US2900667A - Method of making a one-piece display device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1959 .J. s. LONGENECKER 2,900,667

METHOD OF MAKING A ONE-PIECE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Jo/m J3 filgenecker 1959 .1. s. LONGENECKER 2,900,667

METHOD OF MAKING A ONE-PIECE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ JBayhn .5: (onyenecker q/ZEWJ Aug. 25, 1959 J. S. LONGENECKER METHOD OF MAKING A ONE-PIECE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1953 3 Shets-Sheec 3 INVENTOR. John J: Longenecker l tes atent 23%,657 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 METHOD OF MAKING A ONE-PIECE DISPLAY DEVICE John S. Longenecker, Massillon, Ohio Application January 6, 1953, Serial No. 329,841

12 Claims. (Cl. 1847.5)

The invention relates to display devices for displaying merchandise in store windows, show cases, upon counters and the like, and more particularly to a one-piece device formed from a single sheet of plastic, or other normally rigid material, having predetermined cuts or slits therein, after which the cut or slit sheet is bent at various points, as by heating or the like, to provide a one-piece display device comprising a plurality of horizontal shelf portions and connected upright portions.

The display device made according to the invention may be formed of various sheet materials which are normally substantially rigid but which are capable of being bent to produce the desired effects. Preferably. these devices are formed of clear, transparent plastic sheet material, of one-eighth inch in thickness or greater, which are normally substantially rigid but which may be angularly bent at any desired point by heating the material at such point sufficiently to permit it to be bent without otherwise changing the appearance or characteristics of the material.

Examples of plastic sheet material suitable for the purpose may be obtained under the trade names Plexiglas and Lucite. It is common practice at present to make display devices from such materials by cutting various shaped pieces of the sheet material and connecting them together by means of cement or the like. 7

In many cases rods or tubes of the plastic material are cemented or otherwise connected to various shaped shelves or other pieces of the sheet material, to form display devices.

Such practice not only requires considerable time and labor, but the cementing or other connection of the various parts together detracts considerably from the appearance of the finished article.

The invention contemplates the formation of a onepiece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelf portions and connected upright portions, formed from a single fiat sheet of material which may be of substantially rectangular, polygonal or irregular marginal shape, depending upon the design of display device to be (formed, and having one or more either angular or curved re-entrant, or generally spiral, cuts or slits therein, permitting the sheet to be bent perpendicularly at various points to form horizontal shelf portions at different heights connected by integral upright portions.

The invention may be carried out by providing one or more of such angular or curved re-entrant or spiral cuts or slits, each of which extends through one margin of the sheet; or by providing one or more of such cuts or slits, each of which terminates at both ends within the margin of the sheet; or by a combination of such cuts or slits some of which extend through one or more marginal edges of the sheet and others of which terminate at both ends within the margins of the sheet.

It is therefore an object of the invention to form a one-piece display device from a single sheet of material having one or more re-entrant or spiral cuts or slits therein, the sheet material being then bent at various points to form horizontal shelves at different heights with connecting, integral upright portions therebetween.

Another object is to produce such a display device from a sheet of material in Which re-entrant or spiral cuts or slits extend through a marginal edge of the sheet.

A further object is to produce a display device of the character referred to, formed from a sheet blank, in which the re-entrant or spiral cuts or slits terminate at both ends within the margins of the sheet.

A still further object is to produce such a display device in which certain of the cuts or slits extend through a margin of the sheet while other of the cuts or slits are entirely within the margins of the sheet.

Another object is to produce such a display device formed from a sheet of material having certain cuts or slits extending through the margins of the sheet and one or more other cuts or slits terminating at both ends within the margins of the sheet, certain of the cuts or slits being substantially parallel to certain of the other cuts or slits and terminating in opposite directions, whereby the cut or slitted sheet may be bent at various points to produce a one-piece display device of considerable height as compared with the dimension of the blank from which it is formed.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved display device in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a substantially square sheet blank having a single re-entrant cut or slit extending through one margin of the sheet, illustrating the simplest form of the invention;

Fig. 2 a perspective view of a display device formed from the blank shown in Fig. l by bending upon the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 a plan view of a rectangular blank having a continuous substantially spiral slit or cut therein terminating at one end through a margin of the sheet, the spiral cut being made up of a series of straight lines perpendicular to each other;

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a display device formed by bending the cut sheet blank of Fig. 3 upon the dotted lines thereon;

Fig. 5 a plan view of a blank of irregular shape, having a single cut or slit therein terminating at one end through a margin of the sheet, the cut or slit being of irregular polygonal form;

Fig. 6 a perspective View of a display device formed from the blank shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 a blank of substantially rectangular shape, having two oppositely disposed re-entrant cuts or slits therein, each terminating at one end through a margin of the sheet, the re-entrant cuts being made of straight lines at various angles to each other joined by curved lines;

Fig. 8 a perspective View of a disply device formed from the blank shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 a plan View of a substantially rectangular blank, illustrating a simple form of blank with re-entrant out terminating entirely within the margins of the blank;

Fig. 10 a perspective view of a display device formed from the blank shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 a plan view of a blank with a plurality of reentrant cuts terminating entirely within the margins of the blank; A

Fig. a plan view of an irregularly shaped blank having curved spiral inner and outer cuts or slits;

Fig. 16 a perspective view of the display device formed from the blank shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 a plan view of a rectangular blank haying a reentrant slit or cut terminating entirely within the margins of the blank, and other cuts or slits extending through a margin of the blank and located between and parallel with certain portions of the inside cut, so as. to provide a blank which may be bent and expanded or extended to form a display device of considerable height;

Fig. 18 a perspective view of a display device of considerable height formed from the blank shown in Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 a plan view of an irregularly shaped blank having curved re-entrant cuts or slits and further carrying out the idea shown in Figs. 17 and 18;

Fig. 20 a perspective view of a display device formed from the blank shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 a plan view of a substantially rectangular blank having both outside and inside re-entrant cuts or slits each made up of straight lines located at various angles to each other; and v Fig. 22 a perspective view of a display device formed. from the blank shown in Fig. 21, showing a further carrying out of the idea shown in Figs. 17 and 18.

Referring now to the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, and first more particularly to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8 which illustrate the simplest form of the invention in which a display device is formed from a sheet blank having a re-entrant or. generally spiral cut or slit extending througha margin of the blank, the invention may be carried out by slitting or cutting a sheet blank of plastic or other normally, sub. stantially rigid material and then bending the cut blank at various points to provide horizontal shelves at ditferent height connected by integral upright portions.

' In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown the simplest form of the in-. vention, the display device shown in Fig. 2 being formed in one piece from the generally square sheet blank indicated generally at 25 in Fig. 1.

Three corners of the blank may be cut off diagonally, as indicated at 26, 27 and 28 merely to produce shelves. of a desired design in the finished display device. It should be understood that if substantially square shelves are to be formed in the display device the blank 25 may be exactly square and these cornerswould not be cut off.

The blank 25 has a re-entrant cut or slit formed therein comprising the straight line 29 extending fromonemargin of the blank to a point about two-thirds the distance to the opposite margin, the cut or slit then extending perpendicularly, as at 30, to a point spaced from the nearest margin of the sheet and then perpendicular, as at 31, in a straight line parallel to the line 29, terminatingat a point within the margins of the sheet. A substantially. short out orslit 32 is formed perpendicular to, and communicates with, the portion 29 of.the re-entrant cut or. slit at'a point intermediate the ends thereof.

To form the display device shown in Fig. 2, the blank. 25, cut in the manner above described, is then bent at right angles along the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1. If the material of which the device is formed is a normally. substantially rigid plastic material, such as is sold under the trade names Plexiglas or Lucite, the bending may be accomplished by heating the blank sufficiently at the 65 points where it is to be bent to permit bending of the. material at a 90 degree angle, and upon cooling it will resume its substantiallyrigid condition and remain in the position to which it is bent. V I A i i v First, the corner portion ,33 of the blankis bent down- 7 the portions 38 and 39 of the blank, on opposite sides of the bend 37, forming the depending legs 38 and 39.

Out-turned feet or flanges 40 and 41 may be formed upon the legs 38 and 39 by bending the portions 40 and 41 of the blank on each side of the short cut 32 along the dotted line 42. The portion 43 of the blank is bent upwardly along the dotted line 44, forming the upright portion 43. By bending the corner portion 45 of the blank outwardly along the dotted line 46, the shelf 45 is formed with cut-away corner 26.

An upward bend of the material along the dotted line 47 forms the uprights 48 from the portion 48 of the blank, and the corner portion 49 of the blank is then bent outwardly along the dotted'line 50 forming the horizontal shelf 49 with cut-away corner 27.

The portion 51 is then bent upwardly along the dotted line 52 forming the upright portion 51 of the display device, and the terminal corner portion 53 is then bent outwardly along the dotted line 54 forming the top shelf 53 with cut-away corner 28.

The upper e dge. of the leg 39 may be cemented or otherwise,permanentlypattached to the adjacent edge portionof the lower shelf 35 to form a rigid support for the display device. Thus acne-piece display device is formed frorn the flat sheet blank, by cutting and bending as above described, providing a plurality of horizontal shelves at different heights for supporting and displaying merchandise with integral upright portions between the shelves.

In,Figs.-,3 and4 isshown a carrying forward of the idea in which the blank indicated generally at 55 is providcdawithi are-entrant cut which isv continued in the gcneraLform of aspiral made up of straight lines perpendicular. to one another.

As shown, ,thiscutor slit extends through one margin ofthe sheet blankas at 56- and is continued within the interior of the blank in a series of perpendicular lines 57,- 58, 59-, 60,,and 61. in a generally spiral form, terminating at its inner end-substantially at the center of the sheet blank. The material at either side of the straight portion. 56, of the cut or slit may be notched as at 61 and 61a for a purpose to be later explained.

The blank 55, cut or slit as above described, may then beforrned into the display device shown in Fig. 4, by bending along the various dotted lines shown on the blank. The central portion 62 of the blank becomes the base 62 of the display device; the portion 63 of the blank becoming,the.elongated horizontal shelf 63.0f the display device; the ight hand upper corner portion 64 of the blan ebecomingthe angle shaped horizontal shelf 64; and the lower right hand corner portion 65 of the blank becomes the angle shaped horizontal top shelf 65.

each; other, as indicated by thecut 67 extending through one margin of the sheet .blank 68 and then continuing at various angles, in substantially spiral. form, as shown at 69,; 70;;71, 72,:73yand 74 and terminating in the straight line 75-within the central portion of the blank.

The blank; sheet, cut; in this manner, may then be folded upon the several dotted lines shown on Fig. 5 to form the display deviceof Fig. 6, in which the central portion 76 of the blank. forms the base 76 of the .display device, the -top, ,interr nediat e and ' lower shelves 77, 78 and 79 of the display; .devicebeing formed by the diagonal corner poptions- 7 7, 7:8: and .7901? the .blank respectively, the other i=3 corner portion 80 of the blank forming the back leg 80 of the display device.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a further carrying forward of the idea, in which the substantially rectangular sheet blank 81 is provided with two, non-communicating, reentrant, angular cuts 82 and 83, each extending through a margin of the blank and terminating at its other end within the interior of the blank.

This blank, cut in the manner shown, may then be bent at the several dotted lines, the central portion 84 of the blank forming the base 84 of the display device, the lower left hand corner portion 85 of the blank forming the top shelf 85; the portion 86 of the blank forming the intermediate, triangular shelf 86; the lower portion 87 of the blank forming the elongated shelf 87, and the back leg 88 of the device being formed by the portion 88 of the blank, which has a notch 89 which engages the notch 90 in the base portion 84. The small intermediate shelf 91 is formed from the upper left hand corner portion 91 of the blank.

In Figs. 9 to 14 are shown various examples of onepiece display devices which may be formed from a single sheet blank having one or more re-entrant cuts or slits therein terminating at both ends within the interior of the blank.

For instance, the blank shown at 92 in Fig. 9 may be substantially square, with a re-entrant cut or sl-it 93 terminating at both ends within the interior of the blank. When cut in the manner shown in Fig. 9, this sheet blank may be bent along the dotted line shown thereon to form the display device shown in Fig. 10, the lower right hand portion 94 of the blank forming the base or lower shelf '94, the upper left hand corner 95 of the blank forming the top shelf 95 of the display device, while the other two corner portions 96 and 97 of the blank form the small :square intermediate shelves 96 and 97 respectively.

In Figs. 11 and 12 an irregularly shaped blank 98 has two irregularly shaped re-entrant cuts 99 and 100 formed therein, each terminating at both ends within the margins of the blank. When out as shown in Fig. 11, this blank may be bent upon the dotted lines to form the display device shown in Fig. 12, the lower portion 101 thereof forming a rear leg 101 of the display device, with the out-turned angular feet 102, the central portion 103 of the blank forming the lower shelf 103 of the display device with down-turned front legs or feet 104 formed from the projecting portions 104 on the blank.

A central, substantially circular shelf 105 is formed from the substantially circular portion 105 of the blank, and the top shelf 106 is formed from the upper portion 106 of the blank, the remaining portions of the blank forming uprights connectin. and supporting the shelves.

The display device shown in Fig. 14 is formed from the blank 107' shown in Fig. 13 in which two inner portions 108 are entirely removed by the single re-entrant cut 109 entirely within the margins of the blank, both ends thereof terminating at an intermediate portion of the cut, as indicated at 109a.

This blank, cut in the manner shown, may then be bent upon the dotted lines to form the display device shown in Fig. 14, the lower central portion 110 of the blank forming the base 110 of the display device, while the upper central portion 111 forms the top shelf 111, a pinrality of triangular shelves 112, 113, 114 and 115 being located on each side, from top to bottom, and being formed by the portions 112, 113, 114 and 115 respectively of the blank, the intermediate portions forming uprights connected to and supporting the shelves.

In Fig. 16 is shown a one-piece display device of abstract shape, formed from the blank 116 of Fig. 15 hav-' ing both exterior and interior cuts or slits of generally spiral shape, such as the cuts 117 and 118 located through margins of the sheet, and the cuts 119 and 120 terminatring at both ends within the margins of the sheet.

By cutting the blank as shown in Fig. 15 and bending upon the dotted lines in said figure, the display device of Fig. 16 is provided, the lower portion 121 of the blank forming the lower shelf or base 121, the upper portion 122 of the blank forming the top shelf 122 of the display device, while the substantially circular shelves 123, 124 125 and 126 are formed from the portions 123, 124, 125 and 126 respectively of the blank, intermediate portions of the blank forming the irregularly shaped uprights of the display device.

In Figs. 17 to 22 is shown a further development of the idea, in which display devices of considerable height, as compared with the dimensions of the sheet blank, may be formed by cutting or slitting the blank with a plurality of inner and outer cut-s, each having portions located substantially parallel to the other, at least some of which are re-entrant cuts, whereby the out or slit blank may be expanded or extended to considerable height.

The simplest form of this species of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18, in which a rectangular blank 127 is provided with a plurality of straight cuts or slits, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the margins of the blank.

A triple, re-entrant cut 128 is formed in the blank, having spaced pairs of straight legs 129 and 130 and terminating entirely within the margins of the blank, two straight cuts 131 and 132, each extending through a margin of the blank, being located between the pairs of straight legs 129 and 130.

The blank 127, out or slit as shown in Fig. 12, may then be bent upon the dotted lines shown in said figure so that the lower portion 133 of the blank forms the back leg 133 of the display device. If desired, the lower corner portions 134 of the blank may be slit as shown and bent backward to form feet 134.

The central portion 135 of the blank forms the bottom shelf 135 of the display device, the terminal portion 136 thereof being bent downward to form a front foot or leg. The side portions 137 of the blank form the vertical supports 137 of the display device, with the upper corners 138 of the blank forming the small shelves 138, while the connecting portions 139 of the blank are bent upwardly to form the upright portions 139 of the display device, with the shelves 140 at their upper ends formed by the portions 140 of the blank.

The connecting portions 141 of the blank are bent upward forming the uprights 141 of the display device, while the upper, central portion 142 of the blank forms the top shelf 142. With such a construction a one-piece display device may be formed of a height nearly three times the height of the blank from which it is made.

This same idea is shown in Figs. 19 and 20, in which a blank 143 of irregular shape may have both outside and inside reentrant cuts as at 144 and 145 respectively, formed therein and arranged in the same general manner as above described with reference to Fig. 17, so as to produce a display device of abstract form as shown in Fig. 20, in which the lower portion 146 of the blank forms the lower shelf or base 146, with down-turned feet 147, formed from the portions 147 of the blank, and a top shelf 148 formed from the upper portion 148 of the blank. The blank is bent upon the dotted lines shown so as to form the extended uprights with intermediate shelves connected thereto.

In Figs. 21 and 22 is shown another variation of this form of the invention in which the blank 149 has reentrant cuts as at 150 extending through margins of the blank, and re-entrant cuts as at 151 located entirely within the margins of the blank.

When cut as shown, this blank may be bent upon the dotted lines shown in Fig. 21 to form the display device shown in Fig. 22, the lower portion 152 of the blank forming 'the base or lower shelf 152, the other portions of the blank being bent to form the plurality of horizontal shelves at different heights connected to and supported by upright portions.

The above areonly a few examples of a great multiplicity of designs ofone-piece display devices which may be formedfrom a single sheet of plastic or other suitable material by 'slitting and bending the same in the general manner illustrated and described above.

It will beapparent that the presenti-nvention provides a novel process for producinga-novel'type of one-piece display device, by forming re/entrant or substantially spiral cuts or slits'in a sheetblank and bending the same at various points to form aplurality; of horizontal shelves at different levels connectedan'd supported by integral upright portions.

In.the foregoing description, certaintermshave been used for. brevity, clearness and understanding, but no. unnecessarylimitations. are .to. be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior. art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodimentsof the improved construction illustrated andcdescribed herein are'by way of example, and the scope of.the present inventionis not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described theinvention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use: ofvpreferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents-thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, areset forth in the a ended claims.

Although the invention is'primarily designed for the production of display devices for use in stores and the like, it should be understood that it is. also applicable .to the formation of "home decorations or small items. of furniture such as bric-a-brac shelves, -what-nots, end tables and the like.

It will be apparent that the cutting or slitting and bending of the sheet material constitutes. the entire basic designs produced. An important feature isthat the design represents an entire, one-piece unit, formed integrally from a single sheet blank.

Iclaim:

1. The method ofiforming-a one-piece 'display device from a flat blank ofznormally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting are-entrant slit in the sheet blank, said slit extending at leasthalf the distance'from' one edge. of. the blankto' the opposite edge thereof and thenextendingtoward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the-blank at least one end 'of said-slitterminating within the margins of: the blank, -and=then,bending the blank atvarious spacedtpoints uponlines at angles to various portions of'said re-entrant slit-to-form a onepiece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different-levels and integral intervening upright supports.

2. The method of forming a one-piece display device from afiat blank of normally-substantially rigid-sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant the blank one end of said'slit terminating within the margins of the blank, the other/end of the slit extending through a margin of the 'blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced pointsupon lines .at angles to various portionsv of saidre-entrantslit toform :azonepiece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at difierenulevelsand integral intervening upright supports.

'3. The method of-forming aone-piece display device from a flat blank: of normally-substantially rigid sheet material, said method consistingin' cutting a re-entrantslit in the sheet blank, said slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereofand then extending toward another'edge of the blank and then-extending toward saidoneedge of thezblankboth ends of said slit terminatingwithin the margins of the-blank, and then bending the blank at various-spaced points upon lines at angles'tovarious portions of said re-entrant slit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

4. The method of'forming a one-piece display device from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, :said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant slit of substantially spiral shape in the sheet blank, said slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of theblank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge ofthe blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank and then extending away from said one edge at least one end of said slit terminating within the margins of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at;angles-to various portions of said re-entrant slit to forma one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral interv ning upright supports.

5. The method of forming a one-piece display device from a fiatiblank of-normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant slit .of substantially spiral shape in the sheet blank, said.

slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending=t0ward another edge of the blank and then extending-toward said one edge of the blank and then extending-away from said one edge said slit comprising a plurality of straight lines, at least one end of said slit terminating within the margins of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles tovarious portions of said reentrant slit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

6. The method of forming a one-piece display device from avflat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant slit of substantially spiral shape in the sheet blank, said slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank tothe opposite edge thereof and then extending. toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said .one edge of'the blank and then extending away from said one edge said slit comprising a plurality of straight lines substantially perpendicular to each other, at least one end of said slit terminating within the margins ,of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrantslit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

7. The method of forming a one-piece display device froin-a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant' slit of substantially spiral shape in the sheet blank, said slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of the-blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank and then extending away from said one edge one end of said slit terminating within the margins of the blank, the other end of the slit extending through a margin of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrant slit.

to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

8. The method'of' forming a one-piece display device from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a re-entrant slit of substantially spiral shape in the sheet blank, said slit extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank and then extending away from said one edge both ends of said slit terminating within the margins of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

9. The method of forming a one-piece display device from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a plurality of re-entrant slits in the sheet blank, at least one of said slits extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then ex tending toward said one edge of the blank at least one end of each slit terminating within the margins of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrant slit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at difierent levels and integral intervening upright supports.

10. The method of forming a one-piece display device from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a plurality of re-entrant slits in the sheet blank, at least one of said slits extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank at least one of said slits having one end extending through a margin of the blank, at least one other of said slits having both ends terminating within the margins of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrant slit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at difierent levels and integral intervening upright supports.

11. The method of forming a one-piece display device 10 from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a plurality of slits in the sheet blank, at least one of said slits being re-entrant, and extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank certain of said slits each having one end extending through a margin of the blank and the other end terminating between spaced legs of a re-entrant slit, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrant slit to form a one-piece display device of a height several times the length of the blank, and having a plurality of horizontal shelves located at different levels and integral in tervening upright supports.

12. The method of forming a one-piece display device from a flat blank of normally substantially rigid sheet material, said method consisting in cutting a plurality of re-entrant slits in the sheet blank, at least one of said slits extending at least half the distance from one edge of the blank to the opposite edge thereof and then extending toward another edge of the blank and then extending toward said one edge of the blank, one end of at least one slit extending through a margin of the blank, and then bending the blank at various spaced points upon lines at angles to various portions of said re-entrant slit to form a one-piece display device having a plurality of horizontalshelves located at different levels and integral intervening upright supports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 560,957 Wilton May 26, 1896 1,894,902 Carmichael Jan. 17, 1933 2,109,777 Kindred Mar. 1, 1938 2,113,432 Paige Apr. 5, 1938 2,157,794 McDonald et a1. May 9, 1939 2,589,022 Page et al. Mar. 11, 1952 2,690,203 Davies Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 360,932 Great Britain Nov. 5, 1931

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