US2980259A - Display and dispensing racks - Google Patents

Description

April 1951 c. H. FOWLDS 2,980,259

DISPLAY AND DISPENSING RACKS Filed Dec. 18, 1957 2,980,259; DISPLAY AND DISPENSING RACKS Clinton H. Fowlds, Vancouver, Wasln, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to S. & F. Manufacturing Co., Inc., Vancouver, Wasl1.,a corporation of Washington I V 7 Filed Dec. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 703,644

11 Claims. (Cl. 211-49) This invention relates to improvements in racks and more particularly to a rack especially designed and adapted for displaying and dispensing canned goods and the like stacked in rows upon a shelf.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a rack of the character described with a fol-- lower and means operable from the forward end ofthe rack for advancing a follower and the rows of shelf contents evenly toward the front of the shelf as the supply gradually diminishes. To an observer the rack will at all times appear fully stacked until the last items are taken. The goods thus displayed are easily accessible bottom laminate 5. The top and bottom edges of the frame 9 are beaded as at 13 and 14 to hold between them, as indicated by broken lines, any desired number of price tickets 15. Corresponding in number and spacing with the grooves 8 are apertures 16 extending through the upper portion of the frame 9.

In Figure 1 I have shown in broken lines two different sizes of canned goods stacked upon the base member 4 and arranged in two groups indicated at A and B. As previously pointed out, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide means for advancing the articles of each group forwardly and evenly toward the front of the shelf as the supply is diminished by consumers. To achieve this object I provide for each groupa follower indicated generally at 17 and since both followers are structurally identical a description of one will sufiice for'both or for any number of followers used within or throughout the length of the shelf. Each follower comprises a horizontal base plate 18 formed at its center into a downwardly extending transverse tongue or rib 19 adapted for selective engagement with the grooves 8 in the base member 4 with the plate 18 resting upon to the shopper and are not concealed from his sight by adjacent displays or partition walls.

A further object is to provide a rack readily adaptable to an ordinary display shelf, The rack may be positioned either temporarily upon the shelf or permanently secured thereto.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a display shelf showing a display and dispensing rack madein accordance with my invention applied to the shelf and with fragments broken away for convenience of illustra-j tion. a

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale of the right-hand end of Figure l. I

Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along the lines-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of. a modified form of rack base anda side view of a f0llower slidably mounted upon the base.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken approximately along y the line 5- -5 of Figure 4. p. l

including a base member indicated generally at 4 and 1 comprising a base laminate 5,-a core 6 and a top laminate 7 which is preferablymade of suitable wear-resisting material such as Masonite or-the' like or sheet metal could be used if desired.

v The base member 4 is provided with upwardly opening transverse grooves 8 extending to the back equidistantly spaced apart throughout its length. An elongated frame member indicated generally at 9 is provided with rearwardly extending flanges lit and 11 and thereby secured to the base member 4 by resilient clasp engagement of the flange 10 with the top laminate'7 and by similar engager,

ment of the flange 11 with an undercut portion 12 of the the top surface of the base member. The rear portion of the base plate is turned upwardly forming a follower plate 18A and provided with a confronting spring plate 20 for firmly clamping a vertical follower wall 21 to the plate 18a of the follower 17. For actuating the follower I provide a pull-rod 22 extending through a selected aperture 16 in the frame member 9 and pro-- vided at its outer end with a removable knob .or finger grip 23. The rod extends along the groove Sin alignment with the selected aperture 16, through the tongue portion 19 of the base plate 18 and terminates at its inner end in a vertical portion 24. The modified form of rack base indicated generally at 4A in Figures 4 and 5 comprises a corrugated metal.

the follower whenthe shelf is empty.

It will readily be understood that the follower wall 21 may be of anyv desired height or width to accommodate cans of various sizes and arrangements of stacking.

A shelf provided with the dispensing device of my invention is loaded with stacks of cans or the like in the usual manner from the front to the rear with the first entering stack or stacks contacting the follower 17 and pushing it rearwardly. As additional stacks are. placed upon the shelf and moved rearwardly until that I area of the shelf is filled, the follower 17 will be positioned against the rear wall 2 of the shelf. Thereafter the stacks can be progressively advanced to the front of the shelf by the follower 17 being acted upon by the pull-rod 22. Thus a shelf can have the appearanceof being filled until the supply has become exhausted.

To minimize the assembled thickness of the spring plate 20, upturned portion 18A of the follower 17 and vertical end portion 24 of the pull-rod 22, I divide the portion. 18A as at 26 to partially. embrace the vertical end of.

v the pull-rod as best shown in Figures 1 and 4. The

.- rack base 4A may be secured bysuitable fastening elements 30 to a shelf or other horizontal supporting surface as shown.

While I have shown particular forms of embodiment of my invention I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the v i invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect the Letters Patent is:

1. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed and having an upwardly opening guideway extending fore-andaft, article follower means having a back Wall portion and having guide means riding in said guideway, follower pull means in said guideway and extending forwardly and rearwardly of said follower means, said pull means being movable along said guideway relative to said follower means and having an offset portion engageable with the follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

2. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed, said base member having an article stop near the front thereof and an upwardly opening elongated groove extending rearwardly of said stop from an exposed front end, article follower means having a back wall portion and having a forwardly extending base portion with depending guide means riding in said groove, follower pull means in said groove and projecting forwardly therefrom beneath said stop and extending rearwardly of said follower means, said pull means being movable along said groove relative to said follower means and having a rear offset portion engageable with the back of the follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on the forwardly projecting portion of said pull means.

3. The rack of claim 2 in which said depending guide means comprises a down-struck rib portion of said base portion and in which said follower pull means passes over said rib whereby said pull means resists backward tipping of said article follower means.

4. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed and having an upwardly opening guideway extending fore-andaft, article follower means having a back wall portion and having a forwardly extending base portion, said base portion having depending guide means which is open throughout its length and rides in said guideway, follower pull means in said guideway and extending through said guide means, said pull means being movable along said guideway relative to said guide means and having a rear offset portion engagcable with the follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

5. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed and having an upwardly opening guideway extending fore-andaft, article follower means having a back wall portion and having a forwardly extending base portion of sheet material adapted to receive the rearmost displayed arti-- cles, said base portion having an elongated concavoconvex rib depending into said guideway and having its concavity open at both ends, follower pull means in said guideway and extending through said concavity, said pull means being movable along said guideway and concavity and having arear upwardly offset portion engageable with the back of said back wall portion whereby said folall lower means and the article displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said back wall portion has a forwardly offset part to receive said olfset portion of the pull means.

7. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a shelf overlay member for supporting articles to be displayed and being formed of corrugated material with the corrugations thereof running fore and aft, article follower means presenting a back wall and adapted for selective interfit with said corrugations and movement therealong, and follower pull means adapted for selected seating in the valleys of said corrugations and adapted for engagement with the back of said follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly along the ridges of said corrugations responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

8. The structure of claim 7 in which said overlay member has article stop means along its front edge spaced above said valleys of the corrugations, said pull means extending beneath said stop means.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which said pull means comprises a rod having a knob at its forward end and an upwardly offset portion at its rear end for engaging the back of said follower means.

10. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed and presenting a plurality of regularly-spaced parallel upwardlyopening guideways extending fore and aft, article follower means presenting a back wall and adapted for selective interfit with said guideways and movement therealong, and a follower pull rod adapted for selected seating in said guideways and having an offset rear portion for selected engagement with the back of said follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

11. A display and dispensing rack comprising, a base member for supporting articles to be displayed and having an upwardly opening guideway extending fore-andaft, article follower means having a back wall portion and having guide means depending into said guideway forwardly of said back wall portion, follower pull means in said guideway and interfitting with said guide means for endwise movement relative thereto, said pull means being movable along said guideway and having an oifset portion selectively engageable with the back of said follower means whereby said follower means and the articles displayed in front thereof can be selectively pulled forwardly responsive to a forward pull on said pull means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blanning July 13,

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