US3292797A

US3292797A - Self-service footwear merchandising device

Info

Publication number: US3292797A
Application number: US457591A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berk Milton
Original assignee: Simons Simons & Simons
Current assignee: Simons Simons & Simons
Priority date: 1965-05-21
Filing date: 1965-05-21
Publication date: 1966-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-20

Description

Dec. 20, 1966 M. BERK SELF-SERVICE FOOTWEAR MERCHANDISING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21. 1965 ATTORNE Y.

United States Patent 3,292,797 SELF-SERVICE FOOTWEAR MERCHANDISING DEVICE Milton Berk, Simons, Simons & Simons, 1655 NW. th Ave., Miami, Fla. 33136 Filed May 21, 1965, Ser. No. 457,591 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-163) My invention relates to footwear merchandising rack fixtures of the type having self-service shoe try-on features. Such self-service display units are described in my copending patent application Serial No. 383,400, filed July 17, 1964, now Patent No. 3,229,819, and titled Self-Service Footwear Merchandising Display Unit. The present invention relates to improvements in such display units or rack fixtures.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a self-service footwear display rack fixture of the above nature which will occupy a minimum of floor space while at the same time providing both for instant try-on for size and for the support and display in front of the customer of a wide range of footwear styles, sizes and colors for ready selection once size has been determined.

A more particular object is to provide a self-service footwear display rack fixture of the above nature which not only is compact, but which comprises a rotary rack member and a try-on base member each of which is readily selectively movable by the customer while standing at one position in front of the display unit, whereby it is especially well suited for use in corners for economical display and self-merchandising in stores having or making available only limited floor space.

Yet another object is to provide a footwear self-service merchandising device of the character described comprising a circular support structure rotatably supported above which is a vertically-extending, elongated, columnar, rack member of square cross-section presenting four verticallyarranged sides or panels against which the displayed footwear is supported for self-service selection, and including a conical platform rotatably arranged with respect to the support structure below the rack member and having fixed thereupon, in circumferentially-spaced relation, a plurality of sample shoes of the various sizes on display for tryon use by the customer in the self-determination of size to be selected.

Yet another object is to provide a footwear self-service merchandising rack fixture of the above nature which will be simple in construction, attractive in appearance and use, and exceptionally well suited to self-service merchandising in the impulse sale of inexpensive footwear in supermarkets, department stores, drug stores and the like retail establishments having high density traflic.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In

the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a self-service footwear merchandising device embodying the invention, shown stocked with footwear for purchaser selection;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1, shown separately and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and illustrates, in top view, the rotary try-on base member;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and illustrating constructional details of the try-on base member;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along "ice the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and illustrating constructional details of the rotary rack member; and

FIG. 6 illustrates, in vertical cross-section, a modified form of display unit embodying the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 10 in FIGS. 1 through 5 designates one form of a footwear merchandising display unit embodying my invention the same being comprised, generally, of a support structure 11, a vertical display rack member 12 rotatably supported above said support structure, and a conical try-on base member 13 arranged over said support structure and independently rotatable with respect thereto.

The support structure 11 comprises a circular pedestal member 14, preferably in the shape of a shallow pan and formed of a heavy material such as cast iron for stability, and having a central hub portion 15 of increased thickness. The pedestal hub portion 15 is provided with an axial bore 16, pipe-threaded to receive securely affixed therein a short length of upstanding pipe 17.

The display rack member 12 comprises square top and bottom plates 18, 1-9, respectively, fixed against the upper and lower ends of vertically-extending corner stiles 20 to form a framework secured against the sides of which, as by gluing or by the use of wood screws, are elongated panels 21, preferably of a perforated hard board commonly known as peg-board. A decorative molding 22 is secured against the edges of the top plate 18 adjacent the upper ends of the panels 21. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, corner molding strips 23 are secured against the longitudinal meeting edges or corners of the panels 21, said strips being coextensive with said panels. The lower ends of the panels 21 extend somewhat beyond the outer "surface of thet bottom plate 19, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Centrally located against the underside of the bottom plate 19 is a circular flange 24 having a central, axially-extending opening fixed within which is a length of pipe 25. The pipe 25 is of such external diameter as to fit slidingly Within the upstanding pipe 17 of the support structure 11, and is received therein for rotatably supporting thedisplay rack member 12 with respect to said support structure. The underside of the rack member flange 24 seats against the upper end of the support structure pipe 17 to support the rack member 12 is a predetermined position above the support structure 11. V

The try-on base member 13 is conical in form, preferably being fabricated of a somewhat flexible material, such as a flexible composition structural sheet material, cut and bent or formed or molded into a conical member 26 braced at the inside by a plurality of radiallyextending strips or ribs 27 of wood, for example, glued or otherwise alfixed against the inner surface (see FIG. 4). The conical member 26 is provided with a central cirou lar opening 28 of such size as to freely receive the upstanding pipe 17 of the support structure 11, over which it fits. Three or more of the radial strips 27 are fitted at their outer or lower ends with gliders 29 (only two shown in FIG. 2), preferably of the rotating ball type, to permit easy rotation of the try-on base member 13 with respect to the floor surface on which it rests. As is best illustrated in FIG. 3, the upper surface of the conical try-on base member 13 has fixed thereupon, in radially-extending disposition and equidistantly circularly-spaced thereabout, a plurality of shoes 30, one each of the various sizes of footwear on sale, in size order.

A11 advertising sign 31 may conveniently be attached -at the upper end of the display rack member 12 as by a support bracket 32 secured against the upper surface of the display rack member top plate 18.

Means is provided for supporting and displaying footwear for self-service purchase on the elongated panels '42 used for illumination of the sign 37.

- the books of each column being equidistantly spaced and in horizontal alignment with hooks of adjacent columns to provide a regular display pattern. The hooks 33 are formed at their inner ends with forked, off-set attachment means 34 adapted to -fit into a pair of side-by-side, adjacent perforations in the elongated pegboard panels 21, for removable attachment thereto. Such hook attachment means is known in the art .and is not claimed herein as novel in and of itself.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the displayed footwear are packaged in transparent bags prominently marked with shoe size. Thus the self-service purchaser, immediately after having determined shoe size by fitting the foot in one or more of the try-on shoes 30 as the conical try-on'base member 13 is rotated by the foot as may be necessary to bring various ones of the try-on shoes into front position, need only glance up along the displayed shoe columns to reach the level of the size needed, after which selection as to color or style can readily be made by rotating the display rack member 12 to examine all types of that size displayed for sale. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, a toothed disc 35 is secured, as by welding, at the pipe 17 just above the hub portion 15 of the circular pedestal member 14, between the teeth of which one end of a flat detent spring 36 extends, the othe end of said spring being secured to one of the rib strips 27 of the try-on base member 13. The action of the spring 36 in skipping over the toothed disc 35 as the try-on base member 13 is rotated serves to retard its speed of rotation so that the purchaser can more readily selectively position try-on shoes of various size to the front, and so that there will be a certain amount of resistance to turning while the foot is being fitted in a try-on shoe.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification of the invention permitting electric lighting, through central wiring in the display rack member 12a, of an advertising sign 37 in fixed position thereabove. In this embodiment, the circular base member 14a is of greater diameter than that of the try-on base member 13 so that said base member 13 rides upon the upper surface thereof rather than directly upon the floor as in the embodiment of the invention ilustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. This an electrical cord 38 to run under the base member 14a, through a suitable opening therein, and up through a long support pipe 39 to the upper end of which is secured a flange 40 carrying the sign 37. The flange 40 also supports a horizontal bracket 41 supporting electric lamps The top and bottom frame plates 18a, 19a of the display rack member 12a are formed with central openings 43, 44 through which the pipe 39 extends. The bottom plate 18b seats against a collar 45 secured on the pipe 39 near the lower end thereof. With this construction it will be apparent that the try-on base member 13 and the display rack member 12a can both be-rotated without interfering with the electrical wiring for the lamps 42 and without tuming the sign 37. Operation and use is otherwise the same as is described above in connection with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5.

While I have illustrated and described herein only two forms in which my invention can conveniently be emlbodied in practice, it is to be understood that these forms are given by way of example only, and not in a limiting sense. My invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. In a self-service footwear mechandising device, the combination comprising, a support structure, an elongated display rack member, means for rotatably supporting said display rack member is spaced relation with respect to her being of conical shape and disposed in enclosing re-.

and above said support structure for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a circular try-on base member, means i for rotatably supporting said try-on base member between said support structure and said display rack mem- 1 her for rotation about a central axis common with the rotational axis of said display rack member, a plurality ture compriing a pedestal member, said'try-on base memlation on said support structure pedestal member, the peripheral edge of said try-on base member including antifriction means for free movement over a fixed flat surface.

2. A self-service footwear merchandising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support structure pedestal member is of greater size than the diameter of said tryon base member and provides a fixed flat surface upon which said try-on base member can rotate.

3. A self-service footwear merchandising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said display rack member and said means for rotatably supporting said try-on base member comprises a first pipe centrally aflixed to said support structure pedestal member, and a second pipe telescopingly received with respect to said first pipe and fixed with respect to the underside of.

said display rack member.

4. A self-service footwear merchandising device as defined in claim 3 wherein said spring-actuated detent means comprises a toothed wheel coaxially fixed with respect to said first pipe and a leaf spring secured at one end with respect to the inside of said conical try-on base member and 1 having its other end in sliding engagement with respectto the peripheral teeth of said toothed wheel.

5. A self-service footwear merchandising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said display rack member and said means for rotatably supporting said try-on base member comprises a pipe centrally aflixed to said support structure pedestal mern her, and mean for journalling the opposite endsof said elongated display rack member on said pipe for rota tion about said pipe as an axis.

'6. A self-service footwear merchandising device as dew fined in claim 5 wherein said support structure pedestal member is of greater size than the diameter of said tryon base member and provides a fixed flat surface upon which said try-on base member can rotate.

7. A self-service footwear merchandising device astdeifined in claim 6 wherein said spring-actuated detent means comprises a toothed wheel coaxially fixed with respect to said pipe and a leaf spring secured at one end with respect to the inside of said conical try-on base member and having its other end in sliding engagement with respect to the peripheral teeth of said toothed wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SELF-SERVICE FOOTWEAR MECHANDISING DEVICE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A SUPPORT STRUCTURE, AN ELONGATED DISPLAY RACK MEMBER, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID DISPLAY RACK MEMBER IS SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO AND ABOVE SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A CIRCULAR TRY-ON BASE MEMBER, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID TRY-ON BASE MEMBER BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND SAID DISPLAY RACK MEMBER FOR ROTATION ABOUT A CENTRAL AXIS COMMON WITH THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF SAID DISPLAY RACK MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF SHOES OF VARIOUS SIZES FIXED IN CIRCULARLY-SPACED RELATION UPON SAID TRY-ON BASE MEMBER FOR CUSTOMER TRY-ON TO DETERMINE SIZE, SAID DISPLAY RACK MEMBER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SIDE PANELS, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT PAIRS OF SHOES OF THE TYPE AND SIZES OF SAID PLURALITY OF SHOES AGAINST EACH OF SAID SIDE PANELS, SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PEDESTAL MEMBER, SAID TRY-ON BASE MEMBE BEING OF CONICAL SHAPE AND DISPOSED IN ENCLOSING RELATION ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE PEDESTAL MEMBER, THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID TRY-ON BASE MEMBER INCLUDING ANTIFRICTION MEANS FOR FREE MOVEMENT OVER A FIXED FLAT SURFACE.