US2299885A - Adjustable shelf in combination with refrigerator compartment - Google Patents

Description

Och 27, l942- w. A. ELLswoR'rH Erm. 2,299,885

v ADJUSTABLE SHELF *IN `COMBINATION WITHREFRIGERATOR COMPARTMENT Filed April 18, 1941 zvsheets-sheet 1y I4 30E B15 @J 07s if hn @fj @I f fwnuwnuuulr y me/wko@ WALTER A. ELLSWORTH DHN E, MILLS L FIG. '2.' Y

' Oct. 27, 1942 w. A. ELLswoRTH ETAL r'2,299,885

ADJUSTABLE SHELF IN COMBINATION WITH REFRGERATOR COMPARTMENT Filed April 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALTER A. ELLswoRTH JOHN EL MILLS for holding articles Patented ct. 27, 1.942

ADJUSTABLE SHELF IN COMBINATION WITH REFRIGERATOR COMPARTMENT Walter A. Ellsworth and John E.v Mills, st. raum, Minn., assignors to Seeger-Refrigerator Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application April 18, 1941, )serial No. 389,212 7 claims.. (ci. zii-.153)

Our invention relates to refrigerator compartments and compartments o f a like nature, Where it is desired to provide shelves Within the same l in the refrigerator compartment. A

A feature resides in providing a telescopingA or extendable `wire shelf whichI operates extended across the refrigerator compartment YratherA than from front to back like other shelves have been made heretofore.l 'l With a `shelf made in Y this manner, the` combination of the refrigerator compartment and shelfgprovides aclear space from-the front to theback of the refrigerator which may be used when the shelf is telescoped together, either partially or entirely, to provide a space for various articles, such as bottles, or larger articles which would ordinarily not go under the shelf.

In using a shelf of this character in combination with a refrigerator compartment, ordinarily this form of shelf is placed adjacent or just above the bottom of the refrigerator compartment. Then when it `is desired to utilize more'space from the floor of the refrigerator compartment up'toward the top, `it is only necessary to slide: a portion of the telescoping shelf into the xed portion, thereby providing a clear space from the front to the back in the refrigerator compartment. This feature is important in our invention and will be more fully hereinafter set forth.'

It is also a feature of our invention to provide a refrigerator shelf `which is adapted to? be slid or telescoped together, a degree at a time, sothat a larger or smaller space can be made available for taller articles adjacent the end of the shelf.

Further, we providea refrigerator shelf wherein the respective shelf portions are moved into a position when the shelf is'fully extended so that the top surface of the respective portions of the shelf are on the same plane, thereby making the shelf completely level.

We provide a shelf wherein one portion thereof is Yfixed in the refrigerator compartment by means of connecting one end of the same to the r supporting buttons on the side wall of the refrigerator compartment, -while the other end `is formed with a pair of supporting legs, the bot"` tomend of which are covered with rubber shoes which rest against the floor of the refrigerator compartment. The other portion" of our shelf is' held slidable to t within thevxed portion and is also removable therefrom and is provided with short lugs which hold the tray properlyele-v `vated fromany surface upon which it is resting. This removable vpi'irtion of the shelflmay be -u`.se :v

in any `suitable manner when entirely removed and 4may be employed on which to set hot pans or other` articles. r

These features, together with other details and objects will be more fully and clearly hereinafter set forth. r

In the drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 illustrates a refrigerator showing our shelf in use in the refrigerator compartment thereof, the door of the refrigerator being open. Figure 2 is a front View of the refrigerator, a portion of the refrigerator being broken awayto show the refrigerator compartment and our shelf therein. Y'

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line .1 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-section similar to Figure 3, with the portions of the'shelf extended to their full width. y Y f i r x Figure 5 is a perspective detail of a ,portion of our shelf showing one of the legs supporting the free end of the fixed shelf. f

Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional detail in enlargedform, showing the manner in which the removable portion 0f our shelf may be removed or inserted in place connected to the xed portion thereof. l

Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of the removable portion of our shelf` disengaged from the refrigerator compartment and resting upon the lugs? projecting from the bottom of the same. I

Figure 8 is an enlargeddetail of a portion of our shelf, showing the partstelescoped together. Figure 9 illustrates a corner detail of a portion of our shelf, showing one of the hooks which engage the rubber knobs which project from the side wall of the refrigerator compartment to hold the fixed portion of the shelf in the refrigerator. Figure lO is a detail of a portion of our shelf, showing the manner in whi-ch the respective shelf portions are levelized with `their upper surfaces at the same level.

The refrigeratorA may be of any form or construction and is providedwith a refrigeratorcompartment B which is Cooled by the refrigerating unit C. The refrigerator compartment `.i3 is formed with side walls It and H and a` oor portion I2. The compartment B may be closed by the doorD.

The refrigerator compartment B may be equipped with any number of shelvesand We provideY an adjustable Wire shelf E whiohris composed of two portions, namely, a fixed portion I4 and a slidable and removable portion I5.`V

The fixed portion I4 of our shelf E is normally supported within the refrigerator compartment B in which the shelf E operates, so as to provide a shelf portion which is normally fixed in place but which may be removed when it is desired to clean the refrigerator compartment B. The shelf I4 is formed with a wire frame portion formed from a single piece of wire to form the front and back rails I6 connected on the fixed end adjacent the wall I by the rail Il, the free end of said shelf being supported by the legs I8. Thus the side rails I5, the fixed end Il, and the legs I8 are all formed from a' single piece of wire bent to provide a rectangular frame which is held by the legs I8 on the free end, and the inner rail portion I'I is held by the hooks IS engaging over the rubber bracket or button supports projecting into the compartment B from the wall 4wire shelf portion on which articles are adapted to rest in the refrigerator compartment B.A The end extremities of the wires 22 are cut on a bevel and are slightlyV curved around the upper surface of the rails I6l to which they are welded, thereby providing a smooth or finished joint between the wires-22 and the side rails I6.

The upper ends of the legs 4I8 are connected by the cross wire 23 'which provides a cross rail on 'which the portion I5 of our shelf E slides when the portion I5 is telescoped into the shelf portion I4 as illustrated in the drawings.

We also provide track rails 24 which are connected tothe cross rail 23 on one end and to the rear rail portion II of the shelf portion I4. The track rails 24 are bent to be spaced `below the side rails I6 and thereby provide a space below the rails I5 for receiving the shelf portion I5 so that the same `may telescope into the shelf portion I4.

At the inner free end of the shelf portion I4, the rails 24 are bent with an inclined upwardly extending cam surface 25 which acts to elevate the shelf portion I5 when the same is extended so that the upper surface ofthe shelf portions I4 and I5 is level, as illustrated in Figure l0.k

The shelf portion I5 is removable from the shelf portion I4 and is formed with a wire rail 26 formedof a single piece of wire, the ends of which are welded together, said wire being bent into rectangular shape.,` Parallelly extending shelf wires 2'I are welded to the wire 26 in the same manner as the wires 22 are welded to the railsII.

The shelf portion I5 may be formed in one form,-with four depending lugs 28 which form short legs for supporting the shelf I5 on any surface when it is removed from the portion I4 of the shelf Thus the shelf l5 may be used independent of the shelf portion I4 outside of the compartment B, when it is desiredto place hot pans, or anyother articles on the same, and which may then be placed in the refrigerator compartment'B by connecting the shelf portion I5 with the portion I4.

, The shelf portion I5 may be formed with only two lugs 28 as illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 8, which hold the shelf from normally becoming disengaged from the shelf portion I4 as these lugs l28,'will strike the cross rail 23, however, the portion I5 maybe removed from the portion I4 by lowering one side of theporticn VI5 Vas illustrated in Figure 6 and lifting the other side with the lugs 28 free of the rail 23.

A feature resides in providing a shelf which may be adjusted as to width across the refrigerating compartment B of the refrigerator, so that a narrow space may be provided at the free edge of the shelf as illustrated in Figure 3, Where a series of bottles can be placed in the narrow opening. It is important that the shelf portion I5 extend beyond the free edge of the fixed portion I4 so as to provide as much shelf space as possible up to the space where the bottles F are stored'in the refrigerator. Furthermore, when the shelf portion I5 is in the position illustrated i in Figure, it is held against the bottom rail 24 `from the front of the refrigerator completely through to the back Wall at the free end of the shelf E.

While other adjustable shelves have been made heretofore with a telescoping action, these shelves have not been of the type illustrated herein, and do not provide va space from the front of the refrigerator completely through to the back wall thereof.l It is this feature which is of outstanding importance in our invention because it permits larger articles to be placed in the refrigerator compartment adjacent the free edge of the adjustable shelf and gives access to the same without disturbing articles on the fixed portion of the shelf.

Furthermore, with our shelf construction, when larger articles are placed at the free edge ofthe shelf, it is not necessary to disturb them when getting out articles placed on the main portion of the shelf E. In former shelf constructions it has been necessaryv to remove the articles from infront of the shelf before articles on the shelf are accessible. Wehave overcome these disadvantages with our refrigerator construction wherein the free or adjustable end of our shelf is slidable away from one of the side walls of the refrigerator rather than being slidable away from the door opening, so that our shelf in combination with the refrigerator compartment, accomplishes and .provides the desired shelf and refrigerator construction.

We claim:

K 1. A shelf for a refrigerator compartment including a fixed section and a removable section, said removable section being slightly narrower than said fixed section, said fixed section being provided with a pair of legs mounted on the remote side thereof, a cross rail connecting the upper parts of said legs, said removable section being slidably mounted on said fixed section, said fixed section being provided with a pair of track rails, said track rails extending beneath and running parallel to the front and rear of said first section, andivsaid removable section being adapted to slide beneath said fixed section by means of said track rails.

2. A shelf comprising a fixed portion and a slidable portion, said slidable section being slightly narrower .thansaid fixed section, said fixed portion being provided with a pair of legs mounted on the remote side thereof, said fixed f, portion having a cross rail connected to the-up-v per part of said legs on which said slidable portion is adapted to slide, said fixed portion being provided with a pair of track rails extending beneath and running parallel to the front and rear thereof by means of which said slidable section may telescope beneath said xed portion.

3. An extendible shelf comprising a fixed section and a slidable section, said xed section having a pair of track rails extending beneath and running parallel to the front and rear of said fixed section, said fixed section having a pair of supporting legs mounted on the remote side thereof, a cross rail connecting the upper part of said legs, said slidable section being adapted to slide on said cross rail to telescope beneath said fixed section and to be held in place beneath said fixed section by means of said track rails, said slidable section kbeing provided with two pairs of lugs, one pair of said lugs providing a means against accidental removal of said slidable section by engaging said cross rail and said two pairs of lugs providing a means of supporting said slidable section entirely removed from said fixed section.

4. An extendible refrigerator shelf including a xed section and a removable section, said removable section having a pair of depending lugs, said xed section being provided witha pair of legs mounted on the remote side thereof, said fixed section including a cross rail, said cross rail being adapted to connectsaid pair of legs and to provide a means by`which said removable section may be telescoped beneath said xed section, said pair of depending lugs on said removable section being adapted to guard against accidental removal of said removable section by engaging said cross rail, and said 'removable section being adapted to be entirely removed from said fixed section whenever so desired.

5. A refrigerator shelf comprising a xed section and a slidable section, said fixed section having a pair of track rails extending beneath and running parallel to the side rails of said fixed section, the remote ends of said track rails having an inclined upwardly extending cam surface, said fixed section having a pair of legs mounted on the remote side thereof, a cross rail, said cross rail being adapted to connect the upper ends of said legs, said slidable section extending in a plane substantially level to the top surface of said fixed section when entirely extended from beneath said fixed section by means of the cam surface on said track rails, and said slidable section being adapted to telescope entirely beneath said fixed section and supported beneath said fixed section by means of said track rails.

6. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising, a fixed section and a slidable section, said slidable section being adapted to be extended outwardly and transversely from beneath said fixed section, said fixed section being provided with a pair of supporting legs mounted on the remote side thereof, said slidable section being provided with a pair of lugs, said fixed section having a cross rail connecting the upper parts of said legs, said lugs adapted to engage said cross rail to prevent accidental removal of said slidable section from said xed section, said slidable section being adapted to slide entirely beneath said xed section.

'7. A shelf for a refrigerator compartment comprising a xed section and a slidable section, said fixed section being provided with a pair of supporting legs mounted on the remote side thereof, a cross rail, said cross rail connecting the upper parts of said legs, a pair of track rails, said track rails extending beneath and running parallel to the front and rear of said fixed section, said track rails having an upwardly extending cam surface at the front ends thereof, said slidable section being adapted to slide entirely beneath said fixed section and to be held in place by means of said track rails, and said slidable `section being adapted to be extended transversely from beneath said xed section over said cross rail and to lie in a plane substantially level tothe top surface of said fixed section by meansof the upwardly extending cam surface on said track rails.

WALTER A. ELLSWORTH. JOHN E. MILLS..

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