US1528243A - Fixture for self-serving stores - Google Patents

Description

. 1,528,243 J. E. BRIGGS FIXTURE FOR sELF'sERvINe STORES Filed June 2. 1923 2 Sheets-$heet l Mar. 3, 1925.

- 1,528,243 J. E BRIGGS FIXTURE FOR SE LF SERVING STORES Fild Ju ne 2. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvewl oz l J. E Em? Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNI T E D ST AT E S 1,528,243 PATENT "FFI'CE.

JOHN E. BRIGGS, 0F WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS.

FIXTURE FOR SELF-SERVING STORE S.

Application filed June 2, I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita Falls, in the county of \Vichita and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fixtures for Self-Serving Stores, of. which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to fixtures. primarily intended for self servingstores and the main object o'f itheinvention is to provide units or. sections which permita rapid and convenient installation of. these store fixtures. Each unit .is soconstructed'that' it fits against and interlocks with another unit, and a number of these units thus form continuous rows of shelving; By providing these sections'or units in uniform'siz'esand with suitable locking devices, they can not only be quickly erected and assembled, but also very easily detached and removed from the store without drawing a nail or taking out a screw, or splitting a board.

Another object of my invention is to provide high shelving along the walls, and low double shelvingv in the center of the room about three feethigh and standing on a six inch base, and in this manner the clerks will havea full view of every person in the room and of the contents of the lower shelving so that every article or division holding a number of the same articles can be labeled and seen from any place in the store by the customer or the clerk. A further object of the invention is to arrange the shelving in such a manner that a customer is compelled to pass almost every, article in the store before reachingthe exit. It is also the purpose of this invention to arrange canned goods or other articles in such a manner that they will decorate the room and make itmore attractive; 1

In the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention is illustrated; and

Figurel represents a plan view of aself serving store according to the present in-. vention,

Figure2 is'a transverse section along line 2-2 of'Figure 1;

Fi ure 3 is'a fragmentary elevation showt e joining of two shelving sections or units; and" Figure 4 is ah'orizontalsection along. line 4-4QofFigure 3. p

In the drawingsreference numeral 10 rep- 1923. Serial No. 642,941.

resents the main entrance to the store leading into a lobby or entrance hall 11, which may be provided with a seat 12 for waiting customers. Facing the door in the lobby is a show case 13 with glass top and sides for displaying sundry articles. On both sides of this show case are furnished turnstiles 14: and 15 respectively for exit only and an entrance turnstile 16 is shown at the extreme left in Figure 1 close to the bench 12'. Between the two turnstiles 15 and 16 extends a partition 17 to which the exit turnstile 15 may be locked, and similarly the other turnstile 14 may be locked to the show case l 'sothat the passage of'the customers may be directed to one or the other of these exits ifnecessary. 1

Each turnstile is'of the ordinary ratchet construction so as to turn only one way and the ratchet has preferably eight catches and a spring dogarranged to= engage in thecatches.

At 18 is shown a basket rack in convenient posit on for the customers cominginthrough the-entrance turnstile 16 and it is also in a con enient position for the clerks stationed in the space 19 formed by the two counters20 and 21 and" the show case/13. The rear end of the counters is provided with a small gate 22 which may be locked to prevent unauthorized persons to enter the space 19 for the clerks. On the counter 20 is positioned an adding machine 23 and a cash register 24. preferabl at one end thereof. and at the opposite end ofthecounter 21 are also placed an adding machine 25" and a cash register 26.for the use of a second clerk tending to the counter 21.

Along both side walls 27 of the store are arranged units or, shelving consisting of sections or units 28 a d 29. The shelving 28 ,is preferably six feet high. six feet long. and twelve inches deen. while the shelving 29 is six feet high. six'feet long, and eight inches deep. each provided with a' central partition 80 dividin each unit into twin compart-ments 31. One of the end walls 32 on each unit is reinforced, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. by a face plate 33 secured to enact the units and engaging with the ad-' jacent unit by means ofstuds 34: in the end wall thereof entering in suitable-key-hole shaped"apertures in' the plate' 33. In this manner, it willbe'evident that the sections are interlocked and'cannot come apartwhen erected, but can very easily be'removed' when necessary. This shelving continues the whole length of the store with the exception "of a storage room formed behind transversely situated sections or units 36 of the same construction as those already described and interlo'eked in the same manner, and of a re frigerator 37 positioned .incontinuation of the shelving 36 and handy for refilling from the storageroom 35.

Between the shelving 29 along the left hand'sijcle wall of the'store and the transverse shelving36 as well as between the refrigerator 37 and the adjacent shelving 28 are furnished gates or doors 38 for 010s ing the storage room 35 to the public. Along the right hand'side wall27 and facing the bench 12 in theentranee hall, are placed large bins 39 intended to hold vegetables and fruits, and-smaller bins 40 are placed against the. partition 41 forming one side of the *lobby or; entrance hall and intended for smaller vegetables or fruits, andnearest the exit is'provided. substantial shelving 42 and 43 frir heavy articles suchas potatoes, turnips, flour, salt and the like.

Parallel to the side walls and in continuation of the basket rack 18, I provide double shelving 44 also constructed in sections about three feet, high, six feet long, and eighteen inches deep, standing on a base about siX inches high: This shelving is of similar construction to that already described, that is "to say, they have interlocking ends-45, but with the central longitudinal partition 46 dividing the units into shallow compartments facing in both directions of the sections.

' In transverse direction between the shelvings 28 and 44 are placed units 47 similar to units 44. Between the outer ends of the transverse shelving 47 and the longitudinal visi'bleto the-customers, and a similar bar 49. is placed across the space of the middle transverse shelving 4% connecting it with the high shelving 28; By providing these sliding bars 48 and'49, the customers will be compelled to take a circuitous course through the store, while when the clerks fill the shelves with groceries, the bars may be pushed in'along the shelving and permit free passage in either direction, in order ment may be used for wider r to shorten the way for the clerk.

The arrangement of the store indicated in Figure 1, is intended for a comparatively narrow room, but a sinii arrange- Which case, a suitable number 47 and 43 may be added ac) and one or more extra, lengtlnv shelf units may be placed p shelving 28 along the right-handiwall 27 and between the same and the bins 40 and shelving 42.

The window tables "50 may be used for display purposes.

It willnow be evident that every shelf and bin can be seen by the clerks positioned in space 19 as the lower shelving in the middle of the room does not prevent them from looking across the same to the side shelving 28 and29, and similarly, for the customers-eonvenience, an open view from any part of the store is possible so that he will know where to find the article he desires to purchase. All of the shelving is placed on six inch high bases 55.

At the end of partition 51, running across the end of the counter 21 is furnished a pair of gates 52 and 53,-the former intendcd to close the branch passage 56 leading to the counter 20 and the latter to closethe branch passage 57 running alon the counter 21 and to turnstile' 14. This is for the purpose of directing the course of the customers so that when, for instance, only one clerk is stationed in the space 19 he can 'get all of the customers to pass by one of the counters instead of having to attend to both of them and turn around first to the one and then to the other of the counters as the customers pass it. These doors may be fastened in open position or locked in closed position as desired.

The storage room 35 is equipped with counters 58, shelves 59 and scales for the convenience of the clerks.

Upon entering thestore through the main doors 10, the customer passes through the lobby or entrance hall 11 and by the turnstile 16 into the left hand passage60- between the side shelving 29 and 44 running towards the rear of the store. If he intends to buy many and heavy articles, he can take a basket from the rack 18, conveniently positioned at the right as he enters this passage. When he has reached the end of shelving 44, he has to turn to the right and proceed across the store to the shelving 28 along the right hand wall, when he has to turn again to the right and proceed between the two transverse shelvings 47 until he reaches the low shelving 44,- when he turns to the left, again proceed,- ing towards the high shelving 28, when. he may follow the branch passage 57 past the bins 43 and pay for his goods at the counter 20 and leave by the turnstile 153-01 he may proceed along the shelving 28 and the bins 39 and turn back along the shelving s2 and go through the gate 51 along the branch passage at counter 21 to pay '5 r the goods and p s out through the tui 14,

The shelibe erected in ostores and their use is not limited re a: serving stores.

Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed as new is:

another row of shelving units arranged transversely of the store room and connect ed with the Vrearmost of said first shelving defining a storage department adjacent the rear wall; a row of bins arranged along one side wall in continuation of the corresponding shelving and extending to the front wall, a second row of bins spaced from the first row and of substantially the same length, a show case parallel with the front wall and spaced therefrom substantially level with the foremost of the rows of side shelving units defining a lobby adjacent the front wall; the side and transverse shelving together with the show case constituting a self-serving store; a basket rack, and a row of double shelving units spaced from the row of shelving units along the second side wall forming an entrance passage and terminating short of the row of transverse shelving units, rows of other transverse shelving units spaced from each other and connected alternately with the double shelving units and the shelving units along said first side wall forming a zig-zag passage in continuation of the entrance passage; counters connected with the show case, exit passages formed between the counters and the basket rack and bins respectively, and turnstiles placed respectively said entrance and exit passages substantially level with said show case. i

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOHN E. BRIGGS. [L. s.]

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