US3137249A

US3137249A - Reinforced wire shelf for medicine cabinets and the like

Info

Publication number: US3137249A
Application number: US203806A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis J Postula; Victor A Postula
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-06-20
Filing date: 1962-06-20
Publication date: 1964-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 1981-06-16

Description

June 16, 1964 J. POSTULA ET AL REINFORCED WIRE SHELF FOR MEDICINE CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 20, 1962 //a//Z /Z5 6' A m n m: w W m IWU A sq. E9 JQQ so T om. LV% w withinthe shelf brackets.

r 3,137,249 REINFQRCED WIRE SIELF FflR MEDECINE (BABE-JETS AND TIE LIKE Louis J. Postnla and Victor A. Fostnla, both of RFD. 3,

' r lidarshaihlyiich;

Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 293,806 1% Claims. (Cl. Hid- 27) United States Patent This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in supports, and more particularly to a novel shelf construction.

This invention particularly relates to a novel shelf construction for use in cabinets in drugstores and the like.

Shelving for such use, at the present time, is commonly formed of a fiat piece of glass, plywood or pressed board. However, such shelving when used in drugstore medicine cabinets is undesirable in that it lacks an upstanding guard on its front edge and provides large areas for catching dust and other foreign matter. It was a recognition of these difiiculties and shortcomings of the prior art which led to the conception and development of the present invention. 7 r Accordingly among the objects of the present invention L is the provision of a novel light weight wire shelf which has suflicient strength for the intended purpose and at the same time, is very sanitary since it does not provide flat surfaces on which dust and other foreign matter may accumulate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel shelf construction which is provided with a simple reinforcement so that although the shelf is extremely light and readily handleable, the shelf has suificient strength to provide the necessary supporting function of the shelf. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel shelf which includes a peripheral frame including sides and ends, transversely extendingrods underlying the frame and extending between and secured to the sides of the frame, a nd at least one of the sides having a reinforcing rod underlying the same with the reinforcing rod being secured to associated ends of the transversely extending u rods, and the reinforcing rods combining with'the frame side and .the ends of the transversely extending rods to form a vertical truss which reinforces the shelf and resists I the bendingthereof, I V Another deficiency of existing types of shelves commonly found in medicine cabinets and the like is that it :is extremely dil'licult and impractical to provide anupstanding frontguard on present types of shelving. It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a novelwireshelf construction having an upstanding front guard rail assembly; I

p p A further object of this invention isto provide anovel shelf assembly for use in medicine cabinets and the like which includes a peripheral frame having sides and ends,

fwith the ends preferablybeingjslightly outwardly bowed whereby when the shelf is forced between. a pair f support brackets-which are spaced apart slightly less than the length of the shel f assembly, and the ends of the shelf are resiliently bent and the shelf iswedged and stably held A still: further object ofthisinvention is to provide a frame having sides andends, transversely extendingrods .underlying the frame and being terminally secured to the I sides of the frame, and reinforcing rods underlying the 3,137,249. Patented June 16, 1954 "ice . to facilitate the removal of the shelf.

- appear as the description proceeds.

Still further objects'and advantages of the invention wil To the accomplishment ofthe foregoing andrelated ends, the invention, then, consists of the shelf means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but

one of various ways in which the principle of the inven tion'may be used.

In the annexed drawing:

' FIGURE 1 is a fragmentaryperspective view of a cabinet'in which there is mounted a shelf formed in'accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional'view taken through the cabinet and showing the shelf in plan. FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows, and shows the specific details of construction of the shelf.

1 FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3, lookingin the direction of the arrows, and shows further the details of the shelf construction.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a conventional type of cabinet,- or diagrammetically a cabinet door, generally referred to by the numeral 10, in whi ch there is: mounted a shelf formed in accordance with this invention, the shelf being generally referred to by the numeral 11.

The shelf 11 is of composite welded Wire construction,

and includes a continuous peripheral frame, generally re.- ferred to by thejnumeral 12.. The frame 12 includes a front side 13, a rear side 14, and'ends 15. his to be noted that the ends 15 are preferably slightly outwardly bowed,

as'is best shown in FIGURES I and 2 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. t

Theshelf 11also' includes aplurality oftransversely extending rods'ld. The rods 16 underlie the frame 12,

extend between the front side 13 and the rear side '14 thereof, and are secured to the undersurfa'ces of the front side 13 and the rear side 14, as by spot welding.

' Further the shelf 11 is reinforced by means of'a rein- ..novel wire shelf which includesa continuous peripheral forcingrod 17, FIGURES 1 and4, which directly underlies the front side 13 and is secured to the undersides of the transversely extending rods 16, as by spotwelding; As is clearly shown inFIGURE 4, the frame side 13, the

reinforcing rod 17, and 'the transversely extending rods 16 combine to define a vertically disposed truss which reinforces the shelf 11 and resists vertical bending thereof.

1 The rear side of the'shelf 11 is preferably reinforced by a similar truss which is formed in part by a reinforcing rod 18, FIGURES 1 and 3, secured to the underside of-the opposite ends of the transversely extending rods 16- and underlying the rear side '14 of the frame 1-2. a

arena a9 At this time, it is pointed out that not only do the reinforcing rods 17 and 18 combine with the frame 12 and the transversely extending rods 16 to reinforce the shelf 11 against vertical bending, but they also serve to shield the sharp raw edges at the ends of the transversely extending rods 16. The ends of the rods 16 are disposed between the frame front side 13 and the reinforcing rod 17 along the front edge of the shelf 11 and between the frame rear side 14 and the reinforcingrod 18 along the rear side of the shelf 11. Thus, the ends of the transversely extending rods 16 are not exposed for undesired engagement by ones hand.

In view of the fact that the shelf 11 is formed of a welded wire or rod construction, the shelf 11 may be easily provided with a guard assembly, generally referred to by the numeral 19. The guard assembly 19 includes an upper rod member 21) which terminates at its ends in integral legs 21 and which legs 21 have the lower portions thereof Welded to the frame front side 13 and the reinforcing rod 17, as is best shown in FIGURE 3. The

guard assembly 19 also includes a central leg 22, FIG- URE 1, which extends between the upper rod member and the frame front side 13 and the reinforcing rod 17. The guard assembly 19 also includes a longitudinal lower rod member 23'which extends between and is secured to the legs 21. The lower rod member 23 is also secured to the central leg 22. It is to be understood that the shelf 11 does not have to have the .guard assembly 19 although it is desirable and may even be on both the front and rear edges of shelf 11, and to save duplication of showing, it is to be considered that the drawing diagrammatically illustrates same. However, it is to be also understood that when the shelf 11 is provided with the guard assembly 19, the guard assembly 19 additionally reinforces the shelf 11 to resist vertical deflection thereof.

The cabinet or door 10 is formed in the usual manner with side Walls 24, and this member 10 may even be a hinged member in a still larger cabinet (not shown). Each of the side walls 24 is provided with a shelf support bracket 25 for each of the shelves 11. Each shelf support bracket 25 is preferably of a channel-shaped cross-section, as is best shown in FIGURE 4.

When the shelf 11 is mounted within the cabinet 10, the ends 15 of the shelf frame 12 are received in the shelf support brackets 25. However, the spacing between the ends 15 of the shelf frame 12 is preferably slightly greater than the spacing between the shelf support brackets 25. As a result, when the shelf 11 is mounted within the cabinet 10, it is wedged within the shelf support brackets 25 with the resultant resilient flattening deflection of the ends 15. In this manner, the shelf 11 is tightly but removably mounted in the cabinet 10.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 4 in particular, wherein it is to be noted that the reinforcing rod 17 terminates short of the ends of the frame 12. It is to be understood that in preferred construction the reinforcing rod 18 will similarly terminate short of the ends of the frame 12. In this manner, sufiicient clearance is provided for the deflection of the ends 15 and the reception thereof in the shelf support brackets 25.

It is to be understood that not only is the construction of the shelf 11 a highly desirable one, but it is also ex-. tremely simple so that the shelf 11 may be fabricated at a minimum cost. In addition, the shelf 11 is of a light weight construction, as is desired, to facilitate easy handling thereof.

While the term rod has been used herein and shown as round in the drawing, it is intended that'such showing is to be considered as being diagrammatic of the many shapes which rods can take and properly function for the purpose herein set forth. Directional terms such as un dersides, vertical, et cetera, have been used to facilitate describing the invention as shown in the drawing, but are not to be considered as limiting the invention.

While the shelves of the present invention are-usable in various forms of apparatus, one of the major uses of these shelves is in connection with medical supply cabinets used in drug stores where the supplies are stored on shelves carried by hinged panels. Members 15 on the ends of each shelf project outward a short distance so that when the shelf is shoved into place on the hinged panel, these ends resiliently grip the end members of the panel and hold the shelf from slipping out from its mounting panel which would allow medicine bottles or the like to slip off from the shelf under conditions of use.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, with some minor variations, it is to be understood that other minor variations may be made in the invention within the spirit and scope thereof, as described herein and illustrated in the drawing.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the shelf apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A shelf comprising a continuous peripheral frame having sides and ends, a plurality of transversely extending rods extending across the underside of saidframe between said sides, and a reinforcing rod extending substantially directly beneath at least one of said frame sides and secured to the undersides of said transversely extending rods, said one side, said reinforcing rod and ends of said transversely extending rods combining to form a vertical truss along said one side to reinforce said shelf against vertical deflection.

2. The shelf of claim 1 wherein a second reinforcing rod substantially directly underlies the other of said frame sides and cooperates with said other frame side and the associated ends of said transversely extending rods to form a second vertical truss along saidother side.

3. The shelf of claim 1 wherein associated ends of said transversely extending rods terminate between said frame one side and said reinforcing rod whereby the associated ends of said transversely extending rods are shielded.

4. The shelf of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing rod terminates short of said frame ends whereby said frame ends are free to slide in shelf support brackets.

5. The shelf of claim 1 together with an upstanding guard along at least one of said frame sides, said guard having portions secured to said one frame side and said reinforcing rod, said guard further reinforcing said shelf against vertical deflection.

6. The shelf of claim 1 wherein said frame ends are outwardly bowed, whereby when said frame ends are forced between a pair of opposed shelf support brackets said frame ends resiliently deflect to hold said shelf in place.

7. In combination with a cabinet having opposed shelf support brackets, a shelf comprising a continuous peripheral frame having sides and ends, a plurality of transversely extending rods extending across the underside of said frame between said sides, said frame being slightly longer than the spacing between said brackets, and, said fraine ends being outwardly bowed, "whereby when said frame ends are forced into said brackets said frame ends resiliently deflect to hold said shelf in place.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7, wherein said shelf has a reinforcing rod under each of said shelf sides joined .to the underside of the ends of said transversely extending rods, said reinforcing rods being substantially centered onsaid shelf sides and. shorterthan same, and an upstanding guard along at least one of said frame sides, said guard having portions secured to said shelf side and the'reinforcing rod thereunder, said guard further reinforcing said shelf against vertical deflection.

9. A shelf comprising a peripheral frame including end portions disposed a predetermined distance opposite from each other and being yieldably defiectable toward each References Cited in the file of this patent other whereby, when said end portions are forced between UNITED STATES PATENTS a pair of opposed shelf support brackets spaced apart a 1 distance less than said predetermined distance, said end ggigi ii portions yieldably deflect to hold said shelf in place on 5 2:564:473 1951 sald Shelf P P f 2,671,004 Chadwick et a1. Mar. 2, 1954 10. In combination With a cabinet having opposed shelf 2,793,760 Z61 et aL May 23, 1957 support brackets, a shelf comprising a peripheral frame 793 7 1 Geralds May 23 57 including oppositely disposed end portions spaced from 2313,95 0 Losching Jan, 7 195 each other a distance slightly greater than the distance 10 2,984,533 Sandberg May 16, 1961 bet een said shelf support brackets, end portions being 2,994,441 Browning Aug. 1, 1961 yieldaoly deflectable toward each other in response to forc- 3,027,016 Betch Mar. 27, 1962 ing said end portions against said respective brackets. 3,038,630 Clark June 12, 1962

Claims

1. A SHELF COMPRISING A CONTINOUS PERIPHERAL FRAME HAVING SIDES AND ENDS, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RODS EXTENDING ACROSS THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FRAME BETWEEN SAID SIDES, AND A REINFORCING ROD EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY BENEATH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FRAME SIDES AND SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDES OF SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RODS, SAID ONE SIDE, SAID REINFORCING ROD AND ENDS OF SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RODS COMBINING TO FORM A VERTICAL TRUSS ALONG SAID ONE SIDE TO REINFORCE SAID SHELF AGAINST VERTICAL DEFLECTION.