US3091317A

US3091317A - Display and delivery stand

Info

Publication number: US3091317A
Application number: US51083A
Authority: US
Inventors: George A Just
Original assignee: GRAND UNION CO
Current assignee: GRAND UNION CO
Priority date: 1960-08-22
Filing date: 1960-08-22
Publication date: 1963-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-28

Description

May 28, 1963 G. A. JUST DISPLAY AND DELIVERY STAND Filed Aug. 22, 1960 I U J U l INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. JUST 14 TFQHNEY United States Patent 3,091,317 DISPLAY AND DELIVERY STAND George A. Just, Bronxville, N.Y., assignor to The Grand Union Company, East Paterson, N .J a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 51,083 2 Claims. (Cl. 19338) This invention relates to display and delivery stands of the type wherein tracks are arranged for the movement of articles from the rear to the front of the stand. The invention is directed particularly to novel constructions which permit ready application and removal of the tracks for varying the distance between the same whereby articles of different size or width may be handled by the equipment.

In US. Patent No. 2,669,361 there is shown and described a type of track that is particularly adopted for use in the practice of the present invention. However, the spacing means provided for holding such tracks in predetermined spaced relation are of a type which must be moved lengthwise of the track in placing them in position. Therefore, if the tracks are relatively long, it is diificult to apply the spacing means and considerable time is required to move them into position.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel type of spacing means for the tracks is provided which permits application of the spacers directly to the tracks at any point throughout the length thereof. Moreover, the construction may be formed to permit more ready variation in the spacing of the tracks to receive articles of different size.

These advantages are preferably attained by providing the assembly with tracks which are transversely yieldable and cooperate with spacing members to which the tracks can be clipped with a spring action and in variously adjusted spaced relations.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a display and delivery device with a novel type of track #and spacing means which facilitate assembly and adjustment of the elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display and delivery device wherein the tracks along which articles are movable are held in predetermined spaced relation by cooperating interengaging elements which are sprung into engagement in a manner which permits ready assembly and variation of the parts.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the following description thereof wherein reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a typical display and delivery stand embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing a portion of the tracks and spacing mean-s employed in the construction of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 2.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the display and delivery stand embodies a framework 2 on which horizontally extending supporting members 4 are mounted in position to receive and hold inclined pairs of

tracks

6 and 8 along which articles 10 are movable by gravity from the rear to the front of the stand.

As shown in FIG. 2, the

tracks

6 and 8 are formed of metal or other suitable material and are provided with a relatively high outer rail 12 and a lower inner rail 14 which are connected by the web 16. The outer side 18 of the outer rail 12 of each track extends downward below the web 16 and is formed with a flange 20 which,

"ice

as shown, is preferably turned inwardly. In a similar way, the inner side 22 of the lower rail '14 of each track extends below the web 16 and is formed with a flange 24 which projects in the opposite direction, or as shown, in a direction toward the flange 20 of the outer rail.

The tracks thus formed are of the same general type as those shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,669,361 but may be formed with enlarged upper edges or beads to receive plastic anti-friction coverings 26 formed of nylon, Tefion or other material which serve to permit the articles 10 to slide along the tracks with a minimum of resistance.

The

tracks

6 and 8 rest upon and are held in position on the horizontally extending members 4- of the framework 2 of the display and delivery stand. However, they are held in predetermined spaced relation by transversely extending spacing members 28 which may be located at any suitable points throughout the length of the tracks. These spacing members are in the form of flat strips of metal or other material which are provided with upwardly projecting inclined cleats or retaining means adapted to be engaged by the oppositely turned flanges 2i) and 24 on the lower edges of the

side portions

18 and 22 of the tracks. Thus, the outwardly inclined cleats 36 on the spacing members 28 are arranged to receive and hold the inwardly turned flanges 21 on the outer side portions 18 of the tracks '6 and '8, whereas the inwardly inclined cleats 32 are positioned and arranged to receive and hold the oppositely turned flanges 24 on the inner side portions 22 of the tracks.

In the preferred construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there are two or more sets of the cleats '30 and 32 located adjacent each end of the spacing member 28 and these cleats are so spaced as to permit the

tracks

6 and 8 to engage either or any of the sets of cleats to hold the tracks in variously spaced and adjusted positions to re ceive and guide articles of different widths.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the assembly may in clude a central supporting strip 34 which is held in position by the centrally located and oppositely inclined pairs of cleats 36.

The construction of the

tracks

6 and 8, and of the supporting strip 34 when used, is such that they are relatively stilf and preferably are formed of thin resilient sheet metal so that the side portions of the tracks by which the flanges 20 and 24 are carried are yield-able transversely with respect to the track so that they may be spread apart to slip over the oppositely

inclined cleats

30 and 32. Thus, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, the track may be tilted sideways to insert the flange 24 on the inner side portion 22 of the track beneath the cleats 32 after which the outer side portion 18 may be spread outward sufiiciently to allow the flange 20 to pass downward and extend beneath the cleat 30'. The track is formed so that its normal unstressed shape presents the adjacent edges of flanges 2t) and 24- spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the opposite edges of the cleats 3i and 32. Therefore, after bein g spread apart in applying the track, the flanges spring back into clamping engagement with the cleats so that the track is securely held in place. The side portions of the central supporting strip 34 may be similarly spread to engage the cleats 36 in the central portion of the spacing member 28.

In the construction shown, the flanges of the track extend toward each other and the cleats or retaining elements on the spacing member are inclined outwardly. However, these positions may be reversed to provide outwardly extending flanges on the track and inwardly inclined cleats or retaining means on the spacing members if desired. In any event, the construction thus provided can be applied to the tracks at any desired point throughout the length thereof so that even though the tracks are ten, fifteen or twenty feet long, the spacing members can be applied and removed almost instantly. Moreover, additional spacing members can be placed in position between existing spacing members without displacing those previously applied to the tracks. In this Way, a great deal of time, labor and difiiculty is saved and the construction of the spacing members is simpler and less expensive than those heretofore required.

While one preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described above, the construction is capable of various modifications in the form and arrangement of the elements of the assembly. In view thereof, it should be understood that the particular construction chosen for disclosure in the application is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an article-supporting stand, a pair of tracks arranged in parallel relation and in inclined positions on said stand, and track spacing means extending transversely of the tracks beneath the same and detachably engageable therewith intermediate the ends of the tracks to hold the tracks in predetermined spaced relation, said track spacing means being in the form. of an elongated strip of material presenting an upwardly facing tracksupporting surface with track-holding elements projecting above said upwardly facing track-supporting surface of the strip and having extremities facing in opposite direction-s and spaced from said upwardly facing track-supporting surface of the strip, each of the tracks presenting an upwandly facing articlesupporting surface extending lengthwise of the track, said tracks each having opposite side portions extending downwardly below said article-supporting surface of the track with the lower edges of said side portions engaging the upwardly facing track-supporting surface of the strip, said tracks each further having a downwardly facing opening located between the lower edges of said side portions of the track and presenting spaced oppositely projecting flanges bearing against the upper track-supporting surface of the strip, said track spacing means and tracks being relatively movable in a direction at right angles to the track-supporting surface of the strip intermediate the ends of the track into positions wherein the flanges on the lower edges of the side portions of said tracks are located adjacent the oppositely cfacing extremities of the track-holding elements, the flanges on the lower edges of the side portions of the tracks being movable over the upwardly facing tracksupporting surface of the strip into and out of positions wherein said flanges project beneath the extremities of the track-holding elements and serve to hold the tracks in said predetermined spaced relation.

2. In an article-supporting stand, a pair of tracks formed of material of predetermined thickness and arranged in parallel relation and in inclined positions on said stand and track spacing means extending transversely of said track-s beneath the same and detachably engageable with the tracks intermediate the ends thereof to hold the tracks in predetermined spaced relation, said track spacing means being in the form of. an elongated strip of material presenting an upwardly facing tracksupporting surface with truck-holding elements integral therewith and struck up above said upwardly facing tracksupporting surface of the strip, the extremities of said track-holding elements facing outwardly in opposite directions toward the opposite ends of the strip, said extremities of the track-holding elements being spaced from the upwardly facing tracksupporting surface of said strip a distance at least equal to said predetermined thickness of the material of which said tracks are formed, each of said tracks presenting opposite side portions having a downwardly facing opening therebetween, the side portions of the track presenting spaced inwardly and oppositely extending flanges at the lower edges thereof, said flanges resting upon the upwardly facing track-supporting surface of the track spacing means and projecting beneath the outwardly extending extremities of said trackholding elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hinckley May 2, 1961

Claims

1. IN AN ARTICLE-SUPPORTING STAND, APAIR OF TRACKS ARRANGED IN PARALLEL RELATION AND IN INCLINED POSITIONS ON SAID STAND, AND TRACK SPACING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRACKS BENEATH THE SAME AND DETACHABLY ENGAGEABLE THEREWITH INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE TRACKS TO HOLD THE TRACKS IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATION, SAID TRACK SPACING MEANS BEING IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED STRIP OF MATERIAL PRESENTING AN UPEARDLY FACING TRACKSUPPORTING SURFACE WITH TRACK-HOLDING ELEMENTS PROJECTING ABOVE SAID UPWARDLY FACING TRACK-SUPPORTING SURFACE OF THE STRIP AND HAVING EXTREMITIES FACING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND SPACED FROM SAID UPWARDLY FACING TRACK-SUPPORTING SURFACE OF THE STRIP, EACH OF THE TRACKS PRESENTING AN UPWARDLY FACING ARTICLE-SUPPORTING SURFACE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE TRACK, SAID TRACKS EACH HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID ARTICLE-SUPPORTING SURFACE OF THE TRACK WITH THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS ENGAGING THE UPWARDLY FACING TRACK-SUPPORTING SURFACE OF THE STRIP, SAID TRACKS EACH FURTHER HAV-