US2615666A - Shelf support - Google Patents

Description

0a. 28, 1952 v 6 B. JONES 2,615,666

' SHELF SUPPORT Filed Jan. 18, 1949 I SHEETS-SHEET 2 muff/Toe 0769/6455 5. JoNE Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNIT-ED STATES H PATENT OFFICE, H Charles Park, I England ,7

Application Jamar-7118, 1949, Serial No. 71,417 i In Great Britain February 19, 19.47

This invention relates porting of a shelf or like structure, and relates in particular to fitments oi the kind which inelude a bracket having an arm with a hook-like projection at one end, and a vertical slotted plate or strip for-attachment to.:a wall or column, the hook-like end engaging in one of theslots, with a suitable strut between the arm and engaging at it lower end in a slot beneath the arm, the arrangement resulting in the rapid engagement and disengagement of the bracket from its support. The invention is particularly .although not essentially applicable to brackets in which a degree of'angular adjustment of .the shelf supporting member can be obtained.

These fitments are of use for supporting shelves, tables or the like. Thus, one particular application is toshelves usually of glassused in shop windows, show cases and the'like, and the bracket usually is constructed from strip metal having at least two arms, one of which is hooked to engage in a slot, the .other serving as a strut. Whilst such brackets provide adequate support for normal purposes, and can be adjustedeasily and quickly both as regard to heightand in some cases angularity with respect to the horizontal, there is a tendency forsame to rock or move ina horizontal direction i. e. laterally.

Th primary object of this invention is toprovide an improved form of bracket wherein'lateral instability is" reduced. Another object-isto -provide a means for retaining a shelf against accidental upward or lateral displacement.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a means for reducing lateral instability which means is of simple constructionand'is suchthat pressure is exerted on the vertical strip at each side of the slots, which pressure can be adjusted or can be removed thus to Iacilitatethe setting up and removal of the'bracket 'from theplate;

In order that a clear understandlng'orthe invention may be obtained, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation'oiabracketinaccordance with the inventionandiltted to'its sup-' porting plate for horizontal use;

Figurezis a plan view of-an alternative form of bracket which embodies the same form 01' pressure exerting means shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary'sectionalviewon the line III-III, Figure l to an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is aside'view or an alternative form of stabiliser consisting of asprins;

.3 claims, (01. sis- 243) Figure 5 is a rear sectional view of .the .form shown in Figure 4, a t

Figure; 6. shows an alternative form,

.-..Figure-7 isa fragmentary side view partly in section showing the end of the supportingstrut with an alternative construction for increasing the wedging action of the end of said strut in a-slot. e

Referring firstly to Figure L'there isprovided a fitting comprising a slotted plate or stripltor attachment to a wall or a slotted supporting column and a shelf-supporting member comprising an arm9 made of strip metal or other strip material; and a strut I 0 pivoted thereto. The arm 9 is formed with a shoulder ll on its upper edge near its inner. end, said shoulder being adapted to engage behind the wall plate 8 after passing the innerend of the arm: through a selected one of the slots l2 in said wall plate. The shoulder I l is so'formed that when the arm 9 is positioned with its shelf-supporting surface horizontal, the said shoulder ll inclines rearwardly and upwardly. This permits the armto'be swung downwardly from the horizontal position to such an extent as. is permitted by a bottom shoulder 13 when the said shoulder becomes vertically dis posed for contact with the rear face of the'wall plate. The undersurface ll of 'the'arm 9-in the region of the shoulder II is radiused about the base of saidshoulder, the radius approximately corresponding with the depth of a slot 12 in the wall plate so-tha't the nose end of the arm fully occupies the said slot in all-positions throughout the predetermined angle of movement in all of the available positions of support, thereby preventing vertical movement. To permit the downward movement of the arm'from the horizontal position, tthe said curved section extends well forward of a point which is vertically beneath the shoulder when the arm is horizontal.

Preferably the shoulder l I is constituted by'th'e rear edge of a .v-shaped notch i5,the front-edge of which inclines upwardly from said shoulder to .the shelf-supporting portion of saidtop edge. This helps to guide the strip into place when being inserted into the wall plate andwalso-forms a wedge to prevent the arm from being pushed bodilyinto the wall plate. i

:Thestrut l0 serves to'maintainth e shelf-supporting arm 8in 'therequired position, said strut having "a stepped notch l6 at its free end pro viding aprojection for" engaging with a selected one ofthe slots II in the wall plate, i. e. one of I the slots beneath the one in which the arm 19 isengaged: i-The l saidmotch .16 0f the strut less 3 formed that only the portion of the strut in the immediate vicinity of the base of the step has contact with the slotted wall plate, thus providing in effect a knife edged bearing.

Preferably, the strut I is made of channel form except at its rear end, the shelf-supporting arm being mounted within said channel. This enables said parts to be folded close together for purposes of storage and packing.

The outer end of the shelf-supporting arm has an upstanding finger H at its outer end forming a ledge to prevent the shelf from slipping oil when the bracket is downwardly inclined.

In the form of bracket illustrated in Figure 2,

the shelf-support consists of a pair of arms 9a, 3a secured to the central arm 9, Y-fashion, so that the shelf or the like is supported along diverging lines, thus giving a stable support to the shelf.

Th pressure exerting} means comprise two plates l8, l8, which are formed from a strip of metal bent to narrow channel-section to embrace and receive the arm 9, as shown in Figure 3. The end of each plate l8 extends beyond the channel and is cranked to provide two parallel wing-like parts. The channel section member is mounted on the arm 9 by providing a hole through the arm, and a hole through each plate l8 so that the uniting pin 19 can be passed through the said holes. This pin l9 has a knurled head 20 and is retained by a nut 2|. It is also formed in its length with an eccentric part 22, the arrangement being such that by turning the knurled head 20 the plates can be moved, the movement having a component in a direction along the arm 9. As shown in the drawing, the eccentric is provided on one side of the arm 9, but it will be clear that a similar eccentric may be provided on the other side.

The free end of each wing part 23 is rounded or otherwise shaped so that it will give an adequate pressure irrespective of the angular setting of the arm 9. It will be clear from the drawings that the plates are drawn away from the slotted upright during the engagement of the bracket to the slotted plate. After engagement of the bracket, the knurled head is rotated until the two ends 23 bear with adequate pressure on the face of the plate.

In order further to increase stability, suitable means may be provided on the end of the strut to bear on the face of the slotted plate. Such means may be in the form of winged plates as above described, or, as shown in Figure 1, may comprise two pin-mounted rollers 24.

In the alternative form shown in Figures 4 and 5, the stabilising device consists of a spring 25, which is shaped to provide two forwardly faclng bowed or arcuate parts 26. These said parts are spaced apart as shown in Figure 5, and the spring 25 may be formed at each side as shown in Figure 6 at its end opposite the bowed end with a substantially horizontal part 2! taking round a pin 28, and anchored at-its rear extremity to a stud 29. It may however be bent to pass around a pin 28 andbeneath the arm 9. The bowed or arcuate parts 26 may terminate substantially level with the upper edge of the arm 9. Preferably, however, and as shown, the said arcuate portion extends above the arm and is bowed, the upper end curving rearwardly and downwardly and having an upturned rear edge or lip 30. This provides a spring member for holding the rear of the shelf, shown in broken lines, Figured, and convenientlythespring. at

5 O-parts bridged at each end by a transverse part 32. The shaping is such that the clip will engage the outer end of the bracket, one side member'a't each sidethereof, the lower bridging piece which curves. upwardly, engaging in a transverse groove 33 in the bottom edge of the bracket, whilst the upper bridging piece curves downwardly and is lipped forwardly and upwardly to bear on the shelf, which is retained against forward displacement by the upstanding finger.

It will be clear that the spring device may be of other forms. Thus, a'coil or loop may be provided between the lower end of the bowed part and the rearwardly directed part as shown in Figure 6.

In another form of pressure exerting device, there is provided a short arm at each side of the bracket arm, the said arm being mounted on a commonpivot pin, the free end of said arms each being provided with an arcuate plate which is struckv slightly eccentrically with respect to the pivot. The plate has a finger operating part and the arrangement is such that when the bracket arm is in position the short arm (which may be bifurcated) at each side can be pressed down so that the plates will bearon the upright wedge fashion, to give lateral stability.

A spring clip like member may be provided to retain the shelf, in cases where rigid pressure exerting members are used. As shown in Fig. 1 the clip may consist in a single or double c-like spring member 34 with a downwardly extending leg 35. Theclip is dimensioned and formed so that it can engage resiliently in the slot immediately above the slot engaged by the hook-like end, the leg having an upturned lower end so that itcan bear on the shelf surface.

Referring to Fig. 7, a sliding wedge like tongue 36 is-mounted within the channel member l0, which tongue is pressed so as to be urged out from the channel. The strut end is formed as a solid projecting part 31 so that the tongue rides thereon and the undersurface of the said part has a V-nitch 38 in its undersurface.

As will be seen from Fig. 7, the tongue 36 is formed at the end of a rod 39 bent back on itself and carrying a knob 40 projecting through a slot 4| in the base of the member I 0, the said rod 39 being pressed forwardly by the spring 42. As willb'e clear from Fig. '7 the tongue 36 can be retracted by the knob 40 so that the end 31 can be passed through a slot, the spring on release of the knob allowing the spring to force the tongue into the slot thereby forming in conjunction with the end 31, a wedge fit into the slot.

I claim:

1. In a fitting for supporting a shelf or like member, the combination of a vertical strip having a plurality of spaced apart slots therealong, an arm having a hook-like rear end for insertion in one selected slot and provided with an openinginwardly of said end, a strut pivoted at its upper end to,-.1the;.armand having means at its lower end for engagement in a slot below the rear end of the arm engaging said selected slot, means carried by the arm at its rear end for exerting pressure on the strip on each side of the arm said means including a pair of rigidly connected apertured plates, one on each side of the arm, a rotatable pin passing through said hole in the arm and the apertured plates, and an eccentric cam-part formed on said pin for engagement with a peripheral part of the aperture of one plate, whereby turning of said pin, through the cam-part, will move said plates towards or away from the vertical strip.

2. A fitting for supporting a shelf as claimed in claim 1, wherein each plate has a wing part spaced from but extending parallel with the arm and to the rear end, the ends of said wing parts constituting the pressure exerting parts of the plates.

3. A fitting for supporting a shelf as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strut includes a member slidable therein and at the rear end of said strut, the rear end of said member being constituted as a wedge, and spring means whereby REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,080,639 Kurtzon Dec. 9, 1913 1,847,486 Keil Mar. 1, 1932 1,855,242 Jarvis Apr. 26, 1932 2,477,771 Sanford Aug. 2, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 168,624 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1921 255,882 Germany June 23, 1893 513,062 Great Britain Oct, 3, 1939

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