US2792126A

US2792126A - Display rack

Info

Publication number: US2792126A
Application number: US441279A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert W Mapstone
Original assignee: CROSMAN SEED CORP
Current assignee: CROSMAN SEED Corp
Priority date: 1954-07-06
Filing date: 1954-07-06
Publication date: 1957-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1974-05-14

Description

y 1957 H. w. MAPSTONE 2,792,126

DISPLAY RACK Filed July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. HERBERT K. MAPS TONE HIS A TI'ORIVEY May 14, 1957 H. w. MAPSTONE DISPLAY RACK Filed July 6. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 58 l-2 W I 7 Fla. 1. F

INVENTOR. HERBERT n. MAPSTONE HIS ATTORNEY DISPLAY RACK Herbert W. Mapstone, East Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Crosman Seed Corporation, East Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,279

9 Claims. (Cl. 211-2) This invention relates to display racks or shelves, and more particularly to display racks adapted for the storage and display of merchandise offered for sale, one object being the provision of a more useful device of this description.

In stores and markets it is often desired to display certain types of merchandise in an attractive and accesments of various types of merchandise which may be altered when it is desired to display a different type of merchandise. For this reason, another object of this invention is the provision of a display rack with movable and interchangeable parts which may be assembled in difierent arrangements adapted to display different kinds of merchandise.

Another object is the provision of a convertible display rack of the above description which is completely self contained and wherein all the separate parts are stored within the unit itself.

A further object is the provision of a display rack affording the above advantages that is simple and attractive in design and relatively inexpensive to produce.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display rack embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation taken substantially along line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. l with the rack arranged to display small packages;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially along 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially along line 6-4? in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken substantially along line 77 in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the interchangeable small package rack removed from the main display rack 2,792,125 Patented May 14,

Side boards 10 and 11 are connected by a trough-like top member 16, upper and

lower face boards

17 and 18, and fixed bottom shelf 20 and back 21 to form a rigid structure suitable for supporting movable shelves, as hereinafter described. A series of movable

horizontal shelves

25, 26 and 27 are slidably mounted in

horizontal channels

29, 30 and 31, respectively, which are fastened to side boards 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 7, and together form a main display rack.

A series of

vertical back boards

35, 36 and 37 are mounted at the rear end of

shelves

25, 26 and 27, re spectively, and are movable therewith to form the rear wall of said shelves. When these shelves are in their forwardmost position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the display rack is adapted for holding and displaying merchandise of relatively large size, such as packages of bread, cereal, soap and the like.

The forward movement of

shelves

25, 26 and 27 is limited by

stops

39, 40 and 41 (Figs. 2 and 7) which preferably comprise dowels projecting from side boards 10 and 11. The shelves are prevented from moving rearwardly by an interchangeable small package rack 43 which is stored in the rear part of the display rack as shown in Fig. 2, which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The interchangeable small package rack 53 (Fig. 8) preferably comprises a curved basket-like wire structure comprising two parallel curved side members 15 and 46 connected by cross members 47 and subdividing members 48 to form a plurality of small elongated compartments open at the top. Interchangeable small package rack 43 is normally removably hung on two hooks 50 on the rear of a board 52 depending vertically from trough 16 and is supported, out of sight, being hidden by

boards

52, 35, 36, 37 and 21 as shown in Fig. 2. Rack 43 is stored in this out-of-the-way manner when the rack is used for displaying large packages of merchandise as described above.

When it is desired to display merchandise in relatively small packages, such as for example, those commonly used for selling flower and garden seeds, interchangeable small package rack 43 is removed from its hooks preparatory for positioning on the front of the main display rack. Shelves 25, 26 and 27 are then moved rearwardly in

tracks

29, 30 and 31, against two stop strips 54, as shown in Fig. 4. Interchangeable small package display rack 43 is then set in front of the main display rack, the space which has been vacated by

shelves

25, 26 and 27, thereby allowing the display of multiplicity of small packages, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The top of the main display rack is preferably adapted for carrying a lighted sign or other suitable advertising matter. For example, an elongated fluorescent lamp 56 is attached to trough 16, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to provide a source of light for this advertising display, and at the same time, to illuminate the merchandise being displayed. Front wall 17 of the upper part of the display rack is pierced to form an opening 58 of rectangular or other convenient shape, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A track comprising two horizontal grooves is provided behind window 53 to allow the insertion of a sheet of transparent or translucent material 59 adapted to cover opening 58 and light 56 (Figs. 2 and 4). Suitable advertising matter is preferably written on trans parent or translucent sheet 59 in suitable colored media which themselves may be transparent or translucent, as is well known in the art. A series of different signs is preferably provided for each of the different types of merchandise offered for sale in the rack.

The rack herein described thus provides a very useful and convenient unit for the alternate display of different types of merchandise. It may be used, for example, in a grocery store or variety store for displaying grocery or other packaged products throughout the fall and winter seasons and may be converted in the spring to provide a convenient and attractive display of a large selection of llower and garden seeds, when the season for selling these items approaches. This provision of the interchangeable small package rack allows a single main display rack to serve a double purpose with a saving of expense and space, while the method of storing the unused display means in the rear of the unit while the other is in use, makes the unit completely self-contained. No tools are required to convert the rack from one type of display to the other. The entire rack is supported by casters for easy movement so that the display may be strategically located in the position best suited for the sale of the particular merchandise being offered.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects, and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifieations in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display rack comprising supporting members, a plurality of shelves movably supported by said supporting members for displaying one type of merchandise and movable to operative position and to inoperative position, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit over the front of the first mentioned rack for containing and displaying another type of merchandise when said shelves are in inoperative position.

2. A display rack comprising supporting members, a plurality of shelves movably supported by said supporting members for displaying one type of merchandise and movable to operative position and to inoperative position, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit over the front of the first mentioned rack for containing and displaying another type of merchandise when said shelves are in inoperative position, and means for supporting said auxiliary rack on the back of the first mentioned rack when said shelves are in operative position.

3. A display rack comprising supporting members, a plurality of substantially horizontal shelves movably supported by said members and movable to a front position and to a rear position, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit in the front of said display rack for containing and displaying merchandise when said shelves are in rearward position, said auxiliary rack being adapted to fit in the rear of said rack for storage when said shelves are in the front position.

4. A display rack comprising supporting members, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal shelves of progressively decreasing depth in an upward direction and having their front edges in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined alignment slidably supported by said members and movable to a front position and to a rear position, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit in front of said display rack in an inclined position for containing and displaying merchandise when said shelves are in rearward position, said auxiliary rack being adapted to fit in the rear of said rack for storage when said shelves are in the front position.

5. A display rack comprising supporting members, a plurality of horizontal tracks supported by said members, horizontal shelves slidably supported in said tracks, said shelves being movable to a forward position and to a rearward position, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit in the front part of said rack for containing and displaying merchandise when said shelves are in the rearward position, said auxiliary rack being adapted to fit in the rear of said rack when said shelves are in the forward position.

6. A display rack comprising vertical supporting membars, a plurality of horizontal shelves slidably supported by said vertical members and movable to a forward position and to a rearward position rertical baekboards attached to each of said shelves adjacent to the rear edge thereof and extending upwardly to form backs for said shelves, an auxiliary rack adapted to fit in the front of said display rack for containing and displaying merchandise when said shelves are in the rearward position, said auxiliary rack being adapted to fit in the rear of said display rack in a position concealed by said backs of said shelves, for storage when said shelves are in the forward position.

'7. A display rack comprising a base, two upwardly extending parallel spaced side supporting members, a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontal shelves extending between and movably supported by said supporting members, certain of said shelves being movable to a forward position and to a rearward position, means for restraining the movement of said shelves between predetermined limits, an auxiliary rack comprising two parallel spaced side members and connecting cross members, said cross members being connected by a plurality of dividing members to form a multiplicity of compartments for containing and displaying merchandise, and means for supporting said auxiliary rack in the front of said display rack when said shelves are in the rearward position.

8. A display rack comprising a base, two upwardly extending parallel spaced side supporting members, a plurality of movable spaced horizontal shelves extending between said supporting members and supported thereby, certain of said shelves being movable to a forward position and to a rearward position, an auxiliary rack comprising two parallel spaced side members and connecting cross members, said cross members being connected by a plurality of dividing members to form a multiplicity of compartments for containing and displaying merchandise, means for supporting said auxiliary rack in the front of said display rack when said shelves are in the rearward position, and means for supporting said auxiliary rack in the rear of said display rack for stor age when said shelves are in the forward position.

9. A display rack as described in claim 8 provided with means for illuminating said merchandise and a sign for advertising the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 673,265 Holtzclaw Apr. 30, 1901 1,672,633 Vogel June 5, 1928 1,861,310 Liebendorfer May 31, 1932