US2061937A - Merchandising display rack - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24, 1936.

G. w. FAY

MERCHANDISING DISPLAY RACK Filed Jan. 23, 1936 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a rack for canned goods for use in displaying the same on a store counter.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rack which will be adjustable and flexible and yet light and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a perspective View of a loaded rack constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rack, and

Fig. 3 is a view of the flexible member which holds the two parts of the rack together and permits the adjustment.

The purpose of this rack is to receive canned goods as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in order that they may be displayed on the counter and to provide means by which several cans can be taken to the counter and removed from it as one article. The cans are stacked on the rack in horizontal position, which tends to lock the cans in rigid formation, so that the rack full of cans will not collapse. The base of the rack is concealed by the cans lying on top of the wire, so that the rack or support seems invisible.

The metal part of the rack consists of two pieces Ill and I l of wire bent to form two handles I2 and parallel legs which are intended to lie adjacent to each other, the handles, of course, being at opposite ends of the structure. The article is completed by a flexible member I3 of rubber, elastic composition, leather or fabric. This may be in many forms but in the form shown, particularly in Fig. 3, it is provided with two series of slits I4 or, if it is made of some less flexible material than the soft rubber, this may be replaced by slots of some little width. The legs of the two halves of the frame are inserted through these slits so that one leg passes through the spaces made by the bending of the fabric I3 alternately between each two slits in one direction and bending it in the other direction in the alternate spaces. Then the other leg is put through the same slits by alternating the offset of the strips I5 which are formed between the slits I4. In this way it will be seen that the two legs which lie adjacent to each other on each side are held together and. yet will be slightly apart and that the member I3 constitutes a single means not only for holding the legs of the two parts together but for enabling them to be adjusted to increase and decrease the length of the whole rack. They also serve to hold the rack in its adjusted position.

The rack is used as shown in Fig. 1 being adjusted to the proper length to hold the desired number of cans of fruit or vegetables or the like. It serves as a unit, as when lifted by the handles I2, it can be moved from one place to another on the counter or transported to or from the counter with the canned goods in position. This can be done in spite of the flexibility of the member I3 because when lifted the ends of the legs of the two members will descend only a short distance on account of the fact that the member I3 is made of a piece of rubber or similar material of some strength or thickness and its flexibility, of course, is limited. This rack furnishes a long felt want in the matter of keeping canned goods displayed on counters in the proper position and furnishing a convenient means for transporting them.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a rack for the purpose described comprising two wire frames, each consisting of two horizontal legs and a vertical handle, said frames being located with the handles at opposite ends and each pair of legs projecting inwardly toward the handle of the other frame, and the four legs being arranged in pairs on opposite sides with those of each pair being nearly in contact to constitute the sides of a rack, and flexible strips of sheet material through which said legs pass for adjustably holding said legs of the two pairs together at a point between the handles.

2. As an article of manufacture, a rack comprising two horizontal legs extending inwardly from one end and two horizontal legs extending inwardly from the other end of the rack and serving as a rest for canned goods and a piece of flexible sheet material having slits therethrough for receiving said legs, in each case one leg passing over the strip of sheet material between two slits and the adjacent leg passing under the same strip.

3. A flexible sheet of material for holding a pair of wire frames in position having two rows of transverse slits at each opposite end through which the wires can be inserted for the purpose described, each row consisting of four slits equally spaced apart.

GEORGE W. FAY.

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