US3523508A - Adjustable shelving - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Inventor Louis Maslow Huntsville Road, Dallas, Pennsylvania 18612 Appl. No. 726,080

Filed May 2, 1968 Patented Aug. 11, 1970 Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 627,120, filed Mar. 30, 1967, now Patent No. 3,424,11 1.

ADJUSTABLE SHELVING 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 108/144,

21 1/ 181 Int. Cl A47b 9/00 Field 01' Search 108/144,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,010,292 8/1935 Campbell 248/412 2,705,119 3/1955 lngwer 248/412X 3,225,720 12/1965 Maslow 2| l/l8lX 3,280,767 10/1966 Kahn 108/144 3,316,864 5/1967 Maslow.... 2ll/l8lX 3,395,810 8/1968 Johnson 21 1/181X Primary Examiner- James T. McCall Attorney-Friedman and Goodman Patnted Aug. 11, 1970 3,523,508

ATTORNEYS Ptented Aug. 11 1 970 Sheet FIG. 5

INVENTOR. Jaws wszam/ BY I m Mum *1 ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLESHELVING RELATIONSHIP WITI-I PRIOR APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 627,120; filed Mar. 30, I967, now Pat. 2 No. 3,424,111, entitled Readily Assemblable and Adjustable Shelving.

-l BACKGROUN-DOF THEINVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to shelving. More particularly, the invention relates to improved adjustable shelving which may be readily adjusted to various desired heights or readily assembled and disassembled.

Descriptionof the prior art Adjustable metal shelving is known. So-called knockdown metal shelving is also known. However, it is a distinct disadvantage, among others, in the aforenoted prior art shelving that the corner supports therefor, through which the corner posts extend are provided with set screw or set bolts which proceed through threaded apertures, by means of which the corner support is affixed to each corner post. Thus, in order to adjust the height of the shelf, or to assemble it or disassemble it, the set screws must be loosened or tightened, as the circumstance may require, by suitable tools before such action can be accomplished. As mentioned, in order to assemble the posts and shelves a tool, such as a screw driver, is required. Oftentimes, in attempting to assure a tight fit of corner support to corner post, the set screw or bolt is turned for an excessive number of revolutions, and the post is thereby caused to be dented or similarly damaged; or, additionally, the threads of the set screw become stripped requiring its replacement. On the other hand, if the screw is threaded too loosely into the threaded aperture to prevent damage to the post or screw, then the shelf, loaded with goods may collapse. Still further, if the set screw is lost the shelving is useless until the proper size set screw is obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects of the invention It is an object of the invention therefor to overcome the aforementioned prior art disadvantages by providing shelving requiring no set screws or set bolts, or the use of tools in conjunction therewith.

It is another object to provide adjustable shelving wherein the shelves are firmly held to the supporting posts and as the weight of material on the shelves increases the posts become increasingly more firmly engaged and tightly held to the Statement of the invention In accordance with the present invention readily assemblable shelving is provided comprising a shelf member having corner supports secured thereto at each corner of said shelf member, said corner supports being adapted to receive and securely hold corner posts provided with graduated recesses along their vertical dimension, and said corner posts also being fitted with post supports for holding said corner support and corner post in secured relation. The spacing of the shelving, relative to each other, is adjusted by varying the positions of the post supports along the height of the corner posts. The posts are engaged within the post supports by virtue of the fact wardly extending frusto-conical section shape, an outwardly extending ridge, said mounting member comprising at least two members which interengage one. another in holding relationship when said inwardly extending rib is engaged within an indentation along a post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention can be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE I is a perspective view of adjustable shelving pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 2-is an exploded view of a corner portion of the adjustable shelving shown in FIG. l; 7

FIGURE 3 is a detail view partly in section of the assembly shown in FIG. 3;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of adjustable shelving pursuant to the present invention showing the shelf adjusted to different heights along the post members; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings in which the shelf is generally designated by reference numeral 2. It is constructed of criss-crossing wire supported along the periphery by parallel running vertically disposed wires 4 and 6 having a corrugated wire 8 joining the same. This joins the four corners 10, 12, I4 and 16. A similar support wire runs lengthwise across the shelf in the center thereof. At the corners welded to wires 4 and 6 are conicallyshaped post receiving members 18 which taper outwardly toward their lower extremity.

A post 20 is provided with a plurality of periodically spaced indentations 22 which indentations can accommodate a rib 24 positioned on the inside periphery of a post mounting member generally represented by reference numeral 26. This post mounting member comprises at least two separate members which can be joined about post 20 in holding engagement. The separate members are shown in FIG. 2 and are designated by reference numerals 30 and 32. Each separate member cornprises a main wall 33 and is provided at its lowermost edge with a semi circular outwardly extending ridge so that when the members 30 and 32 are joined together about post 20 there is defined a .circular ridge 38. The post mounting member has a conical shape and is adapted in size to fit snugly within the post receiving member 18. The conical shape of the' mounting member is due principally to thefact that it is constructed so that its thickness increases gradually from its uppermost edge 40 to its lowermost edge 42 as seen in FIG. 3. It

is constructed of a material which is yieldable enough so that a.

half of the member can become engaged about the post 20 when the rib 24 is within an indentation 22. A suitable materi al of construction for the mounting member is aluminum.

The mounting member halves are generally constructed so that when they become engaged about the post 20 they tend to tongue portion designated 48 and 48a and a groove designated 50 and 50a.

The use of the adjustable shelving assembly is very simple;

The desired height of the shelf is first determined and the mounting members are then placed about the posts. This is done by engaging a half of the mounting member on post 20,

by placing the rib 24 within the appropriate indentation 22 on post 20 corresponding to the desired height. The mounting I member half tends to snap into place. In place it serves as a guide via the tongue and groove construction for fastening the remaining half thereto about post 20. When this is done the post is ready to become engaged within the post receiving member 18. The post with the mounting member thereabout is then passed upwards through post receiving member 18. When the mounting member is within receiving member I8 the post is firmly engaged to the shelf due to the relative sizes of the conical-shaped receiving means and the conical-shaped mounting means. When all four posts are inserted, the shelf is in adjusted position and ready for use. It should be apparent that as the weight on the shelf increases the mounting member halves are brought even closer together in locking relationship with one another. The shelf is supported, of course, due to the support provided by the outwardly extending ridge 38 as seen in FIG. 3.

Various modifications of the assembly shown above are possible. For instance, instead of employing a tongue and groove assembly as illustrated, another assembly can be provided where the two halves inter-engage one another about a vertical post provided with indentations. Additionally, instead of providing ridge 38 at the lowermost extremity of the mounting member it can be provided at another point along its periphery such as midway up the periphery of the mounting member. Another desirable feature is to provide the bottom of the posts with a leveling assembly having an hexagonal foot or similar foot which can be turned by an ordinary wrench to level the adjustable shelving assembly should it be used under circumstances where the surface upon which the shelf is being placed is unlevel.

FIG. 6 shows the versatility of the adjustable shelving in addition to showing utilization of a shelf member constructed of wires 3 in turn supported by a wire supporting assembly comprising a pair of vertically running wires positioned parallel to one another, one over the other and reinforced by a corrugated wire extending along a major portion of the length of the wires. This reinforcing effect is shown in FIG. 6.

The terms and expressions used herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation as there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents, or portions thereof, as many modifications and departures are possible within the scope ofthe invention.

lclaim:

l. Shelving comprising a flat shelf member having corner post receiving members having a frusto-conical section shape and being adapted to receive and securely hold corner posts positioned within a mounting assembly comprising a frustoconical section shaped member surrounding a post provided on its interior periphery with an inwardly extending rib engageable within any one of a plurality of horizontally running indentations on said post, said mounting assembly provided with an exteriorly disposed ridge adaptable to engage and hold a corner receiving member.

2. Shelving according to Claim 1, wherein said mounting assembly comprises at least two separate members adaptable to inter-engage one another in holding position when said rib is positioned within an indentation, said mounting assembly snugly fitting within said post receiving member.

3. Shelving according to Claim 2, wherein there are two halves comprising said mounting assembly each of which is provided with a tongue and groove adaptable to engage a groove and tongue on the other half.

4. Shelving according to Claim 3, wherein said ridge is positioned on the lowermost extremity ofsaid mounting assembly.

5. Shelving according to Claim 4, wherein said mounting assembly is sufficiently yieldable to be snapped about said post.

6. Shelving according to Claim 4, wherein said mounting assembly is constructed of aluminum.

7. Shelving comprising a flat shelf member having crisscrossing wires supported by a pair of parallel running wires positioned one over the other and joined together by a corrugated wire, and said shelf member having corner supports joined together by a pair of parallel running wires positioned one over the other and joined together by a corrugated wire.

8. Shelving according to Claim 7, having corner post receiving members having a frusto-conical section shape and being adapted to receive and securely hold corner posts positioned within a mounting assembly comprising a frusto-conical section shaped member surrounding a post provided on its interior periphery with an inwardly extending rib enga eable within any one of a plurality of horizontally running in entations on said post, said mounting assembly provided with an exteriorly disposed ridge adaptable to engage and hold a corner receiving member.

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