Display-cabinet.

Application filed October 15,1902. Serial No. 127,438. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Charles Vincent Findley, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State 5 of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in store-furniture of that class denominated io “display-cabinets” for inclosing, exhibiting, and protecting articles; and the object is to provide an apparatus or device wherein a plurality of trays or cases are employed which may be conveniently operated to bring the 15 contents into visual inspection.

Another object is to construct an apparatus of the kind named and for the purpose mentioned which mechanically posits the trays in vertical succession one upon the other in 20 closed relation and lifts them one at a time into a desired position for examination and moves them away and brings the succeeding one into position.

It is also a further object to make such ap25 paratus of a simple construction which may be readily and conveniently operated, is efficient in attaining the purpose and protecting the goods, and which is strong and durable in use.

The invention embodies an endless carrier, frames secured to the endless carrier, trays pivotally hung in the frames, and means to elevate and turn the frames with the trays and present the trays in position for inspec35 tion of contents, all as will be hereinafter fully specified and the novelty thereof particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, form40 ing a part of this specification, wherein like references point out the same parts appearing in the different illustrations.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view of the 45 same. Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation, partly in vertical section, one of the supporting posts or standards being removed to show the system of pitmen or levers. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the ap50 paratus. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through one of the rear cross-pieces, one of the tray-frames, and a plan view of one of the trays. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the endless linked hinges which carry the tray-frames. Fig. 7 is a detail perspec- 55 tive of one of the hinges, showing the conformation of its inner face. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the extensible levers or pitmen. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the construction of one of the cam brackets or sectors 60 which operate to hold the trays in horizontal and elevated position.

Referring to the drawings, A A' designate oppositely-arranged base-pieces, duplicates in construction and conformation, from which 65 rise oppositely-disposed standards 2 3, between which the movable mechanism is supported and operated. The outer faces of the standards may be supplied with any superficial ornamentation; but the inner faces are 70 made plain, so as to provide a plane and unobstructed face for the movement of the frames, as indicated in the drawings. At the ends of each base-piece is a vertical stud 4, which serves as a support for the lower frame 75 of the series when turned in either direction, and thus maintains the frames in horizontal positions. In the standards 2 3 are secured upper and lower shafts or rods 5 6, having their end portions reduced and screw-threaded 80 where they project through the standards, and to the threaded ends are applied fastening-nuts 7, whereby the shafts are held-firmly in position and serve as braces for the standards. On each shaft or rod, at each end 85 thereof, is mounted a roller 8, adapted to engage seats in the hinged sections of the endless carrier, the rollers being formed with annular collars 9, which seat between the inner faces of the standards and the outer ends 90 of the hinged sections, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

designates a series of hinged sections jointed together in endless succession and constituting an endless carrier, to which the 95 tray-frames and connecting-cleats are secured and move therewith. The sections 10 are composed ot suitable right-angle metal plates, having edge flanges to take over the corners of the tray-frames and hold them in 100 operative position thereto. On the inner

I working faces of the hinged sections are

718,752 hinge-lugs 11, interengaging and connected by suitable pintle-pins, as indicated, and in the inner faces of the sections are formed circular or curved recesses 12, adapted to en5 gage the rollers 8 on the shafts 5 6.

In the angles of the hinged sections 10 are arranged and secured frames 13, which consist of rectangular frames of suitable material and of such dimensions as will provide io the required interior space sufficient for the trays to be arranged therein. The upper and lower frames 13^a 13^b are closed, as at 14, the closures constituting the top or bottom of the frame, according as they may be turned in 15 one direction or the other, and in these frames 13^a 13^b are made boxes 15, which are closed by a pane of glass 16, so that in operating them the contents will not fall out of the boxes. I have illustrated a machine as hav20 ing five crate-frames and upper and lower box-crates. The other hinged sections, being those not carrying the crates and boxes, are connected by cleats or cross-pieces 17 of the same thickness as the frames and are carried 25 by the hinged sections. In the illustrations there are nine of these cleats, so that when the trays and boxes stand as shown in Figs. 3 aud 4 or in reverse position one of the excess cleats will stand vertical at the upper 30 end of the hinged sections and serve as a lever to turn the upper box-tray into vertical position, which being attained the further movement may be made by power applied to the box-tray itself. In the tray-frames 13 35 proper are pivotally supported the trays 18, consisting of rectangular boxes provided with bottomsand mounted pivotally on trunnions 19, suitably secured to the side pieces of the tray, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In order that the trays may be carried with the tray-frames and deposited or posited within the tray-frames in horizontal position and when the tray-frames are carried into vertical position in their transposition the trays 45 shall stand in horizontal position at right angles to the side pieces of the tray-frames, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have devised the following-described mechanism: To the upper ends of the standards 2 3 are firmly 50 secured sectors 20 21, in alinement with each other and eccentric to the axes of the shafts or bars 5 6, and in the inner faces of the sectors are formed grooves or ways 22, in which rollers, hereinafter mentioned, travel to con55 trol the position of the trays. On the projecting end of the trunnions of each tray is fixedly secured a short crank-arm 23, to the outer end of which is pivotally connected one end of a pitman 24, the other end portion of which is 60 formed with a longitudinal slot 25, having flaring edges, and slidingly works on a screw or bolt head 26, projecting from the sides of the tray-frames. On the pitman 24, at a point in the path of the camwaj’s 22, are pivotally 65 mounted rollers 27, which engage in said camways and are so arranged that in their course the crank-arms are actuated to at all times carry the trays in horizontal position irrespective of the position of the tray-frames.

The functions, mode of operation, and uses 70 of the members, elements, and constructions have been particularly specified in the description pertaining thereto; but the consecutive manipulation of the machine may be stated as follows: Taking the machine as 75 standing in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, with the tray-boxes and trays in vertical succession in horizontal position and the cleat 17 standing vertically, (see Fig. 3,) now, to lift and turn the tray-box 13^a the 80 cleat 17 is turned to the left, which lifts the tray-box 13^a into vertical position. Then by turning the tray-box 13^a farther and down to a position opposite to that originally occupied the next tray-frame is lifted to ver- 85 tical position, carrying with it the tray therein. At the start of the first tray-frame toward vertically the pitman is brought into action, and by its adjustment and relative arrangement to produce the movement the tray 90 is swung on its axis and at all times in its course maintained in horizontal position, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, wherein it is clearly shown that there may be three cases of goods open for exhibition at the 95 same time. If it be desirable to open and disclose the contents of the next tray, the tray-frame standing in vertical position is turned down, lifting the next frame and tray and depressing the succeeding tray of the se- 100 ries, and so on until the whole number has been exposed and is disposed in reverse to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.