Snap-on adjustable sliding clip for shelf partitions

[57] ABSTRACT

A shelf rail afixed to the front of gondola shelves and provided with slidably supported spring clips, said spring clips slidably inserted in flexible divider rails to hold them at right angles to the shelve rails and stiff grocery divider partitions that are attachable to any one of the divider rails to be adjustably positioned to any desired position to divide one product on a shelf from the next product. Said divider rails being flexible and permitting the divider rail to extend over shelves of differing width.

Claims, 9 Drawing Figures

<img file="US3815519A_D0001.tif" />

PATENTED JUN 11 1974

3:815^519

SHEET 1 OF 2

<img file="US3815519A_D0002.tif" />

PATENTED JUN 111974

SHEET 2 OF 2

3,815.519

<img file="US3815519A_D0003.tif" />

&lt;26

3,815,519

2

SNAP-ON ADJUSTABLE SLIDING CLIP FOR SHELF PARTITIONS

This invention relates to a shelf organizer, and more particularly to a shelf organizing system adapted to separate various items, such as the canned, bottled and boxed goods of a super market.

The invention is primarily a means of better organizing the storage space on shelves and providing means of demarcating different products as well as means of retaining price markers and identifying signs. Typical market shelves are so often a hodge-podge of products, due to customers careless handling of the products when removing them from the shelves. The disarray or jumbled stocking by the clerks also contribute to the disorganisation that is found on many market shelves.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved shelf organizers or more particularly separating panels that are quickly and easily snapped into position wherever needed.

A further object of this invention is to provide price rails along the front edge of each shelf and snap in spring clips that are slidable in the price rails, and said clips being double faced to retain connecting strips up and down over the front edges of all shelves, said strips supporting snap in shelf separating panels wherever needed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a shelf edge rail with slidable spring clips that in turn support advertising signs either with one or more than one support, said signs being movable along said rail and easily and quickly mounted or removed.

Further objects of this invention shall be apparent by reference to the detailed description and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of shelves with rails, connecting rails and separating panels,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of a separating panel,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3—3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a connecting horizontal and vertical rail, with a separating panel mounted,

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a spring clip,

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a spring clip mounted in a horizontal rail,

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a directional sign mounted in a horizontal rail,

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a snap on mounted advertising sign supported by a plurality of spring clips in a horizontal rail, and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line 9—9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1 there is illustrated a plurality of shelves 10 upon which a quantity of canned goods 11 are displayed. The canned goods are organized or divided into particular groups such as Potted Meats, Deviled Ham, Beef, Port, Home Style Hash, Spaghetti, Chili, Meat Balls, etc. Each group is preferably retained separated from any other group to assist the shopper in finding what he wants and obtaining whatever quantity he wants. To assist the shopper in determining the cost of the canned goods, or other products stored on the shelves, each shelf is provided with a price rail 12. The rail 12 (FIGS.

4, 6 and 7) is provided with slidably mounted spring clips 14 (FIGS. 1 and 5). The spring clip is two spring steel elements 15 and 16 that are retained in a pivotal back to back relationship by a single plastic plug 17. 5 Plug 17 having an enlarged head 18 and stem 19 with a slightly enlarged end 20. The spring clips 14 are provided with a central aperture 21 through which the plug 17 is pressed as illustrated. The plugl7 will thus retain the two part clip as illustrated in FIG. 5. The rail 12 10 (FIGS. 6 and 9) is formed with each edge turned back upon itself to form a V groove 22 at the top and bottom of the rail. Into this spacing the clips 14 may be snapped or fitted and are thus slidable along the length of the strip 12. With the portion 15 of the spring clip 15 14 mounted in the V grooves 22 of the rail 12, the remaining portion 16 may be used to support a price tag or a directional sign (FIG. 7). Likewise with two spring clips 14 so mounted in spaced relationship as in FIG. 8 a large sign 25 may be supported on the price rail 12.

The sign 25 (FIG. 9) must be provided with a plastic channel 26 glued or cemented to the back of the sign. Thus the end 16 of the clips 14 may be snapped or fitted into the plastic channel as illustrated to support the sign 25.

A further application of these elements may be used as illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the spring clip 14 has one side fitted in the rail 12 and the opposite side turned 90° and fitted into a similarly shaped rail 30. The rail 30 is preferably a flexible plastic rail but similar in cross section to rail 12. This rail 30 is used to stretch in vertical relation to the shelves 10 and held to the edge of the shelves by the spring clips 14. The rail 30 is primarily to support a divider element 31 that extends from the front of the shelf to the rear (FIG. 1) thus segregating one product from another on the particular shelf chosen. The rail 30 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4) is used to support a reinforcing element 34 that is Tshaped in FIG. 3 with the head of the T fitted into the V groove 22A. While the element 34 may have an extended metal loop 32 with the ends 33 and 36 rigidly welded or affixed to the T head. A two sheet partition or divider element 31 is mounted one sheet 35 on each side of loop 32 and both sheets stapled together as illustrated. Thus using the flexible channel 30 (FIG. 1) to hold partition 31 which may be supported between shelves as illustrated. Whenever it is desirable to retain a definite positioning of the partition, a strip of sealing tape may be wrapped around the T-shaped head 31 and the channel 30. The partition 31 may be cut to fit any shelf as desired.

It is to be understood that this device is designed primarily for grocery shelves, however, it may be modified in size for separating other products that are stored or stacked on shelves. Although a combination of metal rail, spring steel clips and plastic rails are described, the materials used may vary according to the characteristics desired.

The invention described in detail in the foregoing specification is subject to changes and modifications without departing from the principal and spirit thereof. The terminology used is for purposes of description and not of limitation; the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.