Demountable wire display rack

Dec. 16, 1958

F. D. HOOSE

2,864,512

DEMOUNTABLE WIRE DISPLAY RACK

Filed Sept. 8, 1955

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Dec. 16, 1958

Filed Sept. 8, 1955 /0

F. D. HOOSE

DEMOUNTABLE WIRE DISPLAY RACK

2,864,512

Sheets-Sheet 2

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Inventor

ZFqying/s ZZoose

Attorney

Dec. 16, 1958

F. D. HOOSE

2,864,512

DEMOUNTABLE WIRE DISPLAY RACK

Filed Sept. 8, 1955

Sheets-Sheet 3

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Attorn ey

United States Patent Office

2,864,512

Patented Dec. 16, 1958 between. In like manner a second U-shaped member 19 is horizontally disposed in spaced relation above the member 14 and secured to the frame legs 12 and 13 in the same manner such as by the nuts 20 and 21, Fig. 2.

The outer corner portions of these members 14 and 19 are interconnected by suitable legs, herein shown as consisting each of a U-member generally designated by the numeral 22 having the lower bend 23 disposed at the elevation of lower end 24 of the legs 12 and 13, and from which bend 23 there extends upwardly the spaced apart legs 25 and 29. The legs 29 for example extend upwardly across, and are welded to the outer or relatively front sides of the members 14 and 19 whereas the legs 25 extend upwardly on the insides of the legs 15 and 26 of and also are welded to the members 14 and 19 respectively. These legs 22 thus serve as forward supporting means retaining the member 10 in its vertically disposed position and the members 14 and 19 in their horizontally disposed positions.

The assembly of the members 14, 19, and 22 may be removed from the member 10 by removing the nuts 17 and 20. Preferably the member 10, is further braced by having the diagonal braces 27 and 28 extending respectively from lower ends of the frame legs 12 and 13 and upwardly to cross one another and have upper end portions secured against the back sides of the frame legs 12 and 13, Figs. 1 and 2. The structure so far described constitutes the framework for supporting a numher of trays thereon.

To support the trays which will presently be described, a number of brackets generally designated by the numeral 30 are detachably fixed to each of the frame legs 12 and 13, the brackets on the two legs being at common elevations therealong.

Each of these brackets 30 consists of a horizontally disposed length of rod or wire 31 which is carried through a forward bend 32 and thence around and diagonally downwardly into a brace length 33, from which length 33 there extends an end portion 34 through one of the frame ----------——is an end portion 35 of the horizontal length 31 which extends also through the common frame leg of the member 10. Each of these ends 34 and 35 is screw-threaded to carry an abutting nut 36 in each instance and to carry a second nut 37 ⁴⁸ on the back side of the particular frame leg of the member 10 whereby the bracket 30 is securely held in position and yet may be easily removed from the member 10.

In the present showing, six of these brackets 30 are employed, three engaging the frame leg 12 and three engaging the frame leg 13 of the member 10, the brackets thus being arranged in horizontally disposed pairs. The frame legs 12 and 13 are suitably drilled so that the brackets 30 will be presented in a fore and aft direction ?^{e 3},°, ^beld. ^by ^{the leg}_^{12 being} Parallel to the instance extend from the respective frame legs'll and 13 a distance substantially equal to the extension of the members 14 and 19 from the legs 12 and 13. As means for further securing greater rigidity of the supporting 38 and 39 welded to and extending from rear portions of the member 19 adjacent the frame legs 12 and 13 respectively and downwardly and forwardly to have ends welded to the members 22, Figs. 1 and 2.

At the time the brackets 30 are mounted on the frame member 10, truss bars or rods 40 and 41 are mounted along the back side respectively of the frame legs 12 and 13. . As herein shown, particularly in Fig. 2, the truss rod 40 is secured by having an upper end portion 42 engage - — — .... d on the bracket 30 and the back side of the frame leg 12, and from that position extends downwardly across the nuts 37 of the brackets 30 below

2,864,512

DEMOUNTABLE WIRE DISPLAY RACK

Francis Daniel Hoose? Elwood, Ind., assignor to Monticello Manufacturing Corporation, Elwood, Ind.

Application September 8,1955, Serial No. 533,119

Claims. (Cl. 211—133)

This invention relates to a display rack made primarily of wire wherein there are a plurality of individual trays mounted one above the other upon a supporting frame.

Each tray is an individual unit which is carried across two brackets extending from the frame and each tray is removably secured to that frame.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a structure of the nature indicated wherein the entire structure may be shipped in a compact package in a demounted form so as to occupy a minimum amount of space when in shipment or in storage. Furthermore, the invention provides means for setting up the structure very easily and in such manner that each individual tray may be removably secured in position for display purposes when carrying the goods to be displayed.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a structure which will be sufficiently rigid particularly in respect to the individual trays so that these trays may be loaded with the goods to be displayed apart from the frame, and then the tray carried to the frame, set thereon, and secured in position against displacement. 35

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a structure which will require the minimum amount of floor area for support purposes, so that there are no extending diagonal braces and the like to occupy _______________ _u &lt;.

space above which there is no usable display or storage 40 legs of the member 10. Likewise there i· area. -----Not only does this invention provide these enumerated advantages, but it also possesses eye appeal aiding in the •display of the goods by its own individual attractiveness. These and many other objects and advantages of the invention including the particular unique assembly and interrelationship of the individual elements as set forth in the appended claims will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation and partial section; ------------------- _ _{ucmg palaucl ΐο lne}

Fig. 2—A is a detail m section on an enlarged scale ⁰⁰ brackets 30 held by the leg 13. These brackets 30 in each of a corner of a tray; ----- · -

Fig. 3 is a view in top plan;

Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical elevation on the line 4—4 in Fig. 3; and _______ _________{= au} uruu

Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical elevation in section on the ⁶⁰ framework, there are preferably provided a pair of^races line 5—5 in Fig. 3. ”° ~™..... ...

A back frame member generally designated by the numeral 10 has an inverted U-shape wherein there is an upper transverse bar 11, from which extends downwardly and integrally the frame legs 12 and 13.

A U-shaped member 14 is disposed horizontally to have its legs 15 and 16 approach the lower end portions of the frame legs 12 and 13 from their front sides and _{la BCUUICU o n}. to carry therethrough and anchored in position by means 70 between^the^nt 37 of the nuts 17 and 18, Fig. 2, screw-threadedly carried on the legs and engaging the frame legs 12 and 13 there50

2,864, 3 and finally having a lower end portion 43 interengaged on the back end of the leg 15 of the member 14 between the nut 17 and the frame leg 12, the lower end of the brace 27 intervening between the truss rod lower end portion 43 and the frame leg 12. ' The other’trriss¹ rbd 41 5 is secured to the frame leg 13 in exactly the same manner.

The framework when thus assembled is'then ready to receive the trays as above indicated, eatfi of these 'trays being generally designated by the'humeral 45.¹ There are four of such trays 45 employed in the present Showing, 10 one tray 45 for each pair of brackets 30, and 'a lower tray resting upon the upper member 19 of the base structure. Each of these trays 45 is identical in construction and one interchangeable with the other.

The tray 45 in each instance has a foundation base 15 member in the nature of a wire which is rectangularly shaped, this wire being designated generally by the numeral 46, having a 'front longitudinal length 47, side lengths 48 and 49, and a back length 50, this back length 50 being herein shown as having a gap 51 which may or ²⁰may not be left depending upon individual preference in the manufacturing of the trays. '

Across the front and back wires 47 and 50, are secured a plurality of relatively closely spaced apart wires 52. Normally these wires would be welded to the members ²5 47 and 50. Each of these wires 52 has an upturned forward end 53 and a rear upturned end 54, both ends 53 and 54 being turned substantially at right angles to the length of the wires 52. The rear upturned ends 54 are preferably made to be longer than the forward upturned ³⁰ends 53. These ends 54 are fixed to a longitudinally extending wire 55, Figs; 3 and 4, whereby the upper ends of these portions 54 are secured at uniformly spaced apart- positions. The wire 55 has a downturned portion 56 outside of the endmost transverse wires 52. Also ³³there may be a tie wire 57 fixed to these rear upturned end portions 54 intermediate the elevations of the member 50 and the member 55, Fig. 4. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the longitudinal tie wire 57 is mounted on the back side of the upturned lengths 54. ⁴⁰

The forward upturned ends 53 are interconnected across their upper ends by means of a longitudinally disposed wire 58, this wire 58 preferably having downturned ends 59 outside of the endmost wire 52. The wire 58 is mounted on the inner or back sides of the upturned 45 forward ends 53 of the wires 52, Figs. 2-A and 3.

The transverse wires 52, between their upturned ends 53 and 54, are further tied one to the other by means of the longitudinal tie wires 60 and 61, Fig. 3. These wires 60 and 61 are spaced intermediate the members 47 and 50 50 of the member 46.

A finished molding generally designated by the numeral 62 extends around the front side, the ends, and terminates by ends extending along the backside of the trays to the legs 12 and 13. This molding 62 is of a finished 55 type and may be made to have opposing downturned and upturned edges 63 and 64, Fig. 2-A, between which edges there may be received a price ticket or other information as may be desired, this data not herein being shown.

Between adjacent upturned ends 53, there are fixed plates 65 such as by welding thereto. The molding 62 abuts the front sides of these plates 65, and is secured to the plates in any suitable manner, such as by rivets 66. On the ends of the tray, there are provided extending brackets 67 having fixed portions 68 welded to the adjacent wires 52 and extending therefrom across the wire 48 on the one side and the wire 49 on the other side to terminate in upwardly extending legs 69 against which the molding end portions may abut and be secured, likewise such as by rivets 66. On the back side of the tray, plates 70 and 71 are fixed to the upturned wire lengths 54 against which the molding 62 may abut and be secured again in the same manner such as by rivets 66, Figs. 3 and 4.

Each of the trays 45 is of sufficient area that when it 75 is placed across a pair of the brackets 30, the tray will extend a distance laterally beyond the brackets and also a distance forwardly or outwardly therefrom. The trays 45 rest on these brackets 30 by having the members 60 and 50 bear directly across the brackets, the member 47 being spaced forwardly therefrom. The undersides of the members 60, 61, 47 and 50 and the ends 48 and 49 are preferably in a common plane.

In order to maintain the trays 45 centrally disposed across the brackets 30, the tray 45 in each instance carries a downwardly extending locating member 73 toward one end and 74 toward the other end. While these members 73 and 74 may assume different shapes, these members in the present showing constitute simple straight bars having their rear ends fixed to the member 50 and their front ends to the member 47, the locating members 73 and 74 being spaced apart that distance which will permit the members to sit slidingly downwardly over the sides of the brackets 30.

The lowermost tray 45 will likewise have the bars 73 and' 74 positioned slidingly along the sides of the member 19, Fig. 1. .

The trays 45 in each instance also need to be held against fore' and aft movement along the brackets 30. To retain the trays on the brackets 30 in respect to this fore and aft direction of travel, each tray is provided with a pair of latching members 75 and 76 which, in the present showing, consist essentially of wire lengths having loops 77 around the wire 61, the loop 77 being elongated so that the latch 75 and 76 in each instance may be shifted in a fore and aft direction in respect to the wire 61. These latches are made in left and right hand forms, and each has a shank 78 which rides freely over the top side of the member 50 and bends downwardly therefrom by a second length 79, Fig. 5, and this length 79 merges into somewhat less than-a semi-circular jaw 80 of that configuration which will fit snugly around the legs of the member 10.

As indicated in Fig. 3, these latch members 75 and 76 extend from the wire 61 over the wire 50 between upturned ends 54 of the wires 52 to have their jaws 80 located therebehind and in such proportions that when the tray 45 is positioned on the brackets 30 as indicated in Fig. 3, the jaw may be snapped around the back side of the frame legs 12 and 13, with a rounded terminal end 81 engaging around the legs in each instance a sufficient distance to retain the jaw in elastic engagement therewith. Due to the elasticity of the jaws 80, the tray 45 in each instance will thus be compressibly held back toward the frame 10, herein shown as abutting the locating nuts 36, whereby the trays 45 will be held securely against forward travel by these latches 75 and 76 while the retainer members 73 and 74 prevent travel across the brackets 30. The trays 45 may be readily removed simply by springing the jaws 80 around from engagement with the frame legs 12 and 13 whereupon the trays may be lifted and removed from the support of the frame 10.

Normally, when the trays are on the brackets 30, the latch members will have the ends of the loop 77 in com60 pressive contact with the wire 61 and the length 79 will be under the molding 62, so that the jaws 80 may be sprung around the legs 12 and 13 as the latches 75 and 76 arc thereby pulled under tension against the wire 61. The purpose of the loop 77 is to permit the latches to be 05 shifted inwardly of the trays after the jaws are disengaged from the legs 12 and 13 and the trays are pulled forwardly therefrom, so that the latches may then be confined entirely within the tray area in each instance without projecting therefrom, and thus permit a smaller packing ⁷³ area when the entire structure is to be demounted. Of course, the latches will be rocked upwardly as they are carried inwardly of the trays by reason of the length 79 (bent from the shank 78) riding up over the wire 50. The downward inclination of the length 79 permits the

2,864,512 jaws to enter under the nuts 36 which are located below the molding 62.

As may have been observed in the foregoing description, the trays 45 are located entirely above the base of the frame 10, including the forwardly extending members 14 5 and 19 all without any braces extending beyond the area of the trays to any substantial extent other than the positioning of the member 10 and the truss rods 40 and 41 on their rear sides. Since the trays 45 are to be loaded with the goods to be displayed, all of the weight 10 carried thereby will tend to bend the frame 10 forwardly, and this bending is resisted by not only the stiffness and strength of the frame 10, and its forwardly positioned members 14 and 19 supported by the legs 22, but also materially by reason of the existence of the truss members 15 40 and 41. As will have been noted, these members 40 and 41 are bowed outwardly from the frame legs 12 and 13 in each instance by reason of the presence of the nuts 37 and also the lower nuts 20 setting up a true truss action.

It is therefore to be seen that I have provided a unique ²θ and useful structure in the form described, and while this structure has been described in minute detail, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond ²⁵the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.