US2230547A - Merchandise display tray - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 4, 1941. Q A, RQYER 42,23,547

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY TRAY Filed sept. 28, 193s sheets-sheet 1 27 Fig. |A

' 2'7 Y f5 2'7 2 y E 5% ifi Page l/ 2 i/ 1,/ #I5 27-1; I |3` 27 l/ '/l/ :5g-26 if; \-|2 /Q 26% x 7&4 /l/ Iii( f/ im INvENToR |0 GEORGE A. ROYER AT To RN EY Feb. 4, 1941.

G. A. RoYER l2,230,547

MERCHANDISE nIsrLAY TRAY Filed Sepftl." 28, 193B 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR Gaone: A. ROYER ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1941 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY TRAY George A. Royer, Hanover, Pa., .assignor to Leschey Myers Manufacturing C'o., Hanover, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application September 28, 1938, Serial No. 232,077

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in adjustable trays or counters oi the type particularly adapted for receiving and displaying articles of merchandise.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved display tray or counter having partitions arranged and supported in a manner to divide the tray into a plurality of compartments suitable for receiving various articles of merchandise.

Another object of the invention is to Iprovide an improved display tray or counter having adjustable partitions in which means .are provided for supporting the partitions so that the partitions can readily be adjusted thereby enabling the same tray to be adapted for displaying articles of merchandise of various sizes and shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tray or counter that includes a base member or counter-sham having side walls formed with diametrically opposed grooves, which grooves are substantially diamond shape in cross section and have opposed angular portions adapted. to receive the side edges of the stems depending from partition holding clips so as to frictionally grip the stems and thereby iirmly retain the partitions in position on the base member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tray or counter of the above type in which the parts are so constructed and arranged as to t snugly together and thereby prevent articles of merchandise from lodging in the joints therebetween.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan of an adjustable tray or counter embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is .an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the improved device comprises a base member I0, preferably in the form of a rectangular body composed of side walls I2 and a top I3. The side walls may be spaced apart by transverse walls I4, disposed at suitable intervals throughout the length of the base member II, one wall I4, being shown in Fig. 3.

The base member I0 is adapted to be placed upon a counter, table or other fixture or support (not shown), and be separated from other 5 base members, when desired, by partition walls I5, Fig. 1. Any number of base members I0 may be used, and these members may be of any dimensions.

The outer faces of the side walls I2 are formed l0 with a plurality of vertical grooves II, the grooves of the two side walls of the base member I0 being arranged in transverse alinement. The grooves II are separated by ribs I6, and both the grooves and the ribs are coextensive 15 in height, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As shown in Fig. 4, each groove II has four angularly dis-posed walls, indicated .at I1, I8, I9 and 20. The walls of the groove are so arranged with respect to each other as to provide a struc- 20 ture which is somewhat diamond shaped in cross section, such structure having three apexes 2|,

22 ,and 23 at the junction of the walls I1, I8, I9 and 20, respectively. The construction is such that the apex 2| at the junction of the walls 25 I1, I8 is opposite the apex 23 at the junction of the walls I9, 20, and the distance between the apexes 2l, 23 is greater than the width ofv the mouth of the groove, indicated at 24. Also the apex 22 at the junction of the walls I8, I9 30 is located intermediate the apexes 2|, 23, the apex 22 being disposed inwardly from the outer face of the side wall I2 a distance considerably greater than the distance the apexes 2I, 23 are disposed from the mouth 24 of groove II. The 85 apexes 2I, 23 provide vertical surfaces adapted to receive the stems or tongues 26 of clips 21.

The clips 21 each have side walls or jaws 28 adapted to receive the end portion of a partition member 29. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the 40 jaws 28 of the clips rest on the top I3, and the stems or tongues 26'extend downwardly into the grooves II.

As shown in Fig. 4, the stem or tongue 26 is bent transversely outwardly or away from the apex 22 throughout substantially the ,whole length of the stem, and the side edges of said stem are adapted to engage the apexes 2l, 23 of the groove II so as toy frictionally retain the clip in fixed position on the base member I0.

The clips 21 are preferably constructed from spring-like material. The jaws 28 are so formed as to grip the side walls of the partitions 29 with sufficient force so that when it is desired to shift the position of a partition 29, the stems .or 55 tongues 26 will readily move outwardly of the grooves II without causing the partition to separate or detach from the clips.

Preferably the partitions I5 and 29 are formed of sheets of glass of suitable thickness, and the height of the partitions I5 equal approximately the combined height of the base ID and the partitions 29 which are superposed thereon. Since the grooves I I are closely spaced apart, the partitions 29 can be arranged in any spaced relation desired .on the base I0.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has -been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that various changes'may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, and such changes are contemplated,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a counter, a base member having vertical grooves formed in the side walls thereof and extending inwardly from the outer surfaces of the side walls and separated by ribs, each groove comprising four angularly disposed flat vertical faces arranged in diametrically disposed pairs substantially in the form of a diamond so as to provide diametrically disposed slots for receiving the side edges of the tongue of a clip to frictionally retain the clip on the base member under tension.

2. In a counter, a base member having vertical grooves formed in the side Walls thereof, separated by ribs, each groove comprising four angularly disposed flat vertical faces arranged substantially in the form of a diamond having only three apex portions, so as to provide a constricted open mouth portion on one side of the groove at the outer surface of the side wall, the edges at the junction of each pair of surfaces of the groove being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the mouth, so as to provide diametrically disposed V-shaped slots for receiving the side edges of the tongue of a clip to hold said clip from turning on the base member.

3. In a. counter, a base member having vertical grooves formed in the side edges thereof, separated by ribs, each groove comprising four angularly disposed iiat vertical faces arranged substantially in the form of a diamond so as to provide a constricted open mouth at the outer edge of the side wall of the base, the edges of the faces of said groove extending inwardly from the mouth abutting the edges of the flat faces extending outwardly from the inner portion of the groove so as to provide diametrically disposed V-shaped slots, said slots being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the mouth so as to receive the side edges of the tongue of a clip and thereby frictionally retain the clip on the base member.

GEORGE A. ROYER.

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