US2454575A - Salesman's folding sample case - Google Patents

Description

Nov, 23, 1948. 5 R. A. SILENE 2,454,575

SALESMAN S FOLDING SAMPLE CASE Filed March 9 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet I 5 INVENTOR,

RUDOLPH A.

fl T TORNEY- SILENE Nov. 23, 1948.

3She'ets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1944 E W W A flTToB NE)- R. A. SILENE SALESMANS FOLDING SAMPLE CASE- Nov. 23, 1948.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 9, 1944 INVENTOR.

RUDOLPH H- SILENE Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SALESMANS FOLDING SAMPLE CASE Rudolph Arvid 'Silene, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 9, 1944, Serial No. 525,741

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to salesmans folding sample case used by salemen for displaying their goods for sale to customers. It is composed of a V series of shelves on which samples of merchandis are carried. 7

An object of my invention is to provide a display basket having a series of shelves arranged one above the other and mounted to be shifted from the position of wall shelves tothose of-a series of terraced shelves, and provided with suitable mechanisms for makingthose adjustments and also provided with enclosure means which is hinged and latched on the sides of my basket in a manner to be quickly attached and detached for enclosure and display positions of my shelves.

I prefer to .make my series of shelves progressively narrower from the bottom shelf upwardly to the minimum narrow width of the top shelf. By this arrangement of the shelves, when the positions of the shelves are arranged vertically one above the other, the basket is more conveniently carried about and in the same manner in which hand bags or suit cases and thellike are carried, which is normally with one hand.

In combination with the adjustable features and forms mentioned above 'I profide complete means for covering the sides and top of .mylbas- .ket. p

'These enclosures .are made in sections hinged and clasped together 'in manners which enable the salesman to quickly open the baskets for inspection purposes wherebyla clear view may be had of the entire contents of the shelving. f

Another feature of my invention which is not common with portable display baskets, is that its outside appearance is in a novel form and shape, not common or even known of competing "baskets, wherebythere is .a novelty of appearance which does not indicate the contents within the basket asand when the salesman approaches a customer. Thus, there is a sense; of curiosity on the part of the customer being approached to see what there is carried in my basket. Thus: in many cases the mind of the customer is not already made up against the purchase ofgoods.

which they might observe from seeing the contents carriedby the basket before the salesman had opportunity for making a display of all of the goods. The novelty of shape and arrangement of my basket when-first-presented toa given 9 customer holds the customers attention until the salesman has opportunity 'to'present his goods for inspection; This is a highly desirable situation to be arrived at when a salesman first calls on a given customer.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which- 'Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my basketopened up in display form with the side walls removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the basket when closed up in form to be carried about.

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, certain cover portions being obscured. V Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the open. basket, as taken on the section line 4-4 ofFig. 1 with the nearer endmember removedand parts broken away to clarify disclosure.

Fig. dis a perspective detail of the upper left hand corner of the top of the basket.

Fig. 6 is a detail portion of thefllowerleft hand and rear corner of the basket showing a cutout foot opening as it would appear looking to.-

7 ca]. arrangement in the basket frame.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the locking means indicated in dotted linesinFig. '7.

Fig. 9 a perspective end view of the left end wall oftheframe of my basket. Fig. 10 is a section on line III-40 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detailed view of a looking catch, being a part of the mechanisms used in relation to the telescoping legs and being taken on theline ll-H of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is awsect'ional detail taken along the line l'2l.2fin"Fig. 9 showing parts of the linkage connecting the front and rear legs to effect simultaneous extension or retraction of the legs;

Fig. 13 is a view of What is shown in Fig. 12 but at right angles thereto.

The basket is made of any suitable material, either of wood, metal. sheet steel or aluminum or whatevermaterial is found to be most desirable forform'ing any part of the device or basket.

The rigid partorframework of the basket is composed of the end wall members 2 which are provided with end flanges 3 to which there is fixed the rigid platesl, see Figs. '3 and 4'. y

:The basket here shown is provided with the bottom tray or shelf 5, middle tray .or shelf 6 .and the top tray or shelf 1. The middle tray or shelf 6 is secured to. the end Walls 2 by bolts8 and this middle tray or shelf does not rock, but re- 3 mains in fixed position. The tray or shelf 5 is hinged by pins 9 to beam bars l and the other ends of the tray or shelf is hinged by pins H to beam bars l2 and these bars l6 and I2 are hinged or supported on the bolts 8 at the end walls [3 of the tray or shelf 6. The upper ends of the beam bars I0 and I2 are hinged by pins M to rounded end blocks l5.

The blocks I5 are connected by' a round bar l6 across the top tray or shelf 1 as is best shown in Fig. l, the ends of which bar l6 are rigidly fixed into the blocks l5. The top tray or shelf 1 is hinged to the beam bars I!) and I2 by the hinge pins The tray or shelf 5 is the wider tray and carries a heavier load usually than the other trays or shelves and it is more apt to become contacted when loaded and moved about in service when the tray is in the inclined position as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, but When the shelves are in vertically aligned position, as shown in the closed up form of Fig. 2, no danger then isoccasioned by outside jarring contact with anything as relates to the tray or shelf 5 alone.

Hence as a protective guard for the tray or shelf '5, when in positions as shown by Figs. 1, 3iand '4, there is provided the connecting link bars l8 shown as being made of angle iron, and the upper 'ends' of these link bars i8 are hinged on the pins l4 to the block |5. link bars l8 are provided with slots l6 through which pins 26 extend, saidpins being mounted in and projecting from the end walls 2| of the tray or shelf 5. Thus, when the trays or shelves 5, 6 and l are moved from the inclined position. as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to the inclosed vertical position, the pins slide, up the slots l9 to inoperative position.

i The rigid plate 4 is connected by a spring hinge I 22 to the trap door 23 which is connected by a spring hinge 24 to the curved top cap 25 of the basket enclosure. This curved cap 25 is provided with a handle 26, see Fig. 2; by which the basket is carried about.

On the front side of the basket there is a removable cover composed of two pieces, the upper piece being indicated by 21 and'the lower piece by 28. The piece 28 is mounted to be held in The lower ends of the z place by being slid down endwise in a slot or v crack made by channel pieces 29 fixed alongside the walls 2, and is connected by hinges 3|) to the upper piece 21. Snap latches 3| connect the pieceZl to the curved top cap 25. vThebotto n edge of the piece 28 is connected by snap latches 32 to a cross tie member 33 connected to the bottom ends of the front legs 34, see Fig. 1. A

The rear legs are indicated by 35 and both sets of .legs at their upper ends 31 and 36 are telescoped into sleeve members 38 and 39. The

sleeve members 38 and 39 are circular in form and are longitudinally slotted along their confronting surfaces.

The upper ends 36 Of the legs 34 have longitudinally extending slots 40 and communicating longitudinal cross slots 4|. The slots 46 accommodate the upper ends of brace bars 43 which carry pivot pins 42 which slide in the slots 4|. The lower ends of the bars 43 extend diagonally down to the lower ends of the legs 35 into longitudinally extending slots 44 wherein hinge pins 45 connect the brace bars 43 to the legs'35.

The bars 43, when the legs 34 and 35 are extended as is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, act as tie rods to keep the front and rear legs from spreading apart.

When the legs are telescoped into the body of the basket, as is indicated by Figs. 2 and 9, the bars 43 serve to draw up the rear legs 35 as and when pressure is put upon the front legs only in the telescoping action of the legs within the body of the basket. On the other hand where the chief pressure in forcing the inward telescoping of the legs is applied to the legs 35, the bars 43 serve to push up the legs 34 after the hinge pins 42 slide to the upper ends of slots 4|. When the telescoping action is completed whereby the legs are in a position indicated by Fig. 9, the legs are locked in that position by means of latch blocks 46, see Fig. 11.

These blocks 46 are supported in brackets 41 which extend from the top ends of the legs 35. Hinge pins 48 in the brackets 41 support the latch blocks 46. The blocks 46 have the upward catch projections 49 adapted.- to engage pins 50 fixed .in the end walls 2 when the legs are telescoped into the basket as is indicated in Fig. 9. The blocks 46 have lower catch projections 5| adapted to engage fixed pins. 52 projecting from end walls 2,see Fig.4.

An arm 53 of the block is connected by hinge pin 54 to a rod 55. A spring 56 is mounted over the rod and is prevented from slipping upwardly on the rod 55 by the cotter .pin 51.. The rod 55 extends downwardly and its lower end 58 is hinged into .a lever 59 fixed on the cross rod 60 which is hinged at. each end to the rear legs 35. A foot treadle 6| is mounted on the central portion of the cross rod 60 whereby a pressure on the treadle 6| by the foot, indicated by 62 in Fig. 3, causes the latch blocks 46 to become disengaged from the fixed pins 50 or- 52. Screw eyes 63, see Figs. 4 and 9, are fixed into the rear legs 35 and abut the springs 56. When the treadle is released, springs 56 rock the block 46 to permit the catchprojections 49 or 5| to reengage the pins 50 or 52.

The mechanisms in relation to the telescoping of the legs 34.and 35 and the latch blocks 46 are mountedin'side the end flanges 3 of the end walls 20f the frame of the basket. These mechanisms are covered over by the end covers 64 fastened by any suitable means to the end walls 2 asis indicated by screws 65, see Fig. 2, thus making a complete enclosure of these latched mechanisms. When the shelves or trays 5, 6 and l are mountedin the inclined positions as is indicated by Figs.1, 3 and 4, they are locked in place by means of rods 66 which are hinged into a revolving disk 61, see Figs. '7 and 8,, which disk is hinged at 68 at the underside of shelf or tray 1, see Figs. 3 and 7, whereby the ends of the rods 66 are made to extend outwardly and to contact the edges of the end walls 2. The movement of the disk 61 in its slight rotary movement is brought about by a pull and push rod 16 having a turned over handle end II. This handle end is guided. and is supported in position by a screw eye 12 in the bottom of the shelf or tray 1.

The trays or shelves as shown by Figs. 1,3 and 4 are prevented from being rocked further toward a horizontal position by the small blocks 13, see Fig. 1, which are secured to the end walls 2 and which contact the underside of the connecting link bars l8.

Downward movement of the legs 34 and35 is bottom edge of the walls -2 and which engage amazes pins 75 fastened into the legs '34::and 'slidable along the longitudinal slots in sleeves .39. Since the brace bars 43 connect the legs 34 to the legs 35 downward movement of the latter is also limited by the blocks 1-4.

. When the trays or shelves assume vertical over the top of the blocks I5 and snapping into small notches i1, see Figs. land 5. i

The operation of raising the basket and lowering its legs whereby the basket stands on its own legs inan upward position is performed in the following way. The user will place his foot 62,

".see Figs. '3 and 6, on the foot treadle SI and thereby will rock the treadle which pulls down the rod 55 and latch arm 53 to release the projections 49 of the blocks 46 from the pins 50, which then allows the body of the basket to be lifted while the legs are held to the floor, the basket moving upwardly until the blocks 14 contact the pins 75 and the projections 5| contact the pins 52. The pins 52 being fixed into the end walls 2 will thus hold the basket upwardly on its exposed legs.

To reverse the position whereby the legs are telescoped into the body of the basket, the foot treadle 6| is again pressed by the foot 62 which releases the projection 51 from the pin 52, and thereby allows the basket to be shoved downward over the legs until the projections 49 of the blocks 45 engage the fixed pins 50, see Figs. 9, 10 and 11, which puts the basket and legs in the relation indicated by Figs. 2 and 9.

As the legs 34 and 35 are set at an angle to each other, the feet of each set are nearer to each other when in the position as shown in Fig. 2, than when the legs are in position of Fig. 1. Thus if the telescoping action movement of the legs takes place while the feet of the legs are all on the floor, then a slipping movement of the feet takes place on the floor between the front and the rear legs.

The preferred method for this telescoping movement is for the operator to grasp the handle 26, see Fig. 2, and then press with his foot 62 on the treadle 6|, see Figs. 3 and 6, and then rock the basket toward himself which then will raise the legs 34 free from the floor while the legs 35 remain on the floor, and in this position the complete telescoping, either upward or downward, may easily be performed as relates to the position of the legs in any situation.

When the operator understands this method it takes but a moment or two to make the desired shifting of the position of the legs.

I have used the terms tray and shelf in the alternative throughout the specification, but I intend the use of either term in its broadest sense to include all supporting means such as trays, shelves, holders, baskets, basins, etc. whereby articles, powders, liquids, etc., may be held in any suitable manner for security and/or display.

It is believed that the invention and many of its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts within the spirit and scope of the invention, the form hereinabove described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

6 I claim: 1. Adispla'y device comprising aframe; a series oftdisplay shelves,two parallel bars each pivotally mounted'at about the same point in its length for substantially parallel movement on said. :frame,

said parallel bars pivotally carrying one of said shelves on their upper, and another on their lower paired ends, a centrally disposed shelf I immovably secured .to saidframe, the movement of said shelf supporting bars to display position oscillating said upper and lower shelves around'and into offset positions relative to said fixed shelf, and the reverse movement of said bars carrying said movable shelves to a position within the confines of said frame with the shelves arranged one above the other, a supplementary brace bar pivotally connected at one extremity to the upper portion of a said parallel bar and at the other extremity to-said lower shelf to help support a load of heavy material in said lower shelf.

2. A display device comprising a frame member, said frame member consisting of end plates and a back plate secured together, a shelf member positioned substantially centrally of said end plates and secured thereto to form with said end plates and said back plate a rigid structure, two parallel bars pivoted adjacent the ends of said fixed shelf member and inside of said end plates, a shelf member pivotally secured to the upper ends of said bars, and another shelf member pivotally secured to the lower ends of said parallel bars, the pivotal movement of said parallel bars carrying said upper and lower members around and into offset positions relative to said central fixed shelf, the reverse movement of said parallel bars carrying said movable shelf members to positions within the confines of said frame member with the said shelves one above the other, and a supplementary brace bar pivotally connected at one extremity to the upper portion of a said parallel bar and at the other extremity to said lower shelf member to add rigidity and support to the assembly.

3. A display device comprising a frame having end plates and a back plate secured together; a shelf positioned substantially centrally of said end plates and secured thereto to form with said end plates and said back plate a rigid frame structure; a supplementary back plate hinged to said back plate to encompass a portion of the back area of said frame member and the top thereof; a pair of parallel bars pivoted to each of said end plates, each pair lying between a said plate and an adjacent end of said fixed shelf; an upper shelf pivotally secured to upper portions of said parallel bars, and another shelf pivotally mounted on the lower ends of said parallel bars, the pivotal movement of said parallel said upper and lower shelf members in opposite directions around said central fixed shelf member and placing said shelf members in offset relation one to the other; means carried on one of said oscillating shelves for locking said shelf with said frame end in said offset relation, the reverse movement of said parallel bars carrying said movable shelf members to a position within the confines of said frame with said shelves positioned one above the other, and a supplementary brace bar pivotally connected at one extremity to the upper portion of a said bar and at the other extremity to said lower shelf member to help support a heavy load in said lower shelf.

4. A display device comprising a frame having side members; a pair of parallel links each pivotbars oscillating 'each pivotally mounted in parallel arrangement on said links; an operating bar pivotally mounted to the upper free end portions of said links;

complementary interlocking members on said bar and said frame, said mounting of frame, links, shelves and bar effecting a parallel arrangement whereby said shelves are movable to open parallel step arrangement or to closed parallel stacked relationship, at the end of which latter movement said shelves are automatically locked by said interlocking members; and a supplementary brace bar pivotally connected at one end to said operating bar and at its lower end to an outwardly extending portion of the lowermost of said shelves, at least one of said bar connections having also a sliding movement to take up lost motlon, said brace bar supporting said lowermost 8 shelf and adding rigidity to the shelf assembly when in said open parallel step arrangement.

RUDOLPH ARVID SILENE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,648 Small Aug. 13, 1912 1,366,243 Carr Jan. 18, 1921 1,532,146 Lyde Apr. '7, 1925 2,019,083 Loftin Oct. 29, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,338 Great Britain Aug. 2'7, 1888 439,705 France June 21, 1912 65,500 Switzerland Jan. 6, 1914

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