US3648849A

US3648849A - Desk tray arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3648849A
Application number: US11175A
Authority: US
Inventors: Everett K Harris; Donald V Beaver
Original assignee: All Steel Equipment Inc
Current assignee: All Steel Equipment Inc
Priority date: 1970-02-13
Filing date: 1970-02-13
Publication date: 1972-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-14

Abstract

A desk tray arrangement especially adapted for tray stacking in which the individual desk trays are each in the form of a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front and rear side edges, a continuous rim wall formed about the side and rear edges by a one piece member having its lower edge turned inwardly and received under the side and rear edges of the bottom plate for affixing thereto as by spot welding, with the front edge of the bottom plate doubled over underneath the bottom plate, a socket forming bracket structure fixed at the undersurface of the bottom plate in defining upper and lower slots at each side of the tray, and U-shaped spacer elements adapted to be applied to either side of the trays to be stacked, with their arms frictionally received in the slot pairs adjacent same. A set of four feet each arranged for ready application to the tray that is to serve as a single unit, or as the base tray of stacked trays are associated with the tray arrangement.

Description

United States Patent Harris et al.

1 Mar. 14, 1972 [S4] DESK TRAY ARRANGEMENT [72] Inventors: Everett K. Harris, Geneva; Donald V.

Beaver, Brookfield, both of Ill.

[73] Assignee: All-Steel Equipment Inc.

[22] Filed: Feb. 13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 11,175

{52] u.s.c| ..211/l26,220/97B [s1 lnt.Cl............... .A47t3/l4,B42f17/00 [5a FieldotSearch ..21l/l26,7l-73,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,143 12/1932 Bales ..211/126 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Attorney-Mann, Brown, Mcwilliarns &. Bradway [57] ABSTRACT A desk tray arrangement especially adapted for tray stacking in which the individual desk trays are each in the form of a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front and rear side edges, a continuous rim wall formed about the side and rear edges by a one piece member having its lower edge turned inwardly and received under the side and rear edges of the bottom plate for affixing thereto as by spot welding, with the front edge of the bottom plate doubled over underneath the bottom plate, a socket forming bracket structure fixed at the undersurface of the bottom plate in defining upper and lower slots at each side of the tray, and U-shaped spacer elements adapted to be applied to either side of the trays to be stacked, with their arms frictionally received in the slot pairs adjacent same. A set of four feet each arranged for ready applieation to the tray that is to serve as a single unit, or as the base tray of stacked trays are associated with the tray arrangement.

9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures DESK TRAY ARRANGEMENT This invention relates to a desk tray arrangement and more particularly, to desk trays of the type that are adapted for use in either stacked or unstacked relation.

Desk trays are familiar accessories to basic office equipment, and are conventionally available for either stacked or single unit use. Arranging individual desk trays to adapt them for stacking purposes usually involves the individual trays being equipped with extra structural features that are more or less unsightly when the tray is used in single or unstacked form. Furthermore, trays equipped for stacking frequently are not suitable for use as the base or lowermost tray in the stack because of the extra features that the base tray must have to support the trays above it.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a desk tray arrangement in which all the individual trays are equally suited for either stacked or unstacked use.

Another principal object of this invention is to provide a desk tray arrangement especially adapted for stacking in which the tray carried structure used for stacking purposes is wholly under the tray and ordinarily not visible when the tray is in use.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a stacking arrangement for desk trays in which simple one piece spacers form the sole support for the individual trays that are above the base tray, which employs a single basic structural arrangement for all the trays, and which is economical of manufacture, convenient to set up in stacked form or for single tray use, and sturdy though simple in construction.

In accordance with this invention, the basic desk tray arrangement comprises a bottom plate ofquadrilateral configuration having side and rear walls defined by a one piece rim plate having its lower edge turned laterally thereof for application under the side and rear edges of the bottom plate for fixing thereto as by spot welding. Secured across the bottom surface of the bottom sheet is a socket forming bracket structure which is shaped to define upper and lower slots on either side of, but under, the tray bottom plate, to receive the arms of a one piece U-shaped stacking spacer on either side of the base tray and the tray to be stacked. The stacking spacers are plate shaped in configuration providing a dimension transversely thereof that is wide as compared to the thickness of same, with the slots being correspondingly shaped and proportioned for friction fitting relation with the respective spacer legs. The spacer legs are formed to define shoulders on either edge that engage the ends of the socket forming bracket structure to properly locate the legs in their inserted positions and dispose the shoulders in good bracing relation with the bracket structure. All trays in accordance with the invention are of the same basic design, and the tray selected to act as the base tray has adhesively applied to it a set of four feet equipped with a self-adhesive backing for ready application to the tray by the user.

Still other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying application drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a two unit desk tray in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the desk tray unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front end elevational view of the desk tray unit of FIGS. I and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the base tray of the stacked unit shown in FIGS. I-3, separated from the stack for use by itself as a single tray unit;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the base tray shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, with the base tray shown having applied thereto the second tray and spacers that are shown in FIGS. 1-3, with a third tray being shown in stacked relation to the lower two trays and one of the stacking spacer elements therefor shown in position for application between the second and third stacked trays to support the third tray in stacked relation to the other two trays;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view of the spacer arm receiving bracket structure that is applied to the undersurface of the tray bottom to facilitate stacking of the trays;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic crosssectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of one of the stacking spacer elements;

FIG. I0 is a top plan view of the spacer element shown in FIG, 9; and

FIG. II is a top perspective view of one of the feet that is employed to form the base tray for a stack of trays.

However, it is to be understood that the specific drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Code, and that the invention may have other embodiments that will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Reference numeral I0 of FIGS. l-3 indicates a stacked tray unit made up of a base or a lower tray I2 and an upper tray 14 supported above the base tray I2 by a pair of spacers I5 and I6 disposed on either side thereof. The base tray I2 includes adhesively applied feet 18.

In accordance with this invention, the trays, whether they be used as a base tray [2, or an upper tray I4, are all of the same basic arrangement, and any one of the trays can be made the base tray by applying thereto a set ofthe feet I8.

For stacking purposes, each tray is equipped with a socket forming bracket structure 20 affixed to the underside thereof (see FIGS. 5 and 6), which is wholly covered by the tray and defines at either side of the tray upper and

lower slots

22 and 24 that are proportioned to receive the upper and lower arms or

legs

26 and 28 of the respective spacer elements IS and 16 that are shouldered as at 27 and 29 (see FIG. I0) to limit the entry of

arms

26 and 28 into the respective slots.

The individual feet 18 are supplied separately and are shaped to define a planar or flat upper surface 30 that is coated with a suitable pressure sensitive adhesive and paper covered in any suitable manner for exposure when one desires to equip one of the trays to be the base tray 12, which is done by applying four of the feet 18 to the tray where indicated in FIG. 5.

As indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, each basic tray unit comprises a bottom wall 32, opposed

side walls

34 and 36, and rear wall 38.

The socket forming bracket structure 20 is applied to the undersurface 40 of the bottom wall 32 and extends transversely of the bottom wall, but short of either side wall thereof, as indicated in FIG. 8.

Single tray units may be equipped with four of the feet 18 to serve as single tray units, that is, without stacking. Where stacking is desired, a pair of the spacers I5 and I6 and a tray unit 14 is required for each tray level desired. The second tray level may be applied to a base tray I2 by applying one of the spacer elements I5 or 16, for instance the element I5, to the socket forming bracket structure 20 of the base tray, as by inserting its lower leg 28 in the slot 22 that is defined by same, and pressing the leg 28 into place until the

shoulders

27 and 29 thereof abut the end of the socket forming bracket struc ture 20, which spaces the spacer web or back portion 42 slightly from the base tray side wall.

The second tray may then be applied to the upper leg 26 of the thus mounted spacer 15, as by inserting the upper leg 26 in the lower slot 24 of the first upper tray I4, with the leg 26 being pressed into the slot 24 to bring its shoulders into abutting relation with the end of bracket structure 20, which will dispose the spacer relative to the upper tray in substantially the position shown in FIG. 8, that is, wherein the wall 36 of the upper tray is in substantial vertical alignment with the wall 36 of the lower tray.

The spacer 16 then has its

legs

26 and 28 lined up with the slot 24 of the upper tray and the slot 22 of the lower tray on the other side of the trays, with the second spacer now being pressed into place to the same relative positions with respect to the upper and lower trays as the first spacer Is.

This is all that is required to provide a stacked tray unit of two trays in number. Additional trays 14 may be stacked on top of the first tray 14 in a similar manner, as indicated by the showing of FIG. 6.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The basic tray construction, in accordance with this invention, comprises a planar plate 50 of generally quadrilateral configuration forming bottom wall 32, with the

side walls

34 and 36 and rear wall 38 being formed by a one piece rim wall construction 54 which is formed to define

corners

56 and 58 that in turn define the

walls

34, 36 and 38.

The rim wall structure 54 has its lower edged flanged as at 60 thereabout, which flange is mitered as at 62 and 64 (see FIG. 6) to serve as a planar ledge to receive the tray bottom wall forming plate 50, these parts being spot welded together where indicated at 65 along the lengths of the

flange sections

66, 68 and 70 (see FIG. 6).

The front edge 72 of the bottom plate 50 is turned over on itself to define a smoothly rounded front edge 74. Edge portion 72 and the

flange segments

66 and 70 are mitered as at 76 and 80 at the front corners of the tray.

The socket forming bracket structure comprises a substantially planar underplate 82 (see FIG. 7) and a channel member 84 arranged for interfitting relation to define the

slots

22 and 24 at either end thereof when assembled to the respective desk tray units.

Plate 82 at its

respective ends

86 and 88 is formed to define a downwardly depressed edge or strip portion 90. In the form shown, the plate 82 defines openings 94 that separate the respective edge or strip portions 90 from the main body of the plate 82 except at their

ends

98 and 200, respectively, which are connected to the main body of the plate 82 by connecting

portions

206 and 208.

The connecting

portions

206 and 208 of each strip portion 90 define downwardly directed shoulders 216 at either end of the plate 82 that are adapted to cooperate with the channel member 84 in the manner indicated in FIG. 2.

The channel member 84 comprises a web portion 220,

upstanding wall portions

222 and 224 along either edge of the web portion, which are formed to define

opposed seating corners

226 and 228 that are proportioned to complement and receive the respective downwardly facing shoulders 2l6 at either end of the underplate 82.

Side flanges

230 and 232 extend laterally of the

respective seating shoulders

226 and 228 and in coplanar relation for seating relation against the underplate 82.

In practice, the plate 82 and the channel member 84 are made into a subassembly 234 prior to application to the bottom plate 50. The

side flanges

230 and 232 of the channel member 84 are spot welded to the respective side edges 236 and 238 as where indicated at 240 in FIG. 6.

To facilitate the affixing of the bracket structure forming subassembly 234 to the tray bottom plate 50, the

side flanges

230 and 232 of the channel member are formed with spaced openings 242 through which the underplate 82 is spot welded to the tray bottom plate.

Referring to FIG. 8, it will be observed that the strip portions 90 of the underplate 82, when subassembly 234 is fixed in place to the undersurface of the tray bottom plate 50, are spaced downwardly of the bottom plate 50 to define the aforementioned upper slots 22 for each tray. The lower slot 24 is defined by the strip or edge portions 90 and the channel member web portion 220.

As indicated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the upper arms or legs 26 of the spacers l5 and 16 are upwardly embossed at spaced points as at 250, while the lower leg 28 is downwardly embossed at spaced points as at 252. The embossing 250 is proportioned such that when the spacer upper arm is applied to a tray lower slot 24, arm 26 will be frictionally engaged between the strip portion and the channel member web 20.

The embossing 252 of the spacer lower leg 28 is proportioned such that when the lower leg 28 is inserted within an upper slot 22, the lower leg 28 has a binding engagement between the rim wall ledge 60, the underplate strip 90 and the undersurfaee 254 of plate 82 beyond the respective openings 94. It will be understood of course that

legs

26 and 28 are the reverse of each other, and either may serve as the upper or lower leg insofar as any particular spacer 15 is concerned. However, when spacers 15 are employed, their legs are to be positioned in

slots

22 and 24 in the manner already indicated.

The embossing of the spacer legs is made the same but reversed so that either leg may be used as the lower leg. Also the embossing of the spacers is centered for alignment with the web of channel member 84, which provides enough flexibility to avoid close tolerance problems. The

shoulders

27 and 29 engage the

ends

256 and 258 of the

respective members

82 and 84 in serving the aforementioned stop function, and pro vide spaced apart points of engagement with the structure 20 for good bracing action.

The feet 18 generally comprise a body 260 formed from a natural or synthetic rubber or the like, having its upper edge 30 planar and in circumambient relation thereabout, and defining a lower desk engaging foot portion 262 of suitable configuration. The surface 30 is coated with a suitable pressure sensitive adhesive that is suitably paper covered until the foot is to be used.

In practice, the desk trays are supplied without the feet 18 applied thereto, with the ultimate purchaser selecting one of the identical trays supplied to be the base tray. The four feet 18 are then suitably applied thereto by removing the paper that covers the adhesive and pressing the respective feet into place in the positions suggested in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The desk trays may be used in base tray form, and as a single unit, or stacked in the manner suggested in F IGS. 1-3 and 6. It will be noted that the overall base tray arrangement has a clean cut appearance with the socket forming bracket structure 20 well covered by the tray bottom plate 50. The spacers 15 also tend to hide the bracket structure 20. The feet 18 ap plied to the base tray project below the bracket structure 20 to rest on a desk or the like.

When it is desired to have a stacked tray unit, one or more trays are vertically disposed above the base tray [2 by applying the spacers l5 and [6 in the manner already indicated.

As indicated in the drawings, the spacers l5 and 16 are one piece elements of plate configuration, and when they are pressed fully into place in the

respective slots

22 and 24 to dispose their

shoulders

27 and 29 against the respective ends 256 and 258 of the

members

82 and 84, they provide a tight friction fit whereby a sturdy stacked tray unit is provided even though each upper tray is connected to the tray below it by a single support on either side of the tray. Similarly, the wide nature of

spacer arms

26 and 28 and the

slots

22 and 24 they are received in provide firm resistance against twisting under unbalanced loads acting on the trays they support.

The arrangement of the tray sides, back and bottom provides a tray structure of exceptional rigidity and strength. which is reinforced by the application of the bracket forming subassembly 234 to the bottom of the tray bottom plate.

lt is apparent that the trays illustrated may be proportioned in either letter or legal size, or such other size as may be desired.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention,

We claim:

1. A desk tray comprising:

a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front,

rear and side edges,

a continuous and uninterrupted rim wall positioned along the side and rear edges of said bottom plate,

said rim wall comprising a one piece element having its lower edge turned laterally thereof and mitered at the rear corners of said bottom plate,

with said element lower edge being received under said bottom plate along said side and rear edges thereof and spot welded thereto,

with the front edge of said bottom plate being doubled over under same to define a round front edge surface along the front of the desk tray,

said front edge of said bottom plate and the adjacent portions of said element lower edge being mitered for close adjacency positioning at the front corners of said bottom plate,

a socket structure for said tray for enabling two or more of the trays to be stacked, said socket structure comprising: an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the tray bottom plate and extending substantially between the side edges thereof,

said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its ends disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the tray bottom plate,

said member ends each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the tray bottom,

said edge portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder,

and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls ex tending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto,

said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating corner extending longitudinally of said channel member,

said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion. 2v The desk tray set forth in claim I wherein:

said side flanges of said channel member overlie the side edges of said underplate and are fixed thereto,

said side flanges of said channel member being formed to define spaced openings therealong exposing said underplate member,

said underplate member being spot welded to said tray bottom plate at said channel member openings.

3. In desk trays of the type including a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, a socket structure therefor for enabling two or more of the trays to be stacked, said socket structure comprising:

an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the tray bottom and extending substantially between the side edges thereof,

said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its end portions disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the tray,

said end portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed exter nal shoulder,

and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls extending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto,

said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seat ing corner extending longitudinally of said channel member,

said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion.

4. The socket structure set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said underplate member being spot welded to the tray bottom at said channel member openings.

5. In a desk tray stack including upper and lower trays each having a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, and means for supporting the upper tray above the lower tray, the improvement comprising:

a socket structure for each tray, said socket structure comprising:

an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the respective tray bottoms and extending substantially between the side edges thereof,

said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its end portions disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the respective trays,

said member end portions each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the respective tray bottoms,

said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating comer extending longitudinally of said channel member,

said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion,

whereby said socket structures at either end thereof define a pair of vertically spaced slots between the respective tray bottoms and channel member webs separated by the respective underplate strip portions,

and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray,

said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom, with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure,

whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner over another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto.

6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said spacer elements are of plate type configuration of substantial width as compared to thickness,

said leg portions being embossed outwardly of the surfaces thereof that engage the respective underplate strip portions,

said slots being proportioned for friction fit relation with the respective spacer element leg portions,

said leg portions defining stop forming shoulders on either edge thereof for engaging the ends of said socket structure.

7. A desk tray stack comprising:

a pair of trays disposed one above the other,

each of said trays comprising:

a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front,

rear and side edges,

with said element lower edge being received under said bottorn plate along said side and rear edges thereof and spot welded thereto,

a socket structure for each tray, said socket structure comprising:

said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its ends disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the respective trays,

said member ends each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the respective tray bottoms,

said edge portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defin ing at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder,

said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member portions,

said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom,

with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer ele ments being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure,

whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner over another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto,

said spacer elements being of plate type configuration of substantial width as compared to thickness,

said leg portions being embossed outwardly of the surfaces thereof that engage the respective underplate strip por' tions,

said web portions of said spacer elements being substantially planar in configuration,

said spacer element lower leg portions frictionally engaging the respective underplate strip portions and the respective lower edges of said tray rim walls.

8. In a desk tray stack including upper and lower trays each having a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, and means for supporting the upper tray above the lower tray, the improvement wherein said means comprises:

a socket structure for each tray mounted underneath the respective tray bottoms and defining adjacent each side wall a pair of superposed slots extending transversely of the respective side walls,

with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure,

whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner above another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of the spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto.

9. A desk tray stack comprising:

a plurality of identical trays disposed one above the other,

each of said trays comprising:

a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front,

rear and side edges,

said rim wall comprising a one piece element having its lower edge turned laterally thereof and mitered at the rear comers of said bottom plate,

said front edge of said bottom plate and the adjacent por tions of said element lower edge being mitered for close adjacency positioning at the front corners of said bottom plate,

a socket structure for each tray and defining adjacent each tray side edge a pair of superposed slots extending transversely of the respective side edges,

and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack for each adjacent upper and lower trays of the stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray,

said feet being proportioned to project below said socket structure of said lowermost tray and being secured to said lowermost tray by a pressure sensitive adhesive to the bottom plate of the lowermost tray of said stack and adjacent the front and rear edges thereof, respective-

Claims

1. A desk tray comprising: a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front, rear and side edges, a continuous and uninterrupted rim wall positioned along the side and rear edges of said bottom plate, said rim wall comprising a one piece element having its lower edge turned laterally thereof and mitered at the rear corners of said bottom plate, with said element lower edge being received under said bottom plate along said side and rear edges thereof and spot welded thereto, with the front edge of said bottom plate being doubled over under same to define a round front edge surface along the front of the desk tray, said front edge of said bottom plate and the adjacent portions of said element lower edge being mitered for close adjacency positioning at the front corners of said bottom plate, a socket structure for said tray for enabling two or more of the trays to be stacked, said socket structure comprising: an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the tray bottom plate and extending substantially between the side edges thereof, said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its ends disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the tray bottom plate, said member ends each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the tray bottom, said edge portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder, and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls extending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto, said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating corner extending longitudinally of said channel member, said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion.

2. The desk tray set forth in claim 1 wherein: said side flanges of said channel Member overlie the side edges of said underplate and are fixed thereto, said side flanges of said channel member being formed to define spaced openings therealong exposing said underplate member, said underplate member being spot welded to said tray bottom plate at said channel member openings.

3. In desk trays of the type including a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, a socket structure therefor for enabling two or more of the trays to be stacked, said socket structure comprising: an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the tray bottom and extending substantially between the side edges thereof, said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its end portions disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the tray, said end portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder, and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls extending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto, said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating corner extending longitudinally of said channel member, said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion.

4. The socket structure set forth in claim 3 wherein: said side flanges of said channel member overlie the side edges of said underplate and are fixed thereto, said side flanges of said channel member being formed to define spaced openings therealong exposing said underplate member, said underplate member being spot welded to the tray bottom at said channel member openings.

5. In a desk tray stack including upper and lower trays each having a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, and means for supporting the upper tray above the lower tray, the improvement comprising: a socket structure for each tray, said socket structure comprising: an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the respective tray bottoms and extending substantially between the side edges thereof, said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its end portions disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the respective trays, said member end portions each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the respective tray bottoms, said edge portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder, and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls extending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto, said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating corner extending longitudinally of said channel member, said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member web portion, whereby said socket structures at either end thereof define a pair of vertically spaced slots between the respective tray bottoms and channel member webs separated by the respective underplate strip portions, and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray, said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom, with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket stRucture and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure, whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner over another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto.

6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein: said spacer elements are of plate type configuration of substantial width as compared to thickness, said leg portions being embossed outwardly of the surfaces thereof that engage the respective underplate strip portions, said slots being proportioned for friction fit relation with the respective spacer element leg portions, said leg portions defining stop forming shoulders on either edge thereof for engaging the ends of said socket structure.

7. A desk tray stack comprising: a pair of trays disposed one above the other, each of said trays comprising: a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front, rear and side edges, a continuous and uninterrupted rim wall positioned along the side and rear edges of said bottom plate, said rim wall comprising a one piece element having its lower edge turned laterally thereof and mitered at the rear corners of said bottom plate, with said element lower edge being received under said bottom plate along said side and rear edges thereof and spot welded thereto, with the front edge of said bottom plate being doubled over under same to define a round front edge surface along the front of the desk tray, said front edge of said bottom plate and the adjacent portions of said element lower edge being mitered for close adjacency positioning at the front corners of said bottom plate, a socket structure for each tray, said socket structure comprising: an underplate fixed to the undersurface of the respective tray bottoms and extending substantially between the side edges thereof, said underplate comprising an elongate substantially planar member having its ends disposed adjacent the respective side edges of the respective trays, said member ends each being formed to define a depressed edge portion along either end thereof spaced from the respective tray bottoms, said edge portions of said member each defining a planar strip portion joined at its ends to said member and defining at each of its said ends a downwardly directed external shoulder, and a channel member seated against said underplate and comprising a web portion, spaced upstanding walls extending along either side of said web portion, and side flanges extending laterally of said web portion and parallel thereto, said channel member upstanding walls each defining a seating corner extending longitudinally of said channel member, said seating corners of said channel member being seated against said underplate member shoulders with said strip portions spaced from said channel member portions, whereby said socket structures at either end thereof define a pair of vertically spaced slots between the respective tray bottoms and channel member webs separated by the respective underplate strip portions, and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray, said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom, with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structuRe, whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner over another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto, said spacer elements being of plate type configuration of substantial width as compared to thickness, said leg portions being embossed outwardly of the surfaces thereof that engage the respective underplate strip portions, said slots being proportioned for friction fit relation with the respective spacer element leg portions, said web portions of said spacer elements being substantially planar in configuration, said spacer element lower leg portions frictionally engaging the respective underplate strip portions and the respective lower edges of said tray rim walls.

8. In a desk tray stack including upper and lower trays each having a bottom and upstanding rear and opposed side walls, and means for supporting the upper tray above the lower tray, the improvement wherein said means comprises: a socket structure for each tray mounted underneath the respective tray bottoms and defining adjacent each side wall a pair of superposed slots extending transversely of the respective side walls, and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray, said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom, with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of said upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure, whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner above another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of the spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto.

9. A desk tray stack comprising: a plurality of identical trays disposed one above the other, each of said trays comprising: a planar quadrilaterally shaped bottom plate defining front, rear and side edges, a continuous and uninterrupted rim wall positioned along the side and rear edges of said bottom plate, said rim wall comprising a one piece element having its lower edge turned laterally thereof and mitered at the rear corners of said bottom plate, with said element lower edge being received under said bottom plate along said side and rear edges thereof and spot welded thereto, with the front edge of said bottom plate being doubled over under same to define a round front edge surface along the front of the desk tray, said front edge of said bottom plate and the adjacent portions of said element lower edge being mitered for close adjacency positioning at the front corners of said bottom plate, a socket structure for each tray and defining adjacent each tray side edge a pair of superposed slots extending transversely of the respective side edges, and a pair of U-shaped spacer elements disposed one on either side of the tray stack for each adjacent upper and lower trays of the stack to support the upper tray above the lower tray, said spacer elements each defining a web portion connecting a pair of parallel upper and lower leg portions extending normally of said web portion in the same direction therefrom, with the upper leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective lower slots of sAid upper tray socket structure and the lower leg portions of the respective spacer elements being received in the respective upper slots of said lower tray socket structure, whereby said lower slots of said lower tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of said spacer elements to support said lower tray in like manner above another identical tray, and said upper slots of said upper tray are available to receive leg portions of identical additional of the spacer elements to support over said upper tray another tray identical thereto, and including front and rear pairs of feet adhesively applied to the bottom plate of the lowermost tray of said stack and adjacent the front and rear edges thereof, respectively, said feet being proportioned to project below said socket structure of said lowermost tray and being secured to said lowermost tray by a pressure sensitive adhesive.