US2350028A - Merchandise display and holding fixture - Google Patents

Description

May 30, 1944. D. GARFINKLE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND HOLDING FIXTURE INVENTOR.

Filed June 16, 1942 Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND HOLDING FIXTURE David Garfinkle, Alameda, Calif.

Application June 16, 1942, Serial No. 447,290

5 Claims.

The invention relates to a fixture designed for holding and displaying different kinds, grades, etc. of merchandise in segregated relation upon a counter-top, and relates more specifically to a fixture of this type in which a number of compartments or bins are provided for the merchandise, by a plurality of vertical partitions of glass or the like, which are adjustably held in position so that the size, shape, and location of the compartments may be changed as required.

An object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the character described in which the arrangement of the various parts of the fixture upon the counter-top and the attachment of said parts in position on the counter in any adjustable relation desired, may be efi'ected without the addition to the counter-top of an extra cover or other special supporting surface, or requiring irreparable damage or mutilation of the top.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the character described in which not Only may the position and arrangement of the partitions r dividers be adjusted to provide for an size or form of the merchandise compartments or bins, but the adjustment or change in positioning of any one or more of the partitions may beeffected without disturbing or interfering with the adjacentor contiguous partitions already properly arranged in position.

A further object is to provide for the support of the partitions, a means which may be easily placed into and substantially locked in any desired position without the aid of screwsor other extra parts, can be easily released from operative. position when adjustment in the positioning of a partition is required, and will firmly 'hold the partitions in place and yet permit their ready removal or replacement without afiectin or requiring a displacement of the means. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a partition holding means of the character described, Which will support the partition in a cushioned or yielding manner and at the some time be itself resiliently held in place so that when a strain is imposed on the partitions no breakage will result even if the latter are constructed of glass.

A still further object is to provide a partition holding means of the character described which may be made as a one-piece stamping, and will be of such design and construction as to involve practically no reduction of the bin or compartment areas.

Yet another object is to provide asa part of the fixture, a plurality of sectional members which will form the sole attachment for the fi-xture to the counter and for anchoring the partition holders in place thereon, and which can be readily adapted to render the fixture adaptable to any counter dimensions.

The invention possessesother objects and features 0f advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred formof the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however-{that variations in the showing made 'by the said' drawing and description may be adopted within-the scope of the inventionas set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is 'a plan view ofa unit of them;- 'ture of my invention as applied to acounter-top.

Figure 2 is a side viewof the portion of the fixture shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of a portion of the fixture adjacent a side.

Figure 4' is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the fixture taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. a

Figures 5 and 6 are different perspective views of one of the partition supporting members.

Figure 7 is a side view of the partition supporting member in the undeveloped form as a fiat blank.

As illustrated in the drawing, the fixture of my invention is designed for use upon a countertop and it includes-a number of parts arranged to be setup inposition-on-thetop so as to provide a multiplicity of open-topped bins or compartments of various shapes and dimensions suitable for holding and displaying merchandiseof different kinds, sizes, and so forth.

The fixture may :bemounted directly upon the upper surface of the counter and comprises a frame 8 preferably formed in sections "9 which are arranged tobe-positioned along the side and edge portions of the counter-top and fastened thereto in order to hold the fixture in place. The sections 9 are :here shown in the form of metal strips of flexible sheet material ben't to provide substantially right-singularly related walls 12 and [3. The wall 1 2' is'designed tobe positioned to overlie the side or edge portion M of a countertop 16- andso as to cause the-wall 4 3: toproject upwardly from such top. It will-beevident that the sections 9 may be readily cutto or pieced together to'provid'e for-any length desired, and

in this way the fixture maybe easily acco1n modated to any size r form of a counter or area thereof. The sections thus positioned along the rim portions of the top are desirably fastened in place and for this purpose, the wall [2 being preferably formed with openings It to permit a nail or screw to be readily driven through the wall for tacking or screwing the same to the counter material.

The frame sections 9 define an area to be divided up into merchandise compartments or bins by means of suitable dividers or partitions which may be simply plates ll of glass or the like, or a special form of a dividerwith or without the plates ll-as herein disclosed.' An important part of this invention is the means employed for sup orting the partitions in upright position and securing same in any desired relation to each other and the frames.

The means for supporting the partitions and securing them in position, includes a holder member I8 which is arranged to be releasably attached to the section 9. As will be understood, a plurality of holders are utilized, one holder being provided for securing each end of the partition in position. In the present embodiment, the holders are designed to be formed of substantially the same kind of material as the frame sections, and as here shown the holder is so formed as to provide on one side thereof a partition gripping means and on the reverse side witha means of attachment to the upright wall l3 ,of the section. For gripping the partition, the holder is provided with a pair of vertically extending wings l9 which are normally spaced from each other less than the thickness of the partition plates, so that when a plate is inserted therebetween it will be firmly held by the wings, the spring or fiexure in the holder material serving to provide the wings with the desired resiliency. To permit ready insertion of the partition plates within the wings, the upper end portions of the latter are fiared outwardly.

The holder I8 is preferably formed as a onepiece stamping, the undeveloped form of which is illustrated in Figure '7. The stamping includes a back 2| having extensions 22 at the sides thereof which are folded upon the back and provided with angular end portions which form the wings i9. Means are provided on the back in cooperation with means on the sections 9 for permitting the holder to be attached to the sections at any portion along the length thereof. As will probably be most clear from Figure 4, the upper edge of Wall l3 of the sections is formed with a fiange 2t overlying the wall]; and defining a channel it with its open sidelowermost. The channel 24 is arranged for the reception of a projection 26 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the back 2| of the holder, and in order that the projection 26 may be retained in the channel and thereby provide an interlocking connection between the holder and section, a portion of the :bottom of the holder is arranged to be positioned upon the wall [2. In the present embodiment of the invention the portion of the holder arranged for engagement with the wall I2 is in the form of a projection 21 which extends down- ,wardly and rearwardly from the bottom of the back. Preferably the distance between the outer edges of the projections 26 and 2"! is such that when the projection 26 is positioned in the channel and against the flange at the top thereof and the lower projection is brought into engagement with the vertical wall I3, the holder will be firmly gripped in place'between said flange portion and the wall l2. In this connection it will be noted that the form of the back and projections and the material of which the holder is constructed will afford a slight bowing of such parts and thereby enable the back to be resiliently held in place.

In order that the holder will be prevented from becoming accidentally released from operative engagement with the section, there is formed in the bottom wall a ridge 28 which is coextensive with the channel 24 and has its peak in slightly spaced relation to wall l3. In placing the holder in position for attachment to the section, the back of the holder is placed opposite the wall l3 with the projection 26 entered in the channel 24, and with the projection 21 resting upon the bottom wall outwardly of the ridge peak. The back is then forced inwardly by pressure against the portions 22 which, as previously explained, are folded upon the back portion. Sufficient pressure must be exerted of course to force the projection 21 over the ridge or hump and in this connection it will be noted that independent of any bowing or flexing of the back portions, the wall [3 may flex rearwardly and thereby compensate for the normally shorter distance between the fiange and ridge. It Will also be noted that the side of the ridge facing the wall I 3, which side together with the base portion of wall l3 in effect define a channel for the retention of the projection 27, slopes and extends down to such wall and by reason thereof, after the projection 21 passes the peak of the ridge, the holder will move into position on the section with a snap-action-like movement and thereby insure the locking engagement of the members.

When it is desired to remove the holder from operative engagement with the frame section, it may be simply effected by pressing the upper ends of the wings rearwardly so that the holder will fulcrum about the line of engagement of projection 26 and flange 23 and thereby force projection 21 to move back over the ridge and thus permit release of projection 26.

It will be evident that since the holders may be inserted at random at any portion of the sections, partitions may be set up between opposing sections to provide for compartments of any width desired. When it is desired to subdivide the compartments into spaces of shorter length, a section similar to those used for the sides of the fixture may be inserted in the holders, or if desired as here shown, simply laid upon the counter with the back of the section placed alongside the partition, so that holders may in turn be attached to such division sections for the support of partitions across the compartments. Further sub-division of any compartment or space can almost invariably be had by simply utilizing sections at the sides of such compartment or space. In this connection, it is to be noted that if desired a pair of sections may be inserted in back to back relation in the holders and furthermore, the sections may be used in the holders with or without the conventional partitions, the sections being sufficiently high to function as a suitable divider inmany instances.

From the foregoing, it will now be clear first, that with the proper use and assembly of the parts of the fixture, there is substantially no limit to the number, arrangement, size and'form of the compartments or bins which may be set up upon the counter; second, that changes in the form, size, etc. of any one or more of the compartments or spaces may be effected without requiring re-assembly of the entire unit or even interference with the non-affected compartments or spaces; third, that the divisions will be maintained as set without the aid or need of merchandise in the bins, and finally that the fixture is well adapted to the accomplishment of the objects otherwise herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In a counter-top display fixture of the character described, a frame member designed for cooperation with a partition holder to permit snap action attachment of the holder to an adjustable position by such attachment substantially everywhere along said member, comprising walls of resilient sheet material united in substantially right angular relation, one of said walls being flanged at its free end to provide a channel substantially facing said other wall, said last mentioned wall having inner and outer portions coextensive with said channel, the outer of said portions being spaced less from the channel than is the inner portion whereby a portion of the holder designed to operatively fit in and be tween the channel and said inner portion will require a fiexure of said member when the holder is moved into or out of such fitted position, said last mentioned wall having a portion extending outwardly from said outer portion for supporting and resting the frame member upon the counter top.

2. In a counter-top fixture of the character described, a frame member of flexible sheet material and comprising, substantially horizontal and vertical walls united at the lower edge of the vertical Wall, said vertical wall having its free edge flanged over toward the horizontal wall to provide a channel, said horizontal wall having a ridge therein spaced from the vertical wall to define therewith a channel co-extensive with said first channel, said horizontal wall having between its free edge and said ridge a guide portion leading to said ridge and a partition holder of flexible sheet material having a back part arranged to fit between said channels, the flexibility and form and size of said member and holder and the parts thereof being such that with the back operatively inserted in said first channel it may be moved transversely over said guide portion and ridge and into resilient engagement with the bottom of the second channel.

3. In a counter-top fixture of the character described, a frame member of flexible sheet material and comprising, substantially horizontal and vertical walls united at the lower edge of the vertical wall, said vertical wall having its free edge flanged over toward the horizontal wall to provide a channel, said horizontal wall having a ridge therein spaced from the vertical wall to define therewith a channel coextensive with said first channel, and a partition holder of flexible sheet material having a back portion and integral side portions folded thereupon, said side portions bent outwardly to define resilient arms to receive and grip the partition therebetween, and said back portion having upper and lower extensions arranged to seat in said channels for anchoring said holder to said member, the flexibility, form and proportions of said member and holder and the parts thereof being such that with the upper extensions of the back portion operatively inserted in the first channel the other extension may be moved by hand pressure transversely over said ridge and maintained in resilient engagement with the bottom of the second channel.

4. In a counter-top merchandise display and holding fixture, a counter-edge member comprising, an elongated section with upright and horizontal walls united at the rear edge of said horizontal wall and the lower edge of the upright wall, said latter wall having its upper edge flanged to provide a channel over said Horizontal wall, said horizontal wall formed to lie substantially fiat upon the counter-top and arranged to be fastened directly and solidly thereto, and said horizontal wall having provided therein a channel coextensive with said first channel, and a partition. holder arranged in said section and having partition-gripping wing portions positioned over said horizontal wall and anchoring portions formed for insertion Within said channels in resilient engagement with the wall portions.

5. In a counter-top merchandise display and holding fixture, an elongated member having upright and horizontal walls united in substantially right angular relation and having formed therein vertically spaced and opposed channels, said horizontal wall having a portion spaced from said channels and vertical wall and providing a means of supporting the member on the counter top with the horizontal and vertical walls respectively parallel and perpendicular to said top, and a partition holder arranged on said member and having partition-gripping wing portions positioned over said horizontal wall and vertically spaced anchoring portions seated in said channels and resiliently and interlockingly engaging with the wall portions defining said channels.

DAVID GARFINKLE.

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