Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ADJUSTABLE BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR
SUPPORTING A SHELF
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Background of the Invention
This invention relates to shelf-supporting devices
and is directed more particularly to an adjustable
bracket assembly adapted to securely support shelving
of various sizes and configurations.
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Description of the Prior Art
Shelf-supporting brac~ets of ~he type finding
utility in retail outlets are generally well known, and
various embodiments are adapted to operate under given
conditions.
- U.S.Patent No. 3,321,089, issued May ~3 1967 to
G. Krikorian is illustrative of a shelf-supporting bracket
comprising an arm having notches therein suited for receiv-
ing flexible wires of a wire shelf. Other examples of brackets
adapted for use with wi.re shelving include U.S.Patent No.
3,355,134, issued November 28, 1967 to R.G.Chesley, and
U.S.Patent No. 3,565,381, issued ~ebruary 23, 1~71 to
Earl J. Oliver, both of which show the use of fasteners,
or clamps, on bracket members to secure wire portions of
shelving thereto. The fasteners may be moved about upon
brackets to provide for adjustability and thereby attain a
degree of usefulness not found in the Krikorian devlce.
Other embodiments of adjustable shelf supports are
found in U.S.Patent No. 1,702,937, i.ssued February 19, 1929
to M. M. Friedemann, and U.S. Patent l~o. 1,779,236, issued
October 21, 1930 to J.A. Hoegger.
In Friedemarm, a slide member is mounted on a bracket
arm and used in conjunction with an "angle member" to
squeeze opposite edges of a shelf therebetween. The bracket
;~ ~ 25 arm and angle member are both mounted upon a vertical stan-
:~ dard. In Hoegger, a shelf supporting arm has a notch on
its upper edge, and a spring-biased extension protruding
from the free end thereof, the extension having a notch
- 2 -
opposed to the arm notch, such -that a shelf may be gripped
at opposite edges by the two notches, under a spring bias.
Neither Friedemann nor Hoegger is directed specifically to
wire shelving.
In Canadian Patent application Serial No. 454,398 now
Canadian Patent 1,206,928, filed in the name of Arthur R.
Mastrodicasa, there is disclosed an adjustable bracket
assembly for use with wire shelving in which the wire
members are substantially rigid. The assembly includes an
10 arm, a slide member slidably mounted on the arm, and a lock
means for locking the arm and slide member in a selected
position suitable for a selected shelf. The assembly is
capable of use independently oE additional -fastening
structures, such as angle members, clarnps, and the like.
15 In Canadian Patent application Serial No. 471,409, now
Canadian Patent 1,217,743, filed in the name of Arthur R.
Mastrodicasa, there is disclosed an alternative adjustable
bracket assembly for use with wire shelving. The assembly
covered by the 471,409 application also includes an arm, a
20 slide member slidably mounted on the arm, and a lock means
for locking the arm and slide member in a selected position
suitable for a selected shelf. As with the 454,398 assemb-
Iy, the 471,409 assembly is capable of use independently of
additional fastening structures, such as angle members,
25 clamps, and the like. In the 471,409 application there is
disclosed an adjustable bracket assembly of the type
disclosed in the 454,398 application, but providing an
alternative structure having a greater range of adjus-
tability.
313~7
_mmary of the Inventio
An object of the present invention is to provide an
adjustable bracket assembly of the type disclosed in the
aforesaid 45t~,398 and 471~409 applications, but providing an
alternative structure having a greater range of adjus-
tability.
Another object of the invention is $o provide such an
assembly which, though adjustable, is completely secure in
its shelf-retaining function.
A further object of the invention is to provide such an
assembly which, though strong and durable, is readily
manufactured inexpensively and which, in the market place,
is easy and safe to use.
With the above and other objec-ts in view, as will
hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is
the provision of a bracket assembly for supporting a shelf,
the assembly comprising a braclcet member, a first slide
member mounted on the bracket member, the first slide member
having means thereon defining a first notch, the first notch
defining means being adapted to receive and overlie a first
.~ shelf ?ortion, a second slide member mounted on the bracket
member, the second slide member having means thereon
defining a second notch, the second notch defining means
; being adapted to receive and overlie a second shelf portion,
the second notch being opposed to and in alignment with the
first notch, the first and second slide members being
slidably moveable on the bracket mem-
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ber, a first lock means for securing the first slide member
in a selected fixed position on the bracket member, a
second lock means for securing the second slide member in
a selected fixed position on the bracket member, the
bracket member being provided with an elongated slot extend-
ing lengthwise thereof, each of the first and second lock
means including a reciprocally moveable and spring biased
pin extending from its respective slide member and through
the slot, a portion of each of the pins being adapted to
be biased into position to lock its respective slide member
in a selected position on the bracket member.
The above and other features of the invention,
including various novel details of construction and combina,
; tions of parts, will now be more particularly described with
reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in
the claims. It will be understood that the particular
device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustra-
tion only and not as a limitation of the invention. The
principles and features of this invention may be employed in
variolls and numerous embodiments without departing from the
scope of the invention.
B f Description of the Drawings
P~eference is made to the accompanying drawings in which
is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from
~; 25 which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.
In the drawings:
FIG.l is a right side elevational view of one form
of bracket assembly illustrative of an embodiment
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of the invention, shown in combination with
an upri.ght support and wire shelf, the latter
elements shown in section for clarity;
FIG.2 is a top plan view of the elements shown in
FIG. l;
FIG.3 is an enlarged right side elevational view of
the bracket assembly;
FIG.4 is an enlarged left side elevational view of
the bracket assembly;
FIG.5 is a sectional view of an illustrative lock
means, shown in one position; and
FIG.6 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 5, but
showing the lock means in an alternative
position.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that thP
illustrative bracket assembly 2 includes a bracket member
4, a first sIide member 6 mounted on the bracket member,
and a second slide member 8 mounted on the bracket member.
The bracket member 4 comprises a rigid, elongated, sub-
stantially planar member, pre~erably of metal.
The flrst slide member 6 (FIG.3) comprises a rigid,
elonga~ed member, preferably of metal, having a planar
portion 10 (FIG.2) disposed adjacent a planar surface 12
of ~he bracket member 4 and slidable thereon. The first
;~ ~ slide member 6 is provided with an edge 14 disposed co-
~; ~ incidentally with a bracket member lengthwlse edge 16
- 6 -
(FIGS.2 and 3). A first hook portion 18 extends out-
wardly from the first slide member edge 14 and forms a
first notch 20. The first hook portion 18 is provide~
with a first leg portion 22 adapted to overlie a shelf
first portion.
The second slide member 8 (FI&.3) comprises a rigid,
elongated member, preferably of metal, having a planar
portion 24 (FIG.2) disposed adjacent the planar surface 12
of the bracket member 4 and slidable thereon. The second
slide member 8 is provided with an edge 26 disposed coin-
cidentally with the bracke-~ member edge 16 (FIGS.2 and 3).
A second hook portion 28 extends outwardly from the second
slide member edge 26 and forms a second notch 30. The
second hook portion 28 is provided with a second leg
portion 32 adapted to overlie a shelf second portion. The
second hook portion 28 is substantially aligned wit`h and
opposed to the first hook portion 18. The first and second
notches 20, 30 are thus in alignment with each other and
opposed.
The bracket member 4 is provided with opening means,
preferably in the form of an elongated slot 34, having
` enlarged portions 36 disposed along the length thereo.
Six such portions are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, but any
desired number of such enlarged portions may be incorporated
in the slot 34. A first pin 38 (FIG.3) is fixed to the
~irst slide member 6, a shank portion 40 of the first
~: - 7 -
"
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pin 38 extending through the slot 34. The first pin 38
is provided with a head 42 (FIG.4) larger than the width
of the slot 34, to retain in a slidable mode the slide
member 6 upon the bracket member surface 12.
A second pin 44 is mounted for reciprocal movement
in the assembly and includes a first enlarged head 46,
a first enlarged shank portion 48, a second shank portion
50, and a second enlarged head 52. The second pin second
shank portion 50 is disposed in a hole 54 in the first
slide member 6. The second pln first enlarged shank
portion 48 is larger in diameter than the width of the slot
34, but slightly smaller than the enlarged portions 36
of the slot 34. The second shank portion 50 of the pin 44
extends through the hole 54 and is joine~ to the second
enlarged head 52. A coil spring 56 is disposed between the
head 52 and the first slide member 6 and biases an edge 58
of the shank portion 48 firmly against the bracket member 4
to hold the members 4, 6 together (FIG.5).
: If the slide member 6 is moved to the right, as
viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, to a point at which the second pin
first enlarged shank portion 48 is in alignment with one
of the slot enlarged portions 36, the shank portion 48
will be caused by the coil spring 56 to snap into the
enlarged slot portion 36, to securely lock the bracket mem-
~ 25 ber 4 and the slide member 6 together (FIG.6).
: The first slide member 6 preferably is provided with
: a first grip portion 6~ extending outwardly from the
: - 8 -
bracket member at an angle to the plane of the slide
member planar portion 10.
Similarly, a third pin 62 (FIG.3) is fixed to the.
second slide member 8, a shank portion 64 of the third
pin 62 extending through the slot 34. The third pin 62
is provided with a head 66 (FIG.4) :Larger than the width
of the slot 34, to retain in a slidable mode the second
slide member 8 upon the bracket member surface 12.
A fourth pin 68 is mounted for reciprocal movement
in the assembly and includes a first enlarJed head 70,
a first enlarged shank portion 72, a second shank portion
74, and a second enlarged head 76. The ourth pi.n second
shank portion 74 is disposed in a hole 78 in the second
slide member 8. The fourth pin first enlarged shank
portion 72 is larger in diameter than the width of the
:~ slot 34, but slightly smaller than the enlarged portion 36
of the slot 34. The second shank portion 74 of the pin 68
extends through the hole 78 and is joined to the second
enlarged head 76. A coil spring 80 is disposed between
the head 76 and the second slide member 8 and biases the
pin 68 in the same manner as described above relative to
the second pin 44.
The bracket member 4 is preferably provided with tab
~ portions 81 integral with an end of the bracket member
: 25 for engaging holes 83 in a support member 85 and thereby
connecting the bracket member to the support member
(FIG.l).
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The illustrative invention, as above described, is
ideally suited for use in combination with shelves of the
rigid wire type, with which the assembly is illustrated in
FIGS. l and 2. As may be seen, the first notch 20 is adap-
ted to receive a shelf first portion, such as a wire 82, and
the second notch 30 is adapted to receive a shelf second
portion, such as a wire 84. Upon manual depression of the
heads 52, 76, the slide members 6, 8 are slidably moveable
on the bracket member 4 to selectively determine the spacing
between the fi.rst and second notches 20, 30. Upon releasing
the heads 52, 76, the slide members are held against the
bracket member by the force of the springs 56, 80, in a
selected position, such that the first and second notches
retain the shelf first and second portions, or wires 82, 84.
The pressure of the springs 56, 80 is su'ficient to
permit usage of ~he assembly for a variety of wire spacings.
However, it is intended that the assembly be provided for
use with shelving having known wire spacing. It is prefer-
able that the spacing of two wires of the shelving coincide
with the spacing of the first and second notches 20, 30
when the slide members 6, 8 are positioned on the bracket
member such that the second and fourth pin enlarged shank
portions 48, 72 are disposed, respectively, in one of the
; slot enlarged portions 36, thereby positively locking the
members 4, 6 and 4, 8 together with the wires 82, 84 cap-
tured in the notches 20, 30.
It will be apparent that in the locked ~sition, the
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shelf first wire 82, disposed in the first notch 20 is
blocked by the first hook portion 18, including the leg
portion 22, from moving in any but a first direction,
' away from the support member 85, and that the shelf
second wire 84, disposed in the second notch 30, is
blocked by the second hook portion 28, including the
leg portion 32, from movement in any but a second
direction, toward the support member 85. Thus, inad-
vertent dislodging of the shelf from the assembly is
: 10 positively prevented.
Lf it is desired to change to a shelf having a
different wire spacing, an operator need only depress the
locking pi.n heads 52,..76 against the bias of the springs
56, 80, slide one or both of the slide members 6, 8 to a
: 15 releasing position and remove the shelf. Wire portions
of a new shelf can then be inserted between the notches
20, 30, the slide member 6 and/or slide member 8 moved to
a posi~ion in which holding pressure is exerted on the
wires disposed in the first and second notches, and locked
. in place by releasing the locking pin heads 52, 76; or,
preferably, one or both of the slide members mo~ed to a
position in which the second and fourth pin shanks 4~; 72
enter a slot enlarged portion 36, and locked in place by
releasin~ the locking pin heads 52 and/or 76.
It is to be understood that the present invention is
by no means limited to the particular construction herein
; `"'
disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also
comprises any modifications or eyuivalents within the
scope of the disclosure.
Having thus described my invention what I claim
as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of
Canada is:
