US2985316A

US2985316A - Garment rack

Info

Publication number: US2985316A
Application number: US760350A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard R Ruhnke
Original assignee: Garden City Plating & Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Garden City Plating & Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1958-09-11
Filing date: 1958-09-11
Publication date: 1961-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-23

Description

R. R. RUHNKE.

GARMENT RACK May 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 11, 1958 R. R. RUHNKE May 23, 1961 GARMENT RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l1, 1958 May 23, 1961 R. R. RUHNKE 2,985,316

GARMENT RACK Filed Sept. 1l, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. R. RUHNKE GARMENT RACK May 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. l1, 1958 WMU Hummm l y-llllllllmlllmllln I l a umm United States Patent OF GARR/[ENT RACK Richard R. Ruhnke, Skokie, Ill., assignor to Garden CityV Filed Sept. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 760,350

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-178) The invention relates to collapsible racks and is more particularly concerned with a display rack of acharacter that can be quickly set up rigidly for use, and -Which may be easily collapsed and yfolded compactly for shipment or storage.

The rack herein disclosed is primarily intended for use as a display rack for merchandise, such |as garments, and when set up, it provides an attractive strong durablestructure. capable of supporting a considerable load. The rack may be easily and quickly collapsed into a compact 'folded condition so as to require minimum storage or shipping space. In accordance with the present invention the rack comprises a pair of substantially like end frames each preferably Iformed -of square tubular stock and connected one to the other by a pair of articulated brace bar structures extending between them. When the.

rack is set up for use, the brace bar structures are detachably connected to each other so las to `form an X-shaped brace between the upstanding end frames.` j Additional rigidity is afforded the set up rack structure by rails `detachably secured to the upper ends of the Vend frames and extending longitudinally of the rack.

More specifically, each of the brace structures` cornprises a pair of square tubular bars arranged substantially end to end but at an angular relation one to the other and interconnected at their opposed ends by a novel hinge assembly. The free ends of the brace bars are hingedly connected to the respective end frames. assembly includes novel means adapted to be detachably interlocked when the rack is set up, so as to alford a rigid connection between both brace bar structures and thereby retain the end yframes rigidly braced in spaced relation.

The rails are then arranged to bridge the space between the end frames and are detachably secured at their ends 'to the upper ends of the respective frames to increase rigidity of the assembly and alford means from which garment hangers or the like may be suspended.

In order to collapse the r-ack for shipment or storage,

the rails are removed and the hinge assemblieson they respective brace bar structures are disconnected. The two end frames may then be moved toward one 'another into close association with both brace bar structures lfolded compactly between the end frames.

The structure by means of which the above noted andf set up condition; f

Fig. is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the rack partially disassembled and in condition to be collapsed;

Each hinge:

Fig. 4 is a -front elevational view of the rack locked in Patented May 23, 1961 ICC Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the rack in condition for use; f

lFig. 7 is an end elevational view of the rack partially disassembled, as shown in Fig. 5; i

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the assembled rack, partly' broken away;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the hinge assemblies;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the hinge assemblies, showing them interlocked as when the rack is in use;

Fig. 1'1 is a view similar to Fig. 10, showing the hinge assemblies separated as when the rack is partially col' lapsed;

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective View of the hinge connection between one of the brace bars and an end' iframe; and f Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective View, of the hinge connection between another of the brace bars and an end frame.

Referring now to the rack structure which is best illusf adjacent to their upper and lower ends by

transverse connecting bars

14 and 15, respectively, which preferably Iare welded in place. Each upstanding bar 13 has a rigid pin 16 projecting upwardly from its top end Afora purpose to be described presently. f Y

When the rack is set up for use, end `

frames

11 and 12 are held spaced apart rigidly by means of novel hingedly connected collapsible brace bar structures, indicatedgenerally -at 17 and 18, which extend between the end frames in the m-anner shown and are detachably connected to each other in the form of an X by novel

interlocking hinge assemblies

19 and 21 forming a part of the

brace bar structures

17 and 18, respectively. In order to collapse the rack, the interlocking hinge assemblies 19 and 21 aredisconnected and the end frames are then Yfree to be moved toward each other. During this movement the collapsible

brace bar structures

17 and 18 will overlap and -fold compactly between the end frames as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

More specically, brace bar structure 17 comprises a pair of square tubular bars 22-23 hingedly connected end to end by hinge assembly 19. The free ends of saidv As illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, hinge assembly 19,

connecting brace bar 22 with bar Z3, comprises a sheet metal band having parallel side walls 27 and downwardly' inwardly inclined end walls 28. The related end of link bar 23 is extended through the band, and at one end.

thereof, a distance suicient to locate its open end 29 substantially in the plane of thebottom edge of said band and secured thereto as by welding. The companion brace bar 22 is extended into the band adjacent to its other end and it carries firmly thereon a hinge element`31 which receives a pintle pin 32 journaled at its ends in side walls 27 so as to be hingedly connected to said band.

The other brace bar structure 18 is substantially like structure 17 and it is comprised of two square

tubular brace bars

33 and 34. .Each

bar

33, 34 is hingedly Vconnected at one of its ends to the lower transverse connecting bar 15 of the

respective end frames

11 and 12. The specific connectinghinge structure for each bar is best illustrated in Fig. 12. As. shown, the connected end of brace bar 33 carries a bracket 35 having spaced ears 36 hingedly connected by a pintle pin 37 to ears 38 of a bracket 39 secured, as by welding, to the lower transverse end lframe bar 15.

The other or opposed ends of brace `

bars

33, 34 are interconnected by hinge assembly 21 (Figs. l0` and 11) which is substantially identical in its structure to assembly 19 described hereinabove and therefore has its parts identiied by corresponding numerals. It should be observed however, that hinge assembly 21 is in a reversed position as compared to hinge assembly 19 and that a square dowel rod 41 is secured in any suitable manner, as, for example, by welding, within the attached end of b-ar 33 and it projects outwardly therefrom. When the rack is set up for use, the dowel rod or post 41 is extended into the open end or socket 29 of brace bar 23, as shown in Fig. 10. Interlocking of the hinge assemblies locates the

bars

22, 23 in registering alignment with

bars

34, 33, respectively, soas to afford a very rigid brace structure.

When the rack is partiallyror wholly collapsed, the disconnected hinge assemblies 19 and 21 are out of registering alignment. This is effected by offsetting the brace bar structure 17 laterally with respect to the bar structure 18. Such offsetting is accomplished in the present disclosure, by laterallyrolisetting both hinge brackets 39 in one direction from the center of lateral bars 15, a distance substantially equal to one-half of the width of the link bars 22-23 and 33-34. Both hinge brackets 24 are offset the same distance in the opposite direction from the center of lateral -bar 14, to provide a total lateral displacement equal to the width of each link bar 22-23 or 3-3-34 to provide clearance for folding the brace bar structures when the rack is collapsed. This offsetting is best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and, as a result thereof, interengagement of dowel rod 41 with the open end 29 of brace bar 23 is effected by forcibly urging the hinge assemblies laterally toward each other until dowel rod 41 is aligned with and enters said open en'd -29-` The forcible displacement of the brace bar structures required to affect such engagement is effective to provide maximum frictional binding between the engaged portions to resist separation.

In order to permit collapse of the rack,

hinge assemblies

19 and 21 are disconnected one from the other preferably by rocking either or both

end frames

11, 12 outwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, sufficiently to permit dowel rod 41 to be withdrawn from its engaged socket. The end frames may then be carried toward one another, and in so doing, the brace b-

ar structures

17, 18 are collapsed between the end frames.

Utmost rigidity is afforded the set up rack assembly by means of rails 42 each of which is fabricated from round tubular stock and is apertured at its ends to receive the upstanding pins 16 on

end frames

11, 12 when said rails are extended between said end frames and seated over said pins. The rails `afford suitable means from which garment hangers or the like may be suspended.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail hereinabove, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction disclosed.

I claim: p

1. In a rack, a pair of spaced apart end frames, a first set of brace bars extending between said end frames, a hinge assembly connecting said brace bars end to end, hinge means connecting one bar to each end frame, a second set of brace bars extending between said vend frames, a hinge assembly connecting said second set of brace bars end to end, hinge means connecting one b-ar of said second set to each end frame, the brace bars of the first set Vextending angularly downwardly towards the brace bars of the second set, a socket in one hinge assembly, said socket extending axially of one of the brace barsof said rst set, and a post on the otherV hinge assembly, said hinge assemblies being movable laterally relative to each other to align said post and said socket, whereby said post is engageable in said socket to inter- 'lock the first set of brace bars to the second set of brace bars and to hold said hinge assemblies in vertical alignment.

2. In -a rack, a pairof spaced apart end frames, a first set of brace bars hingedly connected end to end and extending between said end iframes, hinge means connecting one bar to each end frame, a second set of brace bars hingedly connected end to end and extending between said end frames, hinge means connecting one bar of said second set of bars to each endV frame, said first set of brace bars kconverging downwardly toward the second set of bars and said second set o-f` brace bars vconverging upwardly toward the first set of brace bars, said sets of brace bars being laterally offset from a common vertical plane, and means permanently fixed to one of said hinge connections extending in the Vertical plane of said one hinge connection 'and engageable in the other hinge Vconnection to provide a rigid detachable joint between said hinge connections and to hold said hinge connections in vertical alignment.

. hingedly connected to each end frame, a second set 0f 3. Ina rack, a pair of spaced apart upstandingend frames, a first set of hingedly connected 4brace bars extendingbetween said end frames, one of said bars being hingedly connected brace bars extending between said end frames, one bar of. said second set being hingedly connected to each end frame, said sets of brace bars each being offset from a common vertical plane, said braces Y i having sufficient l-ateral play to permit the hinge connections of one set of brace bars to be moved into verticalV alignment with the hinge connections of said other set of brace bars, and means projecting in a Vertical plane from the hinge connection between one set of brace bars to engage the hinge connection betweenl the other set of brace bars to form a rigid joint between said hinge connections when said hinge connections are moved laterally into vertical alignment.

4. In a rack, a pair of like upstanding end frames, a first set of brace bars hingedly connected to opposite end frames, each of said bars extending inwardly towards the other, a hinge assembly joining opposed ends of said bars, a second set of brace b-ars hingedly connected to opposite frames, each bar of said second set extending in- I wardly towards the other, a hinge assembly joining opposed ends of said second set of bars, said sets of brace bars being offset from a common vertical plane a distance substantially equal to half the thickness of one of said bars, said hinge assemblies having suflicient lateral play to permit movement thereof into vertical alignment, and means to interconnect the hinge assemblies to rigidly secure the two sets of brace bars with said hinge assemblies in vertical alignment.

5. A 'rack assembly comprising, a pair of spaced apart upstanding substantially rectangular end frames, a pair of upper brace bars pivotally connected to theV upper region of each end frame, a pair of lower brace bars pivotally connected to the lower region of each end frame, means hingedly connecting the upper pair of brace bars together in a substantially V-shaped assembly, means hingedly connecting the lower pair of brace bars together in an inverted substantially V-shaped assembly, said pairs of brace bars being offset relative to each other, said V-shaped assemblies having suiicient lateral play to permit movement thereofl into vertical alignment, and disengageable means connecting said assemblies together substantiallil at their apexes to provide a rigid brace structure for rigidly holding said end frames spaced apart, said disengageable means comprising a vertically disposed socket in one of said assemblies and a vertically disposed projection extending from said other assembly in alignment with said socket.

6. A a rack comprising a pair of upstanding end members and a pair of oppositely directed V-shaped members connecting said end members, each of said V-shaped members comprising a -par of brace bars, each of said brace bars being pivotally connected at its outer end to one of said end members, the brace bars of each V-shaped member being pivotally interconnected at their meeting ends to provide oppositely disposed yapexes on said V-shaped members, said V-shaped members having suffxcient lateral play to permit said apexes to be manually moved into laterally olset relationship or into vertical alignment, said end members being movable toward each other to collapse said rack for shipment or storage when said V-shaped members are in laterally offset relationship, said V-shaped members having means adapted to be interengaged when said apexes :are in vertical alignment to hold said V-shaped members against accidental separation `and to prevent collapse of said rack.

7. A hinged brace bar assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of brace bars arranged end to end, a substantially rectangular band including parallel side Walls and inwardly inclined end Walls, one of said brace bars extending between the side Walls of said band and having surface abutment with one end Wall thereof, means securing said bar to the band firmly, a hinge element on one end of the other brace bar, said end being extended between said side Walls adjacent to the other end of the band, and a pintle pin extending through the hinge element and bridging the side Walls for pivotally connecting the second brace bar to the band, said second brace bar having surface engagement with the inside face of the other end Wall when in one position of use.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,471 Wanamaker Aug. 16, 1910 20 2,469,232 Kennedy May 3, 1949 2,480,702 Bradford Aug. 30, 1949 2,557,262 Cordes June 19, 19511 2,828,932 De Pew Apr. 1, 1958 2,852,145 Scholz Sept. 16, 1958