US2848294A - Combination article-supporting and display rack and storage cabinet unit - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1958 I R.4 E. sANDBl-:RG A 2,848,294

COMBINATION ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAY I RACK AND STORAGE CABINET UNIT ATTORNEYS Aug. 19, 1958 R. E. sANDBERG 2,848,294

COMBINATION ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAY RACK AND STORAGE CABINET UNIT Filed Jan. 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 19, 1958 R. E. sANDBERG 2,848,294

COMBINATION ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAY RACK AND STORAGE CABINET UNIT Flled Jan. 3, 1956 n 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1% 5 I I G 4/ a. r| 3 ATTORNEYS 2,848,294 E-sUPPoRTING AND DISPLAY RACK AND STORAGE CABINET UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 3, 1956 Nam I 11111111, f llallll'llllfnl'l'lplm .--:---1-.:---Ji:itil: fiii ,IWJ N 1 E. E l-N www i w oww mw www R uw @di QN NTOR. DBERG @fk/M ATTORNEYS United States Patent G COMBINATION ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DES- PLAY RACK AND STORAGE CABINET UNIT Robert E. Sandberg, North Warren, Pa., assigner to Royai Metal Manufacturing Company, Chicago, ill., a corporation of illinois Application lanuary 3, 1956, Seriai No. 556,336

1 Claim. (Cl. S12-234) This invention relates to storage cabinets and, more particularly, to a combination article-supporting and display rack and a storage cabinet unit particularly well adapted for the storage of templates, keys, engineering drawings, display room samples of textiles, or various other articles which it may be desired to mount substantially flat on vertically extending combination supporting and display racks for storage in a compact space, when not in use, while enabling each of said combination supporting and display racks to be readily withdrawn from its storage cabinet for examination and removal of any desired article therefrom, as and when desired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel storage cabinet unit of the aforementioned type which includes a plurality of spaced storage cabinets having a plurality of trackways extending into each of said storage cabinets with each of said trackways being adapted to support a pair of combination article-supporting and display racks so that any selected one of the combination article-supporting and display racks may be readily and quickly withdrawn from its storage cabinet into an intercabinet space provided between two of the storage cabinets for examination or removal of one or more articles mounted thereon, and so that the selected article-supporting and display rack may then be readily returned to its position in one of the storage cabinets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved storage cabinet unit which is particularly well adapted for use in the storage of templates, keys, and other objects, and which is so arranged and constructed that the combination article-supporting and display racks embodied therein may be readily and selectively withdr-awn from the respective storage cabinets in which they are normally housed, for examination of the articles mounted thereon and for removal of any such articles as and when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the new combination article-supporting and display rack and storage unit -a novel trackway construction for slidably mounting a plurality of the combination article-supporting and display racks thereon and so that the said combination article-supporting and display racks may be readily and quickly withdrawn from and returned to the storage cabinets in a minimum of time and with a minimum amount of effort.

A further `object of the invention is to provide in each of the trackways which are embodied in the invention a novel latching device for preventing the accidental complete withdrawal of the display racks from the storage cabinets,

Another object of my invention is to afford a novel storage cabinet unit `of the aforementioned type wherein the parts thereof are so constituted and arranged as to permit the complete removal of the display racks therefrom in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object of my invention is to afford a novel combination article-supporting and display rack and story 2,848,294 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 age cabinet which is compact in size both for storage and display purposes.

Yet another object `of my invention is to afford a novel device of the aforementioned type which is compact in size but with which full display of articles mounted on the display racks may be effected in a no-vel and expeditious manner.

A further object of my invention is to afford a novel storage cabinet unit of the aforementioned type, the storage capacity of which may be readily increased or reduced in a novel and expeditious manner.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which l have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the inventions embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art Without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

in the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a combination article-supporting and display rack and storage cabinet unit embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the storage cabinet unit shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the new combination article-supporting and display racks' embodied in the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig, 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View partly in section, partly in elevation, showing the construction of one of the new trackways on which the new combination article-supporting and display racks are movably mounted for withdrawal from, and return to, their respective storage cabinet-s;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on line 7 7 in Fig. 6 showing the details of the trackway construction and the means by which the combination article-supporting and display racks are removably suspended therefrom; i

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 6 with the parts thereof disposed in dierent positions;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Fig, 8;

Fig. l0 is a detail sectional View taken substantially along the line iti-lil in Fig. l; and

Fig. l1 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line il ll in Fig. l0.

A preferred embodiment of the new combination article-supporting and display rack and storage cabinet unit is illustrated in the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at Titi, and includes a plurality of storage cabinets il. Each of the storage cabinets ll is substantially square in hori'tontal cross-section, and embodies a framework l2 including four steel channel-shaped corner posts it-a, Elib, Tide and ldd, with the posts 14 aand Mb disposed at one side of the cabinet il, herein referred to as the inner side, and the posts idc and 14d disposed at the opposite side of the cabinet il, herein referred to as the outer side. The posts ida-d are identical in construction.

The framework l2 of each cabinet lll also includes two channel-shaped, elongated bottom runners 16 and 17 in which the legs rest, and two horizontal top rails 19 and mounted on the corner posts 14, Figs. l and 2, as will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The runners 16 are substantially rectangular shaped channel members having two upright longitudinal sidewalls 16a and 16b interconnected by a bottom wall 16C, and having a longitudinally extending liange 161! projecting outwardly in a horizontal direction from the top edge of the side wall 16h, Fig. l.

The runners 17 are similar to the runners 16, having two side walls 17a and 17h, a bottom wall17c, and a flange 17d projecting outwardly from the top of thc side wall 17h, but, in addition, have another longitudinally extending ange 17e projecting outwardly from the side wall 17a in the same horizontal plane as the flange 17d, Fig. l.

The runners 16 and 17 in each cabinet 11 are disposed in substantially parallel relation to each other with the runner 16 disposed under the inner legs 14a and 141), and the runner 17 disposed under the outer legs 14e and 14d. The legs 14 tit into the runners 16 and 17 with a relatively snug fit and are secured thereto by suitable means such as screws 22, each runner 16 and 17 terminating at each of its ends in horizontal alignment with the vertical center line of the adjacent leg 14, Fig. 3.

The top rails 19 and 20 are identical in construction to the runners 16 and 17, respectively, and the parts thereof are indicated in the drawings by reference numerals having the same sutiixes as the corresponding parts of the runners 16 and 17, Fig. 1.

The top rails 19 and 20, in each of the cabinets 11, are mounted on, and extend between the inner posts 14a and 14b, and the outer posts 14C and 14d, respectively, substantially vertically above, and in parallel relation to the runners 16 and 17, respectively. The posts 14a-d fit into the channel-shaped body portions of the rails 19 and 2l) and are secured in such position by screws 24, Fig. 3. Like the runners 16 and 17, the rails 19 and 20 terminate at their ends inhorizontal alignment with the longitudinal center lines of the legs 14a-d on which they are mounted.

Each of the cabinets 11 is disposed in parallel spaced relation to another one of the cabinets 11, Figs. l and 2, with the inner sides of the two cabinets 11 facing each other, to thereby afford an inter-cabinet space which affords a combination aisle and display area 26, between the two cabinets 11, Figs. l and 2.

A plurality of substantially parallel trackways 28, which are channel-shaped in cross section, are mounted on and extend between the cabinets 11 in each of the aforementioned pair of cabinets, Figs. l and 2. Each of the trackways 28 includes a substantially horizontally extending, channel-shaped top rail portion 28a, and a channel shaped bottom rail portion 28b, connected together by a vertically extending supporting wall 28C, Fig. 7. Each of the trackways 28 depends from, and is connected by suitable means such as bolts 30 to, the flanges 19d and 20e of the top rails 19 and 20, respectively, of each of the cabinets in the pair of cabinets between which the trackways 28 extend, Figs. 2 and 7.

The present invention includes a plurality of articlesupporting and display racks 32, each of which is movably supported by a pair of anti-friction rollers 34- which travel on the bottom ange 28h of one of the trackways 2S, Figs. 6 and 7. Each of the rollers 34 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 36 which projects horizontally from the upper end portion of a hanger bracket or arm 37. The lower end portion of the hanger bracket 37 is attached by suitable fastening elements such as screws or bolts 39 to the outer face of the rear wall 32a of one of the racks 32, Fig. 7.

The rear wall 32a of each rack 32 is preferably substantially rectangular shaped, and a continuous flange 32b projects perpendicularly from the lateral edges thereof. Each of the racks 32 has a plurality of apertures or holes 41, Figs. 4 and 6, formed in the rear wall 32a thereof, in

suitably spaced relationship, and in any desired design or pattern. Each of these apertures or holes 41 is adapted to receive a suitable article-supporting element or member such as, for example, the shank 43a of a supporting-hook 43, Fig. 5, having an upturned outer or front end portion 43b, and having a threaded inner or rear end portion 43e which is projected through one of the holes 41 and held therein by suitable means such as a ange 43d, and a .nut 4S disposed on the opposite sides of the rear wall 32a of the rack 30.

Each or" the racks 32 is of such size that it may be I disposed in vertical position within its storage cabinet 11, in such position that when the outer vertical edge of the rack 32 is disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center line of the outer posts 14e and 14d, the inner vertical edge of the rack 32 is disposed inwardly of the inner face of the inner posts 14a and 14]). The pair of hangers 37 mounted on each of the racks 32 are so disposed thereon that when the racks 32 are disposed within their storage cabinets 11, the hangers 37 are disposed within the confines of the cabinets 11. Also, the racks 32 are so disposed on the hangers 37 that when the racks 32 are supported by the hangers 37 from thc trackways 28, the lower edges of the racks 32 are disposed in upwardly spaced relation to the horizontal plane of the top face of the runners 16 and 17, Fig. l.

A plurality of elongated guides 47 are mounted on and extend between the inner flanges 16d and 17d of the runners 16 'and 17 of each of the cabinets 11, Figs. l and l()v Each of the guides 47 embodies a substantially horizontally extending lateral edge portion 47a from one longitudinal edge portion of which a downwardly opening substantially channel-shaped portion 47b projects laterally and upwardly, Fig. 10. The guides 47 are secured to the runners 16 and 17 by suitable means such as bolts 49 which extend through the lateral edge portions 47a of the guides 47 into the anges 16d and 17d of the runners 16 and 17. The guides 47 are disposed on the runners 16 and 17 in spaced parallel relation to each other, and in such position that they afford upwardly opening tracks or guideways 51, Fig. 10, which are so disposed relative to a respective one of the trackways 28, that when a rack 32 is supported by the hanger brackets 37 from the trackway 28, the lower end portion of the rack 32 is disposed in the guideway 51 and is free to move longitudinally thereof as the rack 32 is moved on its rollers 34 along the respective trackway 28.

An elongated latching member 53, having a substantially V-shaped notch 53a formed in one end thereof is pivotally mounted at its other end by a pin 55 to the vertical wall 28:: of each trackway 28, Figs. 6 and 7. An opening 57 is formed in the inner end portion of the top flange 32h on each of the racks 32, and the latching member 53 is so disposed on the trackway 28, that the free end portion thereof rides on the upper face of the top flange 321; in such position that the notch 53a therein projects rearwardly or inwardly toward the opening 57. When a rack 32 is moved along a trackway 28 into the aisle 26 between two cabinets 11, the latching member 53 rides thereon until the opening 57 moves into alignment therewith. The free end portion of the latching member 53 then drops downwardly into the opening S7 to engage the inner edge of the opening 57 in the notch 53a and thereby further outward movement of the rack 32 into the aisle way 26. The positioning of the latch S3 on the trackway 18 is such that this checking of outward movement of the latch 32 is eected while the outer'vertical edge portions of the racks 32 are still engaged between the traekways 47 extending between the runners 16 and 17. In this manner, the racks 32 are rmly supported against lateral swinging movement thereof, when the latter are disposed in normal display position in the aisle 26 between cabinets 11.

If it is desired to remove one of the racks 32 from a trackway 18, this may be readily accomplished by manually releasing the latch 53 from its engagement in the opening 57 and thereby permit the rack 32 to be fully withdrawn from the cabinet into the aisle 26 between adjacent cabinets. This movement frees the lower end portion of the rack 32 from engagement with the guides 47 so that by lifting on the rack 32 and swinging the lower end thereof a slight distance laterally, the rollers 34 on the hangers 37 may be disengaged from the trackway 28 on which they normally run, and the individual rack 32 may thereby be removed from the trackway 28.

A stop member S8, in the form of a vertically disposed, longitudinally extending, partition wall, Figs. l, 10, and ll, is disposed in each of the runners 17. The stop member S8 projects upwardly above the guideways 47 and is effective to engage the lower end portion of the racks 32 when the latter are disposed in fully concealed position in the cabinets 11, and thereby prevent the racks 32 from being moved inwardly into the cabinets 11 past the position wherein the outer edges of the racks 32 are disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center line of the outer posts 14e and 14d.

A dip 59, Fig. 6, is formed in the inner end portion of the lower ange 28h of each trackway 23, in such position that when the racks 32 are disposed in normal stored position in the cabinets 11, the roller 34 on the outer hanger 37 is disposed in the dip 59 in the trackway 28 to thereby yieldingly hold the racks 32 from being accidentally moved out of stored position in the cabinet 11 into display position therebetween.

With a combination display rack and storage cabinet constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention, each pair of storage cabinets 11 affords storage space and display space for a plurality of compactly arranged racks 32. Also, it will be seen that the combination display rack and storage cabinet unit may be readily enlarged both longitudinally and laterally, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2.

Thus, for example, to enlarge the combination display rack and storage cabinet laterally, two pairs of posts 14a and 14b may be disposed in upright position in the parallel relation to the posts 14b and 14e of the respective cabinets 11 previously disposed in an assembled relation. Two new pairs of runners 16 and 17 may be disposed in longitudinal alignment with the previously assembled pairs of runners 16 and 17, with one end of each of the new runners 16 and 17 disposed under one of the previously assembled posts 14h and 14C, respectively. ATwo new pairs of upper rails 19 and 20 may be disposed in longitudinal alignment with the previously assembled pairs of rails 19 and 26, with one end of each of the new rails 19 and 20 mounted on one of the previously assembled posts 14h and 14C, respectively. In this construction, the posts 14h and 14C atiord common posts for both the first and second pairs of cabinets 11, Fig. 2. The other parts of this new pair of cabinets are then arranged in the same manner previously discussed with respect to the first pair of cabinets.

Similarly, to extend the combination display rack and storage cabinet unit longitudinally, the outer flanges 20d of the top rail 20 previously mounted on the first pair of cabinets afford the inner liange for the new trackways 2S for the support of one end thereof. Two pairs of inner posts 14a and 14]; and one pair of outer posts Vc and 14d need merely then be added in parallel relation to the previously erected corresponding posts, and the necessary additional runners 16 and 17 and top rails 19 and 2d may then be added to the posts, and the other parts of the combination article display rack and storage cabinet unit may then be installed as previously described.

Brace members 61 are preferably secured to the upper faces of the inner anges 20e and 19d of the top rails 20 and 19 in each of the storage cabinets 11 and suitable braces 63 and 64 are preferably disposed between each of the pairs of posts 14a and 14d, and 14'; and 14C,

respectively, Figs. l and 2. If desired, additional braces 66 may be secured to the outer faces of the posts 14C and 14d forming the longitudinal outer ends of my novel display rack and storage cabinet, Fig. 3.

-If desired, a runner 16 may =be used in place of the `outer runners 17 on the outer posts 14C and 14d forming the outer ends ot -a complete storage cabinet unit. This will eliminate the otherwise outwardly projecting flange 17e `so `as to eliminate any outwardly projecting member which might trip an individual moving past the end of such a cabinet. if such a procedure is followed, it is merely necessary to replace the runner 16 with `a suitable runner 17 when it is desired to add further storage cabinets on to that end of the combination display rack and stonage cabinet unit.

In the use of the new combination article supporting and display rack and -storage cabinet unit 10 the articlesupporting and display racks 32 will normally be stored in the storage cabinets 11, suspended from the trackways 28, where they will occupy a minimum of storage space, and when itis desired to examine any Iof the combination rarticle-supporting and display racks 32 for any purpose, such as, for example, removing a selected template, pattern orother article or articles from yone or more of the supporting hooks 43 this may =be readily accomplished by the user or operator, who need only position himself in the intercabinet space 26 between the two storage cabinets 11 and manually pull the particular article-sup por-ting and display rack 32 he desires from one or the other of the storage cabinets 11 into the display area 26 between the two storage cabinets.

During this operation the selected article-supporting and display rack 32 will ytravel on its rollers 34 along the Itrackway 28 into the intercabinet examination and work lspace 26 between `the two storage cabinets 11 and the notched outer end portion 53a of the corresponding pivoted latch dog 53 will ride upon the top wall of the article-supporting and display rack 32. However, when the selected article-supporting and display rack 32 reaches its fully extended or display position in the intercabinet examination and work space 26 between the two storage cabinets 11, the notched outer end portion 53a of the corresponding pivoted latchdog 53 will drop, by gravity, into the corresponding slot 57 in the top flange 32b of the corresponding article-supporting and display nack 32 so as to hold the selected article supporting and display rack 32 against further withdrawal along its trackway 2S :and in its proper position for examination and for withdnawa-l `of -any desired article or articles from and replacement `of the same thereon.

After the desired article or :articles have been removed from the selected article-supporting [and display rack 32 rthe operator may manually slide the rack 32 back into the cabinet 11, the latch 53 being automatically raised by the reverse movement of the rack 32.

It will thus be `seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved combination article-supporting and display rack and storage cabinet having the desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing Iits intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out Vand others which are inherent in the invention.

Thus, while -I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and lalterations as fall within the purview of the following claim.

I claim:

A combination self-contained unitary article-supporting display rack and storage cabinet unit for storing a plurality of relatively large at templates, engineering drawrings, or like articles, `said uni-t comprising a pair of cabinets, each including a skeletal steel support structure, ldisposed in' spaced relation to each other -to atord an intercabinet examination and work space, a plurality of parallel horizontal channel-shaped trackways mounted on said cabinet `support structures, said trackways each extending completely :across the inter-cabinet `space and substantially completely across the upper part of both of said cabinets, la corresponding plurality of pairs of relatively flat combination article storage :and display racks each adapted to be stored Within one of said cabinets and each including a horizontally projecting peripheral protective ange of predetermined height, rack suspension means comprising at least two anti-friction rollers mounted `on spaced vertically extending hanger elements aixed to each of said racks, said rollers being adapted to engage in said tracliways to suspend said lracks in pairs therefrom and to permit movement of each of said racks along its trackway from a normal stored position within a cabinet to a display position in said inter-cabinet space, means for mounting a plurality of article supporting, hangers on each `of said racks at any of a multiplicity of 4hanger positions to removably suspend a variety of articles of differing sizes land configuration thereon within the confines of said protective llange, elongated guideways mounted below said trackways adjacent the lower portions of said racks -in substantially parallel relation to the trackways in position to guidingly engage said racks during movement thereof along said trackways, a plurality of latchdogs pivotally mounted on said trackways, each of said vlatchdogs having a latching end portion engageable in `a slot in the peripheral flange of one of said racks to limit outwiar-d movement of said racks and prevent each of said racks from colliding with the other rack on the same trackway when moved to display position, stop means projecting upwardly above said guideways 4to engage the lower end portions of said racks for limiting inward movement of said packs, and each of said trackways having a dip portion formed in the inner end portion thereof such that when the racks are disposed in normal stored position, at least one of said rollers associated with each yof said racks is disposed in said dip portion to thereby yieldingly hold the racks from being accidentally moved out of stored position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,227,705 Ulrich May 29, 1917 1,802,102 Zeigler et al Apr. 2l, 1931 1,841,620 MCCOy Jan. 19, 1932 2,496,673 Neilsen Feb. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 352,053 Great Britain June 29, 1931

Images