US3429450A - Storage rack - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1969 i J, LAMBERT 3,429,450

STORAGE RACK Filed Dec. 8. 1966 I Sheet of 2 IN V EN TOR.

JuhlLambert Feb. 25, 1969 J, J. LAMBERT STORAGE RACK Sheet Filed Dec. 8. 1966 INVENTOR. Jul/e Ila/fiber) ilnited States Patent 3,429,450 STORAGE RACK June J. Lambert, 9420 W. Foster Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60656 Filed Dec. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 603,703 US. Cl. 211-60 Int. Cl. A47f 7/00, 1/14, 7/17 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention while relating to storage racks in general, has especial reference to a rack of the character described particularly adapted for releasable attachment to the outer edges of the glass or metal shelves of medicine chests or cabinets and which shelves may be variably spaced one above the other.

A main object of the invention is to provide a rack for horizontally supporting one or a plurality of tubular, and often collapsible, items such for instance as lipsticks and the like so that the ends thereof often bearing selective indicia and the like are visible, thus ending the clutter in medicine cabinets and giving its user more space and convenience.

Another object of the invention is, in suspending a rack from a medicine cabinet shelf, as and in the manner just above described, is to make use of otherwise wasted space without lessening space on the underlying shelf or obstructing from view the bottles, jars, etc., thereon.

The shape and size of a storage rack according to this invention is optional, as most medicine cabinets are standard and have adjustable shelves. The rack provides a holder for one or, if desirable, a plurality of tubular items of various sizes individually supported in orderly, spaced arrangement with their identifying ends visible. Or, if needed a plurality of racks may be strung along the entire length of a shelf without interfering with or obstructing the view of items on the shelf below. All of these features are additional objectives of the invention.

And, still another object of the invention is to provide a rack of unitary construction as a holder for a single tube or the like and to which other units may be added in interlocking arrangement as needed.

The rack provides a handy and convenient holder for lipstick tubes and similar items that are so readily knocked over and clutter up medicine cabinets, and it is a still further object of the invention to forever end such cluttering and hold, neatly in place and readily accessible, these items which are in daily household and office use.

The accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and forming a part of the specification are as follows:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a rack having a capacity for four tubular items.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the rack shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the rack of FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 mounted on a shelf and with its clip portion formed to receive for storage a lipstick brush placed thereon.

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FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention in which the rack comprises a plurality of unitary holders attached to each other in interlocking relation.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but in which the interlocking feature is of a different formation.

And, FIGURE 7 is a detail perspective view of a rack similar to that shown in FIGURE 5 but illustrating how a plurality of interlocking units may be suspended from a shelf with a retaining clip on one unit only.

It is to be understood that the drawings are simply for the purpose of illustration and that such changes in design and structure of the rack may be made as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the specification and particularly defined in the tip pended claims.

In the drawings similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The rack, see first FIGURES l to 4, inclusive, may be formed of any suitable material and is preferably mold formed of a readily available plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or ABS by known techniques. It includes a front vertically disposed Wall 3, one or a plurality of concave-convex article holding members 4 axially aligned with respective apertures 5 regularly spaced in the wall 3, and a flexible clip portion 6 in yielding engagement with the top surface of a cabinet shelf 7 along the front edge of which the rack is adjustably and removably suspended. A horizontally orientated shelf-like holding or support member or extension spaced below such clip portion 6 is further provided for supportive cooperative engagement with the shelf 7 along the underside thereof. An upwardly curved rear end portion 8 of the clip provides a convenient storage place for a lipstick brush 9 or like item. A representation of a lipstick container or a collapsible tube is indicated at 10 in phantom lines, FIGURE 3.

From the above it will be observed that items within the rack are individually spaced and lie in a horizontal position so that identification marking such as number or color are readily discernible.

A modification of the invention as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 comprises a rack formed of a plurality of interlocking units 11 each of which, in an upper row, having a clip-on member 6 or, in some instances, a single clip on one of the units, as in FIGURE 7, may sufiice for the entire rack.

Each unit 11 comprises an elongated rectangular body having a front end wall 3 parallel side walls 12-12 and top and bottom walls 13 and 14, respectively, within each unit 11 is an axially extending concavo-convex member 4 similar to and for the same purpose as the members 4 previously described. The several units 11 are assembled in sidewise abutment with each other and removably held together by slidable engagement of longitudinally extending T-ribs 15 on and corresponding slots 16 in respective top, "bottom and side walls of adjacent units as clearly indicated in the drawings. An alternative shape of interlocking ribs and slots for units 11 is shown in FIGURE 6 at 15 and 16 respectively.

From the foregoing it is believed the construction, manner of using, purpose, utility and desirability of the invention have been made sufiiciently clear as to call for no further explanation.

What I now claim is:

1. A rack for orderly and visible storage of elongated articles having identifying indicia on an end portion thereof and adapted for vertically orientated suspended attachment to a horizontally orientated shelf comprising,

(a) a front wall member of essentially planar configuration and having a regular peripheral form, said member having shelf attachment means disposed in an upper edge portion thereof,

(13) such shelf attachment means comprising a support member and a clip member vertically spaced therefrom,

(bi) said support member being of shelf-like con figuration and integrally attached to the rear of said front Wall member along further being normally disposed to said front Wall member and extending rearwardly thereof,

(bii) said clip member having a first end integrally attached to said front wall member along said upper edge thereof, said clip member initially extending upwardly from said front wall member so as to vertically space said clip member from such support member, the clip member further extending rearwardly and generally normally of said front wall member,

(c) a plurality of spaced generally circular openings projecting entirely through said front wall member,

(d) an article holding member of longitudinally orientated shelf-life configuration associated with each of said openings, each of said article holding members extending normally and rearwardly of said front Wall member and disposed beneath said support member, said article holding members being further of concave-convex cross section and in at least partial coextensive axial alignment with its associated opening,

and

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sturgis 211-69.2 XR Flora 24--259 Franz 21l71 Maxcey 21186 XR Karp 24-259 XR Hollins 21l60 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner. W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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