Shelf support structure

• US 3,921,539 A
• Filed: 12/31/1974
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson-Leeds Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Barry David Berger
• Inventors: Berger, Barry David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, James C.
• Application Number:
  US05/537,653
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 108/6,8,65,69,90,96,106-110,144 248/242-246
• US Class Current: 108/8
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/12 Tiltable stands

Abstract

A modular self supporting shelf type display device includes a pair of adjustable laterally spaced foot pieces having sockets separably receiving H-column standards having cross webs provided with vertically spaced locking openings. Two or more shelves are supported between the standards and are adjustable between inclined and horizontal positions. A coupling member is formed at each side edge of each shelf and rockably and slidably engages a respective standard. Each coupling member includes a vertical base plate, V-shaped inner positioning webs whose opposite sections converge to a central throat engaging the standard cross web, V-shaped outer positioning webs spaced from and parallel to the inner webs and engaging the edges of the standard side webs and downwardly open hook elements projecting from the ends of the inner positioning webs. When the shelf is in a selected horizontal or inclined position, a respective pair of opposite inner and outer positioning web sections engage the standard cross and side webs and a pair of hook elements engage cross web opening bottom edges. The positioning webs may be multiple convolute shape.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a vertical standard, a coupling member vertically slidably engaging said standard, and a laterally extending shelf member supported by and cooperating with said coupling member, said coupling member limiting the swinging of said shelf member about a laterally extending axis between first and second predetermined angles and including means responsive to the positioning of said shelf member in one of said predetermined angles for releasably locking said shelf member to said standard against the lowering of said shelf member along said standard.

2. The display device of claim 1 comprising a pair of said vertical standards which are laterally spaced, said shelf member having a pair of side edges and one of said coupling members located proximate each of said side edges and engaging a corresponding standard.

3. The display device of claim 2 including a transversely extending foot piece located at the base of and separably engaging and supporting each of said standards.

4. The display device of claim 1 wherein said vertical standard includes a vertical first web lying in a transverse plane to the axis of said shelf and a vertical lateral second web extending transversely from said first web between the vertical opposite edges of said first web.

5. The display device of claim 4 wherein said coupling member includes a pair of opposing track sections lying along converging lines and terminating at their proximate ends in a throat, said track sections slidably engaging respective opposite vertical sides of said standard first web and the bases of said track sections alternatively engaging respective side edges of said first web when said shelf is at corresponding predetermined angles.

6. The display device of claim 4 wherein said coupling member includes a base plate positioned at a side end of and lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said shelf member and a pair of angular guide walls perpendicular to said base plate and converging to a throat engaging said standard second web alternate pairs of portions of said guide wall engaging said standard second web when said shelf member is at a respective one of said predetermined angles.

7. The display device of claim 6 wherein said guide walls have longitudinal slots formed therein adjacent to said base plate and slidably engaging said standard first webs.

8. The display device of claim 7 wherein said standard second web has vertically spaced openings formed therein and a locking element projecting inwardly from each of said guide walls and alternatively releasably engaging selected ones of said openings when said shelf is at a respective of said predetermined angles.

9. A display device comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical H-column standards, each including transverse side first webs and a laterally extending medial second cross web, a laterally extending shelf member positioned between said standards and swingable about a laterally extending axis between alternative horizontal and inclined positions and similar coupling members located at the side ends of said shelf and rockably and slidably engaging respective standards and being releasably lockable in a predetermined position thereon, each of said coupling members including a base plate having perpendicular to the plane of said shelf member and positioned in a side edge thereof and a pair of outwardly directed first positioning walls perpendicular to said base plate and outwardly spaced therefrom by corresponding slots, said positioning walls converging to and then diverging from a restricted throat of greater thickness than said standard second web, alternative opposing sections of said positioning walls engaging opposite faces of said standard second web when said shelf is in corresponding horizontal or inclined positions and the adjacent standard first web slidably engaging said coupling member slots.

10. The display device of claim 9 wherein said standard second web has vertically spaced locking openings formed therein and including locking elements projecting from the opposite sections of each of said first positioning walls and releasably engaging corresponding standard web openings when said shelf is one of its alternative positions.

11. The display device of claim 10 wherein said locking elements consist of downwardly open hooks releasably engaging the lower edges of respective standard web openings.

12. The display device of claim 9 wherein each coupling member includes second positioning walls positioned in the respective base plate outwardly of and parallel to said first positioning walls, opposite sections of each of said second positioning walls engaging the respective opposite side edges of the standard first web.

13. The display device of claim 12 wherein each of said positioning walls is of V-shaped configuration.

14. The display device of claim 12 wherein each of said positioning walls is of curved configuration with the radius of curvature increasing from one end to the opposite end thereof and the portions of the first positioning walls of least radius of curvature being diametrically opposed.

15. The display device of claim 12 wherein the shelf member has openings along a longitudinal edge, said shelf lower surface having a boss extending therefrom parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal edge from said openings, and an extension shelf having projecting fingers for receipt in said openings and a groove to matingly lock with said boss.