Adjustable shelf

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,272.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Percival Mott, a citizen of the United States, residing in Norton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Shelves, for which the following is a full and complete specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an adjustable shelf, particularly designed for use in a window, the shelf being adjustable in length so that it will fit windows of various sizes.

One of the important features of the improved shelf is that it locks itself in place in the window without the use of screws, bolts, nails or similar attaching devices that would tend to disfigure the woodwork around a window. Furthermore, tins locking of the shelf is effected by gravity, that is, by the weight of the shelf itself. The shelf is simply placed in position, and stays there, by reason of the engagement of the supporting elements of the shelf with vertical and horizontal portions of the window.

A second important feature of the shelf is that it comprises only two movable parts, these parts being the two telescoping parts of the shelf ledge; a supporting bracket is fixed to each end of these telescoping sections. '·

Another improved feature of the shelf is that the brackets support the top surface of the ledge of the shelf flush with the top horizontal surface of the top of the window sash, so that the one supplements the other and gives a supporting surface as wide as the combined widths of the two.

Still another improved feature of the shelf is that when it is once adjusted in length for a particular window, it may be removed from the window, and put back in the window, without further varying its length.

The invention also resides in improved structural details that will be explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the shelf in two positions in a window;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the shelf;

Fig. 3 is a plan;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section, taken on the line 4—4 of Fig. 1; ⁸⁵

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the supporting brackets;

Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the telescoping sections with the bracket removed;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7—7 of Fig. 4,· ⁶⁰but with the bracket in position; and

Fig. 8 is a view of a detail.

Referring now to these figures, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts and in which all of the parts of the 65 shelf are preferably metal, such as brass, the ledge or bottom portion of the shelf consists of two telescoping sections 1 and 2; the longitudinal edges of each section are bent down and then up to form vertically disposed tele- 70 scoping flanges 3, which serve to strengthen and stiffen the shelf very materially.

A box-like end is formed on the end of each of the sections 1 and 2 by bending inwardly a pair of flaps 5, and then folding 75 downwardly thereover a tongue 6, the metal being suitably slitted to define such flaps and tongue. This box end with its several layers of metal—here shown at five—gives strength to the shelf at a vital point, for it ⁸® is at this point that the supporting brackets 7 are attached to the shelf.

A supporting bracket 7 comprises a vertical plate the lower portion of which is secured to a box end of a telescoping ledge 85 portion 1 or 2, by securing devices 8.

At the tipper, rear part of the supporting bracket is an outwardly extending gripping lug 9 provided with a vertical bearing face 10 facing toward the front of the shelf. 9® This lug is adapted to engage behind one of the vertical elements 11 of a window frame, and to resist an outward or lateral pull.

At the lower, rear poi'tioii of the, bracket are provided bearing surfaces 12 and 13 re- ⁰³spectively, formed by cutting a notch 14 in the bracket; surface 12· supports most of the weight of the shelf, and is at a level so as to support the top of the shelf flush with the top of the horizontal sash 15 of the M® window, whereby the two top surfaces supplement each other -and give a supporting surface equal to tlie combined width of the two, as shown in Fig. 4. Surface 13 bears against the front of the sash la.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, each of

1,521,902 the brackets 7 is provided with a horizontally and transversely extending rib 20, which stiffens the bracket and covers the joint where the bracket and its correspond5 ing telescopic section meetIn operation, the shelf holds itself in place entirely by gravity; the notch 14 is placed over the corner of the sash 15; the shelf is extended until the lugs 9 engage io behind the vertical elements 11 of the window, and the shelf is ready for use.. The shelf may be removed, by shortening it and thus disengaging lugs 9, or by lifting one end through an arc, as in Fig. 2, thus dis15 engaging lugs 9; it may be put in place by reversing these operations.

In order to use the shelf on a window sill which is considerably wider than a sash, supplementary plates: 25 may be used, and 20 are attached to the window frame to provide engagement for the gripping lugs 9. Each of these plates is provided with an aperture 26 for the reception of a lug 9, and with, a screw hole 27 for reception of 25 an attaching screw 28. In operation notch 14 engages over the edge of tile window sill 29 (see the lower part of Fig. 1) and lugs 9 engage in holes 26.

While the preferred material for the shelf 30 is metal, such as brass, aluminum or steel, other materials might be used. Furthermore, it should be understood that this disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrative only, and that the 35 inventive idea involved may be carried out in other ways than by the exact structural details shown and described.