US2895617A - Shelf and supporting bracket therefor - Google Patents

Description

July 21, 1959 L; D. ORSER SHELF AND SUPPORTING BRACKET THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1955 INVENTOR. LA WRENCE D. On: ER

AT ORN'EYS July 21, 1959 L. D. ORSER 2,895,617

SHELF AND SUPPORTING BRACKET THEREFOR Filed July 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. Zn WRA'NCA' D. 0965!? Unite tates Patent 2,895,617 SHELF AND SUPPORTING BRACKET THEREFOR Lawrence D. Orser, Cedar Falls, Iowa, assignor to Chamllierlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of owa Application July 11, 1955, Serial No. 521,180 6 claims. (Cl. 211-93 This invention relates to improvements in a shelf and supporting bracket therefor, and more particularly to both the combination of the shelf and the bracket and the bracket alone, the invention being highly desirable for use in connection with shelves pivotal from a horizontal to a vertical position with the bracket arranged to physically hold the shelf in either of its pivoted positions, the invention being highly desirable for use in connection with refrigerator shelves, shelves that are temporarily put in service in various locations, and other numerous and varied purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. I In the past, various types of pivotal shelves have been provided, but in all cases of which I am aware, something in addition to the hinge supports had to be provided to maintain the shelf in operative position, or to hold the shelf against movement in its inoperative position, unless the shelf was left merely hanging freely. When such shelves were utilized in refrigerator compartments, for example, extra lugs or buttons projecting from the Wall of that compartment had to be employed as well as the other supporting members permitting pivotal movement of a shelf. Those buttons or lugs entered into the insulation lining of the walls, and by virtue of their wall support and being in a position to be frequently bumped or jarred severely, would frequently become loosened or knocked out and replacement is an extremely difficult operation. Obviously, the original cost of the buttons or studs and their installation added to the cost of production of the entire refrigerator.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a hinge bracket for a shelf which automatically holds the shelf in horizontal supporting position, and also holds the shelf in a pivoted vertical position, without the aid of any other supporting members.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hinge bracket of no greater size and embodying no more material than hinge brackets for shelves heretofore known, but which nevertheless automatically and unaided supports the shelf and restrains it against pivotal movement When the shelf is in either a horizontal or vertical position.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a shelf and supporting bracket therefor, with the bracket constructed to support the shelf in a plurality of positions and hold the same against pivotal movement, eliminating the need of other stop or support members, heretofore found necessary.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a U-shaped supporting bracket for a shelf, of no larger size and embodying no more parts than brackets for similar purposes heretofore used, but which is shaped to automatically support a shelf in either horizontal or vertical position against undesired movement.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a supporting bracket for a pivotal shelf, which bracket is so formed as to automatically support the shelf in 2,895,617 Patented July 21, 1959 "ice j 2 substantially horizontal position, but inclined slightly upwardly, so that the shelf will assume a substantially true horizontal position when loaded, owing to the inherent resiliency in the shelf itself.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide a simple form of supporting bracket for a pivotal shelf, which bracket is so shaped as to automatically hold the shelf against undesired movement in either a substantially horizontal or a substantially vertical position, the necessary holding engagement being eifeeted by a simple sliding movement of the shelf relatively to the bracket.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a pair of adjacent shelves each mounted in brackets, which arrangement embodies improvements of the instant invention, showing the same diagrammatically indicated in position in a compartment of a refrigerator;

Figure 2 is a front view of the structure of Fig. l, with the refrigerator compartment again indicated diagrammatically, and illustrating one of the shelves in horizontal position, and the other shelf pivoted to vertical position;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the right-hand shelf of Fig. 1 in position to sustain a load thereon;

Figure 4 is a similar view of the same shelf, in position for pivotal movement thereof;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the same shelf, pivoted to vertical position;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the same shelf structure locked in its pivoted vertical position;

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line VII-VII of Fig. 3;

Figure 8 is a similar transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4;

Figure 9 is a similar transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IXIX of Fig. 6;

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the associated bracket taken substantially as indicated by the line X-X of Fig. 3;

Figure 11 is an isometric projection of the supporting and holding bracket alone; and

Figure 12 is an isometric projection of the associated supporting bracket.

As shown on the drawings:

While it will be understood that the instant invention may be utilized with substantially any form of pivotal shelf in substantially any location, such for example as a kitchen, workshop, supply room, physicians ofiice, etc., for purposes of convenience and clarity, the instant invention is herein disclosed and described in association with a compartment of a refrigerator.

The refrigerator cabinet is diagrammatically indicated and embodies opposite side walls 1 and 2, a rear wall 3, and a top wall 4.

A more specific example of a use for the instant invention is seen more clearly in Fig. 2, wherein the compartment is provided with a fixed bottom shelf 5. Above that shelf 5 is a pair of edgewise confronting pivotal shelves 6 and 7 which may be disposed in horizontal position to support relatively small items, as diagrammatically indicated at 8 in Fig. 2, or which may be pivoted to vertical position to support a taller article as indicated at 9, the shelf 6 having been pivoted to vertical position so that the tall bottle 9 might rest upon the fixed shelf 5 and project up above the level of the shelves 6 and 7. In the V 3 event it is desired to place some bulky object, such as a turkey or watermelon in the refrigerator, both shelves 6 and 7 may be dropped to vertical position and the bulky article placed upon the shelf 5 without interference from the shelves 6 and 7.

Since both shelves 6 and 7 are identical except for their allochiral character, and are identically mounted, the following description will be directed particularly to the shelf 7 and its mounting. The shelf itself may be of any desirable construction, and it may have any type of side bar 10, but in accordance with the instant invention there should be a flattened portion 11, preferably at the front end of that side bar. In the illustrated instance, the side bar 10 is in the form of an aluminum'wire of circular cross section, and a part of that wire is flattened to provide the portion 11, which flattened portion should be of greater width than the diameter or cross sectional dimension of the part 10.

In connection with the instant invention, only a single pair of supporting brackets are necessary to adequately support the shelf in a manner permitting the shelf to pivot. It will be especially noted that the side walls and rear Wall of the refrigerator compartment are devoid of buttons or studs or any other means to lend support to the shelf when it is in operating or substantially horizontal position, only the pair of brackets 12 and 13 being utilized.

As seen best in Fig. 12, the rear bracket 12 is substantially U-shaped, comprising a back plate 14 apertured for bolts, rivets, or equivalent means to secure the bracket to the compartment wall. From the base 14, a pair of ears 15-15 extend inwardly, each ear being apertured to provide a circular hole as at 16 in conformity with the circular cross sectional shape of the side bar 10 of the shelf and sized to loosely accommodate that side bar so as to permit sliding movement of the side bar through the apertures. That particular bracket 12 performs no other function than to pivotally support the inner end of the shelf.

The forward bracket 13 is of similar shape, including a base part 17 for attachment to the compartment wall, and a pair of forwardly projecting ears 18 and 19 as seen best in Fig. 11. Preferably the inner ear 18 is provided with a circular hole 20 of the same character as the aforesaid apertures 16 in the other bracket. However, the forward car 19 is provided with an opening of peculiar shape, substantially a butterfly opening, comprising in the illustrated instance a circular opening with circle 21 having diametrally opposed projections or indentations 22 and 23. The inner edges of these indentations define portions of a smaller circle, substantially of the size of the circular hole 20. The side portions of the indentations 22 and 23 are preferably straight cut, so that when the bracket is mounted on the compartment wall, the opening in the ear 19 defines a pair of substantially vertical shoulders 24 and 25, spaced apart both laterally and vertically; and also a pair of substantially horizontal shoulders 26 and 27 spaced apart both vertically and horizontally. Those opposed pairs of shoulders are what holds the shelf 7 in either of its positions against unintentional pivotal movement.

Now in operation, it will be seen that when the shelf 7 is in its horizontal load carrying position, the flattened portion 11 of the side bar 10 contacts the shoulder 24 at the upper margin, and contacts the shoulder at the lower margin, as indicated rather exaggeratedly in Fig. 7 for clarity, and thus the shelf is maintained in horizontal load bearing position solely by the ear 19 of the foremost bracket 13. Now, it should be noted that the shoulders 24 and 25 are not precisely vertical, but are inclined slightly (too small an extent to illustrate in the drawings) so that the shelf instead of being horizontal will elevate at an angle of approximately 2 /2". A shelf of the character illustrated is somewhat inherently resilient, and the parts are not made for a tolerance so by angling the shelf slightly upwardly, the shelf will assume a substantially true horizontal position when loaded.

If it is desired to drop the shelf, it is a simple expedient to grasp the handle portion 10 at the front of the shelf, slide it forwardly from the position seen in Fig. 3 to the position seen in Fig. 4, where the flattened portion 11 is clear of the bracket 13, and then the shelf is free to rotate on the side rod 10 to the position seen in Fig. 5. The shelf may next be pushed inwardly to the position seen in Fig. 6, when, from the showing in Fig. 9 it will be apparent that the flattened portion 11 abuts the shoulders 26 and 27, and so the shelf is held firmly in vertical position against accidental or unintentional pivotal movement. In order to again raise the shelf to horizontal position, the reverse of this procedure is followed, following the illustrations in the order of Figs. 6, 5, 4 and 3.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have provided a simple and economical shelf and supporting bracket therefor. Even with the old type of shelves, where some extraneous parts were utilized to support the shelf in horizontal position, such as studs or buttons projecting from the adjacent side and rear wall of the compartment the shelf was in, the two brackets of the character of bracket 12 were necessary anyhow. In the present case, all studs or buttons or extraneous supporting means have been eliminated, and only two brackets are utilized, one of those brackets being different than those heretofore known, but not costing any more to manufacture or in stall. Also, no different movement of the shelf in order to change its position is entailed by the instant invention, since heretofore it was necessary to slide the shelf a short distance in order to clear the extraneous supporting means so that the shelf might be pivoted from one position to the other.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a shelf having a frame member circular in cross-section and with a flattened portion of substantially rectangular cross section and of increased width, and a U-shaped bracket having outstanding ear portions with openings therein in horizontal axial alignment through which said frame member is axially slidable, the opening in one car being circular with a cylindrical wall, the opening in the other ear being a butterfly type defined in part by projections therein extending of substantially zero,

inwardly with spaced straight edge portions against which said flattened portion may abut in a plurality of pivoted positions of the shelf to form the sole means to hold the shelf in each position and said shelf being pivoted to other positions when said flattened portion is free of said bracket.

2. In combination, a shelf having a side member generally circular in cross-section but having a flattened portion of substantially rectangular cross-section and of greater width, a supporting U-shaped bracket having ear portions each having an opening therein in axial alignment and in which said member is entirely slidable and the circular part is pivotal, the opening in one car being circular, the opening in the other ear being defined in part by projections extending inwardly therein with edges disposed to provide opposed abutment for said flattened portion of rectangular cross-section to restrain the same against further pivotal movement when said shelf is in either a horizontal or vertical position.

3. In combination, a shelf including a side rail member of circular cross-section having a flattened portion thereof of substantially rectangular cross-section, said flattened portion being of greater width than the diameter of the remainder of the side rail member, a U shaped supporting bracket having a base and two projecting ear portions, one ear portion having a bore substantially of the same diameter as the diameter of the circular por- 'tion of the side rail, the second ear portion having a butterfly type opening in horizontal axial alignment with said bore in said ear portion and provided with projections extending inwardly thereof, said flattened portion of said rail member adapted to contact said projection in said opening when the shell is in horizontal or vertical position thereby restricting pivotal movement of the shelf, said flattened portion in combination with said projections solely supporting said shelf against pivotal movement, and said side rail member slidable axially through said opening to remove a flattened portion from the bracket and permitting movement of the shelf when the flattened portion is clear of the bracket.

4. In combination a shelf having a frame member of circular cross-section with a flattened portion of substantially rectangular cross-section of increased width, and a supporting bracket having a pair of ears with openings therein, one of said openings being of a butterfly type with projections therein extending inwardly and through which said frame member is axially slidable, 'said frame member being arranged to pivot about the .axis of both of said openings, said butterfly type opening with projections therein being shaped and embodying ;said projections to provide a pair of opposed shoulders for abutment by said flattened portion when said shelf is :in substantially horizontal position, and another pair of :shoulders for abutment by said portion when said shelf .is in vertical position, but permitting movement of the remainder of said frame member when said flattened portion is clear of the bracket.

5. In combination, a shelf including an inner frame :member having two portions of different cross sectional shape and having a shelf structure extending outwardly therefrom, a major portion of said frame member being circular in cross-section and a minor portion of said frame member being rectangular in cross-section and of greater width than said major portion, and a U-shaped supporting bracket having ear portions with openings therein through which both portions of said frame member are slidable, the opening in one car being circular with a cylindrical wall, the opening in the other ear having circular Wall portions and having projections therein extending inwardly therefrom, accommodating only said major portion to pivot relatively to said bracket about the common axis of said frame member and said openings, and said frame member being axially movable along said openings to engage said minor portion of rectangular cross-section with said projection, and retain said shelf in load sustaining position by the overhanging weight of said shelf.

In combination, a shelf including a side member of circular cross-section having one minor portion substantially rectangular in cross-section and of greater width than the remaining major portion circular in cross-section, and a supporting bracket having parallel spaced ears with axially aligned openings therein, both of said portions of said side member being axially slidable horizontally through one opening, said opening being of a butterfly type defined in part by projections extending inwardly from the periphery thereof with edges forming abutments to hold said rectangular part against pivotal movement relatively to said bracket when said shelf is in a horizontal supporting position but permitting pivotal movement of the remaining major portion of said side member after axial withdrawal of said minor rectangular portion from said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 259,390 Hensley June 13, 1882 1,017,488 Zimdars Feb. 13, 1912 1,487,218 Douglass Mar. 18, 1924 1,505,192 Gervais Aug. 19, 1924 1,838,653 Bergman Dec. 29, 1931 1,891,250 Thompson Dec. 20, 1932 1,908,469 Aanerud May 9, 1933 1,995,983 Hesse Mar. 26, 1935 2,287,611 I-Iarbison June 23, 1942 2,498,557 Lantz Feb. 21, 1950

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