US346896A

US346896A - Storexcounter

Info

Publication number: US346896A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1903-08-10

Description

(No Model.)

J. A. COOPER.

STORE' COUNTER.

,896. Patented Aug.' 10, 1886.

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JAMES A. COOPER, OF LlMA, OHIO.

STOEeCOUNTER.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,896, dated August 10, lSEG,

Application filed November 23, 1885. Serial llo/188,610. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, .latins A. Coornmof the city of Lima, county of Allen, and State or" Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Counters, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to storecounters, and has special reference to the class of counters used in grocery and commission stores, the ob- Io ject ofthe invention being, primarily, to provide a counter adapted to receive, store, and display a large amount of goods or merchandise-such as tea, coffee, spices, and other articles-to thereby utilize counter-space and obviatc the necessity of having extra room for storage,which is a matter of great desideratum, especially in large cities, where floor-space is scarce and very expensive.

rlhe principal object of my invention is to secure for stores the maximum amount of storage capacity with the minimum amount of floor-space, to so store the goods that they may be seen and sampled, and to provide a system which will permit the clerk or store-keeper to wait upon a large number of customers in the shortest possible time.

Another object of my invention is to so ccnstruct the counter or counters that the goods stored will be displayed to the customers in front of the counter, and will be accessible to the clerk behind the counter, and may be served by him without leaving his position behind the counter, thus saving much time in waiting upon customers, and enabling them at the 'same time to'see and select or sample the goods they desire to purchase.

My invention consists in a store-counter having a series of compartments or bins extending out a short distance in front of the top ofthe counter, each bin or compartment being provided with a movable glass or other cover, substantial] y as hereinafter described.

It also consists ina store-counter having a series of bins or compartments separat-e from the main portion o1" the counter, and made movable with relation to and in the direction of the width of the counter, substantially as hereinafter described.

It also consists in certain details of construction of the said counter, substantially as heren inafter fully set iorth. i

Figure 1 of the drawings represents in perl,

spective, partially in vertical cross-section, a

counter as constructed in accordance with my invention, this figure showing the counter as having partitions extending thc'cntire width and supporting` the top. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partially in section, oi' a portion of the counter, showing the removable bin audits supportingroller. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another form oi' bin, the said bin being shown partially in section 5 and Fig. iis a plan view of the glass-holding 'frame which'covers the compartments.

The main portion of the counter may be ci' 6 5 various designs and constructions, and will depend upon public demand. rlherefore I do not desire to confine myself to the special construction shown in the drawings of this application, in which I have illustrated one form of counter which is practicable and convenient, and which will now be described.

The counter will consist, chieliy, of wood, and embodies the top A, (which top, as shown in the drawings, consists of the usual top board, the front and rear sills, a bottom, and the usual end sills,) the partitions B, which support the top, the front panel-boards@ the movable covers D, the bins Fgand the supporting-roller F. rlhe top A, which is of usual construction, is supported bythe partitions B, they extending beneath the top andvout a short distance in front of said top, the upper edge ofthe partitions in front of the top being beveled or inclined from their forward end up to their junction with the counter-top.

The counter from end to end is provided with a series of these partitions B, which are more or less separated from one another, to leave a sufficient space to receive a bin, E, between adjacent sides, thus dividing vthe counterinto a number'of compartments. The front of the counter will preferably be constrncted in panels O, which panels will be let into grooves in the faces of the partitions B, as shown in Fig. l, thus allowing them to be removed at will. Covering the spaces between partitions are a number of frames or covers, D, which covers will be constructed, preferably,in four pieces, as shown in Fig. 4- i. c., the two side pieces, d, and thetwo crosspieces di, the pieces d being projected at the IOO end nearest the top A a short distance beyond the piece cli-a glass, b', being secured in the frame thus formed, which glass will have painted upon it the name of the article and the number or quality of the articles beneath it, or the articles contained in the bin E,whieh is in the space between the partitions which the cover orglass-holding frame covers. This glass-holding frame or cover will be of a width suicient to partially overlap the upper edge of two partitions, and will in its normal position, or when covering the space, extend from the front of the counter to and under the top, where it is projected a short distancebetween Athe top and bottom boards of the top of the counter, as shown in Fig. 1, it being held in place by means of the vertical pins c, secured in the upper face of the side pieces of the frame D, which pins bear against the front board of the counter when the cover or frame is drawn out, thus preventing its displacement. rlhe coverD is made movable with relation to the counter, its operation being as follows: Vhcn it is desired to uncover the compartment to which it belongs, the coveris raised to a horizontal position and slid backward underthe top of the counter or between its top and bottom boards.

I do not desire to limit myself to this exact construction, as there are many waysin which the cover may be movably connected to the countcr-as, for instance, it might be hinged and be raised and lowered up and down. IIowever, the construction herein shown is preferable.

Each compartment between partitionsB has a bin, E, for the reception of articles-such as groceries, teas, coffees, &c.-the upper and front sides of the bin corresponding to the internal shape of the main portion ofthe counter, the said bin being preferably constructed so as to form two co1npartments-. c., the vertical compartment d", Vwhich will extend v from a point in close proximity to the oor to a point close to the under face of the cover D, and the horizontal oblong compartment d5, which extends from a point near the bottom of the counter-top to a point approximately midway between the upper and lower ends of compartment d, and backward from compartment d1 to a point nearly iiush with the back of the counter-top, at which rear end it is supported by a roller, F, mounted in bearings in the partitions B, as shown in Fig. 2. These compartments form an inverted- L- shaped bin, each compartment being open at the top and constructed with sides, ends, and bottoms, and are separated from each other by a door, e', hinged to the back of compartment d4, Vas shown in Fig. 1. These bins E will preferably be of a width sufiicient to fill the space between the partitions, and will be mounted upon casters et', as shown in Fig. 1, handles c3 being provided at the rear ends by which to roll them backward or forward, asdesired. j

I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction of bin herein shown, as, for instance, the bin' might be constructed in four pieces-i. e., two sides and two ends-thus formi-ug one compartment and filling the entire space between partitions; or they might be constructed, as shown in Fig. 3, with a projected bottom board for the. reception of articles, such as baskets, hardware, &c.

The bins B will be of any desired capacity, holding one or more barrels of goods.

By this construction of counter the conveir ience will be readily appreciated. A customer desiring to select a certain brand of goods can see the kind of goods contained in the bins throughthe glass covers D, and by raising and sliding the covers back under the counter they can sample the goods contained in tlie bin; and, both compartments of the bin containing the same goods, it is simply necessary for the clerk to draw thebin backward on its rollers and serve the goods to the customer without leaving his position behind the counter. XVhen the supply of the compartment dof the bin becomes exhausted, it may be replenished from l compartment (1*, it simply being necessary to lower the door c, which divides the compartments, which give access to compartment d, Should both bins become exhausted and it is not desirable to fill them at the counter, the panel-boards may be' removed and the bins wheeled out from under the counter in front and into a store-room, where they may bc refilled and returned to their places under the counter, thus obviating the accumulation of dirt in the main store-room,which would accrue from refilling the bins while in place under the counter.

By this construction of counter I am enabled to store many barrels of goods under a counter, and at the same time display the goods to my patrons.

rIhe door e', which divides the compartments of the bin, will be provided with a catch to hold it in place when closed or when in a vertical position.

I claiml. A store-counter having a front projected a distance from the main top of the counter, said front being inclined, as described, and provided with a series of glass-holding frames, which frames are projected between the top and bottom boards of the counter-top, and are adapted to be raised and slid under said top, the ends of the frame being provided with upwardly-projecting pins to bear against the front board of the counter-top to hold the frame or cover in place when drawn out, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a counter, the bins E, preferably l'- sha'ped, as shown, and having two compartments, d* d, separated by the door e', hinged IOO to the end board of the compartment d4, preferably, the said bin being mounted on casters or equivalents, and being adapted to be moved under the counter, substantially as and for the purpose described. l

3. A store-counter consisting of the top A,

ISO

the partitions 13,'which support the top and which extend out a distance in front of the top, said partitions being more or less separated and being inclined at the top, the removable front panels, C, let into the partitions, the movable cover D, provided with glass center b', which covers the space between partitions B, and the vloins E, located under the counter, said bins being open at their top, eX- poscd to view through the glass of covers D, and being mounted upon casters,whereby they may be moved backward or forward with relation to the counter, for the purpose and substantially as described.

4. In a counter having an inclined front pro jected beyond the face of the top, inclined as described, and provided witlrmovable glass covers, the said counter being divided up into compartments by the partitions B, the bins E, mounted upon the casters e2, and divided into compartments d* d5, and provided with the handie e, the bin at its rear end being mounted upon the roller F, having its bearings in the partitions B, and being adapted to be moved backward and forward with relation to the counter, all arranged and constructed substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof` I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Springfield, Ohio, this 19th day of August, A. D. 1885.

JAMES A. COOPER. [L. s]

ln presence of- Sn'rH S. WHEELER, W. E. HAeKEDorr.