US3848543A

US3848543A - Adjustable shelf structure

Info

Publication number: US3848543A
Application number: US00344880A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Johnston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-03-26
Filing date: 1973-03-26
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19

Abstract

An angularly and linearly adjustable shelf structure for mounting on a tiltable supporting surface, such as a desk, drawing board, drafting table, and the like, includes a base frame mounted on the tiltable supporting surface and having a pair of spaced elongated upstanding portions each supporting, for longitudinal movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair of brackets each extending upwardly, for tiltable movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair of ratchet portions depending from a shelf member.

Description

0 United States Patent [191 1111 3,848,543

Johnston 1 1 Nov. 19, 1974 ADJUSTABLE SHELF STRUCTURE 2,013,542 9/1935 Nordmark .1 1023/5 x 2,05l,490 8 1936 L' htf t inventor: Rlchard L. JOhllStOll, Shawnee, Kans- 2,689,157 9 1954 De Censo [73] Assignees: Richard L. Johnston, Shawnee; S 3,202,392 8/1965 Wallace 108/5 X L. Ruben, Mission, both of, Kans. I Prtmary ExammerPaul R. Gilliam Flledi 26, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmFishburn, Gold & Litman [21] A l. No.: 344 880 pp 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 108/5 An angular), and.linearly adjustflble Shelf Structure for mountlng on a tiltable supporting surface, such as a [51] Int. Cl. A47f 5/12 desk, drawing board, drafting table, and the like, in- [58] Fleld of Search 108/1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-10,

248/454 456 cludes a base frame mounted on the tlltable supportmg surface and having a pair of spaced elongated up- [56] Reerences Cited standing portions egch supporting, for longiftudinal 1 movement re ative t ereto, a respective one o a pair UNITED STATES PATENTS of brackets each extending upwardly, for tiltable 727,438 5/l903 Piner lO8/5 movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair L P %;7; of ratchet portions depending from a shelf member. ansen 5g m3 5 1932 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures Menor 108/5 PATENI rm 1 91914 'SHEEI 1 OF 2 PATENTEL raw 1 91914 3', 848.543

SHEET 2 BF 2 i ADJUSTABLE SHELF STRUCTURE The present invention relates to shelf structures and more partiuclarly to an adjustable shelf structure which is angularly and linearly movable relative to a tiltable supporting surface.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an angularly and linearly adjustable shelf structure formounting on a tiltable supporting surface, such as a desk, drawing board, drafting table, and the like; to provide such an adjustable shelf structure adapted for displaying business records, reference materials, drawing and drafting tools and the like; to provide such an adjustable shelf structure adapted to permit efficient organization of a work area used for drafting, drawing, illustration, art work, and the like; to provide such an adjustable shelf structure which is adjusted linearly relative to a tiltable supporting surface by lifting a shelf member to disengage cooperating portions and moving the shelf member to a desired location and lowering the shelf member to engage cooperating portions; to provide such a structure which is adjusted angularly relative to the supporting surface by lifting to disengage cooperating portions, tilting the shelf member to the desired position, and lowering the shelf member to engage the cooperating portions to thereby maintain the shelf member in the adjusted location; to provide such an adjustable shelf structure having a base frame which may be raised to permita portion. of an'illustration board, paper, or the like, to be positioned under the base frame; and to provide such an adjustable shelf structure which is economical to manufacture, durable in construction, positive in operation, and particularly well adapted for its intended use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features of the adjustable shelf structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable shelf structure for mounting on a tiltable supporting surface and embodying features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure with a part in raised position shown in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure with a part in tilted position shown in broken lines.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in vari-. ous forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limtiltable movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair of

rachet portions

9 and 10 depending from a .shelf 11.

In the illustrated structure, the base frame 3 includes a generally planar member12 engageable with the generally planar supporting surface 2. A flange l3 depends from the planar member 12 and is engageable with an upper or outer edge surface 14 of the supporting surface 2. The flange 13 has a plurality of notches 15 spaced along a lower edge thereof adapted to receive, if desired, a respective one of a plurality of projections 16 extending outwardly from the edge surface 14.

The

upstanding portions

4 and 5 of the base frame 3 may be any suitable structural member, such as a plate, angle, channel, or the like, and in the illustrated structure, the

upstanding portions

4 and 5 are elongated angles each having one leg thereof extending upwardly from the planar member 12 and each having an upper edge '17 with a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches 18 therein which are upwardly and rearwardly open. A slot or way 19 extends longitudinally within the upstanding leg of the

portions

4 and 5. t

The illustrated upper frame 8 includes a pair of spaced generally

planar arms

20 and 21 and a suitable member 22 extending between and having respective opposite ends thereof suitably connected to the

arms

20 and 21, as by welding, thereby defining a substantially U-shaped member. The connecting member 22 is herein illustrated as a rod or bar, although it may take other shapes. The'brackets 6 and 7 are secured to

thearms

20 and 21, as by welding, whereby the frame 8 and

brackets

6 and 7 form a unitary structure movable by grapsing the member 22.

The

brackets

6 and 7 are each generally U-shaped and respectively include a'pair of spaced upstanding plates or

flanges

23 and 24 connected to a web portion 25 extending therebetween.

The

brackets

6 and 7 each have a first member or portion 26 extending between the

flanges

23 and 24 near the forward edges thereof and adapted to be received in and movable along the slots 19 in the respective

upstanding portion

4 and 5 of the base frame 3.

The

brackets

6 and 7 also each include a second member or portion 27 extending between the

flanges

23 and 24 of the respective bracket and extending outiting but merely as a basis for the claims andas a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an wardly therefrom. The second member or portion 27 is positioned above the web portion 25 and the first member or portion 26 and rearwardly of the first member or portion26. The second portion 27 is adapted to be received in a respectiveone of the notches 18 in the upper edge 17 of the respective upstanding

elongated portion

4 and 5 of the base frame 3 to maintain the shelf member 11 in a selected adjusted linear position relative to the supporting surface 2. The

brackets

6 and 7 each have surfaces in each of the

flanges

23 and 24 thereof defining an upwardly or substantially vertically extending slot or way 28, for a purpose later described.

The

brackets

6 and 7 also each include a stop member 29, here in the form of a rod or shaft, and positioned rearwardly and above the second member or portion 27. The

ratchet portions

9 and 10, depending from the shelf 11, are each positioned between the

flanges

23 and 24 of a respective one of the

brackets

6 and 7 and have an arcuate lower edge 30 forming a plurality of spaced teeth 31 extending from the edge 30 and defining notches 32 therebetween adapted to receive the stop members 29.

The ratchet portions 9 and each have a shaft 33 extending therethrough with

opposite end portions

34 and 35 projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to be received within the slot or way 28 in the

respective flanges

23 and 24.

stop members 29 to be received within a respective one of the notches 32. 7

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and I described one form of my invention, it is not to be lim- The shelf 11 may be any suitable member adapted to support records, reference materials, drawing and drafting tools, and the like, and includes a generally planar portion 36 and edge portion 37 positioned adjacent the front, normally lower edge thereof.

Use of an adjustable shelf structure constructed as illustrated and described, is simple and direct. When it is desired to move the shelf structure 11 linearly rela tive to the edge surface 14, the structure is lifted by grasping the member 22 and tilted to a position such as shown in broken lines, FIG. 4. This moves the second portions 27 out of the respective notches 18, permitting movement of the portions 26, and the shelf 11, along the ways 19. When the shelf 11 is at the desired position, it is lowered, thereby pivotting the

brackets

6 and 7 about the first portions 26 and into the newly selected notch for retention.

When it is desired to tilt the shelf 11 into a new position relative to the supporting surface 2, the shelf 11 is lifted with respect to the

brackets

6 and 7, thereby moving the

ratchet portions

9 and 10 out of engagement with the stop members 29 and moving the shafts 33 upwardly in the ways 28, see broken lines, FIG. 3. The shelf 11 may then be tilted to the desired position relative to the supporting surface 2 whereupon the

ratchet portions

9 and 10 are lowered to permit the ited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An adjustable shelf structure comprising:

a. a base frame and means thereon for mounting said frame on a supporting surface, said base frame having a pair of spaced elongated structural members each with a forward end and a rear end and extending horizontally and upwardly and each having an upper horizontally extending edge with a plurality of spaced notches therein, said elongated structural members having an elongated horizontally extending way therein,

b. an upper frame located above said base frame, and including a pair of spaced brackets, said spaced brackets each having an upstanding flange,

c. a first rod mounted on each of said flanges and projecting into a respective base frame way, a second rod mounted on each of said flanges and spaced above and rearwardly offset from said first rod and adapted to be selectively received in a respective one of the notches in said upper edges,

(1. a shelf member positioned above said upper frame,

said shelf member having a pair of spaced depending portions respectively received adjacent said flanges, said depending portions each having an arcuate lower edge with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches therein,

e. a rod projecting from each of said depending portions, said brackets each having an upwardly extending way therein receiving said depending portion rod, and

f. a stop member mounted on each of said bracket flanges and received in a respective one of the notches of said depending portions.

Claims

1. An adjustable shelf structure comprising: a. a base frame and means thereon for mounting said frame on a supporting surface, said base frame having a pair of spaced elongated structural members each with a forward end and a rear end and extending horizontally and upwardly and each having an upper horizontally extending edge with a plurality of spaced notches therein, said elongated structural members having an elongated horizontally extending way therein, b. an upper frame located above said base frame, and including a pair of spaced brackets, said spaced brackets each having an upstanding flange, c. a first rod mounted on each of said flanges and projecting into a respective base frame way, a second rod mounted on each of said flanges and spaced above and rearwardly offset from said first rod and adapted to be selectively received in a respective one of the notches in said upper edges, d. a shelf member positioned above said upper frame, said shelf member having a pair of spaced depending portions respectively received adjacent said flanges, said depending portions each having an arcuate lower edge with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches therein, e. a rod projecting from each of said depending portions, said brackets each having an upwardly extending way therein receiving said depending portion rod, and f. a stop member mounted on each of said bracket flanges and received in a respective one of the notches of said depending portions.