US2924337A - Magazine rack - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1960 R. K. osTRANDER, JR 2,924,337

` MAGAZINE RACK Filed Dee. '12, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY pa/"r h/er //amey Feb. 9, 1960 R, K OSTRANDER, JR 2,924,337

MAGAZINE RACK Filed Dec. 12, 1958 2 sheets-snee*b 2 MAGAZINE RACK Robert K. Ostrander, Jr., Fort Worth, Tex., assignor to Loma Plastics, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application December 12, 1958, Serial No. 780,001

Claims. (Cl. 21150) This invention is in the iield of magazine racks and the like and is concerned with a plastic magazine holder hav ing dimensional stability.

A primary object of the invention is a new and improved plastic magazine rack which is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is a magazine rack having opposed plates pivoted at their lower edge, convex upwardly, and constructed to be biased together at their upper edges due to the weight of the magazines and the plates themselves.

Another object is a magazine rack of the above type with an inexpensive bent wire frame or base.

Another object is a corrugated plastic magazine rack having substantial lateral and vertical strength.

Another object is a magazine rack which is relatively open and at the same time is constructed to prevent magazines from falling out the ends thereof.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the ensuing specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the magazine rack;

Figure 2 is an end view of the rack in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section along line 3--3 of Figure 2 with the base or support omitted;

Figure 4 is a section along vline 4 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a bottom view of Figure 4.

In Figures 1 and 2, the magazine rack has been shown as including a base or frame which supports a receptacle or container 12. Considering the details of the base 10 lrst, it may include or be made up of a bent wire or the like having longitudinal side opposed lengths 14 bent downwardly at a suitable angle toward the ends thereof into leg portions 16 and suitably curved over and under yto form well rounded feet o r supports 18. A Cross portions t-tbQ.-,-Q.r1 l.rs9 .initiallyat 20 to. a...c..ros,s;or lateralsguard 22. It will be noted that the vertical portions 20 are bent outwardly somewhat, as at 24 in Figure 1, so that the cross pieces or guards 22 are disposed outwardly beyond the feet 18 in Figure 1. It will also be noted in Figure 2 that the downwardly bent portions 16, in addition to diverging longitudinally, are also inclined somewhat laterally outwardly. Thus the frame presents two somewhat inwardly disposed longitudinal lengths 14 which support the receptacle or container 12, explained in detail hereinafter, and lateral members across the ends, including 20 and 22, in addition to closing the ends of the receptacle, as explained in detail hereinafter, also may function as handles.

The base may be made up of one continuous wire appropriately bent in the form shown or the like or it may be made in sections and suitably connected as by welding or otherwise. The precise angles, dimensions and radii of curvature are not considered important. The base or frame may be made symmetrical, both laterally and longitudinally, as shown in the drawings.

The container or receptacle 12 may include side plates 26 hinged together adjacent their bottom or abutting N United AStates Patent@ f, Patented Feb.' 951.1969

, 2 f edges 28, as explained in detail hereinafter. Since these plates may be yidentical -butdisposed symmetrically op# posi'te each other, only one will be explained in detail hereinafter and it may befassumed that the other is or may be the same.

f-Each plate is disposedgenerally upright and is routwardly bowed or bent from its lower edge 28 toward its upper edge. As shown in Figure 2, each plate may have a lower outwardly diverging portion 30 and an upper inwardly converging portion 32 integrally joined at a corner or bend 34. The angle between these two legs or portions may be on the order of from to 100 degrees or it might be otherwise. The two portions or legs 30 and 32 have been shown as generally planar, each unto itself, but each such side or plate might be simply outwardly bowed or convex.

Be that as it may, each plate is provided with an outwardly turned or disposed upper lip 36 bent as"at 38 at a suitable angle, say from 90 to 100 degrees, so that an upwardly disposed trough or mouth 40 is provided.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the sides of the plates are vertically ftuted or corrugated, as at 42, to provide dimensionalA vstability and vertical strength. It is preferred thaty each of the plates or sides be molded entirely of plastic, although a composition or fabricated structure may be used. vIt is preferred'that the sides be simply vacuum formed of a suitable plastic, such as polyethylene or polyvinyl, but any suitable material may be used.

To function as abutments or supports for the hinges, suitable outwardly disposed plate portions 44 may be suitably molded or otherwise formed at the lower edge of each of the side plates. As shown in Figure 3, two such plates are formed, as at 46 and 48, on each side plate to provide for two hinges. But more or less mightbe used. Each such plate may have a plurality of suitable openings 50 so that brads, tacks or rivets or screws may be used to connect the hinges. As shown in Figure 4, eachhinge may be formed of a suitable strap type element 51 which may be on the inside and totally free and ilexible so that the sides and plates may freely flex, as set -foith in detail hereinafter.

These pla-telike portions 44 may be directly-molded in the sheetlike side members and the corrugations may smoothly ow into these flat plate portions, as Ashown in Figure, so that no break-up or decidedfchange of the side pattern is necessary. The corrugations 'mayterminate adjacent the lower edge 28 at ngerlike portions 52 so that except for thehinge plates 44, the lower edge- 28will` be continuous andsmooth'. i. .As shown i-n Figure 4,-` thelower edge will be offset somewhat at the hinge plate 44.

The upper edge 54may be well rounded in cross section, as shown in Figure 2, and the corrugations may ow smoothly infto a flat coplanar edge forming iingerlike portions 56. As will be noted in Figure 3, the corrugations in the plates extend outwardly so that the edges 28 of opposed plates will come together and will be generally flush.

Upper and lower outwardly extending abutments 58 and 60 may be formed integrally in the side plates along the lower portion 30 thereof. As shown in Figure 3, two such pains of abutments are spaced evenly along the sides and, as will be noted in Figure 2, the length 14 of the bent wire frame or base is adapted to engage the bottom or lower surface 62 of the upper abutment 58 which functions as a pivot. Such abutments are on the crest of one of the outwardly disposed corrugations so that the length 14 of the wire base will run flush with the outer or high points of the corrugations. In the event that the receptacle 12 is rotated or tilted in its supporting frame so that the upper abutment on one side slips below the rectilinear length 14, the lower abutment on the opposite side will f contact its length 14zto prevent the receptaclefrom'tirnl ing over;l It should be noted in Figure 2 that the lower surfaces 62 of the upper abutments are generally horizontal so that they will rest on the lengths 14, While the 5 upper surfaceAlLof 'the lowerfabutments is approximately at-right angles or perpendicular to the plane of;y the lower portion ,30,of the sides t'o provide ffirrn` or `solidfcontact withf the frame member 141in the eventy of a tilt. Also,

the dimensioning is such that when the container or re ceptacleis fullyopen-with. the portions30fgenerally horizontal, `the upper' surfaces 64 of thelower abutments will contact thelength 14 of the base.

The use, operationand function ,of the invention ,are asfollows': i y

' Two side plates are provided which'a'resupported by a base or' frame., The side platesgare` outwardly bowed Y interconnect'the lower,l edges to complete the container or Y, One ofthe advantages ofthe present structure is that the weigltpofv magazines vin the container will bear downwardly on the pivot or abutting edges 28.1 Since` the sideplates` 26 will be supported onthe lower surfaces 62 ofthe upper abutments 58 which rest on the length 14 of ,the frame or bent wire, the weight will cause each of the `plates-to pivot about such length. Thus, the upper portion or lipswill be biased toward each other at all times. Evenwhen magazines are not present in `the rack or receptacle,` the weight of the parts themselves will cause the upper edges to come together because thepivot point between the length 14 and the upper abutments 58 s outside of the center of gravity of each side plate. The ribbed ior uted structure of the 4side plates gives true whenv a number of magazines of substantial weight are ananas?` Whereas the preferred form hasibeewn.y shownmand described and Aseveral `modifications havebeen suggested, t

it should be understood thatsuitableadditional modilications, changes, substitutions and alterations may be made without departing from the inventions fundamental theme. 4It is therefore wished that the invention be unrestricted, except as by the vappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a magazine' 'rackor the" like, abase, generally up- ,right laterally opposed. plates on `the base biased toward each other and'deningrfareceptacle -between them `for magazines, and'utwardly turned lips attbe fop of the plate defining an entrance and exit fortsuch magazines,

the base being an open wire fratrie `forrnedintofur legs for the support of" the. receptacleand defining lateral guards across the ends oftheplatesto close the otherwise Vopen ends of the receptacle.

2. The structure of claiml further characterized in that the lateral guards are bent outwardly to form handles.` ,l

3. In a magazine zraekor the like, a base, generally up# right laterally opposed plates onsthe 'basebiased toward each other and defining a` receptaclebetween them 'for magazines,` and outwardly turned lips at the top of the i plate defining an entrance and exit for such magazines,` the plates being each bowed outwardly from' thebottom edge toward-the top, and further including 'a plurality of out wardly disposedprojectionson the lower portion-of.4 such decided strength4 to the members. This `is particularly f putvinto thereceptacle. The-ribs preventthe lower portions 30 of the side plates from flexing excessively. Addi tionall y,the ribs insure that thinner and less` expensive plastic may be used a 't l At the same time, the weight of the parts is such that the upper edges or. bends 38 are not brought together with such forcethat a magazine cannot be pushed with ease down through the mouth or trough' 40. The base orframewhich supports theplastic plates is reliable and simple`. -The end portions, formed aslshown 5 and described; performthedouble function of end closures and vhandles.` The downwardly `bent portions at 16, 18

andZU-providea. four legged base or support.

outwardly bowed" portion` for engaging the y base. t

4. The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that the plates-are disposed symmetrically opposite each other. l 1 i `5. In a magazine raclcor the like, a supporting frame, laterally'opposed plates' fori and supported by the frame and defining a receptacle for magazines', theplates being hinged together alongtheir bottom edgeand convex above the bottom edge coming together adjacent' their` `upper edge, `the frame including longitudinalilengths `engaging the convex sides of theplates and formed,` in' combination with the weight of the plates, to function assl'idable pivots so that the upper edgesvfof the' plates will be biased together at all times,fand a plurality of `outwardly `disposed downwardly facing projections`on-the lower portion of convex sides ofthe platesforengaging the base.

References Cited inftheiile' of this patenti l H Y 1,715,078 Whyte A --.1 5 May 2s, 1929 2,144,659 Martini- Jan. 24, 1939 2,214,137 sept. 1o, 1940 Thomasg-..-adta .j... June-28, 1949

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