US276587A

US276587A - Store

Info

Publication number: US276587A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1900-05-01

Description

(No Model.)

' A HOUSTON.

STORE-1' Patented May 1,1883;

Inventor.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES A. HOUSTON, or Bos'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

STOLRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,587, dated May 1, 1883.

Application filed February 26,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known-that I, JAMES ALBERT Hous- TON, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, of the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stores or Furniture thereof; and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of two sets of goods-shelves of a store, their receivin g-station, cash-boys gallery, and bridge arranged in accordance with my invention, the nature of which :is defined in the claims hereinafter presented. Fig. 2 is a vertical and transverse section taken through one set of shelves and the station, such section also showing sections of the counters arranged in front and rear of the set of shelves. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the set of shelves and the cash-boys gallery over it. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the bridge.

In stores wherein goods are sold by retail and many persons usually congregate at times for the purchase of such goods, it has been the custom for several years to employ messen gers or boys termed cash-boys, whose duty is to receive from the salesmen money paid them for and on accounts of sales and transmit them to the desk of the cashier, and to receive from him any change and take it to the salesman, to be given by him to the customer. When there maybe a crowd or large number of persons or buyers in front of the counters and in the aisles of the store, it often becomes very difficult for the cash-boys to pass along from the salesmen to the cashier and back without inconvenience both to such boys and to the customers.

My invention is to provide, in connection with the sets of goods-holdin g cases or shelves, counters, and the aislesot' a store, means'by which the cash-boys can pass to and fro, as occasion may require, withoutgoing upon the floor among and incommoding the customers who may be in front of the counters or in the aisles or passages; and for this purpose I combine with the set or sets of shelves for holding goods on sale one or more galleries or walks arranged directly over them, and leading from them to one or more receiving-stations; and when there may be on the floor an aisle or be desirable or necessary for the messengersor cashboys tocross such aisle, I have the galleries of the sets connected by one or more bridges, each leading'from one set of shelves on one side of the aisle to another set of them on the opposite side of such aisle, all being substau' tially as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A A denote two sets of store-shelves, and B an aisle between them, there being in front of each of such sets a counter, O, or one in front and another in rear of the set, and arranged therewith in the usual manner, Each set of shelves, or what is often termed shelving, is to be constructed as represented or in any other proper manner; or it may be a goods-case provided with doors having glass panes in them. It is to be about the height that a person of medium size can conveniently reach to in order for him to hand goods or parcels to the cash-boys or to place such goods on the floor of the gallery or on a shelf, a, extended from the gallery, as shown.

The gallery or walk over one of the sets of shelves is represented at D, as provided on its sides with railings b I), such gallery, by means ofa bridge, E, extending over the aisle B, being connected to another such gallery or to a station, F, arranged on and over the opposite set of shelves. This station is shown in transverse section in Fig. 2 as an inclosed space provided with shelves '0 c and counters d (1, arranged as represented. The station I usually provide with pneumatic tubes or mechanical means by which single parcels or packages may be rapidly conveyed from it to the cashiers department, and returned therefrom.

having effected at his countera sale of any article and received money therefor, a salesman is to hand the money or article, or both, and a certificate giving details of the sale, to a messenger or cash-boy in the gallery, oris to place the matter on-the gallery-shelfa, for it to be sub sequeutly removed therefrom by such messenger or cash-boy in the gallery. The messenger or boy, having received the package or packages, next passes along the gallery to the station and delivers the same to one or more attendants there, from whom. he receives the [passageway extending between two or several sets of such shelves or goods-cases, and it may From the above it will be seen that after money or matter to be returned and carries arranged on opposite sides of an aisle or passage-way, and provided with one or more stasuch to the salesman.

I claim- 1. A set of shelves or a case for holding goods or merchandise for sale, provided with a gallery for cash-boys, arranged with it in manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. A set of shelves or a case for holding goods or merchandise for sale, provided with a station and a gallery for cash-boys, all being substantially as set forth.

3. Two sets of shelves or two goods-cases arranged on opposite sides of an aisle or passage-way, and provided with galleries and a .bridge connecting them, such bridge crossing the aisle, and each gallerybeing arranged along the tops of the two sets of shelves or two goods-cases, as and for the purpose substantially as explained.

4. Two sets of shelves or two goods-cases tions and one or more galleries, and a connecting-bridge, all substantially and arranged as set forth.

5. A set of shelves arranged between two counters, and provided with a gallery extending along over the uppermost shell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. Two sets of shelves arranged on opposite sides of an aisle, and not only provided with galleries and a connecting-bridge thereto for cash-boys or messengers, as set forth, but

having counters arranged on opposite sides of 3 5 and with each set of shelves, substantially as specified.

JAMES ALBERT HOUSTON.

Witnesses R. H. EDDY, E. B. PRATT.