US2936902A - Display rack - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1950 R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACK 3 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed June 9, 1958 \NVENTOR Robert Z. Sine/air ATTORNEYS R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACK May 17, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1958 INVENTOR Robert 1.. Sin Hair ATTORNEYS R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACK May 17, 1960 Filed June 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Robert L. Sinclair ATTORNEY5 DISPLAY RACK Robert L. Sinclair, Dedham, Mass., assignor to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Dela-.

ware

Application June 9, 1958, Serial No. 740,881 14 Claims. (Cl. 211-86) The present invention relates to racks for displaying merchandise and more particularly to a new and-improved display rack adapted to be conveniently attached to and detached from a counter, a cash register panel, other types of display racks and the like in a retail storeor self-service market.

The location of display of certain articles offered for sale in a self-service store or market has a great bearing upon the sales of such articles. Thus it has been found that articles displayed near the checkout points or the counters of a store are sold in much greater numbers than are the same articles displayed in substantially the same manner in other parts of the store. 1 This may in part be due to the fact that people while walking through the store, more or less follow a course dictated by their shopping lists and tend to select only the articles marked downfor purchase. However, articles displayed at the checkout points will catch the eye of all of thecustomers who often select items from such displays while waiting to be" processed whether or not they actually have an immediate" need for them or have them on their shopping list. Forthis reason display space at or near the checkout points is considered very desirable and is, subject to rivalry between the manufacturers. The store itself, of course, prefers to have as many difierent kinds of articles as possible particularly of the kind that has a rapid turnover, displayed at or near the checkout points audit has been. the practice to reserve this preferred space for articles such as cigarettes, candies, gum, small itemssecured to cardboards and other articles of this general character that may easily be stored and displayed on racks and selected by the consumer while waiting at the checkout points.

Another important reason for having articles of small size at the checkout points is that such articles are inherently subject to pilferage and are easily slipped into a persons pockets or pocketbook, either inadvertently or by convenient inattention, or removed from its package and concealed without being noticed while walking through the store. This is particularly true of items such as cigarettes, candies, drug items sold in small containers, and small items like pens, razor blade 1 packages and razors attachedto cardboards supported on display racks. Pilferage may amount to a considerable percentage of the profits from the sales of such items and for this reason both the manufacturers and the proprietors of the stores prefer to keep items subject to concealment and pilferage at or near the checkout points.

Accordingly, one object of my present inventionis to provide a novel and versatile merchandise display rack capable of being placed in any one or a number of different positions at or about the counter or checkout points in stores and self-service markets. i

' Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and .versatile advertising and display rack of the pegboard type. f Another object of the invention is to provide a novel display and merchandising rack that can be securedto I 2,935,902 Patented May 17, 196D .2 I cash registers or be attached to various types of other racks. v v f I Asfurther object of the invention is to provide a novel advertising and display rack that comprises a base capable of being stably secured to various objects or supported on a flat surface and'adapted to support a display panel in various positions depending upon the location of the base. A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and versatile display rack of the pegboard type, particularly adapted to display articles attached to cardboard.

' Other objects and advantages of the present invention will b'e-apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodimentthereof when considered-with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a rack in accord ance with my invention with a portion of a cash register to which it is attached shown in dashed lines; Fig. 2 is a perspective rear view of the rack shown in Fig. 1 supported on a flat surface;

, Fig. 3 is a rear view of the base or clamping assembly of the rack;

FigJ4 is a segmentary top view of the clamping arrangement of the base;

Fig-5 is an exploded view of the frame clamp;

' Figs} 6 to 8, inclusive, show constructional details of same assignee as the present application. The stub shafts the panel supporting frame;

Fig. 9 shows the panel and panel supporting frame-of the rack attached to a wire type display rack; Fig. 10 is a segmentary view of the rack attached to a wire stand; i Fig. 11 is a segmentary view of the display rack showing alternate positions of the panel supporting frame with respect to the base; and

' Fig. 12 isa front view of the rack with the base attached to the top of a cash register indicated in dotted line with'the' display panel of the rack disposed below the base.

The rack in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising a panel section 10 supported by means of agenera-lly inverted U-shaped wire frame or stand 11 detachablysecured to a base or clamping assembly 12 The base 12 comprises an elongated horizontal ad-f vertising dis'playpanel 13; rigidly secured to the bottom" channel member 14 extend rearwardly from the panel 13 in'spaced, parallel relation as better shown in Fig. 3 and furnish a convenient mounting for two pairs of spaced" stub shafts 17 and 18 journaled for rotation about'vertical axes in vertically aligned openings in the flanges, the' stub shafts 18 being disposed between and soniewhat'rearwardly of the shafts 17. Each of the stub shafts '17 is formed integrally with a horizontally extending clamping No. 660,540 filed May 21, 1957, and entitled Detacha ble Display Rac which application is assigned'to the 17 and 18 are swaged at zl above'the flange 15 to prevent them from sliding through the openings therein. Each of the clamping members 19 is formed from a single rod comprising the vertical stub shaft 17, a horizontal shank 22 extending substantially at right angles therefrom and a downwardly extending leg 23 covered by a protective sleeve 24 made of rubber or a resilient plastic material. The clamping members 19 swing about the respective stub shafts 17 in a horizontal plane between a position whereinthey extend substantially at right-angles rear-' wardly from the plane of the plate 13 to a position outof a channel member 14. The flanges 15 and 16 of the wardly against the channel. member 14 as indicated by the arrows in Fig, 3. Each of the locking bars. 20 is formed from a flat steel strip rigidly secured as by welding to a downwardly extending portion of one of the stub shafts 18and terminates. in an outwardly bent car 25. provided with opening 26 for slidably receiving the shank 22'0f the clamping member 19. This construction permits the clamping members 19 and the loeking bars 29 to swing about their respective axes with the. shank 22 of each of the clamping members 19- sliding freely through the opening 26 in the ear 25 of the adjacent locking bar 20.

Inorder to lock the clamping member 19 in preselected positions with respect to the channel member 14, an eye.

bolt 27, Fig. 4, is provided whose eye 28 encircles the: shank 22 of the clamping member and whose threaded shank 29. passes through an opening 30 in the locking bar 20. A wing nut 31 is threaded on the shank 29 of the eye bolt for drawing the latter against the clamping member 19 to prevent relative movements between the clamping member and the locking bar 20. Whenthe wing nut 31' is loosened so as to free the eye bolt 27, the interconnected members 19 and 20 may again be swung freely about their respective axes.

The base 12 is also provided with a pair of supporting and clamping legs 34 and 35 disposed at opposite ends of the channel member 14 and extending through the flanges 15 and 16 thereof. Protective sleeves 36 of resilient material such as rubber cover the legs 34 and 35. An integral upper extension of each of the legs 34 and 35 is bent outwardly into a rectangular loop that includes a vertical. panel frame supporting section 37, disposed on the outside of. the display plate 13, and an inwardly ex.- tending termination 38. The legs 34 and 35 are rigidly secured to the channel member 14 by means of swagin-g or welding, for example.

. The. frame 11 includes at each end a substantially horizontal clamp supporting section 40, Fig. 2, from which an arm 41 extends at substantially right angles upwardly and inwardly to a point below the top edge of the panel from where it curves downwardly to a horizontal panel supporting bridging section 42. The arms 41 and the section 42. of the frame lie in a common plane.

- The construction of the clamps 39 and the manner in which they are secured to theclamp supporting section 40 of the frame 11 are illustrated in the exploded view of Fig. 5. Each of the clamps 39 includes two cooper.- ating clamping plates 46 and 47 pivotally mounted on a bracket 48 and adapted to clamp the section 37 of the extension of the base leg 34 therebetween. A threaded shank 49 which may be part of a screw passing through a hole in the plate 47 and rigidly secured thereto as by welding or brazing, for example, extends outwardly from this plate and passes through an opening 50 in the plate 4.6. The vertical section 37 of the base leg 34 is received within a channel 51 formed along one vertical edge of the plate 47. The plate 46 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 48by means of a loose rivet 52. The upper horizontal end 48 of the bracket 48 is bent over the horizontal clamp supporting-section 40 of the frame 11 so as to form a firm support therefor while permitting limited angular movements therebetween. The plates 46 and 47 are clamped together by means of a wing nut 53 which screws on the shank 49 to grip the section 37 ofthe leg 34 disposed in the channel 51 securely between these.

plates. The rear edge'of the bracket 48 is formed with a recess 54 against which the shank 49 normally abuts to limit the rearward rotation of the frame 11 about the pivot rivet 52 and thus fix the rearward tilt of the frame. A

stud 55 rigidly secured in the plate 46 passes through a slot 56 in the plate 47 for maintaining the plates in alignment and is provided with a head 57 for limiting the separationbetween these plates at that point.

Secured to the horizontal panel supporting section 42 cf the stand 11 is a pair of spaced hanger lugs 58 60.

structed as better shown in Fig. 8. Each hanger lug 58 includes identical, generally T-shaped latching ears 59 that extend in both directions from asleeve 80 which is rigidly secured to the panel supporting section 42. Each of the latching cars 59 extends outwardly in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the arms 41 and the bridging section 42 of thefrarne 1.1. The latching cars 59 are adapted to cooperate with inverted T-shaped openings 60 in the display panel 10 to permit the panel to be mounted on either side of the stand and at a plurality of levels. The i -shaped openings 60 are arranged in pairs spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between the hanger lugs 58. The latching ear 59 is adapted to pass. through the horizontal slot 61 of the T-shaped opening .60 whereupon the narrow neck 62 of the car will be received by the vertical slot 63 to lock the panel securely in place as indicated in dotted lines to support the panel as shown in Fig. l. The panel 10 is in the embodiment illustrated herein provided with a pair of openings 60 in the upper half of the panel and a pair of openings 60 in the lower half thereof to permit the panel to be supported in two different positions on each side of the stand with the stand extending upwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or downwardly and inverted with respect to the hanger lugs as shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 2 shows the panel 10 supported by the upper pair of open ings 60, Fig. 9 shows the panel supported by the lower pair of openings. and Fig. 12 shows the panel supported on the other side of the frame with the panel supported" below the base 12.

For the purpose of supporting merchandise on the front of the panel 10, I provide a structure for releasably mounting a plurality of rows of wire hangers 65, Figs. 6-

and7. Each wire hanger 65 is formed from a single wire shaped in the form shown in Fig. 6 to provide a pair of outwardly extending upwardly-hooked arms 66 for sup porting merchandise such asv small articles attached to cards 67, for example, as indicated in Fig. 10. Each hanger is releasably supported by a hanger support 63 by means of a generally U-shaped bight 69, the upstanding legs of which are bent outwardly to form the arms. 66.. Each of the hanger supports 68 comprises a fiat metal strip having inturned longitudinal. edges 70 that abut the face of the panel 10. The top edge 70 of each of the, hanger supports 69 is provided with spaced, cut-out sec.-v tions 71 adapted to receive the bights 69 of the hangers 65. The supports 68 are attached to the panel 10 by means of a plurality of rivets 72disposed between the cutouts 71. Inwardly extending dimples 7 3..are provided. above the bottom flange 70 and centered with respect to. the cutouts 71 for detachably clamping the horizontal portions of the bights 69 in place as indicated in Fig. 7 to prevent inadvertent dislodgment of the hangers when articles are removed therefrom while permitting forceable removal thereof for dismantling purposes.

It will thus be seen that each of the bights 69 are re-i leasably retained within the hanger support 68 in such a position that the free arms 66 extend substantially per, pendicularly outwardly from the panel 10. The .outer extremities of the arms 66 are bent at a slight angle up: wardly to prevent articles supported thereon from slid ing 013?. The hangers 65 are particularly well adapted to support merchandise secured, to cardboards 67 provided with either a single hole or a pair of holes spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between the pair of arms 66 in the manner indicated in Fig. 10.. It will be appreciated that a stack of such merchandise carrying cards may be supported on each arm or pair of arms 66.- The panel-10. is illustrated as being provided with two. horizontal hanger supports 68 spaced vertically by a dis. tance depending on the size of the merchandise cards intended to be displayed thereon. It will be understood that although two hangersupports 68 are shown in the -illus-.- trated embodiment only a single one or morethan two; may be employed if desired.

The panel is preferably of'such size that the side edges thereof will intersect the inwardly and upwardly slanting portions 41 of the frame 11 as shown in Fig. 2, and upwardly to where it will completely obscure the intermediate portions of the frame whether it is supported by the upper or lower pair of openings 60. The portions of the frame that extend above and below the bridging panel supporting section 42 of the frame maintain the panel 10 in the desired position, which is usually substantially vertical or somewhat tilted rearwardly.

The stand in accordance with the present invention described above is adapted to be clamped on top of a cash register 75 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 which is of a type used in most super markets and self-seivicestores, with the flat bottom edges of the locking bars 20 resting on the top surface of the register and the supporting legs 34 and 35 and the clamping legs '23 of the clamping members 19 locked in pressing engagement against the front and rear faces of the register, respectivelyQor supported by means of the legs 23, 34 and 35 standing on a flat surface such as a counter as illustrated in Fig. 2. In

,the event that the space above the cash register is obstructed or if it for some reason is objectionable to have the display panel extend above the register, the panel may be supported below the amount indicating window 76 in the cash register as illustrated in Fig. 12 by attaching the frame 11 to the base 12 in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11. Fig. 11 the clamps 39 and the frame 11 are rotated 180 degrees so that the clamps 39 extend forwardly from the base 12 and on each side of the advertising panel 13 whereby the frame '11 will extend downwardly in front of the base. With the stand. extending downwardly in this fashion, the merchandise displaying panel 10 is attached to the latching ears 59 of the panel supports 58 that extended rearwardly when the panel was supported in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. j

' It will be seen from Fig. 10 that the adapted to be supported on and clamped to a wire stand 78 which is of a type often found in self-service markets for displaying certain types of merchandise. The locking bars 20 of the base 12 rest on the horizontal wires that extend along the top of the wire stand and the base is secured in place by clarnping the stand between the front legs '34, 35 and the clamping legs 23 as described herein above.

The stand in accordance with a present invention is thus a counter (Fig. '2); on a ledge such as that presented by the top of a cash register either with the merchandise.

display panel supported above the ledge (Fig. l), or in front of and below the ledge, Fig. 12; and on other structures of such dimensions that a supporting surface may be found between the supporting legs 34 and 35 of the base of the clamping legs 23 (Fig. 10)., I

Fig. 9 illustrates how the merchandise display panel 10 and the supporting frame 11 may be used in combination with other types of display stands'without the base 12. Thus any display stand that has two upstanding vertical rods of such size as to be capable of being clamped in the clamps 39 and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between the clamps may serve as a base for the display panel. For example, a display stand 80, Fig. 9, which is of a type often found in self-service stores, has parallel, vertically extending side supporting rods 81 spaced apart by a distance correspondingto the distance between the clamps 39 and will serve asa base for the frame 11 and the panel 10. The stand 80 is usually placed on the counter-in front of a cash register 82 and is designed so that the merchandise displayed thereon will not obscure the amount indicating window 83 thereof. The display panel will be supported above the top surface of the cash register by engaging the panel supports 58 in the lower pair of openings 60. The arms 41'of the frame 11 are resilient and the spacing thereasst-mas l between can be changed to accommodate supporting rods spaced apart by different distances. The pivotal mounting of the clamps 39 on the sections 40 will. permit the.

clamps to align themselves with vertical rods as the arms base 12 is also 41 of the frame 11 are either brought closer together or moved further apart.

It will be appreciated from the above descriptionthat the various objects of the invention set forth are accomplished by the device'diselosed. It will also be appreciated that the'stand disclosed herein may be used in other locations and for uses" other than those specifically illustrated herein and is of great versatility and utility.

Obviously various changes may be made in the constructional details of the display rack disclosed herein without departing from the true spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiment of my'invention shown and described is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

The present application'constitutes a continuation-inpart of my prior application Serial No. 660,540 filedMay 21, 1957.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detailan illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

' 1. In a display rack, a base comprising a horizontal member including rearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of .fixed rods mounted in said flanges and extending down wardly therefrom, a pair of clamping arms having terminal portions generally parallel with said rods and piv-' otally mountedin said flanges'for swinging movements toward and away from said rods, and locking means connected toeach clamping arm, said rods extending up-' wardly and outwardly of said member and including vertical sections spaced outwardly on each side of said member, a generally inverted U-shaped panel supporting frame including an intermediate horizontal bridging portion and arms extending upwardly and curved downwardly and outwardly to points substantially below said bridging portion in a substantially common plane, said arms terminating in clamp supporting sections extending at substantially right angles forwardly from said plane, rod clamping means secured to each of said clamp supporting sections for limited rotational movement thereabout, said clamping means including means for engagingrespective ones of i said vertical sections'of said rod extensions, spaced panel supporting latching means on said bridging section of said frame extending in opposite directions from said plane, means on saidpanel cooperating with said latching means for releasably supporting said panel on said frame, and means on said panel to detachably secure a plurality of merchandise supporting hangers thereon.

2. In a display rack, a base including a pair of 'horizontally spaced, rigid, vertical rod sections, a generally inverted U-shaped panel supporting frame including an' intermediate horizontal bridging portion and resilient arms extending upwardly and curved downwardly and outwardly to pointssubstantially below said bridging portion in a substantially common plane, said arms terminating in clamp supporting sections extending at's ubstantially right angles forwardly'from said plane, rod clamping means secured to each of said clamp supporting sections for limited rotational movement thereabout, said clamping means including means for engaging respective ones of said vertical rod sections, spaced panel supporting latching lugs on said bridging section of said frame extending forwardly from said plane thereof, means on said panel for releasably receiving said lugs and supporting said panel on said frame, and means on said panel to detachably secure a plurality of merchan dise supporting'hangers thereon. i

arms having terminal portions generally parallel with a d ds a dri tally mounted i d fia gestn sw n ons mo ements tow d n ay r an. ro s, the lower ends of said rods and said terminal portions lying n a mm n, u s n y h r zonta plane, nd loc ing means connected to each clamping arm,-said rods having upward and outward extensions and including vertical sections disposed on each side of said channel mb an nte al pan l s pp ti ame including an intermediate horizontal bridging portion and arms extending generally downwardly and outwardly and tel? minating in clamp supporting sections at substantially right angles forwardly from the plane of ,said'arms, clamping means secured to each of said clamp, supporting sections, said clamping means including means en-.

gaging respective ones of said vertical sections of the od ext si ns, cooper t n p ne ppor ng lat hin means-0.11 aid bridgi g c on f i fram nd n aid panel for releasably supporting said panel on, said frame, and means on said panel for detachably securing a plurality of merchandise supporting hangers thereon 4. In a display rack the combination of a base com-' prising a, rigid elongated frame structure, spacedfixed legs secured to said frame structure and extending downwardly therefrom, and clamping means swing-ably mounted on said frame structure arranged to engage a fixed o je in ppo iti n t s i fi legs incl in locking means to apply continuous engaging pressure to the, object, a frame, means securing said frame to said base, a panel, means. releasably attaching said panel to said frame for maintaining said panel in substantially vertical position above said base, and means on said panel for releasably engaging a plurality of merchandise supporting hangers. s

5. in; a display rack the combination of a base comprising a rigid elongated frame structure, a pair of spaced fixed legs secured to said frame structure and extending downwardly therefrom, and a pair of adjustable legs swingably mounted on said frame structure and arranged to-cooperate with said fixed legs to support said base on a. fiat, horizontal surface, a frame, means detachably securing said frame in upright position'to said base, a

panel, means releasably attaching said panel to said frame for maintaining said panel in substantially vertical position above said base, and means on said panel for releasably engaging a plurality of merchandise supportng, h ng rs- 6. In a display rack the combination of a base com prising a rigid elongated frame structure, spacedfixed legs secured to said frame structure and extending downwardly therefrom, and a pair of clamping and supporting legs swingably mounted on said frame structure arranged to engage a fixed object in opposition to said fixed legs, said fixed legs and said clamping and supporting legs erm nating in a ommon, ubstanti ly h iz n a p a locking mean connected to said clamping and supporting legs for locking the latter in selected positions with respect to said fixed legs, a frame, reversible-clamping means for clamping said frame to said base selectively to extend upwardly above and downwardly in front of,

said base, cooperating latching means on said panel and on said framefor supporting said panel reversely selectively on the front of said frame and on the back of said frame,

7. in a display rack the combination of a base compris ng a igi e on ed fram structure, spaced fixe egs. secured tes d fr me structure a e ending downean t eref an ampi g rm in a ly mount sai imag st cture hav ng e t al g to ngage-a an. object in oppo t n to sa d fixed g including locking z nea'ns for applying continuous engaging pressure to the. object, a frame-clamping means de- Hahn, clamping said frame to said base to extend down ardly in front of saidfbase and in front of the object, a panel, means releasably securing said panel to, said frame for maintaining said panel in substantially vertical. position below said base, and means on S id Panel releasably engaging a plurality of merchandise supporting hangers.

.8. In combination, a stationary supporting base having a pair of spaced, vertically extending rods each connected to a vertical section, a generally inverted U- shaped frame member including a bridging panel supporting section and downwardly extending arms terminatingin clamp supporting sections extending from said arms at about right angles, a clamp on each of said sections including means for engaging the vertical sections of said rods to support said frame in an upright position on said rods, said clamps being pivotally mounted on said clamp supporting sections and said arms being sufliciently resilient to accommodate rods of different spacings, and latching means on said panel supporting section for detachably supporting a merchandise dispiay panel.

9. In combination, a stationary supporting base including a pair of spaced rods each connected to a vertical section, a frame member including a bridging'panel supporting section and downwardly extending arms terminating in'clamp supporting sections, a clamp on each of said sections including means for engaging the vertical sections of said rods to maintain said frame supported in an upright position on said rods, said clamps being adjustably mounted on said clamp supporting sections and said arms being sulficiently resilient to accommodate rods of dilferent spacings, and latching means on said panel supporting section for detachably supporting a merchandise display panel. 7

10. In combination, a generally inverted U-shaped frame member including a bridging panel supporting section and downwardly extending arms terminating in clamp supporting sections extending from said arms at about right angles, a clamp on each of said arms including means for engaging a pair of horizontally spaced rods to maintain said frame supported in an upright position thereon, said arms being sufiiciently resilient to accommodate rods, of dilferent spacings, and latching means on said panel supporting sectionr'or detachably supporting a merchandise display panel.

11. A merchandise rack comprising a horizontal member including rearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of fixed rods mounted in said flanges and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of clamping arms having terminal portions generally parallel with said rods and pivotally mounted in said flanges for'swinging movements toward and away from said rods, and locking means connected to each clamping arm, a panel, a panel supporting frame including a pair of upstanding supporting arms, clamping means mounted on each of said supporting arms, rigid clamp attaching means on each end of said member, said clamping means being clamped to respective ones of said clamp attaching means to support said frame in an upright position, spaced panel supporting lugs rigidly mounted on said frame, lug receiving means on said panel cooperating with said lugs for detachably retaining said panel on said frame, a plurality of merchandise hangers including merchandise supporting arms, hanger support on one face of said panel including resilient. latching means for releasably supporting said hangers on said panel with said arms extending outwardly therefrom.

12. In combination, a generally inverted U -shaped frame member including a bridging panel supporting secoifset, generally U-shapcd big-ht, a hanger support on said panel comprising an elongated strip having inturned longitudinal side edges in engagement with the face of said panel and horizontally disposed thereon, the upper side edge having cut-out portions receiving the bights of said hangers, and means on said strip resiliently engaging the top portion of said bight to detachably retain said hangers in merchandise supporting positions with said arms extending outwardly from the face of said panel.

13. In combination, a generally inverted U-shaped frame member including a bridging panel supporting section and downwardly extending arms terminating in clamp supporting sections extending from said. arms at about right angles, a clamp on each of said sections including means for engaging a pair of spaced rods. to maintain said frame supported in an upright position on said rods, said arms being sufficiently resilient to accommodate rods of different spacings, a merchandise display panel, latching means on said panel supporting section for detachably supporting said panel, said latching means comprising a pair of-spaced hanger-lugs rigidly mounted in spaced relation on said bridging panel supporting section, each of said lugs including a latching ear having a restricted neck portion extending forwardly and rearwardly of said frame member, said panel having a plurality of rows of inverted T-shaped openings spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between said lugs, the horizontal portions of said openings receiving said ears and the vertical portions of said openings slidably receiving the restricted neck portions of said ears whereby said panel is reversibly mountable on said panel supporting section on opposite sides thereof.

14. A merchandise rack comprising a horizontal member including rearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of fixed rods mounted in said flanges and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of clamping arms having terminal sections generally parallel with said rods and pivotally mounted in said flanges for swinging movements toward and away from said rods, said rods and said arms tenninating in a substantially common plane, and locking means connected to each clamping arm, a panel, a panel supporting frame including a pair of upstanding supporting arms connected by a bridging section, clamping means mounted on each of said, arms, rigid clamp attaching means on each end of said member, said clamping means being clamped to respective ones of said clamp attaching means to support saidframe in an upright position,

and extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, lug

receivingmeans on said panel cooperating with said lugs for detachably retaining said panel on said frame, a plurality of merchandise hangers including merchandise supporting arms, a hanger support on one face of said panel comprising vertically spaced, horizontal channel members including resilient latching means for releasably supporting said hangers on said panel with said arms extending outwardly therefrom in parallel rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent spaced panel' supporting lugs rigidly mounted on said bridging section,

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