US2775424A - Adjustable display easel - Google Patents

Description

v Dec. 25, 1956 C. C. HARRIS ADJUSTABLE DISPLAY EASEL Filed Sept. 19, 1952 INVENTOR CARL C. HARR/J ATTORNEYS United States Patent O ADJUSTABLE DISPLAY EASEL Carl c. Harris, Orange, Mass., assignor m The Stencil Co., Orange, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,454

7 Claims. (Cl. 248-195) The present invention relates to display devices and more particularly to cards or easels for displaying small articles such as pencils, pens, flash lights and the like.

In the merchandising ofsm-all articles such as pencils, pens, minatu're flash lights and the like it is common to mount one or more of the articles on a card or easel and place one or more of the cards or easels in a show window or in or on a show case. The cards or easels will be at various levels relative to the eye level of an observer and,

for most effective display, the easel or card should be substantially normal to'the line of sight of the observer, that is,', it shouldbe substantially vertical when located at eye level and substantially horizontal when on the floor of a show case.

Cards or easels having articles attached thereto are frequentlyplaced on top of store counters Where they are freely accessible. As a result, many such articles are stolen and it is important that the articles be protected in some way against unauthorized remov-alfrom the display. It'is equally important however, that the articles be readily removable for sale and readily replaceable when it is necessary to replenish or change the articles on the card or easel.

One of the primary objects 'of the present invention is to provide an improved display device for articles which can be'adjusted to a plurality of positions for proper display of the articles regardless of the relation of the level at which the display device is mounted to the level of the eyes of prospective customers and which can be stored in a drawer in the manner of a display tray 'orboxe-d for shipment.

Another object is to provide a display card or easel for articles which may be attached to the display card edge in su'cha Way thatthe articles may be readily removed or replaced but are protected against unauthorized removal.

Morespecifically it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for displaying articles which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, which can be adjusted to any of a plurality of display positions in accordance with the relation of the eye level of the prospective customer to that at which the display is mounted and is eifective to prevent unauthorized removal of the clip bearing article from the display.

The foregoingand other objects of this invention will become more fullyapparent by reference to the appended claims and as the following detailed description proceeds in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure, l is a front elevation View of one embodiment of the display device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the display device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the display device of Figure 1 showing inadetail the detent means for retaining the display card inits adjusted position relative to the base upon which it is pivotally mounted, being a section taken substantially along the line '33 of Figure 1;

Figure/1 is fragmentary perspective view of a modified display device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention and which is of such improved con- Patented Dec. 25, 1956 .2 struction that loss of displayed clip bearing articles due to thievery is materially reduced; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a display device of the type shown in Figure 4 modified for the display of non-clip-bearing articles.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and particularly in reference to Figures 1 and 2, the display device of my present invention includes base 10 formed with a fiat bottom face 12 adapted to rest upon a shelf or display counter in a store and formed with a groove 14 which is of segmental circular cross-section greater than a semicircle and which extends longitudinally of the base 10. The bottom 12 may be formed either by spaced feet on the base 10 or as in the disclosed embodiment, by a continnous flat surface. A cylindrical rod or. shaft 16 which may be of wood, metal, plastic or the like, is rotatably received within the recess 14 and, due to the fact that the recess 14 is of greater than semi-circular cross-sectional configuration, is effectively retained therein against all but rotary and axial movement.

A display card or easel 18, upon which the articles 19 are mounted for display purposes, is rigidly mounted upon rod or shaft 16 for pivotal movement therewith to various positions in which the articles 19 will be mostclearly displayed to prospective customers, The card or easel 18 is generally a hat sheet of paper, plastic, metal or the like and its lower edge is fixed in a slot 20 formed longitudinally along shaft 16 parallel to the axis thereof. The side edges of card 18 are bent rearwardly from the front of the display to form integral side braces or flanges 22 which stiffen the card 18 and the lower ends of these flanges may be secured to the ends of shaft 16.

As is best shown in Figure 3, detent means are'provided for retaining the shaft 16 and the display card 18 in their adjustedpositions relative to the base 10. One simple form of detent consists of a member 26 which is 'slida'bly mounted ina bore 27 in the base 10 and is urged outward toward the rod 16 by a spring 30. The member 26 and spring 30 may, if desired, be mounted in a cup or sleeve 28 which is inserted into the bore 27 as a unit. The'member 26 bears against the rod 16 and holds the rod 16 in adjusted position. If desired, the rod 16 may be provided with an annular groove 24 for receiving the end of the member 26. The member 26 will hold the rod 16 in adjusted position whether or not there is a groove 24 but the groove'24 does hold the rod 16 against axial displacement. While ordinarily one detent unit is sufiicient, several may be employed if desired.

It is, of course, apparent thatthe relative positions of the groove 24 and the spring biased detent member 26 may be reversed if desired. This detent 26 provides a continuous-adjustment of shaft 16 relative to base 10 while the groove serves to prevent removal of the rod or shaft 16.

As will be noted by reference once again to Figure 2, the top surface 32 of the base 10 to the rear of the axis of shaft 16 is sufficiently low to permit the display card to to engage the display card 18 when it is shifted to a posi tion slightly forward of the vertical position. These extreme positions of the display card 18 are illustrated in phantom lines and designated respectively 18 and 18". The card 18 is adjusted to position 18" when the display is located above the eye level of prospective customers and is adjusted toward position 18' when the display is located below customers eye level, for storing, as in a drawer, or for'shipment. t

It should be noted that the axis of shaft 16 is off-set from the center of the base 10 toward the front of the base 10 so that a vertical line through the center of gravity of the display assembly as a whole, even when fully loaded with articles, will pass through the bottom face 12 for all base solong-as base ltl is mounted-on-ahorizontal-' or nearly horizontal surface in the customary manner. There is, therefore, no danger that the display will tip over.

The display easel as thus fardescribedis suitable for the'displa'y'of any articles,regardless of the manner in which'the'articles are secured to the card18. The articles may be secured to the card by clips, staples, glue, or tabs oryholes formed inthe card'18 and the card adjusted to the most advantageous viewing angle. I

One of'the principal usesof myeasel is for the display of "articles such as pencils, pens, pocket flash lights,'and the like whichbear a permanent or removable pocket engaging clip such as the clip 33 on pencil19 in Figure 4;

As will. be noted from Figures 1 and 2, in the first embodiment of the invention, clip bearing articles may be attached to the easel by placing the clip over the top edge ofthe dis'playcard 18.. It has been found that while that embodiment ofmy improved display device is entirely satisfactory for display in show cases which are enclosed, this manner of securing the articles to the display card 18 permits relatively easy removal of the articles by thieves when the display is placed on top of a counter. In order to overcome this disadvantage, I have provided a second embodiment which is shown in Figures 4 and 5 and which, with the exceptions that will be noted, is identical with'the display device of. Figures 1 through 3.

Referring now to Figure '4, it is seen that an aperture 36 of generally rectangular configuration has been formed through the display card 18, the lower edge of this rectangular aperture 36 being the edge upon which the clip bearing articles 19 are to be attached for display purposes rather than over the top edge as in the-first embodiment. This aperture 36 may be formed by making three cuts through the display card 18 forming the side edges and lower edge of the aperture and bending the portion of the'sheet material of card 18 which is thus released along a line extending between the tops of the side cuts parallel to the lower edge to provide aprojection 38 extending forwardly over the tops of the clip bearing articles 19 when in their displayed position, as shown, to prevent vremovalof the articles from the. display device. In this embodiment of my invention the bent out projection 38 has been cut off slightly so that the width of the projection .38 is not exactly equal to the width ofthe rectangular aperture 36. This-has been done to prevent the projection 38 from extending further fromthe plane of display card 18 than necessary to prevent removal of the articles 19.

The articles, which as illustrated are flat pencils, are mounted on the edge of the aperture 36' with their clips extending over the edge to the rear-of the card and the pencil on the front of the card 18. The height of the opening 36 is suchthat the top of the pencil engages theprojection 38 before the lower end of the clip clears the edge of the:aperture 36 so that the pencil cannot be readily removed .from the card. I

When :it is: desired to remove one or thereof the articlesifrom'the .display card 13, pressure is: applied by handin .the' vicinity of the lower edge of the rectangular aperture=36 to'the face of the display card 18 from which 4, size as to hold three or four of the articles 19. By this preferredconstruction, amore rigiddisplay 4 is provided:

The prevention of the unauthorized removal is applicable to non-clip-bearing as well as clip bearing articles as illustrated in Figure 5 which shows this feature of my invention with non-clip-bearing articles such as a ruler or scale and a nail punch.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, which is generally similartothe device ,of Figure4, the face of the card 18 is provided with a loopor sleeve 40 through which the article such as the scale 42 .is freely slidable'. If the article 42 is of sufiicient length and-the loop or sleeve 40 .is properly located,;the'base 10 will prevent removal of the article by downward movement While if the article 42 is relatively short, a pocket 44 may be secured to the face of the card 18 to receive the lower end of the article and prevent removal by downward movement.

The loop or sleeve 40may be formed in ,a variety of ways. For example, a portion of the card 18 maybe bent outward to form the sleeve 40 or the sleeve maybe a separate piece such as a staple or loop of material secured to the face of the card. If a pocket 44 is used, this may alsobe formed as a part of the card 18 or as a separate piece secured to the face of the card.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are'therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come withinthemeaning and range of equivalency of the claims are-thereforeintended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A device adapted to display clip-bearing articles with v a minimum dangerof loss due to thievery in any of a plurality of adjusted angular positions, said device com= prising a base having a flat face adapted to rest upon-a counter or shelf, a shaft rotatably mounted upon said base about an axis parallel to the plane of said support face, a generally flat relativelyflexible display cardfixed to. said shaft in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation there of, means coacting between said shaft and said base for retaining said shaft in its adjusted position relative to said base, said display card being formed with a rectan-.

gular aperture upon the lower edge of which clipbearthe projection 38 extends to deflect the lower edged the I ing articles may be clipped for display purposes on said display card, an imperforate projection extending completely along the top edge of said aperture and projecting from one side of the display card so as to overlie said clip bearingarticles attached upon said lower edge to prevent direct upward removal of said articlesysaid display card being formed of a defiectable material whereby, when pressure is manually appliedadjacent said lower edgefrom said'one .side of. saidcard, said loweredge willJbe deflected away from said oneside suificiently ito permit removalrof saidarticles through said aperture.

2'. In adevice adapted 'to display articles which areprovided'with means thereon forattachment to a display card edge with minimumdanger'of'loss due to thievery, a generally-planar relatively-flexible display card having a'rectangular'aperture formed through said cardupon the lower edge of. which such articles may be attached by such means and an imperforate projection extending from'one side of said card-completely along the'top edge of said aperture over the articles attached upon said lower edge to prevent direct upward removal of said articles, said .card being formed of a deflectable material whereby said lower edge can, by manually apply ing pressure adjacent said' lower edge at said one side of said card be deflected to a position out of alignment with saidtop edge of said aperture to permit-removalor attachment of the articlesthrough the aperture.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said projection is formed integral with said card and consti tutes a portion of said card partially cut out and turned up out of the plane of said card to simultaneously form said aperture and said projection.

4. In a device adapted to display articles with minimum danger of loss due to thievery, a generally planar relatively flexible display card having a rectangular aperture formed .therethrough, an imperforate projection extending from one side of said card completely along the top edge of said aperture and projecting from one side of the display card so as to overlie articles mounted on said card, and means on said one side of said card below said aperture for supporting said articles to dispose the upper ends thereof adjacent and below said projection to prevent direct upward removal of said articles, said card being formed of a defiectable material whereby the portion 'of said card adjoining said articles can be manually deflected to a position out of alignment with said projection, to permit removal or attachment of the articles throughsaid aperture.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said projection is formed integrally with said card.

6. The combination defined, in claim 4 wherein said means for supporting the lower portions of said articles comprises at least one pocket extending outwardly from said one side of said card.

7. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said means for supporting the lower portions of said articles comprises a loop on one side of said card through which the articles may freely slide for removal or attachment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images