disfront of the end walls 22 to a point adjacent the rear walls 2|. The studs l9 extend into and are slidable in these slots. At the rear ends of the end walls 22 of the alternate drawers or trays the slots 24 have offset portions 25 which extend the balance of the distance across the end walls 2|. These offset portions provide shoulders 26.

The intermediate drawers or trays |8 are similar in construction to the alternate drawers or trays with the exception that instead of having the slots 24 they are equipped with shorter slots 21 constituting finger openings in the end walls. These intermediate drawers or trays are not fastened in any way to the body l2 of the cabinet but when they are in stacked position, as shown in Fig. 4, they merely rest upon and are supported 'by the subadjacent alternate drawer or tray On the interior of the body l2 small clips or brackets 28 are mounted so as to be engageable by the rear corners of the alternate drawers or trays cooperating with the dowels or studs l9 in maintaining the intermediate trays in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 7.

The trays are preferably equipped with partitions 29 which extend from the rea walls 2| forwardly toward the front wall 23 that preferably terminate intermediate the front and back walls 23' and 2| as clearly shown in Fig. 8. These partitions serve to separate the various samples S. In the top edges of the partitions adjacent the rear thereof narrow saw cuts 30 are formed and elastic fabric or webbing is inserted in these cuts so as to extend across the back of each compartment 3| defined by the partitions. This elastic material may be maintained in the cuts by means of the tacks or like fastening devices indicated at 32.

As clearly shown in Fig. 8, when the samples S are positioned on the drawers or trays within the compartments 3| they engage and stretch the portions of the elastic at the back of the compart- These drawment with the result that the elastic urges the samples against the forward wall 23 lightly clamping each sample in place on its drawer or tray. However, if it should be desired to remove a sample for closer inspection, this can be easily accomplished by merely lifting the toe of the sample above the top edge of the front wall. In replacing the sample it is merely necessary to apply the heel or rear of the sample against the elastic and force it rearwardly until the toe can be re-positioned behind the front wall.

In shipping the display cabinet from place to place the drawers or trays are stacked within the body as shown in Fig. 4, and the cover I3 swung downwardly thereover. When it is desired to display the samples the cover is opened into the the intermediate drawers or trays the lowermost tray may be caused to assume a position as shown 'inFig. 5 wherein it is partially resting on the floor and has its rear portion resting on the bottom forward edge of the body |2. The alternate drawer or tray next above is then caused to slide outwardly and forwardly upon its dowels or studs [9 until its dowels or studs encounter the shoulders26. It then may be tilted down so that its forward edge rests on the lowermost tray. Similarly, the alternate drawers or trays thereabove may be caused to slide forwardly and then be turned downwardly to rest one upon the other in inclined display position.

The intermediate drawers or trays which have been removed from between the alternate drawers or trays are then hooked onto the hooks 35 on the cover with the lowermost drawer or tray resting on the bottom forward edge'of the open cover and the superposed drawers or trays resting one upon the other in the inclined position as shown in Fig. ,5. In this manner it will be appreciated that each of the drawers or trays is positioned within the opened case in an inclined exhibiting position. The inclination as shown on Fig. 5, progressively increases from bottom to top so that a person viewing the various samples may readily and completely inspect all of the samples on the various trays. Inasmuch as all of the trays are supported within the cabinet or case it is unnecessary to locate space on which to deposit the sample-bearing trays, and if occasion should require moving the structure while in exhibiting position this can be readily accomplished by rollingthe opened cabinet on the wheels or rollers Whenever it is desired to remove one of the alternate trays from the construction this is readily accomplished by lifting the tray when in its forwardmost position, causing the dowels or studs l9 to pass through the angular portions of the slots and to pass out through the rearmost or offset portions 25. New trays may be installed in the construction in the same manner.

In the preferred form of construction the wheels or rollers II are incapable of turning in the manner of a caster. However, when it is desired to move the cabinet or case and to change .the direction of movement from that permitted bythe unidirectional wheels or rollers a small dolly is provided as shown in Fig. 2, consisting of a short section of board 36 on which is mounted a rotatable caster 31. This caster is slightly greater in height than the wheels or rollers H,

and by inserting this dolly beneath one end of the,

cabinet the cabinet will then be temporarily supported upon one pair of wheels or rollers and the caster and may be readily transported from place to place with the direction and position of the cabinet changed as desired.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that a very large number of samples can be easily and conveniently packed within the cabinet, and yet when it is desired to display these samples they may be readily exhibited by properly positioning the drawers or trays in their exhibiting positions as shown in Fig. 5. The time required to remove the intermediate trays and attach them to the cover and the time required to repack the cabinet is reduced to a minimum so that the salesman may exhibit all of his samples very quickly, and when the customer has made his selection the samples may be quickly re-packed and the entire structure removed.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable display cabinet having a body, a hinged cover adapted to be swung upwardly onto the body, a plurality of trays in the body, means mounting alternate trays in the body enabling them to assume parallel horizontal positions therein or inclined display positions therein, the intermediate trays fitting between the alternate trays when in the body, and cooperative means at the backs of the intermediate trays and on the interior of the cover for fastening the intermediate trays to the interior of the cover when the cover is in upstanding open position whereby the intermediate trays may be removed and mounted in the cover in display positions therein.

2. A portable display cabinet having a body, a hinged cover adapted to be swung upwardly onto the body, a plurality of trays in the body, means mounting alternate trays in the body for forward sliding and tilting movement therein whereby they may assume rear parallel horizontal positions in the body or be slid forwardly therefrom and inclined into display positions in the body, the intermediate trays when in the body fitting between the alternate trays, and cooperative means at the backs of the intermediate trays and on the interior of the cover for fastening the intermediate trays to the cover when the cover is in upstanding open position whereby the intermediate trays may be removed and mounted in the cover in display positions therein.

3. A portable display cabinet having a body, a hinged cover adapted to be swung upwardly onto the body, a plurality of trays in the body, studs extending inwardly from the end walls of the body into slots in the end walls of alternate trays whereby the alternate trays may assume parallel horizontal positions in the body or be slid forwardly on the studs and assume inclined display positions therein, the intermediate trays when in the body fitting between the alternate trays, and cooperative means at the backs of the intermediate trays and on the interior of the cover for fastening the intermediate trays to the cover when the cover is in upstanding open position whereby the intermediate trays may be removed and mounted in the cover in display positions therein.

4. A portable display cabinet having a body, a hinged cover adapted to be swung upwardly onto the body, a plurality of trays in the body, studs extending inwardly from the end walls of the body into slots in the end walls of alternate trays whereby the alternate trays may assume parallel horizontal positions in the body or be slid forwardly on the studs and assume inclined display positions therein, the intermediate trays when in the body fitting between the alternate trays and cooperative means at the backs of the intermediate trays and on the interior of the cover for fas-' tening the intermediate trays to the cover when the cover is in upstanding open position whereby the intermediate trays may be removed and mounted in the cover in display positions therein, the slots in the end walls of the alternate trays having downwardly ofiset rear portions providing shoulders engageable by the studs to limit forward sliding movement of the alternate trays but permitting the alternate trays being entirely removed from the body on passing the studs through said ofiset portions.

BRUCE BURGESS SMITH.