US3513983A - Shelf assembly - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1970 H. F. KELLOGG SHELF ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 28,

1mm, mum, 411mm,

United States Patent Ofiice Patented May 26, 1970 3,513,983 SHELF ASSEMBLY Harlan F. Kellogg, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Rockware, Inc., Rockford, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Continuation-impart of application Ser. 'No. 650,992, July 3, 1967. This application Jan. 28, 1969, Ser. No. 794,558

Int. Cl. A47b 65/00 U.S. Cl. 211-43 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A book shelf is assembled from a plurality of slots and held in spaced relationship by spacers to provide longitudinal slots extending along the shelf. Plastic book ends are provided with a marginal reinforcing flange having lower portions which extend through the slots. A locking member extends between the lower portions and is arranged to lock the book end against movement.

CROSS REFERENCE This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 650,992, filed July 3, 1967.

BACKGROUND The invention pertains to supports and more particularly to supports which may include holders such as book ends.

As is well known, book ends have long been utilized with shelving to hold books. Many book ends have a flange extending under the adjacent book and the weight of the book holds the book end in position. Other book ends are arranged to clamp on the shelf by various means.

SUMMARY The present invention relates to a shelf assembly. One feature of the invention is realized through the provision of a book shelf having longitudinal slot means therein and a book end having leg means extending into the longitudinal slot means, the object being to provide a book end which cooperates with the book shelf to form an abutment for one or more books and which is movable longitudinally of the shelf. Another feature comprises forming the shelf of a plurality of segments which are held in spaced relationship by devices engaged with two adjacent segments and thereby forming a longitudinal slot between the adjacent segments.

One object of this invention is the provision of a shelf assembly including a book end which is movable longitudinally of the shelf to various desired positions Another object is to provide a shelf assembly including a book end which is readily locked or anchored in position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide the combination of a shelf having longitudinal slots therein and a book end which is movable longitudinally of the shelf and guided in the slots.

These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention and showing in phantom lines a plurality of books which are held in position by book ends;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a device for joining the shelf segments.

DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an upright support member 10 having a bracket 12 supported thereon. A second support member 10' and a second bracket 12' are similarly arranged. It is contemplated that addi tional support members and brackets may be utilized, if desired. The support members, as is usual, are adapted for mounting on a supporting surface in a generally vertical position. As illustrated, the support members 10 and 10 have a plurality of equally spaced openings 14, 14, respectively, for mounting the brackets thereon in any convenient manner well known in the art. As is usual, the brackets extend outwardly from the support members in a cantilever fashion. The brackets have a supporting surface 16, 16 and an upwardly extending projection 18, 18' extending above the level of the supporting surface.

In the embodiment illustrated, a multi-section shelf is supported on the surfaces 1 6, 16 of the brackets 12 and 12', respectively. As shown, the multi-section shelf includes a plurality of identical longitudinally extending slats or segments 20 which span the brackets 12 and 12'. Each segment has a front edge 20a and a rear edge 20b, and the edges of adjacent segments are spaced apart a preselected distance. Each slat or segment 20 is provided with a plurality of generally cylindrical openings 22 in each longitudinally extending edge thereof for a purpose which will hereafter become apparent. Identical openings are also provided in the ends of each segment. These end openings are centrally located at each segment and serve a function hereafter explained.

Means is provided for holding the segments in said spaced relationship. In the embodiment illustrated, this is in the form of a plurality of spacers or devices, generally designated 30. As best seen in FIG. 5, the device 30 includes a head portion 31 and leg portions 32 and 33 extending in opposite lateral directions from the head portion. The leg portions and head portion are generally cylindrical in cross-section. The leg portions are sized for a frictional fit into the openings 22; while the head portion has a size larger than the leg portions but less than the thickness of the segments 20 to leave the upper surface of the shelf unobstructed when the devices 30 are inserted into the openings 22.

As explained above, the slats or segments 20 are generally identical. Thus, when the ends thereof are aligned, the openings 22 in the edges of adjacent segments are generally aligned. The aligned legs 32 and 33 of the device 30 may be inserted into the aligned openings 22 to join the segments and hold them from movement relative to each other in a longitudinal direction. The head portion 31 has a width equal to said preselected distance, and the sides of the head engage the edges 20a and 20b of adjacent segments to hold them in the preselected spaced relationship. For each two adjacent segments so joined, two spacers or devices 30 are required; however, it is preferable to use three of the devices since this provides more ideal load transfer when the multi-section shelf is loaded. When the desired width of the multi-section shelf has been obtained by assemblying the segments together, the shelf may be supported on the brackets as illustrated in FIG. 1. If desired, a decorative button (now shown) may be inserted into the openings 22 in the front edge 20a of the front segment.

Obviously, brackets of different lengths may be provided to accommodate different widths of the multi-section shelf. Additional widths can be provided merely by adding or subtracting segments in the manner described above. However, when utilized in the present invention,

it is preferable that at least three segments 20 be utilized.

to provide at least two longitudinally extending slots for a purpose hereinafter explained. As can be seen, these slots are generally parallel and this relationship is also preferable.

As stated above, openings are also provided in the ends of each segment 20. In this manner, two or more assemblies of support members, 10, brackets 12, 12'; and multi-section shelves may be arranged with the multisection shelves in end-to-end relationship (see FIG. 1). The segments 20 of the adjacent segments are held with their ends in spaced relationship by the aforedescribed devices 30. The devices 30 provide a load transferring joint at the adjacent ends of the segments.

The ideal situation of brackets having supporting surfaces lying in the same plane and of a perfectly planar shelf does not usually exist. A multi-section shelf, if formed in the manner described above, is particularly advantageous in such a non-planar situation. For example, the device 30 permits a limited amount of twisting of each segment relative to the adjacent segment. Should the supporting faces of the bracket not be planar, or

should the segments be slightly warped, the segments will more readily conform to the supporting surfaces. This is because the segments, when loaded, will twist slightly and conform to the supporting surface somewhat independently of the adjacent segments. It is deemed obvious that holding the segments in spaced relationship aids in this advantageous result. Additionally, the spaced relationship minimizes any slight misalignment of the segments and provides a pleasing appearance without an exacting, perfect fit.

As seen in FIG. 1, the embodiment includes first and second book ends, generally designated 50. The book ends 50 are identical and the following description may be taken for either of the book ends shown. The book end 50 includes a generally upright wall 52 preferably having a width slightly greater than the width of a segment 20. At the bottom edge of wall 52 is a lip 54 which forms an'upper stop for engaging the top side of the segment. A marginal reinforcing flange is comprised of generally upright legs 56 and 57 and an interconnecting leg 58. Together, legs 56-58 have a generally inverted U-shape and the lower portions of legs 56 and 57 extend through two separate slots to a level below the shelf. For this purpose, the thickness of legs 56 and 57 is preferably less than the width of the slots. The legs 56-58 are preferably generally perpendicular to the wall 52 and extend therefrom a distance greater than the width of the slot between the segments. In this manner, the slots guide-the legs as the book end is slid along the shelf. The edges of the legs 56-58 which are disposed away from wall 52 are preferably planar and define the book-engaging side of the book end. If desired, reinforcing fillets 62 and 64 may be provided between wall 52 and legs 56 and 57, respectively.

As indicated above, the lower portion of the legs 56 and 57 depend to a level below the shelf. Each leg is provided with an opening, and a rod or locking member 72 is passed through the openings to form a lower stop for the book end. Preferably, the openings and rod are sized so that the rod 72 is frictionally held in position as illustrated. The aforedescribed lip 54 forms an upper stop to engage the upper surface of a segment when the book end is in a generally vertical or upright position. In this position, best illustrated in FIG. 3, the distance between the lip 54 and the rod 72 is preferably that of the thickness of the segment 20. The rod 72, or lower stop, is spaced from the edge of the lip 54, toward the book-engaging side ,of the book end, so that the actual distance between the rod 72 and the lip 54 is greater than the thickness of the shelf. In this manner, the book end may be swung toward its book-engaging side to a second position, as illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3, so that one or both of the upper or lower stop means (lip 54 and rod 72) is out of engagement with the shelf and the book end may then be moved longitudinally along the shelf.

In use, it is deemed apparent that the book ends may be positioned with the lower portions of the legs extending through two separate slots and the rod 72 inserted. The book end may then be moved longitudinally along the shelf to any desired position limited only, of course, by the positions of the devices 30. When the desired position of the book end is selected, it can be moved to its generally upright position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. Placing a book at the book-engaging side of the book end will create a lateral pressure against the book end, which assures that the lip 54 and the rod 72 are engaged with the upper and lower edges of the segment 20. When so engaged, the book end is locked in position and will serve its function as a secure abutment for the books. If it is desired to adjust the position of the book end, one may merely remove one or more books, swing the book end toward the book-engaging side to unlock the book end, and then move it laterelly to any desired new position.

It is now deemed apparent that the shelf assembly according to the above description includes a book end which is movable longitudinally of the shelf to various desired positions and which is readily locked or anchored in position. It is also deemed apparent that the book end described cooperates with the shelf which has a plurality of segments held in spaced relationship to form longitudinal slots between the adjacent segments.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, this has been done by way of illustration and not limitation, and it is to be understood that .various modifications and structure will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf and book end assembly comprising: a shelf including laterally spaced elongate fiat shelf members defining a longitudinal slot between adjacent shelf members, and a book end mounted on one of the shelf members for adjustment therealong, said book end including a face panel and side flanges extending laterally from the face panel at opposite side edges thereof, the free edges of said' side flanges defining a book engaging face spaced from said face panel, said face panel having a width at its lower end approximating the width of said one shelf member and said flanges having portions thereof extending below the lower end of said face panel and along opposite side edges of said one shelf member to a level below'the shelf member, saidface panel having a shelf engaging surface at its lower end laterally offset from a plane through said book engaging faces on the side flanges and engageable with the upper face of said one shelf member, and stop means on said flanges spaced below said shelf engaging surface and located adjacent a plane through said book engaging surfaces of the flanges for engaging the underside of the shelf member to clamp the shelf member between the shelf engaging surface and the stop means when the book engaging surfaces are disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the shelf.

2. A shelf and book end assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stop means includes a pin having a length to span said side flanges below said one shelf member, said flanges having openings below said shelf member removably receiving said pin.

3. A shelf and book end assembly comprising a shelf including a plurality of elongate flat shelf members disposed in sidewise aligned relation and connector means joining adjacent shelf members at spaced points therealong and spacing adjacent shelf members from each other to provide at least two generally parallel slots extending lengthwise of the shelf, a book end mounted on the shelf for adjustment therealong, said book end including a face panel and flanges on the sides and top of the face panel, the free edges of said flanges defining a book engaging surface spaced from said face panel, the flanges at the sides of said panel having portions thereof extending below the lower end of said face panel and through said slots to a level below the shelf, said face panel having a shelf engaging surface at its lower end laterally offset from a plane through said book engaging surface in the flanges and engageable with the upper surface of said shelf, and stop means on said flanges spaced below said shelf engaging surface and located adjacent a plane through said book engaging surfaces of the flanges for engaging the underside of the shelf to clamp a shelf member between the shelf engaging surface and the stop means when the book engaging surfaces are disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the shelf.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner 10 A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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