US3011675A

US3011675A - Space dividing structure for freezers and the like

Info

Publication number: US3011675A
Application number: US749303A
Authority: US
Inventors: Glenn D Zacharias
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-07-17
Filing date: 1958-07-17
Publication date: 1961-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 G. D. ZACHARIAS 3,011,675

SPACE DIVIDING STRUCTURE FOR FREEZERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1958 0. Zaczmmas United States Patent 3,011,675 SPACE DIVIDING STRUCTURE FOR FREEZERS AND THE LIKE Glenn D. Zacharias, 4620 Harriet Ave. S.,

Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed July 17, 1958, Ser. No. 749,303 1 Claim. (Cl. 22022) This invention relates to apparatus for defining subdivided spaces in a compartment of a frozen food case or the like wherein stocks are stored for display and sale.

An object of my invention is to provide for a frozen food case a compartment space divider of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a frozen food case compartment space divider which is readily changeable in size and configuration for dividing spaces which will confine frozen food packages of various size.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear fromthe following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention applied into the compartment of a frozen food case;

FIG. 2 is a detail side elevation of one of the partition panels and showing one of the divider panels connected thereto;

FIG. 3 is a detailed section taken on a vertical plane as indicated at 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of one type of divider wall;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of another type of divider panels which is usable with the panel shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of still another type of divider panel which is usable in various sizes with other divider panels of its type along with the partition panels.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein. The frozen food case 10 defines an interior compartment 11 which, as is conventional, is divided with smooth walls and is generally longer than it is wide. The interior compartment 11 is normally undivided. The space divider comprising the present invention includes a plurality of elongate and upright partition panels 12 of such length as to extend between the front and rear walls of the compartment 11 and of such height as to extend up to the upper edge of the case. A plurality of divider panels 13 of various lengths are also provided for releasable attachment to the smooth edged partition panels 12 and the divider panels 13 are of substantially identical height as are the partition panels.

Each of the partition panels 12 has a plurality of keyhole-shaped apertures 14 therein disposed in a plurality of vertical and horizontal rows with the diminished throat portion of each keyhole aperture oriented downwardly.

The divider panels 13 which may be of various lengths, have at each end thereof, a plurality of pins 15 which may be attached to the panels 13 or formed integrally therewith and each of the pins 15 has a head portion 16 formed thereon in spaced relation with the end edge of the divider panel 13. The heads 16 are of such size and configuration as to be adapted for movement through the enlarged head portion of each of the keyhole-shaped apertures 14 in the partition panels 12 and the pins 15 are movable downwardly into the throat portion of each of the keyhole apertures 14. The partition panels contain five apertures 14in each vertical row of apertures than are provided at the end of any of the divider panels 13 so as to provide vacant apertures for receiving pins and heads from other divider panels oriented in substantially end-to- "ice and relation with the first mentioned divider panel and at the same vertical row of apertures 14 in the partition panel. It will be noted that the divider panel 13a shown in FIG. 4 has the pins 15 oriented in different vertical positions than are the pins 15 on the divider panel 13b shown in FIG. 5 so that when the

divider panels

13a and 13b are oriented in the position shown in FIG. 1, the pins 15 of panel 13a project through a certain set of vertically aligned apertures 14 in a particular vertical row of apertures in the partition panel 12 and the pins 15 of panel 13b extend through the other unoccupied apertures in the same vertical row of apertures. The divider walls may thereby be disposed in directly end-to-end relation with each other.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the divider panel 13c has the pins 15 at one end edge 13c of the panel disposed at different vertical positions than the pins 15 on the other end edge 130" so that only one type of divider panel need be used in order to orient these divider panels in end-to-end relation on opposite sides of a partition panel.

It will be seen that the divider panels 13 will face the I front of the case 10 and the upper portion of the divider may carry a removable sign 19 which has hooks 20* for securing the sign at the upper edge of the panel 13.

In the form shown, the partition and

divider panels

12 and 13 respectively are both constructed of high impact styrene which is resistive to chipping and breaking at extremely low temperatures. The panels are flexible and are therefore not subject to collecting frost thereon, because when the panels are bent the frost or ice chips will fall 0E. The polystyrene panels are washable and will not be permanently visibly marked because the polystyrene panels are of uniform color through the entire thickness thereof and if the panels should be scratched, the panels need be merely washed to remove the visible mark.

It should be pointed out that by use of the partition and divider panels in the compartment 11, the amount of usable space is not materially decreased and the theme of the space divider substantially improves the efficiency of organization of the products contained in the com partment 11 so that actually the usable space in the compartment 11 is eifectively increased. The cans of frozen juice and the like which normally lay on their sides with the beads on the ends thereof staggered in relation to each other may be laid on their sides with the end beads stacked directly on each other so as to save space in connection with these types of products. By the use of the space divider comprising the present invention the inventory of the stock in the compartment 11 may be kept current because the small compartments defined by the space divider may be easily inventoried and rotated so that old stock will never collect in the bottom of the compartment.

It should be particularly noted that if desired, the space dividers may be moved by sliding along the length of the compartment 11 because all of the edges of the partition panels and divider panels are smooth.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A space divider insertable into a frozen food case of the type having an open topped compartment and having front, rear, end and bottom compartment-defining walls, said space divider comprising a multiplicity of upright and planar partition panels adjacent each other in spaced, parallel and confronting relation with each other, said partition panels having bottom edges and also having front and rear edges, said bottom edges being adapted to be supported on the bottom wall of the case and said front and rear edges being adapted to confront the front and rear Walls of the case when the panels are located in the compartment of the case, a plurality'of upright divider panels or'ientedtransversely of said partition panels and extending between adjacent partition panels, each of said divider panels having first and second end edges confronting the adjacent partition panels, each of said partition panels having a plurality of keyhole shaped apartures in upright rows and confronting the end edges of the divider panels, said keyhole shaped apertures having depending diminished throat portions and enlarged upper portions, the divider panels having pins permanently atfixed on each of the end edges thereof and projecting endwise of the divider panels and through the diminished throat portions of the apertures of the adjacent partition panels said pins having enlarged heads thereon exceeding the dimensions of said diminished throat portions of the apertures and being smaller than the enlarged upper portions of said apertures to permit movement of the heads through the apertures when the divider panels are moved upwardly with respect to the partition panels, the pins on said first end edges being disposed at first elevations, the pins on said second end edges being disposed at second elevations vertically spaced from said first elevations, the apertures in said rows being disposed at both of said first and second elevations whereby to permit divider panels-on opposite sides of a partition panel to be disposed in alignment with each other with the pins at the first and second end edges thereof extending through apertures in a single upright row of apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS