Display-rack.

Application filed April 10, 1908. . Serial No. 426,323.

To dll whom it may concern:. .

Belt known that I, Friedrich Hennermann, a citizen of the United States, residing at Van Wert, in the county of Van Wert and 6 State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in display racks, and is particularly directed 10 to a rack primarily adapted for the effective display of whips or the like.

The main object of the present invention is the production of a display rack made up in skeleton form and constructed for the ef1 δ fective display of different varieties of whips, the particular construction of the rack serving to permit the display of the maximum number of whips without corresponding increase in the size of the rack.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack 25 constructed in. accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating the means for adjusting the top section of the rack. .

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved rack comprises a base member 1 having a rear straight edge 2 and a forward curved edge 3, the edge portions of the base being projected above the 35 body thereof so as to provide a rim extending around the base. Centrally of the base there are provided oppositely curved ribs 4, which join each other at a point about centrally of the base and terminally coincide 40 with the edge rim, the ribs 4, together with the edge rim, dividing, the base into two main recessed whip receiving depressions 5 and 6. Rising from the base and removably secured thereto in any appropriate manner 45 are end standards' 7 and center standards 8, the former being connected to the base at the juncture of the straight and . curved edges while the latter are disposed equidistant beyond the central point of the curved edge.

Secured upon the standards 7 and 8 at an appropriate distance from the base 1 is a section 9 of skeleton form and corresponding in size and shape to the base section 1. The section 9, which will be hereinafter termed 55 the receiving section, is provided within its edge boundary with ribs 10 corresponding to the ribs 4 of the base section, said ribs in conjunction with the edge rib of the section 9 dividing the space within said rib into openings 11 and 12 which correspond in size to 60 and are disposed directly above the recesses 5 and 6 in the base section.

The standards 7 are extended above the receiving section while the standards 8 terminate in said section, the upper ends of the 65 standards 7 being adapted to receive another display section 13,: corresponding in size and shape to the section 9, said section; 13 being hereinafter termed the engaging; section. The forward portion of the section 70 13 is supported from, the section 9 by a tubular upright· 14, which. extends slightly above the upper surface of the section 13 and is preferably so disposed relative to the section 9 as to avoid interfering with free access; 75 to the openings 11 and 12 in said section. The curved edge of the section 13 is formed with a series of spring clamps 15, preferably provided by bending a single strip into· the form illustrated, and securing it to-the edge 80 of the section 13 in any appropriate manner, so that there is thereby a successive series'of spring gripping members radiating from the curved edge of the section .13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The standards 7 and 14 85 are extended above the. surface of the section 13, the terminals of said standards being longitudinally slitted at 16 arid formed with projecting ears 17 for the reception of a clamp bolt 18, whereby the slitted ends of 90 the standards are in effect clamps. Movably secured in the ends of the standards 7 . and 14 are supporting rods 19, which rods include a vertically disposed section 20 adapted to. fit within the standard and an 95 upper or inclined section 21. The‘sections 21 of the supporting rods incline toward the central point of the rack, arid are formed at their upper ends to receive and support an adjustable rack section 22. This section is 100 also of skeleton form and provided with in-. . terior ribs 23 to form, openings 24 .and 25 to; . correspond with the openings in the other sections of the rack, it being understood, however, that the upper or adjusting section 105 is, owing to the inchnation of the supporting rods, somewhat smaller than the remaining sections and that, therefore, the parts of the adjustable section which correspond to parts of the other sections vary in direct propor- 110 tion as the size of the sections. The curved edge of the adjustable section 22 is formed

900,014 with a series of radiating fingers 26, while the inner surface of the edge rib of each opening 24 and 25 is also formed with inwardly projecting fingers 27. The fingers 26 radiate 5 from the. curved edge of the adjustable section, .while the fingers 27 project inwardly toward each other from the edge of the adjustable, section. The fingers 26 and 27 are of practically identical structure and are ar10 ranged relatively divergent, that is the adjacent edges of any two successive fingers diverge toward their free edges. The lower or vertical portion 20 of the rods 21 are supported in the tubular ends of the standards 15 7 and 14, the clamps on the ends of said standards serving to permit the vertical adjustment of the rods 19 as desired, thereby disposing, the adjustable section 22 at any desired distance from the section 13, where20 by the upper rack including the sections 13 and .22 is adjustable to accommodate whips of different lengths.

From the above description it will be apparent that the present display rack includes 25 two independent whip holding portions, one comprising the base section and holding section. 9 while the other comprises the receiving section 13 and the adjustable section 22. The lower rack is adapted more particularly 30 for whips of the drop top variety in which use the whips are deposited within either of the openings 11 and 12 with the butt of the handle resting in the recess 5 or 6 of the base underlying the particular opening. In this po35 sition the whips are effectively displayed and easily removed when desired for inspection or purchase without interfering with the remaining whips. The upper rack portion including the sections 13 and 22 are adapted 4 0 for the reception of long whips, in which use the whips or the snap end are inserted between the fingers 26 or 27 with the button or enlargement at the end of the whip stock resting on the upper surfaces of the fingers. 4 5 The handle of the whip is inserted in one of the spring clamps 15, whereby the whips are secured in extended removable positions so as to effectively display the same in a manner to permit the convenient removal of any 50 whip when desired. The section 22 is, of course, to be adjusted relative to the section 13 to accommodate particular whips. By virtue of the straight edges of the various sections of the rack, whicn are, as described, 55 arranged in alinement, the rack as an en tirety is adapted to fit squarely against an upright surface, as a wall or the like, and thereby provide for the display of the maximum number of whips without necessitating a correspondingly increased size of the rack. 60 The parts described are preferably of light metal so that the desired strength is secured without excessive weight, it being understood, however, in this connection that I contemplate the use of any desired material and 65 of any sized parts necessary for the particular use desired.