Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
28913
This invention relates to suspendable support brackets
capable of being suspended from the upper edge of a divider
screen for supporting shelving units or the like.
Divider screens are extensively used in offices for
the purposes of dividing one work area from another. The con-
ventional divider screen is in the form of a panel which is
supported in an upright configuration and which generally has a
smooth fabric cover. These widely available screens form walls
defining a work area. However, they are not suitable for use in
supporting book shelving or the like in the manner in which con-
ventional permanent walls may be used by attaching fixtures
directly to the permanent wall. As a result, there tends to
be a shortage of shelf space within each work area formed by
the conventional divider screens.
The conventional divider screens may have a flat side
face or they may be formed with an arcuate curvature.
I have found that a load supporting shelf or ledge may
be conveniently and inexpensively provided by combining at
least two suspendable support brackets with a conventional
divider screen and a load support unit wherein the support
brackets are suspended from an upper edge of the screen and
depend therefrom in a spaced relationship with the load support
unit extending horizontally between the load support brackets
and being secured thereto to maintain the support brackets in
the ~paced parallel relationship.
This combination may be provided when the divider
~creen i8 flat or when it is curved.
A suspendable support bracket suitable for use in
this combination comprises a support body having first and
~econd sleeves which extend generally perpendicular to one another,
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the first and second sleeves respectively having first and
second slipway chambers and first and second slipway passages
extending longitudinally thereof, the first and second slip-
way passages opening outwardly from the first and second slipway
chambers respectively along the length thereof. A clamping
member is also provided which ~as first and second arms which
are angularly disposed with respect to one another, the first
arm being slidably mounted in the first slipway chamber with
the second arm disposed in a face-to-face relationship with the
second sleeve to provide a clamping passage of adjustable pro-
portions to receive an upper edge of the divider screen there-
between. Securing means releasably engage the first arm and
the first sleeve for securing the clamping member with respect
to the first sleeve. Mounting means is slidably mounted in
the second slipway chamber of the second sleeve for releasably
engaging and securing a shelving unit or the like at any
required position along the length of the second sleeve.
The inventionwill be more clearly understoo with
reference to the following detailed specification read in con-
junction with the drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is an exploded pictorial view of a suspendable~upport bracket constructed in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a pictorial view illustrating the combination
of divider screen and a pair of suspendable support brackets.
With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference
numeral 10 refers generally to a suspendable support bracket.
The bracket 10 consists of a support body 12, clamping member 14,
a securing screw 16 and a mounting plate 18. The support body 12
is in the form of a unitary metal body which is shaped to provide
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first and second sleeves 20 and 22 which extend generally
perpendicular to one another. The fiLst and second sleeves 20
and 22 have first and second slipway chambers 24 and 26 extending
longitudinally thereof. First and second slipway passages 28 and
30 open outwardly from the first and second slipway chambers
respectively. Both ends of the first slipway chamber 24 are
open and the upper end of the second slipway chamber 26 is open.
The lower end of the second slipway chamber 26 is closed by
means of a lip 32 which projects forwardly of the back wall of
the second sleeve 22.
The support body 12 is a unitary body preferably made
from rolled steel in which the side edges are initially rolled
over in order to form the sleeve configuration with the slipway
passage formed between the spaced edges of the side walls. A
portion of each side wall is removed at the area which is to form
the junction between the first and second sleeves and thereafter
the body is bent along the junction to dispose the first and
second sleeves at right angles to one another. This provides an
inexpensive support body.
The mounting plate 18 is proportioned to slide freely
within the second slipway 26 and has a threaded passage 36
adapted to receive a mounting screw 38. One or more mounting
plates 18 may be provided in each second slipway 26. The
threaded passageway 36 of each mounting plate is accessible
through the second slipway passage 30 when the mounting plate
18 is located within the second slipway chamber 26.
The clamping member 14 has a first arm 40 and a second
arm 42 which extend at right angles to one another. The first
arm 40 is proportioned to be insertable within the first slipway
chamber 24 through the opening formed at the free end of the
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first sleeve 20. The first arm 40 has a securin~ nut 44
fastened thereto. The securing nut 44 and the first arm 40
have a threaded passage 46 extending therethrough. The threaded
screw 16 is adapted to fit within the threaded passage 46. The
securing nut 44 has a width proportioned to permit it to project
outwardly through the slipway passage 28. By threading the
slamping screw 26 through the passage 46, it may be driven
against the back wall 34 of the first sleeve 20 to secure the
clamping member with respect to the support body with the
second arm 42 extending in a face-to-face relationship with
the second sleeve 22 to form a clamping passage of adjustable
proportions therebetween.
As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a divider screen
50, a pair of support brackets 10 and load support members 52
and 54 serve to provide a combination which will permit loads
to be supported within a work area to be defined by the screen
50 .
The load support unit 52 is in the form of a bookshelf
having a back wall 56, a bottom wall 58 and a pair of oppositely
disposed end walls 60, all of which are secured with respect to
one another in a conventional manner. The back wall 56 has
passages 62 opening therethrough through which the mounting
screws 38 extend in order to engage mounting plates 18 located
within the slipway chambers for use in clamping the bookshelf
to the support brackets.
The load support unit 54 is in the form of a pair of
angle bracket members 70 having a spacer bar 72 extending
therebetween. The angle brackets 70 are secured with respect
to the support brackets by means of clamping screws 38 which
extend through the passages 74 to engage anchor plates 18.
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Hanger brackets may extend transversely between
the support brackets 70 for use in suspending plans or the
like from the load support unit 54.
From the foregoing it will ~e apparent that the
present invention provides a simple and inexpensive support
bracket and a novel combination support bracket and divider
screen assembly.
It will be apparent that merely by adjustment of the
position of the clamping member with respect to the second
sleeve of the support body, it is possible to adjust the
support bracket for use in combination with divider screens
of various thicknesses.
Furthermore, by reason ~ the fact that the only
connection between the support brackets in use is that provided
by the load support units, it is possible to use these brackets
in combination with a flat divider screen or a curved divider
screen. When used in combination with a curved divider screen,
it is preferable to locate the load support units on the
concave side of the screen as they will merely bridge the space
~0 between the support brackets without making contact with the
intermediate portion of the screen. These and other advantages
of the support brackets and the combination of the present in-
vention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
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