Supports: racks – Specially mounted – Wall or window
Patent
1993-12-08
1996-01-23
Braun, Leslie A.
Supports: racks
Specially mounted
Wall or window
211 94, 211153, 211 87, A47F 508
Patent
active
054859336
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to support systems for shelves, brackets and the like suitable for the lateral display and storage of goods in shops, libraries and storage areas. More particularly, the invention relates to support systems of the type having vertical columnar supports fixed at regular intervals to a wall (or other fixture) and having means for attaching a series of horizontally arranged shelves, brackets and/or hangers to the supports.
Though not confined thereto, the support systems of this invention are particularly suited for shelf-based display of goods in shops.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Ideally, display shelving for shops should be readily and cheaply adjustable and yet provide an attractive finish. This combination is difficult to achieve. It is well known, for example, to use slotted columnar supports with snap-in shelf-support brackets to provide cheap and rapid adjustment of shelf height or position. A variety of hooks and hangers can be used with such slotted supports. But the supports and brackets are unsightly. Panelling can be used between the shelves to cover the supports and the wall, but this immediately removes the advantage of adjustability .and leaves the unsightly shelf-support brackets uncovered.
It is also known to use attractively finished wall-panels having a series of fixed, vertically-spaced, horizontal-extending T-slots into which shelf-support and other brackets may be fitted. A system of this type, marketed as SHOWALL.RTM., is produced by Display Systems Inc of Chilhowie, Va., USA. However, as the slotted panels are costly, the unused slots are unsightly, and vertical adjustability is limited because the number of slots in a panel must be limited to keep panel costs within reason. Moreover, unsightly braced brackets are still required to support shelving.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
It is the broad objective of the invention to provide an improved shelving system of the general type indicated above. Preferably, the shelving system should do away with the need for shelf support brackets, provide adequate flexibility in the adjustment of shelf height, and, provide means for attractively panelling the spaces between the shelves while still allowing subsequent shelf adjustment without difficulty or great cost. However, it is not necessary for all these desiderata to be satisfied by every embodiment of the invention.
OUTLINE OF INVENTION
In the shelving support system of this invention: each columnar support includes at least one longitudinal flange having a front edge; cutouts are formed in the flange at regular intervals along its length so that each cutout extends rearwards from an opening in the front edge, the opening being shaped so as to form a downwardly-extending upper-lip of flange material; shelf support means comprising linear extrusions of metal or plastics material are provided for engagement with the cutouts, each extrusion having integral upper, rear and lower walls defining (in section) a forwardly-opening shelf-slot adapted to receive the rear edge of a shelf to be supported thereby; and an upwardly extending thumb-strip is formed integrally with the upper wall of the shelf-slot; whereby, the extrusion may be held orthogonal to the web and inserted rearwardly into a cutout by first tilting the extrusion back and up to allow the thumb-strip to pass behind the upper-lip and then tilting the extrusion down and forwards until the thumb-strip contacts the upper-lip and the lower and/or rear walls of the extrusion make contact with the periphery of the cutout.
Conveniently, the columnar support may be formed from a folded or rolled steel member of `L`, `U` or inverted-`T` section. Other sections such as `I` or `W` are also envisaged. In the case of an `L` section or angle member, one leg (the back) is adapted to be secured to the wall or other fixture while the other leg forms the aforementioned flange; in the case of a `U` or channel section the base (or back) is adapted to be secured to the fixture and each leg forms a flange; and, i
REFERENCES:
patent: 4752010 (1988-06-01), Holztrager
patent: 4821892 (1989-04-01), Randall
patent: 5148925 (1992-09-01), Althoff et al.
patent: 5228579 (1993-07-01), Kaufman
Braun Leslie A.
Wrenn Gwendolyn
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