US2211113A - Display counter - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 13, 1940- K, w LL 2,211,113

DISPLAY COUNTER Filed July 9, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BVZZQM/ ATTORNEYS K. w. HAL ,L

DISPLAY COUNTER 1 Au g.13, 1940.

Filed July 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /(a/7h W. Ha// INVENTOR Zzz/ZZWM IIIIIIllIIlrllllllirlllllllli llldill!!! ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1940 a v UNITED STATE PATENT "OFFICE 1* Keith w. Hall, Ann Arbor, Mich., assignor to Tolco, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio U Application July 9, 1938, Serial No. 218,467 1 Claim. (01. 312-171 Displays of fruit, vegetables-and like products compartment slopes at such an angle that the in retail stores are most effective when large front of the floor is lower than the rear. Produce masses of the products are employed. A massive arranged in the compartmentsof sucha display display makes the customer feel that he is being counter appears to a person standing in front of- 5 given the opportunity to make a selection from a the counter to be a substantially solidbank .of fresh batch of products, and a meager display produce, so that an effective, massive display is always appears to be made up of the last rempresented. I nants of the merchants stock. Consequently, a Fig. I shows a portion of ac'ounter madeup of merchant who displays large masses of products identical sections, one entire section and a por- '0 makes greater sales than a merchant who pretion of each of the two adjacent sections being I 0- sents a meager display. shown. Although the drawings, for the sake of A wall or bank of vegetables or other products simplicity, show a counter made up of similar does not afiord a convenient display, because the sections, the sectionsof a counter do not allneed products at the bottom cannot be removed with to be of a similar type. For examplemne or more been customary heretofore to display products structed as to serve as a wrapping or weighing a on the fiat or moderately sloping top of a counter. table instead of a display section.

Although display counters containing two or The main supporting members of each section more tiers of compartments have more capacity are its two side panels H), which rest upon the 2 for the same floor space than counters with disfloor of the room and are tied together at the play compartments only on top, it has not been front by means of a reinforcing bar II. The rear thought possible to display products effectively in wall l2 of 'each section is secured to the side panthe lower display compartments of counters havels l0 and has its lower edge turned inward to ing more than one tier of compartments. form a flange l3. Resting upon the flange I3 25. The principal object of the invention is to proand the'reinforci'ng bar II is a plate I4 closing vide a construction for a display counter having the bottom of the section. I more than one tier of compartments, such as to Upon the plate l4 may be placed baskets conproduce a highly effective display of the products taining a reserve supply of the products to be in all the compartments. More specific objects displayed. The masses of products in the display so, and advantages are apparent fromthe descripcompartments become depleted. as the products tion, in which reference is had to the accomare sold and it is desirable to have the reserve panying drawings illustrating a preferred embodsupply of products handy, so that an attractive,

irnent of the invention. i massive display can be maintained by continu- Fig. I of the drawings is a perspective of adisously replenishing the display compartments. 5 play counter embodying the invention, with por- In front of the baskets stored in the lower portions broken away to show the interior construction of the section is a removable front panel, l5 tion. which is held in place by a bayonet slot connec- Fig. II is a. fragmentary vertical section taken tion with pins [6 fixed in the side panels l0. (See on the line II-II of Fig. I. Fig. V.) The lower edge of each of the'front Fig. III is a fragmentary vertical section taken panels I5 curves inward to provide a toe space at 40 on the line III--III of Fig. II. the front of the counter, and the curved portion Fig. IV is a fragmentary horizontal section of the front panel-is reinforced by two struts l 1. taken on the line IVIV of Fig. Ill A rectangular opening or notch I8 is cut into Fig. V is a fragmentary vertical section taken the rear edge of each of the side panels it]. (See on the line VV of Fig. I. Fig. II.) Secured to the rear wall l2 of each sec- 45 These specific drawings and the specific detion by means of screws I9 is a drain trough 20 scription that follows merely disclose and illusthat extends from section to section through the trate the invention and are not intended to imrectangular openings l8 and leads to a suitable pose limitations upon the claims. drain connection.

The most effective display is attained in ac- Fig. IV shows how the sections are joined to- 5 cordance with the invention by means of a disgether. Between the rear edges of each pair of play counter having its front inclined backward adjacent side panels H] are arranged rear spacers from the vertical. Preferably the ledge at the 2|. The side panels NJ, as well as the overlying front of each display compartment is inclined flanges 22 of the rear walls l2 of the two adjacent forward from the vertical, and the fioor of the sections, are drawn together by means of bolts 55 out disturbing the whole bank. It has, therefore, of the sections in a counter may be so con- 23. Screws 24 are used to securefront spacers 25 between the front edges of the two adjacent side panels ill. These screws serve chiefly for locating the spacers. Secured to the spacers by additional screws 26 is a decorative strip 2! that locks the side panels together at the front. The lower end of the decorative strip 21 extends down to the floor and covers the space between the adjacent ends of the two reinforcing bars II, (See Fig. I.)

The side panels iii of each section support a pan 28 that forms the cover or top wall of the bottom compartment in which the reserve supply of products is stored. Dovetailing with the front edge of the pan 28 is a ledge 29 inclined forward from the vertical, beneath which is a swinging door 30 hinged upon pins 3| fixed in the side panels l0. Some distance above the lower pan 28 is an upper pan 32 of similar shape. The pans are provided with similar drain openings 33. Dovetailing with the upper pan 32 is a forwardly inclined upper ledge 34 which is similar to the lower ledge 29 except that the upper ledge is provided with an inturned flange 35.

The upper pan 32 forms the top wall of the middle compartment. At the rear of the compartment is a false back 36, the lower portion 31 of which is turned backward and terminates in a flange 38 secured to the rear wall [2 of the section by means of screws 39. (See Fig II.) At each end of the false back near the top, tongues 40 are turned forward and secured touthe side panels IE3 by means of screws 4|. The upper edge of the false back 36 terminates in a flange 42 that bears against the bottom of the upper pan 32.

In order to illuminate the middle compartment, an electric light fixture may be provided behind a shield 43 secured to the upper ledge 34. (See Fig. I.) A light fixture for illuminating the upper compartment may be concealed behind a curved shield 44 formed at the front edged the cover plate 45 at the top of the section.

Products in the middle and upper compartments are supported upon perforated plates 46, the front edges of which rest upon the upper ledge 34 and the lower ledge 29. The rear edge of each perforated plate 46 is higher than the front edge and is supported upon hooks 4'! at any one of several various levels.

Although the bottom compartment of the section serves primarily as a storage compartment for holding the reserve supply of products used to replenish the two display compartments above,

products in the bottom compartment knows that he is being afforded an opportunity to make a selection from a fresh batch of products. The bottom compartment in each section is provided with means for holding the swinging door 30 in its inward position. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. V.) Attached to a flange 48 at the lower edge of the swinging door 30 is a spring catch 49. (See Fig. V.) The nose of the catch engages a recess in a bracket 50, secured to the lower pan 28, when the door is open, and engages a recess in' a bracket secured to the removable front panel [5, when the door is closed.

Although the swinging door 30 should be in its open position when the reserve supply of products in the baskets is to be displayed, the removable front panel [5 should be left in place except while the baskets are being inserted or removed. The panel 15 conceals the fronts of rough baskets. When the baskets are full and the swinging door 301s in its open position about all that can be seen in the bottom compartment is the mass of products, no part of the baskets being visible except their rims. The swinging door 30 can be closed when the baskets become depleted.

The pans 28 and 32 have upturned rear and side edges 52 compressing rubber gaskets 53 against the rear wall l2 and the side panels H) of the section. (See Fig. II.) Thus the display compartments are watertight at the bottom and are easy to flush out and clean. An upper drain spout 54 receives water from the drain opening 33 in the upper pan 32 and leads it into the lower pan 28. Water from the lower pan is led into the drain trough 20 through a lower drain spout 55, and the drain opening 33 of the lower pan is protected by a drain guard 56.

Each of the display compartments is divided into two parts by means of a. partition 51. (See Fig. 1.) The apparatus may be finished in porcelain enamel or any other suitable resistant finish. It should be noted that the display compartments need not be open at the front. If desired, they may be closed in front by slidable glass partitions.

-The construction illustrated in the drawings may be modified and various embodiments of the invention may be devised to meet various re quirements.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A display counter comprising, in combination, two superimposed display compartments, a false floor in each compartment sloping at such an angle that the front of the floor is lower than the rear, a sloping drain pan below each false floor the rear of which is lower than the front, and a false back for the lower compartment, the upper drain pan having an opening for discharging water behind said false back into the lower drain pan.

KEITH W. HALL.

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