Aug. 14, 1956 R. E. SIMPSON STORE COUNTER GLASS PARTITION HOLDERS Filed July 16, 1955 R 3 m5 VP M 5 E r R E w on ATTORNEY STORE COUNTER GLASS PARTITION HOLDERS Robert E. Simpson, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application July 16, 1953, Serial No. 368,383

1 Claim. (Cl. 2481) This invention relates to holders for glass partitions used on the top of store display counters.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for glass partitions or counters which can be installed on counters without the need of screws and to keep thereby the counters from being mutilated by the drilling of holes for receiving of the screws with the result of the screws working and breaking open the holes retaining them and with the result of the constant use of the removal of the screws several times a year when these counters are covered with paper.

It is another object of the invention to provide a partition holder for store counters which will be held by frictional engagement with slots in the upstanding outer inch edges of the counter surface by the mere cutting into the band rail a groove adjacent to the linoleum or a light covering and immediately thereabove and into which integral spring clip portions of the glass partition holder may be inserted at any location along the groove or along the side or end of the counter and wherein an adjustment of the clips can be easily effected to provide different width bins without the need of special tools to change screws.

It is another object of the invention to provide a glass partition holder for counters wherein the upstanding spring channel portions will be held spaced from the upstanding connecting band rail in spaced relationship to permit the insertion of glass partitions therebehind and thus provide a vertically-extending channel for holding the glass plate at right angles or normal to the laterally-extending glass plate placed rearwardly thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a holder for glass partitions on display counters having the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, durable, of pleasing appearance and efficient in use.

For other objects, and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a store counter utilizing the present holder for supporting the glass partitions;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the store counter and of one of the holders fastened to the groove in the band rail and overlying the linoleum top surface of the counter;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower end of one of the holders and looking upon the spring clip retaining portion thereof;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the holders with dot and dash line illustration made showing the band rail and the glass;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a modified form of the holder wherein the channel portion is spaced from the clip to illustrate a glass plate to be inserted in the rear thereof and against the hand rail; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the holder shown in 2,758,348 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 Fig. 5 and with the counter portion being shown in section.

Referring now particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a counter 10 having a. lower counter surface 11 and a raised counter surface 12. Across the front of the counter is a band rail 13. At the rear of the lower counter surface 11 is a riser or wall 14. At the ends of the lower counter surface are side rails 15 and 16.

On the raised counter surface 12, is a front band rail 17 and at the rear thereof is a raised band rail 18. End band rails 19 and 20 are provided at the opposite ends of the upper counter surface 12.

In order to provide a plurality of bins on the counter 10 on the lower and upper surfaces of the counter a groove is cut with a tool around and about and along the full extent of the band rails and as indicated at 21, about three sixty-fourths of an inch in elevation and about one fourth of an inch deep or Wide. This groove or enlargement of a large slot 22 overlies linoleum top 2.3 and top plywood floor 24. The linoleum 23 and the edge of the plywood 24 when the counter is made is fully within the slot 22. With this slot formed in the band rails, low glass partition holders 25 are inserted in spaced locations along the front rail 13 and high holders 26 are inserted along the rear wall 14 corresponding to the spacing of the low partition holders 25 whereby to retain and support glass partitions 27 so as to form front bins along the counter.

The holder 25 is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and comprises a channel 28 having one side inwardly bent as indicated at 29 to have a spring tight engagement with the side face of the glass partition. Spot welded to the lower end of the channel is a laterally-extending spring clip attaching portion 30 formed of a piece of spring metal bent upon itself adapted to fit and have frictional engagement with the wall of the cut groove 21 in the band rail 13. The clip or bent portion 30 has an upwardly bent attaching portion 31 that extends upwardly into the end of the channel 28 and is welded to web portion 32 thereof by a spot weld as indicated at 33.

In order that a back wall of glass, as indicated at 34, can be located in front of the rear wall 14, the high holder 26 is not only made longer but has a different type of spring clip attached thereto for use in fixing the holder in the groove of the wall 14.

This holder 26 is shown more in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises a channel 35 having an inwardly bent side wall 36 for spring press action against the side partition 27. A clip portion 37 has an extension 38 that is bent up as indicated at 3? for attachment by spot welding with the lower end of channel 35. The extension 38 supports the glass wall 34 disposed between the channel 35 and the rear wall 14.

The upper counter surface 12 is similarly partitioned with glass partitions once the grooves have been provided at the front and rear rails 17 and 18. A back glass partition 40 is attached to the rear band rail 13 with the holders 26 in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided holders for glass partitions on the upper surfaces of store display counters so that once a groove has been cut in the rear wall and rails, the holder can be easily attached to the rear wall or rails and without the need of fastening screws and without having to drill holes in the linoleum cover of the counter. It will also be apparent that by inserting or afiixing these holders in this manner the bins can be easily made of variable or different widths along the surface of the counter and depending upon the size of the goods to be displayed between the partitions and within the bins provided thereby. There is spring action in the clip spring portions 30 and 37 of the respective holders 25 so that a tight grip will be effected upon the top of the groove. It will also be noted that in order to have the proper connection of the spring clip With the groove that the clip portions are sutficiently long to give adequate frictional or elongated contact with the upper surface of the groove. If desired, the groove can be provided in the side rails at the time of the manufacture of the counter and can be a portion of the slot 22. However, with a simple cutting tool the groove can be easily placed in an already manufactured counter.

It will be understood that this clip may be formed of a single sheet piece and stamped or folded to conform to the two-part clip described above.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction it shall be understood that such changes shall be Within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A holder for affixing glass partitions to the goods supporting surfaces of display counters comprising a vertical channel portion adapted to retain the edge of a glass partition and a horizontally-extending clip attaching portion projecting rearwardly from the lower end of the vertical channel portion, said portions being formed of spring sheet material, said attaching portion being bent back upwardly over itself to provide a rounded leading edge and two substantially parallel flat upper and lower horizontal slot engaging faces adapted to tightly engage respectively the respective opposite upper and lower sides of a horizontal slot provided in the display counter flush with the supporting surface thereof, said attaching portion having an extension to space its slot engaging faces from the channel portion so as to allow for the insertion of a glass partition vertically disposed on edge therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,767,806 Morris June 24, 1930 1,816,060 Stack July 28, 1931 1,896,524 Meyer Feb. 7, 1933 2,271,250 Buchholz Jan. 27, 1942 2,350,028 Garfinkle May 30, 1944 2,414,986 Tinnerman J an. 28, 1947