US3227282A

US3227282A - Record-storage rack

Info

Publication number: US3227282A
Application number: US385230A
Authority: US
Inventors: Punt Neal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-07-27
Filing date: 1964-07-27
Publication date: 1966-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-04

Description

Jan. 4, I966 N. PUNT 3,227,282 I RECORD-STORAGE RACK Filed July 27, 1964 INVENTOR.

NEAL PUN T BY W @1 5 United States Patent Office Patented Jan. 4, 1966 I RECORD-STORAGE RACK Neal Punt, Rte. 1, Coopersville, Mich. Filed July 27, 1964, Sel. No. 385,230 3 Claims. (Cl. 21140) This invention relates to the construction of racks for storing phonograph records. The usual protective envelopes in which these record discs are marketed often contain much printed information of permanent interest, and it is desirable to retain these for reference. Record discs should therefore be stored in these envelopes, and the present invention provides accessibility to the discs without removal of the envelopes from the rack. This fea ture is retained without presenting any interference with the removal of the envelopes whenever this is desirable. The envelopes are subject to much less wear in this storage arrangement, and therefore have a much greater useful life.

The usual envelopes are of cardboard, and are open along one edge. The present invention provides an arrangement for oppositely buckling the sides of a selected envelope so that the contained record disc is exposed for access. The open condition of the envelope can be maintained to facilitate re-insertion of the record disc without searching for the particular envelope from which the disc had been removed.

The several features of the invention will be analyzed in detail through a discussion of the particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a record-storage rack embodying this invention, with the outline of a record envelope being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section in side elevation of the lower front portion of the device.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section from the front showing the action of a wedge member in opening a selected one of the envelopes.

The rack illustrated in the drawings includes the spaced side members and 11 interconnected by the top beam 12, and by the

bottom rods

13 and 14 which form a base for the device. These rods are preferably secured to the

end members

10 and 11 by screws as shown at 15 and 16 which traverse the

end members

10 and 11, and enter suitable threaded holes (not shown) in the ends of the

rods

13 and 14. A shelf 17 is preferably secured to the lower front rod 13 as an added component of the base structure.

A group of parallel spacer wires 18 are secured to the

rods

13 and 14, and are also interconnected at the rear of the device by the rod 19 which forms a stop limiting the rearward movement of the envelopes 20. The spacer members 18 are bent into a configuration such that the portions 21 engage exclusively the lower portion of the envelopes 20, and the inclined portions 22 engage the envelopes exclusively at the rear. This arrangement adequately positions the envelopes vertically, and yet presents no substantial interference to the lateral separation-0f the

walls

23 and 24 of the envelopes 20 to expose the record discs 25 for access.

The arrangement for inducing the opening of the envelopes is best shown in FIGURE 4, and involves an inter action between the wedge 26, the upper beam 12, and the base structure on which the envelopes 20 are supported. The wedge 26 is then shoved into the space between the top edge of the envelope 2t and the beam 12. This forced engagement will induce a downward force against the envelope, and will buckle the

walls

23 and 24 outwardly into the position shown in FIGURE 4. A rack will preferably have several of the wedge members 26, and these are slidably mounted along the beam 12, in addition to being laterally movable with respect thereto. The preferred arrangement for providing this freedom of movement involves the bent wire retainer members 27 having the ends engaging the wedges 26 to form a closed loop embracing the upper beam 12. Preferably, these loops are formed in such a Way as to provide a pointer portion 28 which will extend upwardly when the wedge unit is suspended in the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 1. The wedge can be swung to a position where it is more easily manipulated by the gentle pressure of the finger against the extremity of the pointer portion 28. The pointer portion 28 also facilitates the placement of the wedge 26 with respect to a particular envelope. The lower edge of the wedge 26 (which engages the envelope) is preferably concave to prevent slipoif.

The degree of convergence of the wedges 26 is preferably selected so that the wedge will maintain an inserted position as shown in FIGURE 4, and thus maintain the open condition of the envelope to receive the record disc after it has been played. The entire unit may be transported very easily to and from a position adjacent the record player by the use of the handle configuration shown at 29. These handles are incorporated in both of the

side members

10 and 11, and are located approximately at or above the center of gravity of the entire device.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A rack for storing record discs contained within envelopes, said rack comprising:

a frame having spaced side members, and a base and an upper beam interconnecting said side members; and

at least one wedge member having a portion adapted for insertion between said upper beam and the upper edge of a record disc envelope to apply force from said beam to said envelope toward said base, and thereby open the said envelope by oppositely buckling the walls thereof, said wedge member being slidable on said upper beam axially and transversely thereof, and having a portion normally embracing said upper beam.

2. A rack as defined in claim 1, wherein said wedge member has a pointer portion extending above said beam when said wedge member is hanging freely therefrom.

3. A rack as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame also includes a plurality of spaced parallel separator members fixed with respect to said base for receiving record disc envelopes therebetween, and a rod interconnecting the rear of said separator members and forming a stop limiting the rearward movement of record envelopes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 415,634 11/1889 Guptill 21l41 2,568,955 9/1951 Englander 248-l17.2 3,144,943 8/1964 Punt 21l40 CHANCE-LLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

Claims

1. A RACK FOR STORING RECORD DISCS CONTAINED WITHIN ENVELOPES, SAID RACK COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING SPACED SIDE MEMBERS, AND A BASE AND AN UPPER BEAM INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE MEMBERS; AND AT LEAST ONE WEDGE MEMBER HAVING A PORTION ADAPTED FOR INSERTION BETWEEN SAID UPPER BEAM AND THE UPPER EDGE OF A RECORD DISC ENVELOPE TO APPLY FORCE FROM SAID BEAM TO SAID ENVELOPE TOWARD SAID BASE, AND THEREBY