US2091355A - Goods display holder - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 31, 1937. I E. A. EKEDAHL El' AL 2,091,355.

GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ErikflEIzeaahz,

Eric cfohnson,

Aug. 31, 1937. E. A. EKEDAHL ET AL GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ErikflEiiedah Er 3% W,

Whnson,

Aug. 31, 1937. E. A. EKEDAHL ET AL, 2,091,355

GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15', 1936 s Sheets-Sheet :s

Erihfllimedahz, EricMckhnson,

Gamma;

Patented Aug. 31, 1937 I PATENT OFFICE GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Erik Augustus Ekedahl and Eric Magnus Johnson, Youngstown, Ohio, assignors to The General Fireproofing Company, Youngstown, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application December 15, 1936, Serial No. 116,025

6 Claims.

This invention relates to store furniture and has generally in view to provide an attractive top finishing means for the shelving and also to serve as an effective goods display holder.

Although the structure may be formed as a single unit of any desired length corresponding to any particular length of shelving, it may be formedin relatively short length duplicate sections orunits to' facilitate obtaining, in effect, a

10 single, continuous unit of any desired length by employing a number of the sections or units in end to end relationship. In either case, a special object of the invention is to provide a box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and .215 having an open front which is continuously open from end to end of the structure, as distinguished from being interrupted by partitions or other supports which might detract from the attractive appearance of the structure and interfere with the display of goods contained therein. 1 Another special object of the invention is to providean ornamental goods display holder or structure ofthe character mentioned and for the use referred to which, while open at its front, and while devoid of open-front interrupting partitions or other supports, nevertheless embodies a constructionwhereby it is strong and self-sustaining.

Another special object of the invention is to provide'novel reinforcement means for the structureservingin part, to facilitate rapid and rigid connection of adjacent sections or units of the structure in end to end relationship.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a structure of the character mentioned which is of simple design and of low production cost.

.With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will become more fully apparent as the nature -of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements as Will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and defined in the-appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:--

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a shortlength of store shelving equipped at its top with-the present ornamental, goods display structure.

I Figure 2-is an enlarged cross sectional view of the goods display structure.

Figure 3,is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure'2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2. 5, Figure5 is an elevation of a blank from which one of the reinforcement elements of the structure is formed.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the lower portion of the structure i1lustrating a soffit for use therewith over aisle openings or other interruptions in the shelving; and

Figure '7 is an end elevation having an end closure for the structure.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates, generally, a bank of shelving which, in itself, forms no part of the present invention and which, therefore, may be of any known construction, the same being shown merely to illustrate the ornamental and utilitarian adaptation thereto of a goods display structure, designated generally as E, constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

As previously stated, the structure B preferably is formed as duplicate sections or units to be secured together in end to end relationship to provide, in effect, a single continuous unit of any desired length. Also, as previously stated, the structure B preferably is of box-like form closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its front. Preferably, too, the body portion, at least, of said structure is formed from sheet metal, and since said body portion is of box-like, open front, cross sectional form, it is readily capale of being formed practically and economically from a single sheet of metal. Thus, in accordance with a preferred construction, the body portion of each section or unit of the structure is formed from a single sheet of metal bent to provide, in cross section, primarily a top wall I8, a rear wall I l and a bottom wall I 2. Said body portion may, however, be formed from any desired number of separate sheets of metal or other material. In any event, at the front of the top wall 10' there is provided a depending wall [3 of any suitable height to perform the dual purpose of shielding from the view of a person looking at the structure from the front thereof one or more electric lamps or other suitable illuminating devices I 4 mounted in any suitable manner within the upper, front portion of the structure, and to provide either a direct supporting means for an advertising or other card, label or the like, or a support on which a holder for any advertising or other card, label or the like may be mounted. In the present instance the wall I3 is formed as an integral, downward extension of the top wall H3 and at its bottom is bent first outwardly and then upwardly to provide an open-top channel to receive and hold'the bottom portion of a card, label or the like, and there is welded or otherwise suitably secured to said wall [3 a plate i5 which, at its top, is bent first outwardly and then downwardly to provide an open-bottom channel to receive and hold the top portion of a card, label or the like. Thus, one part of such card or label holder is comprised by the wall l3 and the other part thereof is comprised by the plate i5. Obviously, however, the bottom channel of said holder, instead of being formed on the wall i3, may be formed on the bottom of the plate l5.

The top wall in does not extend entirely to the rearmost portion of the box-like structure, but terminates a suitable distance forwardly thereof, from which point the upper portion il of the rear wall extends at a downward and rearward inclination until it meets the rear wall proper at a point approximately midway between the top and the bottom of the structure. Thus, the said upper portion ii of the rear wall constitutes a light deflector effective to deflect light rays emanating from the concealed lamp or lamps i4 downwardly and forwardly upon goods contained within the structure. In other words, the lamp and deflector arrangement described provides for the effective, indirect, floodlight illumination of goods, displayed within the structure B.

Preferably a terrace or shelf is provided at the lower, inner portion of the structure B on which to display small articles, and in order to provide this terrace or shelf the lower portion of the rear wall of said structure is forwardly offset. In other words, at a suitable point above the bottom of the structure B the rear wall ii is directed forwardly any suitable distance, as indicated at if, and then is directed downwardly as indicated at E8, meeting the bottom wall H2 at a point spaced inwardly from the front edge thereof.

At its front, the bottom wall i2 first is directed downwardly a short distance and then is directed inwardly, thereby forming a channel 19 serving to reinforce and stiffen said bottom wall at its front. Moreover, in order further to reinforce and stiffen said bottom wall, a plate 20 is welded or otherwise suitably secured against the under side thereof, said plate having a downwardly directed flange at its front disposed within the channel at the front of said bottom wall and welded or riveted to the front wall of said channel. As will be noted, the front of the bottom wall i2 is disposed inwardly with respect to the wall i3 so as to afford a clear view from below and in front of the structure of goods contained therein.

Against the front wall of the channel I9 is welded or otherwise suitably secured a plate 2| having its top and bottom portions turned outwardly and downwardly and outwardly and upwardly, respectively, to provide channels for the reception of the upper and lower edge portions of labels, advertising cards or the like.

In order to reinforce and stiffen the lower, inner portion of the structure B, there is provided at each end of said structure, and, if desired, at one or more points intermediate the ends of said structure, within the terrace or shelf formation thereof, a plate 22 of a size to fit said formation and having marginal flanges welded or otherwise suitably secured to the walls of said formation. The blank from which one of said plates is formed is illustrated in Fig. 5, from which figure it will be observed that said blank comprises a rectangular body portion 23 of a height corresponding to the height of the wall i8, and of a width corresponding to the width of the wall 11,

and having top, side and bottom wings 24 which are adapted to be bent at right angles to said body portion to provide the marginal flanges aforementioned, the front side wing or flange terminating above the bottom of the body portion 23 to permit the front end portion of the bottom wing or flange to be turned upwardly, and the said bottom wing or flange extending rearwardly beyond the rear edge of said body portion to be turned downwardly as indicated at 25 in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Cooperating with the plates 22 to additionally reinforce and stiffen the body of the structure B and to provide flanges to be bolted together to secure different units or sections of said structure B in end to end relationship, are light angle-iron members 26, one of which is provided at each end of each section or unit and each of which comprises a top portion welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the top of the top wall In, and a rear portion welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the back of the rear wall I l and also to the rear flange of the related plate 22 and to the downwardly turned portion 25 of the bottom flange of said plate 22. These angle-iron members serve to prevent any sagging of the top wall of the structure B and cooperate with the plates 22 to reinforce and stiffen the lower rear portion of said structure so that the upper portion of said structure, considered as a whole, is held against sagging relative to the bottom wall thereof. Moreover, the outwardly directed flanges of said angleiron members are apertured so that when any two sections or units of the structure are disposed in end to end relationship, bolts may be passed through the apertures in the angle-iron members at the adjacent ends of the units to securely fasten them in end to end relationship.

To support the structure B on a bank of shelving, channel-iron members 21 are employed. These channel-iron members may be fastened to the top of the shelving, or to the bottom of the structure B, or they may be loose with respect to both the shelving and said structure B. In any event, two of said channel-iron members preferably are employed, one to underlie the bottom wall l2 of the structure B near the front thereof, and the other to underlie said structure at the rear thereof and to receive the foot-like formations formed by the lower end portions of the angle-iron members 26 which extend below the plane of the bottom wall l2 of the structure B.

At the end of any particular length of the structure B said structure may be closed by a plate 28 bolted to the outwardly directed flange of the angle-iron member 26 at the end of the structure and also to an inwardly directed flange 29 at the end of the wall l3, there being an inwardly directed flange 29 at each end of the wall i 3 of each section or unit of the structure B to be bolted together in the case of any two of the sections being disposed in end to end relationship, to assist in neatly securing the sections or units together.

In some cases the structure B may extend over an opening or doorway in the shelving A, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In that case it is desirable to provide a neat finish for the bottom of said structure B where it is exposed at the top of said opening or doorway. Accordingly, there is provided for use with the structure B a sofiit 30 as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This sofiit is of pan-like form and of a width to underlie and conceal the bottom of the structure B and is provided with finishing front and rear, upwardly turned flanges 3| and with end flanges 32 to be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the Walls of the shelving forming the sides of the opening or doorway therein. 5 From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction and the advantages of the present ornamental, goods display structure will be clearly understood. It is desired to point out, however, that while only a single specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, the same is readily capable of various modifications and embodiment in specifically different mechanical constructions within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:- 1. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising a box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its ends and front, the rear wall of said holder being directed forwardly at a point above the bottom wall and then downwardly to the bottom wall to provide the top and front walls, respectively of a goods supporting terrace, and plates fitted into the space below and behind said terrace walls, re-

spectively, and fastened to said terrace walls to stiffen and reinforce the holder against sagging of the upper portion thereof relative to the lower portion thereof.

2. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising a box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its ends and front, the rear wall of said holder being directedforwardly at a point above the bottom wall and then downwardly to the bottom wall to provide the top and front walls, respectively, of a goods supporting terrace, plates fitted into the space below and behind said terrace walls, respectively, and fastened to said terrace Walls to stiffen and reinforce the holder against sagging of the upper portion thereof relative to the lower portion thereof, and angle-iron members extending across the top of the holder and fastened to 45 the top wall thereof and also extending downwardly across the back of the holder and fastened to the rear wall thereof and also to the rear portions of said plates to additionally stiffen and reinforce the holder and to hold the top wall thereof against sagging.

3. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising a sheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of said structure being disposed vertically and the upper portion of said rear Wall being inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the top wall of said structure, the said top Wall being disposed horizontally, and vertically and horizontally disposed strap members fastened to said rear and top walls, respectively, and joined together at their upper and rear ends, respectively, substantially at the intersection of the plane of said top wall with the plane of the medial portion of the rear wall.

4. A goods display holder unit of the char- 'acter described comprising a sheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of said structure being disposed vertically, the upper portion of said rear wall being inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the top Wall of said structure, the said top Wall being disposed horizontally, the rear wall at the bottom of its medial vertically disposed portion being directed first forwardly and then downwardly to provide the top and front walls, respectively, of a terrace, plates fitted into the space below and. behind said terrace walls, respectively, and fastened to said terrace walls, vertically disposed strap members fastened to the medial portion of the rear wall of said holder and to the rear edges of said plates, and horizontal strap members fastened to the top wall of said holder, said straps being joined together at their upper and rear ends, respectively, substantially at the intersection of the plane of the medial portion of said rear wall with the plane of said top wall of said holder.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which a pair of the strap members are disposed, respectively, at the ends of the unit and are apertured for the reception of bolts to fasten the ends of the unit to the ends of other units.

6. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising a sheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of said structure being disposed vertically, the upper portion of said rear wall being inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the top wall of said structure, the said top wall being disposed horizontally, the rear wall at the bottom of its medial vertically disposed portion being directed first forwardly and then downwardly to provide the top and front walls,

respectively, of a terrace, means cooperating with.

said terrace formation to reinforce and stiffen said holder, vertically disposed strap members fastened to the medial portion of the rear wall of said holder, and horizontal strap members fastened to the top wall of said holder, said strap members being joined together at their upper and rear ends, respectively, substantially at the intersection of the plane of the medial portion of said rear wall with the plane of said top Wall of said holder.

ERIK A. EKEDAHL.

ERIC M. JOHNSON.

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