US3132609A - Shelf structure - Google Patents

Description

y 1964 R. a. CHESLEY 3,132,609

SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 11, 1961 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Office 3,132,609 Patented May 12, 1964 3,132,609 SHELF STRUCTURE Robert G. Chesley, Farmington, Mich., assignor to Chesley Industries, Inc., Southfield, Mich., a corporation or Michigan Filed Dec. 11,1961, Ser. No. 158,325 -1 Claim. (Cl. 108-106) This invention relatesto a shelf structure, "and more particularly to a shelf structure having a plurality of shelves each of which is adjustable to different horizontal levels to accommodate articles of varying sizes.

One of the problems involved in displaying retail merchandise in stores is to make maximum use of the avail: able display space. If the shelf structures for receiving themerchandise are not adjustable, the distances between the shelves must be sufiicient to accommodate the largest size article which may be placed thereon. When articles are displayed on fixed shelves of a smaller size than the maximum possible size, the. space above the article is wasted. Asa consequence, there has been a demand by retail stores, particularly grocery stores, for shelf structures in which the shelves are adjustable to different horizontal levels so that maximum use can always be made of the available space. According to the present invention, an improved shelf structure is provided having adjustable shelves which may readily be located in different horizontal planes and which permit free access to the merchandise stored thereon.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shelf structure having shelves which may be positioned at different horizontal levels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf structure which is movable as an entirety to different cations in a retail store.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shelf structure having a pair of end frames, each frame having a single upright member for attachment of the shelves, the provision of single upright members contributing towards ease of adjustment of the shelves and permitting ready access to merchandise displayed thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide locking means to lock the shelves in adjusted positions, the locking means permitting easy movement of the shelves when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in one embodiment, a structure in which the shelves are positioned at an angle to the horizontal for improved visibility of the shelf contents and for free access to such contents; and

A further object of the invention is to provide a modifled form of the shelf structure mounted on casters or wheels to permit use of the device as a load-carrying vehicle.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the shelf structure of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the means for attaching the shelves to the uprights;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of means for converting the shelf structure of FIGURE 1 into a loadcarrying vehicle; and

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of another embodiment of the invention in which the shelves are positioned at an angle to the horizontal.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to FIGURE 1 it will be seen that the shelf structure 10 comprises a pair of end frames 12, 14. Each of the frames includes an upright hollow square tube 16, 18. Secured to the lower ends of the tubes are laterally extending legs 20, 22 having floor engaging feet 24, 26. Each tube is provided with a longitudinal opening 28, 30 in one wall thereof. The end frames are spaced apart and supported by a cross-piece 32 which is detachably fastened to the lower ends of the tubes 16, 18. A plurality of shelf elements shown as wire baskets 34 are also detachably fastened to the tubes at spaced apart levels. The method and structure for attachment of the baskets and cross-piece are substantially the same and will be described in connection with one of the baskets.

As will be noted, each basket 34 has a support member 36 positioned therebeneath and extending longitudinally thereof. The supports 36 are provided at substantially the midpoint of the basket for reasons of balance. The support members terminate in upwardly extending portions 33 which have clamp sections 40 received on the rim 42 of the basket. Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the upwardly extending portion 38 is secured to a U-shaped bracket 44 as by welding. Registering openings 46, 48 are provided in the bracket 44 and.

portion 38.

The brackets 44 are slidingly received on the tubes 16, 18. The bracket openings are in registry with the tube openings 28, 30 which, as will be noted, face inwardly towards each other. within the tubes. The blocks 50 extend between the oppositely displosed side walls 52, 54 and are thus prevented from rotating Within the tubes. A threaded stud 56 is secured to each block 50 and extends through the tube opening and also through the openings in the bracket 44 and portion 38. A washer 58 and wing nut 60 are threadingly received on the stud 56 and, when tightened, cause frictional engagement of the block 50, tube walls, and the bracket 44 to thus retain the basket 34 in an adjusted position on the end frame. As will be appreciated, the basket may be moved to any desired horizontal level merely by loosening the nuts 60 and sliding the basket up or down the tubes 16, 18. This permits spacing the baskets any desired distance with respect to each other in order to accommodate different sized articles to be placed in the basket. The use of only two upright tubes 16, 18 as opposed to the conventional four corner-post arrangement assists in the sliding action of the basket. With only two uprights, a two-handed pull on the baskets is sufficient to move the basket without jamming. Jamming frequently occurs with the four post arrangement. Additionally, the provision of only two posts permits free access to the basket contents from either side of the baskets or from the basket ends. As will be appreciated, this is desirable in retailing, both from the customers standpoint and from the standpoint of the store in stocking the baskets with articles.

A cap 62 is detachably mounted on top of each tube 16, 18. The caps each have a plug portion 64 on the underside thereof which is frictionally received within the tube. The caps improve the appearance of the structure and serve to prevent anyone from being cut or scraped by the upper edges of the tube. The caps 62 Rectangular blocks 50 are provided I may be removed to permit disassembly of the structure or the mounting of additional baskets thereon.

In the FIGURE 1 embodiment, only two baskets 34 are illustrated. However, any number of baskets may be provided as desired. Additionally, the end frames 12, 14 are capable of accommodating different sized baskets. The frames may be spaced further apart or closer together merely by substituting a different length crosspiece 32. The type of basket used with the construction may also be varied. The baskets may be either of the nesting type With inwardly slanting side walls or they may be of the straight side wall type. Further, instead of baskets, wire shelves may be used.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. -As will be noted, casters 66 are provided on the feet 24 of the legs 20. Oasters are also provided on the opposite end frame to permit the entire structure to be easily pushed along the floor. This permits the shelf structure to be moved from place to place and also facilitates the use of the structure as a cart. This is desirable in, for example, a bakery where large quantities of baked goods must be moved from one place to another.

For use as a cart, a fiat tray 68 may be provided instead of wire baskets. The tray 68 may be fabricated from metal or wood. As will be noted, the flat tray is mounted on an angle bracket 70, one leg 72 of which is secured to the U-shaped bracket 44 while the other leg 74 serves to mount the tray 68. The tray is secured to the leg 74 by means of a screw 76.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an embodiment wherein a wire basket '78 is mounted at an angle to the horizontal. This is accomplished by welding the portion 38 to the bracket 44 at the desired angle. This arrangement permits easier access to the articles in the baskets and also provides improved visibility of the basket contents.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Apparatus for mounting a plurality of shelves at adjustable horizontal levels comprising a pair of spaced apart hollow uprights, a plurality of wire shelf elements extending between the uprights, an elongated support element on the underside of each shelf element and extending longitudinally thereof at substantially midpoint of the shelf element, each end of each elongated support element terminating in an upwardly extending portion, a generally U-shaped bracket secured to the upwardly extending portion of each elongated support element, each of said uprights having a longitudinal opening therein, a block positioned in each upright for each U-shaped bracket, said blocks being vertically slidable and non rotatable with respect to the uprights, and threaded fastening means securing each bracket to its respective block to cause frictional engagement of the block and bracket with the upright to secure the shelf elements in the desired adjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 580,655 Thew Apr. 13, 1897 866,695 Taussig Sept. 24, 1907 891,660 Boeck June 23, 1908 1,705,237 Bulman Mar. 12, 1929 1,883,974 Kusterle Oct. 25, 1932 2,141,008 Meyer Dec. 20, 1938 2,286,831 Ressinger June 16, 1942 2,609,938 Wells Sept. 9, 1952 2,788,902 Nowicki Apr. 16, 1957 2,876,978 Robinson Mar. 10, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 20, 1916

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