US3667617A - Tiltable rack or display device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention has reference to tiltable and adjustable racks, carriers and like display devices equipped with shelves or trays for carrying articles, e.g., samples of fabrics, tiles, and other products. These display trays are connectable with a movable frame, which swings about pivot means from a neutral or median position to predetermined angular positions, in which the trays assume from a superposed and coinciding location to each other a parallel position in which the trays are transposed to a staggered formation or step-like positions, in which the articles retained on their successive trays, are exposed to view with their front and/or rear portions, as desired. The trays of the display device may be adjusted and fixed in any desired parallel position to each other whereby any further parallel movement of the trays may be impeded. The arrangement of the frame of the device and its parts may also be carried out, so that the framework is subdivided and guidance of the trays occurs in a manner that, e.g., one or more selected upper trays are displaced to an extreme forward and parallel position, while one or more of selected lower trays are guided to likewise take up an extreme forward parallel position, whereas the remaining trays assume other non-coextensive or non-equidistant but parallel positions.

Description

Unite States Patent Colin [451 June 6,1972

[54] TILTABLE RACK OR DISPLAY DEVICE Jerry Cohn, 1546 Broadway, New York, NY, 10036 [22] Filed: July 23, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 57,647

[72] Inventor:

3,295,696 1/1967 Cohen 211/171 2,491,374 12/1949 Gold... ...i.l90/l7 1,823,396 9/1931 Goulet 211/128 1,961,394 6/1934 Rothe. 211/130 2,160,102 5/1939 Hulk... ...21 1/128 X 2,454,575 11/1948 Silene ..211/130 X Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, .lr. Attorney-Leon M. Strauss [5 7] ABSTRACT The invention has reference to tiltable and adjustable racks, carriers and like display devices equipped with shelves or trays for carrying articles, e.g., samples of fabrics, tiles, and other products. These display trays are connectable with a movable frame, which swings about pivot means from a neutral or median position to predetermined angular positions, in which the trays assume from a superposed and coinciding location to each other a parallel position in which the trays are transposed to a staggered formation or step-like positions, in which the articles retained on their successive trays, are exposed to view with their front and/or rear portions, as desired.

The trays of the display device may be adjusted and fixed in any desired parallel position to each other whereby any further parallel movement of the trays may be impeded. The arrangement of the frame of the device and its parts may also be carried out, so that the framework is subdivided and guidance of the trays occurs in a manner that, e.g., one or more selected upper trays are displaced to an extreme forward and parallel position, while one or more of selected lower trays are guided to likewise take up an extreme forward parallel position, whereas the remaining trays assume other noncoextensive or nonequidistant but parallel positions.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJUH 6 m2 3, 667. 617 SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR J LRRY COHN SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention concerns a rack, display and like device of the tiltable type, which may be easily moved from place to place, e.g., on a store floor and like establishment, and serves primarily the purpose of exposing to view samples of fabrics, carpets and similar articles in a novel manner for inspection, quality examination, comparison and like purposes.

It is one of the aims of the present invention to provide means contributing to a very compact, sturdy and versatile display device, whose trays may be readily loaded and unloaded in regard to fabric or carpet samples and like articles, and their placement being had at any desired operative positions.

It is another object of the invention to provide means facilitating a very convenient assembly and disassembly of the display device with its trays and other essential parts and also easy storage of the device when not in use, without taking up inordinately too much space or operational area in a showroom and like location.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means resulting in a quick-acting display and like device, which can be manipulated by hand to impart to the sample tray or trays a specific inclined position or may be operated continuously by any known drive means to change the tray positions from time to time thereby to create an eye appeal or attraction for prospective customers and interested parties.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of means conducive to a safe and highly efiicient display and like article carrying device which can be demonstrated by unskilled persons, may be serviced without any difficulties, is inexpensive to manufacture and very suitably constructed for mass production, as the device requires only a few operative parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means contributing to a highly versatile display equipment, which may be subdivided, so that some of the display carriers or trays of such equipment may be activated in two different directions, say, forwardly and rearwardly, in order to coordinate predetermined displayed articles relative to other exhibited items and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means leading to automatically alternating operational stages in the display of articles, so that their sales will be greatly intensified and improved.

Accordingly, the invention consists in the features of novel construction, combination of elements or parts, all as illustratively set forth in the ensuing description and drawings, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tiltable display device pursuant to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the display device of FIG. 1, as seen against the right hand panel with the undercarriage and with tray equipped standards of the device indicated in different operational positions.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the trays employable in the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a section through a portion of one of the standards with an extension part of a tray journaled in an opening of said one standard.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 indicates a perspective view of a slightly changed tiltable display device according to the invention.

FIG. 7 shows somewhat diagrammatically and in perspective the connection of a tray or shelf to a pair of swingable standards and to guide means therebetween.

FIG. 8 is a view taken in the direction of and along section line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view taken in the direction of and along section line 99 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section drawn to an enlarged scale taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring more specifically to the attached drawings there has been disclosed a tiltable display device 10 which principally consists of a bottom frame or understructure 10a equipped with upright side panels or supports 11, 12. This understructure may preferably have rollers 10b.

On these panels are swingably attached at first pivot means 14, 15 pairs of forward standards l6, l7 and pairs of rearward standards 18, 19 which are interconnected by respective crosspieces 20, 21 so that the forward standards are movable about their pivots 14 and the rearward standards are pivotable about their pivots 15 in unison via trays 30 as will be later explained.

The confronting inner faces of the mentioned standards 16 to 19 are each provided with rows of suitable perforations or slots 25, 26 into which bent or hook-shaped ends 28 of spaced apart reinforcing transverse crossbars 29 of trays 30 are engaged and form respective interengageable means or second pivot means horizontally interconnecting said trays with said forward and rearward standards.

Each tray 30 has besides crossbars 29 substantially rectangular-shaped forward and rearward frame members 33, 34 which extend beyond these crossbars as depicted in FIG. 3. These frame members terminate in transverse end portions 35 having offset parts 35:: as shown. These frame members 33, 34 are located in spaced apart relation on the aforesaid crossbars to which they are welded or in any other known manner connected.

From the foregoing it may be easily realized that the trays 30 preferably made of wire material are so shaped and dimensioned that on one hand the hook-shaped ends 28 of said crossbars of the trays are so journalled in preshaped perforations 25, 26 of the standards that despite the forward and rearward swinging movements of the latter these trays 30, on the other hand, will always remain in substantially horizontal positions and will be only displaced in staggered relation to each other to obtain an overlapor step-shaped formation with respect to each other (FIG. 2).

FIG. 2 indicates that the trays 30 from the dot-dash or median position A of standards 17, 19 may readily follow the latter to a position B (shown in full lines) or to an angular position C without being tilted, only a staggered relationship of said trays to each other resulting therefrom or being created in such fashion, that the lower trays will be farther advanced or displaced to a greater distance than upper trays relative to the trays when arranged in superposed coinciding condition or placement (location A of standards).

The extreme swinging movements of the pairs of standards 16, 17 and 18, 19 about their respective pivots located about midway of the length of said standards are limited by a stop pin 40, which may be adjusted or varied in its effective position along a central slat or bar 36, the latter carrying a row of holes 37 which may be threaded for the engagement with stop pin 40. The length of the standards is such that their lower ends 38 clear the traverse 39 of the understructure during swinging movements of the aforesaid standards.

Sample pieces 41 of carpets of various colors when placed on the trays can thus be readily observed, compared with each other and interchanged at will at the front or rear part of the tiltable rack 10, as desired.

In order to maintain a predetermined angular or other posi tion of the standards, one of the pivots, say 14, may be provided with a screw clamp 42 known per se. Such clamp 42 may be operated to tighten one of the pivots in order to adjust or set the formation of the trays with respect to each other.

The new tiltable rack can, of course, be employed in a twosided fashion (from the front and/or back) and can be also moved by any known power drive means to change the tray positions from time to time for attracting customers.

It is well understood that the tray structure or like product holding means may be differently executed.

FIG. 6 illustrates a tray displaceable rack and like equipment with a subdivided upper and lower standard arrangement,

This latter arrangement affords automatic and alternating operational steps or stages for article displays.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 6 and 7 there is illustrated a display rack 50 having side panels 51, S2 and a support structure 53 with crossbars 54, 55 interconnecting said panels. To the confronting inner faces 56, 57 of said side panels 51, 52 there are swingably fastened at pivots 58, 59 a pair of upper forward standards 60, 61 and a pair of upper rearward standards 62, 63. These respective standard parts are interconnected correspondingly by handle forming crossbeams 64, 65. The pair of forward standards 60, 61 are thus movable together and furthermore the pair of rearward standards 62, 63, as is quite apparent from FIG. 6.

To the aforesaid inner faces of the side panels 51, 52 are further pivotally attached at 58a, 59a, respectively, a pair of lower forward standards or levers 66, 67 and a pair of lower rearward standards or levers 68, 69.

Between these pairs of upper and lower standards there is swingably disposed at 7011 on side panel 52 a two-armed lever or guide means 70 having guide slots 71, 72 for a purpose later described. The aforementioned standards are provided at their confronting surfaces with respective upper and lower openings or perforations 73, 74 for securing or connecting therewith a number of trays 80 to upper and lower pairs of standards as indicated in FIG. 6.

These trays 80 (outlined only in dotted or phantom lines in FIG. 6) may have a suitable surface shape or configuration for the display of any type of articles or merchandise, such as canned foodstuff, dishes, cups and the like or may carry lengthy pieces ofcarpet samples, tiles, etc.

FIG. 7 shows in perspective a tray having a base frame 75 with support or follower rods 76, 77 fixed to and below base frame 75. A guide rod 78 is attached in any suitable manner near one end of tray 80, which may be manufactured, e,g., from wire and like rod material. This guide rod 78 extends with its projecting end 79 into respective guide slots 71, 72 of swingable guide bar 70 in which said rod end is reciprocably movable in lengthwise direction of the guide slot as it is quite well understood (FIG. The upper frame 81 outlines the extent or size of each tray 80, which may enclose, of course, any upright, hoop-shaped or rectangular inserts 82 for a purpose for which they were designed.

Reverting to rods 76, 77, they terminate, e.g., in hookshaped ends 76a, 77a which reach into the aforesaid suitably shaped openings 73, 74, respectively, of standard members 60 to 63 for movements with the latter without permitting the trays however to deviate during their displacement from a movement in absolute parallelism to each other. This effect is quite important, especially when the contents of the trays are very delicate, are subject to easy damage and require careful handling.

FIG. 8 readily explains the operation of this tiltable display and like rack 50. When upper pairs of pivoted standard members 60, 61 and 62, 63 are moved, say from the dotted line position of FIG. 8 to full line position by hand or power drive (known per se) the trays 80 coupled to these standard members and slidably connected via swingable guide lever 70 by means of rod 78, 79 to, say the second tray, will automatically transmit such translatory movement to the fourth tray, which is coupled to the lower pairs of standard members.

This is accomplished by the engagement of a corresponding extension rod 78, 79 of the third tray slidably displaceable in slot 72 of swinging lever 70. Through this operative connection the lower pairs of standard members 66, 67 and 68, 69 are swung in the same direction as the mentioned upper pairs of standard members.

FIG. 9 depicts the movement of the upper and lower pairs of standard members 61, 63 and 67, 69 in the opposite angular position (as opposed to the showing of FIG. 8). In this manner a parallel displacement of the first tray together with the third tray in the same direction has been carried out while the second tray and fourth tray 80 are placed into coextensive positions toward the left hand side by means of the aforesaid upper and lower pairs of standard members.

The lower ends 61a, 63a of upper forward and rearward standard members 61, 63 in this particular instance, are shown to be connected to two strong spiral springs 84, 85 which are anchored on pin 86 of side panel 51. These springs tend to maintain all the standard members by virtue of their mode of motion transmission as herein explained, in a median or neutral position (FIG. 6), in which all trays take up a coinciding superposed position with each other.

It is well understood that the guide means or lever 70 can be replaced by any curvilinear or like guide means enabling the standard members to transmit various kinds of relative movements to the trays for display and similar purposes. Thus sales of products may be greatly enhanced through an unusual and stimulating appearance of the same and accessible in trays, shelves and like supports.

It can thus be seen that there has been created pursuant to the invention a tiltable rack and like display device having an understructure comprising the combination of a row of superpositioned trays each having forward and rearward ends, with pairs of forward and rearward standards spaced from each other and pivotally supported by said understructure, and interengageable means provided on said trays and on said standards forming connective links of said trays with respect to said standards, so that during pivotal movement of said stan dards to end positions said forward ends and then said rear ward ends of said trays assume stepwise formations, respectively.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanism shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of this invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A tiltable display device for exhibiting articles; comprising a bottom frame having opposite lateral ends, two spaced upright supports extending from said opposite lateral ends of said bottom frame, elongated standard means, forward and rearward standard means, respectively, said forward and said rearward standard means being spaced from each other and being pivotally connected about midway of their length to saId supports, respectively, for tiltable movement with respect to said supports, and a plurality of superpositioned spaced apart trays, each tray being pivotally coupled with and located within the space between said forward and said rearward standard means to interconnect both the standard means, so that tiltable movement of said standard means cause displacement of the trays in spaced, superpositioned and parallel horizontal relation to each other and relative to said supports, tilting of said standard means to extreme inclined positions, respectively, causing said trays to assume a stepwise formation extending partly forwardly and partly rearwardly to said upright supports for exhibiting said articles on said trays.

2. A tiltable rack for exhibiting articles and the like; comprising a bottom frame including spaced upright end supports mounted on said bottom frame, forward and rearward standard means, respectively spaced from each other and arranged for tiltable movement on said end supports, respective first pivot means connecting said standard means with said supports, a plurality of superpositioned, horizontally spaced apart and parallel trays, and respective second pivot means between said trays and said standard means pivotally interconnecting said standard means with each other and with said trays, so that when said standard means are tilted about said first pivot means said trays remain in horizontal position and follow the tiltable movements of said standard means relative to said supports during which movements the trays in extreme and inclined end positions of said standard means assume a horizontal and continuous stepwise formation extending from a location above said first pivot means to a location below said first pivot means.

3. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, said supports being provided with respective stop means for limiting the tiltable movements of said standards to said end positions, respective ly.

4. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, including locking means connected to and influencing tiltable movement of at least one of said standards thereby to bind all said standards to assume a predetermined inclined position to each other when said trays are joined to said standards.

5. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, wherein said forward and rearward standards are subdivided in upper standards and lower standards, and respective means positioned between said upper and said lower standards for moving said upper standards to one end position and said lower standards to an opposed end position.

6. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, wherein said upper standards and said lower standards are, respectively, guided to their opposite end positions, and guide means operatively connected to said standards, respectively, for positively moving the same in timed relation.

7. in a tiltable display rack and like device comprising the combination of pairs of swingable elongated standard members, with connective link means, a number of tray means each having an extension, respective extensions of said tray means forming parts of said connective link means for releasably joining via said connective link means said tray means in spaced, superposed and parallel relation to each other along said pairs of standard members, and support means including pivot means thereon swingably connecting said standard members about midway of the latter with said support means, respectively, said link means enabling said tray means to always remain in horizontal, spaced apart superposed and parallel positions to each other while said tray means are displaced from a median position of said standard members to respective extreme inclined end positions of the latter during swinging movements of said standard members.

8. In a device according to claim 7, including elongated guide means connected for movement to said support means, said connective link means including an extension element from at least one of said tray means joined for operative displacement to and along said guide means while the parallel positions of all said tray means to each other are maintained.

9. A tiltable display device, rack and like article carrier comprising an upper pair of spaced apart forward standards and an upper pair of spaced apart rearward standards, first and second standards, respectively, a lower pair of spaced apart forward standards and a lower pair of spaced apart rearward standards, third and fourth standards, respectively, opposed side panels pivotally supporting said first and second standards above said third and fourth standards, which are likewise pivoted to said side panels, coupling guide means having two ends and a pivot between said two ends on one of said side panels, said coupling guide means being attached to said one side panel within the space between said standards, at least two first superpositioned trays operatively connected to said first and second standards, respectively, first extension means projecting from one of said first superimposed trays and slidably engaging near one end of said pivoted guide means, at least two second superpositioned trays operatively joined to said third and fourth standards, respectively, second extension means from one of said second superpositioned trays and slidably engaging said pivoted guide means near the opposite end of said pivoted guide means, to thereby couple both said upper pairs of standards and both said lower pairs of standards together, so that upon swinging movement of said upper and lower standards together with said trays carried thereon a positive reciprocal movement via said pivoted guide means is communicated via said first and second extension means to the respective trays to displace the latter in parallel relation and in unison with each other.

10. A tiltable display device according to claim 9, including respective spring means connected to the other side panel and joined to predetermined standards pivoted on said other side panel to actuate and to impart to all standards a normal or median position, in which all trays are in substantially coinciding superposed and parallel locations to each other between both said side panels.

11. A display device according to claim 9, wherein a twoarmed lever fonns said coupling guide means, said lever including a central pivot pin anchored on said one side panel, and coil spring means anchored on said other side panel and connected to the respective adjacent ends of said one of said forward standards and of said one of said rearward standards to normally urge all said standards into upright and median positions and relative to said coupling guide means.

12. A display device according to claim 9, in which the first and second standards are, respectively, interconnected by handle means forming crossbeams facilitating operation of said pivotally supported first and second standards.

Claims (12)

1. A tiltable display device for exhibiting articles; comprising a bottom frame having opposite lateral ends, two spaced upright supports extending from said opposite lateral ends of said bottom frame, elongated standard means, forward and rearward standard means, respectively, said forward and said rearward standard means being spaced from each other and being pivotally connected about midway of their length to saId supports, respectively, for tiltable movement with respect to said supports, and a plurality of superpositioned spaced apart trays, each tray being pivotally coupled with and located within the space between said forward and said rearward standard means to interconnect both the standard means, so that tiltable movement of said standard means cause displacement of the trays in spaced, superpositioned and parallel horizontal relation to each other and relative to said supports, tilting of said standard means to extreme inclined positions, respectively, causing said trays to assume a stepwise formation extending partly forwardly and partly rearwardly to said upright supports for exhibiting said articles on said trays.

2. A tiltable rack for exhibiting articles and the like; comprising a bottom frame including spaced upright end supports mounted on said bottom frame, forward and rearward standard means, respectively spaced from each other and arranged for tiltable movement on said end supports, respective first pivot means connecting said standard means with said supports, a plurality of superpositioned, horizontally spaced apart and parallel trays, and respective second pivot means between said trays and said standard means pivotally interconnecting said standard means with each other and with said trays, so that when said standard means are tilted about said first pivot means said trays remain in horizontal position and follow the tiltable movements of said standard means relative to said supports during which movements the trays in extreme and inclined end positions of said standard means assume a horizontal and continuous stepwise formation extending from a location above said first pivot means to a location below said first pivot means.

3. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, said supports being provided with respective stop means for limiting the tiltable movements of said standards to said end positions, respectively.

4. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, including locking means connected to and influencing tiltable movement of at least one of said standards thereby to bind all said standards to assume a predetermined inclined position to each other when said trays are joined to said standards.

5. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, wherein said forward and rearward standards are subdivided in upper standards and lower standards, and respective means positioned between said upper and said lower standards for moving said upper standards to one end position and said lower standards to an opposed end position.

6. A tiltable rack according to claim 2, wherein said upper standards and said lower standards are, respectively, guided to their opposite end positions, and guide means operatively connected to said standards, respectively, for positively moving the same in timed relation.

7. In a tiltable display rack and like device comprising the combination of pairs of swingable elongated standard members, with connective link means, a number of tray means each having an extension, respective extensions of said tray means forming parts of said connective link means for releasably joining via said connective link means said tray means in spaced, superposed and parallel relation to each other along said pairs of standard members, and support means including pivot means thereon swingably connecting said standard members about midway of the latter with said support means, respectively, said link means enabling said tray means to always remain in horizontal, spaced apaRt superposed and parallel positions to each other while said tray means are displaced from a median position of said standard members to respective extreme inclined end positions of the latter during swinging movements of said standard members.

8. In a device according to claim 7, including elongated guide means connected for movement to said support means, said connective link means including an extension element from at least one of said tray means joined for operative displacement to and along said guide means while the parallel positions of all said tray means to each other are maintained.

9. A tiltable display device, rack and like article carrier comprising an upper pair of spaced apart forward standards and an upper pair of spaced apart rearward standards, first and second standards, respectively, a lower pair of spaced apart forward standards and a lower pair of spaced apart rearward standards, third and fourth standards, respectively, opposed side panels pivotally supporting said first and second standards above said third and fourth standards, which are likewise pivoted to said side panels, coupling guide means having two ends and a pivot between said two ends on one of said side panels, said coupling guide means being attached to said one side panel within the space between said standards, at least two first superpositioned trays operatively connected to said first and second standards, respectively, first extension means projecting from one of said first superimposed trays and slidably engaging near one end of said pivoted guide means, at least two second superpositioned trays operatively joined to said third and fourth standards, respectively, second extension means from one of said second superpositioned trays and slidably engaging said pivoted guide means near the opposite end of said pivoted guide means, to thereby couple both said upper pairs of standards and both said lower pairs of standards together, so that upon swinging movement of said upper and lower standards together with said trays carried thereon a positive reciprocal movement via said pivoted guide means is communicated via said first and second extension means to the respective trays to displace the latter in parallel relation and in unison with each other.

10. A tiltable display device according to claim 9, including respective spring means connected to the other side panel and joined to predetermined standards pivoted on said other side panel to actuate and to impart to all standards a normal or median position, in which all trays are in substantially coinciding superposed and parallel locations to each other between both said side panels.

11. A display device according to claim 9, wherein a two-armed lever forms said coupling guide means, said lever including a central pivot pin anchored on said one side panel, and coil spring means anchored on said other side panel and connected to the respective adjacent ends of said one of said forward standards and of said one of said rearward standards to normally urge all said standards into upright and median positions and relative to said coupling guide means.

12. A display device according to claim 9, in which the first and second standards are, respectively, interconnected by handle means forming crossbeams facilitating operation of said pivotally supported first and second standards.

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