US2702127A - Shelf rack - Google Patents

Description

Feb 15, 1955 L. E. PAsToRlUs m ET AL 2,702,127

SHELF' RACK Filed April l1. 1951 s sheetslsheer 1 JNVENTORS. ou/[9 E. bs/or/'ugand BY Mar/'an ,4, C22/acci@ L. E. PASTORIUS m ET Al.

SHELF RACK Feb. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April ll, 1951 Feb. 15, 1955 I .y/E. PAsTORlUs III ETAL l 2,702,127

SHELF RACK 3`Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April ll, 1951 g INVENTORS [oa/'S E. @Sfar/a,

United States Patent 4O 2,102,127` SHELF. RACK Louis E. Pastorius III and:Marion- A. Caiaccia,

Pittsburgh, Pa.V

Application April 11, 1.95.1, .Serial No. 220,442 ,sl (el. `al1- 41) This 4invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in 'shelf racks and more particularly to a portable shelf Vrack for use4 in restaurants, hospitals and the like.

The', shelf rack comprising this invention may be ernployed for supporting sterile articles and it can be provided vvithcasters to make the same portable. Again the shelves of the racks may be slotted to provide guides for receivingand supporting trays, slides orother similar members in uniform vertical alignment. Such devices are particularly advantageous for use in large restaurants ofthe help yourself or cafeteria stylewherein the patrons obtain a tray and thenproceed with the same` to select their food.

Another advantage of this invention is the provision of atray that may becompletely disassembled and stored or shipped as a relatively ilat package.

Another advantage ofthis invention is the provislon of `a shelf rack wherein'each part is separable and may permit the same to be disassembled for cleaning purposes.

Another advantage of this invention is the provisionof a shelf rack that may be assembled ordisassembled without the use of'vtools `but merely ,by the means of thumb screws.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying ,drawings show,for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain practical, embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. 1 isan isometric View of this invention as applied to aportable trayzrack.

Fig. 2`is an isometric yviewof one ofthe frames employed in eacheof the shelves of the trayrack as shown in Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a viewj in elevation of one of the angle posts members showing` the inside ofthe angle,V four of which posts provide a set of supports for a series of shelf racks.

Fig.v 4 is a sectionall View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 showing the angular post 4member shown in Flg. 3 having a set screwin the brace thereof.y

Fig. 5 .is .an isometric `View of one of the plate members slotted to receive trays, with kparts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken through one of` the shelves of the slotted rack for supporting a series of trays.

Fig. 7 isa detailed isometric view-of 7the underside of a portion ofthe clamps as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a complete corner post support that` is employed to make the rack mobile, withV parts broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the shelf rack as shown in Fig.` l comprises a series of rfivejshelves 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are supported by the four angle corner post members 6, 7, 8and 9. Each pair of post members 6-7 -and 8--9 is; supported by the foot members 10 and 11.

Each shelf is` supported by a framemember as indicated in Fig. Zat 12 which comprisesa rectangular frame made of channel members having inturned anges ask shown at 13. The frame is constructed to have at each corner a depending leg which is indicated by the angles v14. Each leg is welded to the frame 12and depends therebelow as shown for thepurpose of being stepped into the spaced aligned brace members 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the angle post members 6 which are shown in Fig.` 3. The series of braces`15 to 1S, inclusive, on each leg member are marshal with this strssppdiag brass member 0f .earch 2,702,127 Patented Feb. 15, 1955 2` other legrmember and are attaehed=at,;the,sa`rnel relative position on each post. `It willbenoted that thesetof braces asindicated at; 15 is relatively narrow in width, Whereas each set as indicated, at 16`1'7^arid18-inreases' in width.Y This-is to permit` the post membersdto 9 to provide shelves -at predetermined-spacing; ythe spacing being ofuniform distance between'adjaeent shelves if the posts are inserted in the upright position as shown in Fig,` 3. If, however, the .posts `'are inverted and the legs 1.4-are stepped behind' the braces, each of Vthe shelfgnemfV bers will be `spaced Aa` greater distance VVapart althoughthe spacingbetween eaeh-ofthe shelves will b'e uniform. 'i This is an important object of 'this'inventiom Theibra'elmembers -1'5to.18, are-seured to each Vof the angle post members by anysuitable means suchfas by welding and -they comprise a strap that extends across, the angle. The ,center-of the'strap may'befprovided with an internally threadedveollar, asindicated at 2Q-in Fig, 4, for receiving the thumb screw-member 21forthe purposeof-screwingthrough the collar and against theinner face of the angle leg member 14Lclamping, the-same in the angleof the post member 6. The clamping` action of -the thumb screwA 2,1' against the center of the' angle of the leg Y 14 properly centers the leg within the post and, thus, maintains the proper alignment of the rackparts, Again the brace member may` beexed somewhat by the pressure exerted on the clamping screw 21'bringing theanges of the post towardoonev another which enables them -to exert a pressure on theends of l'the platesv 2'2";as indicated at 23 in Fig. l. VThe ilange of eachcorner post 'is of a widthy which `is slightly greater than one-halfthe Vdifference `between the lengths offthe frame and `*the-plate, and the width of the plate is slightly greater than the width of the frame, so that tightening'the thumb Yscrews 21 will draw the corner posts towardone another and-force the edges ofthe corner postranges into clamping engagement with kthe ends of the plates.

A single plate member 22 `is shown in Fig. 5; This platre member hasv been slotted as indicated at `24 for-.the purpose ofi-receiving trays. Each of the plate members 22,'may be plain and, thus, provide a plain shelfrather than a slotted shelf for thepurpose of receiving instruments, dishes or other similar articles. Each of the slots 24 .isis cut to a lower extent along one edge o f the shelf, as indicated -at 25,V than on the other edge ofthe shelf, as indicated at `26 as shownin Fig. 6v. The slots24 `are open as indicated on the right andere closed as indicated on the left of this View.k The closed end of theslots functions as a` stop for the tray members as indicated at 27;'

Each of the plate members constituting theshelf 'has an -inturned ange 28on the frontend rear thereof. It is preferable although not required to curve the sides, .of the plate edges as ,indicated at ,30bl 1t,the samemaywbe sharply broken if` desired inowhieht case the slot 2,6,would be substantially flushwith the upper surface of the plate member to form a stop.y

Each of the inturned front. and rear lianges of theplate member .is lprovided with Yan angle 31` which,V las shown. in Fig.` 6, supports the plate member 22 `on vthe upper surface of the frame member 12 and the inturned edges 28 of the plate memberV are close to each other and are substantially at the center of the channelfmembers as, shown, The angles 31 not only provide rigidness for `the, plate members 22 and a support therefor, but these angles also space the centralpanel of the plate member 22 from the upper and lower surfaces of the frame 12 as shown in Fig.6; thus, allowingthe tray members l27 to pass beA tween the spaced slots and rest upon the top surface of the angles .-31.

On the top surface of each frame a drip or condensation pan member 33 is supported which has a bowl portion 34 vand an annular flange memberSS that rests on the inner-edge of the inturned flanges 13 of the frame member 12 and is merely held in position Vby reason of the fact that the bowl 34 is coniined between the inturned edges of the frame 12. However the drip trays 33 may be removed, if, desired, ythrough the ends of the rack as Shown in, .Fis-1 PrQ-Yding the. flanges ,35 0f. the` pan .are

not too wide to prevent their passage between each pair of posts 6 and 7 when tilted.

The underside of each frame 12 is likewise provided with -one of the plate members 22 which is constructed identically with the plate member on the top thereof. Each side of the underside of the frame 12 is provided with a series of preferably four clamp members such as indicated at 36. Each clamp member which is also shown in Fig. 7 is provided with a finger control portion 38 and a body portion 39 with a pivot 40 on the bracket 41, the bracket 41 being Welded to the lower flange 13. As shown in Fig. 7 the body portion 39 of the clamp is rectangular and, when moved to a position of 90 from that shown it will release the ange 31 of the plate 22. 'I'he pivot 40 is olfset relative to the flange and thus supports the plate 22 of the underside of the frame 12.

By assembling each of the plate members 22 on a frame member 12 and placing a drip pan 33 therein, one may then assemble the same on the four posts 6, 7, 8 and 9. By stepping the legs 14 into position behind the brace members and by clamping each of the leg members 14 by the thumb screws 21 each shelf may be locked in place. Owing to the fact that the length of each plate 22 is slightly less than its frame, it becomes clamped in position by the legs of the posts when the thumb screws are tightly set. This is particularly true when the thumb screws cause the braces to bow the flanges of the posts and thus draw them tightly against the ends of the plates 22. Thus each of the plates is rigidly secured relative to the posts and relative to each other, and the trays may be inserted between the adjacent plates with their upper edges guided by a slot in the plate on the underside of the upper shelf member and the lower edge of the tray being guided by a corresponding slot in the lower plate on the shelf member, and the stops as indicated at 26 prevents the trays from being shoved clear through the shelf member.

v The top of the rack may be provided with a plain shelf member, such as indicated by the plate 42, which need not be provided with the slots 24. It is also provided with smooth panel ends, such as indicated at 22a, each of which extends over the four corner posts and thus provides a neat finish on the upper end of the rack.

Each foot, as indicated at and 11 in Fig. 1, is a duplicate of each other and extends materially beyond the pair of angular posts 6 and 7 to provide stability to the rack. Each foot is provided with a top panel 43 and a downwardly annular flange member 44 which form right angles at opposite ends of the foot as indicated at 45. A

bracket member 46 is placed across each of the right angle corners, as indicated in Fig. 8, to receive the stem 47 of the caster member 48. Thus the caster members are placed at the opposite ends of each foot and one may stand on the extending portion of each foot to pull on the rack without fear of tilting and upsetting the same 12s/ high is an important factor in a portable rack of this m Each foot is provided with a pair of upwardly extending angles 50 which are spaced apart at the same distance as that of the pairs of posts 6-7 and 8 9. In order to assemble the rack on the feetV 10 and 11, the angle posts are set down over the upwardly extending angle 50 withV the braces confining the posts in place and then the frame of the bottom shelf is inserted in place inside the angle of the upwardly extending angle 50placing the angle 5t) between the corner posts 6 to 9 and the corresponding legs 14 of the lowermost frame 12. When the thumb screws 21 of the lowermost brackets are screwed inwardly, they engage the legs 14 and tightly clamp the upwardly extending angle 50 against the corner posts, thus securing the whole of the rack as one integral unit to the feet and permit the same to provide a mobile structure.

We claim:

l. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending-leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of'braces -at different elevations for each shelf,'each of said corner posts'having a width slightly greater than one-half the difference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind to support the frames, and a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

2. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at dilferent elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the diference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind tosupport the frames, a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack, and a foot for each pair of corner posts having a pair of spaced upwardly extending projections to be received and clamped with the legs of the lowermost frame for anchoring the posts to said foot, said feet extending beyond the corner posts to provide stability to the rack.

3. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater Width and shorter length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at different elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the difference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind to support the frames, the braces of consecutive sets being of different widths and the spacing between their corresponding top and bottom edges being selected to provide different dimensions between shelves when the four corner posts are inverted, and a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

4. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top and another removably held to the bottom of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at different elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the difference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind to support the frames, and a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the top and bottom plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

5. A kshelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter'length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top and another removably held to the bottom of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame,V an angle spaced inwardly of each inturned edge of each plate to space the underside of each plate from said frame, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at different elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the diiference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind to support the frames, and a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the top and bottom plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

6. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each frame having a downwardly extending leg at each corner, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter length than said frames and each having a series of aligned transverse slots in the adjacent plates to form guides, one plate member resting on the top and another removably held to the bottom of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frame, an angle spaced inwardly of each inturned edge of each plate to space the underside of each plate from said frame, a drip pan resting on the top of each frame under the slotted top plate thereof, four corner posts each having a plurality of matched braces attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at different elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the difference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces spaced outwardly from the posts to receive a leg of a frame stepped therebehind to support the frames, and a fastening means on each brace to clamp the leg against the post and rigidly hold all the parts together and to clamp and lock the plate ends and the drip pan ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

7. A shelf rack comprising a plurality of rectangular frames, each corner of said frame having an inwardly facing downwardly extending angle to form a leg, a plurality of matched plate members with inturned front and rear edges and of greater width and shorter length than said frames, one plate member resting on the top of each frame with the inturned front and rear edges closely adjacent the front and rear sides of the frames, four corner posts each being angular in cross section and having a plurality of matched braces extending across the angle and attached in the same relative position along each post to provide a set of braces at different elevations for each shelf, each of said corner posts having a width slightly greater than one-half the difference in the distance between the length of each frame and the length of each plate, said braces receiving the angle legs stepped therebehind to support the frames, and a thumb screw carried by each brace to engage and clamp the surface of the angle leg nested against the angle post and to clamp and lock the plate ends between the posts at opposite ends of the rack.

8. A shelf rack comer post comprising an angle having outwardly projecting flanges, a series of spaced braces connecting said flanges, said braces being progressively wider from one end of the post and their spacing from each other being selected to provide two different sets of uniform distances, one set between the tops of adjacent braces and the other set between the bottoms of adjacent braces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,207 Bullen July 9, 1918 1,281,104 Unger Oct. 8, 1918 1,422,613 Ogden July 1l, 1922 1,465,777 Cantelo Aug. 21, 1923 1,721,743 Nuberg n- July 23, 1929 1,889,218 Reedy Nov. 29, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 691,818 France July 21, 1930

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